USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > A twentieth century history of Erie County, Pennsylvania : a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 57
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C. Moore and T. O. Marshall bought it. In 1895 M. C. Moore became sole proprietor, but was succeeded in 1897 by E. M. Foye, who published the paper until 1907, when he sold out to the Garfield Printing Co., its present owners.
The North East Breese was started by W. H. Sandborn on May 8. 1893, and it was certainly well named, for it was as breezy a village paper as ever was printed. Mr. Sandborn continued the business success- fully until taken sick in 1906. He never recovered, his death occurring Nov. 20, 1908. Meanwhile, October 25, 1907, the property was pur- chased by L. B. Yale, who is now the successful publisher.
Banking business in North East was begun in 1860, when A. W. Blaine opened a banking office in the borough. In 1865 a charter was obtained and Mr. Blaine's bank became the First National Bank of North East, which continued to do business until 1884, when, the charter hav- ing expired, the bank discontinued business. The People's Savings In- stitution was incorporated in 18:0. The firm of Blaine, Gould & Short began business in 1871, subsequently became Short, Blaine & Co., and discontinuing business May 14, 1883. was succeeded by the People's Sav- ings Institution. On January 23, 1895, the latter suspended, and five days afterward Samson Short started a private bank under the name of the Short Banking Co., for the purpose of protecting the interest of the patrons of the defunct People's Savings Institution, of which bank Mr. Short had been president. This accomplished and the fear of serious complications to result from the closing of the People's Savings Institu- tion dispelled, Mr. Short announced his intention of retiring from the banking business and on June 30, 1896, notice was given that no more deposits would be received and all depositors would be paid in full. On July 1, 1896, W. H. Adkins & Co., improving the opportunity offered. opened an office for the accommodation of the patrons of the bank that had gone into liquidation. W. A. Ensign & Son, as successors of the original First National Bank, began a private banking business Decem- ber 24, 1884, but the bank failed in December, 1907. August 1, 1903, a national bank with $50,000 capital began business under the name of the First National Bank of North East. They occupy a handsome office of their own on Lake street. A. W. Blaine is president and B. C. Spoon- er cashier.
The National Bank of North East was organized in June, 1908, with a capital of $50,000, and the following officers: R. A. Davidson, president ; O. C. Hirtzel, vice president; F. M. McDonald, cashier, and as directors R. A. Davidson, C. E. Leet. W. S. Wheeler, D. C. Bostwick, George E. Pierce, C. C. Hill, O. C. Hirtzel, H. E. Norris and F. B. Moor- head.
North East did not lag behind when grim-visaged war displayed his threatening front. There had not been the fear of Indian hostilities that came to the pioneers of other sections, but in the period of the war of
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1812, real danger threatened. In common with the rest of the southern shore of Lake Erie, North East felt keen apprehension from invasion by the British and their savage allies. About thirty of her citizens be- came volunteers in the army that was hastily gathered to form a body of defense at Erie. And there, for the protection of their homes, an organization of minute men was formed, known as the Home Guards. Happily the guards were never called into actual warlike service, but their existence did not a little to establish a feeling of security, confirmed into confidence when news came of the victory of Perry on September 10, 1813.
And again the shadow of war fell upon the peaceful community, when the ill-advised people of the southern states rashly undertook to destroy the Union. President Lincoln's call for volunteers met a ready response and each of the regiments that went to the front from Erie county had its full contingent from North East, including a captain in each. N. L. Terrell was captain of Co. K. 83d Regiment : John Braden (after whom the Grand Army post of North East was named) com- manded Co. F, 111th, and Dyer Loomis was captain of Co. C, 145th Regiment.
Among "first" occurrences with which North East is connected or concerned, it may be stated that the first post office was established in 1812 ; the first telegraph line was built in 1847 or 48; the first railway train passed through North East January 10, 1852, on the Erie & North East Railway; the first white child born in the towsnhip was Lyman Brown and the first white child born in the borough was Wm. B. Allison ; David M. Dewey, who removed to North East in 1846, born near the banks of Walnut creek, November 15, 1794, was the first white child born in Erie county-his death occurred on his birthday in 1874. (This state- ment is found in the chronicles of North East. but evidently it is a mis- take, for there were no settlers at or near Walnut creek in 1194.)
It has already been stated that the first school built in North East township was also the first school in the county of Erie. North East has ever since maintained an advanced position on educational matters. In the early days church and school were closely related, and in later times while the free school system of public education was zealously sup- ported, the combination of religion with education was continued down to the present time. The renewal of the old-time dual relation came about in the decade of the sixties when an effort originated in the Metho- dist denomination to establish a seminary for the education of young people. It appears to have been a conference idea, as, at the beginning there was an open question as to where the proposed seminary would be located. Erie, North East and Westfield being candidates, the decision to rest with the place that would most generously contribute to the stock of the enterprise. North East won out, and in 1867 a site was chosen for Lake Shore Seminary and work was begun. The seminary was built
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in 1868, at a cost of $:0,000. By the time it was ready for use, the financial burden had begun to be so heavy. that aid from the Presbyterians was gladly accepted, and then for a period of several years the Lake Shore Seminary appeared to be in the enjoyment of prosperity. But it turned out otherwise than as it appeared. Financially it was falling be- hind and its excellent work as an educational institution did not help it to prosperity as time passed. At length it could no longer stand the strain. To save it an effort was made to induce the government to take it over as an Indian school, but the effort failed of success, and at length it fell into the hands of the sheriff and the property that was held to be worth $90,000 was sold to the North East Savings Bank for $12,000. For a number of years the property lay idle, the bank endeavoring meanwhile to dispose of it. In February. 1881, the seminary was bought by the Redemptorist Fathers, who founded St. Mary's College. (See sketch elsewhere. )
North East borough was for half a century a country town of the good old-fashioned unpretentious type ; rather better laid out and more evenly built, and with more of the evidences of culture and comfort as well as of business enterprise than the average country town. But there came to it a baptism of fire in its year of jubilee that immediately took it out of the old class and made it a modern town. The saying that it required a good fire to make a good town, was literally true of North East. In September, 1884, a destructive fire. which started on Lake street just north of the creek, swept both sides of the street to main street, extending west to the Presbyterian church, and included on the east side of the street the Haynes House. It was the most disastrous fire in the history of the town, involving a loss of a quarter of a million. The principal benefit derived from the catastrople was the lesson that showed the town's weakness. They had no protection whatever in case of a fire. The people had literally to stand idly by and see the best part of the business section devoured by the flames. When it was over, however, the people became busy at once. An organization was effected to provide a system of water works. The borough was bonded for $20,000, and in 1885 work was begun. A reservoir with a capacity of 4,000,000 gal- lons was constructed on the hills southeast of the town, which conserved the water of a number of springs, and this supply, piped by a complete system of about ten miles of mains, furnished the town with an adequate supply for years. The pressure at Main street of 100 pounds to the square inch was ample for fire protection and the distribution included 700 connections. This provision was found to be sufficient for a time, although during seasons of unusual drouth it became necessary to sup- plement the gravity system by pumps to lift water from Sixteen-mile creek into the reservoir. During the summer of 1908, however, it be- came apparent that there was not a sufficient margin to come and go upon, and it seemed as though even the auxiliary service of the pumps
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would not be adequate to put the water supply out of jeopardy. Im- mediately the council set about providing a means that would put the water service upon a perfectly reliable footing. A careful survey dis- closed the fact that it was possible to impound the water of Sixteen-mile creek at a point a mile and a half southeast of the original reservoir and obtain a height sufficient to serve the old reservoir by gravity. Steps were at once taken. A fund sufficient for the purpose was easily obtained, for the finances of the water department were in excellent shape, more than half the original debt having been paid. With the fund of $20,000 raised for the purpose a dam was built which formed a reservoir of 80,000,000 gallons capacity. The reservoir was completed the latter part of 1908, and the water department has set itself to the task of installing a filtering plant, so that the supply of water will not only be abundant but pure. This adjunct of the new reservoir will be completed during the year 1909. Financially the water department has been most success- ful, and the receipts have been steadily increasing. From $4,551 in 1901 they advanced to $9,371 in 1908.
A more troublesome problem than that of the water supply has been to provide a sewer system. The simplest expedient would have been to drain into Sixteen-mile creek-the old fashioned solution of such a puzzle. The North East people never favored that. They would not be permitted now to do it, the State board of health having placed a rigid ban upon the pollution of the streams of the state. However, the prob- lem was taken up with the purpose of solving it, and the result has been a plan which has met the approval of the State board. This has been adopted by the progressive council and work is to begin upon it during the summer of 1909.
The progress of North East has been all along the line. Modern community living demands paved roadways for the streets as well as for the sidewalks. In the latter particular the village has for years been notable ; in the paving of the roadways a splendid start was made in 1907, when Lake street from Main to the railroad was paved with brick on concrete, and in 1908, the central section of Main street was similarly paved. This public work was done with judgment, all the under work having been taken care of before the paving was laid. The sewers were so constructed that they will naturally form a part of any drainage sys- tem which may be adopted. During the year 1909 the paving was con- tinned. The material employed is vitrified brick with concrete curbing.
Street lighting is not new in North East, nor is the use of electricity for that purpose a thing of but yesterday. Electricity was adopted for street lighting in 1889. The town owns everything connected with pub- lic lighting, except the power plant, the current being supplied by the North East Electric Light & Power Co.
Another borough department is semi-public in its character. This is the fire department. In days of old the village had to depend on the
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hand fire-engine and the volunteer fire brigade. The introduction of the waterworks service with its high pressure and numerous fire hydrants rendered the old fashioned engines useless. But the fire brigade is just as necessary as ever. Two good volunteer hose companies and one hook and ladder company are maintained, the borough owning the engine houses, the trucks, hose, and necessary apparatus and paying the com- panies $200 a year each for incidental expenses-for horse hire or what- ever the companies deem advisable. Excellent service is now obtained in case of fire, the very general use of the telephone in the village sup- plying in efficient fashion a fire alarm system.
North East has always been the seat of varied industries, the begin- ning being the erection of Col. Timothy Tuttle's grist mill on Sixteen- mile creek southeast of the borough,-now known as Scouller's. The first iron foundry in the county was established in North East township. The Franklin paper mill, at which an excellent quality of printing paper was made, was built at the mouth of Sixteen-mile creek in 1833 by Steele, Judd & Easton ; became the property of Wm. L. Hall and was burned in 1838; was rebuilt by John Scouller and Chauncey Easton, who sold in 1853 to James S. Johnson; in 1871 the mill was again burned and again rebuilt, but the cost of rebuilding on a larger scale proved to be too great an undertaking in the face of a strong decline in the price of paper, so the mill was sold to Cochran & Young of Erie. Other early industries were Grimshaw's woolen mill, built by Archibald Duncan in 1845, and burned during the eighties ; Ezra Scouller's grist mill, the largest in the township ; Coffman's pump factory ; Bannister's brewery; Greene & Chase's cider and vinegar mill ; E. K. Nason's tannery ; Green's door and sash factory ; Stetson's handle factory; the New Era parlor organ factory, built in 1873 ; Jones's barrel factory, built in 1864 and burned in 1881; Applebee & Butt's steam saw-mill ; Seouller & Tyler's tannery; Gay & Beatty's grist and saw-mill; Rhodes's cider and vinegar mill; Jones's grist-mill, to which a distillery was subsequently added, besides three brick yards and a number of creameries. All of these were of the olden or relatively olden time, and most of them have ceased to exist.
A notable exception, however, is the iron industry that was started at Freeport in 1824 by Philetus Glass, and was the first foundry in Erie county. It suffered in more ways than one-by fire and by removal, and several changes of owners,-but is still doing a profitable business in the borough, where it is operated by John D. Pabody, under the name of the North East Iron Works. The Ezra Scouller mill, once the largest in the township, is still in operation.
Of the more recent industries the North East Canning Co.'s works were built in 1887 and operated until 1907, the last few years as a branch of the United States Canning Co. The large grist mill near the railroad was rebuilt in 1885, and was taken by the Blaine, Mackay, Lee Co. in 1902 and by the Otto Brothers in 1908. The Short Mfg. Co. or-
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ganized in 1889 operated a large works near the railroad west of the station until 1902 in the manufacture of wooden novelties. Upon the discontinuance of the business the shop was taken by the North East Grant Fence Co., the product being wire fences.
In 1888 the Eureka Tempered Copper Co. was organized, and in 1889 it was incorporated with W. L. Scott, J. C. Brady, Alfred Short, Luzerne Merket and A. Thomas as directors. Upon the failure of Mr. Short the industry became involved and the plant was sold. The pur- chasers reorganized the Eureka Tempered Copper Works, which was chartered with a capital of $100,000 in 1896, and the directors at the present time are Charles Schimmelfeng, O. C. Hirtzel and H. C. Norris. The product is electric specialties of copper, hardened by a secret process, and the industry is the largest in North East and steadily growing.
The Fernald Manufacturing Co. of the present was established 1896 by George H. Fernald, succeeding the Columbian Novelty Co., and was incorporated in 1906 for the manufacture of anti-rattlers and other carriage attachments, including numerous specialties. The North East Cider Works was chartered in 1896; the Electric Light & Power Co., in 1903; the North East Heat & Light Company in 1906, and the Inde- pendent Telephone Co. in 1909. The Mutual Benefit Telephone Co., an earlier organization, was formed in 1895. Fink & McLaughlin's North East Preserving Works was built in January, 1901. The mammoth fac- tory of the North East Grape Products Co. was erected in 1909. Be- sides. the industries include planing mills and factories for the manu- facture of grape baskets and crates.
The North East Public Library Association was incorporated Feb- ruary 18, 1902, with the following subscribers ; I. H. Russell, C. C. Hill, A. S. Knepp, G. W. Putnam, P. P. Remington, C. F. and J. L. Heard, P. A. Sandborn, A. L. Kinter, R. L. Williams and R. J. Moorhead. The North East Opera House ( Short's) was erected in 1885. In 1895 a horti- cultural fair of unexpected excellence was held at North East. The Oak Hill driving park dates from 1874.
North East has furnished these public officials: Presidential elector, John Greer (he voted for Lincoln in the college of 1861) ; Assembly, Mark Baldwin, A. W. Blaine, Charles A. Hitchcock, Alfred Short, E. K. Nason. J. Ross Raymond; Prothonotary, J. W. Loomis, E. K. Nason : District Attorney, S. M. Brainerd, A. B. Force, E. A. Walling ; Sheriff, E. W. M. Blaine; Coroner, John McCord ; County Commissioner. James Lowry, Francis Brawley, Henry Taylor, Alex. McCloskey, John McCord, Amos Gould, Clark Bliss. L. G. Youngs ; Associate Judge, John Brawley, John Greer; Director of the Poor, Archibald Duncan; Steward of the Almshouse, Calvin Poole. George W. Griffin ; Mercantile Appraiser, John D. Mills, James W. Crawford, R. L. Pierce: County Auditor, James Smedley, William H. Crawford, George W. Griffin ; State Bank Inspector,
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Robert J. Moorhead ; County Superintendent of Schools, Isaac H. Rus- sell.
S. M. Brainerd was elected to Congress, James D. Dunlap to the Assembly and afterwards to the State Senate, Emory A. Walling to the State Senate and afterwards to be President Judge, after removing from North East to Erie. Henry Hurst, who moved to Meadville, was there elected a State Senator. Julius Caesar Burrows, born in North East, served in Congress and the United States Senate. Rev. Cyrus Dickson an eminent Presbyterian clergyman and Rev. Thomas H. Robinson, a Presbyterian minister at Harrisburg and afterwards college professor at Sewickley, were also natives of North East. Dr. Samuel D. Norton a famous evangelist in his time, died at North East.
CHAPTER XV .- SPRINGFIELD.
LAID OUT IN 1800 .- SUBSEQUENT CHANGES .- HOSPITALITY TRACT OF THE MORAVIAN GRANT .- EARLY SETTLERS .- SCHOOLS OF THE TOWNSHIP .- MILLS AND VILLAGES.
Springfield, the northwest township of the county, was one of the original sixteen, and the date of the beginnings of its settlement is very nearly contemporaneous with that of the first settlement of any other part of the county. As originally laid out the south line of the town- ship was about a mile farther north than now, but in 1835, by an arrangement with Conneaut, the territory between the original south line and Conneaut creek was added to Springfield, the condition being that it would assume half the expense of building and maintaining the bridges across the creek. There was also a case of subtraction, for at the beginning Springfield extended as far east as Miles Grove (now North Girard). When the township of Girard was erected in 1832. a section of Springfield was taken. The first township officers were elected in 1811. The Moravian Grant, known as the Hospitality tract, was lo- cated mostly in Springfield, extending from the lake to a short distance south of Conneaut creek, and containing 2,792 acres. William and James Miles were for many years the agents of the Moravians. The tract was bought in a body by N. Blickensderfer and James Miles in 1849, and sold out in small parcels from 1850 until it was all disposed of.
The first settler in the township Capt. Samuel Holliday, came from Franklin county in 1296. located 700 acres of land at the mouth of Crooked creek, built a log cabin, and in the fall of the year returned to his former home to obtain a help-meet. Soon after his first arrival he was joined by John Devore of Bedford county, John Mershon of New Jersey and William McIntyre and Patrick Ager, natives of Ireland. Capt. Holliday married in Franklin county in April, 1792. and with his bride. started for their new home on the shore of Lake Erie, Mrs. Holliday riding on horseback and her husband walking by her side with his gun on his shoulder. Their route was by a trail through the woods to Erie, and thence by the beach of the lake to the cabin near the mouth of Crooked creek. During the year 1797 the arrivals were Oliver Cross from Vermont and Thomas and Oliver Dunn from Ireland. The Dunns. however, did not remain long. changing to Mckean, where they settled
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permanently. The dates of the arrival of other pioneers were: In 1798, Nicholas Lebarger of Bedford county; in 1800, Matthias Brindle of Franklin county and a Mr. Bruce; in 1801, Robert McKee of Cumber- land county and Oliver Smith from Massachusetts; in 1802, Isaac, Jesse, John D. and Thomas R. Miller, John Eaton and John Law, all of Frank- lin county, Henry Adams of Massachusetts, John Hewitt of Connecticut, and John Rudd, Jr .; in 1803, Andrew Cochran and Abraham Eagley of Dauphin county, George Ferguson of Cumberland county and William Ferguson of Ohio: in 1804, Samuel Rea of Franklin county and John Rudd, Sr., and family ; in 1806, John Hall of Miffin county; in 1808, Erastus De Wolf of New York; in 1810, Joseph Ware of Vermont : in 1813, Zachariah Thomas of Vermont; in 1815, William Gould of Chautauqua county, New York; Anderson Hubbard of Ohio, and Luke Thayer of Massachusetts ; in 1816, Benjamin Carr of New York; in 1817, John Albert of New York; in 1818, David Ellis of Massachusetts and Derby Walter and Ezekiel Currier, both of New Hampshire; in 1819, Andrew and Henry Mallory and Thomas Ivory, all of New York; in 1820, James, Benjamin and Lucius Bond of Massachusetts, John S. Sherman of New York, and James Anderson of Virginia; in 1824, A. Whiton ; in 1826, John Monell and Peter Simmons ; in 1829, George Sim- mons ; in 1830, Lorenzo Harvey, William H. Townsend and Selah Wal- bridge ; in 1831, I. Pond and Seymour Devereaux ; in 1832, Scott Keith. Stephen Warner and Matthew Gray ; in 1833, R. R. Robinson ; in 1834, William Marsh and E. Smith: in 1835, Clark Baldwin, Thomas Potter, E. R. Hedden and William Church ; in 1836, Thomas Webster : in 1839, T. S. Cowles; in 1840. C. Lindsay; in 1841. Joseph Strong: in 1842, Gilbert Hurd : in 1846, L. W. Savage; in 1854, Joel Day; in 1863, Humphrey A. Hills. Mr. Brindle, who came first in 1800, located land at that time and then returned and brought on his family.
Mr. McIntyre, who died in 1867 at the age of ninety-five, brought the first potatoes planted in Springfield township, carrying them in a sack on his back from Pittsburg. Andrew Cochran was captain of a company in the war of 1812, and was attached to the command of Col. Wallace at Erie. The earliest births in the township were Elizabeth Holliday, May 14, 1798, and Joseph Brindle, March 1, 1800.
The first mill built in Springfield township was that of Capt. Holli- day, the first comer. It stood near the mouth of Crooked creek, and was erected in 1801 or 1802. In 1803 he built a grist mill adjoining, but both have long since been abandoned. The Porter mill on Conneaut creek, north of Cherry Hill, was built by Comfort Hay about 1823. The Strong mills, north of East Springfield, were built by Andrew Cochran about 1820, and rebuilt by Thomas Webster in 1841 or 1842, who operated them until his death in 1860, after which they came into the possession of Joseph M. Strong. Later he overhauled and modernized them. The first sawmill where H. V. Line's mills stand, on the Ridge road, was built
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by Amos Remington and Oliver Cross about 1814, and rebuilt by Nathan Cass in 1824 or 1825, who managed it jointly with Willard Pope. The firm sold the property to Mr. Case, who built the gristmill in 1832. After Case the property changed owners frequently being sold in succession to Tucker & Woodruff, Justin Nash, William Cross, Scott Keith, and Walter and Henry Keith, who rebuilt them in 1857. A few years later they were sold by the sheriff to Judge Cross, who gave the title to Jona- than Keith, from whom they passed to Oliver & Brecht, then to MIr. Fickinger, and, in 1870, to Mr. Line. The West Springfield tile works were started in 1869. The cheese factory at West Springfield was established in 1874. The Line and Strong mills are both in the valley of Crooked creek, and in the early days these, as well as Holliday's mills, obtained their power entirely from the water of the stream. For many years, however, it has become necessary to employ steam to supplement the water power, which, especially in dry seasons, is greatly reduced be- cause of the depletion of the streams. The Lake Shore Railroad Com- pany's culvert and fill at the crossing of Crooked creek compose one of the largest and most costly pieces of work in the county, the culvert being a massive piece of masonry. In the fall of 1878, during the greatest flood ever known in this stream, a house was swept through the railroad cul- vert.
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