USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc > Part 88
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179
The valley of Conneaut Creek from Crawford County to Springfield varies in width from a quarter of a mile to a mile, and consists of a sandy loam, which is very fertile, producing everything that can be raised along the lake shore. West of Lexington, along the Conneaut and Springfield line, there are occasional small spots of bottom land, but generally speaking the hills run almost to the water's edge. A large tract of country, in the southwest, near the Ohio and Crawford County line, still remains in forest, being owned by the Pennsylvania Lumber Company. Fruits of nearly all kinds are grown readily. The price of land varies greatly, being as low as $15 an acre in some localities and as high as $65 in others.
LAND, LITIGATION AND PRE-HISTORIC REMAINS.
John B. Wallace, of Philadelphia, made his home in Meadville at an early day, to act as attorney for the Holland Land Company. In that capacity he located tracts in various places, among them being one of 10,000 acres in the western part of Conneaut Township. This property was sold by Sheriff Wol- verton, on an execution against Mr. Wallace, in 1825, and purchased by or in behalf of Stephen Girard, of Philadelphia. It was Mr. Girard's design to make extensive improvements by erecting mills, opening roads, etc., but while his agent was arranging to carry out his plans, news came in January, 1832,
763
CONNEAUT TOWNSHIP.
of the great millionaire's death. By Mr. Girard's will, the Conneaut lands, with a large quantity of others, were left in trust to the city of Philadelphia as a perpetual fund for the maintenance of a college for orphans. After the death of Mr. Wallace, in 1833, his heirs claimed that the Conneaut lands had been wrongfully sold, because the title was in Mrs. Wallace, instead of her husband. Suit was brought by Judge Thompson and Benjamin Grant in the name of the Wallace heirs to recover the property, when a verdict was ren- dered for the plaintiffs. The Moravian grant embraced between 400 and 500 acres in the northwestern corner of Conneaut, extending over from Spring- field, where the most of the " Hospitality tract " lay.
On the John Pomeroy place, upon the second flat of Conneaut Creek, are the traces of an ancient mound, such as exist in Girard, Springfield, Harbor Creek, Fairview, Wayne, and other townships of the county. It is circular in form, inclosing about three-fourths of an acre. The embankment, when the country was cleared up, was about three feet high by six feet thick at the base, with large trees growing upou it. One of these trees, a mammoth oak, when cut down, indicated by its rings an age of five hundred years. Beneath the tree the skeleton of a human being was taken up which showed to a verity that giants lived in those remote ages. The bones measured eleven feet from head to foot, the jawbone easily covered that of a man who weighed over 200 pounds, and the lower bone of the leg, being compared with that of a person who was six feet four inches in height, was found to be nearly a foot longer. Another circle of a similar character existed on the Taylor farm-now owned by J. L. Strong. On the John Pomeroy place is also a peculiar mound, about 100 feet long, 50 wide and 25 high. It stands on the south side of a small stream, upon flat land, and is wholly detached from the adjacent bluff.
RAILROAD, CANAL AND COMMON ROADS.
The Erie & Pittsburgh Railroad, the only one in the township, runs through its whole width from Girard Township on the north to Crawford County on the south. The ridge between Crooked and Conneaut Creeks is overcome by a deep excavation that is usually known as Sawdy's Cut. After that the road follows the valley of the latter stream through the town- ship to its head in Crawford County. The road crosses the creek twice with- in Conneaut Township, first by the Sawdy bridge, and second by the Kennedy bridge near Albion. The Sawdy bridge has a span of about 100 feet and a fill of about fifty or sixty rods; the one near Albion, a span of equal length, and a trestle work of some twenty rods. Albion depot is the main station of the township. The Pennsylvania-Erie Canal-now one of the things of the past-entered Conneaut from Elk Creek at a point between Cranesville and Albion, and continued south by nearly the same route as the railroad, but at a higher elevation. The once noted Eleven Mile Level, the longest on its line, reached from near Lockport, through Albion, to Spring Corners, Crawford County. North of Albion, the canal crossed the East Branch by a culvert forty-one feet high, with a span of between thirty and forty feet, which still stands and is used as a roadway. The main avenues of the townehip are the Lexington road, from the latter place to Girard, opened about 1797; the State road across the north part of the township, from Elk Creek to Ohio; the Meadville road, from Lexington into Crawford County; the Albion and Cranesville road; the Albion and Wellsburg road; the road from Albion due west to Conneaut Center; the Albion & Keepville; " Porky street," from Cherry Hill south; and the Creek road from Pomeroy's bridge to Crawford County.
764
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
SCHOOLS, MILLS AND BURIAL PLACES.
No record remains of the earliest schools in the township. A winter school was held in a cabin on the farm of Nathaniel Pomeroy, about one and a half miles northwest from Albion about 1822, by Rodolphus Loomis. Anna Ran- dall taught a summer term at the same place. About 1823, a log schoolhouse was built in that neighborhood, at which Mary Randall and John Spaulding were early teachers. A school near the site of Thornton's grist mill in Albion Borough was taught by Sophia Kennedy. Others taught here, and the school- house burned down about 1824. Among other early teachers at Albion, was David Powell, whose parents were residents of Crawford County.
Following is a list of the schools of Conneaut Township: Bowman, on the old State road, in the L; Valley, on the Creek road, near Albion; Bumpus, on the Conneautville road, to the southeast; Keepville; Kidder's Corners; Har- rington, on the West Branch; Cherry Hill, a little east of the village; Center, a little south of the Town House; Brown, on the State road, west of Cherry Hill; Brock, on the southwest; and Kimball, on the Ohio line.
The manufacturing establishments of the township are Spalding's saw mill, on the West Branch; Brown's cheese factory, on the State road, east of Cherry Hill (opened May 11, 1874); Kennedy's brick yard and tile factory, near Ken- nedy's bridge; Robinson's blacksmith shop, and Brewster's and Case's wagon shops, near Kidder's Corners; a blacksmith shop near Albion; and a number of portable saw mills which have no permanent location. The Penn Lumber Company, about two years ago, erected a large saw mill in the extreme south- west corner of the township. The company owns 2, 800 acres of land, has built a four-mile railroad track to the E. & P. Railroad, and is extensively engaged in sawing lumber, handles, etc., and shipping them to the market. Tracy is the post office name of the settlement.
There is an old graveyard at Saulsbury's bridge, where a number of the early settlers are buried, and others at Keepville and on the Creek road, near Kennedy's bridge. The oldest man known to have lived in the township was the father of ex-County Commissioner Garner Palmer, who died several years ago, lacking but little of a hundred.
VILLAGES.
The village of Albion Depot is on the Erie & Pittsburgh Railroad, twenty- six miles from Erie City, and about a mile west from Albion Borough. It embraces, besides the depot building, a grocery and twelve or fifteen houses, most of which are occupied by employes of the railroad. Keepville consists of a post office, store, Methodist Episcopal Church, schoolhouse, cheese factory, shingle mill, and several residences, at the intersection of two roads, near Conneaut Creek, two and a half miles southwest of Albion Borough. It was named after Marsena Keep, Sr., who settled there in 1803. Keepville Wes- leyan congregation was organized, with about fourteen members, in 1854. Rev. John L. Moore being the first pastor. The church building was erected the same year, at a cost of $1,500. In 1866 or 1867, a Methodist Episcopal society was organized from the Wesleyan society, and now has for its pastor Rev. Fiddler. The charge belongs to Spring Circuit, most of the appointments of which are in Crawford Conuty. The Wesleyan society still survives, but is quite small. The cheese factory was built in 1873 by Amos K. Keep, H. Stoddard and Josiah J. Pelton, costing $1,500. A Methodist Episcopal Church, schoolhouse, two general stores, a blacksmith shop and twenty to thirty houses constitute the village of Cherry Hill, on the State road, about half a mile south of the Springfield line, and five miles west of Albion. Porter's grist and saw
765
CONNEAUT TOWNSHIP.
mill, on Conneaut Creek, in Springfield Township, are a little north of the village. Cherry Hill stands on high ground, and the country about the village is cold, hard to work, and not very productive. The church was organized with about fifteen members, by Rev. J. W. Wilson, in 1858, and the building was erected the same year at a cost of $1,250. The society was attached to Albion Circuit till Lockport Circuit was formed, to which it now belongs. When Col. McNair established his agency for the Population Company, in 1797, he laid out a town plat of 1,600 acres, at the big bend of Conneaut Creek, near the present Springfield line, which he expected to become a place of a good deal of importance. At the suggestion of one of his surveyors, who was a Kentuckian, he gave it the title of Lexington. Roads were laid out, and, being the center of the company's operations in the west, Lexington in time became a village of no little pretension. At one period it had a store, schoolhouse, hotel, distillery, and several residences. A post office was estab- lished in 1823, with David Sawdy as Postmaster. Not a vestige of Lexington is now left. Its site is covered by the David Sawdy and L. R. Strong farms.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The original line of Conneaut extended westward parallel with the south- ern line of Girard Township to Ohio, taking in Conneaut Creek and more than a mile of country north of that stream. This threw the whole burden of build. ing and maintaining bridges upon Conneaut, and about 1835 she ceded the territory north of the creek to Springfield, in consideration of the latter town- ship paying one-half of that item of expense. Springfield made a considerable gain of land, and Conneaut relieved herself from burdensome taxation.
Following is a complete list of the citizens of Albion and Conneaut who have been elected to Legislative and county offices: Assembly-David Sawdy, 1838; Humphrey A. Hills, 1853-54 (now residing at East Springfield); Orlan- do Logan, 1875-76. Commissioner-Abiather Crane, 1803 to 1805; John Sals- bury, 1825 to 1828; David Sawdy, 1841 to 1844; Humphrey A. Hills, 1847 to 1850: Garner Palmer, 1862 to 1865, and 1869 to 1872. County Auditor-W J. Brock- way, 1875 to 1878. Mercantile Appraiser, Liberty Salsbury, 1872. Hon. George H. Cutler lived in Conneaut Township for a time, and taught school in Albion. He moved from there to Girard, and served the county as State Senator from 1873 to 1876.
BOROUGH OF ALBION.
The borough of Albion occupies an elevated site at the junction of Jack- son's Run with the East Branch, near the Elk Creek line, a mile east of Albion depot, and twenty seven miles southwest of Erie by the E. & P. Railroad. The first settlers at Albion were Thomas Alexander, Patrick Kennedy, William Paine, Ichabod Baker and Lyman Jackson. Michael Jackson, son of Lyman, who built the first saw mill, did not become a permanent resident until 1815, although he spent a few months there five years earlier. William Sherman settled at Albion in 1827, coming from Herkimer County, N. Y. He died on the 1st of February, 1883, aged seventy-eight years. Thomas Thornton came from England at an early age, and settled in Abion about 1857. Amos King built the first grist mill and Lyman Jackson taught the first school. The town was long known as Jackson's Cross Roads, and the post office name has been successively Jacksonville, Juliet and Albion. It is one mile from Albion to Cranesville and Wellsburg (the three places forming the points of an equilat-
766
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
eral triangle), six to East Springfield, eight to Girard, six to Spring and nine to Conneautville. The canal passed through the place, and to the business that grew out of it Albion owed most of its growth. The Denio Fork and Handle Factory was located at Albion until its destruction by fire in 1873, which resulted in the removal of the business to Miles Grove. Of the promi- nent residents of the place, E. W. Stuntz settled there in 1815, coming from Kingsville, Ohio; Dr. J. S. Skeels, in 1848, from Spring, Crawford County ; Dr. P. D. Flower, in 1855, from Harbor Creek; Dr. L. D. Davenport, in 1850, from Ellington Center, N Y., and Jeduthan Wells, in 1857, from Wellsburg.
Albion was incorporated as a borough in 1861, taking in a section of Con- neaut Township exactly a mile square. It then contained 443 inhabitants. The population in 1870 was 452, and 433 in 1880. The first borough officers were elected in March, 1861, Perry Kidder being chosen Burgess. The re- ligious denominations are Methodist Episcopal, Disciple and Catholic.
CHURCHES.
The first Methodist Episcopal Church in this vicinity stood about three- fourths of a mile west of Albion, and was built more than fifty years ago. It was occupied until about 1855, when the society was disbanded and the build- ing removed. At Albion, a society had been formed previous to the dismen- berment of the above class. It held services in the academy until about 1855, when the present church was built. It cost $2,000 and was dedicated by Rev. Calvin Kingsley. The society was a part of Springfield Circuit until 1854, when Albion Circuit was formed. It embraces the societies at Albion, Wells- burg, Cranesville and Pageville. The first pastor was I. O. Fisher in 1854-55, and latterly C. W. Foulke, 1881-82. The society now numbers about eighty members.
Catholic services have been held at Albion for many years in McGuire's hall and the Disciple meeting-house. Thirty years ago, the society was an old one. The membership includes about twenty-five families. This charge was supplied at first by priests from Crossingville, but more recently they come from Conneautville, Crawford County.
A Disciple congregation was organized in the spring of 1880 by Rev. Clar- ence J. Cushman. He remained in charge two years. The class is small but has a frame church edifice in process of construction.
BUSINESS, SCHOOLS AND SOCIETIES.
The business establishments of the borough consist of a hotel-the Sherman House-three dry goods and grocery stores, two confectionery, one drug store, two hardware stores, two shoe shops, two millinery stores, two barber shops, feed store, clothing store and tailor shop, paint shop and two blacksmith shops. The Sherman House was built in 1828 by Benjamin Nois. It passed into the hands of William Sherman some time after, who continued as its proprietor some fifty years. The house is now managed by his son, Mott Sherman.
The borough contains a good two-story school building and a Masonic Hall.
Albion Lodge, No. 376, I. O. O. F., was instituted September 14, 1849, with the following eight charter members: Calvin Chaddock, William Sher- man, Orsan O. Potter, John Clark, James McKendry, Ira S. Barber, Alonzo Sherman and E. E. Stone. The lodge now has a membership of fifty-two. A fire in 1851 destroyed its hall, charter and books. A second hall was erected, which also burned down on the night of February 10, 1884, together with one store. Meetings are regularly held every Saturday evening.
Western Star Lodge, No. 304, F. & A. M., was chartered December 1, 1856. Its charter members were C. W. Cross, Stephen Munger, William W.
Mathias Glattele
0
769
CONNEAUT TOWNSHIP.
Skeels, B. H. Galpin, John Turner, James Cross, Joseph Towner, A. B. Crumb and E. Jackson. It owns the second floor of the building, built in 1874, in which the meetings are held. The lodge now numbers fifty-six members and meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month.
Albion Lodge, No. 88, Ancient Order of United Workmen, was instituted March 10, 1875, with about twenty members. Its charter officers were George Nash, P. M. W .; W. J. Brockway, M. W .; George Runyan, G. E .; S. D. Sawdy, E .; E. W. Randall, Recorder; C. C. Carter, Financier; C. S. Young, Receiver; J. M. Sherman, G. ; A. H. Wells, I. W .; G. N. Sawdy, O. W. The membership is forty-nine, and regular meetings are held the second and fourth Saturdays of each month.
Albion Union, No. 101, Equitable Aid Union, was chartered with thirty-one members May 27, 1880. Its first officers were Dr. O. Logan, Chancellor; Mrs. Mary A. Sherwood, Advocate; S. A. Sanders, President; Moses Williams, Vice President; H. H. Adams, Auxiliary; B. E. Keep, Secretary; L. H. Salis- bury, Treasurer; E. B. Hathaway, Accountant; Mrs. S. S. Keep, Chaplain; J. H. Carpenter, Warden; Edward Froby, Sentinel; C. V. Lick, Watchman; O. P. Mosier, Conductor, The Union now contains ninety members, and meets the first and third Fridays of each month. The two last-named orders are beneficiary in their object.
The school building was erected in 1868, at a cost, inclusive of furniture and apparatus, of $7,000. Previous to that the borough schools were held in the academy, built in 1838.
FACTORIES, NEWSPAPERS, ETC.
The manufacturing establishments are Thornton's grist and woolen mills, Wells' oar factory, and Van Riper's horse rake and wooden ware factory. All of these use steam. , The water-power, once quite good, has become unreliable since the clearing up of the country. The flouring mill was built in 1828, by Amos King, and is now owned by Joshua Thornton. The woolen mill was erected by W. H. Gray, in 1840, burned in 1876, and rebuilt in 1880 by Thomas Thornton. Ite present owner is William Thornton. Michael Jackson built the rake factory in 1846. It has been completely over- hauled and much extended by George Van Riper & Co. The oar factory was built by Henry Salisbury and Reuben MeLallen in 1859. It burned down on the 1st of March, 1868, and was rebuilt by Frank Wells the same year. Jeduthan Wells is the present owner.
A newspaper, the Erie County Enterprise, was started June 15, 1877, but failed in 1880 for want of support. Its publishers were J. W. Britton and F. J. Dumars. The Albion Blizzard, a weekly newspaper, was established by two of the young business men of Albion Borough-E. C. Palmer and E. F. Davenport-May 25, 1882. The first four numbers were published as a two- column folio, at which time the Post Office Department refused to allow it to pass as second-class matter. After a week or two of suspension, the Blizzard was enlarged to a quarto, June 29, 1882, and was entered properly in the mails as other newspapers. Near the close of Volume I, the outlook was that the paper must cease to exist, but the publishers made a canvass and re- ceived such encouragement that they bought a new cylinder press and enlarged their paper to a seven-column folio, issuing the first number July 12, 1883.
The borough has a general cemetery, which might be made a handsome place of burial. The appraisement for 1883 showed the following results: Value of real estate, $88,205; cows, fifty-two; value, $1,040; horses and mules, sixty-four; value, $3,825; value of trades and occupations, $6,705; money at interest, $4,997.
40
770
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
CHAPTER XI.
ELK CREEK TOWNSHIP.
T THE first settler in Elk Creek Township was Eli Colton, father of George W. Colton, the well-known politician. He was a native of Granby, Conn., and went into the township early in 1797. In the spring of 1798 or 1799 the settlers were George Haybarger and his brother-in-law, John Deitz, from Mary- land, who were followed by their families in the succeeding fall, in charge of Arnestes Deitz, father of John. Mr. Colton married a daughter of the elder Deitz in 1800 or 1801. Mr. Haybarger changed to Mill Creek in 1810, where his descendants remain. In 1800, Elihu Crane took up the tract on which Craneville stands, where he remained until his death. He was from Connec- ticut, and settled in Conneaut Township in the spring of 1798, from which place he changed to Elk Creek. During 1800, or a little before, numerous parties located in the township, among whom were David Randall, Daniel Akers, Mr. Odell and Mr. Harrington. In 1802, David Sherrod arrived from Susquehanna County. James McCammon, with his sons, James and Robert, came from Ireland early in the century, locating first at Philadelphia, then at Meadville, and finally in Elk Creek. A man by the name of Wallace became a resident of the township nearly at the same time. Other early settlers were Jabez Clark, Charles Scott, Maxon Randall and the Shieldses and Spragues. Among the later settlers were the following: In 1815, Daniel Winchester, from Stafford County, Conn., and Samuel Wells, with his sons, Otis, Obed, Frank- lin, Samuel and Julius, from St. Albans, Vt .; in 1818, Josiah Steward; in 1824, the Stewarts, Rodgerses and Brookses from New York: in 1831, Thomas Bowman; in 1832, Levi and William Joslin, from Oneida County, N. Y .; Edmund Goodenow, from the same county; Sylvester ~Hubbard, from Tompkins County, N. Y .; Samuel Sherman and family, from Herkimer County, N. Y .; John Warner, from Massachusetts; and Wilson Cole, from Chautauqua County, N. Y .; in 1833, John Stafford, from Augusta, Oneida County, N. Y., and William Vorce, from Chautauqua County, in the same State; in 1834, Orange and Perley Miller; in 1835, Jeremiah Crowley, a native of Ireland, and Noah Almey; in 1836, David Smith, from Vermont; in 1838, Hiram Irish, from Vermont, and Burr L. Pulling, from Saratoga County, N. Y. The growth of the township was slow until 1830, but it filled up rapidly from that date to 1840. Samnel Sherman took up a large body of land, which he divided among his boys. In 1840, Harley Sherman, son of Samuel Sher- man, opened a grocery store at Wellsburg, where he lived until his death. The forefathers of the Shermans came to America from England, in 1634, set- tling in New England, from which section their descendants have spread into every State of the Union.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION. -
The township is one of the original sixteen, and received its title from the stream of Elk Creek, several branches of which rise in its northern portion. It originally extended north to a point parallel with the south line of Fairview, and was then nearly square. In 1832, the north part was sliced off in the formation of Girard, leaving a short handle which now constiutes a part
771
ELK CREEK TOWNSHIP.
of Franklin. When the latter township was created in 1844, another piece was taken from Elk Creek, reversing the shape of the township, and causing it to stand in its present form, which is exactly that of a gothic L. The origi- nal area was 35,840 acres, which has been reduced to 20,696 acres. By the assessment of 1880, the valuation was as follows: Real estate, $464,915; horses, $371; cows, $623; oxen, $40; value of personal property, $34,044; value of trades and occupations, $10,175; money at interest, $25,582.
Elk Creek is bounded on the north by Girard and Franklin, on the east by Franklin and Washington, on the south by Cussewago Township, Crawford County, and on the west by Conneaut. The population was 288 in 1820, 562 in 1830, 1,645 in 1840, 1,535 in 1850, 1,462 in 1870, and 1,564 in 1880, in- clusive of Wellsburg. The villages are Wellsburg, Cranesville and Pageville, and the post offices are Lundy's Lane (Wellsburg) and Elk Creek (Cranesville). Elk Creek Township has had but four county officials, viz .: Stephen J. God- frey, County Commissioner from 1866 to 1869, and Mercantile Appraiser in 1871; C. C. Taylor, County Superintendent of Public Schools from 1869 to 1878; Richard Powell, County Commissioner from 1881 to 1884; and George Manton, County Auditor from 1881 to 1884. George W. Colton, Clerk to the Commissioners from 1852 to November, 1863, and Prothonotary from his res- ignation of the latter office to 1867, is a native of the township, but removed to Erie before he was chosen to the first position. O. H. Irish, Superintendent of Government Printing at Washington, was also a native of Elk Creek. The latter died in January, 1883, after having been prominent as a public man for many years.
The Elk Creek lands are generally rolling, with a clay soil, except a narrow belt of gravel along the East Branch of Conneaut Creek and its tributaries. The hill lands, which include about two-thirds of the township, are quite flat when the summit is reached, and are well watered, being the sources of nu- merous small streams. Land ranges in value from $20 to $40, according to its proximity to the villages. The township contains two cheese factories-the one at Wellsburg, and Kingsley's, in the southeast. Much timber remains, but it is fast disappearing. There is no railroad in the township, and the nearest station is that of the Erie & Pittsburgh road at Albion. A mile east of Wellsburg was a deposit of bog iron ore, from which a large share of the stock used in Vincent, Himrod & Co.'s old furnace in Erie was drawn. The ore has been used of late years in making mineral paint, being first applied to that purpose by Winton & Williams. In Glen Frazier is a mineral spring which has become famous over the western part of the county for its medical virtues.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.