USA > Pennsylvania > Crawford County > Pioneer sketches : scenes and incidents of former days > Part 22
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the one that Loomis started out with. On reaching Menominee they found Loomis' trunk and tool chest, which had been shipped on, and had just arrived there from a station west of Cleveland via the Lake Shore Railroad; but no one had seen Grover since the fall before. Thereupon Mr. Squires made a confidante of the freight agent at Menominee and agreed with him to have him let them know at once, by messenger, if anyone should call for this baggage, as he and the sheriff were going to reconnoitre the country around-to Grover's father's, some five miles out, to Grover's farm, 45 miles out, and at other places where they might intercept him-for at this juneture these wily detectives, like sleuth bloodhounds, seemed to scent the murderer afar off.
Daily communication was had with the railroad agent at Menominee. They learned at the lumber mills, where Grover had previously worked, that he was considered a tough, that a couple of their men, Italians, with five or six hundred dollars in money, disappeared one night when in company with Grover, and suspicion rested on him.
They visited Grover's place at Prairie Farm, a secluded spot, but found no one about there. They forced an entrance to his cabin, and found therein most all sort of parapher- nalia, portions of harness and tackle, a half dozen revolvers, bowie knives and love letters from and to his girl.
They according set out to visit the girl, and her parents, of course, at Cross Keys, about twenty-eight miles from Menominee and twelve miles from Grover's place. With fish-poles in hand these (now land buyers) started up the stream, baited their hooks and caught some fish in sight of her father's house, who, by the way, was a minister and a
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nice man, and had a nice daughter, too. But the gallant Squires found that she was engaged to Grover.
At this place the detectives took dinner, and of course they were well acquainted all at once with Grover, but neither of them had ever seen him. The old lady finally said Grover was a good fellow, anyhow, because he had done theni a good deed by saving their home, as a mort- gage would have closed on it had it not been for him, who put up the money. Then came an opportunity for the inquisitive Sandy Squires, who asked the young lady if she was not engaged to marry Grover. She smiled and said: "Perlraps."
Days and weeks had passed and their prey had not put in an appearance. Time wore on monotonously, but Sandy and the Sheriff thought they would work on that web line if it took all summer. Mr. Brown repaired to Prairie Farm and Squires to Black River Falls.
With the information Squires and Brown had already obtained about Arthur J. Grover, they were still constantly on the alert to fortify their case against this culprit for any unforseen emergency that might arise in his behalf. They sought people and places, high and low, and on coming across a disreputable house outside the city of Menominee the detectives found that Grover had there been employed as a night watchman, and while thus employed had made love to the boss sport of the premises and agreed to marry her, for which she bought him a $50 wedding suit. But Grover, after getting the new suit, failed to comply with his part of the contract. The woman then declared she would shoot him and he fled to Orwell, Ashtabula County, Ohio, to some relatives, where he stayed over winter, pre-
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vions to starting out with Loomis in the following spring, as hereinbefore mentioned.
Brown now being at Prairie Farm, with a view of in- tereepting Grover at that point, while Squires remained at Black River Falls, with an eye to the same purpose; and just at dark Grover emerged from the woods with horse and buggy and made for a point to cross the river, but found the bridge gene. He returned to take another route when Squires captured him. He was then twenty-eight miles from Menominee, to which place Grover was bound. Mr. Squires told him he would take him to Menomince and put him in jail there, or he would take him to Madison. Grover said he would not go to Menominee. Squires tok him he had better go to Menominee, as he would be there a week, and he would have an opportunity to see his pa- rents and friends, as it would probably be a long, cold day before he would see them at home again. Grover replied that if they would let his friends come and see him he would consent to go to Menominee, to which place he was jailed to await for the necessary requisition papers.
Some four days were required to obtain the papers, and during that time knots and groups of men were seen gathering in places, and a considerable feeling was mani- fested, and talk of not letting the officers take away their prisoner.
In Grover they had traced a dark career
Already for one so young in years.
Grover's father and mother called at the jail to see him; also Mr. and Mrs. and Miss -, his affianced. And when the young lady noticed the two agreeable gentlemen in charge of Grover, who a few days before had dined with her parents and herself, she looked upon them with amaze-
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ment; and upon realizing the enormity of the crime with which her lover was charged, the poor girl was overcome with grief and despair.
This was a scene in life's cruel dramatic side, Bringing hopes forlorn to the intended bride. Far better for her to know before she had wed, To heap remorseless pangs upon her youthful head.
He had traveled with horse and buggy by night time from Stony Ridge, Ohio, this long journey and secreted himself in the woods in the daytime. His parents and rel- atives generally were respectable people-
But it seems the aggregation of vituperation c.
In him had its concentration.
The hour of midnight of the fifth day after the capture was fixed upon to take Grover from the jail to Madison, Wis. At 10 o'clock the same night two men called on Brown, saying, "When are you going to take away the pris- oner," and added, "in the morning, we conclude, as your companion Squires has gone with the horse," to which Brown replied, "In the course of three or four days." But in two hours he started with his prisoner for Madison; there getting the necessary authority, he proceeded to Bowling Green, Ohio, with his prisoner, and safely lodged him in jail, in June 1882, there to await his trial. Mr. Squires had a tedious drive across the country with horse and bug- gy, which he turned over to the State.
The trial of Grover for the murder of Granville Loomis came off at the first term of Court in August. He was ably defended by James Tyler, Esq., formerly of Ash- tabula, O. Grover was found guilty of murder and sen- tenced to be hung, and he paid the penalty for his crime.
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I presume the reader will never find In history of relentless crime,
On criminal record the world over,
A fouler murder than by this man Grover.
Mr. Squires of Ashtabula, and Mr. George M. Brown, of Bowling Green, Ohio, are entitled to much praise at the hands of a law abiding people throughout the community for their sagacity and perseverance in the Grover-Loomis murder case in capturing and bringing to justice a young hardened criminal, who evidently from his makeup, would have been a living terror in our community. Mr. Squires' traveling expenses on this case were $518, and he covered 2,976 miles.
The wedding suit which Grover obtained-
Through the fast woman of Menominee, As you now so strangely see, Is the same suit which he Wore from the gallows to eternity.
CHAPTER CXVII.
PAINESVILLE, OIIIO.
AINESVILLE is the county seat of Lake County, Ohio, situated about three miles from Lake Erie, and its harbor (Fairport) at the mouth of Grand River. Grand River is rightly named, as it affords one of the grand- est harbors on the chain of lakes, susceptible of making an extensive harbor at comparatively light expense.
The incoming of the B., P. & F. R. R. to Fairport in 188- created a coal and ore trade with the Mahoning, She- nango and Allegheny valleys which has already become quite extensive, creating a lively real estate and building boom at Fairport and giving the uptown business quite an impetus, which bids fair to continue, because there seems to be a good prospect for another railroad to Fairport, and because Painesville is the most solid, well-built up and nicest and most pleasantly situated towns on the Western Reserve. It has an intelligent and refined class of citizens, with good schools and churches. Its people are principally of the New England stock. who believe in having every- thing run in a pretty good degree of taste and order. The streets and the sidewalks throughout the town are in good condition, and many a pedestrian will return thanks to the city dads when they are engaged in that sacred line of duty.
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Among the early settlers of Painesville and vicinity were Joel Holcomb, Marens Holcomb, Lovisa Holcomb, James Wright, E. D. Howe, Benjamin Tracy, William Kerr, Hezekiah Cole, Josephus Huntington, Milo Harris, S. Racy, Calvin Cole, James II. Paine, Stephen Matthews, Marvin Huntington, Milton Armstrong, . Harry Ables, David Page, Reuben Hitchcock, Robert Blaire, Chester Stocking, Joel Parmley, Thomas Wright, Jonathan Veasey and John McMurphy.
Little Mountain, the charming resort in Lake County, is where many people find rest and recreation. It is a per- plexing question with many people of the United States at this time of the year who are seeking a place of rest from the busy cares of the world, to know where to go. The matter of distance and expense is an important factor with the masses, though places that are remote have a greater attraction for the wealthy than the most delightful retreats nature has provided near at home.
Little Mountain is situated a few miles southwest from Painesville and is one of the most charming places for a summer resort. It is a grand natural curiosity. It rises at an altitude of 700 feet above Lake Erie, and is covered with lofty pines and the broad plateau on the summit embraces about 100 acres. From the summit the view is magnificent. The villages and hamlets on the plains below for miles away spread out before the eye, and a broad expanse of Lake Eric, dotted with numerous white-winged messengers of commerce and trade come within the range.
From 1810 to 1820 there seems to have been a lively emigration from the New England States and from York State to the Western Reserve, then called the Far West,
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and Painesville and Warren got their full share of this exodus. In those days the pioneer settlers along the route from Buffalo to Erie would halloo the passing wagon trains of emigrants, "Where are you bound for ?" and the response was, "To the Western Reserve." Painesville, Cleveland, Warren, Burton, Ravenna. Akron, Geneva, Ashtabula, Jefferson and Conneaut still bear evidence of these still living pioneers, who at Painesville (throughout Lake County) yearly assemble, for social intercourse in relating their experience of pioneer life.
It is a grand thing to look in upon these pioneer meet- ings, to notice the zeal and enthusiasm manifested by the venerable sires and the matrons in rehearsing the experi- enee, scenes and incidents of early days of the pioneer settlers of this country. We cannot pay too great a tribute to these people. Their heroie struggles in early days fur- nishes us an exemplary index to industry, frugality, honesty and line of an honorable life.
CHAPTER CXVIII.
JEFFERSON.
J EFFERSON, the county seat of Ashtabula County, Ohio, and the home of Benj. F. Wade and Joshua R. Giddings, is pleasantly situated on a command- ing eminence of country about twelve miles south of Lake Erie. Ashtabula County is the largest county, containing the greatest area of arable land, of any county in the State. Then, it being the largest county, it is not to be wondered that it has produced some of the biggest men.
Among its early settlers were the intrepid Joshua R. Giddings and Benj. F. Wade, who always spoke with no uncertain sound in the halls of Congress and the United States Senate. They were imbued with a sentiment of freedom, loyalty and American patriotism, and this they unflinchingly administered on all occasions and in all places. For the lack, in number, of such men, principally in 1861, the great American conflict was precipitated. Such men would say-
"Tis enough to battle the vicissitudes of life, Not to engage with a brother in deadly strife; And pick up the battle axe, thus to wield On many a Southern battlefield.
During his anti-slavery sentiment in a speech on the Missouri Compromise in 1841, Mr. Giddings was attacked by Mr. Black, of Mississippi. He undauntingly continued his speech, waving in one hand his weapon, with the other his logie, and had his say out. And during the same year
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we shall not forget his great anti-slavery speech at Con- neautville, the first and only time the writer ever had the opportunity of hearing Mr. Giddings.
In 1861 I head Benj. F. Wade at Erie. He spoke with no uncertain sound, and his logie and loyal sentiment went home to the heart of every loyal man. Peace to their ashes.
Jefferson is well provided with good schools, churches, stores and hotels, some mills and manufactories, a railroad, and some able jurists to adorn the court-house, and, as a matter of course, to relieve the client occasionally of some of his surplus Inere.
Several law firms there necessarily have to transact a considerable legal business. Among them is the law firm of Northway & Fitch, who appear to have considerable legal business to attend to over at the Hub. And during the past fifteen years, in political campaigns, many times the argumentative, silvery-tongued S. A. Northway has been called out. His speeches are delivered in a masterly man- ner, holding, as it were, spell-bound his audiences on many occasions; and in the political arena throughout this section of the country he has been an important factor.
CHAPTER CXIX.
GENEVA, OHIO.
G ENEVA is situated upon and along both sides of the North Ridge Road, about three miles south of Lake Erie, in the Township of Geneva, Ash- tabula County, Ohio. It is noted for its fine soil and the site upon which the village is located. Its inhabitants do not have to chafe over the prospects and location of the different high level bridges, over which to span an almost impassible gulf, nor the amount of money to be appropri- ated by Uncle Sam in the improvement of their lake harbor, and seemingly, are content with a pleasantly located and prosperous town of about 7,000 inhabitants, comprising fine residences, schools, churches, stores, manufactories, some fine new business blocks and with all a good lively country trade. These are clements which go hand in hand with an intelligent and earnest people. The Genevite need not go abroad to Erie or Cleveland to purchase good goods for such can be found at home in those new spacious stores.
The new brick blocks lately erected in Geneva add greatly to the appearance and stability of the town, and other larger places assuming the proportions of a city would do well to imitate. It seems that the Genevites do not believe in doing things by halves, from the prompt manner and the style in which they rebuilt their burnt dis- triet. When the time comes, which will not be at a far dis- tant day, we will expect to see still greater improvements in the pleasant and substantial town of Geneva.
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Among the old contractors of Geneva we notice H. W. Stone, who is still on deck, a rival for all, as the work will show for itself on Morgan's store and Pat Grace's porch. The large number of buildings in Geneva built by Mr. Stone in years past still affords a pleasant reminder that he has not lost his grip in doing a good job, when he undertakes to, among the pioneers of Geneva.
CHAPTER CXX.
WARREN.
ARREN, the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, was settled nearly a con- tury ago, upon a pleasant rolling site on the Mahoning River. It contains a population of from 6,000 to 7,000 in- habitants. It has good churches, schools, publie buildings, hotels and spacious stores, rolling mills and other prominent manufactories. It has good railway facilities : The Ashtabula, Youngstown & Pittsburg, the N. Y. P. & O., the P. P. & F. Railroads, and the Mahoning Coal Road run through the town, and an Electric Street Railroad to Niles.
Warren is a progressive town, and with the steady march of time one will notice improvements going on of a substantial character, and like its sister city, Painesville, it takes much pride in its streets, residences, lawns, shade trees and sanitary condition, to make it what it is :- one of the nicest and pleasantest towns in Ohio.
Among its pioneers who have passed on were Charles and Henry King, Vangorder, Dr. Harmon, the Quinbys, Perkins, Judge Kinsman, the Ables, Adams, Judge King and Judge Spear. Among the early business men, and
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who are still operating, are Smith & McCombs, Mr. Iddings, Mr. Griswold, Anderson & Ralph, Hoyte Brothers, Parks & Wentz, the Smiths, Thomas McClure, Warren Packard and others.
Towns and cities, like nations, are measured by the calibre and intelligence of its people, the outcome of which is to make them strong, prosperous and happy.
CHAPTER CXXI.
THE INDIAN.
W HILE THE Indian has, at times, over- stepped his bounds, Col. Dodge, in his "Thirty Years Among the Indians," says that they have been mistreated and they have been no more in the wrong than has the white man. In an Indian dele- gation recently at Washington, was the Rev. Charles Cook, a full-blooded Sioux Episcopal minister at Pine Ridge.
It seems that there should be something better in store for poor Lo. He is an ideal of originality, naturally of quick perception and intelligence. Many instances prove that whenever he has set out in the pursuit of knowledge he has succeeded, which should serve as an incentive for the Red man to make a general move in the direction of civilization, agriculture, schools and a right to citizenship in the land he originally preoccupied.
He has named many of our principal rivers, streams and places. He has also named himself after animals, reptiles and the elements, fire, water, thunder and lightning. He has shown us that he could make a nicer bark canoe, moccasin or a bow and arrow and other fancy articles beau- tifully trimmed with the quill of the porcupine, than can the white man. Also that he is susceptible of improvement in education and can become an eloquent orator, and on more than one field he has proved himself brave in battle. But we freely send our missionaries-
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To India's distant land, To educate her heathen on her coral strand; Also into China and Japan,
Into the Dark Continent, Afric's burning sand.
We believe that a little more missionary work, moral suasion and square dealing would have a salutary effect in our Indian Territory and thereby save powder and ball. cutlass and grape shot; and much more, the lives of many brave soldiers.
CHAPTER CXXII.
JOSEPHI BENNETT.
J OSEPH BENNETT came to Kingsville in 1803, and he and a Mr. Harrington, who came about the same time, were two of the early settlers of Kings- ville Township, O. Mr. Bennett married at quite an early age, and when Zalmon Bennett, his oldest son (former husband of Mrs. Merritt, who now lives on the old homestead), was a child ten months old, an old Indian was discovered to be lurking around the neighborhood and who managed to call at the dwellings of Bennett and Harrington when the men were not about the house. The audacity and demands of this old Indian in ordering meals, ete., had become oppressive and unbearable. One day he called at Bennett's house and took the young child Zalmon by the hair of the head with one hand and drew his hunting knife with the other and brandished it over the child's head, indicative of the manner of scalping it. Mrs. Bennett was horrified at the sight, and with womanly wit ran to the door and oxelaimed, "Mr. Bennett is coming," and the Indian fled from the house. Soon afterwards Mr. Bennett and Mr. Harrington took their rifles and went out hunting, and when near Panther Creek they espied the old Indian cross- ing the stream on a log. Soon after the Indian's body was found under the log with two bullet holes through it. Mr. Bennett said that probably the old Indian fell on that log and stuck a couple of knot holes through him.
CHAPTER CXXIII.
INDIAN CHIEFS.
MONG the number of Indian chiefs first known by the early settlers of Western Pennsylvania were Half Town, Logan, Stinking Fish, Cheat, Twenty Canoes. Laughing Thief and Surly Bear. These chiefs, with their tribes, roamed about the Allegheny and Venango Rivers, and the sites of Franklin and Meadville were their headquarters for many years. Later, other prominent chiefs were con- spicuous in battle-Tecumseh, Pocahontas, Black Hawk and others, in different parts of the country.
The Indian, however, still seems to be very tenacious and venerative in preserving their dandy names for their leaders, which, no doubt, have an ideal meaning,
Which, if we had an idea of their "whim," We might understand their synonym.
Among the names of Sioux chiefs who recently went to talk with President Harrison at Washington, were Young- Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses, American Horse, Little Wound, Big Road, Spotted Elk, Fast Thunder, Spotted Horse, Fire Lightning and He Dog. The hostile Brules were represented by Two Strike, High Pipe and High Hawk. He Dog was the special representative of Red Cloud. Big Road was third in command at the Custer massacre.
They recently had a battle, and many of their number fell, including women who were shamefully slain at the Pine Ridge onslaught, with a comparatively light loss of the regular government troops.
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CHAPTER CXXIV.
CLEVELAND.
LEVELAND is situated about midway on the southern coast of Lake Erie, and is per- haps more akin to Chicago than any other city in America, in its rapid growth to a city of 250,000 inhabitants, and of its great commercial importance, and comprising all kinds of large, extensive manufactories.
Cleveland and Chicago-the greatest cities on the great chain of lakes, though much younger than Buffalo and Detroit. And we predict that Chicago is to be the second city of our Union, and that Cleveland will be about the sixth city in size.
Chicago is situated at the head of Lake Michigan, and is the headquarters of the Great West, which will naturally boom her on, and forever give her an impetus that neither New Englanders or New Yorkers can manipulate.
Cleveland, the beautiful Forest City, is already a large city of great commerce, and comprises the elements to con- tinue to hold her own in the great American strides for supremacy.
Time changes all things, and especially the growth of many of our American cities. In 1840 the writer, accompanied by his mother and cousin, R. H. Sargent, a young lad a couple of years older than himself, started for Cleveland to visit relatives. Two days was the time
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required to make the journey with horse and buggy from Spring, Crawford County, Pa., to Cleveland. We enjoyed our journey much, and everything went smoothly until we reached the old float bridge that crossed the Cuya- hoga River, when as the wheels struck the bridge from the edge of the bank a sudden drop down broke the fore axle- tree of the buggy, leaving us in a bad predicament, as the 'roadway of the bridge lay several inches under water. There were side planks on each side of the bridge for pedestrians to walk on. The river was full of vessels, and some gallant sailors came to our resene with ropes and scantling and lashed up and stayed the broken axletree. We then pursued our journey on foot to the top of the hill to the residence of Albert Powell, the manufacturer of axes and edge tools on the Island, whose residence was our des- tination.
The west side, then called Ohio City, was a small village. Pearl, Kentucky, Franklin and Detroit Streets were then commons. The cows with their ding dong bells on were everywhere grazing with impunity, with full stomachs from the sueculent grasses of Ohio City.
The young nimrod was out with fowling piece, shoot- ing away at the English black birds in the trees and at the rabbits in the thicket of underbrush, and the lady of the house would say at evening, "Come, boys, it's time now to drive up the cows from the commons," where now stands the great city of Cleveland, west side. The Ohio Exchange and A. Powell's axe and edge tool shop were the two prin- cipal buildings then on the west side flats, and a few stores and a comparatively small business done upon the west side hill. To-day there is great change. Cleveland, east side, was larger, but only a village of a few thousand inhabitants
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and only one old float bridge on which to cross and re-cross the river from the east to west side at same point, over which is now constructed the magnificent viaduct, costing several millions of dollars.
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