Geauga County, Ohio - Chapter 2: Organization of Township, 1880

Chapter 2: Organization of Township

This territory, having now a sufficient number of inhabitants, the commissioners of Geauga county, in February, 1820, formally set it off as an independent township. Mr. Welsh proposed to cede to the township fifty acres of land on which to build churches, a parsonage, and to locate a cemetery, etc., and also to furnish glass and nails for building a church, in consideration of the township being christened " Welshfield." The proposal was accepted and the above name affixed. The first election was held at the house of Jacob Welsh, on Monday, the third of April, following. Jacob Burroughs was elected clerk; Jacob Welsh, John Nash, and John Dayton, trustees; Alpheus Pierce and John Beals, overseers of the poor; John Colson and Hiram Dayton, fence viewers; Benjamin Hale and Harvey Pratt, appraisers, Harvey Pratt, lister; Amos Burroughs, Elijah Weston, Hiram Dayton, and Israel Whitcomb, supervisors; Simon Burroughs, treasurer, and Simon Burroughs, jr., constable. It is not difficult to imagine that third day of April to have been a proud one to the full fledged voters of this new-born township. Perhaps it will be proper to state, in this connection, that, at that time, the office of township treasurer was no sinecure. Tradition tells us that, for a long time, the only funds in the vaults of our treasury, consisted of two "bung-town" coppers, which the treasure* was wont to loan to persons who might need them, in order to properly close the eyes of a recently deceased friend ; But tradition does not tell us whether, or no, security for the loan was required.

Important accssions to the population of Welshfield were made in 1821, by the advent of William Mumford, and also the family of Captain Fox. Mumford settled on a part of section four, where he remained until his death ; a faithful, thorough, loyal citizen. Rheumatism, brought on by undue exposure, rendered the closing years of his life very unenjoyable to himself.

Up to this time, the Cuyahoga could be crossed in no place between Burton and the Rapids, except by fording, swimming, or by means of canoes, and the increasing population on the west side of the river, made a bridge a stem necessity. Arrangements were therefore made with John Nash, esq., to build one across the river immediately west from the center of the township. The work of framing was pushed with all possible rapidity, and was soon accomplished. The number of men in town being far too few to raise this structure, requisitions were made on all the adjoining townships, to lend a helping hand, which were promptly responded to, every man who could do so, bringing the women folks along to enjoy a holiday. The spectators (all of them females except Dr. Scott, of Parkman,) were arranged in groups on either shore, the gallant doctor playing the agreeable to those on the eastern bank. When everything was in readiness, the work of raising commenced, under the supervision of the architect, Esquire Nash. As each "bent" was raised, it was connected with the last preceding one, by means of stringers, and without taking the precaution to securely fasten any of them. While raising the middle bent, which was by far the heaviest one, a portion of the men were detailed to do duty on the part already up, and the remainder were stationed on a raft below. After almost superhuman exertion, the bent had nearly reached the desired perpendicular, when the whole structure gave way, submerging every man engaged in its erection. As each man went under, his hat would part company with his head, on reaching the water, the effect of which is described as being ludicrous in the extreme. Great was the consternation among the women for a moment, but soon every man made his appearance on the surface, seized his hat and floundered ashore. Being too wet and unwieldly to repeat the experiment, the raising was adjourned till another day, when, having learned wisdom from the things they before suffered, proper precautions were taken, and the two shores of the sluggish Cuyahoga were connected by a genuine bridge.

In *1821, a marriage contract was consummated between John Dayton and Phebe, youngest daughter of Caleb Fowler, of Burton, whom he at once transferred to his then lonely home. But she proved herself worthy to be the wife of a daring pioneer, as one or two incidents will clearly show. At that time wolves infested the woods in great numbers, obliging settlers who owned sheep to build strong sheep folds near the house, in which to secure the flock at night. Mr. Dayton kept a few sheep and had provided the needed safeguard.

On one occasion, when he was in Middlefield at work, having left home matters in charge of his wife, she forgot to pay the sheep proper attention as night came on, and was reminded of her neglect by the sight of a wolf's nose, which he had unceremoniously poked in at the cat-hole. Without waiting to take a second thought, she seized a firebrand from off the blazing hearth, and dashed into the darkness. Arriving at the pen, she found one of the^sheep was missing, but made good time in securing the rest of the flock. On another occasion, when Mr. Dayton was from home at work, an older sister, wife of Jacob Burroughs, living at the Sugar-loaf, came to spend a few days with Phebe. Folks in those days were called by their Christian names. Matches were then unknown, the tinder-box being the only resource in case fire should go out, which it was not often allowed to do. During this visit Mrs. Dayton's fire went out, and what was worse, the tinder-box was found to be entirely empty. Here was a dilemma. Only one thing remained to be done. Fire must be obtained at the cabin of a neighboring settler, the nearest being Jacob Welsh, at the center. She was equal to this emergency. Catching a horse, she resolutely mounted him, and taking a small dinner pot, perhaps the only cooking utensil her cabin could boast of, in which to transport the fire, started through the unbroken forest toward Mr. Welsh's domicile. Arriving there just at break of day, he had not yet risen, but she promptly roused him, and was greeted with the usual "Who's there?" "Phebe," was the response. "Fire and brimstone!* Phebe, what do you want?" "Not any brimstone, Uncle Jacob," was returned; "only fire." Mr. Welsh was prompt in providing the desired element, when she hastened home to find the sister buried under the bed clothes, trembling with fear. Such dauntless courage is well worthy of mention.

In the winter of 1821-2 the musical element of the community organized an association for the promotion of that peculiar science, which culminated in a concert, the first town. That was a great day in Welshfield, preparation for which had been fully made. The old slab benches at the town house were overhauled, and provided with backs for the convenience of the spectators, the room was decorated with evergreens, and everything else which could be, was done, to make the enterprise a success. Mr. Welsh was so well pleased with the entertainment, that he at once sent to Boston for new singing books, in consideration of being himself taught to sing three favorite tunes, which were therein contained. The; books came, he was taught to sing the tunes as he desired, and which were first sung in public at his funeral, which occurred the following year.

In December, 1821, the first fire occurred, in the burning of the dwelling of Jacob Burroughs. The fire occurred in the night, and when discovered Mrs. Burroughs gathered up the bed, containing her two children - Olive and Lewis - in her arms, carried them to the pig-pen and laid them on the snow beside it. When the household effects were secured Mrs. Burroughs found, on repairing to her children, that Lewis, then a babe of five months, was nearly frozen.

The only arrival in 1822, of which there is any record, was that of Thomas R., brother of William Mumford, who located on the lot next south of William Mu m ford's where he has since remained - a respected citizen - till within a few years.

The death of Jacob Welsh was one of the events of the year, as above stated, he dying April 19th, a victim of consumption, aged sixty-seven years.

In 1823, the first military company was organized. The commissioned officeis were: Captain, Amos Burroughs;* lieutenant, Noah Packard; ensign, John Dayton ; sergeants, Thomas R. Mumford, Horace R. Peck, Elijah Weston, and John Brandt; corporals, Rufus Lamb, Peter Beals, Erastus Parkman, and W. W. Beals; musicians, Galen Lamb, John Nash, jr., John Hitchcock, and Charles Hodkins; privates, Jacob Burroughs, Osman Beals, Daniel Corliss, Eri Conant, Gardner Conant, Truman Ferry, Benjamin Kingsbury, William Mumford, John Pierce, Alpheus Pierce, jr., Oliver Sawyer, Orson Sawyer, Samuel Scovill, Nathan Tibbitts, Samuel Lewis, Roland Lewis, James Jones, jr., John Welsh, Israel Whitcomb, Jeremiah White, Jonathan Moore, Benjamin Pettis, Caleb Dickson, Hiram Dayton, Olney Percival, James Stewart, Russell Smith, Edward Waldon, and Simon Burroughs, jr. The uniform was a white frock coat and pants, trimmed with deep blue fringe, a red belt, a blue ornament with gold eagle on front of the hat, and white plume, tipped with red. The first public military duty which this company was called on to perform, was May 15th, same year, at the execution of Benjamin Wright, who was hung in Chardon. On this occasion the sheriff summoned all the militia of the county to protect him from threatened interference in the discharge of his official duty, and which the result showed he was wise in doing.

The first Fourth of July celebration was also held this year, under the auspices of the company. A liberty pole was raised, and a flag floated from its top, beneath which an oration was delivered by Rev. Luther Humphrey.

John Welsh, a sea captain, son of Jacob Welsh, learning of the death of his father, and the need of his presence here, abandoned his occupation, and with

*The above statement, by an old inhabitant, is evidently incorrect, as commissions, now in existence, will show. Mr. Burroughs was first commissioned a lieutenant, on the sixteenth day ofjanu^ 1823, by Governor Morrow. On the 19th of july, 1824, he received a captain's commission, at the hands of the same governor. He was again commissioned first lieutenant, April 13, 1827, by Governor Trimble. It appears that Alvord Beals was the first captain, and that in 1817 Elijah Ford commanded the company, which had then assumed the dignity of a rifle company'. Conflicting statements are annoying.

With the coming of Mr. Welsh, the circle of "Pioneer Johns" was made complete. Five men, whose natural temperaments were so different, and yet whose great objects in life were so nearly identical, it were hard to find. John Beals was the embodiment of what is known by the term "clever." Good natured, fatherly and accommodating, he was not long in acquiring the title of "Uncle John." John Nash, whose very soul was the offspring of music, was of that nervous, excitable make-up, which ardent worshippers at the shrine of 44 Euterpe" are so prone to be - in a passion one moment, in tears the next. The delineation of John Dfeyton, given some pages back, does not need repeating. In after years the title, "Uncle," was the unconscious prefix to his name. John Fox was as immovable as the hills. A purpose once fixed in his mind, nothing short of its completion would for a moment be considered, while John Welch, from long habit as commander of a sea-going vessel, displayed a somewhat morose, taciturn exterior, but beneath the surface, reposed all that goes to make up a choice citizen.

It might be stated here, that to note the names of all the arrivals, before, at, and after this date, would be a practical impossibility. Men would come, select a location, and after making a little improvement, become dissatisfied, and transfer their claim to another, who in turn, might do as they had done. Noting only those who made a permanent stay, has been the plan mostly adopted in this sketch.

In 1824, Galen Lamb went back to the place of his nativity, and the following year returned, bringing with him all his brothers and sisters, who had not already come. Rufus was then here, and also the oldest sister, who afterward married John Pierce, known as "Honest John." This family all, or nearly all, became identified with the after history of Troy. John Nash, jr., marrying one of the daughters, Elijah Weston another, John Weston another, and Franklin Bruce the fifth. In years gone by, the names of Rufus and Galen Lamb {especially the latter) were household words, while, in later time, the younger brother, Chester, figured somewhat prominently as a successful farmer.

In 1826, Joseph, brother of John Nash, Esq., arrived, and made his selection, immediately south of Captain Fox. This tract he cleared and occupied, until failing health compelled him to abandon labor, when he disposed of it, and purchased a small lot south of the center, where he spent the remnant of his days. Julius Hatch also came, and occupied the lot first taken by Rufus Lamb.

Heretofore, the only way for Trojans to obtain lumber, was to haul their logs to Parkman or the Rapids, or else take their logs to the river bank, and during high water, to raft them to the Rapids, and return the lumber over the same thoroughfare. A saw-mill was greatly needed. Willard and Osman Beals proposed a plan for building one, which was successful. They solicited advance subscriptions, the same to be paid in sawing, as soon as practicable, after the mill was completed. These they obtained, and the mill was built. It was located on the stream directly north from where Phidelus Pool now lives, and did good service nearly twenty years, changing owners twice in the time, Gad Smith being the one, and Rufus Chaffee the other. With the date of Mr. Chaffee's ownership, began, what he was pleased to term "persecution." The stream on which the mill was located, was very fluctuating, so much so, that it behooved the owner of the mill to improve every moment when water was plenty. Mr. C. had little orno veneration for the fourth commandment ; consequently, when the dam was full, no regard was paid to the Sabbath, much to the annoyance of the original proprietors, who were persistent church-goers.

This state of affairs became unbearable, and, taking Mr. Chaffee's statement, the sequel was, to him, more or less disastrous. His version was, that he would get the saw-sash greased, and well to work, when Willard Beals would come along, on his way to church, aqd shut down the gate. This was a signal for the wood-peckers, who would flock into the mill, and soon have the grease entirely devoured. Between Willard and wood-peckers, his "persecution," he used to declare, was almost unendurable.

In 1827 the Fox neighborhood was re-enforced by an addition to its number, by two young men from New York - David Patchin and Lyman Truman. That they meant business was at once manifest. Patchin located on the lot adjoining Captain Fox, on the west, and Truman installed himself on the lot next west from Mr. Patchin. It soon became apparent to both, that the Bible injunction, "It is not good for that the man should be alone," was painfully true, and, having become fairly settled, they made it their next effort to try and mitigate that evil. Both were successful. The next year, Mr. Patchin married Emily, daughter of John Nash, esq., and Mr. Truman married Sally, daughter of Daniel Pratt. Mr. Patchin remained on his claim but a short time, when he transferred it to Charles Hinckley, at the same time purchasing the twenty-five acres south of the center, where he afterwards remained till his death, and where the widow (since twice married), now resides, rendered nearly helpless from a paralytic shock, received in July, 1836, caused by over-exertion at, and before the raising of the church building. Mr. Truman made his claim his permanent home, never leaving it, only occasionally, till he was taken from thence to his narrow home, in the year 1871. He enjoyed the confidence of his townsmen, having held at different times, nearly every office in the township. His widow yet survives him, and she, too, is a cripple.

In 1827 Joseph Stockwell, from the State of New York, came and built a cabin, on land then owned by Daniel Doty - now by Norman Burgess - where some of his older children were born. Having a trafficing turn of mind, he owned and lived on several different farms in the township, remaining here about forty years, and finally removed to Michigan, where he died. Mr. Burgess, who came from Windham county, Vermont, purchased the above-mentioned land of Mr. Doty in the spring of 1830, and has remained on it ever since. Then there were but six acres, partially cleared; now it is a well-cultivated farm.

In 1828 Rev. John Barrett, a Presbyterian minister, took up his abode in Welshfield, and, from that date,- to the present, comparatively few Sabbaths have passed, on which religious services have not been conducted in the township by clergymen of some of the different orthodox denominations. The first two years after he came, Mr. Barrett lived with John Beals, yet that distance did not prevent him from performing his ministerial duties every Sabbath at the town house, many times preaching to congregations, whose wan, bloodless visages, betokened the ravages of that terrible scourge, the ague, some, perhaps, indulging in a shake during the service.

In 1829, Horace Lamson, from Crown Point, New York, came here and purchased section eight, known as the "Mead section," all except one hundred and forty acres, now owned by Horace Hotchkiss and Ziba Pool.

Those of the inhabitants of Welshfield, who had the promotion of religious interests at heart, held a consultation as to the most feasible means of locating Mr. Barrett, where his services could be more readily obtained. The result was the building, in 1830, of what was for a long time known as the "Barrett House," afterwards the "Parsonage." It was an unpretending structure, built* as was the almost universal custom, of logs; in dimensions about sixteen by eighteen feet, with shake-shingle roof. As soon as tenable, Mr. Barrett and family, consisting of wife and adopted daughter, were duly installed as its occupants, and Mrs. Barrett at once opened a school for such of the smaller children as could be placed under her tuition. A horse was placed at the parson's disposal, that he might the more easily perform some of his extended journeys. It might be stated that this parsonage, which was situated a few rods directly west from where the store of Kellogg & Son now stands, was, for a time, a bone of contention; Esquire Webb, administrator of the Welsh estate, having prosecuted the builders for trespass; they having, as he charged, unlawfully obtained the building material from off the said Welsh property. It was settled, however, without serious litigation.

This "Priest or Parson - Barrett,'' as he was called, is described as having been a tall, spare man, standing straight so far up as his shoulders, when he abruptly bent forward. His age was about sixty years. He is said to have begged his tobacco, and withal had a voracious appetite. His clothing in the summer season, was such as the spinning wheels and looms of the time could produce. In the winter he went clad in a pair of cow-hide shoes, linseywoolsey pants, over which, when he went abroad, he wore a well-worn camlet cloak, fastened at the waist with a bit of rope, or something similar, while his head was surmounted by a close fitting cap, made of bear-skin. This, at the present day, would be pronounced a rather unclerical outfit.

Up to this time, whatever cheese had been manufactured, had been done on the co-operative plan, that is, two or more neighbors would combine and make up what milk they might liappen to have, and divide the little product %ipra rata" One innovation on this mode of procedure was made this year. In the fall of 1829, Elijah Weston bargained with Russell Williams, of Parkman, for sixteen cows, at eight dollars per head, the same to be paid for the following season, with the avails of their product. This, Mr. Weston accomplished, selling his cheese at four and a half cents per pound, and thus inaugurated the first "Dairy" in town.

In 1831 Horace Lamson put his "Mead section" in market, after reserving for himself the lot, afterwards owned by Henry and Harvey Rice, and which he rapidly disposed of.

Among the permanent settlers on this section for this year, were Thomas, known as "Capt." Scott, Spencer Barrows, and Benj. Thrasher, all from Crown Point, New York,

A meeting, the first in town, th&t could assume the importance of a revival, was held in 1831, by the Baptists, in a school-house near Amos Burroughs, which resulted in quite a number of conversions. Among them were some of Welshfield's best citizens.

The first grain cradle used in town, was made in 1831, by Henry B. Davis, grain having been harvested heretofore with the time-honored sickle, or reapinghook.

In 1832 the township received a strong re-enforcement. Lewis F. Scott, also from Crown Point, purchased land, of H. Lamson, on section eight, while the almost unbroken wilderness south of the center, was encroached upon by Ephraim Burnell, Jason Burnell, Nathaniel Olds, Luther Hersey and Samuel Davis, all from Cummington, Massachusetts, who took up their locations in the order named; Ephiaim Burnell locating where Chester Houghton now lives, and Jason, where D. C. Tilden resides. These families scattered themselves around among the settlers, till they could have shelter provided on their own claims. Mr. Olds was assigned with a family near "Sugar Loaf." Mr. Davis took up quarters in the town house, another family in the Pilgrim house, and so on, until all were provided for. In those days, a pioneer's heart was as open as the wilderness that surrounded him, and his " latch string" was always out whenever a wayfarer claimed his rude hospitality. Excepting Ephraim Burnell, all these recruits remained till their claims were well improved, and the most of them spent, and are spending their days in our midst. Mr. Olds' first house was a log cabin, shingled with chestnut bark.

Lanson Shaw, then a young man but little past his majority, also came and purchased of Chester Nash, a piece of land containing sixty acres, located on section twenty-three, and which has ever since comprised his homestead As did Capt. Fox, so does Mr. Shaw heartily endorse the doctrine of the "dignity of labor," and a faithful adherence to this principle, coupled with judicious management, has enabled him to add from time to time, to his original purchase, till he now is, and for years has been, among the leading farmers of the township. In business transactions " his word is as good as his bond"

Mr. Nash at once made choice of another piece of land located on section seventeen, which he improved and retained till his death, and which is now in the possession of his widow. Among the citizens of Troy, Chester Nash stood a peer.

Late in the year (1832) Lewis Bedford, from New Jersey, came and bought a piece of land of Mr. Olds, situated on the southwest quarter of section fourteen, and still later, Joseph Tinkham, a brother-in-law of Mr. Bedford, came from New York and bought of Mr. Olds a portion of the southeast quarter of the same section. Mr. Tinkham remained but a short time, when he sold to James Snow, a brother-in-law of Mr. Olds, who in turn sold to Justus Perry and purchased a portion of the northeast quarter of the same' section, now a part of the Lamb farm. William Tinkham, a son of Joseph Tinkham, remained, and is yet a citizen of Troy. His place of residence for the last forty years has been on the eastern part of section twenty-one, where he has followed the avocation of cooper, and as an artisan is recognized as first-class.

Mr. Bedford, although a small man, weighing, perhaps, one hundred and twenty pounds, was "a host within himself." His physical make-up contained, figuratively, but two ingredients - whalebone and steel. It is related of him that it was his habit, before his own land had any improvements, to take his axe and cross-cut saw (a one man affair), and obtain employment in the region of Garrettsville. When he had paid for a bushel each, of wheat and com, he would take his "grist" to the mill at Garrettsville and have it ground. This, both meal and flour, he would fasten in some manner across his back, and, taking both axe and saw, would come home, a distance of seven miles, without resting on the way. In the winter his hand-sled served as a means of transportation. Mr. Bedford had a vivacious temperament ; was always ready with an anecdote, usually an incident which "happened in the Jarseys." Both Mr. and Mrs. Bedford are dead, and the homestead, on the river road, is now occupied by a sonin-law and grand-son, Clark and Almon Vaughn.

Luther Hersey, who came about the same time, located on a strip of sixty-five acres, lying between lands of Samuel Davis and Nathaniel Olds. He remained till about 1 846, when the premises passed into the possession of Spencer and Betsey Barrows.

Yet later, Amos James, from Charlestown, Portage county, purchased of Jason Burnell a piece of land joining the Tinkham lot on the north. Here he remained till 1845, when, in company with others, he migrated to Wisconsin. Mr. Perry became the owner of this land, also.

March 26th, of this year, the first church in Troy assumed form, in the organization of the Congregational society. This was accomplished by Mr. Barrett, with a membership of only ten, to wit: John Beals and wile, Willard W. Beals

About this time, four brothers of Horace Lamson - Leonard, Ezekiel, Sanford, and Orrin - settled on portions of his domain, but which has long since passed into other hands. Bradley Hopkins located, and afterwards sold to Joseph Durfee, where J. G. Durfee now lives.

This year also, Captain Fox, who had until now lived in a " ftiake-shift " for a house, moved his family into a substantial brick house, the first, and, up to this date, the only house in town, built of any material other than wood. This house was mostly built the year previous. In order to obtain material wherewith to build his house, Mr. Fox established a brick-yard on his own premises, a short distance west of the Cuyahoga, and near the road. The brick proved to be of excellent quality, and this induced the Captain to continue their manufacture for several years. Later, two Barrows brothers, Seth and Adolphus, put another brick-yard in operation, on the Sawyer brook, south from the center; but, for some reason, it was soon discontinued. These are the only instances in which this branch of industry was ever carried on in this township.

At this time a portion of the Welsh estate was put in the market, and about six hundred acres, in the vicinity of the center, were sold at auction by the administrator, as well as other parcels lying farther north. Horace Lamson* bid off about three hundred and twenty acres, lying north of the east and west road, and John Nash bid off about a half mile square, south of the same road. This land was struck off to the above-named bidders, at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. Esquire Nash took immediate steps to occupy his purchase, while Mr. Lamson held his for sale.

In 1833, the number of inhabitants was largely increased. Benjamin Hosmer came from Newbury, and settled on section number one, purchasing a lot of the Peter B. Beals land, that had fallen into the possession of Esquire Hickox, of Burton. Ziba Pool and Horace Hotchkiss, from Massachusetts, settled where they now live. James Fairbanks, from New York, settled on the west side of the river, on land now owned by Geo. Fox. Dr. Herrick settled on land now owned by Mary Williams, and Nelson Bently settled on land directly south of Deacon E. B. Turner, Esquire Nash, having built a temporary residence, took up his abode on his new purchase during the same season.

In the fall of 1833, occurred a transaction which finally culminated in what was, for a long time, known as the "Trojan war.'1 It seems that at some period in the eighteenth century, one Law, from the State of Connecticut, purchased five or six hundred acres of land, including what is now known as the " Rapids," situated just outside the southern limit of this township, on the Cuyahoga river, whereon he built a saw-mill, which, for some reason, was afterwards abandoned, and had fallen into decay, scarcely a vestige of the dam being left. At the date above mentioned, Henry Canfield, of Auburn, purchased from Mr. Law's agent

- The above statement, concerning the purchase of the Welsh land, by Horace Lamson, at auction, is held by L. E. Durfee, esq., now of Chardon, to be incorrect, and who substantiates his assertion by an appeal to the court records. It appears, from the records, that the courts made a partition in full, or in part, of the Welsh estate, and that the northeast quarter of section thirteen, and so much of the east half of section twelve, as to comprise about four hundred acres of land, was set apart to Jacob Welsh, jr., then residing in Coshocton, Coshocton county, Ohio. The above mentioned L. E. Durfee, then a youth, urged upon his father, Joseph Durfee, the feasibility of investing his means in the purchase of this tract of land. Mr. Durfee thought favorably of this proposition, and placing his funds in the hands of Horace Lamson. instructed him to go to Coshocton, and negotiate with Mr. Welsh for its ownership. Mr. Lamson was successful in this undertaking, securing the entire tract, at seven dollars and fifty cents per acre. The investment, however, did not prove a fortunate one for Mr. Durfee. The financial crash, in 1837, caused a stagnation of business enterprise, and Mr. Durfee was among the victims; realizing, by dint of bargain and sale, barely enough to secure, as a homestead, the fifty acres of land where he afterwards lived and died, and which is now occupied by the widow and youngests on, Joseph G. Durfee.

Historv Of Geauga Countv, Ohio

the above named land, including the mill-site, and proceeded at once to erect another dam across the stream. The following spring (1834) he built a sawmill on the site which had been occupied by the former one. This was soon a "bone of contention." Settlers in Troy shook with redoubled severity, and charged that the dam, and consequent inundation of low' land along the river, was the great first cause thereof. Our citizens clubbed together and commenced legal proceedings against Mr. Canfield, but the court decided " no cause of action." Another suit in 1835 resulted as did the former. In the winter of 1835 Jason Burnell attempted to take soundings just above the dam, and to this end began to cut a hole through the ice, when Charles G., son of Henry Canfield, promptly fired upon him from the mill, the ball striking the ice uncomfortably near, when Mr. Burnell incontinently fled. Later, a party from here made a night-attack, intending to bum the mill, but again Charles Canfield confronted them with a mill-bar, and the assaulting force retired in good order.

In July, 1836, war Was openly declared. The besieged, who then lived in the old Quimby house, procured a cannon at Garrettsville, planted it in his dooryard, loaded it with odds and ends, of chains, and trained the "piece" on the apparently doomed saw-mill, while skirmishers, with loaded rifles, took their station among the saw-logs and elsewhere, in readiness for a charge from the "light brigade." The looked-for day at length arrived, when a company of determined men - under whose leadership, the writer is not informd - was formed on the western bank of the classic Cuyahoga, bent on victory or

Among others of this devoted band was Richard Mathews, armed with a Continental musket, to which was attached a good and sufficient bayonet, and carried across his shoulder in such manner that the latter weapon was on a level with the arm-pits. Close in his rear followed Daniel Doolittle, armed, we know not how. At last the stern order to "advance" was given, and our "forlorn hope" was in motion. The line of march was interruped by innumerable obstacles, and none but brave, determined men, would have attempted its execution. The advance had come in sight of the field of operation, and victory seemed almost within its grasp. It was doomed to sore disappointment Among other impediments was a small rivulet - Black brook - the which, as the command had no pontoon, must be crossed by jumping. Mathews, who was near the rear, had successfully crossed, and Doolittle, in essaying to follow, made the spring quite too soon, and received "Dick's" bayonet full in the cheek. His outcry brought the command to a halt. A council of war was held, an ambulance was improvised, a retreat was agreed upon, and the entire command returned sorrowfully homeward.

Mr. Canfield, deeming "discretion the better part of valor," soon conveyed the title of his property to Quimby & Garrett, when the controversy died out. It is said that the only engagement in which the "Trojans" were victorious was in a night sortie, when they succeeded in spiking the above-mentioned piece of artillery.

In January, 1833, Deacon Alba Tinkham, also from Crown Point, and one Henry Lewis, came here, and built each the usual log house. Tinkham's was located directly across from the present Methodist parsonage, and Lewis' a short distance north from Maple Grove. Both were raised without the aid of whiskey and, in consequence, both were demolished, the "rules" not allowing them to stand, unless they were duly moistened with spirits. Later, the same season, Deacon Tinkham put up a small blacksmith-shop, the first at the center, at the intersection of the diagonal with the center road. In this instance, he outflanked the votaries of the jug, by building his shop so small, and of logs so sn* 'J'. that he could do it all himself. This shop could barely accommodate a r Worses while being shod, while wagons were brought, a wheel at a time, and, when ironed, taken away. A sort of excrescence was added to one end of this shop to shelter the bellows and a few bushels of charcoal. Years later, he built a more commodious shop.

In those days whiskey formed a prominent part of the "circulating medium," money being a cash article. In the old account book left by Amos Burroughs, can be seen frequent entries, where whiskey was the article placed to the debit and credit column of some customer, and his book was a fair sample of business transactions.

In 1834, Dr. Jacob Thrasher, from Crown Point, settled on section five, buying the claim and improvements of Orrin Lamb, another of the Lamb family before-mentioned, and on which he lived until his death, in 1858. Also Edward B. Turner took up his abode here the same year, settling on the land where he now lives, being a part of section six. The deacon* claims the credit of raising the first house in town, that was allowed to stand, without the aid of whiskey. Threats were uttered that it would be torn down, but they were not carried into effect. At this date, whiskey was considered one of the essentials at a raising, and an innovation of this character was not easily overlooked.