Huron County, Ohio - The whole text, 1909 (part 6 of 29)

First Hotels

It was very essential for the weary traveler to have some place to rest and refresh himself, and to provide for this, Mr. Elnathan George threw open the doors of his log "mansion" and invited all who were in need of refreshments for the "inner man," to make themselves at home under his roof. This was done somewhere about 1816, from which time the first hotel takes its date. In 1829 the Exchange was built and opened by Chapman & Harkness.

First Death, Birth And Marriage, Sermon And Church

In the spring of 1817, Mrs. Mark Hopkins was bitten by a massauger, causing her death very shortly after. A few hours before her death she gave birth to a daughter - Jeannette Hopkins. The child grew up to womanhood here. Said birth and death were the first in Bellevue.

The first marriage was that of Israel Markham to Louise Leonard, in 1818, at a house on the lot recently owned and occupied by H. M. Sinclair as his residence.

First School

The first school was opened about the year 1830, at which date the first school house was built, or rather the log building formerly used by Mr. Kinney as a blacksmith shop, was remodeled. It stood in the angle of intersection of

Miscellaneous Items

The first manufacturing establishment was a blacksmith shop, owned by Return Burlinson. Next was the shoe shop of H. Baker. After this Nathan Colwell built a wagon shop. His brother soon followed him and made wagons in a log building a few rods east of the Methodist Episcopal church. A saw mill was next erected by Chapman & Amsden, near the distillery. A postoffice was established here in 1830, with Frederic Chapman as postmaster and went by the name of "York Cross Roads." 1831, Chapman & Amsden put in operation a tannery. The first cabinet shop was opened by David and Benjamin Moore, who for some time were the only furniture dealers in Bellevue. The first practicing physicians were Drs. Harkness and Lathrop, and a Mr. Kent opened the first law office.

The first mill in Lyme township, was built in 1818, by John Baker, and was used only to grind corn. Its construction was as follows: In the first place he took a large white oak stump, perfectly sound, and built a fire on the top or rim of the stump, with chips, etc. This he kept burning directed in such a manner as to form a hole, mortar like, which would hold about one-half bushel of corn. He then set up a crotch a short distance from it which supported a spring pole. To the end of the hole he attached a pestle, with a pin through the handle. About three quarts of corn was put in the mortar at a time, and the churn-like operation of grinding would commence. People used to come miles to grind corn enough to keep them alive until such times as they could get to Cold creek. The finest of the ground corn was used for cake, and the coarsest for mush.

The first election in Lyme township was held in a log school house, on the Ridge in April, 1820. The following were the officers elected: James Hamilton and George Sheffield, justices of the peace; Nathan Strong, Gurdon Williams and Chester Hamilton, trustees; Joseph and Zadoc Strong, overseers of the poor; J. Strong and J. Hamilton, fence viewers; Gurdon Williams, Lester G. Williams and E. Hamilton, appraisers of personal property ; G. Williams and C. Hamilton, constables; Frances Strong, treasurer, and George Sheffield, clerk.

This cave, situated near the west border of Lyme township, was discovered by Gurdon Woodward, in 1817. While hunting one day he saw a wild cat run into a hole, and on removing a stone, discovered the cave. "It is one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in depth. At that part the clear water of the subterranean stream, or river, runs north. The cave appears to be formed, or part at least, by the washing away of the rocks or stones underneath, and the falling down of them from above. This process going on from year to year, will remove a large amount of stone. The descent into the cave is sometimes steep and difficult, and in other places it is a greatly inclined plane. The opening is not in one room, but diversified. It extends north and south with the course of the water a considerable distance. Its width is from one to four feet. In former times, hundreds of rattlesnakes made this their den."

The First Paper

Bellevue's first paper was started in 1851, by G. W. Hopkins, in a small room in the second story of the Howard Mansion, on Monroe street. It lived only three or four months. It was a five column sheet, and bore the title of Bellevue Gazette, and Huron, Seneca, Erie and Sandusky Advertiser. Its motto was "Open to all." The next attempt to establish a paper was made by a Mr. Chapman, about thirteen years ago, which also proved a failure. His paper was called the Bellevue Independent. In '67, E. P. Brown started the Bellevue Gazette, which has been prospering ever since, and is now one of the ablest conducted local journals in the United States.

By a treaty between the United States and the Indians, the latter among other stipulations, ceded to the former the right of way for a road one hundred and twenty feet wide from the "west" line of the Western Reserve, to the foot of the lower rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie, also the land to the extent of one mile on each side of said roadway. The United States afterwards ceded the same to the state of Ohio for the same purpose. In 1824 said road was laid out and established on its present line, making its eastern terminus here in connection with the "Strong's Ridge" road, and its construction immediately commenced. This was the great starting point towards making a village here. From Thomas C. Amsden the place was called "Amsden's Corners," and when the principal roads were established here, it was called "York Cross Roads." The last name was the one by which it was known abroad and received in the transmission of letters and goods. The first postoffice here was called "York Cross Roads."

The Kilbourne road through the influence of Colonel Kilbourne and principly under his management was laid out and established about 1830, from Sandusky City to Upper Sandusky, running in a right line some sixteen or seventeen miles from Sandusky City to near the line between Sandusky and Seneca counties, where was a slight change in its direction to Melmore, etc. It crossed the west line of the Firelands just ten miles from Sandusky, and passed into Sandusky county, going about two miles west of Amsden's Corners, and near the present residence of Amos Carver, and thence on, as aforesaid. Frederick Chapman and others at once took measures to change its location, and in 1832 procured a change, so that, starting at a point in its original line about eight miles southwest, it was laid directly to York Cross Roads, and in approaching the place, the chimney of the "Stone House," (now Exchange hotel) was an object of direction of its central line. Between Sandusky City and said point of deviation to this place, the "Kilbourne" was never opened on its first line. Said change in its direction bringing its terminus here gave the "Corners" other lift. Soon after a road was laid out hence to Sandusky City, a route near Parkertown, and corresponding very nearly with the subsequent line of the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad. But this was reviewed and changed, resulting in the establishment of the present road to Cold Creek or Castalia.

The old Strong's Ridge road, or more properly "trail," at first ran along the high ground south of Alfred Stebbins', to the sawmill, near the present site of Woodward's distillery, and thence to where Main street now crosses the county line. This accounts for the awkward angle at which Monroe street comes to the center. The Strong's Ridge road was afterwards straightened upon its present line and thus we see how it is that there is no known line in the village which conforms to any point of the compass known to the science of navigation. Up to this date the town had grown up guess."

When Bellevue Was Surveyed And Laid Out

In the year 1835, the land on the Huron county side consisting of fifty acres, owned by Gurdon Williams, was purchased by F. Chapman, James Hollister, Josiah Hollister, Thomas G. Amsden, L. G. Harkness and Pickett Latimer, and during that year was surveyed and laid out into village lots by David Camp. The lots varied in size and price, fifty dollars being the average price for a quarter acre lot. In 1839 Chapman & Amsden, who at that time owned a large quantity of land west of the county line, had it also surveyed and laid out. These lots were somewhat larger. In order to induce people to locate here, they put their prices at the lowest figures possible, giving long time, at the same time taking great care never to sell to parties who wished to buy the land to speculate on, their principal object being to build up a village.

Mad River And Lake Erie Railroad

The Mad River & Lake Erie railroad, was completed from Sandusky City tothis place in 1839. James H. Bell, a civil engineer in the employ of said railroad company, was authorized to name the station here. He called it Bellevue, as at once suggestive of his own name, and his idea of the appearance of the place. Said railroad was extended to Republic and Tiffin, in 1841, and soon after reached its connection with the Little Miami railroad at Springfield. The line of the Mad River & Lake Erie railroad was changed between Tiffin and Sandusky, and laid by way of Greenspring, Clyde and Castalia, in 1855, and the track upon the Bellevue route taken up.

Incorporation Of Bellevue

The town of Bellevue was incorporated by the act of the legislature, passed January 25, 1851, and its charter limits were about a mile from east to west along Main street, and extending about one-quarter of a mile on either side of the same, embracing nearly equal portions of Huron and Sandusky counties. A government was organized February 24, 1851, with the following officers: mayor, Abraham Leiter; recorder, Samuel Z. Culver; trustees, Eliphalet D.

The Toledo, Norwalk and Cleveland railroad was located through this place in 1852 and completed the following year. A new era was now dawning in the history of the village, and from the time of the completion of the Lake Shore road, dates the substantial progress of Bellevue. The quick eye of the enterprising settler was equal to the emergency. Shops and business establishments were erected with characteristic energy for the manufacture of such commodities as the exigences of the place and its growing facilities rendered necessary. When the town was incorporated, its population was about eight hundred, but at the present time it numbers three thousand, five hundred and is constantly increasing with corresponding vitality, and evidences of commercial progress are manifested on every hand. In 1869 its corporate limits were much enlarged, being made about one mile and a half square, and still being nearly equally divided by two counties. We have not set forth in as nearly as possible their order of occurrence the principal business events which have happened in the history of Bellevue since the arrival of the first settlers, in 181 5. Every event we have stated, carries with it some present interest in connection with the city's rise and progress, especially to old settlers. Could the little company of settlers in 1815, amid the privations of their log cabins and the hardships of forest life, have been told that in fifty years from that time Bellevue would be what it now is, it would have required a strong faith to believe it. Most of the early settlers have passed away, but their memories and works live green in the hearts of many left behind. There are still a few remaining, however, in whose breasts doubtless, linger happy memories of their early struggles, as with a glow of pardonable pride they gaze upon the prosperity of the city they have helped to build up, and witness her rapidly extending importance and probable destiny. Capital and enterprise abound, and on every hand there teems evidence of a vigorous prosperity, the end of which the future alone can reveal. The history of the past few years is the index to that future and judging by the past, it is but just to say that, under the protecting guidance of a beneficent Providence, Bellevue is destined to become one of the most accumulative and progressive cities in northern Ohio.

Bellevue Of Today

Bellevue today can justly boast that she has within her borders over five thousand souls, a prosperous industrial activity and untold wealth in the agricultural community surrounding. The growth of Bellevue has not been of a mushroom variety, but a steady, substantial increasing in the number of homes and residents. Contrast the classified business list of Bellevue in 1873 with that of today, and the reader has a most forcible exhibit of the increase in mercantile pursuits. The past thirty years have been fraught with most important developments. Three railroads in addition to the one then existing have been laid through the town, and the longest electric line in the world traverses our main street. Manufacturing has become an important factor in our welfare, and the future seems to hold all things desired by the most optimistic.

The people of Bellevue have been lavishly liberal for public and civic improvement. We feel safe in saying that no town of equal population has spent so much money for public betterments and social conveniences than our little city. Within the last seven years a reservoir has been added to our waterworks equipment at a cost exceeding thirty thousand dollars; a water conduit costing seven thousand dollars has enlarged our water shed; water mains have been extended until the whole town is afforded ample fire protection and all who wish, can have use of city water. This later work has entailed an expense approaching twenty thousand dollars. This year a contract was let for reinforcing our reservoir banks with concrete walls, and this work, when completed, will reach fifteen thousand dollars in expense.

Several miles of street paving has been laid, and this year four streets have thus been improved and the aggregate cost of this work for the last few years is over one hundred thousand dollars. Bellevue can boast that she has as many miles or more miles of paved streets than any town of its size in the state.

A new city hall and fire department headquarters have been erected in the time specified and their total cost was over twelve thousand dollars. Sewers and sink-holes have been constructed and drainage improved with consequent expense. All other work incident to a growing town has been prosecuted promptly and successfully and permanently accomplished.

The people of Bellevue gave generously to the establishment of a Y. M. C. A. and a free public library. Both of these institutions, to which all of our citizens may point with pride, were financed in one brief period, three years ago. We doubt if such a thing could be accomplished in a town twice the size of Bellevue in the same length of time. Bellevue's contribution to these institutions was close to twenty thousand dollars - a liberal giving to a worthy cause for our advancement. Last year one óf the central school buildings received alterations and additions, that cost nearly twelve thousand dollars. The new central school building which was erected, but a few years ago, caused an outlay of over thirty thousand dollars.

Private individuals have also spent money in that time in the improvement of real estate holdings. Manufacturers have added to their plants and new plants have been established.

Plymouth

Plymouth was founded without design, and is situate at the intersection of the State road and Beall's trail, thirty-five miles south of Sandusky. The main street of the village is the county line between Huron and Richland. Owing to its situation a number of houses were built at the intersection of the roads mentioned, and in time the question of organizing a village was successfully mooted.

The town was first called Paris, but upon its organization in 1825 its name was changed to Plymouth. The village was incorporated in 1834, but the records previous to 1855 are not in existence. The postoffice of the village is south of Main street, which places it in Richland county.

Although the town is about half and half in each county, perhaps the greater number of business houses are on the north, or Huron county line. To show the interest taken by the founders of the town in education, it is only necessary to state that the same year the town was laid out a school house was built, and in 1830 a ladies seminary was founded, and the young ladies of the surrounding country very generally took advantage of the opportunity afforded them of acquiring a seminary education.

At irregular intervals for years past reports have been made of the discovery of coal near Plymouth. But such "discoveries" never materialized. And reports have been circulated that the shaft had been "salted." It is a legitimate part of the work of the geological survey to expose and prevent frauds, but not to assert that any particular individual has perpetrated a fraud. Thin seams of carbonaceous matter or beds of bituminous shale may be reached by boring. Coal, if discovered in that locality, would have to be found below the carboniferous conglomerate, beneath which stratum coal has never been found in paying quantities.

In the ante railroad days, "going to the lake" meant a trip to Portland or Huron by teams and wagons, and these teams passed through Plymouth in long processions enroute to the lake. What a change the inaudible and noiseless foot of time has made since then.

The Sandusky, Norwalk & Mansfield trolley line passes through Monteith's grounds, and the place is now a picnic and summer resort and is called the Huron Valley Amusement Park.

Bronson township still retains its original name. In the spring of 1817, Norwalk and Bronson were incorporated as a township for business and held their first election at Hanson Reed's.

The township, while generally level, is diversified by the branches of the Huron in the western part. In this portion of the township the soil is a loamy clay mixed with gravel, while the eastern half is mostly clay. Sandstone of the newer formation anderlies a considerable portion of the township, and is quarried in some portions to a considerable extent. The varieties of timber were whitewood, hickory, beech, white ash, black walnut, the oak in several varieties, butternut, basswood, elm, sycamore, chestnut, and some other kinds of less importance. Several of the eastern branches of the Huron river run through the township, their general course being northwest. The stream called East branch crosses the southwest corner of the township, and another crosses the northeast corner, while High Bridge creek flows from the southeast part to the northwest.

The animals of the forest were the bear, deer, wolf, wild cat, fox, raccoon, opossum, etc. The wild turkey was the principal bird, and was quite abundant. Bears were not infrequently seen, but were not often killed. Deer were numerous, and venison was a common article of food with the earlier settlers. Their skin was an article of clothing, as well as of trade. Two deer skins would suffice to make a pair of pantaloons, and one would face a pair. The facing was done by sewing the neck of the hide on to the seat, and the half of the balance on the front of each leg, with a strip around the bottom.

The woods abounded in wolves, and they were a great annoyance to the farmer. It was usual to pen their sheep up at night, in rail pens, built near the house, for to leave them out at night was to insure their destruction,

The first habitation erected in Bronson, for the abode of civilized people, was the log cabin of the squatter, John Welch, built in the summer of 1815. He came from Pennsylvania with his family and located west of the creek, opposite Mr. Kellogg's. His parents and his brothers came in soon after, some of whom located in Peru, but none of the family made a permanent settlement.

Olena Village

In the southeast part of the township, on the Hartland line, is the village of Olena, the first house in which was built by William H. Burras, in 1832. He purchased sixteen acres of land on the southeast corner of the cross-roads, and put up a log house. He married Ruth Palmer, daughter of Abijah Palmer, of Fitchville, September 22, 1835, and moved into his log cabin, previous to which he had occupied with his parents.

Samuel Burras, an older brother of William, came with his family from the state of New York a short time afterward, and first located on the old State road. but soon after bought a short distance southeast of Olena and erected a log house, which was one of the first buildings in the place.

Among the earliest houses built at Olena, besides those mentioned, were those of Joel Wooley, on the southwest corner of the cross-roads; Hiram Allen, on the northwest corner, and John Moore a short distance west of Allen.

The first tavern at Olena was kept, in a small way, by Benjamin Drake in a log house some twenty rods south of the corners about the year 1835. In 1840, Daniel Angell bought out Drake, and his son, Ephraim Angell, continued the tavern about two years, when he bought the sixteen acres of William H. Burras and erected a framed hotel on the southeast corner of the cross-roads and kept a tavern there for ten years. Andrew Godfrey built a frame tavern on the southwest corner and kept the first postoffice there. The tavern business at this point, in the olden times of wagon trade was something immense. Mr. Angell reports that he used frequently to keep over a single night more than a hundred teams and teamsters. The rate was fifty cents, including supper and breakfast for a man and four-horse team.

The first store at Olena was occupied by Noah Close, but at what date we unable to determine. The business, however, was not extensively carried on until about 1850, when C. W. Manahan and Courtland Cannon established a store the southeast corner in the building formerly occupied as a hotel by Mr. Angell. They continued some two years and until the death of Cannon when Lewis Manahan became a partner of his brother. The village was formerly called Angell's Corners and continued to be so called for several years, when, at a public meeting of the citizens, the name was changed to Olena.

We date the actual settlement of the township from the arrival of Benjamin Newcomb and family, who moved in in the winter of 1815-16 and settled on lot number four, section number three.

The first white child born in Bronson was Timothy T. Newcomb, son of Benjamin and Stata Newcomb. He was born July 6, 1816, the next day after the burial of his father, who was killed by the kick of a horse.

The first school in Bronson was kept by Lola Sutliff, in the log barn of Martin Keilogg, in the summer of 1818. Her scholars were Maudane, Lucy, Rebecca and Polly Kellogg ; Lucy, Jane, Tina, Eleanor and John Ammerman; Peggy and John Welch. The teacher received seventy-five cents per week, her wages being paid by the parents in proportion to the number of children sent.

The first school-house was built of logs on the north part of Nathan Sutliff's farm in the fall of 1819. Martin Kellogg taught the school in it the next winter and was the first male teacher in the township. The house was unfinished at the time he opened his school, and he and William W. Beckwith put it in condition for occupancy. He had about twenty scholars and received fifteen dollars per month.

The earliest religious meetings were held at this school-house, and a remarkable revival occurred there in the winter of 1823-24 when twenty-one heads of families were converted and afterwards united with the church.

In the early settlement of the township the settlers obtained their grinding usually at the grist mill of David Mack, at Macksville, sometimes at Carkhuff's mill in Greenfield, and occasionally even at Mansfield.

In dividing the Firelands in 1808 the township of Clarksfield was assigned to the holders of the original claims of one hundred and seventeen persons whose claims amounted to eight thousand, three hundred and thirty-nine pounds, worth then twenty-seven thousand, seven hundred and ninety-seven dollars, but these claims had been scaled down to seventeen thousand, nine hundred and twenty-four dollars, which is a little more than a dollar an acre. After the state of Ohio had incorporated the company known by the long name of the "Proprietors of the Half Million Acres of Land Lying South of Lake Erie, Called Sufferers' Land," the directors assessed a tax of two cents on the pound on the original losses for the purpose of defraying the necessary expense of surveying and dividing the lands. Many of the owners failed to pay this trifling tax and the lands were sold at ^Publick Vendue," as the deeds state, in 1808. Comfort Hoyt, Jr., was one of the tax collectors and among other claims sold to Zadock Starr claims amounting to seven hundred and forty-seven dollars for ten dollars and six cents; to Ezra Wildman claims amounting to five hundred and sixty-nine dollars for seven dollars and eighty-four cents ; to John Dodd claims amounting to eight hundred and sixty-two dollars for nine dollars and sixty-four cents, and other claims at like discounts. This indicates that the original claimants were often indifferent or too poor to pay the tax. Undoubtedly the most of the original sufferers or their heirs realized but little from the grant of the land. When the drawing for the division of the Firelands was made on the 9th of November, 1808, the several sections of Clarksfield township were drawn by the following persons and their claims entitled them to the number of acres opposite their names: First, or southeast section,

The township was named from James Clark, who was one of the greatest sufferers from the incursions of the British in the Revolutionary war. The township contains more than sixteen thousand acres, as it is a little more than five miles square.

At the first meeting of the commissioners of Huron. county, held at the county seat north of Milan, near Abbott's bridge, on the rst day of August, 1815. Ver- million township was organized to contain the whole of the twentieth range, that is, the townships of Vermillion, Florence, Wakeman, Clarksfield, New London and Ruggles. It also included "all of that portion of Huron county east of the Firelands," which was a considerable of the present county of Lorain. March 2, 1818, New London township was organized to comprise the townships of Ruggles, New London and Clarksfield. March 8, 1820, the commissioner "ordered that townships number three, in the twentieth and twenty-first ranges (Clarksfield and Hartland), be and the same are hereby organized into a separate township with all the privileges belonging thereto, by the name of Bethel." In 1826 the two townships were organized under their present names.

At the December meeting of the county commissioners in 1815 a road was ordered to be laid out as follows: "Beginning at the end of the north and south road which is now laid out from the lake to the south line of Jessup (now Florence), thence to continue through the twentieth range to the south line of said twentieth range through the settlement in New London." This road was cut out during the winter and is the one upon which the village of Clarksfield is located. The settlement in New London was south of the present town of New London. On the 28th day of March, 1816, two brothers, Hosea and Hiram Townsend, left Florence with an ox team on their way from Massachusetts to New London, and are said to have been the first persons to drive a team over this road. In 1810 Benjamin Stiles of New York city purchased of John Dodd one thousand, two hundred and ninety-five acres of land in Clarksfield township, at one dollar per acre. In 1817, Samuel Husted purchased of John Dodd an undivided interest in seven hundred and eight-two acres for one thousand, six hundred dollars. At this time all of the third section except one tier of lots on the south side was owned in common by Ezra Dibble, Comfort Hoyt, Jr., Timothy Chittenden, Jr., Benjamin Stiles and Samuel Husted. May 14, 1817, they quit claimed to each other definite portions of this land, Chittenden getting five hundred and ninety-five acres; Dibble & Hoyt, six hundred and ninety-three; Stiles, one thousand, three hundred, and Husted, seven hundred and fifty-two. May 19, 1817, John Dodd sold to Nathaniel and Ezra Wood, brothers, of Danbury, Connecticut, a piece of land in common in the second section, to contain one hundred and twenty-six acres, for two hundred fifty-two dollars and fifty-six cents. Another deed located the land in lot seventeen and Nathaniel soon sold his interest to Ezra. In the same year, 1817, Abraham Gray purchased of Dodd and Dibble lot thirteen in the second section (the lot next east of the Daniel Rowland farm).

In September, 1817, Benjamin Benson purchased lot seven in the third section for three hundred and thirty-five dollars. In 1811 Comfort Hoyt, Jr., deeded to his son Simeon one hundred and fifty-nine acres of lot six in the fourth section and to his daughter Dolly lot four in the same section. This land which comprises the north part of Andrew Blackman's farm and the farm of George Smith was given by her to the First Congregational church in 1826, but was deeded back to the heirs of Comfort Hoyt in 1844.

In 1817, a number of the men who became pioneers of Clarksfield owned land here and in this year we find the first attempt to make a break in the forest. Samuel Husted was a stirring man of thirty-eight years of age and with a growing family, living at Danbury, Connecticut, and he decided to set up a home for himself on the land he owned in Ohio - that land of promise so far away from civilization. Ezra Wood, a young man whose wife was a niece of Mrs. Husted, also desired to see the new country. These two men started from Danbury in a one-horse wagon May 19, 1817. The narrative of their journey has fortunately been preserved in print. We quote from the narrative of Jonathan Fitch in the Firelands Pioneer of June, 1864: the day of May, 1817, I left Norwalk, Connecticut, for Ohio, in company with Capt. Adam Swan, his Irishman Kelley and John and Seth Keeler. We went by the way of New York city, which we reached about noon on the 20th. After resting a few hours we crossed the river to what is now Jersey City, and reaching Morristown we put up for the night. Moving forward the next morning, we arrived at the top of a long hill about mid-day when we stopped by the wayside, fed our horses and resorted to our provision chest. While eating we discovered two men in a one-horse wagon ascending the hill. As they came near they raised the shout: 'Hurrah for Ohio! They proved to be strangers to us, but we were not long in making their acquaintance. They were Captain Husted and a Mr. Wood (given name not remembered). They hailed from Danbury, Connecticut, and were bound for Ohio. Learning at Norwalk of our departure, they had hastened to overtake us. Our numbers being thus increased to seven, we moved on over hills, valleys, rivers and mountains to Pittsburg, which we reached the 8th of June. Here we rested for the Sabbath. Monday we traveled on to the west side of the Big Beaver bridge, where our new acquaintances left us, taking to the right hand road to go to Clarksfield, Huron county, while we kept on direct to Mansfeld, Richland county. We arrived at Mr. Giles Swan's north of Mansfield June 17th." In the same year Mr. Fitch started back to Connecticut on horseback. He and another man left Mr. Swan's, near Mansfield, November ro, 1817. He says: our journey east of Pittsburg we met an ox team with household goods. I told Smith it must be Captain Husted, but the driver was a stranger to me. We soon, however, met three horse teams. I raised a hurrah for Captain Husted, and in response he dropped his lines and waded through the mud to reach me upon my horse. He said he was overjoyed to see one he knew. A Mr. Starr, I think, was with him. After a brief interview we bade each other farewell and went on our ways." Husted and Wood went to Florence and stopped with Major Barnum, another Danbury man who had come to Florence eight years before. Fitch says that his party reached Mansfield June 17th and we may reasonably suppose that Husted and Wood reached Florence about the same time. Making Florence their headquarters, they came over into the woods of Clarksfield on Husted's land and worked for six weeks, preparing the timbers for a log cabin and clearing off the trees adjoining. Six men raised the house and these men were probably from Florence. Wood says that Husted cut the first tree and built the first house in the township, and E. M. Barnum, who came two years later, also says that Husted put up the first house. We find no reason to dispute this claim. Husted and Wood went back to Danbury after this.

There is considerable uncertainty in regard to the first actual settler in the township, but we believe the weight of evidence is in favor of the statement that the family of Stephen Post was the first to live here, although Ezra Wood, Benjamin Benson and E. M. Barnum, who have written sketches of the pioneer settlement of the township. fail to mention Mr. Post, but Simeon Hoyt, who came in

1817, says that Mr. Post was here when he came. Although we believe Mr. Husted built the first house his family did not come until some months afterward. Bushnell Post, a son of Stephen, tells the story of his father's journey to Ohio in the following words: "In the year 1815, down in the Empire state and in the rich valley of Genesee, there lived a family of Posts, a family of Miners, a family of Russells and a family of Andersons, all neighbors, or what was called neighbors in those early days, for though some miles of wooded roads lay between them, yet their social gatherings and their friendly greetings proclaimed them neighbors indeed. These four families consisted of the following persons: Stephen Post, my father; Sally Post, my mother; sisters Cynthia and Anna, brothers Isaiah, Stephen and William, and the baby, sister Lucinda ; and connected with the family as a hired man at this time was Zara C. Norton, in all nine persons. Asel Miner and his wife, Polly Miner, George Miner, Joel and Albert Miner make up a family of six. The Russells were three in number; the mother and the two sons, Olcott and Charles; and in the other was Henry Anderson, his wife and a daughter, Laura, and connected with the family was Simeon Munson, who came down from Ohio to help move them. The sum total of persons were twenty-two. Some time in the month of December, 1815, these four families came together with their goods packed and piled on three or four sleds, and one wagon was loaded with goods, and these loads were to be hauled by three or four ox teams and two spans of horses. Around were gathered six cows, three hogs and one pet sheep. The little lads, with sticks in their hands, were behind to drive the drove, the women and little children were tucked in among the goods, the drivers were at their post, with their faces set toward the frozen waters of Lake Erie, and with a crack of the whip they move on over the creaking snow. * * * They reach the place where the great city of Cleveland now stands, and - what do they find? One solitary log hotel down on the bottoms of the Cuyahoga river, but are told that there are a few houses up on the hills. On, on, we trace them; we hear the little lads complain of sore feet and weary limbs, the little children cry with cold and hunger, the mothers with anxious care, can but heave a sigh, and the father's whoa, haw, with energy rings out along the wooded way. The most serious mishap happens as they near the mouth of the Vermillion, where an ox sled capsized on the uneven ice that was cracked and bulged here and there, and scattered its contents over the ice just as the shades of night were setting thick and fast. A box of axes found a crack in the ice and slumped through and found a resting place in the gravelly bed of the lake. The goods were gathered up that night lest a wind should spring up and ice, goods and all be among the missing ere the dawn o' another day. But the ice was there; the crack was found and the box of axes wa fished out of eight or ten feet of water the next morning. Arriving at what i: known as Sprague's corners in Florence, my father's family put up for the rest of the winter - it now being the last of December or some time the first of January, 1816 - while the other three families held on for New London. In the spring of this year our family moved to New London and into the house belonging to Benjamin Hendricks and near the west line of the farm now owned by George Bissell. Here they raised corn, potatoes and garden sauce on the little opening that Hendricks had made, and during that fall they built a house in the southwest corner of Clarksfieid, and the foundation logs were laid very near where now stands the neat and trim white house of Mr. Dunning. They moved to this round log structure some time that fall or winter - the opening of 1817 - there being but one white person living in the township at the time, he being an old bachelor who had a shanty on the place now owned by Mrs. Baldwin - a Mr. Osmer by name who was there when our family moved into that good old log home built beneath the shades of the towering trees of southwest Clarksfield. * * * And here, above all other events on the first day of June, 1817, the first white child of the township was born - my youngest sister, Almira. Here, too, occurred the first wedding of the township, Zara C. Norton, being wedded to my oldest sister, Cynthia, and the knot was tied by 'Squire Case of New London. This wedding is down in the pioneer book of this county as having taken place in New London. But this is a mistake; it took place in the first log house built in Clarksfield, it being the one built by the hands of my father. * The nearest mill was eighty miles away, down on Owl creek, where my father went once the first year we lived in New London with a wagon loaded with corn and wheat and a pair of oxen and one horse hitched ahead of them to haul the load, my oldest brother riding the horse to lead the way and Philo T. Porter bringing up the rear with another ox team hauling another wagon like loaded. Well, they made the trip and returned home in three weeks, being delayed by high waters, where they found hungry, anxious friends awaiting them. Our people lived on the Clarksfield farm two years, but the trouble to get to mill caused them to move to Richland county and settle near where Hayesville now is. Here they lived for two years." In another article Mr. Post tells about his father's family coming to Ohio and says that it was in I816 that they started from their home in the east and 1817 when they went to New London and moved into a house built by a Mr. William Hendrix, "and where on June rst a little sister was born."

"Here they tarried for only a short time, until a house could be built on a section of land in the southwest corner of Clarksfield, where they moved in the fall and where they lived for a year or two." Our readers will notice that there are some differences in these two statements. One makes the date of their arrival in New London and Clarksfield a year later than the other. One says that the baby sister was born in Clarksfield, and the other that she was born in New London ; one says that the house they moved into was built by Benjamin Hendriks, the other by William Hendrix. [The latter was a son of the former.] These discrepancies lessen the historical value of the statements and we must look for corroborating evidence. Dr. Skellenger says that the younger Stephen Post said that they came to Clarksfield in 1816, but he (Skellenger) upon investigation thinks it was a year later. In the history of New London township Dr. Skellenger says that Stephen Post, Henry Anderson and Mrs. Russell and her sons came to New London in 1817. It seems the most reasonable to suppose that Mr. Post came to Clarksfield in the fall of 1817, after spending the summer in New London.

Zara C. Norton, who came to Ohio with the family of Stephen Post, was born in Wolcott, Connecticut, November 15, 1799. He was married to Cynthia Post October 14, 1818, by Esquire Case of New London, and this was the first wedding in Clarksfield. After their marriage they lived with Mr. Post, went to Richland county with him and came back with him, but then settled in a log house on the north side of the town line road east of Barrett's Corners, on a farm now owned by Edward Hubbard. The little red house was built by Mr. Norton in later years. In 1829 he was licensed to exhort and to preach in 1833. At this time he went the circuit as a Methodist minister and was away from home much of the time. In 1840 he was admitted to conference and in 1841 he was assigned to a circuit in Williams county and remained for two years, but the family remained on the farm.

In the fall of 1817 Simeon Hoyt and Smith Starr started from Danbury, Connecticut, with their families, in a wagon drawn by two yoke of oxen and one horse and after a journey lasting six weeks they reached Clarksfield in October. Hoyt settled on his farm in the south part of the township where Sherman Smith afterward lived and died. It will be remembered that Mr. Hoyt was one of the party of surveyors who surveyed the Firelands in 1806 and later. In 1809 Comfort Hoyt, the father of Simeon, and one of the original proprietors of the Firelands, came out to see the land and was taken sick at Huron. Simeon sent to Cleveland for a doctor. After a while he recovered so as to be able to travel. Simeon had intended to remain longer, but was obliged to return to Connecticut with his father. Years afterward, when he was seventy years of age, Comfort Hoyt came to Ohio on horseback to visit his children, and returned to Connecticut the same way. In describing his experiences Simeon says: "I came with an ox team in company with Smith Starr. We were six weeks on the road. I had previously purchased the land on which I moved. It was nearly all a wilderness at that time. A few families were living in New London and Stephen Post in this town. We found it hard times. Provisions were scarce and high, and no roads. How we ever lived I can hardly tell, but we did, and in a few years became situated very comfortably." Also in another letter: "My family the first year comprised eleven persons, and it was no easy matter to provide provisions for so large a household. We obtained some flour from Richland county and some from Huron, and made use of pounded corn some of the time. After the first year we were not troubled for the necessities of life."

Smith Starr, who came with Simeon Hoyt, was a son of Peter, son of Samuel, son of Samuel, son of Josiah, son of Thomas, son of Dr. Comfort Starr, who came from England to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1634, and later to Boston. He was born at Ridgefield, Connecticut, and was married to Joanna Knapp in 1805. When they came to Clarksfield they had a number of children, John T., the oldest, being eleven years old. They first moved into the log house which Captain Husted had built in June until their own house could be put up. This was built on the south hill near the site of the fine frame house which he built afterwards and which was his home until his death. It is now owned by Grant Johns. He was a shoemaker by tradeand brought leather on his back from the nearest tannery, some thirty miles distant. His shop and tools were destroyed by fire, so he gave up the business and built a sawmill on the bank of Spring brook in 1819, the first sawmill in the town. He was a useful in the community and served as postmaster for many years.

The first of November, 1817, Samuel Husted again started from Danbury, necticut, for Ohio, but this time he brought his family of wife and six children with him. Hester Paul and Jachim Morris must have come with them as members of the family. Eli and family also accompanied them. The Mr. Starr which Fitch mentions as being with Husted was not Smith Starr. Mary Jane

Husted was only six weeks old when they started and her cradle was a basket hung from the top of the covered wagon and she is said to have been the least trouble of any of the children. Probably the swaying of the wagon as it passed over the rough roads kept her cradle rocking. They were six weeks on the road. Husted drove an ox team with a white horse ahead. This animal lived for many years afterward and was known by the name of "Knitting Work," on account of her nipping kind of a gait. A piece of their wagon is still preserved by the youngest son. They came by the way of Pittsburg, Petersburg, Canfield, Rocky River, Ridgeville and Black river, as an old account book shows. Husted furnished the means to pay Seger's way and charged him fourteen dollars for carrying a chest three hundred miles. He went into his own log cabin which stood near the brow of the hill north of the Hollow, near Albert Stone's house. After a few years he built the first frame house in the township in the Hollow, near the brick store. The oid log house was used for a school house.

Benjamin Benson was a butcher in New York city. He was a member of the First Troop of Horse Artillery under Colonel Joseph Bogart in the war of 1812, and spent a little time in camp when the troops were called out to defend the city against an expected attack of the British, but did not see active service. He purchased a piece of land here in Clarksfield in the summer of 1817. He started for Ohio October 14, 1817. He says: "Traveling was very expensive, even when a man drove his own team, owing chiefly to the great flood of emigration at that time settling toward the west. The price of oats on the main thoroughfares would average about seventy-five cents a bushel, with hay proportionately dear. Our destination was Clarksfield, Huron county, Ohio, and we arrived at Florence on the 2d day of December, where we were accommodated by Major Barnum with shelter within the body of a log house without chimney or floor or anything but the bare logs with open spaces of three or four inches between them, thus affording very inadequate protection against the rigor of winter, which, after our arrival had begun in good earnest and continued through the months of January and February at a temperature with little variation, bordering upon zero. During this tinie we built a log cabin and before the spring opened we had removed to our intended future home." This cabin stood near the place where Robert Hurlbut afterward built his house, on the road about a half mile south of the Hollow.

Aaron Rowland was born in 1780, in a military camp at Danbury, Connecticut. In 1799 he was married to Deborah Dean of Carmel, New York. They located zt Southeast, Putnam county, New York. Mr. Rowland was a miller by trade and operated flouring and sawmills along the Croton river. On the roth day of October, 1818, he started from Southeast in a wagon drawn by two yoke of oxen and one horse. His family consisted of a wife and six children. Accompanying him was his brother-in-law, Ezra Wood, and family. They reached Clarksfield November 18th. Captain Husted's wife was an aunt to Mr. Rowland and Mrs. Wood, so all bands found shelter in Mr. Husted's log cabin. This addition must have swelled the number of inmates to about twenty. The probability is that the Husted family were glad to see some of their own folks and willing to be crowded for a short time. Mr. Husted charged Mr. Wood four dollars for a week's board for himself and wife. Mr. Rowland found employment at once in Captain Husted's new grist mill. Perhaps he had come here with that understanding. He built a log house a little ways north of Husted's house where Ezra Wildman wards lived, near the house of Mrs. Hubbell. He operated the mill when there was water and attended to farming at other times until 1822, when he moved to his own land which he had bought before he came here.

The first physician to make a settlement in the wilderness of Clarksfield was Andrew McMillan. He was of Scotch parentage but was born in the state of New York. About 1820 he came with his father's family to a farm near Monroeville and in July, 1822, he came to Clarksfield.

Joseph Osyer moved from Canada to Berlin and in 1820 to Hartland Ridge, settling on the farm known as the Eno Holiday farm. In 1824 he sold out his place and moved to Clarksfield, living in a log house on the farm of Benjamin Stiles, back of Charles Fisher's house. He used to make many shingles and had a shed near his house where he used to shave the shingles. The Stiles boys and others of the neighborhood used to like to go there and watch him at work. He received two dollars per thousand for his shingles, and the price seems small when we consider that every shingle was split and shaved by hand and made of the very best oak or whitewood timber.

On the 3d day of November, 1820, "the inhabitants of Bethel were legally warned for the purpose of building a bridge across the Vermillion river." This was without doubt the bridge at the "Hollow."

In 1825 Joseph Waldron received two dollars for putting up guide boards. In April, 1825, after the separation of the townships the following officers were elected in Clarksfield: Andrew McMillan, clerk; Asa Wheeler, Jr., Platt Sexton and Sheldon Freeman, trustees ; Samuel Husted and John Hough, overseers of the poor ; Ira Peck and Andrew McMillan, fence viewers ; Smith Starr, Lister and Andrew McMillan, appraisers of property ; Aaron Rowland, treasurer ; Levi Barnum and Stiles Webb, constables; John Wriker, John Hough, Stephen Post, Ezra Rowland and Harvey Webb, supervisors. In May the trustees divided the township into four school districts and made a list of the householders, forty-four in number.

Samuel Stiles, who was born November 13, 1818, was without doubt the first white child born in the township and Bethiah Wheeler was the first girl. Dorothy Benson, who was born January 9, 1819, was probably the third white child born here. The first death, as before stated, was that of Ephraim Seger, which occurred on the 27th or 28th of August, 1818. He had been sent on an errand by his father and when he returned was set to work picking up chips to put on a log heap. He was soon heard to exclaim, "What has bit me!" A large rattlesnake was found in the weeds and was quickly put into the burning log heap. It was found that the boy had been bitten on the wrist and he died three days afterward. In 1820 Horace Bodwell went down into Levi Barnum's well, a very deep one, on the Abraham Gray place, and was overcome with the "damps," and fell to the bottom. Nickerson went down and after several attempts succeeded in fastening a rope to the body and it was drawn out, but life was extinct. Two deaths by falling trees, those of Henry Vanderveer and Rodney Blackman, occurred soon after the settlement of the town.

The first wedding in the township was that of Zara C. Norton and Cynthia Post, on the 14th day of October, 1818, and the second was that of Obadiah Jenney and Hester Paul.

East Main Street, New London, Ohio

The first settlers, coming as they did from New England, were people of considerable education as a rule, and they began to erect school houses very soon after they were established in their new homes. Captain Husted gave Ezra Wood credit for one day's work at school house in December, 1818. The first school house in that township was built of logs, south of the Hollow not far from the Hough house, in 1819 and Miss Alzina Barker was the first teacher. This building was burned in 1829. It was supposed that some of the young men set fire to it in hopes of getting a better building. A frame building was soon afterward built just north of the river on the east side of the road. Soon after the first school house was built at the Hollow another was erected in the Stiles settlement some distance south of the present village of West Clarksfield. During the first years the schools were supported by those inhabitants who sent children to school, the expense being borne according to the number sent. But three months of school were taught in a year.

During the first four years of the new settlement the inhabitants had to go to Florence, or, perhaps, New London, for their mail. In 1821 a postoffice was established at Clarksfield with Smith Starr as postmaster, and he held that office until 1853, with the exception of two short intervals.

In 1834, Asa Wheeler, Jr., sold to Samuel Husted and David Tyler the strip of land at Clarksfield between the river and the east and west road and running from Spring Brook west to the north and south road, for fifty dollars. Husted and Tyler built a saw mill at the west end of this land. The power was derived from water brought by a race from the grist mill race. The mill cost three hundred forty-two dollars and twenty-eight cents, as shown by one of Husted's books. This mill was operated until about 1888, but has now nearly disappeared from the face of the earth. On March 5, 1836, this property was sold to Virgil Squire and Ebenezer Warner (of Florence) for one thousand, five hundred dollars. On the same day Samuel Husted sold to Squire and Warner the old gristmill property including the pond and race, for one thousand, five hundred dollars. On September 30, 1836, Squire and Warner sold both properties to George Lawton and David Tyler for four thousand, two hundred and fifty dollars and on November 16, 1836, Starr sold to Lawton and Tyler the store and two acres of land afterward occupied by J. J. Cobb, for seven hundred and fifty dollars. On March 4, 1837, Lawton and Tyler sold to Virgil Squire a one-third interest in their property for two thousand, five hundred dollars. In the same year John Hayes sold to Squire, Lawton and Tyler the land where the present grist mill stands, including his store and privilege of water from the mill race, and, at the same time Samuel Husted sold to them the triangular piece of land bounded by the New London road, where it angles to the east, the lot line and the east and west road, with the point near the top of the hill, for one hundred dollars. Mr. Tyler soon sold out his interest. In the fall of 1837 Squire & Lawton began the erection of a grist mill on the premises and it was completed the next year, about September Ist. On the day when the mill was started there was quite a gathering of the inhabitants of the place, and as was usual upon such occasions, the men were ready to indulge in sports. Myron Furlong attempted to jump across the race, which was sixteen feet wide and full of water but he undershot the mark and landed in the water. This created a laugh and he excused himself by saying that no man could jump across and that he should have known better than to try. This led to a banter and a bet that a man could be found who would jump across. Ben Patch, who was not a man grown, was sent for and when he came Almanza Hamlin told him what was wanted and patted him the shoulder, saying, I would rather lose a hundred dollars than have you fail." He did not fail, but made the jump easily and the laugh was on Furlong again. The machinery for this mill was hauled by teams from Huron, to which place it had probably been shipped from Pittsburg. It had four runs of stone and was capable of doing a good deal of business while the waterlasted. It was driven by a large overshot wheel, which was replaced by a turbine wheel in later years. About 1850 a steam engine was put in for use when the water did not suffice. A few years ago modern roller process machinery was put in and since then all of the stones have been removed and the water power discarded entirely. It still does a large business with the farmers. Squire & Lawton did not have capital enough to carry on the business successfully and the property was heavily mortgaged. In 1842 Lawton sold his interest to Squire for five hundred dollars. On November 25, 1837, Squire & Lawton sold to David Tyler a tract of land fifty-two by one hundred feet, including a building upon it. which stcod twenty-six feet east cf the mill then building, "with a water privilege of as much water as would spout through an aperture three feet six inches by two inches, with two feet head, but reserving the right to run four stones and two saws." This building is where Mr. Tyler carried on the business of making furniture, drums, coffins and almost anything which could be made from wood. This shop was burned in 1841 and another was erected in the same place, but it has been moved away and converted into a barn. In 1837 Samuel H. Gibson entered into a contract with David Tyler and Samuel Husted, in which Tyler agreed to let Gibson have the "privilege of water on said Tyler's land for use of propelling a wheel for carding and cloth dressing, and also agreed to furnish a shop and fit it in order for the above and put in a fulling mill and furnish one-half of all outgoes, wood, candles, soap, dye wood, dye stuffs, etc., and in turn was to receive one-fourth of the avails of the business." Mr. Husted agreed that when the water should not be sufficient to carry the grist mill and cloth works, to secure the water for the cloth works for the consideration of one-half of Tyler's avails, at the time his water was used for said works. The business of cloth dressing was carried on in the basement of Mr. Tyler's shop until it was burned. Silas Earl then built a cloth mill across the river from the grist mill and carried on the business until a freshet came on New Year's Day of 1847 and wrecked the machinery. He used horse power at first but put in a steam engine later. Virgil Squire kept a store at Clarksfield in 1835, in a building which stood near the foot of the hill north of Smith Starr's, and the business was continued by Squire & Lawton.

The building used to face the north, but Cobb had it turned around to face the west and had it painted anew, and he put in the best stock of goods which had been brought to the town. He had a partner, Mr. Buckingham, of Norwalk, until 1843. In 1848 he had the store building moved back and a large two-story building with a basement was erected and then Mr. Cobb enlarged his business until he drew trade from all the surrounding country. Excepting a store at Wake- man and another at King's Corners (now New London), Clarksfield offered the chief facilities for trade in this part of the country, until the advent of railroads changed the order of things. Mr. Cobb bought anything which the farmers had to sell and supplied them with nearly everything which could be bought in stores at that time. The most of his produce was shipped at Milan and his goods came from there. He kept several teams busy most of the time. When he moved away he sold out to Tyler & Seger and théy were followed in 1858-59 by Sam and Harley Jones. William Stiles carried on the business from 1859 to 1865, followed by J. N. Barnum, Seneca Ronk and Frank Wildman. The building has not been occupied for several years. Winslow Fay opened a store here in 1839 in a new building which he erected on the hill south of Smith Starr's house. He had a partner, one Albert Sherwood, until 1845. Fay sold out to him, but put up a smaller building by the side of the one sold to Sherwood, and carried on a store there for a short time. The first building erected by Fay was fitted for a school house some years after Fay moved away, and now stands at the foot of the hill east of the Cobb store. The second building erected by Fay was cut in two and one-half of it moved to the foot of the hill south of the old Cobb store, the other half stood on the lot north of the Congregational parsonage until recently, when it was torn down. When the Vermillion & Ashland railroad company was building its road north of this place, it bought the Husted store and hired Simeon B. Sturges to carry on the business, but after the company failed the store was sold to Abel D. Howe at sheriff's sale. Seger & Curtiss kept store there at one time. In 1820 Ezra Wildman came from Danbury, Connecticut, to Clarksfield, bringing a load of goods and he made several trips afterward, until he moved here in 1828. It is likely that his brother-in-law, Captain Husted, sold out the goods for him. When Johnson Wheeler bought the Barnum mill north of Rowland's corners, at what came to be known as Hayesville, he carried on a store in one corner of the mill, until a building was put up on the east side of the road on the north bank of the ravine, called the "Mansion House," where one room was used for a store. He also carried on a distillery. Albert Seger carried on a foundry at Hayesville for some time and then he and Walter Bates built a foundry at Clarksfield on the north side of the road just west of where the old grist-mill used to stand.

We learn that Alvin Coe, a Presbyterian, and William Westlake, a Methodist, were the first regular ministers. Other men visited the new colony and some of these missionary workers saw hard times. David Marks was one of them and in his Memoirs (see page twenty-two) he gives a narrative of his first journey to Ohio. Finding that a Free Will Baptist church had already been established at Milan, he journeyed on to New London, Clarksfield and Danbury, where he attended meetings "with some appearance of success." On the 29th and 3oth of June, 1822, a general meeting was held at Milan. "Brethren attended from three small churches in Milan, Greenfield and Clarksfield, which were the only Free Will Baptist churches in this part of the country." In August of this year he attended meetings at Clarksfield in addition to other places. It is probable that the first church society organized in the township was the Baptist, but we are unable to learn anything more concerning it than stated above.

There was a society of Free Will Baptists here at one time. When the Millerite doctrine began to be preached here, some of the members of the Baptist church embraced the new faith but when the prophecy that the world would come to an end on a certain day in April, 1844, did not prove to be true, some of these joined the Congregational church, under the preaching of John Todd. There was a larger society of Close Communion Baptists here, among whom were J. J. Cobb and wife, Robert W. Hurlbut and wife, Ezra Wood, the Fletchers. Aaron and Levi Rowland, Esex Call and family, Asa Percy, William Wood, Ransom Day and wife, Mrs. I. B. Scott and Mrs. Henry Kress, the last two being the only ones to hold their membership when the society disbanded. In 1845 a new school house was built across the street from the Congregational church and the building which had been used was made over into a church. J. J. Cobb helped much in the work. Elder Hall was the first minister in the new church building. The church society was kept up for about ten years and then there was a division and some of the members withdrew and organized a society at Rowland's corners. About 1837 a Methodist church was organized at East Clarksfield and a church building was afterwards erected at Whitefox corners and is still in use. We have been unable to get any history of the early days of this church. Two other Methodist churches have been built in the township, one at Barrett's corners and the other at West Clarksfield.

Fairfield township still bears its original name. It was so called from Fairfield, Connecticut, where many of those lived who had received the land in payment for loss of property in the Revolutionary war. It was detached from Bronson and organized in 1823.

The surface of the township is quite level, except in the northwest portion where there are ridges and curiously formed hills. The soil throughout is rich and there is no waste land. The whole township was originally covered with an unusually heavy growth of timber - maple, beech, whitewood and black walnut, the last two varieties being found in great quantity. Black walnut was so common that it was used in large quantity for fence rails by the earliest settlers. Many of these old rails have since been worked up into furniture and house finishing material. The principal stream in the township is a tributary of the Huron river, and flows westward through sections one and four, thence northward through section three into Bronson. Fords creek runs through the southwest corner of the township, and empties into the Huron river in Greenfield township. There is a sandstone formation underlying the whole township, and it occasionally crops out in such a manner as to be available for use. There are stone quarries in the first, second and third sections, but none of them are worked upon an extensive scale.

Deer was very abundant in the early settlement, often from twenty to fifty were seen in half a day. Many were killed and their skins were used for clothing. Wild turkeys were found in great abundance. Wolves were troublesome for the first few years. A few bears were also found.

The present generation scarcely form adequate appreciation of the toilsome labor, privation, danger and last, but not least, the deep sense of isolation that the pioneers of the Western Reserve experienced. There was a great deal to be done, and very little to do it with. Food was scarce, and sometimes it was difficult to obtain a sufficient amount to alleviate hunger. It is said that some of the early settlers followed the cows around, and selected leaves and plants that they ate, for greens, knowing that the instinct of the animals would lead them to avoid any thing of a poisonous nature. The pioneers of Fairfield were obliged to make a five days' trip to Cold creek, Margaretta township, to get their milling done. There was but little money in the country, and but little to buy even had money been plenty. Nearly all manufactured implements brought a very high price, and the settlers often managed to do the work of clearing and tilling the soil, with the tools which their descendants would not think of using. Notwithstanding the hard life they led, the severe toil that was necessary to procure even the commonest conveniences of existence the pioneers were happy upon their frugal fare, and healthful, - physically and morally. They passed minor difficulties without noticing them, and met and overcame the more formidable ones bravely. The first few pioneers lent willing aid to those who came after them, and thus the severity of the settlers' experience was moderated by degrees unti! the community had attained a fair growth, and the advantages of civilization had been secured.

The first clearing in the township was made by a widow, of foreign birth, named Sample, and the boys in her family of nine children - ]John, Martha, Betsey, James, William, Anna, Samuel, Nancy and David. They came from Newark, Licking county, Ohio, in the year 1816, and settled on lot thirty-six, in the third section. The widow was a woman of very remarkable ability and of strong constitution. The family was very poor, and Mrs. Sample and her boys and girls were compelled to live in a manner which many people would consider impossible. 1t is related, upon the best of authority, that the boys went bare-footed all of one winter, while they were chopping timber and extending the clearing in which their rude cabin stood. They heated large chips by the fire, and carrying them to the place where they were intending to fell a tree, stood upon them until they grew cold, and then heated them again and again, until their day's work was done. Day after day they labored under this disadvantage, which less hardy people would regard as insurmountable. The mother of these boys was their equal, if not superior, in energy and spirit, and was ingenious as well. She out-reaped a man in the grain field in 1817, and clothed her family in cloth which she wove from the silk of wild nettles. Mrs. Sample married Jacob Rush, who died soon after. Her daughter Martha married Amos Harkness. The mother removed to the west, and lived to be nearly a hundred years old.

When the settlement was new, bears, deer, wolves and other animals were found in great abundance. The bears made hunting something more than a dilletanti amusement ; the deer afforded food for the table and clothing for the hunters ; the wolves were simply an annoyance, and the minor animals lent variety to the sport of hunting and to the larders of the pioneers' houses. Several bears were killed in the township. We narrate one instance, as it is a somewhat novel one, and although seemingly outside of the realm of probability, if not of possibility, is vouched for by those whose word is above suspicion of unreliability. George Eldridge, while passing through the woods, one day, in the northern part of the township, where the Jenning's farm now is, saw, at a little distance, a full grown bear standing upon the trunk of a large fallen tree. He raised his rifle, took a steady aim and fired. The bear fell down behind the tree, and Eldridge, not knowing whether he had killed him or not, reloaded his gun. He had no balls and so put in a beech slug. He had no sooner got his gun in readiness for use, then he saw the head of bruin raised above the tree trunk. He fired, and the animal dropped from sight. The hunter prudently loaded a second time and as quickly as possible, for in those days no man felt safe when in the woods unless provided for any emergency. After ramming the second beech slug home, he waited a few seconds and was rewarded with a third shot, which, like the former ones, apparently took effect. Again the bear fell from the log. Reloading the rifle, Eldridge went cautiously forward to see whether the three shots fired had quite ended the animal's life, and on reaching the tree trunk and looking over it, was surprised to find three dead bears instead of one. He had supposed, al! of the time, that there was but one bear in the vicinity, that the first and second shots had only slightly wounded him, and that he had each time, after recovering his surprise, again clambered upon the tree to reconnoiter the enemy. The trio consisted of a she bear and two cubs, more than half grown. The old bear weighed four hundred pounds, and her flesh furnished food for several families. This bear killing episode was commonly looked upon as something reflecting great credit upon Mr. Eldridge. He was a good marksman, but probably his success in this instance depended as much upon "good luck," or the kindness of fate, as upon his ability. Killing three bears in a period of time measured by about as many minutes, and with only three shots, two of them with bits of wood in the place of leaden ball, is a feat not often, if ever, equaled. The adventure became, and was for a long time, the subject of much wonder throughout the neighborhood.

The center road, north and south, was, as originally cut through the forest, the Harrison road. It was made by the General's troops, and subsequently was straightened and improved. In 1825, when the new state road was laid out eleven miles through Fairfield and portions of Ripley and Bronson, the residents of this township gave material assistance to the enterprise. The road cost one hundred dollars per mile. The west, or ridge road, was laid out at an early day.

It is probable that Jonas Leonard, a native of Connecticut, who had settled in Bronson, taught the first school in Fairfield, about 1824. The school house was in the northwest quarter, or third section. The township is now well provided with district schools, and the union schools of North Fairfield afford higher instruction to those who desire it.

The first church in the township was the Methodist Episcopal, in 1822, with a class of less than a dozen members, but owing to the untiring exertions of those few a strong membership soon developed and in time a church edifice was erected. The other denominations came later, and they, too, have prospered.

The first postmaster was Walter Branch. He was commissioned January 1, 1829. He held the office for four years, and then resigned in favor of Horace L. Moulton.

The first cemetery was laid out in lot eleven, section three, upon the Ridge road, near the northeast corner of the township. The first settlers located in this vicinity, and the little piece of ground was set aside for burial purposes at an early day. There is another cemetery on the same road - lot one, section four: one on the Bronson town line road - lot six, section three, and one in North Fairfield village, just east of the corners.

Among the early settlers were Eliphalet W. Day. He was born in Connecticut and settled in Fairfield township 1818. Aaron Smith settled there in 1820, and Philip Moffitt came in 1819. Spencer Baker also came in I819. Samuel Foote also in 1819. Havilah Smith became a settler in Fairfield in 1821, and John Cherry came at a little earlier date.

A log house could be raised in half a day. The raising would be attended by all the settlers, and glad they were of the chance to have another settler added to the population. They took great pride in doing such a job. During all the chopping and clearing and many log raisings no serious accident occurred until 1828 when Henry Randall had his skull fractured by the falling of a bent at a barn raising, and died within an hour.

The Indians would come to the township and hunt every fall for several years after its first settlement. They claimed to be friendly, but would go to the cribs and take corn without leave, and were otherwise annoying.

North Fairfield Village

The first store in the township was opened at the center in the year 1831, by Ezra Smith, of Macksville, but soon after several enterprising men made efforts to establish a village at what was then known as Greenfield's corners. They were so far successful as to create all that now exists in North Fairfield, and in fact much more, for the village was at one time a flourishing business center, and had bright prospects of future prosperity. William Greenfield, Samson Baker, Walter Branch and Samuel Foote were largely instrumental in securing the location of various industries at this place. Horace S. Moulton opened the first store at Greenfield's corners, in 1832. Union White, of Fitchville, Woodworth and Holmes, Clark Sexton, A. R. Eastman, and a man by the name of West, began atanearly day. D. 5. Stevens opened a dry goods store in 1838. Manufactories were established, and the village developed for a few years at a rate, which, had it been long continued, would have produced a little city. A newspaper. The Fairfield Gazette, was established, and had, for a time, a fair patronage. The first copy was issued April 23, 1856, by Robert McCune. Afterwards the paper was under the charge of J. Ralph Robinson, and still later of O. B. Chapman. He moved it to Bellevue. The causes of Fairfield's failure to become all that its residents fondly hoped, were numerous. Chief among them was the building of railroads all around the village, at a distance of ten or a dozen miles, and the failure of the projected Clinton extension, which was (upon paper) a link of a long chain extending from New York to the great west. Over seventy thousand dollars of Fairfield money went out of existence with this bubble. The Milan canal was another failure. The largest manufactory in the little village - the chair factory - and the steam mill, built at an early day, vanished in fire - ended in smoke. Other evils assisted in thwarting the plans of the would-be founders of a city, and slowly, but surely, the last hope of making North Fairfield a large and live business town passed away. All that was left the people was the reasonable certainty that the village would always be, what it now is, a peaceful and pleasant home, in which there will never be an excess of bustle and din and sordid strife, but always well being, good manners and better morals.

Although North Fairfield failed to get the courthouse and the steam railroad it now has a fine electric line running north and south - the Sandusky, Norwalk & Mansfield. The village contains some fine residences, has a good country trade and supports a printing office.

Fitchville township is supposed to have received its name from a man named Fitch, who was quite a large land-holder within its limits, and who resided in Connecticut.

The land is generally rolling or sufficiently so to make it easy of drainage and good tillage. The soil is various, some portions, being well supplied with clay, others quite sandy, and many of the ridges quite gravelly. The township was formerly well timbered with beech, maple, white-wood, black walnut, oak, hickory, white ash, black ash, bass wood and elm. The Vermillion river heads at a lake near Savannah, Ashland county, enters this township near the southeast corner, passes through near the center, and leaves it a little east of the center.

This stream furnished water power and was of great service to the early settlers. As early as 1825 there was a sawmill built near there which did much towards supplying the settlers with lumber.

There was a flouring mill erected at the center at an early date, and there was also an establishment for wool carding and dressing cloth. The flouring mill was later run by steam and furnished considerable flour for the eastern market.

The first settlement made in this township was in the summer of 1817, by Peter Mead, Abraham Mead and Amos Reynolds. They made their beginning on the east line of the township. Early in the season of 1818 an addition was made by the arrival of the Palmer family. In 1819 a few more were added to the number of settlers by the arrivals of Gilbert Martin, W. W. Watros, Abijah Palmer and Charles Lyon. In 1820 came Jotham Curtiss, J. N. Pickard, Henry Pickard, Absalom Coleman and Hiram Curtiss.

Owing to the fact that most of the original owners of the township put up the price of their lands too high, the township did not fill up fast with settlers, until after 1830.

Public School Fire Drill, Chicago, Ohio

The first Sunday school in the township was held by Allen Johnson, at his house, in 1825, the pupils being Edward and Benjamin Green, Barnard Johnson, Louisa Johnson and Sarah Palmer. Johnson's assistants were Ebenezer Osborne and Zetta Green.

The people of Fitchville sought early to establish in their midst the institutions of religion and education to which they had been accustomed to in their eastern homes. There is, perhaps, not another example in the county of such an early establishment of a church after settlement, The pioneers entered the wilderness in I817, and in the summer of 1819 the first church was organized.

In early times, Hartland, Fitchville and Greenwich, were grouped together, or attached for civil and judicial purposes. Hartland was detached about 1820, and connected with Clarksfield. Fitchville was detached, in 1828, from Greenwich and organized as a separate township.

The principal cemetery of Fitchville, which occupies the summit and slope of a gently rising hill, upon the Norwalk road, in the north part of Clinton incorporation, was laid out about 1826, or the following year. Alvah Palmer, who died in 1827, was the first person buried there, and Louisa Green the second.

A number of the first settlers made their homes upon the line of the north and south center road, and this was the first route of travel upon which any labor was bestowed in the township. The next was the road running east and west through the center. The road from Wooster to Norwalk was laid out in 1826, but there was scarcely any improvement made upon it until 1832, and it was by no means easy of travel. The route most traveled by the early residents of Fitchville, when they wished to go to Norwalk or beyond, was a trail which led from Abijah Palmer's, in a northwesterly direction, to a point about a mile west of Olena, and thence westerly to the old State road, which passes through the center of Fairfield and Bronson townships.

The enterprise of running a line of stages through from Wooster to Norwalk was undertaken at this time by Union White, J. C. Curtiss, and an Ashland man. They commenced by running a two-horse hack each way twice a week, but afterwards a four-horse stage coach was put on the route by a man named Myers, to whom was also given a contract for carrying the mail. In 1834, and for many years after, the people had the satisfaction of seeing this heavy stage, often well loaded with passengers, dash swiftly or wallow slowly, as the case might be, through the settlement.

Before the people of Fitchville had a postoffice of their own, they were obliged to go to Norwalk for their mail matter. About the year 1828 the first postoffice was established in the township, Rundel Palmer commissioned as postmaster. He kept the office in his dwelling house.

The first tavern built in the township, was the Clinton House, which was named after the incorporated village of Clinton. It was built in 1833, by Hiram A. Curtiss. It was a frame building, of fair size, two stories in height. This was, for a number of years, the only place for the entertainment of the wayfarer and the stranger, and was well patronized. After Curtiss, Hiram Odell was, for a time, the landlord of this house, and he gave place to Union White and his

A few years after the building of the Clinton House, probably in 1837 or '38, Union and Daniel White, erected the large hotel since known as the Mansion House.

The Fountain House was built by Rundel Palmer for a dwelling house, bus was converted into a hotel and conducted as such by his sons, Isaac and Nathan, for five years.

J. C. Curtiss built the next hotel, the present residence of his son, S. W. Curtiss, and was its proprietor for a number of years. This house was known as Washington Hall.

The first death was that of Deborah, wife of Abraham Mead. She died July 23, 1823. Another of this family, Mary Mead, died in November of the same aged seventeen.

The Meads built the first log house, and Ludovicus Robbins the first framed dwelling. The latter was about the year 1827, upon lot seventeen, section three.

In the fall of 1830, Union White came into the township, erected a small building, and opened a store, which was the first the township. His stock was from the store of Buckingham & Sturgis of Norwalk, who had an interest in the business. In the spring of 1832, their interest was purchased by J. C. Curtiss, and the firm name became White & Curtiss. The first purchase of goods by this firm was in New York, and they were transported by the Hudson river, New York and Erie canal, and Lake Erie, to Huron, from which point they were hauled in wagons to Fitchville, at an expense of from three to four or five shillings per hundred weight. From New York city to Huron the transportation cost from one dollar and fifty cents to two dollars per hundred. The goods bought were of the kinds for which it was known there would be a ready market, such as staple groceries, and the commonest kinds of calico, sheeting, ec. Brown sheeting was sold at from twenty to twenty-five cents per yard; calico from two to four shillings, and satinet from six to four shillings. was eight cents per pound; nails from nine to twelve cents; tea from ten to fourteen shillings; pepper, four shillings; coffee, two; loaf sugar from two to two and sixpence, and whiskey from four to five shillings per gallon. There being but little money in circulation these articles were very generally paid for in deer, coon and muskrat skins and black salts, which were made from ashes by almost every family. Messrs. White & Curtiss bought these salts in large quantities and manufactured them into pearlash, which they sent to the eastern market,

The village of Clinton, within this township, was laid out in 1832, and for several years was the principal business place for the southeast part of the county, but railroads made great changes and Clinton is almost forgotten.

Greenfield township was organized about the year 1815, and then embraced the townships of New Haven, Greenfield, Peru, Norwich and Fairfield, for township purposes, and continued so until each of the above townships contained a sufficient number of inhabitants for separate organization. In the year 1819, the name of this township was changed to Berlin, and continued by that name until 1822, when the name of Greenfield was restored. The reason for giving it the name of Berlin, was owing to there being a Greenfield township in Highland county, with a postoffice of the same name. At the restoration of the original name of the township, the postoffice was called Lafayette, and Joseph Cook was the first postmaster. The office continued to be called Lafayette until 1835, when the name was changed to Steuben.

The surface of the township is generally'undulating. The Huron river enters it about a mile west of the southeast corner, runs a winding, but, generally, northwest course through the township, and leaves it a little less than a mile east of the northwest corner. There are several small tributaries, the largest of which is the west branch, which drains the western part of the town.

The original varieties of timber, east of the river, were principally white wood, black walnut, beech and maple, with some white oak, butternut and basswood. West of the river, white and black oak, hickory, beech and maple were the leading varieties. The soil is a loam of a sandy or gravelly nature, east of the river, and a clay loam west of it.

There is a stone quarry on the east bank of Huron river. It was first opened by Ezra Smith, at an early date. The quarry underlies a considerable tract of land, with a dip to the southeast, extending into Fairfield township, and is sandstone of the newer formation. The stone varies from an inch to twelve inches in thickness, and is largely used for building and flagging.

The history of Greenfield has for several reasons a peculiar interest. The time that has passed since the pioneer first walked into the wilderness by the side of the Huron river is almost four score and ten years. Strange and startling scenes have been enacted upon its brink, before and since then. The first person that came into the township of Greenfield, for the purpose of settlement, was William McKelvey, Jr., who arrived from Trumbull county in the year 1810. He purchased one hundred and six acres of land of Caleb Palmer, of New Haven township, on lot number twenty-five, in the second section of this township, paying for it in work. In 1811, he cleared eleven and a half acres and sowed it to wheat. He had harvested his crop and was putting it in stacks when the news of Hull's surrender reached the settlement. He immediately returned to Trumbull county, where his father and the rest of the family were then living, and joined the army as a volunteer for six months. the spring of 1814 he returned to Greenfield, bringing, with a four-horse team and wagon, his brother-in-law, Truman Gilbert, and his family. His wheat had been burned during his absence, evidently by the Indians. The loss was considerable, as breadstuffs were then high. He afterwards bought fifteen bushe!s of the wheat left in stack by Erastus Smith, on his flight to Trumbull county, for which he paid forty-five dollars, threshing it himself.

The township records prior to the year 1828 have been lost, and the following facts relative to the first election for township officers were furnished by one who was present.

The election was held at the house of Erastus Smith in the spring of 1816. Joseph Cook was elected township clerk; Eli Halladay, Bildad Adams and Nathan Warner, trustees; William McKelvey, constable; Erastus Smith, justice of the peace. Having no use for a treasurer none was elected.

According to the "enumeration of the white male inhabitants of Greenfield above the age of twenty-one years," as returned to the county clerk by Seba Mather, lister, for the year 1819, the number of such inhabitants was one hundred and thirty. Peru was then attached to Greenfield, and is included in the enumeration.

The first marriage was that of William Smith to Miss Lovina Pierce, daughter of Alden Pierce, 1817. Erastus Smith, justice of the peace, performed the ceremony.

The first purchasers of the land derived their titles to their farms, in the first and fourth sections, from Isaac Mills, of Connecticut; in the second section from Abecham D. Baldwin and Walter Bradley, of Connecticut, and Tilley Lynd, of Homer, New York.

Tpe township of Greenfield was surveyed by Caleb Palmer, of Trumbull county, assisted by Cyrus W. Marsh and B. Newcomb, in the year 1811, and before the war with Great Britain.

As stated before, the first house in the township was built by Hanson Reed, in the spring of 1811. This was on section four. The second house was built by Erastus Smith, in November of the same year. The above two families and their hired men, C. W. Marsh and Jacob Rush, were the only white settlers in the township at the time of Hull's surrender. A little later came William McKelvey and his son and son-in-law, Truman Gilbert, came to the township without their families, cleared a few acres and sowed wheat, but did not bring their families until later.

The surrender of Hull exposed the whole northwest to the ravages of the enemy. Tpe frontier settlers had to abandon their homes, or run the risk of being massacred by the savages. The first settlers of this township chose the former, and did not return until peace was assured.

The first death in the township was that of an infant son of Samuel C. and Nancy Spencer, in the spring of 1816. The child was buried on the farm.

Ruth, daughter of David Lovell, was the first person buried in the cemetery at Greenfield Center. Her death occurred February 17, 1818, at the age of nearly fourteen.