Portage County, Ohio - Fbbedom Township, 1885

Fbbedom Township

FREEDOM was the last of the townships to be organised, with the exception of one, leaving Garrettaville out of the queBtion, which event occurred April 4, 1825, it having been a portion of Hiram Township up to that time, and known as Town 4, Range 7, of the Western Reserve. The land for some reason bad been thought, by those who oaiue at an early day, to be very poor - not worth Bottliufr on This bad reputation arose, evidently, from the fact that a large swamp existed about the center of the township, and from the almost unbroken extent of beech woods. It is now, however, one of the finest pieoss of land in the county, as drainage has been applied to all the low sections. It had been called North Bootstown in honor of the prineipal pro^- etor, Ephraira Root

In the spring of 181S Charles H. Paine, commonly called Harry PainSb oame into the township and sottlod on Lots 31 and 41. He oame from Hiram, but originally lived at Paineevillo, his father beirr^ Gr>n. Paine, for whom that town was named. Charles had married the daughter of Elijah Mason, and remained with his father- iu-Iaw in Hiram until he could put up a cabin and make a clearing on his land in Freedom. From the time he moved to his place till 1822, himself and family were the only dwellers within what is now this highly eoltivated, pronperoas and fertile township^ and he used to say that daring those three or four year8, when there was not a white person other than his own family for miles around, that it took considerable nerve to combat the sense of loneliness that would irresistibly steal over him. In 1822, however, he was r^oioed at the arrival of thirteen persona, all in one body, in fact all in one fami]^» for Thomas Johnston and wife had eleven ehildren at that time. Johnston was an Irishman, who in comiug to this country had settled in Pennsylvania, afterward removing to the Keserve. He if as a genial soul, and could tell a joke with the tme finsh flavor. He settled on Lot 82.

The year 1823 brought in three Bettlers, Newell Day, Enos Wadsworth and Asa "Wadsworth. They were from Tyringham, Mass. Enos was a widower, with two sons and one daughter. Asa was his oldest sou, who was married and bad two children; he settled on Lot 46, and his father on Lot 47. John was the younger son of Enos, and Electa was the daughter.

In 1824 came in Rufus Rannoy. father of Judge R. P. Ranney of the Sti{)reme Court, and J. L. Ranney, and settled on Lot 44; Elijah \V. Ranney on Lot 44; Myron Barber on Lot 61 ; Phineas Spalding on Lot 51 ; Brigham Harmon on Lot 68; Daniel Brown on Lot 60; Alexander Johnston on Lot 32; ^Vidow Clarissa Wheelock, Amariah Wheelo^ and John WheelockonLot48^ and Ira Cluimberlain on Lot 9.

During the next year came Paul Larkcom, father of A. C. Larkcom, from Berkshire County, Mass. Fanl Larkaom was one of the old Bevolniionaij soldiers, and had been a mt^mber of the Legislature of Maasachupotts, Justice of the Peace, etc. His nnme hgures in the history of bis native State, being descended from one of the Larkooms who tied to this country from the perso' ooftions of the seventeenth centnry. Kia wife was a eoosin of Noah W^ter* the great lexicographer. The wife of his son, A. C. , was a second cousin of the gallant Commodore Perry. The somewhat famous writer, Lucy Larcom, was a member of this same stock of Larkooms, but that lady dropped the le from the original spelling of the name. In this year also came Jodina Finch, Jeremiah Colton, Nathaniel Brown, ktvin Brown, John Baldwin, Horace Hopkins. Pardon Sherman, Sylvester Hurlburt, and possibly one or two others, now forgotten. The numbers had now so increased that a petition was presented to tho Ooonty Gommissionen to grant the erection into a ''sspsrato township , of Town 4, Range 7, witii the name of Freedmn.'* The name ' "Freedom" is supposed to have been suggested by Mrs. Paine, to whom the matter was referred in honor of that lady having been the tirst female to enter the township. It ic said that she first suggested **Libert7,'' bnt as thainame was too common, it was changed. The usnal version is that she was s great lover of liberty, and tho name naturally came up, but an old settler says that she suggested the title in cousequenoe of quite a number ot the inhabi' taala having left sundry little debts when th^ came ont

The result of the first election after the act of creation in the township was as follows: Trugtees. Charles H. Paine, Alexander Johnston and Asa Wadsworth; Clerk, Amariah Wheelock; Treasurer, Phineas Spalding; Appraiser, Aletaader Johnston; Lister, Benjamin Fenton; Overseen of the Poor, Nowell Dayand Thomas Johnston; Fence Viewers, Asa Wadsworth and Charles H. Paine; Constable, Charles B. Miller; Supervisors, PhineaR Spalding, Thomas Johnston and Amariah Wheelock. C. H. Paine, Alexander John* st^ and Asa Wadsworth were the Judges of Election; Amariah Wheelock and la f9ovember, 1880, Paal LarkotMn began keeping a rooord of the entry and -ettlement of every one from the time that Paine came in, also patting down in;writing in an old book, that he had used as far back as 1809, all first evpTita, 4Uid it is from that scarce we obtaia the informatioa herein contained, la that bojk we find, in addition to Uiose already given, the names of tiboee who 4iame in 1827, among whom were Thomas Headiockand W. L. Marcey. A. C. and Samuel Larkcom, and others. In IH2S Elihu Paiae, Sciiauel Johnston, Garry (Jlark, Amoe Hawlej, Oziaa Uawlej, luaac Stedman and others. la 182U «ame another Larkoom, Oraamna L. Drake, Ohanncey Hitohooek, Gt. G. Bed> ding, Myron and Willis Foote andiereral others. lu 1830 came Enoch Drake, 4he Portcrn, Libmi^ Manly, two more Hawleys and a number of others. In /aae of this year the popaiatioa was 342) and so rapidly were they oomine in that in tiie following NoTember the namber had inoreiwed to 864. In 1881 there were eighty-seven families, and a population of 417. In 1883 the namber of inhabitants had increased to 767, with 14S families. Tho niimb«r of births from iirst settlement to that date yr&a, 130, and the number of deaths f ortj-two. In 1886 population was 841 ; nomber of familiee 164.

The firHt habitation was built by Charles H. Paine, during the summer of 1818. The first death was that of EraeHne Fnirif* (at the age of two and a half jrears), daaghter of Charles U. Paine, and who wau scalded so badly in October, 1820, that ebe died. The first birth in the township was in Jane, 1828, that of Amanda, a daughter to Charles H. Paine; the first malecbild)wa8 bom Febroorj 19, 1826. a son of Daniel Brown, nam(Hl (nuirlea li. The hrst marriage was that of Wakemaa Sherwood and Harriet Uanney, in 1825. The bride waa a daaghter of Rnfoa Ranney. Another wedding ooonrred abont this time, the parties being Lester Hall and Geleetia Finch, and not far from this date occnrrod the wedding of two of the residents of this township in Shalersville. Henry Humphrey and Electa Wadsworth wanted to get married, but as they liad never witoecmd that interesting eeremony, they did not know bow to go about it, and were fearful lost they should afip^nr a^ward in the presence of their friends, so they postt^d off to Shalersville and were made one. The first Justice of the Peace was Amariah Wheelock, who became so in 1825. The llret militia offiewa were Oaptain, John Wheelock; Lieutenant, Daniel Brown; Ensign, .Alexander Johnston. In 1826 Elijah W. Banney beoame the first Postmaster. The first frame barn was built by Thomas Johnston on Lot 32, -nd the first frame house was put up by Paul Larkcom in 1826, for Daniel W. SIriefcland, on Lot 45. In 1828 Eliha Paine erected the llrst saw-mill and * had plenty of work to do, as the township always has been supplied with an abundance of timber. Tho first cider-mill was put np by John Hitchcock, as apples were plentiful from almost the first settlement, Paine having set out an orahard in 1819. Aa early as 1880 Hitehooek made eizty.three barreb of Older and sold 500 boshela of applee. In 1830 Orsamus L. Drake erected a building on the northeast corner; the same year Loring Hamilton started the carpenter and cabinet business. In 1831 Erastus Carter, Jr., and Cyrus Prentiss opened the first stock of goods in the bom of Enoch Drake, and in 1882 built a store-room on the northwest corner, pat in a stock of goods, but sold out afterward to D. W. Strickland. In this year, IS32, Enoch Drake built a house on the south corner; Jabez Smith, a blacksmith, set up in business, and Q. Q. Redding built a saw-mill. In 1838 Enoch Drake bailt hoose, barn, shedd, etc. In this year came Dr. Simeon Birge, who remained till 1888, when Im removed to Franklin, where he died in 1854. The township remained without a physioian till 1840, when Dr. James Webb located, and here lived till he died of e eanoer, in 1852. In 1835 there were eight tons of ebeese mannfaotaied, and 400 tons of hay cut in one looality on the north road, which gave evidence at that early day of what could bo dono in Froedom with proper cultivation and management. In 1836 Orsamus L. Drake erected a large tad well appointed house at what is now Drakesburg, for the accommoddion of the poblio, and called it the Freedom House. In 1837 fhe fiiet steam Raw-mill was erected at Drakesburg: bv D. Strickland, but it was burned to the ground the following year. Several Bteain mills were afterward erected. In thi» year James Atwood, from Vermont, commenced the blacksmith and wagon repairing bnBineea, whioh grew into a eaniage uiannfaot(»7» dmng quite an extensive business for the time.

The tirst church Bocioty in the township was organized February 9, 1828, at the house of A. C. Larkcom, by Hevs. Joseph Treat and David L. Coe, memtMTB of the FireobTtery of Portage Ooanty, and waa oompoaed of tlie following persons: Origon Harmon and wife, Alvin Brown and wife, Hoadlock Maroey and wife, Miss Laura Marcey, Horace Hopkins and wife, Reuben Daniels, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Marcey, wife of Thomas Marcey, D. W. Strickland and wife, Joahna Finoh and wife, Samnel Larkoom and wife. Harvey Hawley and wife, and Mra Clarissa Wheelock. Sermon was preaehed by Rev. D. L. Coe. D. W. Strickland was elected Clerk, and Origen Harmon, Headlock Marcey and Beuben Daniels formed the Standing Committee. Until the erection, in 1835, of their first bnilding, a small log-bonae at fhe Center, meetings were bisld at the boiiBse of A. C. Larltoon, Bnfna Banney, E. W. Banney, andinibe log-school house at Drakesburg. They afterward erected the present oommodious building, which is a credit to the township. Bev. Caleb Pitkin was the first settled paator of the ehnroh. The present pastor of the ohnroh is Ber. P. Gt. Powell.

The first Methodist Church was organized by 6. O. Plympton and Thomas Oarr, in 1831, and consisted of nine members: Oi*samuH L. Drake and wife, A. Hawley and wife, Ira Chamberlain and wife, Sarah Sherman, Charles Cranxnsr and iCnj H^wlsj. The Urst meetings wese held in the bam of Bnodi DxalBe, and A the houses of the members, bat in 1838 a fine large house of worship was erected at Drakesburg. Nearly all the early Methodist ministers lureached at varioiis times to the little flock. The present pastor is Hev. Oollier. There is a small ohapel of the Disciples of Christ, bat there is no regular pastor. The first ssrmon delivered in tiie tomship was pveaefaed by Bev. Alva Day, a Congregational minister.

The first school was taught in a small frame building at Drakesburg, by S. W. Banney, who died March 3, 1835. Another and earlier school is said to have been tanght in tiie northwsst part of the towndiip, bat the exaot time and name of teachers are not now known.

In the following review the present condition of the Freedom Schools is ^iven: Revenue in 1884, $3,366.52; expenditures, $2,299; eight school buildings, valued at $7,000; average salaries of teaebers, 188 and $25 per month; enrollment, 91 boys and 97 girls.

In the year 1S41 there came to the townsliij) a somewhat elderly and seedy mau named Leonard Greeley, who had no vimble means or employment, and when the laotoame to the knowledge of the Oveneera of the Poor, Messrs. Simon lisndfear and Lucius Wood, those two officials ordered the Constable. James Francis, Esq., to notify said Greeley that his absence would be more highly appreciated than bis presence, and to either run him out of the township or «mn bim in" for vagrancy. The Oonstable oboee the farmer, and Leonard Gnaley l«ti

Hisio&T Of Fobtaojs County

1a 1818 ooonrred the big hunt, wbieh was partioipatod in bjflM citizens of ssvfwal townships. This was the Army Hunt, refenwd to in other chapters.

Thomas Lloyd, of Hartford, Conn., donated fire acres of land at the Center, to be used as a public square and for the erection of public buildings.

One of the fineat mineral springs, with the moat deligbtfal water, in the State of Ohio ia on the road half way between the Ooiter and Drakesbu^g. It is slightly imprecated with iron, Hulphur and ma^esia, an excellent combination, and is, doubtless, extremely healthful and beneficiaL

In the aoathwsstem quarter of the township there ia an eKtenaiire limestone ridge, from which an eloellent quality of lime haa been made. Timber from the earliest time has been very plentiful, affording good raat^^rial for the manufacture of wooden- ware, rakes, etc. The country is well adapted for grazing, and the attention of tiie farmera ia taming oonaiderably in that direetion. MQoh fruit is raised, particularly apples. There ia very little waterpower in the township, but at one time there were five saw-mills in operation. The New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad passes through the aontheaatem comer of the township, touching at Freedom Station, which affords an oxcollent shipping point for Uie various produota.

Durinj^ the winter of 182^ an event occurred that threw a gloom over the little settlement, consisting at that time of about a dozen families. £noe Wadsworth, whose name appears as the fourth person to aettle in the township, and who was a widower with two sons and a daoghter, was a huccossfnl hunter of small ^nme, imt had never killed a deer, although ha had frequently hunted for them, upon which fact some of his friends twitted him, whereupon he declared he would go out and bring home a deer if he died in the attempt He went out on Satnrday, and not returning that evening nor the next day, the whole settlement turned out to hunt for him, a large party from Nelson also going out during the week, which party, on the ninth day after Wadsworth had disappeared, found him lying on his face in the swamp with hia gnn in his band and some proTiaiona in hia po(Aet) the latter fa<^ showing that he bad not been lost and Htarved, as was supposed, but that ' he had either been stricken with apoplexy or died from heart disease.

Warner Durkee, a noted hunter in the early days, was inclined to consump. tion, and ooeasionidlj had alight bleeding of bia lungs, but not to such extent as to interfere with his work or sport. On one occasion, while out with his dog in the woods, he waR taken with violent bleodinf^ at the month, and it so weakened him that he had to lie down, being unable to go any farther. In that condition hewoold have perished had be not, partly in frolic and partly in earnest, said to his do^, "Go home and toll them I am blocnlinf^to death." The sagacious dof^ seemed to understand, and ran home at the top of his speed. It being then late at night, and ail the folks in bed, they got up to aee what waa the matter with the dog, when he ran to the bed of Durkee'a eon and pulled and tugf^ed at the bed clothes. Being driven away he would return, and the last time he caught hold of the pants lying on a chair and shook them, as much as to say, " Put these on and come with me." The young man being atmek at the aingnlar aetiona of bla father'a dog, got up, put hia clothing on, following the dog to the woods and bnnigbt the annaring man home, whwe he was relieved.

In 1828 a saw-mill was erected by Elihu Paine. Previous to the building of the Methodist Ohnroh in Drakeaborg a afeeam aaw-mill waa conatmcted in

There are two cheese factories in operation, one rako factory, one saw and feed- mill near the Station, one saw -mill at Drakesbuig, and another in the north part of the township; at the Station is one general store kept by A. U. Seovil], ulio 18 Fortmaster; «l the Oeatar is one «lore kept hj Lyman Btjanti "Who k Pastmaater.

Olerk, T. M. Robinson; Treasarer, J. B. Harrison; Assessor, Elbert Enoeland; Constables, Clinton Dutter, A. D. Williams; Justices of the Peaoe^ Aiwell Biyant, Charles Williams; Notary Public, Lyman Bryant