Stark County, Ohio - Chapter 1, 1881

Chapter 1

J- striking featiu-es. It is generally rolling, and along the southern border may be called hilly, since the valleys of some of the draining streams are cut to a depth of 300 feet. In most j)arts of the county, the surface is pleasantly diversified by rounded hills, with very gentle slopes, and which are cultivated to their summits. The valleys that divide these hills !U'i> broad and shallow, and rarely show precipitous sides or exposxu'es of rock. The soil is generally light, often loam, sand or gi'avel, and was originally covered with a forest composed principally of oak, Ijut, in the central ])ortion of the county there were many glades and ojjeniugs, where the timber was tilled lake-basins, where peat and marl now hold the place formerly occupied by water. The extent of this kind of sm-f acc> is, however, not gi-eat, as Stark has little marsh land, and, since it is so abundantly supplied with excellent coal, it is scarcely proliable that the scattered patches of peat will ever become of importance, as a som'ce of fuel. As fertilizers, however, the muck and shell -marl will ho of gi-eat practical vahus, especially on light and open soils, such as that which covers most of the county. It may be important, therefore, for the fai-mers who have patches of swamp upon their land to test them by boring, to ascertain whether they are underlain l)y strata light. This consisted hu-gely of willow-oak of peat or marl, which may be used to cheajily and blackjack- oak, which formed clumps and fertilize their fields.

wild gi-asses, flowers' and serab-oak. From deposits are such as have been transported to the natiu-e of the soil, the farmers of the ' gi-eater or less distances fi'om tlnnr places of county have usually been cultivators of gi'ain, , origin, and it is only on the hills of the southand Stark has long been famous for its crops i ern townshif)s that we find the soil derived of wheat. ! from the decomposition of the undi>rlying

The altitude of the county is from 350 to rocks. Niimerous facts indicate that the coun- 7r)0 feet alwve Lake Erie, its eastern portion ty has formerly been traversed from north to r(;aching up on the gi-eat divide or water-shed south by a great line of drainage. This is

Ix'twoen the Ohio and Lake Erie. Like most of the counties tliat lie along the water-shed, the surface of Stark County is dotted over with lakes; of these. Congress Lake, in Lake Township, Myer's Lake, Sippo Lake, etc., may be taken !is examples. Here, too, as in now imperfectly represented by the Tuscarawas River, but it is evident that this, though a noble stream, is but a rivulet compared with the flood which once flowed somewhat in the direction it follows, fi'om the lake basin into the Ohio. The records of this ancient river are seen in the deeply excavated channels.

now filled with gravel, in the Tuscarawas Valley, and between Canton and Massillon. In the valley of the Tuscarawas an extensive series of borings has been made for coal, and these have revealed the fact that this stream is now running far above its former bed, and that it does not accurately follow the line of its ancient valley. That old valley is in many places filled with gravel, and is now so thoroughly obliterated as to give to the common observer little indication of its existence. A few facts will show, however, that this interesting featiu-e in the surface geology of Stark County has a real existence. The borings made for coal east of the })resent river, in Lawi'ence and Jackson Townshij)s, have, in many instances, been carried below the jiresent streams without reaching solid rock, and heavy beds of gi'avel are found to occujiy a broad and deep valley, which lies for the most jiart on the east side of the present water-course. From Fulton to Milliiort, and thence to Massillon, many borings have been made, and in these, where the coiu-se of the auger was not aiTested liy l>owlders, the di-ift deposits have often lieen found to be more than 100 feet in thickness. As the rock is exposed on both sides of the river at Massillon and Millport, it is seen that the river is riuining on the west side of its ancient trough, and, though it here has a rocky bottom, east of the present course, the rock would not be found, even at a considerably gi-eater depth. Just how deep the ancient valley of the Tuscarawas is in this section of the county, there are no means at hand of ascertaining; but we learn from the salt-wells bored at Canal Dover that the bottom of the rocky valley is there 175 feet below the surface of the stream. Another, and perhaps the most important of these ancient lines of di-ainage, runs between Canton and Massillon. At the " Fom-Mile Switch," half way between these towns, rock comes near the surface, and coal has been worked at Bahney's mine and other places in this vicinity. Explorations have been made, which show that between " Four-Mile Switch" and Massillon is a ridge of rock, which lies between two valleys, viz., that through which the Tuscarawas flows, and another, completely filled, between Massillon and Canton.

Between Massillon and Navarre, the road for the most part lies upon a terrace, the surface of which is about seventy- five feet above the river. This terrace is part of a plateau, which extends in some places more than a mile east of the river. It is composed of gi'avel and sand, of which the depth is not known. On the other side of the Tuscarawas, the rock comes to the surface, quarries have been opened, and borings for coal have been made, which show that, for- some miles below Massillon, comparatively little di-ift covers the rock. It is evident, therefore, that the ancient river channel passed under the terrace over which the road runs from Massillon to Navarre. Below Navarre, the river sways over to the east side of its ancient valley, striking its rocky border on the " Wetmore Tract." Here the gravel-beds, which filled the old valley, are on the west side of the river.

The succession of the rocks which come to the siu'face in Stark Coimty will be most readily learned by reference to the general section, which is as follows:

7. Shale and sandstone, sometimes containing a thin coal seam near the middle hills of Washington. Nimishillen, Paris. Osnaburg and Sandy ; hilltops of Pike, Bethlehem and Sugar Creek 75 to 110

The strata pniimcr.ited in the foregoing section all l)elong to the carhoniferotis sj'stem, and, with the exeeptiou of a limited area iir thi' northwe.stc^rn corner, wheri' the conglomerate appears, the entire area of the connty is occui)ied by the coal mea.sures. The only outcrops of the conglomerate occur in the extreme northwestern i)ortion of the county, in the corner of LawTene(> Township, so that it might as well be omitted fi-om enumeration among the rocks of the eijunty. exei'i)t that it underlies, at no great depth, all portions of the surface, and deserves notice as the easily recognizable base of the jiroductive coal measures. It should also be mentioned in this connection that some of the higher sandstones of the coal measures sometimes contain ])ebbles, especially that over Coal No. (5; but the jiebbles in these beds ai'e usually quite small - riirely exceeding a betm in size - so that there is little danger that they will be confounded with the tnie conglomerate.

The coal measiu'es of Stark ('ounty are c')m])osed, as usual, of sandstone, limestone, shale, fire-clay, coal, etc., and include all the lower group of coal seimis - seven in number. Of these, the low'est, or, as we have named it. Coal No. 1, the Massillon, or Briar Hill seam, is one of the most valuable in the entire series. This is well developed in Stark County, and forms one of the most important sources of business and wealth. The coal which is obtained from this seam is generally called the Massillon coal, and is so well known that little need be said of its character. Thou-j;h varying somewhat in different kx'iilities, as a general rule it is bright and handsome in appearance, contains little sul])hur and ash, is openburning, and jHjssesses high heating power. By long and varied trial, it has ))roved to be one of the most serviceable coals found in the State. In Stark County, it is somewhat more bituminous than the coal of the same seam in the Mahoning Valley, but it is more like it in composition than its a])pearanee would indi cate. The Massillon coal is well adapted l<> a great variety of uses. It is successfully employed in the smelting of iron in blast fur naces, and is there used in the raw state. It is also a good -rolling-mill coal, serves an excellent purjxjse tor tln> generation of steam, would jjp well for the manufactm'e of gas, and is the most highly esteemed household fuel in all the districts where it is used. This combi nation of excellences makes it a special favor ite in the markets of the lake ports, and main tains for it an active demantL

The Massillon coal seam, being generally cut by the valley of the Tuscariiwas, forms a gi'eat numb(>r of outcrops in the western part of the county, and in that region more than a hundi'ed mines are o}iened into it, Asthedii" of all the rocks in the county is southeast, it passes out of sight east of the Tuscarawas Valley, and along the etistern margin of tlie county it is at least 2(10 feet below the surface. It will thus be seen that it ought to underlie nearly all the county, but it unfortunately hapj)ens here, as in Siunmit and ^lalioning. this coal lies in limited basins, and is absent from a larger part of the territory where it belongs. It is therefore of much less practical value than it was supposed to be before the iiTegidarity of its distribution was ascertiiined. Nevertheless, the most important question conne<'ted with the geology of Stark County is that of the presence or absence of the Massillon coal in the townships e;ist of where it is mined. X'n fortunately, but little light has been thrown upon this subject by any explorations yet made, and, from the peculiar character of this coal setmi, it is quite impossible to predict, with any certainty, what will be the result of a systematic search for it vrhere it lies deeply buried. Between the valley of the TusciU'awas and the western margin of the coal iU"ea in \Vayn<' County, numeroi;s otitcrops of the Massillon coal have been found, a number of important basins have been oi)ened, and now many thousand tons !ire annually mined in this district.

found to any extent on thcat side of the river. Near Millport, however, and still further north, and east around Mud Brook Ghiu'ch, important l)asins of coal have been discovered, and it is probable that, vfhen the real difficulties of the search on this side of the river are overcome, i. e., when certain clews that can be followed up shall have been fomid it will be learned that valuable deposits of coal stretch eastward far beyond any present knowledge.

Considerable boring has been done in the central and eastern portions of the county, and such as might be su])posed would go far to decide the question of the reach eastward of the Massillon coal, but these explorations have not proven the existence of any considerable body of this coal east of the river. It should be said, however,' that of the borings made, only such as were made for the express puiTiose of tinding coal ai'e worthy of anv confidence. The oil-wells, by which the whole county has lieen pierced, were bored for oil, and nothing else. As a general rule, every other product was neglected, and where coal seams were jiassed throiigh, the evidence of the fact afforded by the sand- pump was imheeded.

On the eastern line of the coiinty, few borings have been made which can be depended upon for giving any acciu'ate information. At Limaville, in the northeastern corner of the county, the Briar Hill coal has been struck in several holes. These borings, and others at Canton, show that the belief that no valuable deposits of the Massillon coal exist east of the Tuscarawas River, is without a solid foundation, and it is predicted that some most important and valuaVile coal basins will be reached in the eastern portion of the county, and where their presence has not been suspected. The borings at Limaville show the lower coal of workable thickness. It exists over a considerable area in that vicinity, as it was found in a munber of holes running with gi-eat regularity. The well was located near Limaville Station, the well head ten feet above, or oTO above Lake Erie. The coal was struck 165 feet from the surface, or 405 feet above the lake. This -shows a dip of about 1(1(1 feet from the nearest outcrop of the coal in Tallmadge, eighteen miles north of west.

and about the same dip fi'om the vicinity of Ravenna, fifteen miles due north; but the coal lies higher here than at Massillon, southwest, or Youngstown, northeast, a fact due, doubtless, to one of the folds which traverse our coal fields.

The Massillon coal district is. practically, one of the most important in the State. The niimlier of miners employed here is about fifteen hundi-ed. A capital of over !f2,( )()(),()()() is used in the production of coal, and the annual yield of the mines mav be estimated at l,(t00',()(j() tons. Most of this coal goes to Cleveland, by way of the Lake Shore & Tuscarawas Valley, Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Columbus, and other railroads, and by the Ohio Canal. A large amount is consumed in and about Massillon, where it is used for a considerable variety of manufactiu-es. The most important use to which this coal is here put is for iron-smelting, since it is the fuel exclusively used in the two furnaces at Massillon, and one at Dover. These fiu-naces have been in operation for many years, and that which they produce has a well-established and excellent reputation. It is for the most part made of black-baud iron ore, and closely resembles the Scotch pig. This is not sur]irising, since the materials and methods emialoyed are almost exactly the same as those used in Scotland. These have proved remunerative during jeiirs of experience, yet the methods of the Scotch iron-masters can be easily shown to be susceptible of improvement. By adding close tops to the furnaces, increasing their dimensions and the temperature of the blast, there is little doubt that most important economy in the use of the fuel may be eft'ected. ^Vith the jiresent method of manufacture, the Massillon fiu-naces consume three and a half to foiutons of coal for every ton of iron made. This is certainly a wasteful itse of fxtel, which, from its gi'eat excellence and limited quantity, ought to be husbanded with the greatest care. The Massillon coal constitutes a gi'eat source of wealth to the county, and is the mainspring of many industries; but the fact should be recognized that this is a capital which is daily being exhausted, and. when exhausted, can never be rejinxluced. All the coal basins now known aliout Massillon will be worked out within a generation, and, although new discoveries will certainly be made, and much territory will become ))roductive whore the coal is not now sujijiosed to exist, still the value of the coal is so gi-oat. and the consiunj)- tion of it so rapidly increasing, that it is to he feai'ed not many years will elapsi' before the supply fi'om this region will be exhausted. A list of the principal mines in the Massillon district is as follows:*

There are many other mines - the " Grove," the " Brookfield," the "Mountain," the " Stoffer," the " McCue," etc. - of which there is no detailed report at hiind. The analysis of this coal is as follows:

The specimens are from the following mines: 1. Lawrence Coal Company, lower bench. 2. The same, u))])or Ijench. 8. Blue Chippewa. 4. Fulton Mining Company. Burton's coal, lower bench. <i. Stmie. n]}per bench (thin and slaty).

Some doubt has lieeii expressed mnoug the residents of Massillon whether the coal that crops out at Bridgeport is identical with that worked elsewhere in this vicinity. It is thinner, and lies somewhat higher than that in most of the neighboring mines. Still, its physical character and composition, as well as its rt^lation to the associated rocks, seem to prove that it is really (,'f>al No. 1. A simihuphase of the Massillon coal is seen in the mine of the German Coal Coin]);iny, just north of the stone (jUiUTV ()f Wiuthorst & Co., at Miissillon. Here, also, the coal is thin, very much laminated, and even somewhat slaty. This peculiiu'ity of stiiictiu'e may i)e iittributwl to the fact that the coiil seam in these two mines is ov(>rlain by a gi-eat mass of sandstone, which, when all the materiiils wei'e in a soft and plastic condition, must have pressed down u])ou the coal in such ;i way tis to reduce its thif'kness ;uid give it its laminated struetui-e. Borings made in the vicinity of Briilgeport and JVIassillon h.ive failed to Hud any lower seam, and it is scarcely possible thiit there should be another below th.it mined. The section at Bridgeport is precisely what it should be if the ]5ridgeport coal were Coal Xo. 1.

The diminished thickness of the coal in the Bridgeport and German Companies' mines may be due to another cause, i. e., as well in the bottom of the marsh, where the coal accumulated as ])eat, and on which, being relatively high, the petit was thin. It is well known thtit the swamps," or lowest portions of the coal mines, have the thickest coal in them, and this is simply because the peat was deepest thei'e. On the ridges or swells of the bottom, the coal is thin and high, because the top only of the peat-b(>d reached over them. The b.uTen ridges which so often sepai'ate the coal " swamps " were islands in, or the shores of the coal mai'shes. These rose above the wateilevel, and on their slopes the peat diminished in thickness upwiU'd till it came to an edge. When covered with clay and sand, and compressed to solid coal, thsit was thickest where the peat w.vs thickest in the bottoms of thi> basins, tind thinned tnit to nothing on the slopes which l)otinded these btisins.

The ^Massillon coal is usually overlain by a few feet of shale, and above this is found a massive sandstone, which is known as the Massillon sandsU)ue. The stone of this sti'atum varies considerably in texture in different localities and different layers, but much of it iiffords very e.xcelleut l)uilding material, as well as good giindstone. In these, a large iind active iiuliistry h;is lieen create*! about Massillon, Warthorst & Co. giving employment to II HI men, and shipjiing ^(K) and 4<M) car-loads of block-stones, iind 1,r)(t() to 2,itOlt tins of grindstones per aunnm. The product of this quarry is mainly sold in Pittshiu'gli, Philadelphia and Baltimore. The stones for ilry grinding - plows and springs, etc. - are especially esteemed. In Paul's quarries, near Fulton, a light vai'iety of this stone is ground up. and the sand shijipod to Pittsburgh for the manufacture of glass.

In man}' parts of Stark County, borings have indicated the existence of a thin seam of coal above the massive Massillon sandstone, and it is sometimes referred to by drillers as the "Fifteen-inch Seam," but it is oftener from six to twelve inches. Though persistent over a large area, it has rarely any economic value, and deserves notice simply as a tolerably constant featui'e in the section, and one that is liable to be mistaken for the lower coal. The distance which separates it fi'om the Massillon seam is qiiite inconstant, and vai'ies fi'om sixty to one hundred feet. In another county, this seam becomes of workable thickness, and it has therefore been named in the reports as Coal No. 2. Another thin coalseam is also sometimes found immediately beneath the Massillon sandstone, but this is frequently cut away by the forces which deposited this rock. It may be seen, however, at several of the quarries in the vicinity of Massillon.

At a distance of from 150 to 200 feet above Coal No. 1 , occurs the lowest of the two limestone seams which traverse this as they do many other, of our coal-bearing counties. In Stark County, Coal No. 3 is sometimes absent, sometimes has a thickness of a few inches, and rarely becomes of any economic importance. From twenty-five to fifty feet above it occm's the second limestone coal (Coal No. 4). This is well develojied in Stark County, and in some cases has considerable vahie. In the subterranean, rocky ridge, which lies between the valley of the Tuscarawas and the old channel west of Canton, both the limestones refeiTed to, and sometimes both limestone coals, may be seen, the upper one only being of workable thickness. Coal No. 5 lies usually about fifty feet abovi* the gray limestone over Coal No. 4. As a general rule, in Stark County it is two and a half to three feet in thickness, and has much less value than in

Tuscarawas County, where it is sometimes four feet thick and of superior quality. West of Navarre, Coal No. 3 has been opened in several places, and is about three feet thick - a soft coking coal, of fair quality. In Pike Township, this coal is found on both sides of the Nimishillen, somewhat back fi'om the stream, here, as at Mineral Point, holding its normal l^osifion about midway between Coals No. 4 and 0. It is in this region, known as Ihe " Thirty- inch Seam," and the coal it furnishes is generally good. Toward the south, this seam attains its best development at Mineral Point, in the adjacent county.

Typical exposures of Coal No. 3 may be seen at the mine of David Miller, in Section 12, Canton Townshiji, three miles east of the city of Canton, and in several other openings made in this seam south of this point. The coal in Miller's mine is twenty- eight to thirty inches thick, overlain by gray shale, with its characteristic deposit of nodular iron ore. The coal is bright and good, more free from sulphur than that of the seam below, more open-burning than the next higher seam (No. fi ), which is so extensively mined in Osnaburg Township. In that part of the county lying south and east of Canton Tovvuship, the higher hills reach up to the Bowen Coal Measures, and the black-band ore, which lies over Coal No. 7. ocem's in some of the hilltops of Osnabiu'g and Paris. Coal No. () is here the principal seam worked. This generally lies conveniently above di'ainage in the valleys of Osnaburg and Paris, while in the lower part of these valleys, which are traversed by streams draining into the Sandy, Coal No. 5 is exposed in numerous localities as far up the Sandy as Minen'a, and it is opened on many farms for local uses. In the very bottoms of these valleys, in a few places, Coal No. 4, with its overlying Putnam Hill limestone, is reached, l)ut it is scarcely worked, except along the Sandy. In Nimishillen and Washington Townships, as the land is high. Coal No. 5 is generally buried beneath the sm'- face. In Lexington Township, however, on the north side of the divide, the tributaries of the Mahoning have opened the lower coals fi'eely, and, at Alliance, Coal No. 5 lies ten feet below the station (TiOO feet above Lake

Erie), ami is worked in a shaft thirty -one feet deep, in the western part of the village. The coal is here tliree and a half to foiir feet in thickness, of fairly good (pudify, hnt, from

Coal No. f) lies some fifty feet above Coal No. 5, or from eighty to one hundred feet above the upper of the two lower limestones, and is one of the most imf)ortant and widespread coal seams in the State. It is the " Big Vein" of Columbiana County, the shaft coal at Steubenville. the most important seam of Holmes, Tuscarawas and Coshocton Counties, and is also thti " Groat Vein" of the Hocking Valley district. In Stiu-k County, it runs tlirough all the hills east and south of Canton. It is the coal mined at several of the mines in Osnaburg, and is thence transported for blacksmiths' use to all parts of the county. In this region, it vai'ies fi'om four to six feet in thickness, and crops out and is worked in numerous localities in Osiiabiu-g and Mapleton. Passing thence southward, it loses iu thickness and importance, imtil, in the edge of Tuscarawas County, it becomes less valuable than the next lower seam. At Wapiesbm-g it appears well, and then reaches around through the highlands of Paris and Washington into Colmubiana County, retaining its volume and value all the way to the State line. At New Frank lin, in Paris, it shows a seam live feet ten inches thick, with the usual slate psu-tiug eighteen inches above the bottom. It extends from this point northward, thi'ough Washington, as fai- as Alliance, but becomes thinner in this direction. In all pai-tsof Stark Counj ty. Coal No. (i is a coking coal, generally of good thickness, and capable of affording an excellent fuel for blacksmiths" use or the; generation of steam. ^Vhen coked, it may be used for iron-smelting. It sometimes contpins considerable sulphtu-, but this may, however, be eliminated by washing. In the southern tier of townships - Sugar Creek, Bethlehem, Pike and Sandy - Coal No. I) is foimd in most of the higher hills. It is, however, iu this region, thinner and less pm'e than in the southeastern portion of the c(junty. Its best development seems to be in Osnaburg and Paris. It here lies for the most part, conveniently above drainage, is fi-om foiu- to six feet in thickness, with a slate ])arting from twelve to twenty inches abovi! the Ixittom. Th(i coal of the lower bench is much piu-er than that of the upper, smd is the portion so much esteemed for blacksmiths' use. From the large area it occupies, its thickness and its adaptation to manufacturing jiurposes, this coal holds a prominent place in the mineral resources of the county, and fonns a capital which will doubtless be lai-gely di-awn upon in the dev3lopment of various industries.

Coal No. 7 is the highest of the lower coal gi'ouji, and no workable coal is found aliove it in this section of the State. In the counties lying south and east of Stark, where the members of the upper coal series are represented. Coal No. 7 is overlain by a mass, some 400 feet in thickness, of shales and sandstones, the former frequently colored red, which contain little coal, and hence are called the Barren Coal Measm-es. The highest hills iu Stiirk County ai'e composed of the lowest portion of this series, generally a mass of gi"ay shale, with more or less sandstone. The hilltops on both sides of the valley of the Sandy have this chai'acter, and it is only here that Coal No. 7 is found. In this region it is a thin seam, fi-om one and a half to two and a half feet thick, and the coal is of inferior quality, so that in Stark County it has no considerable value. It Ijecomes, however, of much greater consequence in the counties which lie fiu'ther south.

The chief interest which attaches to Coal No. 7 in Stalk County comes fi'om the fact of its association with the black-band ore which overlies it. This is a bituminous shale, highly impregnated with iron. It often, though not eonstanth', forms the roof of Coal No. 7, and, wher(! present, attains a thickness of fi'om three to eight feet The ijlack-band ore is generally, though not always overlain by a ferruginous limestone, in which the ijuantity of iron is sometimes sufficient to render it a calc.u'eous iron ore. From the fact that this is only found in the to]is of the hills, it is sometimes designated as the mountain ore; and the limestone, fi'om its ferruginous character, assumes, on weathering, a brownish color, and hence is often referred to as the "bufT" lime- stone, to distinguish it from the bhie limestone below. These ore-beds are detached outlyers of a gi'eat feiTiiginous sheet, which once covered much of Stark and Carroll, and all of Tuscarawas County. Patches of this ore sheet, separated from their connections by the erosion of the valleys of the Sandy, Connotton and Tuscarawas, occur in the isolated hills of Osnaljiu'g and Paris, the only portions of the county geologically high enough to include them. Such being the geological position of this important formation, it cannot be expected to be found in any othsi- portion of the county.

With such natural resources, it follows that the manufacturing interests should lie ra])idly developed, and this result has followed liuilding of the tlu'iving manufacturing and mining communities of Canton and Massillon. But Stark is no less favored in point of piu-ely agi-icult^ lu'al resom'ces. The varied productiveness of the soil with which it is provided, has made it one of the chief wheat and fruit producing counties in the State, and enables its agriculture to divide the domain with manufactiu'es.

The first settlers here found a country thickly covered with a heavy growth of timber, and the land, shielded from the piercing rays of the siui by the dense forest foliage, saturated with the moisture which the character of a large part of the country favored. To erect here a home, and render the land subject to an amiual tribute for the siipport of his familj'. tasked the powers of the pioneers to their utmost. It was an even-handed struggle for subsistence, and anything accomplished might safely be set down as an improvement. This was practically true for the first twenty years in the history of a settlement. An average of tive years was consumed before the frontier fann coiild be relied upon to furnish support, anil, in the meantime, the fare fm-nished by the abundance of game and wild frait was eked oxit with economical pui'- chases of corn and wheat from the older settlements. After erecting a cabin, with the aid of hospitable neighbors, from live to ten acres were felled. This was then " chopped over," i. e., the trees were cut into suitalile lengths for rolling into piles for bvrrning. After the universal bee for rolling came the burning.

which fi-equently engaged the services of the wife in attending the Hre, while the husband chopped by the light thus afforded, carrying on their labors often to the small hours of the night. On a single farm, this much was freijuently accomjslished in three months, and a small crop of corn hai'vested in the fii'st year; but the average results were not so favorable. The efforts of the settler were directed toward getting ready for the "bee" as early as possible, for when the " rolling season " began, there was an uuinterru})ted demand upon the settler for from six to eight weeks in the fields of his neighbors. Many were called upon when they could least afford the time, but, from the necessities of the situation, there was no refusal possible, and, large as this demand ajipears, it will not be considered exorbitant when it is remembered that a " neighborhood " covered an area of miles in extent. With such an abundance of timber and the total lack of foreign demand, the prevailing tendency is to underrate the value of timber, and to carry the work of clearing to the very verge of denuding the land of this important aid to agricultm'e. This tendency seems to have been quite marked in Stai'k County. There was c{uite an extent of plains in the county, known for some time as " Canton Plains." running thi'ough the townships of .Jackson. Perry, Canton anj Bethlehem. This ])lain country was avoided by the early settlers, as it did not meet their judgment as to what a pioneer farm should be, and the earlier settlements were made in the wood. The county but partially supplied with timber at tii-st. the rapid clearing of the remaining forest was soon sensibly felt. The discovery of coal, and its use as fuel as early as 1806, in gi-eat measm-e relieved the later demand on the timber. Ten years later, coal began to be used as the princi}>al article of fuel in the villages, and since then its use has gradually extended, imtil but comparatively little wood is used. The build ing of railroads, and the consequent accessibility to the pine forests, has relieved another strain upon the timber of the county which began to be seriously felt. The revolution in the style of building has done much in this direction, and but comparatively little of the native timber finds its way into the modern

(Iwelliiifj. Tlj(>re arc. however, sufficient demands, for the viU'ious manufactures, mines and raih"oads, to l)eget serious appreliension as to \vher<> the later sn])])ly is to be secured.

Tlie prevailing system of agriculture in this county may properly be termed that of mixed husliandry, with a s])ecial prominence given to the cidture of wheat. Specialties otherwise tind littli' favor with the farmers. The ])ractice is to cultivate the various kinds of gi-ain and gi'asses. and to raise, keep and fatten stock - the latter business, however, being a leading pursuit of not a liu'ge projiortion of the farmers. The early mode of cultivating the farming lands w-as not of th(> highest ty])e. Provided with productive soil, and his father having made a fair su]>port in a certain line of farming, the average farmer has not had the opi)ortunity, or has not felt the need, of studying the principl(>s of such branches of learning as relate to agi'ieultiu-e, and has hesitated to receive, or promptly rejected, the teachings of science. A few- persons, however, were found at a comparatively early day who brought to the lousiness of fiU'ming that amount of i)atient investigation which the greatest industry of this covmtry demands, and farmers have l)ecome less and lessiuiwilling to learn fi-om others. This has had its effect upon the husbandiT of the county, which has attained a commendable thoroughness, and is ra])idly improving in every respect.

The soil is considerably diversilied. About three- fourths of the county, including the eastern, southern and western portions, may be called clay and gi-avel soi 1 : the northeastern (xirtion, more level, is furnished with a heavy suljsoil of clay, while the valley of the Sandy has a soil of sandy loam, which proves highly productive. The sm'face soil of the whole county is eom])osed of vegetable mold. On the rolling or hilly portions of th(> county, this soil is thin and light, owing, doubtless, to the washing of rains. On the lower and more level jiortions. this sm-faco soil is found dee]>er, and. in valleys or l)ottom lands, it varies fi-om a few inches to several feet in depth.

The depth of this soil, other things being ecjual, is a fair showing of the value of the land. Clay underlies this surface soil throughout almost the entire county, and varies in thickness from a few inches to two feet: is generally of a pale .yellow color, and affords abundant material for brick-making. It al>- sorbs water slowly, and is too compact for the roots of tender i)lants to ])eneti-ato to any great depth, and yet this dull clay is the basis of Stark County's agricultural wealth. Resting upon a substratum of gravel, it holds no more water than is necessary for healthy vegetation, ami yet j)revents the surface soil fi-om sinking away into the gi-avel: holds maum-es which are apjdied to the land, which, when jilowed under with clay, forms the most productive soil.

The subject of fertilizers has received considerable attention from the farmers, and plaster is freely used upon corn and clover. Lime is not much used, save occasionally to old, worn-out fields, which have run into sour grass, and is then ap))li(»d only when slaked. There have, however, been some (^.xperiments made of spreading it unslaked and plowing it under, with satisfactory results. Phosphates have come into limited use of late years, but only as an experiment, and the general voice is that it does not '' pay." Nor are any artificial means used to increase the barn-yard supply, which is not unfre(juently treated ius a serious inconvenience rather than a fortunate possession of the farmer. The constant cropping of a tield for a considerable numl^er of years without renewing is not often met with in Stark County. Occasional fields on the river bottoms are found which will bear such treatment and give good returns, but they are very limited in number. Rotation of crops has been the rule with the average farmer for some years, corn being tht^ first crop planted on sod gi'ound. followed by barley or oats, and then wheat; the latter is sometimes sown directly after corn. In the ordinary rotation of cro]is, the manui-e is generally applied to the wheat croj), as it is thought it is more <>ffectively applied here, and leaves a better soil for the grass which follows. Deep plowing, with the ^richigan doubh- i)low, wius practiced to a considerable extent some tw-enty-five years ago, with variable results. It afterwai-d fell into disrepute on account of its heav\' draft, or fi-om the fact that the upper soil was biu'ied so deep that several seasons were required to effect the proper mixtiu'e of the soils. Later, another system was adopted, with satisfactory effects. , Two plows were used, and the team divided between them. A shallow soil-plow turned over the siu'face, which was followed by a long steel plow without a turning-board. The latter simply raised and loosened the subsoil to a depth of twelve or fifteen inches, and upon this the top soil was tiu'ued by a lighter implement. This proved a vast improvement on the old plan, fiirnishing the requisite dejith without biUTing the upper soil, and loosening the subsoil, thus fm-nishing a natural escape for the excessive moisture which the character of the hard-pan too often resists, allowing it to escape only by evaporation. The practice of subsoiling is still kept up in the northeastern y)ortion of the county, where the subsoil is a cold, dark-colored clay, impervious to water. It was originally a beech forest, but, cleared and cultivated, it has proven excellent pasturage, and, when deeply plowed, tine corn, oats, rye, flax and vegetables, are easilj' produced. This manner of plowing is found necessary about every thi'ee years.

Artificial drainage has not been extensively used. A large portion of the county is high, rolling country, with a natural cb-ainage, that has served the purpose of can-yiug off the surplus water. In the northern part, there is quite a marsh, known as Cranberry Swamp, a portion of the waters of which flows north to the lake, but the larger portion runs south to the Ohio River. Nearly all the streams run southward, the Tuscarawas River, in the western part of the county, being the lai'gest. The Nimishilleu (Jreek is the next largest stream, which, with its western and eastern bi'anches, drains the northern and northeastern portions of the county, and afford many fine mill-sites. The Sandy is a fine stream in the eastern portion of the county. There has been but little undercb'aining in this county, except to draw off the water of the ponds and swamps. This has been done to some extent with tile, but generally by ditching and filling the ditch with bowlders, and then covering uj) with rubbish and dirt. Tile-draining, as a general thing, is looked upon simply as a means of carrving oft" the surface water, and but little

The gi'ass crop, while not demanding the same attention as other crops, is one that must always prove important. No regular system has been adopted in regard to its cultivation, however, in Stark County. A kind of speargi'ass and white clover are indigenous to the soil, covering the common and soon spreading over any cleared and uncultivated land, making a fair j)asturage. but proving too short for a good hay crop. Timothy grass, with clover, is mainly relied upon for the supplj^ of hay, meadows being tm-ned over about once in five years. Meadows are j)astiu-ed to some extent in the fall, but are seldom " turned out " for this jjiu-jiose, grass lands l)eing seeded for the especial purjiose for which they are designed. Meadows are seldom underdi'ained, and have generally received very little attention in the way of top-dressing, the maniu-e being generally applied to the wheat crop, which preceded the seeding down. Orchard and blue grass have been introduced to a limited extent of late years, but they have not found favor among the farmers. There is considerable hesitation manifested in experimenting with the bluegrass, as it is claimed by many - among them some scientific agricultimsts - that the Jimegrass, jjoa jindriisis, is the same thing, modified by difference of soil and climate. Clover is sown in large quantities throughout the county. It is found most successful upon the uplands, but it does reasonably, with plaster, on all grounds. This is generally mown the tu'st and second years for hay, and the third year, when full-grown, is plowed under for wheat or corn the next spring. It is usually sown with timothy for meadow^ the latter being sown iu the fall, and the clover with the growing wheat in the spring. The yield, when mown, varies fi'om one and a half to two and a half tons per acre. This combination constitutes the chief part of the pastm'age, and is in high favor with fanners.

AMiile the survey of the agriculture of Stark County does not exhibit the cultivation of any specialty, it will be observed that wheat-culture and shee])-raising have, fi'om the first, occupied the larger share of attention. But, while this is true, these objects have not ab-

Ihstoky Of Stahk Couxty

' lands as their only resource, was to derive from these a co)iipl(>te sujiport, and, to this end, a system of mixed husbanch'y was a necessity. Their descendants, hedged about by the results of experience, and aiming to sell theu' sur]ilus products in such form as would take from the land the smallest amount of its f(u'tility. have, from the nature of tin- case,

The early settlers were jirincipally of German descent, from Pennsylvania, and brought with them a strong ]>referenco for wheat -raising, and the county soon took the leading ])lace as a wheat county.. In the eai'ly culture of wheat, a gi'eat many discouragements were met. The weevil and iiist destroyed it year after year, and, when it escaped these, the fi-ost worked great damage. But perseverance and improved methods have wrought a great success in the culture of this gi'.iin, and it is now the leading cro]) in the county. There is troulile experienced fi'om insects, bnt

' The Todd wheat has been a favorite variety with the farmers of late years, though the Mediterranean for a long time held sway. This was found the most favorable, and less liable to be injured by insects and frosts. The greatest objection to this was its long, dark gi-ain. liut little superior to rye; but the effect of soil and climate greatly im])roved its (jualities, and it soon grew a plump, fair gi-ain, strong in straw and quite a favorite for bread, and has not yet entirely lost its hold in the farming comumnity. There is a gi'eat diversity in the ])ractic(> and opinions of farmers in regard to the cultivation of this grain, and no jiarticular system has been adopted. The |)revailing method is not t<i sow \\heat on the same fielil oftener than once in three years, and then only when, for two years, it

, considered bad farming to havi> wheat or corn follow each other. Wheat, in early years, wa.s sown among the standing corn, and later, lietween the shocks that were jilaced in rows through the field, and the spaces thus left put in oats on the following spring. The latter method is occasionally {iracticed yet, but generally an oat croj) intervenes. Manure is generally s])r»>ad in the s])ring. and jdowed under in the fall for wheat. The gi-oimd is carefully prepared, and the seed generally drilled in. The breadth of laud sown is pretty uniform, though discouraging crops have the effect to limit somewhat the acreag<> devoted to it. The gi-ain is usually threshed in the barn, the machine worked by the ]iortable steam engine manufactured in this county, being the favorite, and largely used. For some years. Stark led the counties of the State in the yield of this grain, but its dismemberment by the formation of Carroll and Summit, together with the ravages of insects and frost, has reduced the yield one-half.

Rye and barley are not extensively cultivated. Rye is marketed entirely at home, both the black and white varieties being sown. The first, however, though good for feed and distilling, has rapidly given way to the white, which is not inferior for these puii^oses, and makes a whiter iiouv. Sj^ring barley, som(> years since, was quite an imjiortant crop, not only on account of its marketal)le value, but also because it leaves the ground in tine condition for wheat. The average crop is about twenty- live bushels per acre. Under the revolutionizing effect of the Great West, however, these grains are gi-adually losing favor here, and are no longer cultivjitcd to any con siderable extent. Buckwheat is very little cultivated for home cousimiption, and scarcely enough for that. Oats is quite an important crop, though what is raised is barely sufficient for home consmnjitiou. There are thi-ee vai'i - eties cultivated to more or less extent - side oats, brancii oats and black oats, the latter being now seldom s<>en. The side oats weigh more to the bushel, but are not so prolific as the branch oats. The average yield is about fifty bushels to the acre. This is a reasonaijly sm-e crop. and. though occasionally injurecl by the blight, it is relied upon with considerable confidence for homo use. Rust has at times proved a serious drawback to the raising of this crop, and a late frost occasionally ruins the crop, but these have not been troublesome of late years.

The com crop, while not grown to the exchision of the others, is the one on which the farmers of Stark County most confidently rely, and the laud devoted to its cultiu-e is only limited by the necessities of the situation. It is far more stable in its yield, less liable to disease, and may be slighted in its cultivation with greater impiuiity than any other crop. The soft varieties of seed are generally preferred, and are usually planted on sod groiuid. It is usually well put in the ground, being prepai-ed with considerable care, and worked until it "tassels out." The old rule of "going through" the field a certain number of times before " laying by " the crop, has long since been abandoned by the better fanners. The last plowing, after the corn has reached the height of five or six feet, is considered the most effective in its cultivation, but the exigencies of the season often prevent the farmer bestowing this crowning attention. The farms, many of them small, are worked by the owner alone, and the clover and wheat cutting coming close together, frequently obliges the small farmer to slight his corn. When, however, the farmer is able to hire help, or has boys who can be trusted to do the work, the plow is kept going through the corn, an expense which is amply paid by the increased yield. The crop is cut and husked in the field, the corn being stored in criljs. The habit of husking fi'om the standing stock is also jiraeticed, though it is generally conceited to be a wasteful method of harvesting this crop. Corn is sown broadcast for forage to a considerable extent.

The other crops that oceuj>y, or have occupied, a more or less prominent place among the agricultural products of the county, are potatoes and sorghum. The quality of the soil is well adapted to the raising of potatoes, and farmers who have given considerable attention to the proper cultivation of this highly prized and indispensable esculent, have always been well rewarded for their labor and painstaking. It is a staple vegetable, universally used, always commands a fair price, and its general cultivation for exportation would undoubtedly prove highly remunerative. This fact seems to have made no impression upon the farmers, as no more are produced than are used at home. The leading variety is the early rose, with the peachblow and peerless cultivated in considerable quantities. The Neshannock is highly prized by many, while other varieties are being cultivated as experiments, or to suit individual tastes. The average yield of this crop is good, and is not often seriously aflected by disease or insects.

Sorghum was, in Stark County, an exception to the general rule. It was introduced here about INTiT, but most of the farmers conceived a dislike to it. It was planted in small quantities by a good many, but it was allowed to pass without any particular care, and many never harvested it at all. Two or three mills were Isought, but comparatively little molasses was manufactured. The first product, owing to the lack of interest and information, and the carelessness with which it was manufactlu'ed, was sorry stulf. This result re-acted with discouraging effect upon the producers. Another cause which contributed to this result was the exercise of a ruinous economy on the ];)art of the mass of the farmers. Instead of piu'chasiug new seed and sparing no pains to make a fair trial of this new crop, the majority of those who jilanted a second crop prociu'ed seed of their neighbors, and allowed the farm work to seriously interfere with the cultivation of the cane. The result was that it deteriorated in ([uantity and quality, and the whole thing was voted a faihu'e. No great effort was made to produce sugar, as the expense proved an insm'inountable barrier to its successful prosecution.

Tobacco is cultivated here and there by individuals, for the private use of the jsroducer, and it may well be hoped that its culture may not be further extended. It is an exacting crop upon the land, and. sooner or later, the exhaustive process will ultimately work the deterioration of any neighborhood or farming district where its culture is a ])rominent part of the farming operations.

The forests of Stark County are well supplied with the sugar ma])le, and farmers have not been slow to utilize them in the way of making sugar. It was the practice, at an early date, to manufacture this product in grain .sugar, as it proved more available for the

A survey of thi.s l)rancli of Stark County's agricuitiu'e would hardly be complete without some reference to thi' late fi-osts of INSy and 1845. The frost of 1859 came on a Satui'day night in June. The previous night had brought a fall of rain, and on Saturday it cle;u-e(l oft' with a cool atmosphere, which gi'ew colder ;us night apiu'oached. In the morning, the " killing fi-ost" had left scarcely a vestige of the gi-owing crops alive. Corn was about eight or ten inches high, and potatoes had reached the growth that made the effect of fi'ost most damaging. All gi-ain was ruined, and the people found themselves face to face with " perilous times," if not starvation. The frost had been general over the State, and the situation was considered alarming. Some time was lost in unavailing regi-ets, and some crops that might have been saved by prompt cutting off even with the ground were lost by delay. Fortunately, there were some late crops that had not come forward enough to become involved in the general disaster, and others were saved by favorable locations. The less fortunate farmers set at once to repair the misfortune so far as possible. The com and potatoes were replanted, buckwheat was sowed in the place of wheat, and, thanks to an unusually long season, these crops were fairly matured. There was a large proportion of soft corn, hundi-eds of bushels of which proved almost a complete loss.

Fruit culture hiis, from the first, occupied a prominent place in the cai-e and attention of the farmers, so that Stark is now the leading county for fi-uit in the State. As early as LStKi. orchards w(>re set out and considerable care given to their culture. In this yeiii, Kev. Mr. Gans, of Lexington, had an orchard; Valentine Weaver, in Plain, had an orchard raised fi-om seed at the same time; James Graff, two miles north of Canton, followed in 181 IS, as well as Simon Essig and Frederick Stump; Jacob Shanabager start<>d an orchard on the farm of J. Harmer in 18l)t) and 1807. Considerable care was (exercised in the selection of varieties and in cultivating the trees, and among some of the early varieties were some which still find a large number of cultivators. Among these may he mentioned the Penuock, Blair, New Town Pijjpiu, Vandever, llomanite, llomau Stem, Sj)itzen berg. Bell Flower, French Pippin, etc. During the first years, apples were a gi'eat luxury, and found a ready sale when brought into the settlements fi-om the older commimities. They were brought in fi-om Steubenville as tjarly as 18(>"J, and were among the regular order of things on training days. On these occasions, tlie wagon- loads of apples were hailed with as much enthusiasm as the loads of water-melons at a fair in these later days, and were ra])idly sold at a shilling a dozen. Among the early varieties, the Blair. th(jugh a small apj)le, was a prime favorite, and was readily sold at $1 per baiTel. The Romanite was especially marked as an excellent keeper, and was in good demand.

Stai'k is well situated for a finiit countiy. It is paiiiculai'ly fi'ee fi'om frost-killing, and. with a little more of the iron element in the soil, would be the ideal location for fruitgrowing. The natural hindi'ances to this branch of farm industiy, by intelligent experiment and cai'eful husl)anch'y, have been so far overcome that much of the best fi'uit of the country is [n-oduced here in excelli^nt quality and profitable quantity. Among the leading modern varieties may be mentioned the Baldwin, Bell Flower, Vandever, Red Canada. Wells Apple, Ohio Nonjiareil. and King. The last-named, known by many as " King of Tompkins Coimty," is a great favorite. It is a fine, large apple, some of the trait measm'- ing fom-teon and a half inches in circiunference, and at the same time retaining a fine fiavor and smooth textiu'o. The demand here is not, however, for a large aj>))le. They are found more liable to rot, with a consecjuent greater loss, than in the case of a smaller apple; fnut-growei"s find the lo.ss from dropping fi'om the tree greater, and, as the larger part of the picked fniit is marketed in the county, the vai'ious demands of the domestic economy are better served with finiit of medium size. The a])[)le is the hardiest finiit in this locality, and there are probably more acres in a|)ple orchai'ds than in all other fruits combined. The extensive cultivation of apples in orchards, however, has Ijeen of compJU'atively recent effort. Most of the surplus crop finds a market in Germany, and is di-ied for shipment. The recently imjjroved evaporators are used on most of the farms, which save time and give a better color to the fi-uit, enhancing the market value of the dried product 100 per cent.

Peaches ai-e not so successful in this county. They were grown here as early as 1809, and were at first as prosperous, perhaps, as apples, but siicceeding years have wrought such climatic changes that there is a good crop hardly more than once in five years. There is an exception, perhaps, to this rule, in the case of Sandy and Pike Townships, where the great bulk of the peach crop of this county is pi-odiiced. The peach-tree is found to mature too early, and cousequeutly to rapidly decline, the average life of a tree not reaching more than ten years. The leading varieties are the early and late Crawfords, which, in the particular localities mentioned, produce reasonable results. There is. however, no disposition to sm'render the cultivation of this fruit entirely. Fresh trees are being planted, ciu'eful investigations are being made, and it is hoped that the present obstacles will be overcome.

Pears were found in this county at an early date, the first being cultivated on Adam Oberlin's place, on the Fulton road. Stark takes the third place in the State in the gi'owth of this fruit, and many orchards of considerable size are devoted to it. The Bartlett, Flemish Beauty, Siecle, White Doyen, etc., are the leading varieties. The tendency to blight, which the pear-tree shows here as elsewhere in Ohio, has caused considerable loss in the cultiu-e of this frait, but a remedy has been found which, it is thought, will elfectiTally prevent it. This is the application of salt to the ground about the tree. The theory of this remedy has not been explained, but, BO far as experiments have been made, its success seems to be demonstrated.

Cherries of the hardier sort are found to do pretty well, though, as it is a fi-uit into which iron enters more than any other, the soil here is found the best adapted to the highest success in the cultivation of this fi'uit. The various kinds of English Morcllos are the only kinds grown to any extent, and, though needing considerable attention, they produce a fair return. They are seldom injured by frost, and are planted in considerable numbers. The history of the plum-ti-ee here is that of this fi-uit in most parts of the State. It is a natural i)lum country, and, until about 184'), it was the surest fruit in this section; but about this time, the min-uiio came iji, and has taken the fiiiit regularly ever since. Occasionally a fair product is got from a single tree, by a lavish outlay of time and pains, but the result does not warrant the ex]^ense needed to secm-e it.

The number of lai-ge towns, with their large proportion of mechanic population, found in the county, has of late years given a marked impetus to the cultivation of small fruits and vegetables. Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries of the improved vai'ieties are largely cultivated, and find a ready sale at fair prices in the different towns. There is no sm-plus for exportation or for wine-making, and little of either is done in Stark. Grapes iu'e foiuid to flom'ish here scarcely second to any other place in the State. The Concord, Delaware, Lady and Agawaiu are the leading vai'ieties. The Isabella is not gi'own. and the Ionia and Catawba are unsuited to this location, the early frost of autumn [ireventing their maturing. These also find a ready market in the various towns, and are not made into wine at all.

Of late yeai's. the interest and profit in the cultivation of vegetables for the home market has shown a mtU'ked increase. Last year, a considerable " annex " was built by the agricultural society to accommodate the display of exliibits in this class.

This success in fi'uit- growing is doubtless to be referred not less to the intelligence with which the sutiject has been studied, than to the natural advantages of the soil. An outgi'owth of the interest in this subject was the organization of the Horticultiu'al Society. October 11, 1878, by such gentlemen as J. K. Neisz, Levi Stump, Andrew Pontius, Lewis Essig, H. W. Firestone, J. F. Neisz. W. W. Reed and others. This society has its meet- ings inouthly. at tho ri'sidcnces of its vsirioas nienilx'rs, and lias aecoiuplished a groat dfal for tlio fi-iiit-growers of the county. Exjjerilui'uts ai'e constantly being made, whicli are fully iliscussed at their meetings, and the value of these discussions is being felt and acted upon by the mass of farmers.

In the matter of stock-breeding, there is a very general interest, tlidugh the number of those who nuike it a, sjieeialty, or a leading featiu'o of their f ann industry, is small. Probably less than one-tenth can be placed in this class, though among these may be included many of the wealthier fanners. jVmong this {wrtion of the farming community, a persevering, patient, investigating spirit has been manifested, that has accomplished large results for the stock of the com ty. No class of stock has been slighted in this respiHjt, though jiei'haps hors(^ and sheep have protited most.

It is quite natiu-al that the early history of the horse in Stark Coimty should be somewhat obscure. In the early settlement, the natui-e of fann work called for the steady strength, the fi'eedom fi-om accident and the ea.sy keeping of the ox, and horses found no general demand until the pioneers could afibrd the luxiuy of speed in ti'avel. It was not long before this demand made a marked change in the character of the teams, which has continued until now one would scarcely meet with an ox team in a month's travel through the coimty. Th(> early stock of horses were such as could 1)(> Iwnght in the older settlements, and were marked by no pai'ticular chai'acterifitic of breed or (juality. The only demand was for the (ordinary pmi^oses of the farm, and the jieople were not only not in a position to " lix>k a gift horse in the mouth," but were quite as powerless to be fastidious in regai'd to any horse. AxQong the earliest eflbrts to improve upon this stock was the importation of a hoi-se loKnvn as " MeiTy Andrew," fi-om Virginia, and which was reputed to be a thoroughbred animal. The old settlers, who rememlx'r his appeai'ance, agi'ee that his e<jual has not since lieen in the coimty. He was impoi-ted in 182">, liy Dr. Simmonds. Henry Barber, who was a devoted lover of fine horses, had at this time a line imi)orted mare, of g(X)d lilood. und fi-oin these two animals some excellent stock was raised, which gave the fii"st impetus to an effort to improve the grade of horses. About 183'.!, John Meyers brought into the county a tine chestnut- sorrel stallion, called " W'indtiower." He was a good-blooded horse, of tine parts and splendid action, and left a miirked impress ui)on the stock of the county. He sired a gi'eat many colts, <md his blood can be traced in the tine aj)pearance and action of many of the best horses yet to be foimd in the coimty. In 184U, " Napoleon Morgan " was Virought fi-om the East, and first inti'oduced this strain in the county. His trotting ipialities. fine action and splendid appearance gave him a popuhu-ity, and for several yeai's the Morgan sti'ain was in high favor. " (xreen Mountain." a diu-k brown horse, was brought here in ISriit, and was the sire of a number of valuable horses. The natui'al tastes of the people who settled this county, however, did not lead them to prefer this class of horses, and in a few yeai's the demand veered ai'ound to those of heavier jiroportions. This led to the introduction of the English draft horses, "Scotch Clyde" and " Plow Boy." This class of horses are of Scottish descent, of the largest size, averaging from sixteen to eighteen hands high, with ponderous bodies, stout limlis, haiiy at the fetlocks, of high and noble carriage, and unsurpassed in weight and strength. They occasionally reached a weight of seventeen and even eighteen himdred ]iounds. Of late ye;irs, the Nonnan. though not bred here, has been brought in fi'om ueighlxn-ing counties, and are Ifu-gely used in the extensive teaming business which the mining and manuf actui'ing interests sujtport. They are natives of Prance, and embody more speed in action than the ordiniu-y ih'aft horse, together with gi-eat strength of limb and power of locomotion. Their average size is from sixteen to seventeen hands high, compact in Ixidy. symmetrical in shape, clean in limb and enduring in lal)or. Their color is a fine silver gi"iy, the best adapted to withstand the burning rays of the sun in the field or on the highway. Other horses that have contributed to the present status of the hoi-ses in Stark County are " Chilton," " Timolwin." " Tuckahoe," and the Messenirer strain. Both carriage and draft horses

The introduction of cattle into the county was as early as the coming of the first settler. Cows were a necessary jiart of the pioneer's outfit, without which his chances for obtaining a reasonably comfortable existence were very poor indeed, and few families were without them. But, once here, it required all the cai"e and diligence of the settler to protect them against the ravages of wild beasts and disease. Wolves were not so dangerous to cattle as in many places, but now and then a yearling or calf was sacrificed to their voracious appetites. The murrain, a little later, took off scores of these animals, entailing considerable privation before they could be replaced. Then the marshes and the rank vegetation took their quota, so that, in spite of the employment of all the available children in the settlement as herders, and the dosing of cattle with alum, soot and soft soap, hundreds fell victinis to the snares of a new country. Under such circumstances, the effort was narrowed down to a struggle to maintain, r.ather than improve, the breed. The shorthorn Durhams were probably the first introduced. These cattle were introdticed into Ohio from Kentucky at first, but, in 1834, the " Ohio Importing Company " was formed to import short -horn Diu'hams from England. Seven bulls and twelve cows, nineteen in all, were imported, and exhibited the following year at the State Fair. This company subsequently increased the number of their imjjortation to thirty head. In 1852, the " Scioto Importing Company " imported sixteen head, and, in the following year, a similar company formed in Madison County, imported twenty - two head. In 1854, similar companies were formed in Clinton and Clark Counties, by which some forty more animals were brought to the State. Amid all this activity in the improvement of stock, it is not to be expected that the enterprising people of this coiinty should fail to profit by it. The Devons are also held in high esteem here. This is a strikingly distinct breed in fonn and quality, medium in size, unifonnly red in color, and comely in appearance. This blood, or that which was closely allied to it, seems to have been imported into New England in the seventeenth century, and the native stock of that section has for many generations borne strong resemblances to this stock. The stock of the county has been greatly improved by the intermixture of these breeds, and it is estimated that at least tlu-ee-foiu'ths of the stock of cattle are more or less mixed with these breeds. Among those who have been identified with this movement are Edward Brook & Son, of Marlboro Townshiji, John Shock, of Canton, and Thomas Chapman, of Bethlehem, with Dui'ham stock; Benjamin Thompson, of Lake, Jonas Brougher, of Jackson, and H. Raynolds, of Canton, with Devon. The value of this stock over the native breed is jalainly apparent in their keeping qualities, size, form, early maturity, increase of milk, and superior beef. It is claimed by the friends of these improved cattle that there has been an increase of onethird, cit least, in the value of the cattle of the county by their introduction.

Sheep were introduced into Stark County almost as early as any stock. The first settlers seemed to have looked the ground all over, and to have prepared for an isolf^ted existence in the woods. In these plans, sheep fonned a conspicuous item, as the production of wool for the various articles of clothing seemed nearly indispensable. But the number and boldness of the wolves made sheepraising a burden upon the fi'ontier farmer, taxed as he was with thi- cares and anxieties of a " clearing," that he could ill afford, and many soon gave up the experiment. Others, however, persevered in spite of discouragements, and the county has probably not been without sheeji since their first introduction, though the number has been very small at times. After the wolf had been exterminated under the infiuence of liberal bounties paid for their scalps, the dogs caused seriovis havoc among them, a fanner sometimes finding as many as twenty or thirty killed and wounded in a single night. It did not need any outside encouragement to wage a war of extermination upon these animals, and many a sheep-killing dog was summarily disposed of.

Histoiiy Of .Stauk Coixty

iosoa, large woolea manufacturers at Steubenville, bad large flocks of Spanish merino nbeej), deriviii fi-oiii the lluniphrcy iui])ortations. These were j)asturi*d at this time on tlie Stark County ])huns, and were the talk of stoek atbnirers of the State. In KS24, the failiu'e of this linn caused these sheep to be Hcattere(i in small parcels all over the State, and they fell into the bands of many who cared more to improve on the common stock than to lu'eed full-blooded animals. These sheep were characterized by a light cai'cass and fleece, though the latter was of tine textm-e and good Hber. American cultivation has done much to improve these original and subsecjuent importations, so that at this day no tine-wooled sheep in the world excel, and few equal, the American merinos in the heavy product of their fleeces, or the size and stamina of their Iwdies.

Previous to the Wells & Dickinson flock, about 1 SOU. -'Mr. Thomas Rotch, a member of the Society of Friends, emigi-ated from Connecticut to this county, and brought with bun a small flock of merino sheep. They were good, and a few of them were of the flock imported by Col. Humphrey. At that early day he hoi)od, in twenty years' time, to Bee every faiin in the coimty stocked with merinos. In this be partially succeeded, btit a prejudice against the breed prevented them from becoming so general as he had anticipated."* To this statement Secretary Klippart adds a note to the effect " that lus wife, Charity," fi-equently solicited from him a fund which might be invested for ehai-itable or benevolent purposes. But he hesitated, until, one spring morning, he gave her two xirl; merino lambs, and told her that she might take them as " cajn'lol " for benevolent purj>oses; the noble-heailed wife thankfully accepted them, nureed them and cm'cd them. With this, as foundation of a flock, she accumulated a smii which, in course of time, became sufKcient to build and endow the " Kendall Charity ScIkmjI."

Many efforts have been subsequently made by fiuinei-s to improve the breeds, Ijoth native and those early imported. The Vermont merino, Cotswold and Liecester. have Ijeen in- troduced, but none have gained the suffrage of the whole county. The Dickinson merinos still hold their [)lace with old wool-growers, while the younger portion of wool-gi-owers prefer the \'ennont sheep. Thoi-e does not seem to be any middle gi-ound on which the two cliusses can meet. It is claimed on the one part that the Yennont merinos require more cai'e and attention than the Dickinson, and that the increased weight of the fl(>eces is caused entirely by a gummy gi-ease peculiai' to them. It is also claimed that they will not tlu-ive in large flocks, and that, although the fiber may be longer, this advantage is more than counterbalanced by the otht^r disadvantages. On the other hand, it is claimed for the Yennont sheep that they not only have a longer tiber, but finer wool, and that they will clip fi'om half a pound to two poimds more clean wool. It has been suggested that a cross between the merino and Cotswold would make a better sheep for all purjioses, but this experiment has not yet been fully tested.

Swine were the earliest and the most easilymaintained of any stock on the frontier fai-ms. No fiuuily was so poor as to be without them, and none weri> so rich as not to need them. In many parts of the county, they were allowed to run at lai-ge in the forest, gradually taking on the nature of the wild hog, which was found hert by the first settlers. This breed of bogs was of thin flesh, large bones, thick skin and formidabh; tusks. They were wholly unfit for food, though the exigencies of pioneer life often made them the only resource. Their skin was used for tanning pui-jKises, and fiu-nisbed a very desirable leather for horse collars and other parts of the harness. The woods breed of hogs, however. has long since become extinct in this county, and, where it used to take two yeai-s to make a 2(l(>-pound hog, a HOO and 4()()-]>ound bog can be made in nine to twelve months. In tlu;se animals tbei'e are more evidenctw of improvement than in any other cla.ss of stock. The original breed was long in the body, long in the legs and long in the snout, famous for rooting and jtunping fences, and were distinctly termed "land sharks." The " gi-ass breed " and the Berkshires were introduced about the same time, and a cross between these jirodiieed a hog before which the native swine fast disappeared. The principal breeds which have been more or less introduced here are the Sulfolk, Chester White and Berkshire. The latter, when first introduced, were a rongli, coai"se-boned animal, and were crossed with the " gi'ass breed " and soon abandoned in their piu'ity. A fine-boned Suffolk followed, but they were found as much in the one extreme as the early Berkshires had been in the other. A cross between these and the Chester Wliite has produced a favorite animal with many. A later Berkshire, which answers the demands of the critic, has been introduced to some extent, but the Chester Whites and Suffolks are preferred, and a cross between these two are the great favorite in the county. They are noted for their rapid growth, fine form and fattening qualities.

In poultry. Stark County is perhaps second to no county in the State. About 186(1, there was a marked interest taken in this branch of " farm stock," and several varieties of chickens were introduced, among which were the Game. Shanghai, Dorking, Brahma-Pootra and Black Spanish. The last-named is the only one that time has proved to l^e a considerable improvement. Many turkeys are raised, but no special effort has been made to improve the variety. The same may be said of geese and ducks. Guinea and pea fowls are foimd here and there. Imt they are raised more for appeai'ance than for profit.

The Stark County Agi'icultm'al Society held its first fair on the ir)th and Ifith of October, 1850, and numliered at that time 285 members. The exhibition of stock was held on the south part of the grounds lielonging to the Presbyterian Church, while the domestic and fruit display was made in two rooms of the West Tuscarawas Street Schoolhouse. The State Report of that year says in regard to this fair : " More than enough ix) pay all the expenses for diplomas, arranging gi'ounds, erecting pens, providing feed, preparing rooms, paying hands, and all the jirinting l)ills, were procured by the committee from the citizens of Canton. The streets of Canton, diu-ing the whole time, were thi'onged with the members of the society, and with anxious and admiring spectators." After using this groimd two years, the society bought twelve acres on the "Yoimg farm," now in the Fom-th AVard of the city. Here the gTounds were inclosed, permanent buildings erected, and a track built. In the coiu'se of some eight or ten years, this was found to be too small, and a tract of land extending fi-om Lawrence avenue to the Louisville road, in the north piirt of the city of Canton, was seciu'ed. Here a good half-mile track has been constructed, and good buildings. In lSf)6, a magnificent hall was erected, at a cost of aljout $B.40(*. The center is octagonal, eighty feet in diameter, sm-mounted with a dome ninety feet high. Wings extend north and south, 5(5x22 feet, each having recesses and a dome. In capacity and architectm'al beauty, it exceeded, it is said, anytliiug of the kind in the State at that time. The exhibitions of the society continue to increase in interest, and considerable inconvenience is being felt at the lack of room, though the grounds cover some forty acres.

[Note. - The geological features of the foregoing chapter have beencompilerl from the State Report, and the agricultural part has lieen largely drawn from an essay liy M. Havnolds, written in 1866. - Ed.] "