Drakesburg, Ohio

The first habitation was built by Charles H. Paine, during the summer of 1818, The first death was that of Emeliue Paine (at the age of two and a half years), daughter of Charles H. Paine, and who was scalded so badly in October, 1820, that she died. The first birth in the township was in June, 1823, that of Amanda, a daughter to Charles H. Paine; the first male^ildjwas born February 19, 1826, a son of Daniel Brown, named Charles R.^The first marriage was that of Wakeman Sherwood .and Harriet Ranney, in 1825. The bride was a daughter of Rufus Ranney. Another wedding occurred about this time, the parties being Lester Hall and Celestia Finch, and not far from this date occurred the wedding of two of the residents of this township in Shalersville. Henry Humphrey and Electa Wadsworth wanted to get married, but as they had never witnessed that interestThg ceremony, they did not know how to go about it, and were fearful lest they should appear awkward in the presence of their friends, so they posted off to Shalersville and were made one. The first Justice of the Peace was Amariah Wheelock, who became so in 1825. The first militia officers were Captain, John Wheelock; Lieutenant, Daniel Brown; Ensign, Alexander Johnston. In 1826 Elijah W. Ranney became the first Postmaster. The first frame barn was built by Thomas Johnston on Lot 32, and the first frame house was put up by Paul Larkcom in 1826, for Daniel W. Strickland, on Lot 46. In 1828 Elihu Paine erected the first saw-mill and had plenty of work to do, as the township always has been supplied with an abundance of timber. The first cider-mill was put up by John Hitchcock, as apples were plentiful from almost the first settlement, Paine having set out an orchard in 1819. As early as 1830 Hitchcock made sixty-three barrels of cider and sold 500 bushels of apples. 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 barn of Enoch Drake, and in 1832 built a store-room on the northwest corner, put in a stock of goods, but sold out afterward to D. W. Strickland. In this year, 1832, Enoch Drake built a house on the south corner; Jabez Smith, a blacksmith, set up in business, and G. G. Redding built a saw-mill. In 1833 Enoch Drake built house, barn, sheds, etc. In this year came Dr. Simeon Birge, who remained till 1838, when he removed to Franklin, where he died in 1854. The township remained without a physician till 1840, when Dr. James Webb located, and here lived till he died of a cancer, in 1852. In 18B5 there were eight tons of cheese manufactured, and 400 tons of hay cut in one locality on the north road, which gave evidence at that early day of what could be done in Freedom with proper cultivation and management. *In 1836 Orsamus L. Drake erected , a large and well appointed house at what is now Drakesburg, for the accommodation of the public, and called it the Freedom House. In 1837 the first steam saw-mill was erected at Drakesburg by D, W. Strickland, but it was burned to the ground the following year. Several steam-mills were afterward erected. In this year James Atwood, from Vermont, commenced the blacksmith and wagon repairing business, which grew into a carriage manufactory, doing quite an extensive business for the time.

Passage source: History of Portage County, Ohio, published 1885.

D. W. Strickland was elected Clerk, and Origen Harmon, Headlock Marcey and Reuben Daniels formed the Standing Committee. Until the erection, in 1835, of their first building, a small log-house at the Center, meetings were held at the houses of A. C. Larkcom, Rufus Ranney, E. W. Ranney, and in the log-schoolhouse at Drakesburg. They afterward erected the present commodious building, which is a credit to the township. Rev. Caleb Pitkin was the first settled pastor of the church. The present pastor of the church is Rev. P. G. Powell.

Passage source: History of Portage County, Ohio, published 1885.

The first Methodist Church was organized by B. O. Plympton and Thomas Carr, in 1831, and consisted of nine members: Orsamus L. Drake and wife, A. Hawley and wife, Ira Chamberlain and wife, Sarah Sherman, Charles Cranmer and Mary Hawley. The first meetings were held in the barn of Enoch Drake, and at the houses of the members, but in 1838 a fine large house of worship was erected at Drakesburg. Nearly all the early Methodist ministers preached at various times to the little flock. The present pastor is Rev, Collier, There is a small chapel of the Disciples of Christ, but there is no regular pastor. The first sermon delivered in the township was preached by Rev. xilva Day, a Congregational minister.

Passage source: History of Portage County, Ohio, published 1885.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Freedom Township - it names this place 3 more 3 times.