Trumbull, Ohio

This township, which is geographically known as No. 10 of the fifth range of the Connecticut Western Reserve, was originally divided east and west into three sections, the two south of which were two miles in width, while the third or north section was but one mile wide. Each division had a separate ownership, viz. : the first or south division was owned by Samuel Parkman, of Boston, Massachusetts (said to be the father of the unfortunate Dr. Parkman, who, it will be remembered, was murdered by Dr. Webster) ; the centre division by William Tuckerman, also of Boston ; and the north division by Christopher Starr. This tract was, however, disposed of prior to a settlement in the township, and Messrs. Fitch and May became the proprietors. The agent for these gentlemen was Simon Perkins, then residing at Warren, Trumbull county, Ohio.

Passage source: History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, published 1878.

The township of Trumbull is of a high rolling uature, descending easterly towards Grand river, into which the waters of its numerous streams are discharged. The soil is well adapted to agriculture, and the streams furnish ample living water. The principal of these streams are Trumbull, Crooked, and Mill creeks. Trumbull, the largest of these, rises from springs in Thompson and Montville, Geauga county, enters this township near the southwest corner, and, passing easterly, discharges its waters into Grand river, in Morgan. Crooked creek also heads in Montville, aud, after devious twisting and turning, reaches the river aforesaid in Rome township. Mill creek is the only one which has its rise in the township. This flows from the northwest quarter and empties into the same river in Madison, Lake county. There are also many smaller streams tributary to those above referred to.

Passage source: History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, published 1878.

The first attempt at settlement was made in the year 1799, by Holly Tanner, the proprietors having proposed to deed him two hundred acres of land, provided he move on to the same, improve at least twenty acres, and remain in constant occupancy for the period of two years. This was agreed to, and the land selected on the north line, immediately east of the centre road, and on the 15th day of May, 1799, Mr. Tanner, his wife Hannah, and two children (David and Joseph) took their departure from Scipio, New York, for " New Connecticut ;" embarked in a small boat on Cayuga lake ; thence through Lake Ontario to the falls of Niagara, around which they hauled their boat ; and thence along Lake Erie to what is now known as Madison dock (then, we believe, called " Harper's Landing"), at which point they arrived on the 16th day of June. Disembarking, they took the woods' trail for Harpersfield, where the family remained until Mr. Tanner had, by the assistance of the early pioneers of that township, erected a log cabin on his possessions in Trumbull, into which the family removed, without doubt, the same season, though we have no positive knowledge of the fact. 31 r. Tanner chopped, in due time, the required number of acres, cleared a portion of it, raised one crop of wheat, and remained for nearly two years without neighbors, and was becoming very much discouraged, when news reached him of the death of the proprietors. This was the " last straw," and, giving up all hopes of ever acquiring a title, he abandoned his claim aud removed from the State. Subsequent events proved that, had he remained but a month or two longer, he would have received his deed, the proprietors having made such an arrangement with their agent.

Passage source: History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, published 1878.

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 Trumbull Township - it names this place 17 more 17 times.