Canaan Township

Canaan Township

In the northern tier of townships, and the second from the western line of the county, is Canaan, the territory of which is six miles square. It was organized May 5, 1819, and was named by Dr. Isaac Barnes. In 1870 it had a population of almost two thousand people. According to the United States census in 1900 it had two thousand four hundred and one people.

About thirty years ago, the following reminiscence was written by Isaac Notestine, and as it brings out so many early-da}^ points connected with the history of this township, it is here reproduced :

"By whom or when the first entries of land were made in this township not known; but perhaps in 1808. The first settlement was made and a ®^)in built iVr Y.8i.2 by William Ewing, Sr., on the farm later owned by his ^n Simon. About the sajnA fi'mp fames Rose, a Scotchman, and Thomas ''rmstrong settled in the township. Jo ' .pi .^'^ atton settled in 1817 on the arm owned by his son Daniel and about this period the Weed' brothers, /oshua and William, and Thomas Thrapp came in. Then Daniel Blocher and Swartz and Nathan Hall. Quite a number of families were now located.

"In the fall of 1819, the first election was held in an ashery that stood nearly a mile south of the present village of Windsor. The electors as given by George Sommers, a citizen, but not a voter then, were William Ewing, Sr., William Ewing, Jr., Thomas Armstrong, Joseph and Daniel Stratton, Elizier Perago, Nathan Hall, David Plumer, Doctor Barnes, Chapman, Daniel Blocher, Swartz, John Templeton, James Rose, Jones, B. F. Miller, James Buchanan, Joshua and William Reed, Thomas Thrapp, and one Adams, all of whom are dead. The officers elected were: Justices, Doctor Barnes and Joseph Stratton; trustees. Doctor Barnes, Joseph Stratton, Thomas Thrapp; clerk. Nathan Hall, who held the office afterwards some twelve years ; other officers not remembered.

"Immigration now became more rapid, so then in ten years from the organization of the township at least one-half of the quarter sections that could be farmed had on them one or more cabins. In the year of the organization George Sommers settled in the township, the only resident of that time. About the same time John Mclllvaine and James Smith moved in, settling near each other, a mile west of Jackson. Soon after Daniel Oiler, Henry Kopp, Simon Kenney, James and William Haskins and Enoch Gilbert and a number of others from the New England states and New York

"Charles, son of James Rose, was the first white child born in the township. Simon, son of William Ewing, Sr., was the second and still lived on the old homestead in 1878. The oldest native Canaanite is the last named. Susan, daughter of William Ewing, Sr., is supposed to have been the first person married in the township to her first husband, Ramsey, who was killed at a mill raising, near Wooster. The first school house was on James Rose's land, in which James Buchanan, a Scotchman, taught the first school.

"Almost every family, men and women, wore homespun, at home and abroad. The only difference between the dress to 'go to meetin' ' and that of the field or the clearing, was in being fresh washed for the former. The diet, too, was of the plainest kind, quite limited in variety, and frequently also in quantity. Corn, in its various forms, whole or ground, with buckwheat, potatoes, beans, pork, venison and other wild meats, weie the chief articles of food. Game abounded, and many families depended upon getting their meats from the forest. Though the pioneers could get but little for the wheat they sold, the articles they bought cost much more than at present. As late as 1825 salt sold for eleven dollars per liarrel, and before cost still more.

"If the times of settlements were recorded by decades, from the first coming of William Ewing, in 1812, the first up to 1822, would find from twenty-five to thirty families in the township. And this may be called the true pioneer decade; whilst the next to 1832, would be of immigration, which during this time poured in in streams, so that by 1832, of land suitable for occupation, not more than twenty-five quarters were unoccupied. During this second decade came many of the most useful and substantial citizens, among them mechanics and men of capital. Some of those who came during this period were, as remembered, John and Justin Miles, Smith and David Hoisington, Simon Kenney, and the Shanklings, Joseph Notestine, Henry Shuffling, John D. Hockert, David Wiles, John and Henry and Daniel Frank, Jason and Sylvanus Jones, Zenas Z. Crane, Joseph Henry and Jacob Zarer, the Wells and many others equally prominent, whose names do not now come to mind. At the close of the second decade, the last entry of the public land was made in this township. Among the men last named was John Kearns, a man of sterling worth, industrious, skillful and of much business ability. He settled a mile north of the Center, on the present Henry Smith farm. He was an ardent supporter of the church in general, and f)f his own. the iUethodist Episcopal, in ])articular. .At his death, in 1839, he was one of the wealthiest men in his township.

Of the educational features of this township, it may be stated that one of the first institutions of learning in A¥ayne county was Canaan Academy, located at Windsor, this township. The original building was a structure of frame, thirty-six by forty-eight feet, erected in 1842 by a stock company. This academy was controlled by a board of directors, the first board of which consisted of John Paul, M. D., Jonas Notestine, Justine Mills, Harvey Rice and Alfred Hotchkiss. The school was first opened December 3, 1843, with forty-seven pupils, under the instruction of Prof. C. C. Bomberger, A. B., who taught three years. Reverends Barr and Barker had charge during the summer of 1847; succeeded in the winters of 1847 1848 by Prof. Isaac

Notestine, who, with short intervals, remained in charge until 1863. After that year the school was taught by a number of professors until 1875, when it was permanently closed. Prof. J. W. Cmumings being then in charge. While Professor Notestine was teaching, in the winter of 1851, the house was burned, and the next building was constructed of brick. It is conceded that Canaan Academy has been an important factor in the educational work of Wayne and adjoining counties.

Burbank, within this township, was incorporated in 1868, when the name was changed from Bridgeport. Burbank Academy was organized in 1873. The Methodist Episcopal church was the first to be organized in the place. The business factors in the hamlet in 1909 were: M. W. Hower &