Chippewa Township

Chippewa Township

This township was organized September 4, 1815, and is situated in the extreme northeastern portion of the county, with Medina county on its north. Summit county on the east, Baughman township, Wayne county, on the south, and Milton township on its western border. It contains thirty-six full sections of land, much of which is underlaid with coal, of which further mention will be made.

The first to effect a settlement in Chippewa township were Nicholas and Adam Helmick, Henry Franks, Sr., Uriah, Henry and John Franks, Thomas Fredericks, Henry Houts, Michael Brouse, Paul Baughman, Jacob Hatfield, William Hatfield, John Reichildifer, Stephen Fisher, Joseph Springer, Mr. McConkey, John Adams, William Doyle, Frederick Galehouse, Isaac Montgomery, Michael Huffman, James and Adam Shatto, Rev. George Weygandf, George Christian, the Whitmans, Michael Feister, Samuel Pierpont, M. D., John Rouston, James Boak, "Major" South, James Hutchinson, Peter Bradenbaugh, Jacob Heffleman and some others whose names are now unknown in the records of this part of Wayne county. Michael Basinger came to the township in 1815. Pioneer Hatfield is the authority for the statement that Rogue's Hollow was named by a Doctor Crosby, who owned the ground and had it laid out. Daniel Slanker built the first mill, a grist mill of the early-day type, and to it was also attached a saw mill; it was west of Doylestown. Mike Greenoe had the first, Fred Galehouse the second and after them George Wellhouse and Michael Brouse had distilleries. The first graveyard was at Easton, and Imcindia lleckerton was the first person to be buried there. Jonathan Coleman of Canton, a married man, was drowned in Donor's lake in 1830.

Henry Franks, a settler of i8i6, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and settled south of Doylestown. Henry Franks, known as "Old Henry," with some others, was taken prisoner on the Ohio river liy the Indians when he was a young man, and held in captivity by them. He was tall, straight and powerfully built. His captors immediately fancied him and by ceremonies introduced him to Indian citizenship. Its first condition was to run the gauntlet, and at the end of the race he was, to save his life, forced to strike an Indian with his hatchet, whom he nearly killed. This successful and daring act on his part ingratiated him with his captors, who exclaimed, "He make good Indian." Mr. Franks receiving a wound in the test of his manhood, the Indians instantly took charge of him, nursing and treating him kindly until he thoroughly recovered. After the capture of Crawford in Ohio, and during the excitement of his horrible death, all of which Mr. Franks witnessed, he made an effort to escape, in which he was successful. He fled to the lake shore, boarded a British vessel, went by water as far as Montreal, crossed to the American side, and thence on foot to Philadelphia. From the last city he wended his way to Pittsburg, and thence on to his home in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, after a captivity of five years.

Frederick Galehouse, one of the pioneers of the township, a German by birth, emigrated to America in 1786, going first to Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, settling in Chippewa township, this county, in 1823. He resided in Wayne county thirty years, removing to Doylestown, where he died in 1865. His oldest son, Frederick Galehouse, born in New Lisbon, came to Wayne county with his father and was brutally murdered by a Canadian named Amos Clark, who struck him down with a poker, in January, 1840. The father, Frederick, had a contract with the governnoent to superintend the construction of a public road from New Lisbon to Lake Erie for the use of artillery, and when the news of Hull's surrender came, he told all to scatter, which they did.

The village of Chippewa was surveyed for Stephen Ford by Daniel McClure in the month of May, 1816. Capt. John Rouston erected the first house in the place.

The village of Slangerville was laid out by Jacob Slanker, Reuben Dressier and John Gartner in February, 1843. This place, since the completion of the railroad, is known as Easton.

Doylestown, the chief place of the township for many years, was platted by William Doyle, December 9, 1827. August 6, 1867, the place was in- corporated. The first house in the village was a log structure built by William Doyle, and in it Doyle conducted a tavern, sold whisky and permitted many dances to be held there. The first physician of the place was Doctor Pierrepont. who, while on a visit East, stole a horse and for the crime was sent to the penitentiary. The first election for the Doylestown incorporation w'as held in December, 1866. The first officers elected were: Mayor, A. H. Pursell; recorder, William Reed; treasurer, Samuel PI. Miller: councilmen, Elias Galehouse, James H. Seiberling, Henry A. Soliday, Jacob Shaffer and R. B. Wasson.

Doylestown was supplied with a newspaper by George W. Everts in 1874, when, on July iith, he issued the first number of the Doylestown Journal.

Among the enterprising spirits of Doylestown was Elias Galehouse, \vho in his young manhood established a hotel at Doylestowm, continued proprietor for eight years, then engaged in the general merchandise business ; built a foundry, in company with John Gates, and made stoves, plows and other farm implements; also run a carriage manufactory at the same time. Subsequently, he went into the coal mining industry and built a grist- and sawmill in Doylestown.

Doylestown has been the seat of several useful and successful factories, including that of reaping and mowing machinery. In the early days of such machinery, 1861, Peter Cline, John F. Seiberling and John H. Hower formed a partnership to manufacture wEat was known as the "Excelsior'' dropping reaper and mower, of which John F. Seiberling was the inventor. The works were enlarged from time to time until 1865 and others were associated with the works. A part of the plant was moved to Akron and a part was still conducted at Doylestown. From 1865 to 1875 the annual output of these machines was about nine hundred. After 1875 they built a new design of machine known as the "Empire" reaper and mower, invented by the same Mr. Seiberling. One factory was maintained at Doylestown and another at Akron. Of this plant the local writer of 1878 had this to say: "This firm at Doylestown is the most solid and reliable manufacturing institution in Wayne county, or in northern Ohio. It has thus far weathered financial cyclones, monetary upheavals, and panic simoons, its reputation unquestioned and its credit above challenge or suspicion. It employs about seventy-five workmen in its works."

The coal mining interests of this torvnship have been veiw_e^xtensive and valuable. This coal measure is located in the northern, eastern and central parts of the county, north of Chippewa creek, but this mineral wealth is found here and there throughout the township. It is of the bituminous, best c|uality type, such as the Mahoning and Briar Hill grade. More concerning these mines will be found elsewhere in this work in the Geological chapter.