Claridon Township (part 1 of 2)

Preface

The author of this history has lived on his farm in Claridon for sixty years, ever since Ohio became his adopted State, and being now eighty years of age, having gratuitously devoted much time in collecting materials for this history, and visited every family in the township that has resided in it long enough to become acquainted with its history, and knowing how every year increases the difficulty of reconciling different versions relating to past events, or obtaining correct dates; as his contemporaries in the trials, labors, and embarrassments attending a new settlement, partakers of each others joys and sorrows, of prosperity and adversity, health and sickness, are "sleeping that death that knows no waking," is solicitous to have the past history of the township published (imperfect as it is), before one of the last links in the chain of events connecting the past with the future - the dead with the living - shall be sundered; therefore, the author dedicates this township history to the present and future generations, in the hope that it may awaken a living and continuous sense of gratitude to the memories of those who came here to obtain homes for themselves and families, and that their children might inherit cultivated fields which they had redeemed from the primeval forest; buildings which they had erected; fruits which they had cultivated; flocks and herds which they had reared; enjoy the institutions, moral, social, educational, and religious, which they had created and cultured by self-sacrificing efforts, that posterity might know how to "honor those to whom honor is due," and with an appreciative spirit labor to sustain and perpetuate all such associations as shall, by the blessing of Almighty God, prove a rich inheritance to all future generations.

Township number eight, in the seventh range of townships in the Connecticut Western Reserve, was originally purchased from the State of Connecticut by sundry individuals, mostly living in that State, known by the name and style of the Connecticut Land company, who received their deeds of conveyance in September, 1795.

The township east and west lines were run in 1796. The range lines of the township between six and seven, and seven and eight, were run by John Milton Holly.

Seth Pease run the line between numbers seven and eight (Burton and Claridon); and Amos Stafford and Richard M. Stoddard, the line between numbers eight and nine (Claridon and Hambden).

The Connecticut Land company subsequently sold their lands in this township to an association of individuals known under the names of Lake Erie Land company, and Uriel Holmes, Smith & Wilcox, and P. H. Buel, in proportions as follows: The Erie company taking the eastern and central part, amounting to three-fifths. The Buel tract contained only four hundred and fifty acres of land in the southwestern part of the township. Smith & Wilcox took some seven hundred acres, bounded on the south by Burton, east by the Erie tract, and west by the Buel tract and in part by the east lines of Holmes' west tier of lots. The Erie tract was divided into three tiers of lots, each tier being one mile in width, known as east, middle, and western tiers. These tiers were divided into five sections, each making fifteen sections of nearly a mile square each. These sections were subsequently subdivided into three lots each, by Joshua Henshaw, surveyor, of Warren, in 1812. General Perkins, of Warren, was agent for the sale of the lands of the Erie company. The Holmes' tract was divided into two tiers (east and west), and those divided into twenty-lots, of about two hundred and fifty acres each, surveyed by S. Hawley, esq., being about five thousand five hundred acres.

A glance at any accurate map will show the inaccuracy of the range lines between numbers six and seven, the eastern range line verging nearer as it runs north to its parallel western line, leaving Claridon only about four and threefourth miles in width on the north line of the township.

The dividing ridge of high land is north, so that the waters in this township flow in a southerly direction. The principal streams of water are the two branches of the Cuyahoga river; the eastern one rising in Montville running through near the eastern line, between Huntsburg and Claridon, showing its respects about equally to each township. The west branch rising in Hambden, enters the township, north of the center, flowing in a southwestern direction, about a mile and a half to Aquilla lake; from the outlet, its course is southerly through the township. The elevated ridge through the central part of the town, from north to south, is much higher than the tracts along the branches of the rivers ; the descent being gradual, about two and a half miles east, and an average of one and a half \yest. West of the western branch, the land rises gradually to Munson. So the land has sufficient inclination to carry off the water from the surface, and not steep enough to wash away much of the soil; whilst the numerous springs crop out the sides of these ridges, making, in their descent towards the main streams, small ravines, leaving the land somewhat rolling from north to south from one spring, run to another, whilst the general descent is in another direction, east and west. These springs of water are generally pure and cold, bursting out of the conglomerate sand rock, which underlies the whole surface, which crops out most notably at the head of, and along the ravines, where the water has cut down to the bed of rock in many places.

About midway betwixt the center and the northwest corner of the town lies Aquilla lake, about three-fourths of a mile in length, and half the distance in width. There is abundant evidence to prove that this pond extended much farther north formerly, and south through the whole delta of about one-fourth of a mile in width, to Burton, nearly four miles, and, doubtless, many miles below.

A principal reason to establish such a belief, is the fact, that logs have been found on those bottom-lands (in so good a state of preservation that the kind of timber was discernable), imbeded in the soil, some three feet, and as low as the surface of the lake, and miles from it.

The lake is constantly decreasing in size, owing to the washing in of soil from land on the sides and from ditching below the lake, and consequently lowering of the surface, and more notably the deposits of alluvial during freshets from the river, coming in from the north.

Timber

The land was heavily timbered with a great variety - beech and maple, the most abundant; gigantic elms, monarchs of the forests, chestnut, red and white oak, white ash, bass wood, cherry, cucumber, yellow whitewood, growing generally on every lot, which, with other soft wood timber, gave a good supply for building and fencing purposes. Amongst the large and beautiful specimens of forest trees, the yellow whitewood stood pre-eminent. If the admonition of "axeman, spare that tree" had been more heeded, much valuable timber would have been saved until such timber was wanted in market at remunerative prices. The timber on the Cuyahoga bottoms consisted mostly of elm, black ash, soft maple and yellow birch. For some distance below the pond, the land was swampy, and known as "alder swamp." Nettles, weeds, and tangled masses of wild grasses grew luxuriantly on those bottom lands.

The writer has seen here, in an early day, the uplands literally covered with leeks the first of April. Many of the herbs and plants, common, when the first settlers came, have almost disappeared, gensing, blood-root, kirkamy, Colombo, and other medicinal roots, are, many of them, amongst " the things that were." The meadow plum and choke cherry were common on the intervals, and, in fruit time, 'were favorite resorts for the bear.

The soil of the uplands was a loamy-clay, varying much in different localities, and even on the same lots in its composition with sand, gravel and depth of vegetable mold.

Wild animals were numerous, of such kinds as were common in this part of the country - deer, bear, wolves, wild cats, raccoons, opossum, porcupine, and a few elk. Rattlesnakes were plenty - the yellow or variegated color on the uplands, and the black, called the massasaugas, on the lowlands. The Cuyahoga bottoms were subject to an overflow every freshet, and being so level, and the water being obstructed by fallen trees, brush and herbage, would remain until dried up by the hot sun, often late in the summer months, which often proved a fruitful source of remittent and intermittent fevers to the early settlers, which, together with the change of climate, want of convenience for shelter, and different manner of living from that they had been accustomed to in their eastern homes. It was a proverb, among the early settlers, that when there were wounds from poisonous reptiles, or sickness from malarial diseases, there were, within a short distance, remedial vegetables to cure, which taxed the ingenuity and skill of the mothers of the first settlers to the utmost tension as nurses, as there were no professional men, in the healing art, near. The fever and ague were the most common diseases, and yielded easier to home medicine and home nursing, or wore itself out when frosty weather came, as the disease was not so dangerous as it became in later years, when it assumed a congestive type. The early settlers wTere generally of robust constitutions, healthy, strong persons, able to stand, successfully, a greater pressure of disease than at present, as diseases have become more complicated, and persons have less physical strength to resist, and especially so with those who attend to the domestic duties of house and family.

The writer of this history was long since aware that the materials to obtain an accurate history of the first settlement of the pioneers was fast being lost by the deaths of the aged and loss of papers in families, etc., collected such accounts of circumstances and dates from living witnesses, tradition and papers as he could, and put them into a history to perpetuate their names and honor their virtues.

Their examples of patient perseverance and honest toil are worthy of being recorded. It is difficult for the present generation to realize the circumstances under which they were placed. They endured hardships and privations of which the present generation practically know nothing. Children and grandchildren and others own the farms they cleared up, live in the houses they built, enjoy the moral, religious, political, and educational institutions they planted and f ostered with increasing care. We write their meritorious deeds that their

In 1866, Jason C. Wells, esq., of this town, wrote several articles which were published in the Geauga Democrat , giving a detailed account of the history of Claridon, in which he wrote that "the Honorable Lester Taylor originated the idea of the first Geauga County Historical Society, in 1851, to obtain a complete history of every township, and ultimately to be published in a book; and that he had kindly furnished me with the history of Claridon, prepared and read before the first historical society." I avail myself of the incidents and dates which he had procured, and copy some parts of his sketches, and likewise select from a series of articles written by T. Clark Wells, subsequently published in the same paper.

Before any settlement was made in Claridon, a saw- and grist-mill was put up only a rod or two over the South Hambden line. It was claimed by Captain Wells, in one of his articles, on the authority of Lewis Elliott, an old pioneer in Hambden, that the family of Higby, who built the mill, lived in Claridon, and that a child was born in that house. I have taken much pains to ascertain the facts. One of the old residents in Hambden, Mr. Quiggle, informed me that he could go to the exact place where the old cabin stood, as he had been familiar in the family, and knew the location of the house. He made a joifrney there at my request, called on Deacon Clinton Goodwin, who owns the farm, went directly to the place, found the old well that had been filled up, and some of the chimney foundation, and it was just over the line in Hambden.

In 1808, three years before any family moved into Claridon, Stephen Higby built the rudely constructed mill before alluded to. The grist-mill had an upright shaft, to which the upper mill-stone was attached, the lower stone resting upon a foundation of logs. The dam and floom were of the most 'primitive style - of logs and sticks, with earth embankments. Loose boards were placed over the hopper to protect it from storms. Rude as it was, it was a great blessing to the few families scattered about in several townships, to have their corn cracked and their wheat ground. Soon after the mill was put in operation, some of the red men of the forest who were hunting along the banks, hearing the splashing of the water and the rumbling of the stones, detailed one of their number to neconnoiter and ascertain the cause. He reported that it was the groans of the great spirit that was rolling in agony, and tossing the waters into foam high up amongst logs and whirling rocks. It was quickly decided, in council, to leave for good. In 1809, Selah Bradley, of Burton, was employed by Higby to build a one-story frame building on the timber basement which covered the machinery, and made quite a decent looking mill building, and did very good business for many years.

In June, 1810, Asa Cowles, esq., and Seth Spencer, of New Hartford, Connecticut, left to prospect for land in New Connecticut, as the Reserve was then called, upon which to make a permanent settlement. About a week afterwards Elijah Douglass, son-in-law of Esquire Cowles, left the same place on the same business, traveling on foot until he overtook them in western New York with their team. They proceeded in company to Austinburg, Ohio. About the first of July Uriel Holmes, of Litchfield, Connecticut, owner of the Holmes tract, in this township, and other lands on the Reserve, joined them, when, on horseback, they went to Burton and put up with John Ford, esq. The next day, under the guidance of Amariah Beard, who volunteered his services, they proceeded to view the tract. There had been a tornado a few weeks previous which had swept a strip of timber down, of considerable width, in its course. Mr. Beard showed them the place where he had some cattle completely hemmed by the fallen trees, so they had to cut a road to get them out, and yet they were unhurt. The place was east of the Cuyahoga, and on the southern part of the Buel tract. From this point, having made their way through the windfall with some difficulty, they turned on to the Erie tract. Near the center of the township Mr. Holmes found a good spring of water, announced the discovery with the ever-welcome "let's whiskey," where they took their lunch. This spring was on land afterward owned by Col. Chester Treat. They then went on to Holmes' west tier of lots, crossing the Cuyahoga at the ford where Butternut creek empties in, and lay that night near where Col. Erastus Spencer's house now stands. They were serenaded in the night by a pack of wolves, that approached within a few rods of their camp, making more volume of music than at singers' concerts now-a-days. Next day they viewed the lands north, and camped by a spring on the eastern side of Chardon hill.

Mr. Douglass took one of the horses, which had become lame, and started for Austinburg. Night came on while he was in the woods in Windsor, following a bridal path along a line of blazed trees. His white dog intuitively kept the trail, and was to the rider as the pole star for his course, which brought him safely to Austinburg.

After this they returned to this township, having looked at land in different places in Portage, Trumbull, and Ashtabula counties, and selected lands here as follows, to-wit: Seth Spencer, having the first choice, selected lot thirteen

(Butternut creek lot) for his son, Halsey. Esquire Cowles took lots number twelve, fourteen, sixteen, seventeen and twenty - about one thousand acres, varying in price from two dollars and seventy-five cents to three dollars per acre.

The next year, 1811, on the fourth of July, Esquire Cowles and wife, with their children - Laura, Ralph, Edmund, Hiram, Mariah, Minerva, and Asa; Elijah Douglass and his wife, Betsey, daughter of Esquire Cowles, and his sister, Miss Chloe Douglass, left their homes for their selected lands in the unbroken forest of this township. The journey, like all traveling in those days to the great west, was slow; from Buffalo the mud holes awful, more awful, and most awful, as the writer knows from subsequent experience. The Cataraugus woods were objects of terror to all travelers. It was said a hat was discovered one day lying on the mud. A boy jumped in to that river of mud to seize the coveted prize, when a ghostly voice exclaimed, "Let my hat alone; I have a good horse under me." Teams of oxen were kept there to help travelers through, charging exhorbitant prices. Our Yankee travelers were equal to the occasion, in avoiding the extortion, by taking a circuitous route, cutting a new road through the woods. Those families arrived at Bondstown, putting up at Bond's, within a few miles of their lands, over the Sabbath. On Monday they looked out a road through the central part of this township to Burton, cutting away logs and brush, and there found an unoccupied log school-house in the western part of that township, south of the mills now known as Gilmore's, or Alderman's, on land owned by Eli Hayes. Returning to their families, and on the sixth of August moved into the log tenement a few miles south of their own lands. Esquire Cowles selected a site on lot sixteen. They would come up days from Burton, and cut and draw logs for his house. When ready for putting up the cabin, the men from Burton and Newbury responded to the invitation, among whom was the Hon. Peter Hitchcock, who, with axe in hand, carried up one corner; that is, notching the logs near the end so as to make them fit, be strong, and set close together. It was a double log house, one part of which was often given up to new-comers until they could build one for themselves. Religious meetings were held in it for years. Not being acquainted with pioneer life, the new-comers made slow and awkward work in building a tenement from materials found on the spot.

ilies from Hartland, Connecticut, had made arrangements for removal to the Reserve, and two of the families exchanged their farms for unselected lands in the Holmes tract, in this location. The removal of those families to the great west was considered of so much importance, and of such a serious nature, that the minister of the parish preached a sermon on the occasion on the Sabbath preceding their removal. Mr. Gaylord's text was from Proverbs iii, 6: "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." A sermon was likewise preached in New Hartford, before Messrs. Cowles and Douglass left with their families. The text selected on that occasion was, Exodus xxxiii, 15: "If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

Those sermons were looked upon rather in the light of funeral discourses, so momentous was the undertaking; so great the distance; so serious the obstacles to be overcome; so uncertain their fate from accidents, disease and massacre from the terrible Indians, they were bidden a final adieu. To many, it was a reality. Two of those families - Capt. Nathaniel Spencer and Horace Taylor - who were connected with the first comers, came diiectly to this township. Horace Taylor was taken sick on the road, and delayed some time. In October, as these families were Hearing Painesville, Captain Spencer took a lead horse from the team and came to Burton to look for a cabin, until he could select lands. Having made some arrangement for a temporary shelter for his family, he sent back word to have the families come by the way of Bondstown, where he would meet them; not getting the word, they came on through Chardon. As they were working their way through the forest in the west part of this township, they upset the wagon containing the spencer family, breaking one wheel. This occurred on the land which he aftewards selected, near where he built his cabin, and where the Spencer family mansion, so well known, has stood. Moving on with the other team until they came to the unfinished cabin of Esquire Cowles. Night was upon them, and it was resolved that the men should take their teams from the wagons and put ahead for Burton and the old school-house, where the first installment of settlers were. It was a gloomy night. From the wagons such articles as would tend to make them comfortable, that were not boxed up, were taken for bunks. As soon as morning-light the sound of familiar voices announced the return of the "scouts," with Mr. Douglass to cheer them in their loneliness and pilot them through to civilization. They were the first white families ever known to have slept within the limits of Claridon.

Captain Spencers family remained in Burton until he could put up a cabin. Horace Taylor, not being able to find a shelter for his family, accepted Esquire Cowles' offer to use his "lone cabin" until he could put up a shelter. Returning in the afternoon, in a cold, drizzling rain, with his family, he attempted to build a fire, by means of igniting tinder from an old flint-lock on his gun; the flint was lost. It was then growing dark, and, as a dernier resort, he went back to Burton, leaving his wife with two young children, and one of them sick, and obtained fire from Mr. Fowler's (west of where the Gilmore mills now stand), about three miles distant from his family; returning with his torch he soon had a good fire to mitigate the horrors of darkness, and the suffering from dampness and cold. Mrs. Taylor often spoke of that time of terrible lonliness, chilly uncomfortableness, and anxious suspense, during her husband's absence.

Captain Spencer selected lands on Holmes' west tier of lots, north of lands selected for Halsey Spencer and Asa Cowles, on which he built, and where he lived, and where his three sons settled, known as the "Spencer settlement."

Elijah Douglass having put up his cabin, the Cowles and Douglass families moving into their houses, and Horace Taylor moving into one he built south of those, Benjamin Andrews with his family moved into the settlement from Bristol, New York, was formerly from Hartland, and connected with the other families, built and moved into a house south of the others. Allen Humphrey and family moved into the settlement on the fifteenth of November, took one of the rooms in Esquire Cowles' double log tenement, and took lot fifteen, east of the Cuyahoga, on Holmes' east tier of lots, and directly east of Esquire Cowles. Although late in the season, the logs for his house were soon cut, and the hands in the settlement were able to put them in their places for walls, and a roof of long shingles was put on with all dispatch, as winter was upon them, and on the fifth of December, moved over into his unfinished cabin. Mrs. Humphrey often told the story of her crossing the muddy Cuyahoga. The bottom of the river was so muddy, there was but one crossing found, near which there was a fallen tree across the stream, on which she expected to walk, arriving at the deep water. She said, " now, let me get out and cross on the tree," her husband applied the whip to the oxen, in they plunged, and through the wagon went. When safely on the other shore, he replied, "I intended to have it said you were the first woman that ever rode across the Cuyahoga in this town.'' Their house had neither chimney, door, window, nor floor, a mere skeleton. The wagon box was taken to pieces, and laid upon the sleepers to place their beds and sleep; fire was made on the ground at one end of the building, a place left without any roof for the smoke to pass upward, for seats, stumps within the building for the heads of the family, and pumpkins that had been given them from Burton for the children. The oxen had been turned into the woods, a deep snow' fell, after searching a w'hile in the w'oods, went to Burton, found them in the settlement ; borrowing a yoke and sled, bought some boards for floor and door, returning home with much joy to the family. Young America may not understand how' those primitive dwellings were made without nails or iron of any description. Floors were made by splittiug logs, hewing off* the slivers, and placing the flat smoothest side up, doors by splitting timber thin, making hinges of wood, pinning the thin split boards to the arms; those were pinned into the upright standard, swinging in the sockets of w'ood; roof covered with long shingles, laid on ribs of small round timber, running from end to end of the house, poles laid on to hold them down, a piece of one of the logs cut out for a window' large enough for four panes of six by eight window glass, spaces between the logs of the building chinked with wedging split sticks, clay made into mortar, and daubed over the chinks, a chimney made of sticks without any jambs, extending nearly across the end of the house, covered with mortar, some stones laid up a few' feet high for a back to the chimney, and you have a pioneer house, such as necessity, the mother of invention, prompted pioneers to provide for shelter, with such variations as circumstances and taste prompted. Subsequently another house had one floor made of split thick logs, which w'as said to have been worn smooth, and even polished by the young people, dancing after the music of a flute, some having leather, and others using untanned foot skins. The settlement through this winter consisted of six families and four unmarried young people, thirty-nine in all.

The names of the first families have been given. The others w'ere: Captain Nathaniel Spencer and Lydia Douglass Spencer, his wife, and their children, Orrin, Ralza, Erastus, Emily, Amna, and Julia. The latter daughter only survives, and now lives in Chardon with her husband, Austin Canfield, esq. [The term now', through this history, will refer to 1876, the Centennial year, unless otherwise stated].

Chloe, who married Daniel Dayton, of Burton, and lived and died there; Meriah, who married Eleazer Goodwin, and now lives at Chagrin Falls; Huron E., now living in Michigan; and Helen, now Mrs. Tucker, of this town. The Humphrey family was from Canton, Connecticut.

All these families came from Connecticut, and were partial to the customs, laws and usages in all their varied relations to State and society as they there existed. I should have included, in the above list of settlers, Chloe Douglass, who subsequently married Matthew Fleming, of Burton, where she lived until her death, many years after, and Allen and Clarissa Spencer, relatives of Captain Spencer, who came out with him. Chloe was taken sick the next spring, and Ralph Cowles went to Warren, about thirty miles, consulted a physician, and obtained medicine, returning the third day.

Attention was immediately turned to the moral and religious instruction of the colony, as well as educational. Sabbath meetings were held regularly in Esquire Cowles' house from the time he was domiciled in it, sermons being read with other appropriate exercises.

Clarissa Spencer taught school that winter in one room of the double log house before alluded to, being the first school in the settlement giving in some measure the characteristic policy of those pioneers to establish and sustain good common schools.

We will sketch very briefly some of the characteristics of the heads of the families, not intending now, and especially hereafter, to make many, even short, biographical notices, as space will not permit so much of extended particulars, as there is much similarity in the trials and deprivations of pioneer life.

Asa Cowles was one of the substantial men of his native town, having been a magistrate in and represented New Hartford in the general assembly of Connecticut; had a good common school education, took an active interest in all matters of church and State, and a devoted Christian of the Congregational church, taking the lead in meetings until they had a minister. He possessed means more than were common to the first settlers, became known and respected throughout the county, and was subsequently one of the associate judges of the county. He died in 1836.

Captain Nathaniel Spencer was an active business man, had worked in the cabinet business east, and established a chair factory on a spring run, on his farm, which is now successfully carried on by his son Ralza. He had a strong constitution, large chest, with an uncommon strong voice. The writer, living a mile distant, has often heard him call his boys up in the morning. He accumulated a good property, introduced the first blooded stock (the Bakewell breed), had good herds and flocks, had an extensive acquaintance, and was very hospitable, which was well understood, practically, by a host of friends. He died in 1849, leaving his homestead to his son, Colonel Erastus Spencer.

Major Allen Humphrey was not constitutionally strong; was of a nervous, sanguine temperament^ of quick perception, often difficult for him to control his feelings; was fond of reading, especially military history; was a good drill officer, and had more faith in steel and crossing of bayonets than of powder and lead. Not being a good shot, he substituted a pitchfork as a means of defense, which was invariably carried by him, as the hunting of cattle or business called him into the woods. Had he been attacked by ferocious wild beasts where retreat would not have been the better part of valor, he would doubtless have defended himself most valiantly. He died in 1825.

Horace Taylor was an athletic, heroic man, just the right one to face the trials and privations of pioneer life - to clear the forest and put up buildings - had strength and energy, and could turn his hand to any kind of business, median - cal as well as farming. He was the first deacon in the Congregational church, adhering to the views of the old orthodox party of the church. He secured a good property, and was so self-sacrificing as to deny himself of his sons' help on the farm, sending them all to college. Two of them graduated - studied theology, and entered the minitsry. The eldest died in Pennsylvania in 1818. Sherman D. is preaching in this State, in one of the western counties. C. L. studied law, but chose farming and lived on the old homestead.

Benjamin Andrews was a tanner and shoemaker by trade, which had not educated him to a farming life. He was not satisfied with his occupation, nor the selection of his real estate; made more changes in location than was profitable; raised a large family, and sold out and removed to Illinois. Two of his sons - Franklin and William - live in Cuyahoga county, and Caroline Mastick, a daughter, in Rockport, in the same county; the remainder of the children are scattered in the west.

Elijah Douglass was a hale, strongly constituted man, of decided convictions, and imperative in the discharge of his duty according to his own judgment. He was industrions, economical, careful not to make promises without a reasonable prospect of fulfilling, and punctillious to discharge them. He was a good farmer, and left a good property, his son Edwin inheriting the homestead. He had been one of the magistrates in the township and a successful breeder of good flocks and herds, and died in 1867, aged seventy-nine years.

, The colonist found supplies of provisions in Burton, and it was a common saying when they were going there to replenish their stock, "that they were going to Egypt to buy corn." Their cattle subsisted principally upon brouse. Some hay was purchased on the Otis Russell farm, in Middlefield, in 1811, a road underbrushed and the hay hauled home to be fed out in homoeopathic doses. Chopping timber for clearing in the spring, to raise corn and oats, was the gTeat business of the winter. Deer came to brouse, occasionally, on the brush of the tree tops, as they were piled, and generally paid the "penalty of death " for their trespass. Social parties were not neglected in the wilderness ; a torch to follow the trail, either on foot or by the common mode of conveyance by oxen and sled ; and might not those social gatherings have been as pleasant and profitable in those humble dwellings, with the glowing fires burning with all the intensity of consuming a load of wood in an evening, as the select parties at the present time, with all the etiquette and culture of modern society?

In the winter Horace Taylor received a letter from Mr. Holmes, stating that he had sold the land to Deacon Truman Pitkin, before he had received notice of his selection of lots. He then selected parts of lots ten and eleven, east of the Cuyahoga river, and north of what has been known since as Kellogg s corners, selling fifty acres of lot eleven to William Andrews. They put up their cabins and moved into them in the spring. There were now three families east of the river.

In the spring of 1812, three young men, from New Hartford, Connecticut, came to this settlement and remained through the summer, to wit: Aranda Kellogg, Truman Pitkin, and Halsey Spencer.

In the latter part of August news came that Detroit was taken and all of Hull's army were prisoners, and that the British and Indians were near Cleveland. This was accompanied by a military order for every able-bodied man to report for duty, which was responded to by every one in the settlement except Esquire Cowles, exempted by age, and Wm. Pitkin, by lameness. Captain Norman Canfield commandant. The company collected at Hambden, from the different settlements, and marched to Cleveland, by the way of Mentor, with all haste. Alarm and consternation brooded over the unprotected families. Teams were held in "readiness, and such articles of household goods as could not be readily packed in wagons were hid under brush heaps or buried. They dreamed of Indians, and every unusual noise heard was attributed to savages. Mrs. Humphrey was awakened in the night by the howling of wolves. She jumped from her bed screaming - "Indians." Involuntarily placing her hand upon her head where she supposed the scalp would be taken off, found her head was as cold as ice; and that sensation was painful, when she thought of it, ever since. The alarm at Cleveland was occasioned by some British vessels approaching the river with the prisoners taken at Detroit, who were landed and permitted to return to their homes on parole. The glad news of the returning men soon reached the settlement. Mrs. Douglass said she was milking her cow when she heard the

The tenth of September was a still, cloudless day. People in the settlement heard reports, like thunder, in the west, but looked up through their little openings in the woods for clouds and signs of storm, in vain. The regularitly of the reports from the firing of broadsides satisfied some of the observing men that it was a naval battle. A writer on acoustics in "Harper's Monthly," some time since, stated that the reports of the guns in the naval battle on Lake Erie, near the islands off Sandusky, were distinctly heard at Cleveland. It may truthfully be added that they were heard in Huntsburgh and Middlefield, in this county, thirty-five miles further, as I have it from living witnesses, of whose veracity there is no question.

The capture of the British fleet by the Americans, under Commodore Perry, gave promise of security such as the settlers had not felt since the commencement of the war. During the summer a small herd of swine had wandered up Butternut creek, when the squealing of distress attracted the notice of the worshipers on the Sabbath day, at Esquire Cowles' house. Edmund Cowles was the first to discover a large bear working up the pigs' case. Captain Spencer was the first on the battle-ground with a rifle, which soon ended the .contest. Instead of bruin finishing his meal of pig, he made meals for the settlers.

Before the Indian alarm, Mr. Harper, a hired man, working for Captain Spencer, feeling unwell, one day concluded to try hunting. Wandering toward the setting sun, his eyes caught sight of a fine sheet of water, and his ear of a splashing in the same. Advancing with a cat-like tread he soon discovered a herd of elk standing in the pond, frisking and stamping to make the water fly, evidently to keep off the flies. The weather was hot, without any breeze ; there were calves with their elk mothers, all appearing so happy that it almost disarmed him of the nerve to kill. After a moment's hesitation he selected his victim, drew a bead - an effectual shot - hors de combat lay the elk, whilst the remainder of the drove sped out of the water with such bounds that the spattered waters flew sparkling in the sun like rain drops in a shower. There course was toward the Chagrin.

Munson pond, now the fashionable resort of pic-nic excursionists, and retreat for city boarders, known now as Bass lake, was the scene of the last "Mohican bands encounter," or elk drove, known in the county.

In 1814, Aranda Kellogg returned to Claridon, married Laura, second daughter of Esquire Cowles, and purchased land south of E. Douglass' farm, where he made good improvements. He was a respectable member of the Congregational church and society. He died in 1878, aged eighty-seven years.

Truman Pitkin came out this year (1814), and subsequently sold his Tarra to his brothers, Stephen and Amos, and moved to Portage county. Those brothers cleared up their farms, and lived and died in town, the latter having sold his farm to Stephen Tucker, who now lives on it, being a very successful grower of all kinds of fruit, great and small. None of the children of either of the Pitkin families live in the township.

Halsey Spencer came the same year, built a house, made improvements, purchased a wedding suit, and repaired to the house of his affianced at the appointed wedding day, only to find her false, being engaged to another. The shock was too great for his sensitive make (strong and energetic as he was), and he became deranged, and when the avails of his property was used up he became a public charge, and died in the county infirmary at an advanced age.

Reuben Hall,* from Connecticut, came w'ith his family in 1812, settled on his land which he had personally selected, west pf Claridon pond, in the previous year. That sheet of water was a pleasurable resort for him with line and rifle. His wife's maiden name was Mehitable Pease. He had been a joiner by trade; was a man of considerable reading, and claimed to be ranked as an independent thinker. He died in 1823, aged eighty-four years.

A Mr. Thompson came and selected lands which were subsequently sold to Simon Gager and Simson Root, who raised families and died here, the former in 1835, aged seventy-two years, leaving the farm to his son Jarvis. Mr. Root cleared his farm, put up buildings, and died in 1878, at the advanced age of ninety-five years. The farm is now owned by Jerry Twing, being on lot four, Holmes' tract.

Late in the fall of 1814, Ozi Blakeslee, from Avon, New York, and formerly from Colebrook, Connecticut, moved into the settlement, and took up land east of the pond and north of Deacon H. Taylor's, being connected with the Taylor family. He was eccentric, often using short, pithy, proverbial expressions, and quotations from the Scripture, right to the point. When he fell the first tree for his house, it grounded in a little different direction from his intention. On surveying its position he said, "As the tree falleth, so it lieth." The house conformed in its direction to that fallen trunk. He was captain of a volunteer company in the disastrous fight with the British and Indians at Buffalo, in the retreat through the w'oods. His lieutenant w'as fatally wounded. Being a strong man he took him in his arms and carried him about half a mile to a place ot safety, and most of the way upon a run. As to the bears and wolves, he believed in the proverb, "A wise man forseeth evil and fleeth therefrom," as the following story illustrates: Owning one rifle, he occasionally borrowed another when game was plenty. It so happened when, with two guns in hands hunting cows, a bear was discovered breaking down choke-cherry shrubs and eating the berries. Creeping up within a few rods, he drew a bead with one, and then the other, doubting wrhich was the best, and then thought, " Let us depart in peace," and went home. He was the first justice of the peace in the township. Fond of reading, and with a good memory, he knew' more about our statute law's than many of the individuals of the profession at that time. He was very courteous in his intercourse, and a peace maker. He trained his large family in old school manners. If they said "yes" or "no," or wore their hats in the house, the penalty of "a basket of chips" had to be paid.

*Mr. Hall had just arrived with his family in Chardon, alx>ut the time of the Indian alarm, and having no place for his family, handed his rifle to a man who had none, who went to Cleveland with it.

the Erie tract, about half a mile north of the center, where a row of large poplar trees show the work of his hands. He moved into the settlement without much means, but, with labour and economy, and the help of his large family, accumulated a good property. He died in 1844, aged sixty-three. The place is now owned by Robert Rowlsy, who married Sophia Taylor, a daughter of Horace and Nancy Taylor, who were among the oldest pioneers, but is now occupied by Sherwood Rowlsy, his son. Robert Rowlsy is now living at Oil Creek, or the Pennsylvania oil regions. An anecdote of conscience about Sabbath observances, at a time when Esquire Blakeslee's family were out of meat and hard up for other provisions: a deer came up to the garden fence, on the first day of the week, and the magistrate, being the head of the family, took his rifle and shot it. Mrs. Blakeslee wanted counsel as to the higher law; told the story to an orthodox female member of the church, a good old "mother in Israel," who replied, "I think your husband did right; God sent that deer to you for meat for the family ; it was like the 'manna and quails in the wilderness7 for support."

In 1815 the first settlement commenced on the Erie tract. John Ransom, Shadrach Bosley, and Daniel Ames took farms on the State road, in the north part of the township. Mr. Ranson kept a good team; run an ashery; teamed to Warren, Painesville and perhaps a few times to Pittsburgh, bringing back salt, iron and nails. After partially clearing their farms, and living on them some eight or ten years, moved west.

In 1816 Holden Chase and Lot Hathaway, from Freetown, Massachusetts, came and took up land north of East Charidon, on State road. Both of these gentlemen had been familiar with the coast trade in the United States. Lot Hathaway had been mate, and Chace captain on some of their expeditions to some of the European ports, having adopted the sailor's vocation until they resolved to locate so far in the interior as to absolve themselves from sea-faring influences. From their vocation, it was remarkable that neither of them were profane or used spirituous liquors. The writer often met with them on business and at public gatherings, and never knew them engaged in social drinking, and that long before temperance societies were formed here. Captain Chace raised a large family - the children were: Elnathan, Anna, Mary, Rebecca, Florentha, Melissa, and Edwin R. Captain Chace was a man of integrity; of very decided opinions; good judgment, industrious, persevering, public spirited; took a deep interest in common schools. He was induced to take command of a vessel on Lake Erie, which he sailed several seasons. He accumulated a good propeity; put up good buildings; saw his children settled in good circumstances, and were respectable members of society. He died in 1851, aged sixty-two years.

Lot Hathaway came here unmarried, but shortly afterwards married Orpha Bushnell, a sister of Martin Bushnell, with whom she came into this State. Mr. Hathaway was very opinionated in what he thought was right, whatever the popular voice might be. He was a leading Democrat through life and, by his industry and economy, left a good property. Both of the above-named estates are in possession of their descendants.

Martin Bushnell was another Hartland man who, with his family, came in 1815, and was the first family that settled on the Erie tract on the center road, being part of lot two, section seven, north of the center. He built a dish-mill on a small stream between Horace and Lester Taylor's which was very useful in enabling the pioneers to substitute wooden dishes for lost crockery, which could be paid for in provision, and enabled him to obtain supplies until he could raise such for himself. When he commenced an opening on his new farm, while chopping on a log, he heard a crashing among the brush, and, looking up, saw a huge animal coming with great speed, with a "great chair on his head," as he thought. He exclaimed, "The devil," sprang from the log with ail his might, and, before he could jump again, the tramping elk and shaking boughs were beyond him. When living in his cabin, and about to go east on business, he engaged a young man to stay with his family nights, whilst he chopped days on his own land, which he had taken up. During Bushnell's absence the poultry was disturbed nights, in a little shanty made for their protection. The man proposed that Mrs. Bushnell should call him if she heard any more such disturbance, and he would keep his rifle well loaded for any emergency. Soon the trial came. Hurrying from the loft, he seized the rifle and approached the primitive henery. Through the chinks he saw the fire of glaring eyes. The thought, was it a panther, bear, wolf, wildcat? rushed upon his brain. Crack went the rifle. Bah ! He proved to be a good marksman, and had killed the calf of an only cow of the owner.

Mr. Bushnell sold his farm to Oliver Merritt, from Connecticut, and took part of lot three, section ten, being more than a mile south of East Claridon. There he erected another dish-mill, cleared up his farm, erected good buildings, opened his house to the public as a tavern (there being at that time a great amount of travel), hauling wheat and flour to the lake from Trumbull and other counties south. He died in 1854. The Bushnell farm is now in possession of Almond Knapp, esq., one of the magistrates of this town.

The same year Gomer Bradley, of Burton, took lot two, section thirteen, in the south part of the town, on the center road, built a house, and married Emily, daughter of Captain Spencer. This was the second family on the center road. After Mr. Bradley's death, the farm changed owners several times, until it is now in the hands of O. W. Leland.

In 1812 Timothy Wells, of Hartland, Connecticut, for himself and brothers, came to look at Holmes' land on the Reserve, with whom, they could exchange their old worn-out lands for new if they should like. He came on horseback, finding the road very good to Buffalo.

Along the sandy washed shore of the lake, the waves pack the sand harder, and makes it better traveling when the waters were quiet; along the iron bound shore under the precipices with southerly winds, or after a long calm, the teams would get along better in the water from a few inches to a foot or two feet in depth, than over the points, as they are called on the uplands where road mud was sometimes almost unfathomable. Just before reaching one of these points an Indian came up behind him bareheaded, but profusely decorated with w'ampum, beads, feathers, paint, etc., reigning his horse one side for the warrior to pass with his pony, but the Indian seemed to say, go ahead; hesitating at a place whether to follow the beach or not, the Indian darted past him, beckoned him, Mr. Wells, to follow, and courteously by signs, showing the best traveling until they passed the last point, then without any ceremony galloped off for good. After traveling about two hundred miles, viewing Holmes' land in many different places, he selected lots eighteen, nineteen and twenty, in Claridon, now known as Wells hill or Wells street.

After the war they made such arrangements as enabled them to leave for their lands in June, 1815. The party consisted of Timothy Wells and Esther, his wife; Timothy, jr., his wife, Hannah, and five children, Louisa, Salonia, Flavia, Graham and Timothy C.; Ebenezer and his wife, Diantha Coe, and children, Goodwin, Mary Esther, and Chester Wells, then unmarried, fourteen in all. They brought their goods in a wagon with a yankee team of two yokes of oxen and a lead horse, and a lighter wagon drawn by a span of horses. After thirty-eight days of travel, without any more difficulties than were usual in those days with such conveyances, they arrived in town. The families found temporary lodgment with different families until Timothy, jr., could put up a double log house which was soon done. The land divided among the three brothers in the order of Timothy north part, Ebenezer middle, and Chester south. Houses were soon built for all, the old folks living with Chester. Timothy Wells who was a soldier of the Revolution, serving three years, and a pensioner, died in 1820. The brothers cleared up their farms, set out good orchards, and put up good farm buildings. Timothy Wells was a good teamster, liked to break steers, and had a yoke of oxen that could make the logs fly to the heap; and Ebenezer and Chester knew how to put them up into heaps. Ebenezer died in 1832.

Chester Wells married Honor White Bracket in 1820, and died in 1867, aged eighty-one, Mrs. Wells died previously, and Edgar, the only son, died in 1866. The homestead is now owned by Melissa (Mrs. Rev. Potter), of Hambden, the only living child.

Ebenezer's homestead went into Goodwin's (the oldest son) hands, who died in 1871, leaving the property in the hands of Franklin and Elbert.

Timothy died in 1874, aged ninety-three, leaving the homestead to his son, -Captain T. C. Wells. The youngest son, H. H., lives at the center of the town, -doing a commission business, such as purchasing and forwarding cheese, wool and other commodities. Jason, the second son of Ebenezer, took a farm on the diagonal road branching off south of Wells hill, and leading to the mills in Burton. He married Miss Caroline Moffett, and sold his place after he had -put up good buildings and cleared up his farm, which is now owned by Spencer Smith. He then bought the farm previously owned by Chester Moffett, where he now lives, using the farm in a goodly measure as nature designed it, in raising good fruit. Esquire Wells- is one of the magistrates of Claridon.

Mr. Levi Smith came here in 1815, from Cheshire, Connecticut, and bought land north of the above named Wells' tract, where he made good improvements, raised a large family - not one of whom now lives in the township - some of them living in the western States and territories. He had a number of daughters, one of whom was Mrs. Meeker. The readers will recollect the circumstance of Mr. Meeker being killed by the Indians in the late Utc war, and of Mrs. Meeker being taken captive, with some of her children, and who have since been released and returned to Colorado. Since the death of Mr. Smith, which occurred in 1843, the farm has changed ownership several times, and is now owned by Almeron Wells. Mr. Smith had two sons, Ambrose and Joseph, both of whom became music teachers.

Asahel Kellogg came here in 1814, and selected lot fourteen for himself and his brother. He built a saw-mill that summer on a small stream near the corners (which gave the name to Kellogg's corners), a little east of where C. A. Kellogg's store now stands, and returned east. The next spring he, and his brother Cotton, with their wives and one child each, came, and both families moved into the saw-mill, which was not sided, they hanging up blankets as a substitute for board siding. They had slept in their wagons one night while on their way from Hambden to their place, near Spring run, south of Judge Taylor's. Soon after moving into the mill the Rev. Humphrey called and took tea with them. A shower came up soon after their visitor left, of sufficient magnitude to raise the stream for sawing, and "the deck was immediately cleared for action;" a log roiled on to the carriage, sawed, and the boards used for one side and the end of the mill. Before winter each family were domiciled in their own -dwellings. Deacon Asahel Kellogg was one of the first deacons, chosen when the Congregational church was formed. They were both substantial men, law and order abiding citizens, and liberal and efficient members of the church and -of society. The mill was of great advantage to the settlement. They became independent farmers, with good buildings and improvements generally. Deacon Kellogg died in 1843, aged sixty, leaving the farm in the hands of his son Sherrnian, who - married .Nancy Taylor, a daughter of Childs Taylor. Sherman died in 1848, aged thrity-two, leaving one son, Newton, who is one of the present deacons of the Congregational church. Cotton Kellogg was postmaster for many years, and died in 1865, aged seventy-nine. His eldest son, Sidney, lives in Cleveland, George Richardson owing the place west of the center, which he had left having married Eliza, daughter of C. A. Kellogg, granddaughter of Cotton Kellogg, Cyius owning the homestead at Kellogg's corners. The Deacon Kellogg place, north of the corners, is occupied by Eugene Wilmot.

The year 1815 brought a good many into the township, either to remain or to look for land with a view to future settlement, among whom were Abraham Wilmot and Samuel Newel, from Cheshire, Connecticut. They found the roads so crowded with immigrants that, this side of Buffalo, the preceding travelers had absorbed nearly all the necessaries of life. At one time, after an early breakfast, they traveled all day without eating. Just at night they stopped at a kind of a tavern, only to find the house full - then traveled six or eight miles further before they came to a house, where they found lodging in one room, with the family, but found nothing to eat, and had to walk till ten o'clock before they found food. Traveling all the way on foot, they had no chance to carry provisions with them, as those did who had teams. Pretty hungry times they thought. They selected lot three, section twelve, south of the center of Claridon. They divided it by Newel taking the eastern, and Wilmot the western half, the price charged being three dollars per acre, but General Perkins told them that if they commenced improving it within a year the price would be reduced to two dollars and a half per acre. After leaving Warren for Connecticut they stopped in Kinsman for the night. At early dawn in the morning, with some cooked fresh meat in their packs, they put ahead. Soon a wolf howled on one side, answered by one on the other, and soon continuous howling all around them. Our travelers hallooed at the top of their voices; struck trees with their canes as they hurried on, being thus serenaded for some distance, which, under the circumstance of their leaving the State, was not deemed very complimentary. As light increased the wolves withdrew. They doubtless were attracted by the fragrance of the cooked meat.

Mr. Newell came out soon enough to make such improvements as saved the half-dollar per acre on both pieces. He soon built and moved on his farm, where he continued until his death. He was, after a few years from coming here an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Not one of the family now live in Claridon. The place, after passing through several hands, is now owned by Harmon Ensign. The eldest son, Sala Newel, now lives in Chardon, and is now one of the magistrates of that township.

Abram Wilmot married Miss Nancy Turner in 1817, and returned to Ohio in 1818, found a house in Burton, into which he moved, about a mile and a half from his land, chopped and put up a cabin, and moved into it in the spring of 1819. He was so successful in hunting deer that he supplied his family with venison and a supply of tallow for lights until he was able to supply them with domestic animals of his own raising. He was constitutionally strong and energetic, cleared up his farm, put up good buildings, raised a family of six children, five of whom live in Claridon, have families, and apparently permanently settled. All of the family, and thirteen of the fourteen grandchildren are professors of religion and members of the Congregational church, of which he and his wife had been members for more than forty years. Mrs. Wilmot died in 1 87 5, aged seventy-eight, and Mr. Wilmot in 1877, aged eighty-three. He had a logical mind and a tenacious memory, which enabled him to overcome, in some good measure, his limited means of education in his youth. He was thoughtful and cautious in making up his mind upon any important subject, but, when he had determined what his duty was, he discharged his obligations with inflexible perseverance. He was one of the early anti-slavery men of the town. The farm is now in the possession of Abram Wilmot, one of the sons. The five children - Charles, Lucius T., Abram, Esther, t and Emily Ann, all live on the center road from Claridon to Burton, within a distance of two and a half miles.

Chester and Howell Treat came out prospecting for land in 1816, from Hartland, Connecticut, and purchased the north part of the lot intersected by the east and west center road. Chester Treat built a log house by a spring, about thirty rods northwest of the center, and then returned. The next year he came out with his family, which then consisted of his wife, Belinda Pinney, and one child, Chauncey P., also Miss Sophia Taylor, who died in 1835, where he lived until he erected his large house west of the public square, and near the corners. He was a good farmer, could turn his hand efficiently to most kinds of mechanical business, and worked at the stone masons' trade. An incident occurred in splitting stone which may be of interest to the naturalist, or please the curious: While quarrying stone he found a live toad imbedded in a solid sandstone rock. Particular examination was made, and it was found that the stone was perfectly solid and compact around the cavity, which was of the exact size and shape of the toad. On being released he soon hopped like other toads.

Colonel Treat exercised a good degree of public spirit, as subscription papers for objects of enterprise will show. He gave the township the land for the public square and cemetery, on conditioh that the people should chop and clear the land. They failed to clear the whole amount so offered, which lessened the quantity of public land, the town receiving only the amount cleared. His moral and religious department were consistent with his professsion as a member of the Congregational church. He held the various offices of deacon in the church, colonel in the militia, postmaster, and member of the State legislature.

His sons, four in number, who lived to manhood, appeared, in youth, healthy, with manly forms, three of whom died with pulmonary disease, to wit: Chauncey P.,John C., and Lester. C. The only surviving one, Robert, lives in Cleveland. Colonel Treat died in i860, aged sixty-nine; his wife had died in 1854. His second wife, Mrs. Frances Carter, now lives with her children, either in Cleveland or Chicago, or dividing the time with her children in those places.

W. Howel Treat J moved out a few years after his brother, having married Miss Sally Beach. They are now alive, their ages being respectively eighty -five. Mr. Treat had, previous to marriage, been in Claridon a year or more, living on their farm, next north of the center.

In 1817, Benjamin Mastic and Benjamin Sweat came from Vermont, and took up lot one, in section thirteen - two hundred and sixteen acres, at four dollars per acre. They built a small log hut, and covered it with bark, making two puncheons do duty as a door. They brought some bundles of straw and a couple of blankets from Burton and commenced keeping batchelor's hall being unmarried. One rainy night, dark as pitch, they were awakened by the falling of the puncheon door. They soon heard the breathing and sniffing of some animal, and supposed it to be a bear that had entered so unceremoniously. Sweat said that he felt a momentary* consolation in lying on the back side, thinking the bear would take Mastick first. It proved to be a large dog belonging in Burton. They afterwards divided the lot in the center, Mastick taking the northern and Sweat the southern part. Mastick soon married, when his two brothers, Asahel and Elliott, and their sister, Lavina, with their father, Benjamin, a Revot Since dead.

lutionary soldier, came to live on the place with him. Sweat, likewise, married, and lived on his farm through life. Both of them made good improvements, and raised families, but no one of either of those families now live in the township. The Mastick families live in Rockport, Cuyahoga county - such as survive. The heads of the Sweat family died in Claridon.

Rev. Luther Humphrey, then living and preaching in Burton, purchased lot one, section twelve, it being the first lot south of the center. Mr. Humphrey hired Lewis Gorman to build the barn on the high ground, east of the road, now owned by Mr. Chidister, and gave him for the job, fifty acres of land, off the scjjith and east part of the lot. Mr. James Preston bought thirty-two acres off the Humphrey purchase, on which he built and lived. On this land stood the famous tree, known as the handsome whitewood. Its trunk was perfectly straight and without a blemish, lessening in its girth gradually and in perfect symmetry, without a limb, for ninety feet by actual measurement after the tree was cut. When Mr. Humphrey sold the land on which that tree stood, the tree was reserved and given to assist in building the Congregational church, for which purpose it was used.

The east and west center road divides lot three, section seven, nearly in the middle. That part south of the road was purchased by Mr. Gorman, who sold the land east of the north and south road to Rufus Hurlburt. Hurlburt sold a small corner lot facing the public square, and the rest of the land east of the north and south center road to Z. P. Brinsmade, where he built a store on the south comer, which was afterwards burned. * Mr. Gorman sold ten acres on the west end, joining the east and west road, to Jacob Warriner, and the remainder to various individuals.

Halsey Spencer bargained for, and had four or five acres chopped on a part of lot two, section twelve. That chopping was left to grow up where now stands that beautiful sugar maple grove. The above farm has passed through several hands - Cyrus Bissei, Elihu Pinney, D. T. Ladd, and is now owned by T. Dwight Ladd.

Among the young men that had come to the township were Ebenezer Goodwin and Roderick Kellogg. The former married Mariah Humphrey. Both of them settled in the township and raised families. Esquire Goodwin moved to Chagrin Falls, where he held the office of justice of the peace, and died in that place in 1871, aged seventy-one years. Roderick Kellogg moved to Illinois.

Bildad Wright and his brother Neri, from Vermont, purchased a farn\in 1817, being the south lot in the township, on the county road, from Kellogg's corners to Burton. Bilbad Wright died in a few years after he moved on to his place. Neri Wright taught school winters, working on the farm in the summer with his brother. He subsequently married his brother's widow, improved the farm, put up good buildings, and lived on it until he sold it to Ozro and Orlo Newcomb, brothers, because of his inability, on account of age, to work it, and moved to the center, on a village lot, where he died in 1864. His second marriage was to Miss Whitcomb. He was for many years a justice of the peace, and then an associate judge of the county. Judge Wright was for a short time postmaster. He was a Democrat, and held the latter offices under Democratic administrations. At the time of the formation of the Free-soil party he espoused that cause, and then the Republican, with which he continued to act through life.

ttade, bought a small place, and built a house near where John WarreneFs saw-mill and cheese factory now stands. Mr. Strong had plenty of business in an important branch of trade (the making and repairing rifles for the hunters). He was a successful hunter, and did his part towards clearing the forest of game. He was a generous, kinded hearted man, and a good citizen. He died in this township in 1861, aged seventy-five. None of the family remain here.

Isaac Hoff, in 1817, moved into the southeast part of the township, where he remained only a few years. Ralph Cowles' name was mentioned as coming into the place with his father. He was then a young, unmarried man, who had studied surveying. He married Delia Benton, of Burton; built a house <yi land he took directly south of his father's, which he occupied until he removed to Chardon to commence his duties as county auditor. He was a competent and faithful public officer. He did most of the surveying in this county, and much in others - surveying several unsettled townships into lots for different landholders. His surveys were universally spoken of with commendation for there accuracy and nicety, and had great weight in courts of law about contested lines. He moved from Chardon to Cleveland, where he spent the remainder of his life, respected as a business man, as he had been in his professional business, and as a neighbor. He had the reputation of being an honest and honorable gentleman.

This township was formely incorporated with Burton, but had gained the local name of Canton. In 1817 it was incorporated as Burlington township, including No. 8, eighth range, now known as Munson. On the first Monday of April, the same year, the election for township officers was held at the house of Deacon A. Kellogg, and resulted in the election of Ralph Cowles, as township clerk; Asa Cowles, Allen Humphrey, and Reuben Hall, trustees; Horace Taylor and Timothy Wells, overseers of the poor; Benjamin Andrews and Aranda Kellogg, fence viewers; Truman Pitkin, lister and appraiser; Isaac Hoff, John Ransom, Martin Bushnell, Ozi Blakeslee, Ebenezer Wells, Simon Root, and Samuel* Hopson, supervisors ; Ozi Blakeslee, justice of the peace.

In the spring of 1819 a post-office was established in this township under the name of Claridon, to avoid the difficulty of misscarriage of mail matter, as there was another Burlington post-office in the State. In the winter of 1819-20 the name of the township was changed to Claridon.

A school-district had been formed west of the Cuyahoga, one at Kellogg's comers, and one on the State road, now East Claridon. A log school-house was put up west of the river in 1812, and Ralph Cowles taught the first school

Money being out of the question, teachers took their pay in farm productions; each person sending to school had to pay according to the number of days sent.

The first child born in town was a son to Elijah and Betsey Douglass, in 1812, named Samuel, who married Susanna Taylor, bought and lived on the Butternut creek farm. Oscar, his son, who married Calista Clark, of Concord, now occupies that part west of the road, and the widow and son, Clinton, live on the homestead, being the east part.f Mr. Douglass died in 1875, aged sixtytwo. The first female child was Eliza Douglass of the same parents. The second male child was Corydon L., son of Horace and Nancy Taylor, who married Wealthy Robinson, and is now living on the homestead of his father, and the third male child was Salmon Root, who married Miss Fleming, of Burton, and is now living in Thompson.

The three leading north and south streets and east and west street had so many plantations opened, and some of them for so many years, that a home market of demand and supply was created by increased numbers of national immigrants, to the mutual benefit of all. The township became a body "politic and corporate," with all the machinery of self-government, which has all along worked without much friction. The hardships, trials, and privations of the first settlers were now so measurably overcome that detailed accounts of settlers after this pmod will have to be greatly abridged.

North of the Spencer settlement (West street), Elijah Allen, from Sandisfield, Massachusetts, came in 1817, with a large family: Alvin, Elijah P., Orrin, Jemima, Electa, Orpha and Huldah. They settled on the west side of the road, west of the pond. The family were generally possessed of strong constitutions, especially the heads of the family, who lived to an advanced age. Elijah A. died aged eighty-eight. Mrs. Allen died at the age of ninety-three. Alvin took land east of the road, adjoining the west side of the pond, and hired out as a laborer in Ashtabula county, where he formed the acquaintance of, and married, Eliza Buck, of Conneaut, and moved on to his farm in 1818. He was an energetic, iron-sided man, and never knew what it was to be tired until he was forty-five, when a run of the fever and ague taught him a lesson which all the others in town knew by oft experience, of the necessity of rest after a hard day's work. He is now living [1879] aged ninety. Elijah P. married Amna Spencer, bought north of Hall's and Gager's, and put up good buildings. On account of infirmities he sold his farm, moved to Chardon, living retired from* labor, where he died in 1867, aged seventy-one, leaving one daughter, Meriah, living in that town. Orrin Allen bought the Blakeslee farm, east of the lake, and married Betsey Somers. He died in 1834, leaving two sons, R. M. and Edward. The latter died in 1874. Minot S. Allen owns the old homestead* Jemima married Timothy Tainter, and now lives in the southwest part of the town. Electa married Henry Campbell, and lives in Kirtland, with her children. Huldah married Ralza Spencer. Orpha lives in Claridon.

Apollos Root took up land west and north of Simeon's, spent most of his time in chopping on jobs until 1819, when he married Titzah Pomeroy, and built and settled on his land. He was allowed to be one of the easiest and handsomest choppers of the time, handling his axe with great mechanical trueness, in chopping down trees; would take about the same angle, upper and lower sides, leaving scarcely a mark to tell where the several blows cut "There were many giants in the land" in those chopping days. He lived there many years, put up buildings, cleared up his farm, and like many others, sold and moved west.

John Strong bought the farm of Mr. Root. He was from the State of New York, and married Cornelia, daughter of Aranda Kellogg. He was an upright and industrious man who died in 1862, aged fifty-one, his son, Dwight, living on the old homestead.

Oliver and Reuben Warriner took land south of the Spencer's, owned by Judge Cowles. They were from the State of New York; they wrorked hard, cleared up much land, shifted about in different localities, and finally moved west.

Barney Stone and his brother, Nathaniel, bought in the southwest part of the town. The former sold his farm subsequently to the county, which has since been used as the infirmary farm.

Barney married Miss Langdon, of Munson, one of the earliest settlers of that town. He died many years since. The widow still lives on the farm.

Rufus arid Akmos Beard, sons of Amariah Beard, one of the old pioneers of Burton, bought the southwest lot in Claridon, cleared lands, built houses, and raised families. The eldest died, the youngest moved away, and not one of their descendants remain in town.

Joseph Nash bought Reuben Warriner s farm between Spencer's c orners and Cuyahoga. He had been apprenticed to learn the shoemaker's trade to Stephen Pitkin. It was claimed that the indenture made by his guardian with the s . id Pitkin bound him to his apprenticeship until he was twenty-two. On his twentyfirst birthday he concluded to emancipate himself. As a shoemaker and farmer, he was successful in business, married a young lady from Utica, New York, and raised a large family of stalwart boys. One or two have cfied, the others are now engaged in various business in various States, the widow living in Chardon,. The two girls, Jennette and Ruth, are married, and live out of the town.

On the north Middle street Zechariah and Stephen Somers took up land east of the north part of the pond, and west of the road. They were from Trumbull, Connecticut, in 1824. Zechariah died in 1826.

Slephen married Charlotte Gilbert, of Connecticut. Their children were: Stephen, Frances, and Libbie. Stephen lives in Parkman. Frances married Lester Treat, and died in 1878. Mr. Somers was a hard laboring, quiet, peaceful man, and died almost instantly in front of Judge Taylor's house, without any apparent cause. He asked his adopted son to let him step out of the wagon, on which he was riding. He staggered, and fell dead in 1849. Mw. Somers died in 1878.

Ashbel Spencer,* from New Hartford, Connecticut, took his farm south of the Wells', on Middle street, about 1822, and has remained on it, making good improvements, with excellent orcharding. 11 is wife, Mariah Cowles Spencer, died in 1878, aged seventy-eight years. Mr. Spencer is in his eighty-third year.

Lowdewick Main bought lands on the Wilcox tract, and, after clearing his farm, put up the second brick house in the township, and then sold out and moved to Illinois. The farm passed into the hands of Scovili Martin, who died in 1862, aged sixty-two years. The farm subsequently passed into the hands of Calvin Wells, who is now improving it and raising good fruit, as well as farm crops.

Dan and Timothy Dimeck bought on the north center road. Timothy's* farms of two hundred and twenty-six acres embraced the Cuyahoga bottoms along the course of the river where it crosses the road, on the banks of which he put up good buildings, being now one of our oldest residents. He was from Connecticut, and is now in his eighty-first year. His wife was from Lebanon, in the same State. He has two sons, Philip and Osmand, the latter living with his father, and Philip on the north part of the farm, with additions made by purchase. He married Miss Celestia Dixon, of Huntsburg, and Osman married Miss Flint, of Thompson. Dan Dimick took lands directly north of Timothy's, but subsequently sold and moved to Hambden.

Simeon Watts, with his sons, George and Simeon, took lands on this street, where a small stream crosses the road, just west of which a deep ravine commences by the falls, over and down among the >and rocks. A fulling mill, with carding machine, was put up by the Wattses; thus utilizing the water power to the great benefit of the settlers who then dressed their families in home-made cloth (woolen and linen). Georget sold his right to the mills to Simeon, jr. They were once burned, rebuilt, and operated by Mr. Watts until factory cloth, superceded the family home-made, the raising of flax discontinued, and wool transported to eastern cities. The farm continued to remain in Mr. Watts' hands until his death in 1873, aged sixty-five years. Frank Arnold is the present owner. The old mill buildings are gone, and the stream lessened to a mere rill, except in freshets. The eastern part of the farm was bought by Daniel Robinson in 1843, who, with his wife, Electa, hailed from Vermont. He was very industrious, and particular in all his business ; wanted everything connected with his farming done according to rule, as he was accustomed in his mechanical work, being a millwright by occupation. He was an upright, peaceable man, and died in 1861, aged seventy-two years. His widow is still living, aged eightyone years, and resides with James Andrews, who married their daughter Almira* whose death occurred in 1878. Mr. Andrews owns the farm. Their son* George, married Ida Pease, who died within mo years of their marriage, and he subsequently married Flora Hollis, who lived about the same length of time. Each of the ministers who married them preached their funeral sermon.

Theodore Newel, with his wife, Phebe Munson, with their two sons, took land in 1820, on the hill, and west of the road north of the center, opposite the Blakeslee farm. They were from Barkhempstead, Connecticut. He proved to be a successful farmer, and did well his part in changing the wilderness into fruitful fields, with good orcharding and good farm buildings. Mr. Newel died in 1843, aged sixty-five years, and Mrs, Newel in 1837, aged fifty-eight years* leaving the well known Newel farm to his son, Harmon. The second son, Electrus, moved to Geneva, New York. Harmon married Loanna Ensign. Their only son, Electrus, died in 1858, aged twenty-two years. Phebe, their only daughter, married John Grosvenor. Mr. Harmon Newel died in 1870* aged sixty-seven years, and Mrs. Newel died leaving the farm to Phebe Grosvenor and her children.

The original Bushnell farm, on this road, passed into the hands of Oliver Merritt, and subsequently Almeron Belding, who died, leaving a large family* only two of whom remain in town - Mrs. H. H. Wells and E. Belding, esq. The aged mother has returned to town, living wifh her son. The farm has been divided; Mr. Webster living on the west part, and Mrs. Willard Beals, widow of one of the pioneers of Troy, in this county, lives with her daughter, Mrs. Bruce, on the east part of the Howell Treat farm.

Warren Dimmick selected the farm north of his brother's, and south of the present railroad crossing, and married Miss Hannum, of Huntsburg. They were quiet, industrious, unobtrusive citizens, and members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died in 1856, aged fifty. His widow lives in Huntsburg. The farm has been owned by Sherman Pease and Mr. Judd, but is now owned by Mr. Paine, who came from Montville.

Childs Taylor came from Hartland, Connecticut, in 1830, and took up land north of the corners, on the east tier of the Holmes tract. The maiden name of his wife was Althea Beach, who was from the same town. His family consisted of Lusanna, Edmund, Horace S., Almeda and Almira (twin sisters), Warren K., Elijah and Elisha (twin brothers), Nancy, Lucretia, and Augusta. Edmund studied medicine, attended the medical course of lectures at Willoughby, and married Idelia Standly, of Leroy, New York, who died in 1848. Subsequently he married Cornelia, a sister of his first wife, and settled in Leroy (after practicing his profession in Chardon until 1848 or '49), where he now re- sides, retiring from practice on a sufficient capital for his support. Horace S. graduated at Hudson, studied theology, married Miss Martha Sturdevant, of Huron county, went to India as a missionary, raised a family of four children, labored there twenty-two or twenty-three years, when he fell a victim to hard labor in a debilitated climate. His w'idow returned and lives in this State. Their eldest son, Horace, has been a missionary to the Gilbert Islands, beyond the Sandwich group. Childs Taylor died at his farm house in 1847, aged sixtyfive. The son, Elisha, married Ann Wells, and died in Painesville in 1873, aged fifty-three. Elijah lives at the center, and is one of the deacons of the Congregational church. Deacon Warren Taylor owns most of the large farm near the bridge of the Painesville & Youngstowm railroad crossing, formerly his father's. The daughters of Childs Taylor are mentioned as their marriages occur with Claridon boys.

Jonathan Gould, and his son Alden, came from Vermont, and bought in the southern part, on center road. In a few years they moved on to the south part of State road, on the Smith Waters' farm, where Alden died, in 1869, aged sixty-four years ; the widow and heirs owning and now living on the place.

Chester Moffet, and his son Marcus, bought and moved on to the Mastick farm, south center road. Chester Moffet remained on this place. The aged couple died at an advanced age, he being eighty-six, died in 1864; and Mrs. Margaret in 1876, aged ninety-six years. Marcus Moffet married Miss Rachel Chapman for his second wife, after he returned to Claridon. He had previously moved to Indiana, where he lost his first wife, returning with four children, the youngest in his arms. The trials of sickness, and the death of his wife at the west, and the care, anxiety, and fatigue of returning, were great. He subsequently built two houses, in two different places, south of the center, which places he sold, and moved to Rock Creek. From there he went to Cleveland, his present residence, where two of his sons, Julius and Howard, reside.

Nathaniel Mastick* and Abijah Carryl, from Vermont, with their families, were really the first to break the forest in that direction. They arrived on the seventeenth of November, 1822, and took up their farms, put up shanties, and went to wprk with a will, taking jobs at chopping wood to support their families, filling up the balance of the time clearing their own farms. Mr. Mastick was a stout, healthy, resolute man. His sons, Owen and Nathaniel, then large enough and willing enough to put in for their share of telling blows; like most of the Green mountain boys, they had the bone, muscle and will. Some one enquired of the old man "why he came to Ohio?" He replied that he had "cleared up all Vermont that was worth clearing, and now he purposed to help clear up the rest of Ohio." Owen and Nathaniel now own the farm.

Loami Fletcher,* formerly from Vermont, but directly from Massachusetts, moved into the woods, south, where a road was soon located. Mr. Fletcher had a large family. He was a descendant from the famous Methodist preacher of that name, and a pioneer of that primitive order. Mr. Fletcher was a pioneer of that sect on this steeet, and was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church until his death. The farm is now owned by his son Cyrus, who married Miss Beach, of Hambden. They are pillars in the Methodist Episcopal church at East Claridon.

Abel, Philander, and Phileman Farr, from Vermont, moved into this part of the township. Abel Farr, in a few years moved to Troy, in this county. Phileman moved, I think, to the same place. Their farms changed owners many times. The most of it is now owned by Samuel Halderman. Philander Farr

On a road laid out, running from the center to the State road, commencing about a mile south of the center, and running east, parallel with the east and west center road, David Ober, a soldier in the war of 1812, made his opening in the woods, in 1820; William Ober, on the same road, and west of his brothers, in 1822. Alvin Ober now owns the farm of his father, David, who, with his son-in-law, Chester Clapp, living west of him, are successful cultivators of fruit - especially grapes, strawberries, and other small fruits. The Wm. Ober farm is now owned by Chauncey Stebbins. The Obers were from Vermont.

Augustus Brown, from Cheshire, Connecticut, took land lying west of the Obers. He was an upright, industrious man, who successfully cultivated his farm, and raised good stock. He died, in 1852, aged sixty-two years. His wife survived him; after being bed-ridden about fourteen years, she died, in i860, aged sixty-three years.

A road was laid out, north of East Claridon and east of the State road, to Huntsburg. John P. Bosley was the first to make an opening in this section of the township. He came here prospecting for land, in 1815, when, he said, there were but seven houses between Hambden and Warren - a distance of over thirty miles.

In 1825, having recently established himself here, he commenced the building of a grist-mill, near where the road crosses the Cuyahoga (east branch). The mill was soon completed, and did a tolerable good business for several years. Judge Bosley was a Pennsylvanian.

George Green,' from Pennsylvania, located west of Bosley's, taking a tract of land on which John Ransom had built a saw-mill, on a small stream which empties into the main branch a little south of the grist-mill. This mill was of great advantage to the people in that vicinity for a few' years, but this stream, like other small water-courses, as the country became cleared, failed to supply water sufficient to make the mill profitable. After clearing up his farm, and putting up good buildings for himself and his son, Thomas, west of him, he sold out to McCalmont. The George Green farm is now owrned by I. N. Hathaway, esq., of Chardon.

Wanton Hathaway,* with his wife, Anna Hotelling, located about midway from East Claridon to Hambden; cleared up his farm, and arranged his bams for dairying convenience, and became a leading dairyman. He was a man of enterprise, and was accustomed to dealing in stock - driving in large numbers of dairy cows from the south to supply dairying farmers in the spring trade. Mr. Hathaway died in the prime of life, in 1853, aged fifty-three; his w'ife, Anna, died, in 1873, aged sixty-nine. His eldest son, John C., owns the homestead, but resides in Cleveland, wffiere he has been in business several years. Of the other sons: Henry W. is in mechanical business, at East Claridon; Gilbert lives in Huntsburg; he has had the misfortune to lose an arm by being caught in a threshing machine; Charles is located on the north part of the State road, where a branch road runs to the north center corners.

Charles Johnson wTas an old settler on the State road. Heil Armstrong, who for himself and three brothers, all from Franklin, Connecticut, originally made not only the purchase of the Johnson farm, but bought other lands of General Perkins in 1833. The Bosley grist-mill and other lands were bought by the same parties. They built a substantial stone dam, moved the mill to a more eligible place, bringing the water from the small creek, thus utilizing both streams, with a deeper fall and more abundant supply of water. The mill, by division, fell to Hopestill Armstrong, who made substantial improvements on the farm, buildings, and mill. He had the confidence of the community in his integrity and accommodating spirit. He died universally regretted. His widow married Peletiah, one of the brothers, and moved to Mentor. Most of Hopestill's farm is now owned by G. W. Stillwell, and the mill property by Brown & Williams - the former living in Concord; the latter running the mill. It being near the Painesville & Youngstown railroad, is doing a good flouring business as well as custom work. Heil Armstrong, after the death of his wife, married Anna, daughter of Captain Chace.

Burton Armstrong built a neat and commodious farm-house near the old sawmill run, on which stream he had built an oil mill. After a few years it was discontinued, for the reason that the farmers thought it more profitable to keep their lands in pasture for dairy purposes than to raise flax. Mr. Armstrong made arrangements to change his place of location on to that part of his farm where the Painesville & Youngstown railroad crossing now is, he and his son, Burton, residing in the same house, above alluded to, where they have ornamented their yard with a variety of trees, making a very pretty family park, facing the railroad. His place of residence is well known, and his hospitality, enjoyed by a host of friends and railroad officials from the whole length of the narrow gauge. Mrs. Armstrong knows how to get up good dinners and preside at the table with ease and dignity. Mr. Armstrong has been crippled for a number of years, caused by breaking his leg. He takes a lively interest in public matters, having always been a public-spirited man, who dislikes a mean act, or a stingy person, and is not afraid to speak out his feelings.

Of other pioneers on the State road, Mosier Ames was prominent. His location was south of the corners on the west side of the road. He came out prospecting for land in 1815, and moved out in 1818. He was an athletic man, and was the bully in a wrestling party at the regimental training in Burton in the fall of 1819. He was a hard-working man, minding his own business, never seeking a quarrel. One son, Reuben Ames, lives on the east side of the same road, and not far from the old stand of his deceased father, whilst three of his daughters - Mrs. Hotelling, Mrs. Charles Stafford, and Mrs. Eri Mastick, the two latter being widows - all live at or near the corners at East Claridon. The children all know how to wrork, and persevere on the working line.

William Preston was an early settler in that neighborhood. Nathan Ford, from Cheshire, Connecticut, took his land at the extreme south part of the State road. Subsequently, at his death, Miles Barnes became the owner, at his death, his son, Miles, who now resides there.

Walter Bosley* located on the State road, at the intersection of the south, east and west roads, taking the northwest corner lot. He was a son of Shadrach Bosley, one of the first settlers on the north part of State road. Walter Bosley died in 1864, aged seventy-eight years. His son, Reuben, now lives on the homestead. Roderick and Elisha White established themselves on the east side of the road, nearly opposite to the intersection of the east road. Elisha White was an intelligent man, and surveyor by profession, and subsequently a civil engineer, engaged at various times and by different companies in laying out railroads. They subsequently moved to Chagrin Falls.

James Ford's farm is at the railroad crossing, west side. William Adams' east side of the road, and near the railroad. Andrew Johnson's on the east side of the road, where he put up tasteful dwellings; his brothers on the west side of the farm lately owmed by David Johnson, deceased. The widow' Alden Gould's family ow*n the farm formerly occupied by Smith Waters, one of the early settlers. Almond Knapp, esq., owms the farm taken up by Martin Bushnell, the first settler in that vicinity. William Carver, on the east side, married one of Mr. Bushnell's daughters. He has been a good hunter, in times past, as well as farmer, and was a first-rate marksman. A. Russell, east side, formerly owned -

Robert Bosley owns the farm formerly taken up by Daniel Hathaway, which, with other lands subsequently owned by Darius Armstrong, one of the four brothers before alluded to, was considered, when under his management, one of the best grain farms in the township. Since his death the present owner has used it as a dairy farm.

Cyrus Bissel bought the farm taken up by Norman Spencer. He married Miss Amanda Case, of North Hartford. Mr. Bissel was from Torrington. After living there for many years, and having a large family of children growing up like olive plants around their table, he sold his farm and moved to Wisconsin.