Cuyahoga Falls City (part 4 of 6)

Large fields of fine forest trees were cut down and felled into great timber windrows, or heaps, and after becoming dried and seasoned were set on fire and burnt. Timber was a drug in the market ; lumber sawed and delivered in market was only worth from $4 to $6 per thousand. Good barrel staves and heading, at $1, only brought $3.50 per hundred bushels. Agriculture, stock-raising and dairying has since become the prevailing occupation. Before dairying became general, choice sheep, imported

Bridge Factory, costing about $2,000. and was | opened for business in the spring of 1871. The | average price paid for milk the first few sea- | fore. It was leased to 8. Straight & Son, of Hudson, and soon after bought by them, at a loss to the stockholders of one-half its cost price. In the season of 1880. it manufactured from the milk of about 500 cows. 20.000 pounds of butter. and 168.000 pounds of cheese. and the average price paid for milk was 94 cents per gallon of ten pounds. In 1839. William Prior & Sons, Edward and Henry. bought of Jesse and Eliza Hays the water-power and site in the gorge below the waterfalls. where they erected and put in operation a grist aud flouring mill. Two run of French bubr stones and bolters were put in, and power supplied by a nineteen-foot breast wheel. Thesenior meimber owned his interest in this property till his

Trumbull County records show a road to | have been laid from the salt springs in that | county to Old Portage, crossing diagonally | through the southeast corner of Northampton. | a portion of which, between MecArthur's cor- | ampton as the "old State road," trom which the trees were cut and cleared by William Prior, under a contract, and the proceeds of this job averaged him 25 cents per day for himself, team of oxen and an extra hand, they

In 1836, Peter Voris, a surveyor, who then lived in Northampton with one Snodgrass and Judge Henry, laid out a hundred acres at the the mouth of Yellow Creek, west side of river, into a village plat, and called it Niles. But - few lots were ever sold. The property was afterward bought by J. and J. Vallen, and reduced back to common lands, on account of high taxes. A warehouse and store was built here at the opening of the canal, and Nathaniel Hardy also erected a tavern, which received extensive patronage for many years. Nicholas now the station-agent and Postmaster. Below here, on waste waters of the canal. have been two saw-mills built to manufacture lumber for the Cleveland trade. kept up a steam saw-mill on their farm for years. which has contributed largely to the convenience of lumber business. | known as Clinton Air Line was laid in a diag- - onal line across this township. from northeast to bauled on for culverts. but. for some reason. the enterprise was abandoned. A rude and primitive establishment was built down the Mud Brook by William Rose. in which he turned a considerable quantity of wooden bowls for the local trade. It was near this that Mr. Filley built a saw-mill. and the property was afterward bought by L. D. Clements. who erected another and _ larger. Clements Saw-mill.

The first school was taught in this township by Justus Remington in 1809, and the schoolhouse was built on the north side of a road, from McaArthur's Corners to Elisha Prior's, and run diagonally across Lots 17 and eee the house stood on the lot line between lands now

Cy owned by H. P. Smith and Martin Shellborn. ; Since that time, and within the radius of a half mile, there have been erected six different |: buildings in which schools were taught. But, owing to geographical diversities and configuration of land, schools for the whole youth of the - township have been maintained at great incon- | venience. The river divides the township into | two sections, almost inaccessible to each other. . and the deep gullies running down into the . river valley form almost impassable barriers, - making opportunities for schooling a portion of the children exceedingly difficult. Under the general school laws of Ohio, seven subdistricts and three union school districts were formed been maintained, and the pupils are in no way inferior to those of surrounding townships. Many of the youth have been educated abroad. Emory A. Prior entered Buchtel College at Akron in 1871, and graduated with the degree

. of B.S. in 1873. Thence he entered the Law business man, who | took an active part in the railroad enterprise. | He has been a merchant here for years, and is | 'bar before the District Court of Cleveland.

Miss Viola Smith also commenced a course of study at Buchtel College in 1872. which she pursued for two years, then changed to Western Reserve College. from or she (the first of her sex) oraduated in 18 She has since then pursued certain courses "ot study in Cornell University. New York. and at Harvard. in Cambridge. John A. Johnston. Rial Smith. 3. Hart. J. Botzum, George and Frank Billman, T. W. Motz and several others are now, or have been, students in either Western Reserve or |

Methodism was the pioneer religious denom- Most ot the early families were members of this church. Before the organization of a society. the believers of both sexes would walk or ride on horseback to

' Darrow Street. or Hudson, on a Thursday evening, to attend prayer-meeting, which could not | be doubted as a sufficient test of their sincerity and devotion. Protracted and quarterly meet- | ings were held in the private residences. barns | and were attended by those from miles around. Among the early preachers were Revs. Crawford, Jones, McLean. Ford, Stearns, Holloway and one Gavit, a " four foot' dwarf, Compared with the larger ministers he was said to be as a silver sixpence among the coarser copper coins - smaller but worth them all. and hold spellbound by his eloquence, and practical hits, the large audiences he addressed.

' among the papers of the late Job Harrington, - who was an active member, there are found evi- ' dences of a most prosperous Sabbath school as

The Methodists in 1855, by the help of other denominations and contributions from the citizens generally, without regard to theological opinions, erected a large and commodious

The prime movers in this undertaking were VU. F. Rice, Isaac Scott. 8. W. Harrington, S. R. Perkins, Elisha Prior, Samuel McLoney and others. The building when completed cost about $2,000, and reflected much credit on the building committee, the citizens generally. and specially to the architect and builder. J. C. Johnston.

it for years, but by reason of removal, loss by death and other causes, the members became reduced, and the building was taken down and removed to the sewer pipe and tile works of der the ministrations of Rev T. B. Tait, this Congregational society fused with the Methodists, when they became one organization at the building of the center church edifice.

mons were at Kirtland, and upon their removal to Nauvoo, Smith with his family, which had been baptized in Northampton, went with them, and thence to Salt Lake City. In the early joined the Masonic Order, but the opposition and prejudice caused by the supposed Morgan murder, prevented its being very generally endorsed, and those who became members joined Since that time, some have associated themselves with Odd Fellows, Sons of Temperance, ete. In March of the centennial year, there was a Grange organized or Order of Patrons of Husbandry, which is an unobjectionable association of farmers, with their wives and families, united for social and educational purposes. This society numbers among its members some of the most progressive and intelligent farmers in the community. Since its organization, (reorge W. Bailey has been its presiding officer. It was in an exceedingly prosperous condition, numbering over one hundred members. until driven into litigation to defend itself against the collection of an illegal claim. in a suit brought up against it by the otticers and Executive Committee of Ohio State Grange. This suit, after creating considerable disturbance and ill-feeling, was finally decided in favor of Northampton Union Grange. Although this township was early the location of distilleries. they were soon discontinued and the inhabit-

The * Murphy's Society." of 1879. with Mrs. Lodica Jones as President, and Miss Hattie Harrington as Secretary. has proved a most ef- The Literary and Dramatic Club. of 1881, has developed sutticient talent so gain some notoriety.

In the war of the Revolution, Northampton, being peopled only by savage Indians, furnished no troops, but its first settler, Simeon Prior, was a Revolutionary soldier. In the war of 1812, the able-bodied men belonging to an independent rifle company. under the command of Capt. McArthur, went into service, first at Old Portage, then at Sandusky. protecting the frontier settlements from invasion and In the Mexican war no troops from this place were called for, and none furnished. But in the war of the great rebellion, Northampton was not found wanting. Sixty-three recruits were sent into the field. all of whom proved brave and heroic soldiers in that bloody struggle, many of them giving their ly inscribe the name of each individual soldier with his brave deeds, but space will not permit. In another chapter of this work will be found a complete sketch of the late war, and the part taken init by the county at large. A list of the dead heroes of this township only

Lewis Clements, son of L. D. Clements, enlisted at sixteen. Buta mere lad of slender build and constitution. he could shoot as far and straight as those of greater strength and endurance. He was fearless of danger, and went undaunted where duty called. At the battle of Rich Mountain, mistaking the buglecall tor retreat. he charged through the rebel and taking part in many fiercely contested fields. was killed in the battle of the Wilderness May '). 1864. His remains by enemics were buried in an unknown grave. The soil of Virginia will be to us forever sacred. for it holds the last remains of our dearest friends. George Bonesteel was captured by the rebels

David Bonesteel was also taken prisoner, and so reduced by starvation that he died en route for exchange. Robert Hogue sickened and lived to reach home. where he a short time after his arrival. John Shellhorn and Phillip Smathers sleep the sleep of death in unknown graves. Riley Dickinson, Charles Stout. William Waterman. William and Charles Stephens, the two Chase brothers and George Payne were drowned at the wreck of the Sultana.

Owing to absence of manufactures, farming implements were mostly of home construction, and very rude. The "bull plow" had a point made of wrought iron or steel. with a landside and mold-board of wood. Common blacksmiths of that day could make the share, and scythe and cradle gave way to the mowing machine. The first one in the township was purchased by Job Hayte, and operated by his son, Seth 8. Grain was either tramped out by horses on a floor, or thrashed by hand with first to bring in and operate a power-machine that thrashed and cleaned the grain ready for market. The Prior brothers - Styles A., Benjamin H. and Fred S. - introduced steam-en- | gine power and improved machinery, by which | from 1,000 to 1.500 bushels of oats could be thrashed per day, and 1,000 bushels of wheat. They also brought in and operated portable steam saw-mills, going where wanted on to a man's farm and sawing a job of lumber for building or fencing, without the inconvenience | of hauling logs away to streams for saw-mills. - In 1851, Lots 8, 9 and the "gore," 10, com- .

prising about 335 acres, were taken from Northampton and set to the newly-erected township of Cuyahoga Falls. forming, thereafter. part of its territory. In the year 1873. a new and commodivus town hall was built to better accommodate elections and other public business of the township. and the old hall basement at the center schoolhouse was abandoned.

bed of lime rock underlies the surface of some | portions of the D. G. Myers farm, Lot 33, and © plenty of this stone used to be found upon the | surface east of the center, and burned into a splendid quality of white lime. first-class building sandstone was, in 1874, purchased by L. H. Cox near the iron bridge on |

The following statistics pertaining to this township may be of some interest to our readers: Number of horses 348: value, 3184.15. Cattle, 1.344; value, $21,876. Sheep, 983; value, $2,665. Hogs, 454; value. 31.570. Total value of personal property, $86,264 : estimated full value, $107,835. Total value of real property, 3333,711: estimate full value, 3416.- 166. Aggregate value of real and personal property assessed. $419.971 ; aggregate value of real and personal property. estimated full value. 3524.001. Total receipts from taxation, S5.700.84.

The first place set apart for the burial of the dead was on the Vanhyning farm. and now known as the Harrington burying-ground. and is opposite the Grange Hall The next regularly laid out cemetery was one-half mile west ot the Center. on the hills above Bell Hollow. But. in early days. several private burial-places were made for separate families. Just on the west line of Lot 29. where crossed by the Portage road at the hilltop. are buried old Mr. Daniel Turner and wife. On the east side of the State road and nearly opposite the residence ot Mrs. Candace Thorndyke. there have been several buried. On the north bank of Weodward Run, near the river road crossing on the William Hardy farm. was started a private burial-place. In the center of Lot 19. on the William Prior farm. was also a private family cemetery. where eight or nine were buried. some of them long years ago. Buta portion of them have been taken up and removed to public cemeteries.

John Smith. who settled on and cleared tp what is now known as the Keck Farm. Lot 34, and, who afterward went to Nauvoo, was a man of some inventive genius. To supply the demand for chairs. spinning-wheels, ete.. he constructed a turning-lathe. which consisted of a mandrel attached to a table. and was made to revolye by a string, one end of which was fastened to a spring-pole over head, then down, and took a few turns round the mandrel, and then to a treadle plied by the foot. This ma- chine, revolving both ways. allowed the turning to be done only half the time. or when the motion was direct. A rocking-chair, now owned by Thomas Turner, and another by John Hovey, made in 1831, are specimens of J. Smith's handiwork. A Mr. Collar, who was partially blind, moved into the northeast part of the town. and. being also very ingenious, built a model propeller screw. and, for trial. attached it to a canal boat. where it worked to satisfaction. This was claimed to be an original invention of the propeller screw. Simeon Prior also contrived a device for making wire by hand, and he probably made the first wire west of the Alleghanies. Richard Tew. a blacksmith. was skilled in the art of forging wrought iron. or steel points and shares used on the wooden or bull plows of that day. His louse and shop stood east side the road, on tbe north bank of Mud Brook. where the lane now turns in to the cheese factory. After he died. his family moved away. und the residence was used for a schoolhouse.

The fourth balloon ascension ever made in summit County was by John C. Johnston. of Northampton. He procured an aerostat. and. on the 28th September. 1875. made his tirst ascent from the fair grounds at Akron. in the presence of a vast concourse of anxious spectators. The balloon arose majestically. drifting in a northeasterly direction. and, when nearly over the village of Cuyahoga Falls. and at the height of over 7.000 feet, it exploded. and the perilous fall of about one mile took place. The tubric of this airship. being confined by the cordage. formed a parachute. while the aeronaut, suspended in his basket below. vibrated like a pendulum, by the swaying motion of the balloon in its fearfully rapid descent. atter the gas had escaped. Almost miraculously. he landed on terra firma without bodily harm. Not satisfied with this exciting adventure, he constructed a new balloon, with 25.000 cubic feet capacity, and the next year, after its inflation at the gas works. it was taken to Fountain Park Fair Grounds, where, in starting, some of the ropes were held too long by the attendants, an _ this balloon was thrown against the top limbs of a tree, and so torn that he did not deem it safe to proceed, and only reached the altitude of 1,000 feet, when the gas was let out, and he later ; but, as it was boisterous and stormy, the | attention as his time will permit, believing that balloon was torn to pieces in conveying it from | hydrogen in such vast quantities, being onethe gas works to Fountain Park, since which | eighth part of all the water, is ultimately contime, he has made no further public attempts | nected with the solution of the great problem at ascension. He is still sanguine of final success, and continues to give the subject such

STOW TOWNSHIP - EARLY PHYSICAL CONDITION - FIRST SETTLEMENT AND SUBSEQUENT GROWTH PROGRESS OF INDUSTRIES AND IMPROVEMENTS - VILLAGES, CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.

mete in many respects, is superior to any other township in the county. Its fertile ' soil, valuable timber. winding streams and beautiful lakes, surround it with attractions _ which coming generations will not fail to appreciate and enjoy. There is found through- - out the township that diversity of natural teatures - that tine blending of the beautiful

| contains sutticient alluvium to insure abundant | crops of all kinds. In the vicinity of the lakes ' and the depressed portions, of which there are the landscape gardener. The Cuyahoga River. which winds across the southern part, that tine body of water - Silver Lake - and the various gorges or chasms which 'are cut deeply into which has been washed in by past inundations. Large quantities of sandstone can be had for the trouble of quarrying in exposed places. The streams give ample drainage, even in the the soil, disclosing perpendicular embankments | _ very wet, and even yet are not suitable for culi tivation. In the course of time these will be labor. When we look back through the years | to that bright page in the history of mankind - | 'on Lot 10, thence tlowing across Lots 9, 8. 7, 6, charms. gave to each some name which lingers with it like the sweet memory of joys that are past. we are led to believe that our own beautiful land. adorned as it is with Nature's lavish gifts. will share a similar happy lot. Each lake, each stream. each hill and vale will be sion a deep gorge in the sandstone rocks, which is known as the ~Gulf.' Cochran Pond is located a few rods northwest of Silver Lake, but has no connection with the latter, its outlet thence into Hudson, thence into the northern part of Stow, thence again into Hudson, where it unites with Mud Brook. The latter stream flows across the northwest corner of Stow, entering Turtle Lake on the northeast side. It flows from this lake first into Northampton. thence takes a turn in the western side of Stow, and finally leaves the latter a short distance north of Cuyahoga Falls. Turtle Lake. the largest body of water in the northern part of the county. is intersected by the boundary line. dividing Stow from Northampton. On several sides the land is so low and marshy that artificial approaches to the lake are necessary. if mud and stagnant water are to be In short, the lake has but two or Cochran Pond. named for the first settler on its banks, comprises some four or five acres. and has a low and muddy beach. except, perhaps. on the eastern side. It is too small and shallow to be of any great economic value. Silver Lake is. in many respects. a fine sheet of water. Its length is nearly a mile. and its width nearly half that distance. while its greatest depth approximates twelve fathoms. Some of its approaches are fine. consisting of coarse sand or gravel. Many portions of the bottom are of the same nature. rendering the lake very attractive to bathers. a very essential feature among a people who teach. and evidently practice to a reasonable degree. that 'cleanliness is next to godliness." Many years ago. when the question of supplying the city of Akron with water was on the tapis, Silver Lake was carefully examined; but its water was found to contain impurities, which rendered it unsuitable for that purpose. The lake was once the property of Joshua Stow. who purchased the township of the State of Connecticut. The township was named in his honor, and remained in his possession until his death, when it fell into the hands of his son-in-law, Horace Miller, | who sold it to its present owner, Ralph Lodge. |

Purchasers of land in its vicinity did not want the lake, so that the shore is owned by others. In about the year 1850, Zina Buel constructed a small steamboat, and launched it upon the lake. A wharf was built out from the shore, and buildings were erected for excursionists. A small fare was charged for a ride around the lake; but there was not realized a sufficient revenue to pay for the investment, and the boat was removed. Several persons at different times have been drowned. There are at present several bathing-houses for the benefit of the uncleanly and others.

was one of the first exploring party sent out to He officiated in | the important capacity of Commissary. and the ; first storehouse built at Conneaut was named ©

"Stow Castle.' in his honor. The first cabin in the township was built by a Virginian named William Walker. who had come to Hudson the year before. He was a squatter and built his small, round-log cabin in the northeast corner. on Lot 89.* Here he remained alone until 1804. when Joshua Stow arrived at Hudson to make arrangements for the survey of bis township. He employed Joseph Darrow. a resident of Hudson. who began and completed the survey in 1804. and immediately thereafter there came in William Wetmore. (rregory Powers. Josiah Starr. John Campbell. Thomas Rice and Titus Wetmore. The most of these men built further south in the neighborhood of what is now called Stow Corners. Prior to the war of 1812. there also came in John Gaylord. John Arbuckle. George Darrow. Adam Steele. John Saddler. Joseph Harman. William Lappin. William Leach. Samuel Burnett. Samuei Baker, Jacob Cochran. Caleb Wetmore. Isaac Wilcox, Frederick Victor. Francis Kelsey. Mr. Kelso, Samuel Cheney. Constance Rogers. Jonathan Gaylord. Stephen Butler, Erastus Southmayd. David Ruggles. William McClellan, Bemus Hauilton. Mr. Dailey. Isaac and Thomas Steele and very likely several of the following. who, at least.came in prior to 1825: Joshua Pendleton. Timothy Brainard, David Strong, Ira Barnes, Ethe Wetmore. James Smith. George Hartle. John Kemp. Jesse Pratt. David Sanger, Mr. McAvoy, Chancey Lowery. Mr. Beckley, Martin and Arthur Saddler, William Hibbard. William Galloway, V. M. Thompson. John Graham, Ezra Wyatt, Jacob Richmond. Andrew Rich, Dr. Spaulding. Henry Kenyon, John Blackman, John _awyer, Thomas Gaylord and ty families living in Stow, in rude log cabins scattered at intervals throughout the township. The forests began to go down rapidly, and improvements multiplied. Land steadily increased in value, and settlers poured in to purchase before it over-reached their means.

of August. 1804. the county of Portage. of , _ which Stow was a part, having been created, ' Wetmore was appointed Clerk of the Court. _ and removed to Ravenna ; but, not being satisfied with the empty honor of his official posi- | meat except venison and smaller game. Wolves were troublesome, especially in the night, when they seemed to enjoy surrounding some log cabin when the inmates were lost in slumber and making the night hideous with their howls. Bears were frequently seen, and there was scarcely an early settler who was not accustomed to roam the woods on hunting excursions that did not encounter them, often cumstances. The Indians, whose headquarters were at Boston and Northampton Townships, were accustomed to spend the summers in the neighborhood of Silver and Turtle Lakes. In 1810, the carriage road at Silver Lake was a continuous line of Indian huts. These were made of round poles about six inches in diam-

' eter. the chinks being filled with moss and sod. and locating just east of Silver Lake. The | early records of Stow were not preserved. and | the names of the other first officers cannot be .

dangerous profession of privateering on the ocean. His daughter Harriet was united in marriage with John C. Singletary in 1806. the wedding being the first in the township. A few months later. on the 29th of January. 1807. William Lappin and Elizabeth Walker were married at Stow Corners by Squire Wetmore. In 1806. George Darrow built a frame barn. the first frame structure in Stow. In the echoes of the forests. Numerous small, unpretentious cabins rested in the center of insignificant clearings. upon which could be seen the green plumage of growing grain. Wild animals roamed through the forests. Deer could be seen at almost any hour of the day. Many of the settlers had. for several years. no

About one hundred rods from the huts, on the lake shore, on a neighboring hill, were a great many more. About five hundred Indians - men, women and children - established themselves here for several summers prior to the war of 1812. They were in constant intercourse with the white settlers, and usually all dealings were of a friendly nature. It was well known to the settlers, however, that the Indians might "dig up the hatchet" at any moment. and begin the dreadful work of | slaughter. These thoughts filled the mind, | more especially when it first became known | that war with England had commenced. When | news of the battle of Tippecanoe reached the | Indians. they all withdrew and went toward | the western part of the State, much to the re- ; mals or with the Indians. One day. when John | Campbell was away from home, his wife placed | her little child on the floor. with a cup of milk | _ and a spoon. and closing the door, went a short | distance to one of the neighbor's, on an errand. | window. looked in to see what her baby was : There sat the child upon the floor, © while close at its side was coiled up a large. | yellow, repulsive rattlesnake. It had crawled | up through the cracks of the floor, and, when ; first seen by Mrs. Campbell, was lapping or | drinking the milk, which had been spilled by | the child. Just as the mother was taking her | before they were killed off. So numerous were they. and so dangerous, thut the settlers took turns in watching the rocks, to kill all that came forth. This was done on sunny days in early spring, when the snakes first came from their holes to bask in the sun. It fell upon Mr. Baker to watch the gulf one Sunday, when Deacon Butler was holding a class-meeting in a log cabin close by. While looking down into the gulf. Mr. Baker saw a large number of rattlesnakes crawl from a crevice in the rocks and coil themselves in- the sun. When it seemed that all had come forth, Mr. Baker dropped bis coat near the crevice, and, with a long pole prepared for the purpose, pushed the garment into the opening. He then descended to the rock. and killed sircty-five of the venemous reptiles.

what had taken place, was made known by a son of Mr. Baker. who ran to the log meeting house at the top of his speed. crying out with a loud voice, "Oh, dad's killed a pile of snakes ! dad's killed a pile of snakes!" This paired to the gulf. to continue their thanks for the victory over ihe ancient enemy of man. The rock whence the snakes had crawled was blasted open the next day, though but one was found - a large female, that was thought to be the mother of the numerous progeny that had been killed. Several persons were bitten, and many had narrow escapes from death. A young man - a relative of William Walker - was struck twice on the heel by a large rattle- The Indians had in case of snake-bite. It is said that when the Indians left the plant also disappear u, growing in the woods as usual. This seems somewhat improbable, though the statement comes from some of the oldest and most respected citizens. One day, as Henry Wetmore was gathering nuts motion in the bushes near him, and immediately saw a drove of hogs break cover and run across the clearing to his father's stable. Following motioned for the latter to take a circuit so as to avoid the animal, that seemed in doubt whether it was best to attack the swine in their penornot. When the boy was safe in the cabin, Mrs. Wetmore went out, and, by shouting. frightened the bear into the woods. occasion Jacob Cochran. while in his cabin, heard one of his hogs squealing terribly. and, surmising the cause, he seized his ritle and ran out. in time'to see a larze bear disappearing in dropped the hog, which fell in between two saplings so that it could not be extricated. The detention enabled Mr. Cochran to overtake the bear. which was immediately shot. It was necessary to kill the hog also. as it was terribly torn and mangled. It is probable that William Walker was the most successful and intrepid bear hunter ever a resident of the township. He killed sixteen bears. sometimes under cir-

Mr. Walkers dogs treed bear in a chestnut tree a few cabin. It was shot, and was found to weigh 400 pounds. and was so extremely fat that oil accumulated within the cavity of the body killed. Mr. Walker was a chair-maker, and had a smail log shop near his cabin. One day George W ilson, an Indian, came to the cabin and asked for whisky, which was given to him. He drank the liquor and sat down, and a few minutes later was asked to take a seat at the table and eat with the family. He accepted the invitation with due dignity, seated himself, and was handed a plate well loaded with meat and vegetables. But by this time the liquor had worked into his blood and brain, and, actuated by a devilish spirit, he suddenly, without any to his feet in a passion at the inhospitable act, and started for his rifle to make short work of the savage. But the latter, perceiving the dan- ' ger he was in, ran into a small bedroom and under the bed. Mr. Walker, rifle in hand, endeavored to follow him, but was hindered by his wife and daughter, who had no desire to see the Indian shot. The latter noticed the delay ~and made his escape through the bedroom window, taking refuge in the chair-shop already mentioned. By this time the other members of the family had succeeded in pacifying Mr. Walker, and the refractory redskin was permitted to depart - without his dinner. One day William Lappin and William Leach were at the cabin of John Arbuckle, when six or seven four inches in height, and Wabmung, an underchief of the Ottawas. passing along, stopped to - He said to his wife, " It's now death for one of talk with the settlers and get some tobacco. Mr. Leach traded his his hat with one of the Indians for some article belonging to the latter ; but. immediately perceiving that he had been cheated. he snatched the lat from the head of the redskin and placed it on his own. This was an insult which the savage would not brook. so. raising his tist, he knocked Leach ilat on the ground. The act was uv sooner 'lone than Lappin sprang forward and with one blow sent the Indian sprawling by the side of Leach. Lappin was immediately assailed by John High and several others. though he succeeded in keeping them at bay, and the fight became veneral. Blood began to flow from sundry noses. and knives gleamed in the air. One of the Savages snatched up a rifle. and pointed it at Lappin, intending to shoot him ; but the Chief Wabmung, who had remained an impassive spectator of the tight thus far. sprang forward and struck the muzzle up just as the eun was discharged. No harm was done. and the Indian. thinking, doubtless, he might get into trouble. took to his heels and was soon out of sight. The fight was over and the Indians took their departure. Jonathan Williams. the Indian-hunter. lived for a number of years in a little log cabin. in the northwest part of the township. on Mud Brook. He gained great notoriety for his antipathy for the Indians. many of whom he shot on the slightest provocation. He had been one of those professional Indian slayers who, during the latter part of the last century, were in the habit of invading the Indian country to carry on their work of extermination. Williams was a dead shot, and was feared by the Indians. One day a member of the tribe came to his cabin and told him that a snake was on his track and would bite him. Without any further explanation the Indian went away. Mr. Williams construed this statement to mean that one of the tribe was lurking around to get a favorable opportunity to shoot him. He, therefore, began The following morning, before leaving the cabin, he took a careful look from the little window, and, while scrutinizing the woods on the border of the clearing, saw an Indian suddenly peer from behind a tree about twenty rods distant, and then as suddenly conceal himself. Williams told us; I'll trick him. Tie up the dog, and don't be scared." So saying, he suddenly opened the door, and before the Indian had time for a hostile movement, the former took refuge behind a bank of earth near the house. He hurried a short distance and got behind a large tree, and, with his ritle ready, began to watch cautiously for the approach of his foe. He saw the Indian's dog coming toward him, and thought it must soon discover his hiding-place. Suddenly, the Savage glided through a small glade in the edge of the woods. This was sufficient, and, like a flash, Williams raised his rifle and fired, just as his enemy was disappearing behind the bank already alluded to.- The bullet went straight to its mark, and the Savage fell upon the earth and expired. hurried forward, and, securing the gun, shot the dog that had come so near revealing his hiding-place. He was at a loss at first what to do with the body. The death of the Indian would be avenged. if known to his friends. Finally. it was taken and sunk in Mud Brook. Williams went back to the cabin, and his wife, who had heard the report of both rifles, and was greatly distressed, not knowing what shape affairs had taken, was overjoyed to know that he was safe. The death of this savage, George Wilson. was not discovered until after the Indians had left the county, so that all danger from them was averted.

ure in frightening the wives of the settlers when the latter were absent. They would enter the cabins and flourish their weapons in an ominous manner, and a plentiful supply of whisky and victuals would be their reward. They would often brandish their scalping knives over the heads of children until the mother was half-distracted, when they would get almost anything they demanded, and go off grunting with satisfaction at the success of their artifice. It way be said, however. that generally the Indians were orderly, unless they had been abused or were under the influence of whisky.

Mud Brook Swamp in the northwest corner. was the resort during the spring of the year of countless thousands of pigeons. They would come to this place to roost after having feasted all day on beech and other nuts growing on the higher grounds. When they all took wing. the noise was like the rushing of a mighty wind. They often filled the air so that the sun could not be seen; and when they settled in the forest, large trees were broken down by them. It was dangerous to go into the swamps that were filled with pigeons, and the voice had to be elevated to be heard.

The early settlers in Stow suffered the usual hardships incident to pioneer life. They were obliged often to live as best they could. Flour and meal were difficult to get, and when procured were judiciously used and made to go as far as possible. It was a universal rule in pioneer mathematics. that the means of supply were inversely as the appetite to be gratified.

like the plagues of Egypt. It was a fortunate thing that they remained in the East with their money bags - fortunate for them and for the rapid settlement and improvement of the West. But, after all, hard times were experienced -

It was not long after the settlers had become quite numerous, before industries began to spring up in various parts of the township. to furnish for the steady demand supplies nearer the river at Monroe Falls. in about the year 1817. by Griswell & Woleott. At the same time. a man named Francis Kelsey erected a grist-mill at the same place. These three men united means and built a log-dam where the present one is located. The grist-mill was located on the north side of the river, and the saw-mill on the south. side was owned by John Graham. but he en- all kinds were exorbitant. labor of the hardest kind received scarcely any reward, and all efforts were exhausted in the one object - to live. It is singular how the plastic nature of mankind can be molded for almost any condition of circumstances. Actual enjoyment can be had in the midst of imminent peril or distressing surroundings. The se' 'ers saw the bright side of their situation, and made the most of it. They were contented, because their customs were homogeneous, and their trials identical. If some settler had come in very wealthy and aristocratic ; if he had dressed his family in silks, satins and broadcloths cut according to until 1836, with a few insignificant interruptions, at which time they were purchased by the Monroe brothers. of Boston Township. For a number of years prior to this change in owners, the mills had been neglected, especially the saw-mill, which had become somewhat rickety, and sadly in need of repairs. The Monroes, at i f the time they purchased the mills, also secured | appeared, and it seemed at first as though the about two hundred and fifty acres of land, all, ' bright expectations of the Monroes were to be a at least a portion, upon which the village of realized. They founded a" bank," and began nee ee mate nee a Neate fee " wild-cat," " re " bills of credit in é ch was 'ound a village | limited quantities.* arvey soon found tha that should become the public mart of all te | the Months store was bantanally injuring ca surrounding country, and a metropolis of opu- | trade, so, about two years after the appearlence and importance. At this period there | ance of the brothers, he either sold out or were some eight or ten residences in the village ; | closed out, and went to Akron, according to but, so far as can be learned, no lots had been | the reports. The Monroes purchased his storeregularly surveyed and platted. It is thought : room and filled it with goods, and thus monopthat William Stow built the first dwelling in | olized the trade in the village. Their stock laeepes: ; a etn eye ee at a Nery; wae increased until they probably owned about sea y- "laa e a a the proprietor | 35,000 worth of goods. About the year 1828, f the township, but had so d a large por- | or perhaps earlier, James Griffiths erected a tion of it to settlers: and speculators. His | wooden factory a few rods below the saw-mill, ae cap ake ates on the south side _ on the same (south) side of the river. He se- 'a e river, and is yet standing. John cured a paying custom trade. Wool-growers raham lived on the north side, but had , in the vicinity brought their wool to him to be rae | spun cretion commed in tee actors Sate ) ; e } ; also | spun, and then returne e factory to be | oe the eee am Eat pause penicl | manufactured into flannel and various other | ebulon Stow, Mr. Griffiths and several others. | varieties of cloth. It must be remembered | The Monroes evidently expected to make their , that there were no ready-made clothing stores | fortunes. They were quite wealthy when they | in those days. Suits for men and women were , purchased the village and mill-sites, and they ' cut and made in the houses by the wives of the | ventured all they had in the enterprise, confi- ' settlers, many of whom became expert tailors, dently anticipating, as many did in early years, - especially if they had large families and large that a city would spring up around them, like quantities of cloth to be disposed of. At cermushrooms from a hot-bed. They immediately tain seasons of the year, the entire family _ laid out about a hundred lots. and in a few . would be provided with new suits. Journey- | | years succeedel in securing the incorporation* men tailors traveled from house to house, and | _ ot the village. which, in their honor, had been took contracts at reduced rates to make suits © / named Monroe Falls. At the time they pur- for the whole family, often furnishing the ' chased all the land for sale in the village or cloth. Griffiths conducted his factory until | surrounding it. they built a small storeroom, 1836. when the entire property was bought by . and placed therein about $1.200 worth of the Monroes. Converse & Barnes began man- . goods. A number of years before. perhaps as ufacturing chairs in about 1833, and soon had | early as 1830. Jobn S. Harvey had come to the quite a brisk trade. They peddled their wares - - Falls. had built a residence and a small store, in a wagon, which traversed the country for a | and had placed in the latter 3600 worth of a circuit of many miles. Converse was a local general assortment of goods, consisting mostly preacher, and conducted many of the early | of groceries and notions. He had obtained a meetings at the village. Some three or four fair country trade, and, according to the re- _ men were employed to assist in the manufact- ' ports, had refused to sell to the Monroes, who ure of the chairs. The owners continued the _ desired to purchase his property. The Mon- business until 1836, when the property, like - roes wished no competition in the early history almost all the balance, fell into the hands of | of their village. and had tried to purchase all , the Monroe Brothers. Many years before this, | property or enterprises that would in any way .Mr. Graham, who had lived on the north side interfere with their intentions or obstruct their of the river, built a small distillery, and began rapid march to opulence and fame. Several manufacturing 2 limited quantity of whisky. / lots were sold. and tradesmen and mechanics . Considerable liquor was made, which found a |/\ * Gen. Birrce. * Gen. Bierce. | | '3 ready sale in the neighborhood. Mr. Wetmore, also, at an early day, e , erected a distillery on what was then called Stow Pond. He also made quite a quantity of the drink which inebriates. These enterprises (which. by the way, brought to the owners a profitable reyenue), were quite popular in early years. and continued so throughout what is now Summit County, until about the year 1830, when a large number of temperance societies was organized, whose objects were to depict the enormity of the evil tendency of the liquor trafic, and to suppress the supply and demand among the settlers. The two distilleries above mentioned were closed, however. before this crusade. The temperance movement became so strong and universal. that William Stow was induced to offer 160 acres of land just north of Silver Lake (this land is yet known as ~ temperance lot'), to be div ided equally among those who would take the pledge and become abstainers. Many were thus induced to renounce their intemperate habits ; but a deed to the land was not nade out. was neglected. and. at Mr. Stow's death, his heirs refused to comply with his promises. and retained the ownership of the "temperance lot."

It will be seen that the Monroes became the owners of about all the business enterprises in | the village in 1836. These men threw a yast ' deal of energy and capital into their gigantic undertaking, and deserved a better financial fate than they were compelled to suffer. They soon found that they had miscalculated. But few artisans and no capitalists came to their relicf. Instead of rising in value. the property depreciated from the price fixed by the Monroe purchase. The proprietors had encountered large expense. They tore down the gristmill and the saw-mill. and erected larger and better ones. The saw-mill was located on the north side of the river, and the grist-mill on the south side, the reverse of what had formerly been. The latter mill was established further down the river, and a long race, coming from the dam, supplied it with water-power. After struggling some ten years with their undertaking, the Monroe Brothers. seeing that they had failed and had lost large sums of money, gradually went out of business. Their "promises to pay" were not fulfilled, and many others besides themselves lost quite heavily. The property, or the most of it, fell least. both men at different times owned the mills, and it may be that others also. at times. owned an interest in them previous to their being purchased by the Cleveland Paper Company. The saw-mill was owned by various parties, as was also the yrigt-mill. E. P. Willis sold goods in the village about the time of the Monroe purchase. Others have followed the mercantile pursuit at different times. A small hotel was built on the canal in early years Phillip North, in about the year 1842. was cn. gaged in manufacturing hoes - cutting the metallic portions from plates of iron or steel. and furnishing them with handles. Luther Loomi= conducted an excellent store for many years. Charles Reed has a small store ut present. [nu 1866. the grist-mill was purchased by the Cleveland Paper Company. It was fitted up with the apparatus neccssary for the manutacture of paper: but after a year or two was burned to the ground. whereupon the present commodious building was erected on the same site. Under the superintendency of Mr. Hall, there has been manufactured an average of three tons of paper each day. About thirty employes are kept constantly at work. and the village. at present. is populated almost wholly by the families of these workmen. All the coarser varieties of paper are manufactured. Many other things might be said about Monroe Falls, but enough has been given to exhibit its general growth and decay.

It must be noted that other industries arose than those in the two villages in the township. Henry Wilcox owned and operated a saw- mill on Mud Brook as early as 1820. Josiah Starr having built it a year or two before. The " Bryan Mill" was started quite early. and continued many years. There was also un excellent saw-mill on Fish Creek at an early day Many others have been conducted at different In about the year 1819, Mr. Thorndyke. son of a wealthy merchant of Boston. Mass.. opened a general store on Lot 14. After a short time, the store was moved to Lot 12; but, at the was abandoned. and the bnilding was use by the Methodists as a house of worship. After the first settlers had opened up the township. and greatly modified the hardships to be under- Capital sought investment, and, erelong, Stow could boast of a population as large and as enlightened in general knowledge as it can at present. A much larger portion of the land was covered with forest than now, and the roads and streams were in a very unsatisfactory. condition. In the year 1837, there occurred one of those earth, spreading death and destruction in their course. It visited the township on the 20th of October. about 3 o'clock in the morning, striking the earth first, in the western part, near the center road, and thence passing a trifle north of east. until it reached about the center of the township. when it either spent itself, or arose above the tops of the trees. The force of the wind must have been terrific. as large trees were snapped off like pipe-stems, and carried bodily severai yards from the stump. Those who heard its approach. knew from the awful roar that was mingled with the crash of falling trees. that something unusual and dreadful was in the air. Its pathway had an average width of about forty rods. and. though its course lay through the heaviest timber. not a tree was left standing ; but all were heaped in tangled and promiscuous confusion. I[t was accompanied with almost incessant flashes of vivid lightning and volleys of the deepest thunder. and the rain came down in angry torrents. It struck Cochran Pond. and very likely carried up large quantities of water. The residence of Frederick use of his mind. Mrs. Collins. the mother of Mrs. Sandford, was also killed, while the latter. with the exception of a few bruises, was uninjured. Mary, the daughter, aged about sixteen. was found lying insensible on a gate that had been wrenched from its hinges, and carried ten When found.

probably endeavoring to put on in the few terrible moments before the cloud struck the house. She was comparatively uninjured. and. after a spell of sickness. caused by the drenching rain.

calamity, she fully recovered, and is yet living | within a few rods of where the old house stood. | The cloud passed on; wrenched asunder Mr. | Grabam's new house; carried off the roof of | the one occupied by Dr. Wells; crushed in the | gable of the Barnes residence, pinning several - by the gyrating cloud. Had it been otherwise, the historian would have more deaths to record. A plow, that had been left in a field in an up- | right position, though not in the ground, was plunged in to the depth of eighteen inches, and

Articles belonging to the house were picked up several miles away ; among these was a small Quite a number of domestic animals were killed or mangled.

The first house in Stow Corners was built as early as 1806, by Ezra Wyatt, and was a sinall log building. located on the southwest corner of Lot 36. Within the next two years, three Stephen Perkins built on the northwest corner of Lot 26, on a small tract of five acres which he owned there. Caleb Wetmore built soon afterward, as did also Titus Wetmore a few months later. The last named built a double log house for the purpose (as stated by one of his descendants) of furnisbing a dancing-hall for the neighborhood. Samuel Baker lived near by, and was a blacksmith by trade, the first in the township. Several other residences were erected in the village, but no store was opened until about the year 1820, when a man named Johnson placed a small stock of goods in the Wyatt of the building, using it for a tavern. He was succeeded by Allen Nickerson, who, in about 1843, transferred the property to Gen. Gross The latter kept the most disreputable place ever in the township. It was a resort for the lewd and vicious, and was a disgrace to the neighborhood. The old building was discar«- ed many years ago, and a new one erected. Dr. Sweeney owned and conducted the tavern for a number of years. It has since changed hands several times, and is at present owned by C. E. Kidney, who has a small stock of ; liquors, which he vends to convivial spirits. It is styled the Cliff House. Mr. Gross kept a few goods for sale, as did also a man namedl Edmunds. nery for some four years, beginning in 13842. A few other industries have arisen in the village at different times.

Knowledge obtained of the early schools is exceedingly limited. Recollection, upon which the historian largely depends, is erratic and ' treacherous. Traditions are vague, improbable and unsatisfactory. No one in the past has taken the trouble to gather crumbs of information for the intellectual appetite of coming generations. It has been a matter of no pecuniary interest or advantage, and has been studiously omitted from the curriculnm of pursuits. The plodding details of agriculture have been far more attractive, for therein was seen the glitter of gold. The historian casts his hook in the Stream of Time; it is swept backward; a strange sensation is felt along the line; a sudden effort is made, and a few quivering minnows of information are thrown upon the shores of the Present. Mrs. (Walker) Lappin, of Boston, says that the first school in Stow was taught in the northeast corner, in the cabin of William Walker, as early as the winter of 1806-07. A young Vir- | ginian, named Dennis Ryan, who had_ just come into the township, and who was decidedly averse to chopping all day in the woods for a pittance, made the effort, and succeeded in getting a sufficient number of scholars subscribed to insure him something more than a living. The term was three months in length. and the subscription per scholar was $1.50. The teacher boarded around, and probably cleared the greater share of his wages. About fifteen scholars were enrolled, quite a number of whom came from the southern part of Hudson

Township. Samuel Burnett had built a log | cabin in the northern part in about the year - 1805, but had vacated it some two years later, going no one knew whither. This building was appropriated for school purposes, and terms were taught there for several years, beginning in 1808. A man named Lowell taught here quite early. As near as can be learned, a schoolhouse was built in the vicinity of Stow Corners in about the year 1810. at which time the Burnett house mentioned above was abandoned, and the children in the northern part sent to the former. It is possible that this building - the Wetmore Schoolhouse - was erected two or three years before 1510. It was located a short distance west of the present village site, and used until about 1516. when a frame building was erected. and located nearly south of where Josiah Wetimores residence now stands. This house was used some twenty or twenty-five years. when the present one was constructed. The latter has been enlarged anil remodeled until it resembles a newly-built schoolhouse. The first school building was erected at Monroe Falls in about the year 1816. Two other houses have succeeded it, each an improvement on its predecessor. School was taught in the cabin of Mr. Rice. near the Center, by Emma Cannon. as early as 1810. In 1825, there were more schoolhouses in the township than the present namber - eight. There were then at least nine. and very probably ten or eleven. The greater number were built of logs, and were rude. inconvenient. unattractive. cheerless affairs. Notwithstanding their gloomy, dismal surroundings. they were well attended. and were the basis of the splendid public school system of to-day. One important feature of the early schools should be noticed. Knowledge was not turned into scholars by a sort of pouring process. The teacher refused to afford any assistance save where the scholar, after patient and protracted study. could not sueceed. The schoolhouse was not a playhouse; it was a workhouse - a place where many a self-made man received his first insight of the hard labor that was before him, Erastus Southmayd was one of the early teachers at the Center. He taught many terms, and his reputation as a competent instructor became widespread.

the first few years, the settlers went to Hudson to attend religious service. When Deacon Butler came to the township in about the year 1806, he began forming a small class, which The meetings were enthusiasm. Local preachers from Hudson addressed the congregation occasionally. as did also itinerant preachers. Butler was a Presbyterian, and an entertaining speaker. The society used the schoolhouse. Among the early members were Stephen Butler, William Stow, John

| Gaylord, Thomas Gaylord and their families, | and others. They built a small frame church | in about 1833, in which they continued to wor- | Ship with increasing numbers, until near 1843, | when the Disciples got possession of the church, and the Presbyterians went to Cuyahoga Falls. This building was used until a few years ago, when the present structure was erected. The , ahove is given on the authority of Josiah Wet- | more. It is stated that a St. John's Church | society was organized at Stow Corners in about the year 1818 ; that it grew and flourished, and ' was finally removed to Cuyahoga Falls, where | it yet lives, well advanced in years, but with the vigor of youth in its limbs, if the figure | may be indulged in. The church at the Cor- _hers is the only one in the township ; but from | this it should not be inferred -that the citizens | lack religious interest and zeal. They belong , to churches in other townships.

Chapter

*-The ax rang sharply 'mid those forest shades Which, from creation toward the sky Had tower'd in unshorn beauty.' - Mrs. Sigourney. T is difficult to realize, as we walk the streets of our beautiful towns and cities, and note the squares of solid blocks, the immense ware-

" tifal bills and valleys were peopled by wandering savages, and formed a part of one vast wilderness, which gave no sign or promise of the multitudes of a strange race by which it is now science and art which should make their lives 30 different from that of their rude predecessors. Here the bold immigrant pitched his lonely tent seemed the only occupation of their simple lives, and the only end of their existence. The sound of the woodman's ax rang out amid this mighty solitude, frightening the denizens of the into the varied hum of a thousand industries, which now occupy the millions of busy men and women, who have been born and reared under a civilization which had its first beginnings in the rude log-cabins of those sturdy pioneers.

A pleasanter task could scarcely be given than that which devolves upon the chronicler of our early history. Could he but reproduce the scenes of three-quarters of a century ago, with all their

| natural surroundings, that the reader in imagination might see the unhewn log hut with its crevices filled with clay ; the adobe chimney ; the broad fire-place, and the rough, unseemly way have passed across the entire breadth of the farm. Could he picture the rude shed, made of poles and covered with branches, which was the forerunner of the fine bank barn, in which our modern owner of the same farm stores the wealth of grain and produce gathered from the fields his forefathers conquered, or the winding path to the edge of the woods, where, beneath some spreading beech or maple, the spring bubbled forth and cut for itself a tiny path toward some larger stream. where. after their slaking thirst, in the hot midday, the settler and and talk of the trip to the mill or post office ten or fifteen miles away. Could he show the reader " the slashing,' where the men, the boys and

| the girls were busy. making and burning logheaps and brush-piles getting «another piece ready for wheat or corn. the paths that indicate the direction of their near neighbors. perhaps miles away. Could the historian. we repeat, picture all these scenes in their wild but natural beauty, he would bring before many a reader similar scenes, whose impress have been lett in the mind by the oft-repeated stories of the grayhaired grandsire. recounted with many an ani-

1797. In 1806 and 1807, the balance was surveyed, until which time the Indians owned all territory west of these rivers. This land was divided among the stock-holders in this way. The numbers of the townships were placed on

The book in which these assignments of ter- _ 'ritory was kept. was cailed the ~ Book of | | Drafts," and was the foundation of all titles to before noticed. closed on the bank of the Tuscarawas, fifty-six miles west of the Pennsylyania line. this being the western boundary of - the United States at that time. and on a tree, .

from these general recollections to the more prosy subject of our work. Coventry Township is bounded on the north by Portage Township and Akron City; on the east by Springfield Township ; on the south by Green and Franklin Township ; and on the west by the Tuscarawas River and Norton Township. A small portion of its territory projects from the northern center into Portage, on the western margin of the corporation line of Akron ,City. Its southern boundary is the famous south line of the Western Reserve, or forty-first parallel of north latitude. This line was run during the spring and summer of 1797, by one Seth Pease and an assistant, one of an expedition sent out by the Connecticut Land Company, to survey the land which they had purchased of the State of Connecticut. $1,200,000 for the tract included between latitude 41° and 42° 2' north, and extending west 120 miles from the Pennsylvania line. This somewhat from the original survey. but not much considering the distance and surroundings. South of this line, the land belonged to "Uncle Sam,' and was surveyed by order of Congress, townships made six miles square, and was called Congress Land " to distinguish it from the " Reserve.' At the time of this of the Tuscarawas and the " Indian trail," belonged to the Indians, and hence the township was fractional. This additional territory, however, was added to it, when the survey was completed in 1806, just after it was ceded to the Government by the Indians in 1805. she Tuscarawas encroaches upon the territory of

Coventry

The general surface outline is quite diversified, and, when: we consider the whole area we find as great a variety as could well be shown on as limited an area. The Tuscarawas enters near the middle of the southern half of the eastern boundary, passing in its beautifully winding | course through the central part to the center of ! the western boundary, thence continuing ina; southwesterly direction until it leaves the con- » fines of Coventry, entering Franklin and continuing onward toward " The Father of Waters," to | be lost in its bosom or carried onward to mingle » The Tus- | 'carawas has many small tributaries, perhaps the most important of which is Brewster's Run. which enters from Springfield and traverses the eastern half of the township, entering the river above the outlet of "Long Lake." This lake is a natural basin of pure water containing excellent fish, which formed a source of provision for the early settlers, as well as the savage red men who ranged the forest and fished in these beautiful lakes with bis crude tackle, and perhaps had as good luck as some modern experts .

who frequent the place. Another lake of contion but for the uses to which it has been put by the enterprising advocates of "rapid transit." is Summit Lake. situated in the extreme northern center and occupying a position on the "divide" which separates the lake system of drainage from that of the Mississippi Valley. Originally it was surrounded by an impenetrable tamarack swamp, without any outlet worthy the name, and its source of supply springs at the sides and bottom, with the waters from the surrounding hills. It was,in 1825 or thereabouts, used as the source of supply for the upper level of the Ohio Canal, which passes through it. There is a number of smaller lakes, among which is Manning's Pond, on the northern margin of Summit "Lake, connected therewith by a stagnant stream through which the water flows either way according to the varying supply in the larger body. Another is Nesmith Lake situated about a fourth of a mile west of the geographical center of the touched at the eastern side, and the dusky warriors perchance were wont to rest and slake their thirst at this point on their expeditions to and from the North. A small body of water east of Long Lake and connected with it in

: high water, is called "Mud Lake," perhaps, on | account of the swampy and uncertain character | of the shores. Its dark waters are said never , to have been fathomed, and the stories of the ; bed-cords and clothes-lines that have been used in the fruitless search for the remote foundations thereof, are, at least, interesting to one who has ofttimes paddled the frail canoe over its placid surface while trying to catch the "speckled bass" or the "blue sunfish." Perhaps, the most interesting body of water in the township is the reservoir, a series of conpartly artificial. It is situated in the extreme southern part, extending into Green and Franklin Townships and covers considerable territory. It was built in 1840 or thereabouts, and was designed to secure a sufficient quantity of water tor the use of the canal, which was at this time the principal outlet for the trade of Central Ohio. The great number of boats passing through threatened to exhaust the supposed abundant supply in Summit Lake.

plication thereof." At the time when the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal was projected, the route was located through Middlebury into Coventry, and following the Wolf Ledge Run was to have emptied into the Ohio Canal above the guard lock, by means of a lock, which would have helped to supply the deficiency on the sumunit level, for which the reservoir was constructed at a cost of over $150,000 to the taxpayers of the State. But the Akron mill-owners perceived that if this canal could be brought into Akroi on the line of the Crosby race (by enlarging it and running up to the Summit basin by means of a lock located ubove their sup- | ply race, they would get the benefit of both the | enlargement and of each lockful of water let down, eventually, from the summit level; hence pressure was brought to bear and the route was changed. But the supply of water on the summit level was not suflicient for both canals, and the reservoir was built. Itis supplied by means of a race which starts from the Tuscarawas about a mile from the eastern boundary line, near the Steese coal bank, runs west along the hillsides which skirt the valley, to within half a mile of Long Lake where it turns south, still also a part of the great supply reservoir. These discharge through Long Lake into the Tuscarawas, a little south of the center of the township. This point was also made the terminus of the Portage path by the Indians, because the accession of waters from these lakes made the river navigable at all seasons to this point for their birch canoes. with the canal.a dam and a supply race or southern part, where it is considered the best wheat land in the Reserve. Along the valley of the Tuscarawas are beautiful meadows, and. in the spring and summer seasons, the rich verdure relieved by occasional patches of timber left to remind one of what it was fifty years the beach of a great inland sea which extended over the entire basin now occupied by our chain of great lakes. to this sea, in all probability, cut through this the sharp curve in the river at this point. These facts are shown by an examination of the character of the deposits along this old channel. The surface is of drift origin, while underlying it we find the carboniferous formation in full. The coal measures are overlaid with shale, while above this is sand rock. Immense quantities of coal are being mined in this township, and of an excellent quality. The vein averages in thickness about four and a half feet. There is some irregularity, however, due, no doubt, to the uneven bottom of the old coal marsh, in which the vegetation it is formed of, was deposited, and when the overlying clays were deposited, the coal material lay ininers, and are called " horse-backs," or " hogs- A bed of hard iron ore is found over nearly all the measures opened, varying from Peat bogs are also found. some of which are said to be

' from thirty to forty feet in depth. This, by a from some low lands along the natural depres- | sion in which the township was located. the | process of drying, is made into an article of fuel, which may develop into a possible future supply. in case the coal measures are exhausted. Mr. J. F. Brunot prepared some for market. but it has no more than one-half the heating power prices. It is an excellent fertilizer, and is of great value to the intelligent ugriculturist. Shell marl is sometimes found. which is one of the whole farm. These peat and marl beds are the filled-up lakelets that ages ago occupied their sites, and which became overgrown with weeds and grasses, until they finally disappeared. Some of them are even good meadows, over which cattle have roamed for years. One of these dead lakes was discovered recently rods, are in the first stages of progress toward the formation of peat bogs. Many granite bowlders are found, and the curious may wonder whence they came. These rocks are evidences of the powerful iceberg and glacial agency in the distribution of the surface rocks, and in the formation of surface features. They imperfect civilization began to throw upon these shores the scattered settlers who were to form the picket line for the conquering race, there lived besides these lakes and streams bands of Indians belonging to the Delaware tribe. The territory over which these Indians hoga southward to the Ohio River. On the east was the country of the [roquois family, or "Six Nations," while to the north and west lay the hunting-grounds of the Ottawas and Wyandots. Thus we find ourselves on the borders of disputed grounds. The Delawares had been driven from the homes of their forefathers on the inating in their judgments. Many of those | venturesome persons who preceded the actual | settler, styled Indian hunters, met with tragic ° deaths at their hands. Hopocan, or Capt. Pipe, as sometimes called, ! a Delaware chief, had his village near New | Portage, in Coventry Township, which was con- | sidered of much importance on account of its being at the head of navigation. The whites looked upon it in a somewhat similar manner, for we find that, in 1787, an ordinance was passed declaring the Tuscarawas navigable to this point, and " forever to be kept open for the ~ use of the United States.' By the treaty of . Fort McIntosh, in 1785, Coventry, with all the land east of this stream, and the Cuyahoga, was ceded to the United States by the Indians. | The history of the " State of Coventry " begins - with the downfall at this date of the " Kingdom of New Portage," King Hopocan soon being .

by the powerful Iroquois confederation, which extended from the Hudson to the valley of the Cuyahoga, some time in the middle of the preceding century. After wandering through Pennsylvania and into Ohio, they finally settled down in the beautiful valley of the Tuscarawas and Muskingum. They belonged to the great Algonquin family. which included all the tribes east of the Mississippi and north of the Tennessee, except the isolated [roquois before mentioned. They all spoke dialects of the same language, while the [Iroquois had a different language. The Wyandots and Ottawas were Iroquois. but spoke a different dialect from the Six Nations, and were at bitter enmity with them, and frequently combined with the Delawares against their kinsmen. When incursions were made to the northward. their route was from New Portage (their principal village in the north) to the southern terminus of the Indian trail, by canoe, thence overland (often carrying their canoes with them) along this portage path, past the western border of Summit Lake. and over the hill past the present site of the house of Col. Simon Perkins, northward to the Cuyahoga at Old Portage, where they again embarked. These Delawares, or Lenni Lenapes. as they called themselves, were a brave and intelligent people. It is true they were at times cruel, and not very discrimriver, under the above-named treaty, which he signed with all the dignity of a born monarch. as "Hopocan, King of New Portage." This treaty remained in force, with only occasional infringements. until 1805, when the treaty of Fort Industry was signed. by which the western boundary was moved further west, and the Indians. who remained in this territory for some years longer, remained by sufferance of the (rovernment.

The Delawares were generally friendly to the settlers, except when on the war-path. Hopocan led them in the battle in which St. Clair was clefeated, and he afterward declared that he had that day " tomahawked whites until his arm ached." He was at Maumee Rapids when *" Mad Anthony " broke the spirit of the Indians of the northwest, who had combined to drive the invaders from their chosen hunting-ground. In 1812. Hopocan and his tribe took sides with the British, and when the fate of war was decided against them, he signed the treaty of Greenville. After lingering for a time in the lands which they had chosen. but which was now rapidly filling up with whites, these Delawares hade farewell to the homes they had hoped would be permanent, but which, alas. had proved to them hut a transient resting-place in the in- sweeps everything before it. The weak and broken remnant of a once proud and powerful nation was finally settled upon a small reservation in the Indian Territory.

In 1806, Daniel Haines came into the unsettled wilderness of Coventry. He was from Pennsylvania, and settled on a piece of land near the northeast corner of the township. on what is now known as the Sumner farm. His jog cabin was built in the midst of the forest. a little south of the site of the large stone house. which now occupies the sightly position on the hill back from the road. A small red house now occupies almost the exact spot, and thus keeps in remembrance the location of the first house built by the hands of the paletiace in Coventry. "Uncle Dan." as the younger cleared a small place. where he lived happily in his forest home for anumber of years. Ariel Bradley. at Mogadore. Joseph Darrow. at Darrow Street. and old Deacon Hudson. at Hudson,

' time he settled in the central part of the township. in a small ravine by the side of a spring. about a mile anda half trom the north line. and about the same distance trom the east line family of children, who figure largely in the history of the early settlement of this section. The next settler of whom we have Amos Spicer. who

They were near neighbors, and were wont to go back and forth almost daily to see that all was well with the respective families. At this time there were

Middlebury, and a few in Portage Township, in the neighborhood in which Akron is now located. so that they were not so much alone in the world as " Uncle Dan" had been for some years before. Still they felt isolated from the world outside of their little settlement, and cut off from friends and acquaintances, and why should they not feel so, for were they not embarked in an uncertain venture, in a wild and untrained country ? Many anecdotes are related of the skill with which the old Captain could avoid the difficulties of living in a region where men were obliged to depend upon their own resources and ingenuity in the emergencies that daily arose. One incident in which he figured as an actor was related to us by an old settler. It seems that an old bear made a raid on the pig-pen of Maj. Spicer. and carried off the squealing porker to the ravine in the edge of the cemetery, where he proceeded to make a meal. After satisfying himself. he left the remains for the morrow. and betook himself to ° his ramblings. But Avery Spicer. a boy of twelve. caught bruin in the act. and straightway ran to get Capt. Spicer to help to capture him. They soon matured a plan. which was to set a gun-trap, so that when he returned to get the rest of his pork (as they had no doubt he would). he would shoot himself. They loaded their muskets with big loads. putting in several balls. and placed them on forks driven in the ground. just high enough to be in range with the bear. should he get upon their strings at any point. Three of these guns were set with strings from the triggers. rnnning over little forks to the dead hog. After having everything arranged. they retired to the house to await developments. In the night. they were startled by the report of one of the old muskets. and. on going out. they found the bloody trail of bruin leading down the ravine. They followed cautiously for some rods. when they came upon the dying thief. The old musket had sent its load clear through him. Such adventures formed the spice and variety of life to these old pioneers. and they

About this time, Jesse Allen bought out old Daniel Haines. and settled by the side of Capt. Spicer. This was also in 1811, and shortly after, Nathaniel Allen, his half-brother, came in south of them, and bought the farm that is now the Philemon Allen farm. Jesse Allen was the first Justice of the Peace in the township, in which capacity he served for many years. In 1815, Israel Allen also came into the same neighborhood, and was also a Justice of the Peace for many years. Nathaniel and his good wife, " Aunt Massey,' as the boys called her, planted the first orchard in the were the best they could get, simply "seedlings," raised in the garden from seeds gathered wherever they could get the fruit. Here, in after years, they had a cider-mill, the first

| a large orchard. People came here from ten or twelve miles in all directions to get cider. | Here, surrounded by their children, their broth- | ers and families, they lived and died, after |

' married, and their children are among the peo- _ ple who to-day are performing the work allotted to this generation. Another settler in this originally opened by a Mr. Whittlesey, who - leased the place, but afterward the lease was / bought off. and since that time it has been op- ' erated by Alexander Brewster or his sons. | Stephen Brewster's sister married old John - Bellows, and they settled near there at about the same time. and the two families raised their children here, where they lived for many years and died, to be succeeded by their descendants, who still own the most of the lands their fathers or grandfathers cleared. Ithamore Bellows. who is looked upon as an old settler, that they could see the proceedings on the inside as they transpired. Late in the evening, "Cupid" was making rapid strides toward match-making, and the curtain ought to have been down, when a laugh from the outside interrupted proceedings. Young Bellows seized his hat and gave chase. We are led to suspect that one or both of these fellows engaged in this shabby trick was smitten by the same fair face. But Ithamore came out winner.

place, and opened probably the first coal-bank in the township. It was a thin vein, however, and was abandoned after the Brewster bank was opened. His father settled in Green Township, and William came over into Coventry and settled, where he lived and died. Another of learn the name; but, after his father died, the mother came up and lived on this son's farm. She had a little house where she lived alone, not far from the log schoolhouse that used to

Basil Viers, the ancestor of the numerous families of that name who still live in various parts of the township, located near William Triplett's place. west of Stephen Brewster. He was among the very first settlers, and is remembered only by the old. gray-haired patriarchs of in the woods. back to the westward of the Allen neighborhood. He married a daughter of Daniel Haines, and a story is told of him that illustrates the methods of pioneer courtship. During the winter of 1815, two young fellows came over from Green Township to split rails for some settlers in the neighborhood. One evening they followed young Ithamore through the woods to the log cabin of "Uncle Dan," where, unconscious of pursuit, he entered the house, and the spies secreted themselves so which Dan Haines lived, Wheeler Heniman located, on the place now known as the " Beck Farm," on what might be called South Main Street Extension. Little is known definitely about him as to where he came from, but he is spoken of as a good neighbor, and was well thought of. Adam Falor settled in the northern center, just east of South Main street, in the hollow not far from the rolling-mill. He built and run a distillery. the first and, as far as we are able to find, only one in the township. It was located where the old stone house stood, through which the Brewster Coal Railroad cut the N. Y.,P.&O.R.R. Here the sturdy old settlers came from all the country around to get the necessary material for raising barns and houses, as well as for running the husking bee, and other social gatherings. his wife Eve lived in peace, never dreaming of phy pledges. They raised a family, many representatives of whom are still living in that neighborhood. Abram Falor, a son of Adam and Eve above-mentioned. built a saw-mill on often congregated at the little store at Middlebury, where they traded out their pension money. and had a gay time recounting the wonderful adventures in which they had participated to the gaping crowd of younger peo- and Philander Adams, of Tallmadge, at the | same time became contractors and speculators - in the produce of the country. which they - bought up of the farmers all over the country | and hauled to New Portage, and shipped on |

Now, however. it has sadly fallen, and the little school-boys wade across its pebbly bed or catch the minnows which sport in its shallow waters. Shortly after the starting of this new industry and the opening of New Portage asa port. one Ambrose that sounds of war. rivaled those of Baron Munchausen in the marvelous, and they themselves. like the old Baron, even came to believe in the truth of their wonderful yarns. In the northwestern part of the township several families had located at an early day, before 1820 at least, though the exact date could not be ascertained. Among them was Old Basil Cahow, a family of Roots, a large family of Hethmans, Seibert Dodge and Samuel Nash. One of the sons of old man Hethman was for a good many years Justice of the Peace. He was an old bachelor. and is remembered by many as an eccentric but intelligent and well-read man. Samuel Nash kept a kind of tavern just beyond the Dodge farm. This was the first tavern in the township, and it consisted of nothing more than the log cabin of the settler and a stavie for the horses, but they made the tired traveler welcome. and fed man and beast with the best the land afforded. In 1819, William W. Laird built himself a cabin on the banks of the Tuscarawas at New Portage, and began the construction of flatboats to run on the river. Henry Chittenden, and turned out considerable quantities of glassware. Its history. however, is more particularly given in the chapter on Norton Township. They finally abandoned the glass business. Palmer left for the West, where he died, in the of the township, and some twelve years its Clerk, and about the same period Justice of the Peace, has in his possession a quart bottle which was turned out from this establishment in 1822. It is large at the base. and has a long, tapering neck, with a peculiar flare at the top.

many others, that it was destined to be the principal city in Northern Ohio. But he soon became satisfied of his mistake and abandoned the new city, finally settling in Hudson. He was at one time Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for this county. One of the first settlers at New Portage was Michael Dixon, He lived there during the rise and fall of the varying waves of prosperity that came upon this, the only town and capital of the "State of Coventry," as this was wont to be called. He

COVENTRY shared not only its prosperity but also its adversity, for he remained long after its star had set and its prospects sunk into insignificance. : Ata later period, Mr. Viers sought to revive» its waning prospects by laying out an addition, which was to grow and swallow up the old town and retrieve its sinking fortunes. One | lot was sold to Jacob Brown, after whom it was proposed to name the place Brownville. | But Fate did not smile upon the project, for but one house was built in the place, which was afterward for many years used as a match factory. Such is the hard fate of many a beauti- ' ful prospective city. One other character must be mentioned before we leave the town. Joe Keeler was not only a celebrated Mormon preacher. but also a notorious passer of counterfeit money. He built a brick house near the canal bridge, where he lived in the purity of his faith for years, or until "religious persecution" threatened to send him to Columbus. Jacob Kepler was one or Coventry's pioneers ; he settled early in the century in the southwestern part of the township, and is still living, surrounded by the numerous family of children and grandchildren. who own some of the finest and most profitable farms in the entire township. Many are the stories that this old settler can tell of the hardships and adventures of those early days. Here also came the Harters. another family of pioneers. and the Wagoner family settled in the same corner, west of the In the southeast corner. the earlier settlers were David Lee, Fred Hevener, Henry Billman. John Buchtel. Daniel Pontius, Dan Rex, and possibly a few others.

One of the events of the season in those days was the periodical coming of the itinerant shoemaker, one of whom - Dan Burns - frequented this corner of the township. He carried his tools and stock from place to place. and while there he generally shod the entire family, living as one of the family meanwhile; then he would take the next on the list, and serve them, and so on, until he had finished his list.

John Haines, a son of old Daniel Haines, was the first or pioneer preacher in the township. He was of the Baptist faith. though holding | the "fore-ordination doctrine" of the Presby- | terians. This, however. he afterward renounced, | saying that he had a revelation while hoeing corn, in which he was convinced of the error of that doctrine, and the old man is said to have cried when he thought of the many people to and their families. On Sunday mornings he could be seen making his way to some log cabin or schoolhouse near home, where he would preach to his friends and acquaintances. Then he would start through the woods, following some path, crossing streams on fallen logs, until he reached a place where some old settler had promised to meet him with a horse or wagon, when they would journey on together. The waters of Summit Lake seemed to suit his idea of a baptising medium, and many was the young convert to the doctrines which he taught, who came from far and' near to go through the ceremony of baptism. Here Catharine Buchtel and Nancy Richards came from Green Township in 1824, and were led into the lake and immersed, both of whom are still living "to testify to the faith that was in them." Another pioneer preacher of the same faith was

Elder Derthick. or, as the impious and irrever- | ent young sinners of those days used to eall , He settled on the . Abel Allen place, where he lived and expounded gone to the schoolhouses often to hear him | One ot his favorite places was the . Here one of the oldest » cemeteries is located, and all the old settlers of ' the neighborhood were laid here, "to sleep the , sleep that knows no waking," until Gabriel °

To these | two men the earlier settlers owed a debt of | gratitude, at least, for their unselfish devotion | to the cause of religion during all these years © In after years, when | the soil had been broken. others came in and and cemetery just west of the Center, toward New Portage, and also one west of the reservoir, on the place owned by Benjamin Bowers. In the cemetery back of each one may read much of the history of the early settlers. The moss-covered slab tells the tale of the sweep of old Time's scythe more truly than could be written by our feeble pen. and the little mounds, with the short records and dates, tell to the wanderer through these silent resting-places of the recklessness with which Death marked as his own the old and the young indiscriminately.

Another character who played a conspicuous part in the very early settlement was Libertine Dixon, the Indian hunter and fighter. Between this man and the red men, a deadly hatred existed, which often led to the shedding ot blood. Dixon lived for many years in Middlebury or near there, but his time was spent largely in the woods with his invariable companion. a long, ungainly looking rifle, which he always spoke of with respect, calling it by the peculiar name of ~Starling. Many are the stories of wild. reckless disregard of human life, which are told ot Libertine Dixon. or rather of his gun ~ Starling." He seemed to feel as though any Indian who had an opportunity would shoot him as quick as he would a wolf, and acting upon that supposition, he always tried to get the first chance. Une incident illustrating both this feeling, und his regard for his gun. was told by an old grayhaired man who knew him well and knew of the particular time mentioned. One day in 1815. the narrator of this story was in Middleg, grinding him, and if they wanted to see him they should He took his gun. ammunition and some dried beef and was gone, an" did not return for some time; when he did. he told this story to our informant: "I went arm over the precipice holding to a hemlock tree on the edge of the rock, and looking closely up and down the valley, I stepped out from behind a big chestnut and 'Starling spoke to him. But 'Old Starling' spoke so suddenly that it scared the fellow. and he jumped off the bank on to the rocks below some forty feet and killed himself. After awhile, I went up to him and as he didn't seem to want his gun and other things any longer. I took them." At another time. when he was hunting down by Long Lake in Coventry. he stepped to the edge of the lake. when he discovered an Indian fishing from a birch canoe. He jumped behind a tree and Old Starling thought he would speak to the fellow. The Indian was so frightened rushing down to see what his companion had shot. While he was looking after his friend, Dixon slipped away and disappeared. He also shot one on a little lake west of East Liberty, whose yell can be heard frequently on moonlight nights even to this day. and many times would the young people of that neighborhood the murdered Indian or seeing his shadowy form gliding over the smooth surface of the lake in his birchen canoe. that made "not a ripple as he passed." So goes the story, at has any reason to cast discredit on so well authenticated a story as the above. Many of the Dixons who live in Coventry are descended from this old Indian hunter.