Hartford Township

Hartford Township

HARTFORD township is in the northwestern corner of the county, and is known in the original survey as township four in the fifteenth range of townships in the United States military lands. It lies near the head-waters of all the principal streams forming Licking river, and has been ascertained by actual survey to occupy the most elevated position of any land between Cleveland and Columbus.

The Otter fork of the Licking heads about two miles from the north line of the township, passing diagonally through, and leaving it about the center of the east side. This is the main stream in the township. Generally there is no marked difference between the quality of the soil along this stream and that of the land more remote. The native forest consisted of sugar, beech, white and black ash, white and black oak, hickory, black and white walnut, wild cherry, hackberry, and elm. The undergrowth was water beech, dogwood, and an abundance of spice bush, which has become entirely extinct. The face of the country is gently j rolling. About a mile and a half northwest of the village of Hartford, an elevation of land, covering somb thirty or forty acres, may have a claim to a j hill. The land is rich, and renders no obstruction ; to cultivation; at least three-fourths of it may be considered equal in fertility to any in the county, perhaps in the State. There is little or no waste I land by swamps. Surface stone are very scarce \

\ and a stone quarry is unknown within the township limits. It is well adapted to pasturage, and has a local notoriety for its wool product. A little bqj ore is all the mineral the township can boast of. ] Very few of the Mound Builders' works, if thel were ever numerous, have survived the ravages cl time. About the center of the northeast quarter of the township, on the land of Mr. C. L. Graves, is a slight elevation, which encircles about ten acres.

There is little or no Indian history connected with the township ; but evidences of their occupation are not wanting. Numerous flint arrow points, stone hatchets, and other relics are found.

The west half of the township was originally school land. The east half was entered under an old law, requiring a whole military section of four thousand acres to be entered in a body. The southeast quarter was entered by Jonathan and Elias B. Dayton; the northeast quarter by Dr. Jonas Stanberry, who sold it to the Granville company. Their land in this township was surveyed into one hundred acre lots by James Coe, and they ratified this survey in all their deeds.

Daniel Poppleton was the first settler in the township. He came in April, 1812, and was soon followed by C. L. Graves, Strong Clark, Daniel Wright, Enoch Whipple, Clark Cooley, Ezekiel Wells and Adam Kite, ail of whom settled on the northeast quarter, and by Mr. Shaw, and Titus S. Hopkins, who settled on the school land.

Although Daniel Poppleton was the pioneer settler of Hartford, there were several small improvements made before he came, by Roswell Graves, Ezekiel Wells and Lester Case, neither of whom,

1812, induced Mr. Poppleton to leave the township for a few months for protection. C. L. Graves and Clark Cooley, before mentioned, were emigrants of

When Monroe township was organized it included Liberty, Bennington and Hartford townships. Under this organization Esquire Moses Foster was the first justice of the peace, and C. L. Graves first constable.

About 1816 Bennington and Hartford townships were set off under the name of Bennington. Under this organization Michael Trout and Daniel Pop- , pleton were elected justices of the peace, Elisha Harris constable on the Hartford side, and Strong Clark township clerk. In September, 1819, Hartford was erected into a separate township. Strong Clark did the business and named the township.

Previous to this the school land was being rapidly settled under fictitious temporary leases. It is worthy of record that during all the arrangements for securing legal claims to these lands, in no instance was an attempt made to supplant or derange the affairs of actual settlers.

The first election in the township was held in a log school-house on the town-plat in September, 1819. The number of votes cast was forty-eight Elijah Durfey was elected justice of the peace; Daniel I. Durfey, township clerk; and Leonard Bushnel, treasurer.

The first frame building in the township was John Mclnturfs saw-mill, on Otter fork, erected in 1817. The first frame house was that of Elijah Durfey, erected on the site of the village of Hartford in 1818. The first frame barn was that' of Asa Cooley, on the farm afterward owned by Daniel Warner, in 1819. The first building raised without whiskey was Ezekiel Scoveirs barn, in 1830. The first marriage was that of Enoch Whipple to Kate Shaw, in 1815; the first child born was Michel Cooley, June 3, 1813; the first official act of R. Everett, a justice of the peace, was to marry Miss Cooley and William McCrarey; the first death was that of Widow Mclnturf, in 1819; the first sermon preached by a Congregational minister was by Rev. Timothy Harris, of Granville, in 1817; the first convert to Christianity was Ezekiel Scovel, in 1817; the first church society formed was the Congregational, August, 1818; the first infant baptized was by Rev. James N. Wright, in August, 1818; the first sermon by the Christian denomination was by Rev. Mr. Burge, in 1819; the first sermon by a Baptist minister was preached by Rev. Mr. Evans, in 1819; the first male teacher of a district school was Mr. Mountain Everett, in 1817; the first female teacher was Miss Julia Everett, afterward Mrs. Thurston, in the summer of 1818; the first Sabbath-school was organized August 13, 1826; the first resident minister of the Gospel was Samuel W. Rose, in 1829; the first resident physician was Dr. Kirkham, in 1832; the first merchant was R. Everett, in 1824; the first post office was established in 1830; the first meeting-houses were erected in 1832, one for the Congregational, and one for the Christian society, in the village; the first postmaster was J. W. Sey-

The Congregational was the pioneer church of Hartford, being organized August 8, 1818. At that time, the Rev. James N. Wright performed the rite of baptism for the first time in the township.. Soon after the first settlement of I he township, the citizens erected a small log building, principally for school purposes, but it was intended for and used as a public building, and for some years was the only public building in this section. In it the early preachers of every denomination were invited to preach; the elections were also held here, and all public business, which was not extensive, transacted.

In this building the Congregational church was organized by Rev. Timothy Harris, of Granville, and Rev. Ebenezer Washburn, of Genoa. Mr. Washburn died in Blendon, Franklin county, Ohio, in 1873, aged eighty-four years. He was one of the first pastors of this church, giving it half of his time for several years. The members of this first organization were Leonard Bushnel, Ezekiel Scovel, Claudius L Graves, Elijah Durfey, Ruth Wright, Rachel Scovel, and Electa Graves.

The old school-house was burned in 1827, but another was immediately erected and the church continued its meetings here until 1832. It is said that from the date of its organization to that time services had been held every Sabbath but one, and that was when the small-pox was raging.

In 1832 their first church edifice was erected, costing only one hundred and seventeen dollars, as much voluntary labor was performed on it. In 1853 the second, and present edifice, was erected, costing fifteen hundred dollars. It was dedicated October 12th of the same year.

There are two Methodist churches in this township; one in the village of Hartford and one in the southern part of the township. The latter is known as the Wesley chapel. Mr. James Wright, yet living in the neighborhood of the church, was probably more influential than any other person in organizing this class. Mr. Wright became a local minister and preached for this society many years. The organization was effected, probably, at Winslow's school-house, and their meetings were held here several years prior to the erection of the church. Among the first members were James Wright, E. Thrall, Horace Winslow, and a few others. The church edifice was erected about 1848, near the above named school-house. The present membership is forty or fifty.

The Sabbath-school connected with the church was probably organized about the time the church was erected, and has been kept up generally during the summer months to the present time.

The Methodist Episcopal church of Hartford was organized fifty years ago or more. Its early records are not in existence, but it was one of the earliest church societies in the town, the Congretional only, probably, preceding it. Its first meetings were held in the cabins of the settlers, and in the log building before mentioned as one of the first buildings erected in the town for church and school purposes.

Rev. James Wheeler was an itinerant minister of the church in those days, and was probably more influential than any other person in this or ganization.

In 1832, the Christians, or New Lights, erected a church building, they having previously organized a society here. This Christian .organization subsequently became extinct, and their church became the property of this Methodist society, and its first church edifice. This old church edifice is yet standing and in use as a warehouse.

History Of Licking Cqunty

their present frame church building, located on Main street. A few of the first and leading members of the class were Willis Clarke, John Bryan, Nason Durfey, and Robert Dolan. Rev. George West was also an early preacher in this church.

The church located in the northwestern part of the township on the land of Zimri Webb, is now owned by the Christians, better known as New Lights. The Universalists, however, were probably influential in erecting the building. This Universalist church was organized about 1850, by Rev. Truman Strong; the first members being John Ross, David Ross, Samuel Ross, Mr. Styer, John Bell, William Yearly, and others. Mr. Yearly gave the land for the church edifice. It was not used entirely by the Universalists, other denominations using it whenever convenient and desirable. It was mostly used, however, by the Universalists, Christians and Baptists ; quite a number of the latter denomination had settled in this part of the township, and frequently held services in this church. They subsequently erected a church building of their own, just over the line, in Delaware county.

The earlier and more influential members of this organization were the Webbs, the Potters, and some others. William Webb was a local preacher, and served the society in this capacity some years.

The society is not now a strong one. A Sabbath-school was organized there many years ago, and has been kept up with considerable regularity during the summer season until the present time.

The Disciple church of Hartford village was organized in March, 1850, by Elder William Hays, its original members being Anson Clark, Israel Hoover, Mrs. Emeline Wilson, J. H. Buel, Henry Tracy, Miss C. A. Weaver, Samuel Martin, C. E. Lincoln, John .Williams, Mrs. Sarah J. Williams, Mrs. C. J. Hoover, and Joshua Buel. A. Burns,

David Weaver, William Taylor, William Hays, and others, have ministered to the church at different times. At present it is not strong in numbers, having twenty-five or thirty members. They have never had a church building, and no regular services are held. The children attend the union Sunday-school, which has a membership of more than one hundred.

Three terriffic tornados have passed through the township from west to east, in parallel lines, all within the space of less than two miles, and each occupying a uniform space of half a mile or less. The time the first occurred will probably never be ascertained, nor can its appearance or the full extent of its destruction be known. It passed through the center of the township, over the site of the present village of Hartford. Sixty years ago the belt of timber growing here was small, and had every appearance of a second growth. J. Johnson, one of the Welsh pioneers in Granville township, was acquainted with this belt, or storm-track, many years before this, and when it was a perfect thicket of undergrowth. No marks of that storm are now perceptible. The second tornado occurred May 18, 1825, and was known as the "Burlington storm," because of the greater damage to the people of that township. It is fully described in the chapter on Burlington township. It passed through Hartford township, nearly two miles south of the track of the former storm, its belt of devastation being about the same. The third tornado occurred in June, 1835. This storm passed between the two former. It was terriffic, but not so severe as the others.

Many of the citizens of this township were well educated, coming, as they did, from the land of schools and noted institutions of learning, and they felt that they should have something better than common schools, in which their children

Among the stockholders were J. W. Seymour, William Spencer, Charles Spencer, Elisha Woodruff, William Winslow, J. H. Buel, E. C. Buel, P. C. Allen, C. L. Graves, L. J. Wiley, F. Scovill, Adam Franks and many others. The shares were ten dollars each, and nearly one hundred were taken. The materials for the building were furnished by the individual stockholders. E. C. Buel furnished the shingles; H. Carpenter and W. Winslow, the walnut lumber, and others, different materials. Nimrod Payne was the builder.

George L. Mills was the first regular teacher employed, and a graduate of Yale college ; a man of rare attainments, perfectly familiar with the duties and requirements of the school-room, loving his work, and loved by his working students. Mr. Mills remained in the school some three years, when he removed to Newark, and was engaged there in the city schools, and was also for some time one of the county examiners.

In the summer of 1855, Mr. Mark Sperry, a teacher of more than ordinary ability, and living in Hartford, was solicited to go into the academy and open school for a fall term. He did so; and his success was such that he remained there until the close of the fall term in 1861. During Mr. Sperry's teaching more than eight hundred pupils were enrolled in the various' terms. Especial instruction was given to those preparing to teach, and it was said by Mr. Mills that the candidates coming from Halycon academy were better prepared for examination than from any other school in the county.

Mr. Sperry was born in New Hampshire in 1818, and was educated in the common schools of that section until arriving at majority, when he spent severaf terms in the academy at Claremont, and one or two terms in the academy at Chester, Vermont. He emigrated to Ohio in the fall of 1842, and in 1843, married Lucy A., oldest daughter of J. W. Durant, then of Hartford, but formerly of Springfield, Vermont. At the close of the fall term in 1861, Mr. Sperry made active preparations

*or the winter term, but on visiting the camp of the Seventy-sixth regiment at Newark* and seeing how slowly the regiment was being filled, and anxious to do his part in putting down the Rebellion, gave his name as the first private in the formation of company K. Mr. Sperry was chosen a lieutenant in company K, and went into the field with the regiment, never leaving it until the spring of 1863, when his health failing, he resigned and came homo. In the spring of 1864, Mr. Sperry removed to Cumberland county, Illinois, where he has since remained, spending each winter in the schoolroom.

At the close of Mr. Sperry's teaching in Halcyon, he disposed of his interests in the property to J. W. Seymour. The school was continued with indifferent success for several years, under various instructors, and finally passed into the hands of district number one, and is now the home of the town schools.

Mr. A. B. Clarke, now an honored citizen of Newark, formeily a resident of Hartford, and in this year (1880) a candidate for Congress on the Republican ticket, writes the following regarding matters of historical interest in this township:

"The year 1837 is memorable as the time when, in many portions of the west, the attempt was made to prevent any .discussion of the question of slavery, and to repress all associations having the character of abolitibn societies. Hartford township secured for itself an unenviable notoriety for the foolish part it played in that drama. Two peoples with widely different ideas of life, its responsibilities and duties, had already made their homes there. The one traced its history to Plymouth rock; the other to Jamestown. One believed in the equality of all men before the law; the other in class legislation. One regarded character as the highest test of manhood; the other looked upon slavery as a divine institution, and the white man's right to "wollop a nigger" as an inalienable one. Between the two there was an 'irrepressible conflict.'

"The first settlers of this township - those who came in 1812-14 - were mainly of New England origin. Others from the same source came in from year to year, until, in 1818, their numbers had so increased that a Congregational church was formed; and five years later, a hewed-log building was erected, which served the double purpose of a school-house and a place for worship. About the year 1835, there was another and considerable accession to their numbers, and these also were of New England origin, and brought with them the Puritan idea of the worth of the church and the school; and no sooner were they fairly established in their new homes than, in conjunction with those who had preceded them, they set about the work of strengthening the church and organizing an independent or select school, - one with better facili- \ ties and offering better advantages than the common school of that day. They had no building suitable for the purpose, but the church had already erected a comfortable frame building as a place of worship, and this was at once opened for the school. They had already called a man from Oberlin college to fill their pulpit, and teachers were also obtained from the same place for their school. This was maintained for a number of years by voluntary contributions on the part of those interested in the work of education, and the liberality manifested was highly complimentary to the intelligence and character of all concerned. Many a boy and girl went out from that old building not ill-equipped for the work of life; and some of them, to-day, although the snows that never melt are on their locks, remember with infinite delight the lessons conned there, and the companions whom they loved and with whom they labored^ They were a goodly company, and although widely separated now (some have gone to the "other shore"), many of them are still bearing an honorable part in the world's work. With this brief mention of the character of this people and the work in which they were engaged, it is no matter for surprise that the sentiments promulgated by the early abolitionists found here some warra supporters. But not far away were unlearned and uncompromising opponents.

"The western portion of the township had been mainly settled - beginning as early as 1818- 19 - by immigrants from Maryland and Virginia. They were men of limited means and more limited culture (many of them were unable to read), and these had brought with them, as already indicated, ihe southern prejudice against the negro, and any , thought of lifting him up and making him the equal of one of their own number, was extremely obnoxious ; and they even regarded the advocacy of such doctrines as a crime not to be tolerated. Free thought and free speech, for others formed no part of their political or religious creed. When, therefore, it was made known that the Rev. Mr. R. Robinson, a well-known abolitionist, had accepted an invitation to deliver an anti-slavery lecture in the Congregational church, these men resolved that no such lecture should be delivered, and, on the day fixed upon for that purpose, assembled in large numbers, took him from the pulpit by force, dragged him through the streets of the village, and treated him in a most brutal manner. Here, also, in March, -1837, the Hon. Samuel White, at that time a resident of the county and subsequently a gentleman of great political prominence, was rode on a rail because of his anti-slavery sentiments.

"The announcement having been made that Mr. White would lecture on a day named, these men and their sympathizers in the adjoining townships, assembled by hundreds to prevent it. Mr. White, aware of their coming and their intentions, remained out of town. The mob, however, were soon informed of his whereabouts, and at once proceeded to the country, where he was stopping, marched him to the village, where they required him to get astride a wooden horse, prepared for that purpose, and then several men lifted the horse thus laden on their shoulders and marched forth and back along the principal street of the village. A proposition was then made to black him, and a dish of lampblack and oil was. procured for that purpose. Up to this point in the proceedings White had shown little temper, as any resistance on his part seemed useless. There are conflicts, perhaps, in which one may chase a thousand, but it is doubtful if this was one of that nature. He could hardly hope, therefore, to overcome a mob of four or five hundred men by physical resistance. When, however, the blacking was brought forward, White promptly notified those who had him in charge that they could not put it on him while he was alive, and that somebody wrould be hurt if they attempted it. Thereupon some of the more discreet of the rioters concluded that the matter had been carried far enough, and White was permitted to depart; but not without the assurance that he must not at any time in the future attempt to spread his abolition sentiments in that locality.

"On the same day William Spencer, a citizen of the township, was set upon and brutally beaten; and Knowles Linnel and Charles Gunn, the latter now a resident of Granville township, were shamefully maltreated. A half dozen or more men were striking Spencer at one time, or as nearly so as possible, and the only resistance he made or could well make was an effort to escape from their clutches and blows. And yet while he was being beaten in this brutal manner, and the blood was streaming from the gashes cut in his head by the blows struck by these chivalrous defenders of slavery, he fearlessly asserted over and over again, - "I am an abolitionist, I am an abolitionist;" and he was the type of man that had the grit to say it, and say it to the end.

"There were others who only escaped similar treatment by remaining at their own homes. Prominent among these were John W. Seymour, Strong Clark, Anson Clark, and Elisha Woodruff. Threats were freely indulged in as against these men, but it was deemed rather hazardous to attack them in their homes.

"This mob seemed more like a clan of unloosed demons, fresh from the realms of Pluto, than like men. The devil of ignorance was loose, and brutality ruled the hour. Oaths and imprecations fell from all lips, and curses were hurled at all men suspected of a taint of abolitionism. And for months thereafter bands of these men, from six to a dozen or more in number, would visit the village from time to time, and on their return home in the night hours, when passing the house of an abolitionist, would discharge their fire-arms, frequently shooting through the gate, and meanwhile hooting and yelling like so many savages. This probably was designed as a sort of terrorizing process, such as has been practiced of late years in some portions of the south. Anonymous letters of a threatening character were frequently sent to the abolitionists, or were dropped where they j would be likely to find them. Some of these are i still retained by a younger generation as interest- I ing relics of a barbarous time and people, j "The abolitionists at that time were few in numj ber, but they were men who had the courage of their convictions. Prudently but persistently they continued their work. They believed that truth was mightier than error, and never doubted that brain was more than a match for brawn in a prolonged contest. And they were right. Scarcely more than a score of years had passed away before Hartford became as noted for its literary culture and its advocacy of all rights for all men as it had formerly been for its ignorance and brutality. Time has had its revenges.

"In this brief sketch of events enacted more than two score years ago, we have forborne the mention of the name of any man who took part in that foolish raid against the rights of humanity and the freedom of speech. It is only fair to say that j many of them soon saw their mistake, and were heartily ashamed of the fact that they had been participants in so scandalous an affray. Indeed,

* they ultimately became earnest workers for the cause which at one time they had contemptuously derided. Let us not judge any of them too harshly, for there is no one of them who now feels any pride in the part he played in that riot. There were other men than those who were responsible; men who had enjoyed far larger opportunities and occupied conspicuous and influential positions in 1 society ; men who, if they did not do as brutal a j work, were in no less degree the obsequious and j cowardly servants of the slave power. They stood | in our pulpits and wrote the leaders for our news- | papers. Of course, there were some honorable j exceptions. But these last two score years have j witnessed an immense gain to manhood."