Lorain City (part 37 of 77)

The disease most dreaded in the new country was the milk sickness, or, as it was generally called, the sick stomach, commonly supposed to originate in some poisonous herb eaten by the cattle, and to be communicated by the use of the milk. The disease was exceedingly distressing and malignant, and as I remember now, oftener fatal than otherwise. No part of the town was entirely exempt, but the disease was developed especially in certain localities. The Barnum place, near the old meeting house, was remarkably afflicted with it; and three stones, side by side in the burying ground, mark the graves of three Mrs. Barnums, all of whom, if I recollect right, died of the disease. One autumn, four members of their families died within a week. The place was at length deserted, and the precise locality has never since been occupied by a family. Those sickly seasons were sad periods in the early history of the place. The little community was sometimes gathered to a double funeral, as once at Judge Brown's, when Sidney Brown and Oliver Cooley died, and afterwards at Mr. Barnum's. The latest calamity of the kind was in 1838, when the entire Campbell family, of five persons, died in the space of amonth. But in spite of this scourge, the.early settlers probably suffered less from sickness than is common in a new country, and the boon of health was gratefully included in the enumeration of blessings on thanksgiving day. The first burial in town was that of a daughter of Alva Curtis, Calista, who died at Mr. Onstine's, in Black River, before the family reached the Brownhelm line. She was buried first on Solomon Whittlesey's place, afterwards in the burying. ground near Mr. Bacon's. The small brown stone that marks the grave -was the only one in the ground for many years. The weeping willow has long since disappeared.

The first birth was in the Holcomb family, on the south ridge - a son, Henry Brown Holcomb. Next, Lucy Cooper, and a month later, Enos Peck. George Cooper was born in Euclid fifty years ago to-day, arid may very properly be considered the oldest Brownhelm boy.

The first wedding was probably that of Joseph Swift and Eliza Root, who were married on the South Soon after my father's arrival, in 1818, one of the Onstine young men came to borrow five dollars, and satinet enough for a pair of pants, giving as a reason that he was going to have a little frolic over in Vermillion. His frolic was his wedding. Among the earliest marriages was that of Ezekiel Goodrich and Charlotte Brown, on the lake shore. Some of the young men had arrangements east that they returned to consummate after they had "stuck their stakes." These were the earliest visits to theeast. Atalater day, the married people singly, not in pairs, went back to visit their old home, going by steamer to Buffalo, and by canal to Albany, astonished to traverse in ten days the road that it had taken seven weeks to pass over in coming into the wilderness, This going back to Stockbridge was a great event - the hope of the older, and the dream of the children. The young man, putting on his freedom suit, must go to Stockbridge to give it an airing! and to attain the consequence essential to sustain his manhood. When he returned, his young companions gathered around him as a distinguished traveler, to hear all he conld tell of the wonderful land. In this respect, the experience of children brought up in the simplicity of the new country can scarcely be repeated at the present day. 'The advantages of cultivated society, talked of by parents, but never seen by the children, made a powerful impression. The steepled church, back in the eastern home, wrought upon the imagination of the child, as it could not if an object of daily sight. The thought of the college, to one who had only seen the log school house, was material for castle building by day, and for dreams by night. From mountain summit, and towering monument, and capital dome, in later years, my eyes have rested on many a goodly scene of nature and of art, but the thrill of surprise and satisfaction which I experienced upon my first view of the village of Elyria, from my father's wagon, has never been equaled. The village at that time consisted of perhaps twenty buildings, gathered about the Ely and Beebe mansions, at the east end of Main street. No such surprise awaits the children of the present day.

One of the features of early life here was familiarity with the wild animals that had .possession of the country. The howl of the wolf at night, was as familiar as the whip-poor-will's song - not the small prairie wolf so well known at the west, but the powerful wolf of the forest, the black and the gray. They passed in droves by our dwellings at night, sometimes when the new comers had only a blanket suspended in the opening for the decor; sometimes they crowded upon the footsteps of a belated settler, passing from one part of the settlement to another, The boy crossing the pasture on a winter morning would often see the blind track of a wolf that had loped across the night before. If he had forgotten to bring in his sheep at evening, he might find them scattered and torn in the morning. A dog that ventured from the house at night, sometimes came in with wounds more honorable than comfortable. The wolf was a shy animal, seldom showing itself by daylight. Probably not one in a dozen of the early inhabitants ever saw a wolf in the forest; yet these animals roamed the woods around us for years. Mr. Solomon Whittlesey once snatched his calf from the jaws of a wolf, at night, with many pairs of hungry eyes gleaming upon him through the darkness.

In 1827, the county commissioners offered a bounty for wolf scalps - three dollars for a full-grown wolf, and half the sum for a whelp of three months. Whether any drafts were ever made upon the treasury does not appear. As late as 1832, my brother and myself, returning on foot to the high school at Elyria, after a visit home, were stopped on the way at evening by the howling of wolves in the road before us, and constrained to wait until morning. Now and then a wolf was taken in a trap or shot by a hunter. Probably less than a half-dozen were ever killed in the township. About the winter of 1827-28, wolf hunts were organized in the region on a grand scale, conducted by surrounding a tract of country several miles in extent, with a line of men within sight of each other at the start, and approaching each other as they moved toward the center. The first of these hunts centered in Henrietta, and resulted in bagging large quantities of game, but never a wolf. A single wolf made his appearance at the center, and was snapped at and shot at by many a rifle, but my recollection is that he got off with a wholeskin. The sport involved danger from the cross-shooting as the line drew near the center, and Park Harris, of Amherst, mounted on a horse, received a shot in the ankle. To avoid this danger, the next hunt centered on the river hollow, about the mill in Brownhelm, but the scale on which it was arranged was too grand to be carried out. The lines were too extended and broke in many places, resulting in gathering upon the flat a small herd of deer and a solitary fox, barely furnishing an occasion for the hundreds of huntsmen above to discharge their pieces, as the frightened animals escaped into the woods up the river. It was an utterly fruitless chase. A more exciting chase was the slave-hunt of a later day, in which the people bewildered and foiled the kidnappers.

Bears were less numerous than wolves, but they were perhaps more often seen. One was shot by Solomon Whittlesey, from the ridge, a little east of the burying ground. One of the trials of my childish courage, was to pass the tree against which tradition said that he rested his rifle in the shot. Another dangerous tree was the large basswood that leaned over the brook, a little to the south-east of Harvey Perry's orchard. My mother going over the ridge to bring a pail of water from the spring, once drove a large black animal before her, which she thought a dog, until be scrambled up that tree, when she returned home without the water. 'The tree stood close by the track that led to Mr. Peck's, and it was a test of pluck for a child to pass that tree, as I was often obliged to, just as the evening began to darken. One day, one of the half dozen sheep that I was expected to drive into pen at night, was missing. They were pastured in the tield where the orchard now is. In looking for the lost animal, I found a place where it seemed to have been dragged over the fence, and following the trail a few rods, I came upon a spot, not many feet from where we are now gathered, where a bear had made his feast, leaving the wool scattered about, and a few large bones. The tracks were still fresh in the mud. Such occurrences gave a smack of adventure to child life in the new country, and it was a matter of every day consultation among the boys, what were the habits of the various animals supposed to be dangerous, such as the wolf, the bear, the wildcat, and the panther, and by what tactics it was safest to meet them. Similar discussions were had in reference to the Indians, who had required a bad reputation during the war, then recent, with England. The prevailing opinion was, that any fear exhibited towards an Indian, or a wild beast, put one at a great disadvantage.

Deer were far more plenty than cattle, and the sight of them was an everyday occurrence. A good marksman would sometimes shoot one from his door. The same was true of wild turkeys. Raccoons worked mischief in the unripe corn, and a favorite sport of the boys was ''coon hunting" at night, the time when the creature visited the corn. A dog traversed the cornfield to start the game, and the boys ran at the first bark of the dog, to be in at the death. When the animal took to a tree, it was cut down, ora fire was built and a guard set to keep him until morning, when he was brought down by ashot. The motive for the hunt was three-fold, - the sport, the protection of the corn, and the value of the skin, the raccoon being a furred animal. The greatest speculation in this line of which the town can boast, was made by Job Smith, whom many will remember, and who is mentioned in the county records, in the description of a road, as ''a man of some note." He issaid to have bought a quantity of goods of a New York dealer, promising to pay ''five hundred coon skins taken as they run," naturally meaning an average lot. The dealer, after waiting a reasonable time for his fur, came on to investigate, and inquired of his debtor when the skins would be delivered. ''Why," said Mr. Smith, "'you were to take them as they run; the woods are full of them; take them when you please." The moral of the story would not be complete without stating that the same Job Smith was afterwards arrested as a manufacturer of counterfeit coin.

Thrifty men pursued the basiness of hunting as a pastime. The only man in town, perhaps, to whom it afforded profitable business, in any sense, was Solomon Whittlesey. Other professional hunters were shiftless men, to whom hunting was a mere passion, having something of the attractions of gambling. Mr. Whittlesey did not neglect his farm, but he knew every haunt and path of the deer and the turkey, and was often on their track by day and by night. He is with us to-day, and reports the killing of one bear, two wolves, twenty wild cats, about one hundred and fifty deer, and smaller game too numerous to specify. One branch of his business was bee hunting, a pursuit which required a keen eye, good judgment and practice. The method of the hunt was to raise an odor in the forest, by placing honey comb on a hot stone, and in the vicinity another piece of comb charged with honey. The bees were attracted by the smell, and having gorged themselves with the honey, they took a bee-line for their tree. This line the hunter observed and marked by two or more trees in range. He then took another station, not on this line, and went through the same operation. Those two lines, if fortunately selected, would converge upon the bee tree, and could be followed ont by a pocket compass. The tree, when found, was marked by the hunter with his initials, and could be cut down at the proper time.

Another form of the sport of hunting was even more' classic, the hunting of the wild boar. For many years there was an unbroken forest, two miles in breidth, running through the township, between the North ridge and the lake shore farms. This forest became the haunt of fugitive hogs, that fed on the abundant mast, or, in Yankee phrase, ''shack," which the forest yielded. These animals were bred in the forest, and in the third generation became as fierce as the wild boar of the European forest. 'The animal in this condition was about as worthless, for domestic purposes, as a wolf, as gaunt and as savage. Still it was customary, in the fall and early winter, to organize hunts for reclaiming some valuable animal that had become thus degenerate. The hunt was exciting and dangerous. The gennine wild boar, exasperated by dogs, was the most terrible creature in our forest. His onset was too sudden and headlong to be avoided or turned aside, and the snap of his tusks, as he sharpened them in his fury, was somewhat terrible. Two at least of our young men, Walter Crocker and Truman Tryon, were thrown down and badly rent in such encounters, and others had narrow escapes.

The principal fishing ground of the early years was the <''flood wood" of the Vermillion. The lake fishing is a modern discovery. It was not known that the lake contained fish that were accessible. Other sports and recreations were few and simple, most of them presenting the utilitarian element. There were logging bees to help a man who had been sick or unfortunate, raisings to put up a log cabin or barn, and militia trainings, which were entered into earnestly by men who had smelt powder in the recent war. Then there was an occasional patriot among us of the Revolution days who fired the youthful heart by tales of the times that tried men's souls. Chief among these was George Bacon, Sr., reported to have been one of the Boston tea party, who brought honorable wounds from the battle field and drew his pension from the government. Then there was Stephen James, with a bar sinister in his escutcheon, because he chanced to be of tory stock, still a true patriot, and a brave and stately man. It is not strange that

The Fourth of July was observed with such humble appointments as were at hand. An old musket that had been through the wars was the loudest piece that could be found, and this was brought into requisition. One Independence day, John Curtis, an ambitious youth, brought out a cannon, which he had manufactured by boring a cylinder of oak and strapping it with iron bands from a wagon hub. | The piece was well charged and placed on the bank of the river, near his father's, in the midst of a crowd of boys, and fired with a slow match. The report was satisfactory, but the splinters flew in all directions and the iron bands were a total loss - they were never found. What was more important, no one was hurt. As the community gained new ideas and advanced in civilization, these Fourth of July celebrations took on a philanthropic character, and represented the interests of the Sabbath school and the temperance cause. For such a gathering, held thirty-five years ago to-day, the work on the first frame church was hastened forward to furnish a place for the meeting. One feature of the exercises brought out the Sabbath school. Each scholar and each teacher was provided with a passage of scripture, selected for the occasion, to be recited in order. It was in the days of President Jackson, who was especially obnoxious to true New Englanders. When Alva Curtis was called on, he startled us with the petition, '' Let his days be few, and let another take his office." Probably the whole congregation could say amen, for, as I remember, only three Jackson votes were cast in the township.

If any one should infer that early life here was more unsatisfactory or less desirable than life.at the present time, it would be a misapprehension. 'There were difficulties to be encountered, but they had their compensatious. There was poverty to endure, but it was equally distributed, and was cheered with the hope of a good time coming, a poverty that stimulated to activity, and brought no degradation. There was want of many advantages which tend to the elevation and refinement of character; but such advantages had been enjoyed by the early settlers in their New England homes, and the results would not be wholly lost before they gathered about themselves those desirable things. There was hard work to do, but it was well done; and such work with encouragement to dg it, is the best opportunity. Few of those who bore the burden and heat of the day, ever regretted their calling; and most of them have lived to reap a good harvest. Few cf the original families have reached this anniversary (July 4, 1867,) without sad breaches in their circle. This is incidental to our mortal life.

Another fifty years and not one will remain of all that gathered among these forests. Some of the families, prominent in the early times, have now no living representative in the population of the placé. Among these are the families of Judge Brown, Alva Curtis, William Alverson and the Peases. Most of the others have still a posterity und a name among us. 'The town has sent out many worthy children to help build up other communities, some to repeat, in a degree, the achievments of their parents, as pioneers at the west. The life encouraged here has been of a quiet, unambitious type, and the results in general correspond. We have no public men to speak of; no politician seems to have sprung up among us; few to look for public position or office. But these are not the characters the world most needs. We can gather a few ministers of the gospel, a few teachers, and many worthy and useful people, and this is well.

There is a little shadow upon our prospect as we look forward to fifty years to come. It is pleasant to believe that the places that are sacred to us with all pleasant memories, will be held by our children to an indefinite future. That another people shall come in to whom these farms, and streets, and dwellings are simply so much territory to be appropriated, the life that has passed here all unknown to them, is not an inviting prospect. Yet such is the prospect that opens to us to-day. Stranger eyes have looked upon these pleasant farms and will claim them for themselves, in all honesty and honor, with such a claim as an American citizen can never dispute, paying a fair price, and occupying them with a thrifty and sueccessful culture. It is thirty years or more since the first German family obtained a footing here. Now the splendid old farms along the lake and all the northern part of the town, are in their possession. A similar change is taking place in the south, and the movement is towards the center. An entire change in the population of the town seems probable, and almost inevita- - ble; a result which we object to, not in our reason, butin our feeling. Humanity loses nothing, nor even the country at large; but the sentiment of local interest which gathers us to-day, is less satisfied with the outlook. Fifty years hence, the faces, and the voices, and the names of strangers will be seen and heard at holiday gatherings and along these streets. The familiar names that seem to us identified with the very face of nature, wilt be heard here no more forever.

God grant that these names be written in His ''book of reniembrance," securing a title to "an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, eternal in the heavens." was born in the City of Hartford, Connecticut, September 18, 1797, and is the second son of Ashbel Wells and Mary Hopkins, the former a son of Ashbel Wells, the latter a daughter of Thomas Hopkins, a prominent sea captain of his day; all of English ancestry. 'The father of Deacon George Wells was a

Washington's army, during the Revolutionary war, and subsequently a well known and extensive: merchant at Hartford. He died September 4, 1819, aged sixty-one years. He was very generally respected, and his death looked upon as a public calamity, in the community in which he had been long engaged in business.

When seventeen years of age, George Wells left his native city, and came as far west as Albany, New York, obtaining employment there, at Little Falls, and at Utica, and finally located at Canandaigua, working at his trade, which was that of a shoemaker. He remained there about one and a half years, and subsequently, on Jun: 18, 1818, arrived at Brownhelm, Ohio, coming by way of the lake from Buffalo. He took up some fifty acres of land, on the lake shore, which he afterward increased to one hundred acres. His time was occupied partly at farming, and partly at his trade. He built a log cabin, in which he lived nineteen years.

In 1837, he sold out, intending to move farther west, -but finally purchased the place upon which he now resides, containing one hundred and twenty-five acres. He cleared and improved both farms.

Mr. Wells was married to Maria, daughter of Jonathan Butler, of Hartford, March 22, 1825. They had seven children, - four sons and three daughters. All the sons have departed this life. The youngest was killed at the battle of South Mountain, during the war of the rebellion. They all attained to manhood. On the 28th of June, 1866, Mrs. Wells died, aged sixty-three years. 'The daughters all survive. Elizabeth G. married Joseph Sisson, of Hartford, who lost his life by a mowing machine accident; Mary M. married Benjamin F. Nye, who was killed at the battle of the Wilderness; Abigail 8. married Frederick H. Bacon, and resides a short distance from her father's old home. Mr. Wells married again, December 23, 1866, Mrs. Catherine M. Gardner. She has one daughter, Marie Antoinette, wife of Lyman Yerkes, of Detroit, Michigan.

For more than half a century, Deacon Wells has been a member of the Congregational church, of Brownhelm. His wife is also a member of the same church, In politics he is a republican, and has been for many years. Though now in his eighty-second year, his health, up to within the past three months, has been remarkably good. He was always an active man, and last October, (1878,) he rode twice to Elyria and back, a distance of thirty miles. He is one of the very oldest pioneers of this township, as well as one of its most worthy citizens. (See illustration on another page).

Solomon Whittlesey

One of the earliest and most prominent settlers of Brownhelm, was Solomon Whittlesey. We find him frequently mentioned in J. H. Fairchild's '' History of Brownhelm." The exact date of his arrival is not given, but his name appears in connection with early religious matters in the year 1819. It is stated in the work above referred to that ''The church was organized June 10, 1819, at the house of Solomon Whittlesey, and consisted of sixteen members, seven men and nine women." Again referring to Mr. Whittlesey, President Fairchild says: '''Thrifty men pursued the business of hunting as a pastime. 'The only man in town, perhaps, to whom it afforded profitable business in any sense, was Solomon Whittlesey. Other professional hunters were shiftless men, to whom hunting was a mere. passion, having something of the attraction of gambling. Mr. Whittlesey did not neglect his farm, but he knew every haunt and path of the deer and the turkey, and was often in their track by day and by night. He is with us to-day, (1867) and reports the killing of one bear, two wolves, twenty wild cats, almost one hundred and fifty deer, and smaller game too numerous to specify. One branch of his business was bee hunting, a pursuit which required a keen eye, good judgment and practice. The method of the hunt was to raise an odor in the forest, by placing honey comb on a hot stone, and in the vicinity another piece of comb charged with honey. The bees were attracted by the smell, and having gorged themselves with the honey, they took a dee line for their tree. This line the hunter observed and marked by two or more trees in range. He then took another station, not on this line, and went through the same operation. 'These two lines, if fortunately selected, would converge upon the bee tree, and could be followed out by a pocket compass. The tree, when found, was marked by the hunter with his initials, and could be cut down by him, at the proper time." Mr. Whittlesey is also accredited with having been among the first in Brownhelm township to manufacture pearl-ash, which he did quite extensively. He seems to have been one of the most industrious and energetic of the pioneers, and a worthy man in every respect. He died February 22, 1871, aged eighty-four years, nine months and twenty-two days; his excellent widow survived him about two years, she departing this life on the 26th of April, 1873, aged seventy-one years, one month and three days.

William Sayles

was born at Milan, Erie county, Ohio, June 5, 1821, and was the sixth child in a family of eight children of Lemuel Sayles, who was born March 8, 1783, and Laura Adams, who was born February 4, 1789, she being a native of Utica, New York. The subject of this sketch started out in life at the age of fourteen, sustaining the loss of his excellent mother at a tender age. During the winter months he 'attended school, and by being industrious and indefatigable in the pursuit of knowledge, he became quite proficient in the English branches, and followed school teaching as an ayocation, commencing in the winter of 1839-40, at New London Center, Huron county, Ohio, and continued for nineteen consecutive winters, all but the first one, in the vicinity of his present home. He made his first purchase of land, consisting of fifty acres, in the year 1845, in Vermillion township. He bought his present farm of one hundred acresin the spring of 1851, and has since added some adjoining land to it.

Mr. Sayles was united in marriage with Sarah C., daughter of Perry and Elizabeth Darley, July 3, 1843. She was from Frederickstown, Maryland. She died May 6, 1876, regretted by her friends, and deeply mourned by her relatives. She joined the Congregational Church of Vermillion, in 1845, and her con- | nection with that body ceased only with her life. Her husband became a member of the church at the same time, and still retains his connection with it. For his second wife, Mr. Sayles married Lovina E., daughter of John and Elizabeth Gordon, of Paulding county, Ohio, in September, 1877, who is still living.

Mr. Sayles is a self-made man in the broadest sense of that term. He secured his education by personal efforts, and the same energy and determination to succeed that characterized his endeayors in that direction, has attended him in his subsequent business career. From January 18, 1864, until 1875, he occupied the position of superintendent of the Antwerp Iron Works, located in Paulding county, Ohio, and retains an interest in the same at present.

In early life he was an old line whig; and in the formation of the republican party espoused its principles as being best calculated to perpetuate popular government and our American insti'utions. He was elected a justice of the peace in 1876, and still holds that office. He has also been township treasurer, assessor, etc., at different times. A fine illustration, surmounted with the family portraits, appears elsewhere in. this yolume, which forms an appropriate page in the history of Brownhelm.

John H. Heymann

was born in Nassau, Germany, August 13, 1828. He was the third son in a family of eight children of George Heymann. The whole family emigrated to

America in 1848, and settled in Lyme township, Huron county, Ohio, where they purchased a farm of two hundred acres, upon which John H. worked three years. In 1851, he went to California by way of the Isthmus, where he worked at blacksmithing, mining and teaming. He remained there until 1855, when he returned to Lyme township and purchased a farm, upon which he remained until 1868, when he bought a flouring mill, a saw mill and other buildings adjoining, situated in Brownhelm Hollow, on Vermillion river, an illustration of which mills, etc., is given elsewhere in this volume. In 1875, he obtained a half interest in the Amherst flouring mill, and three years later purchased the other half and became sole proprietor of it. The mill in Brownhelm Hollow was destroyed by fire in October, 1876; it was rebuilt the following year, and is one of the finest mills in the county. It contains all the modern improvements, and is capable of turning out as good grist as any mill within a radius of fifty miles.

In August, 1855, Mr. Heymann and Miss Katherine Schied were united in marriage. She was born in Nassau, Germany, January 12, 1832. Her parents were natives of the same place. She had three brothers and two sisters, all of whom came to this country in 1854, and settled in Peru, Huron county, Ohio, where Mr. Schied bought a farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres. They all now live in Huron and Erie counties, except the father, who is dead.

Mr. and Mrs. Heymann have had ten children, seven daughters and three sons, all of whom are living. The oldest son is married, as is also the oldest daughter.

Mr..Heymann is one of the substantial and res- - pected men of his township, and enjoys a good general reputation for industry, honesty and economy.

Henry Brown

Judge Brown was born in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, June 3, 1773. In his youth he commenced a course of liberal education and entered Harvard college, but by reason of the failure of his health when in his sophomore year he was compelled to discontinue his studies. After partially restoring his health by travel, he engaged in merchandise in his native town and continued in the business until his western interests required its abandonment. In the fall of 1816, he visited the tract of country, then simply known as number six in the nineteenth range (now Brownhelm) and on his return east he entered into contract with the Connecticut Land Company for the purchase of threefourths of the township, and with the Messrs. Rockwells, of Colebrook, Connecticut, forthe rest. Under his lead many of his. old neighbors in Stockbridg< removed to his western purchase and settled. Cc' Brown, as he was formerly called, selected for himself a tract of about a mile square, in the northeast corner of the town, and sent out, in the winter of 1816-17, several young men to erect him a house and to commence the improvement of his land. He removed with his family in the summer of 1818, and took up his abode on the lake shore in the house previously built.

Upon the organization of the county of Lorain, Col. Brown was appointed one of the three associate judges of the county, a position which, both by reason of his business experience and the natural bent of his mind, he was well qualified to fill. Not unfrequently, in the absence of the presiding judge, he was obliged to proceed with the business, even to charging the jury. He was always equal to these emergencies. Judge Brown's record on the bench was an exceedingly creditable one.

He was a man of enterprise and public spirit, liberally supporting with his means and time every object tending to the improvement of society. Long before his conversion, which occurred at a comparatively late period in his life, no one was more earnest in the support of the gospel, and few members of the church more regular in their attendance upon its appointed services. When the people in Brownhelm began to think of inviting a minister to settle among them, he proposed to pay one-eighth of the expense. After a few years he united with the church, his wife and some of the children haying previously joined. His habit of punctuality in everything, especially in his attendance at every meeting, directly or indirectly affecting the church, was remarkable. It is said by one who knew him well ''that during a whole winter, two evenings in a week, when nearly seventy years of age, he came through mud and rain, snow and frost, to attend a singing school; and up to his last attendance on public worship he was always to be found in his place in the choir."

He was frequently a delegate from the presbytery to the general assembly of the Presbyterian church, and in one year spent not less than five months, including his attendance at a church trial in Philadelphia, and the convention at Auburn.

Judge Brown also took an active part in the establishment of a college in the Western Reserve, attending the meeting at Hudson, called for the purpose. "Indeed," says a writer on this subject, '"'but for him and another friend of the college, no such charter would have been obtained as the friends of the institution would have accepted. There was deadly hostility to it in the Legislature; and the charter which they asked was so altered in its provisions as to prevent the possibility of securing religious instruction, and as such was passed through the house. Intelligence of this was communicated to the friends of the institution. Judge Brown and the other (Rev. Caleb Titkin) went with haste to Columbus, and arrived just as the bill was about to be read for the third time. They succeeded, by the aid of a friend, in arresting this; and after days and evenings of patient waiting upon the opponents of the contem- plated institution, they succeeded in obtaining the charter as they had asked, with the exception of two trustees, against whom there was such personal hostility as no arguments could overcome."

Judge Brown was afterwards a member of the board of trustees of this college, and continued in the office until the infirmities of age compelled him to relinquish it.

He was a man of many social qualities, and of much intelligence. His hospitality was unbounded. His log house on the lake shore was the general rendezvous of the early emigrants and in many other ways they were the recipients of his practical beneyolence.

Rev. Alfred H. Betts

Rev. Alfred H. Betts took up his residence in Brownhelm in January, 1821. He was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, September 2, 1786. November 2, 1809, he was united in marriage to Sally Harris, daughter of Captain Luther Harris, of Bridgeport, Connecticut. In early life, he adopted the profession of medicine, and practiced for ten years in Danbury. In the fall of 1816, he and his father-in-law came to Ohio, and selected a-place for settlement in Florence, Erie county. After the 'erection of a cabin, Captain Harris returned east for their families, with whom he Dr. Betts spent the' first two or three Sabbaths with Deacon Beardslee and family, who, a short time before, settled in Vermillion. They had a few religious exercises, such as singing, prayer, and a sermon, read by Dr. Betts. He was soon invited by others in their neighborhood to come to their dwellings, and hold similar meetings, at which a few families would be invited to attend. And thus began his '' reading meetings."

In a short time, Dr. Betts had regular appointments at Birmingham, Florence, Vermillion, and other places. In consequence of the detention of his freight at Buffalo, until the next spring after his arrival, Dr. Betts had but one suit of clothes, which, having to wear in the woods through the week, was hardly suitable for the pulpit on the Sabbath. Long: before the arrival of his goods, his old coat needed repairing, and Deacon Beardslee's wife would mend it as best she could, with the means she had. Some of such cloth as she had, which was not always of the same color. In the spring his boots were gone, and a neighbor made him a pair of moccasins. The condition of his apparel greatly disturbed him, and he began to question whether he had better continue in his old clothes, or suspend the meetings until the arrival of his goods. He consulted a few of his friends in regard tothe matter, who told him that, as he had

After his stock of printed sermons was exhausted he prepared discourses of his own; yet he did not call them sermons, and he was always careful to assure his auditors that he was not actually.a minister. A missionary hearing of Dr. Betts' labors called upon him for the purpose of satisfying himself as to the denomination to which he belonged. ''I came to Vermillion," he said, 'and asked a young man if they had any preaching?' He said 'no.' 'Have you any meetings?" 'Yes, a man comes from the Ridge and holds meetings on the Sabbath." 'What is he? 'Don't know; guess a Methodist? Of another I made the same inquiries who guessed you was a Baptist. Another still, thought you was a Universalist. ''And now," said he, "I want to know from you, yourself, what you are?" Dr. Betts was able to satisfy him and he departed.

In the summer of 1819, Dr. Betts went to Hudson, Portage county, to prepare himself for the ministry. He remained until April, 1820, when he was licensed by the Presbytery. He returned to Florence, where his family had remained, and continued the meetings formerly held by him. In the winter of 182021, he received a call from the Congregational church in Brownhelm, which he accepted and was ordained and installed April 5, 1821. He continued pastor of the chureh twelve years, when he was dismissed at his own request. Dr. Betts was one of the busiest and best known men in the country. For years he trayeled all over this region, having visited every township on the fire lands, assisting in organizing churches and performing the duties of colporteur and Bible distributor. On the occasion of a donation visit at a late period in his life, by his friends from many of the towns comprising the field of his early labors, it was remarked by one of the visitors that a great many people had assembled. ''Yes," said Dr. Betts, after a moment's reflection, ''and there is not a family represented that I have not lodged with."

His busy and useful life came to a close September 8, 1860. Of his thirteen children ten lived to mature years. Sixare now living; two of them in Brownhelm,

Henrie Ppa

Tue ToOwNsHIP is described on the county records as town number five, in range nineteen of the Connecticut Western Reserve. Its position in the county is in the western tier of townships ; to the north, Brownhelm ; to the east Russia; to the south, Camden; to the west, the county line. The surface in its general features is quite level, with pleasing undulations in those portions through which its small streams run, particularly in the northwest corner. The soil is generally a clay loam, with a more sandy soil in small portions. 'The water courses are Chance creek in the eastern part, Leonard brook in the western, both tributaries of the Vermillion river, which makes a detour into the northwest corner of the township, from Erie county. The east branch of the Vermillion traverses the southwest part. 'There are a few other smaller streams, mere rivulets, one of which is Division brook, in the northern part. The principal original kinds of timber were whitewood, white oak, hickory, walnut, white and black ash, beech, elm and basswood. At an early period, evidently long previous to settlement, a terrific hurricane swept through the township, by which all of the larger timber, for over a half a mile in width, was blown down. This district is called ''The Windfall." It is plainly indicated by the younger and more uniform growth of the timber than that of the adjoining territory, the varieties consisting chiefly of white and black ash, elm, oak, hickory, maple and cherry.

The township was surveyed by Edward Durand in connection with other territory. The three northern tiers of lots, constituting about one-third of the area of the township, formed a part of Brownhelm until the year 1827, when they were set off to Henrietta; and, on the county map, it will be noticed that those lots are numbered continuously with those of Brownhelm. The remainder of the township Was surveyed in connection with territory lying south of it. The survey began at the southern boundary of the Western Reserve, in the township of Troy, then Lorain county, now Ashland, and the land divided into fifteen tracts, numbers twelve, thirteen, fourteen and fifteen being in this township. These were subdivided into lots. That part of the gore embraced in Hennietta is divided into lots twenty-three, twenty-focr and twenty-five. The part detached from. Brownhelm was originally owned by Col. Brown, by contract with the Connecticut Land Company, and the rest of the township by different persons.

The family that is generally accorded the honor of being the first settlers in the township was that of Simeon Durand. Durand was a native of France. At the age of sixteen years, he and a brother, Merari, accompanied La Fayette to America, Simeon acting as the general's interpreter, and, in that capacity, continued to serve him unti' the close of the Revolution. He married soon after the close of the war, and settled in Essex county, New York. He lived there until the winter of 1817, when, with wife and youngest child, the older children coming subsequently, he removed to Henrietta.. He settled on lot ninety-eight, and the family lived under a shelter made of poles and covered with bark until a more civilized habitation could be provided. His purchase comprised one hundred ard sixty acres.

ninety. Her death occurred in the year 1854, at the house of her son Merari, in the township of Russia. She possessed, in a marked degree, those qualities necessary to a successful combat with the hardships of pioneer life. 'The remainder of the children came into the township subsequently. Lucinda, the oldest, married Joseph Powers in New York, 'with whom she removed to Henrietta from the State of Vermont a few years after the first settlement. Deacon Powers, as he came to be called, kept a public house here for many years, and was also a leading member. of. the Baptist church. His location was on the same lot on.which Durand located. He lived for a time in Wisconsin subsequent to his settlement in Henrietta, but returned and died here. His widow died in New Jersey.

Hiram Durand, the next oldest of the children, with his family, settled on a part of his father's farm. He did not remain long in the township, however, removing to Illinois and, subsequently to California. Louisa married a cousin Durand. 'They, many years ago, removed to Michigan. Edward was one of the most prominent citizens of Henrietta, and was well known throughout the county for many years. He has held the offices of county surveyor and county auditor, justice of the peace and other township offices. He removed with his family to Wisconsin, and died there soon after of cholera. He was twice married; first to a danghter of Thompson Blair, of Amherst. She died some fifteen years afterwards, and he subsequently married a widow Burrell, of Sheffield. The next of the children was Teressa. She is now a widow, living in Avon. Betsey married Charles Wells, of Henrietta; afterwards removed to Illinois, and died there. Merari, the youngest, married twice and was the father of twelve children, ten of whom are living, and one, Dorleski, wife of L. N. Higgins, in Henrietta.

Calvin Leonard. He was a native of Bennington county, Vermont, removed to Cayuga county New York, when eighteen years of age, whence, in the his back, he came to Henrietta. He purchased some three hundred acres on the. lot (ninety-seven) next west of Durand, and twenty-five (gore). Choice of location with the first settlers was determined not so much by the quality of soil as by a desire for new neighbors, and we usually find them locating upon land adjoining, or near, that on which a settlement had been made. Young Leonard cleared a small piece on lot ninety-seven, built his log cabin, and, the following winter, returned to New York to consummate an arrangement previously made with Miss Tryphena Root, immediately after the fulfillment of which he set out for the far west with ox-team and sled and a few household goods. His wife came by stage to Buffalo, and there joined her husband. The weather was propitious for this primitive bridal journey. It is authentically stated that the first snow, that season, fell the day before they started and disappeared the day after their arrival in Henrietta. Where Elyria now is, a bear was seen. to cross their path a short distance in front of them. That part of the county was then an almost unbroken wilderness. Mr. Leonard was better off, as regards ready means, than perhaps any of the earlier pioneers. He had the money to pay for his land, and that can rarely be said of the settler in that early day. He was, moreover, an enterprising, industrious farmer, and eventually became well off. Their family consisted of three children, Jeannette, Cuyler and Hervey. The daughter became the wife of Rev. Oliver W. Mather, a Presbyterian minister who was a graduate of Yale College. At the time of his marriage he was located at Birmingham, Erie county, but preached also at other points. He eventually returned to Connecticut, and died there. Mrs. Mather dicd many years previous, at the residence of her brother Hervey, in Henrietta. Cuyler graduated at Hudson College, remained a tutor there for two years, then studied law, and was for many years a leading member of the bar of Sandusky City. He married a young lady of high social rank in Danbury, Connecticut. His death took place in 1859. Hervey Leonard resides in Oberlin, having, afew years since, removed there from. Henrietta, where he had resided on the farm, on which he was born, for forty-nine consecutive years. His first wife was Maretta O. Wheden, of Washington county, New York, originally but subsequently of Oberlin, where she graduated. She died in 1868, and Mr. Leonard married, three years afterward, Mrs. Helen M. Dart, of Oberlin, with whom he is now living.

Next in order came Ruluff Audress and John Denison, and their families, in the fall of 1817.. They were also from New York, as were nearly all of the early settlers. The women and children came by boat from Dunkirk to the mouth of Black river, and were thirteen days on the water, and experienced an almost unprecedently rough voyage. Their store of provisions was exhausted on their arrival at Black river, having nothing in that line, except half a barrel of salt beef, which Denison had put aboard. Andress and Denison came through with their teams, and arrived at the mouth of Black river, where they expected to find their families, three days in advance of them.

Andress located east of Durand, taking up a hundred and sixty acres. He was a carpenter and joiner, and was much employed in the building of mills, bridges, ete. He built for Perez Starr, of Birmingham, the first dam across the Vermillion. He also built a mill for Mr. Starr. Andress subsequently removed to Huron county, where, in a little place called Puckerbrush, he kept hotel for a time. His wife died while there, and he afterwards returned to Henrietta, where he died in about the year 1855. His was a busy, useful life. Of his nine children, four are yet living. The oldest of these, Almon, lives in Birmingham, who, although feeble in body, retains his memory unimpaired, and we are indebted to him for many facts relating to the early settlement of the township. Milo is a Mormon, living in polygamy at Salt Lake. Charlotte (Mrs. Abbott) and- Harriett (Mrs. Lang) reside in Iowa.

Mr. Denison made his location just west of Henrietta Hill. He was possessed of some ready means on his arrival, but instead of paying for his land, he kept his money for possible contingencies. A combination of adverse events exhausted his resources, and he was finally dispossessed of his land, by which he lost all that he had expended in the improvement of it. He then rented land of Calvin Leonard for a number of years, and then, his wife having died, he took up his abode with his daughter, Mrs. Bristol, in Birmingham, with whom he spent the remainder of his life. He died March 11,1866. His wife died February 12, 1826. She was carried to the grave upon an ox cart, on which the mourners also rode. Four of his six children are living, viz: Mrs. Lewis, in Ridgeville; Mrs. D. C. Marsh and Mrs. Charles A. Bristol, in Birmingham; and John 8., in Henrietta. The latter has lived in the town longer than any other present resident of the township.

helm, on lot eighty-one. He eventually owned a large amount of land on the Vermillion bottom, on which he raised immense crops of corn, and that locality claimed to be called ''Egypt." His product of this cereal one season was five thousand bushels, which he sold for one dollar per bushel. He was an enterprising, successful farmer, and acquired a large property. He built a house as early as 1840, which cost some five thousand dollars. It was a grand structare for the time, with pillars which were brought all the way from Albany, New York. This house is now occupied by Nicholas Wilbur. Swift married a sister of Mrs. Calvin Leonard, Elizabeth Root, and had a family of six children, four of whom are living, as follows: Joseph, in Iowa; Elisha and Mrs. Cooley, near Jackson, Michigan; and Mrs. Griggs, in Detroit. Mr. Swift died at Grass Lake, Michigan, about three years since, and his widow now resides there. Almon and Jedediah Holcomb and their families moved in, in the spring of 1820. They have now no descendants in the township.

Uriah Hancock joined the settlement in 1820. He was a wheelwright, and had a machine shop on Leonard brook, in an early day. Hesubsequently removed to Illinois, and died there. His second son, Smith Hancock, was killed in a somewhat singular manner. He was riding in an ox cart loaded with hogs, one of the wheels of which coming into collision with a stump, the cart was overturned upon him, killing him almost instantly.

Squire Abbott joined the settlement in June, 1825. He was originally from Massachusetts, but removed to New York at an early date, and thence to Kingsville, Ashtabula county, Ohio, and subsequently to this township, as stated. He made his location on Henrietta Hill, and struck the first blow ever made there. His habitation occupied the spot on which is now the residence of Ansel Hales. Mr. Abbott was a Baptist preacher, and was the first settled minister in town. His wife was Annie Spafford, also of Massachusetts. His death occurred in December, 18538, at the age of eighty-one years and six months. His wife died in January, 1845. Their daughter Wealthy, is the wife of Almeron Stedman, of Henrietta, who came into the township in 1827. Mr. Stedman had previously made a journey from Litchfield, Connecticut, to Kingsville, in Ashtabula county, for the purpose of visiting an uncle, and while there met Miss Abbott, whom he afterwards married in Henrietta.

one, a short distance south of the Hill, on the north and south center road, and he still occupies his original purchase, which has been increased by subsequent additions. His primitive log cabin stood a little south of his present neat frame house. Although Mr. Stedman settled here ten years after the first settlement was made, there was not even then a stick cut south of him to Brighton. Mrs. Stedman is a woman of much intelligence, possesses a tenacious memory as to early events, and has given the writer many facts in the history of this township. Mr. and Mrs. Stedman, now well advanced in life, raised a family of thirteen children, all of whom lived to adult life. Justin Abbott, the oldest of Squire Abbott's family, died in Minnesota. Anna was the wife of Amos Morse, one of the early settlers in widowhood, in Nebraska. Susan became the wife of Ferris Webster, spent her married life in Jefferson, Ashtabula county, and died there. Orlan is living in Kansas. Thirza married Orlando Holcomb, both

Prominent among subsequent arrivals was that of Moses Fuller, in 1831, from Mount Morris, Livingston county, New York, with his wife and one child. He located on the farm now occupied by Horace Sanders. He built on Chance creek, a sawmill, the first mill in the township; and an embankment, the remains of his dam, can yet be seen. He ingeriously attached a spinning-wheel, which was propelled by the same motive power, and his industrious wife spent many an hour with it, hehind the roaring dam. He died in Wauseon, Fulton county, Ohio, in August, 1877, having removed there some seven or eight years previous. He was a worthy member of the Baptist church in Henrietta for forty years, and left at his death many friends, who revered him for his many admirable traits of character. His widow still survives him in Wauseon. He was the father of nine children, two of whom reside in this township. Mrs. S. O. V/ellman, whose husband died in December, 1875, and a son, Byron.

William Hales moved into the township at about this time, and located on the farm now owned by Adam Hensner, on lot eighty-eight. He subsequently changed his location to the hill, purchasing the farm now owned by his son Ansel. He resided here until 1872, when he removed to North Amherst, where he now lives in his seventy-sixth year. He is the father of eleven children, all of whom are living, four in this township, three in Amherst, and one in Brownhelm.

Simeon Shepard, with his family, consisting of his wife and five children, came to Henrietta from Madison county, New York, in about the year 1830. He settled on the State road, about a mile and a half east of Birmingham, on lot ninety-eight. He cleared up a farm of one hundred acres, and lived upon it until his death, in 1868. His widow survived him three years. Three of the five children are living, viz: Jacob, in Henrietta on a farm of sixty-six acres, onehalf mile south of the center, and Oliver and Sarah, in Iowa. Simeon, Jr., died in Texas, September 17, 1878, and Lucy (Mrs. Sizer), many years ago, in Henrietta.

Silas Wood, a native of New York, removed from Pennsylvania to Ohio with his parents in 1824. The family settled in Greenfield, Huron county. He married, in 1827, Hannah Ennes, whose parents came to Birmingham in 1825. Heafterwards became a member of the firm of Hawley & Whittlesey, proprietors of a woolen factory and carding machine near Birmingham, Erie county. Several years afterward he purchased a farm in Berlin, in that county, and took up his residence there for a year or two, and then moved into this town, buying one hundred acres of Calvin Leonard. He eventually removed to Birmingham, and built a stone grist mill, and also engaged in merchandise. Mr. Wood's life was one of great activity. He possessed excellent - business qualifications, and amassed a fine property. He died of heart disease in 1860, and his wife died subsequently. Four of his five children are now living, viz: Mrs. Althida Arnold and George 8., in Birmingham, and Mrs. Hannah A. Kline and Mrs. Sarah A. Strauss, in Oberlin.

A family by the name of Pike settled in the gore at an early date. A son, James, was a military officer, and fought at Lundy's Lane. He was afterwards much engaged in forming and drilling rifle companies. He was a man of local prominence, and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was killed in 1821 while at work in the woods, a tree which he cut down falling on him.

The first permanent settler in the south part of the township was John Hunter, who removed from Cayuga county, New York, in about the year 1830. He bought one hundred acres in the north part of lot ten, in tract twelve, and afterwards added the north part of lot nine, erecting his cabin on the former lot. He eventually removed to Florence, Erie county.

John. R. Hawkins came in in 1834, and made his purchase in lots ten and eleven. He rolled together his log house and.cut out a door, and with his family, consisting of his wife and five children, '"' moved in." He added a roof and floor afterwards. Without means, not even a team, and with a large family to support, Hawkins found life in Henrietta woods an uphill struggle, and after several years of hard toil, which was only moderately rewarded, removed to the prairies of Illinois, where a farm could be brought under cultivation with less difficulty. He died there a few years after, and his widow eventually became insane. -

_ Sometime in 1834, might have been seen an aged couple traveling on foot along the angling road that led from Birmingham to Camden. They were William Bates and his wife, from New York State, on their way to Camden, to visit some of their children who had settled there, and to examine the country, reports of the excellence of which had been sent back by the children. After returning, Mr, Bates being pleased with the western country, disposed of his property in New York, and with the residue of his family, except William Bates, Jr., who remained in New York, emigrated to Henrietta, arriving in 1836. The family located on lots thirteen and fourteen in tract twelve, purchasing of Robert Johnson and James Peak, who had made a beginning there. The Bates' eventunlly owned the whole of those lots, and except a small portion they are still in their possesion or that of their descendants. The pioneer Bates was twice married and became the father of fifteen children, ten boys and five girls. The family was not only remarkable for its size aumericaily, but also for the stature of its members, their great physical strength, and their longevity. 'The ten. sons aggregated a hight of nearly sixty-two feet. These characteristics were doubtless inherited from the father, who, it is said, was a powerful man, weighing over three hundred pounds. He died in the fall of 1848, in the eighty-fifth year of his age, and was buried on the bank of the Vermillion. His remains, however, were subsequently removed to the South Henrietta burying ground. Two sons and three daughters are yet living, all of whom are well advanced in life. Two of the daughters are aged respectively eighty-eight and eighty-four. Bennett Bates and-Thaxter Bates reside in Henrietta.

Henry Rosa, with his family of wife and four children, moved into Henrietta in 1835, from Birmingham, Erie county, whither he had come two years previously from Cayuga county, New York. He took up his residence on fifty acres of lot ten, tract twelve, which had been purchased by his oldest son, James H. Rosa. A log house had been built on the place some two years previously, by Alexander Ennes, of New York, who, on selling, removed to Birmingham where he now resides. This farm is still owned and occupied by Mr. Rosa, Sr., who is now eighty-five years of age. He married Mary Hawkins, who died about twenty years ago. Mr. Rosa served in the war of 1812. His son, James H. Rosa, resides on one hundred and fourteen acres in lot nine. He is the present justice of the peace for the south part of the township.

Moses R. Mapes, a native of Pennsylvania, moved in in the spring of 1838, from Florence township, Erie county, taking up his residence on lot twelve, track fourteen. He married Hlizabeth Hawkins, of Newburg, Orange county, New York, and raised a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters. She died in the spring of 1843, and Mr. Mapes subsequently married a Mrs. Tisdel, of Vermillion, where he resided for several years previous to his death, which took place in March, 1861. Three of the children now live in the township. Harvey, who lives on the farm to which he removed over thirty years ago; Samuel, who lives on the farm first occupied by John Hunter; and Rosella, now Mrs. Barhyte, who resides on the farm cleared up by John Hawkins. Her husband, Richard Barhyte, was killed by a kick from his horse, December 25, 1874.

Robert Johnson was the first settler on lot thirteen. He died soon after settlement, and his widow subsequently married Jacob Ennes, of Birmingham. She finally became insane, and hung herself to a limb of tree on the bank of the river.

Further east we find as carly settlers, John Balys, Medad Buckley, Aldridge and Roswell Allen, Benjamin Griffin, Levi Vincent, John Jewel, Thomas McOreedy, Richard Call, John Henderson, and two families by the names of Lewis and Billings. Balys and Buckley were the first permanent settlers on lots sixteen and seventeen, in tract twelve. Balys preceded his fumily, who arrived in 1834. After a residence of many years in Henrietta, he removed to Berlin, Erie county, but subsequently returned to this township, and bought out Jchn Hunter. He afterward sold to Samuel G. Mapes, his son-in-law,

The Allens located on lot fifteen. Roswell built a saw mill on the east branch of the Vermillion, in an early day, which, however, proved an unprofitable venture, - the dam continually breaking away. He, some ten years since, removed to Iowa, where he now lives. Aldridge died in 1875, aged eighty.

Levi Vincent settled in 1834, purchasing fifty acres each in lots four and five, of Judge Ely. He was originally from Canada East, but emigrated to Lake county, Ohio, where he remained in the township eighteen months, and then came to Henrietta. He

Thomas McCreedy was an early settler in Brownhelm, whence he removed to Henrietta. He is a native of Plattsburgh, New York, and removed to Cleveland in 1834. He remained there three or four years, engaged principally in chopping wood, cutting in eighteen months seven hundred cords. His next move was to Brownhelm, where he lived some thirteen years, and then moved to Henrietta, and purchased forty-nine acres on lot thirteen, tract thirteen. To this he has since added, and now owns something over seventy-one acres. His first wife died in 1845, while residing in Brownhelm, and he married, three years subsequently, the widow of Caleb Dunham. Mr. and Mrs. McCreedy are still living, aged respectively seventy-five and seventy-seven.

Still further east, Captain Elias Mann and Andrew Peabody. Mann was perhaps the earliest settler in this part of the township. All we know of him is that he owned a small patch of ground on which he had a log cabin.

Peabody settled where he still resides, on lot one hundred and four. He came to Henrietta with his family, in 1835, his native State being New Hampshire. His first wife died many years ago. He re married, and his second wife is also dead. She lived only a few months after her marriage. Mr. Peabody is in his eighty-third year.

Richard Kelly and John Petty were also early settlers in this section of the town. Petty emigrated to America from Yorkshire, England, when a young man, worked in a coal mine in Pennsylvania, for a time, and then came to the township of Russia, purchased fifty acres of land, married and raised a family. After a residence there of many years, he came to Henrietta. He is still living on the windfall road, with his younger children, aged seventy-six.

The most of lot seven, tract twelve, was originally settled by Newell, Jesse and Chapman M. Cook, brothers. 'Che former two came to Henrietta in 1837, and the latter in 1838. They were from New York, and all very poor when they came to Henrietta; but they were industrious, and cheerfully endured the hardships of those early times, The first work of clearing that Newell and Jesse did for others, in order that no time might be wasted in going back and forth for their meals, they carried a store of provisions with them to the woods, and kept bachelors' hall in a large hollow log. Newell was not long to enjoy the fruit of his toil; he died in 1848. Jesse moved to Camden in 1857; he served the Baptist Church in Henrietta for upward of thirty consecutive years. still lives on the old homestead, on lot seven.

Pioneer Hardships, Dangers And Amusements

The pioneers of Henrietta, while exempt from some of the hardships by which those of other townships, which were settled before the close of the war of 1812, were surrounded, were nevertheless subject to many privations and hardships of which it is difficult for those who have not actually experienced them, to form an adequate conception. The first settlers here lived in almost complete isolation. There were other settlers in Brownhelm, but they lived on the lake shore between which and the southern part of that township lay an unbroken forest of some five miles in extent, and there was, therefore, but little intercourse between the twosections. Provisions were sometimes scarce and difficult to obtain. The nearest grist mill was not far away - Col. Brown's, on the Vermillion - but it was not in operation much of the time and long journeys would have to be made to get the grain ground into flour. The earlier settlers in Henrietta frequently carried their grain toa mill at Cold creek, near Sandusky, to get their grinding done. Simeon Durand once carried on his back a bushel of wheat to Rocky river to get it ground.

Murrain attacked the cattle with terribly fatal results, and a disease among the sheep, of which they died in large numbers, while many were killed by the predatory wolf. The woods abounded in wild animals of which the wolf was the most annoying to the inhabitants, not only because of his frequent incursions into the farmer's sheepfold, but also on account of his nightly howls around the lonely cabin.. He was a rayenous animal, and even deer would frequently become the victim of his rapacity. They showed a great deal of ingenuity in capturing the deer, an animal too fleet to be overtaken by pursuit. Christopher Shaffer, an old hunter through this region, now living in Florence, relates that on a certain occasion, as he was going to his traps in Henrietta, he came upon the path, in the snow, of a pack of wolves, and he followed it up. For some distance the path showed that they had traveled along in single file, when suddenly it disappeared from the hunter's sight. On looking around him, however, he found numerous tracks on both sides of the vath, indicating that from some cause they had suddenly dispersed. On further examination the skeleton of a large buck was found. The wolves, on discerning the deer had instantly broken ranks, surrounded him, and thus secured their prey.

Occasionally the farmers in several adjoining townships would organize a grand hunting party. The object was two-fold - to enjoy the fine sport which such ahunt furnished, and to rid the country of the wolf, which, however, was not frequently caught. The first of these hunts was organized in January, 1828, under the lead of Captain Tracy, of Amherst, and centered inthis township. Men from Henrietta, Brownhelmn, Amherst, Russia, Brighton, and Florence, Erie county, participated. The method of the sport was to surround a large tract of country, the line thus formed moving gradually toward the center. The sport was not without danger from cross-firing as the hunters approached each other, and instances of fatal accident are not wanting. On this occasion aman by the name of Harris, of Amherst, who was on horseback, was shot in the ankle. A large quantity of game was killed, including a bear. Calvin Leonard, John Denison and Almeron Stedman, of Henrietta, were members of this hunting party.

Wild hogs were numerous, and the male often dangerous. A man by the name of Manville, living in Wakeman, was once attacked, and being without means of defence, the boar struck him in the leg, terribly lacerating the flesh. He ran to the nearest stump, climbed upon it, and remained there until the hog disappeared. Shaffer himself was thus once attacked, but having his rifle with him, he proved more than a match for his adversary. One night while he and his father lay in their hut, at the sugar bush, in the south part of Henrietta, - which' they established long previous to the advent of the white settler there, - they were arroused by a commotion outside, in which their dog apparently had a part. On going out to see, it was found that the dog had seized a cub bear. The old gentleman ran into the cabin for his gun, the old bear, in the meantime, intent on seeing fair play, coming to the assistance of her cub. She rushed at Shaffer, Sr., furiously, but he quietly brought the rifle to his shoulder and fired, killing the brute on the spot. The cub escaped in the woods, the dog only too glad to part company with his embracing antagonist.

Indians annually visited Henrietta for many years after the settlement. They would come in the fall, and remain to hunt through the winter. They hada little camp, soon after the close of the war, in the southern part of the township, on the east branch of the Vermillion, and one, of twelve or fifteen families, long subsequent on Chace creek, just east of Mr. Stedman's. They were peaceably disposed, and the inhabitants experienced no annoyance from them.

The first wedding was that of Joseph Swift and Elizabeth Root. This interesting event took place August 22, 1818. The nuptial knot was tied by Rev. Alvin Coe. Among the earliest marriages was that of Festus Powers and Sally Andress, which occurred sometime in 1819,

The first death was that of Betsey Holeomb. She died August 24, 1818, at the age of eighteen years. The male inhabitants met, and selected a site for a burying ground, on land belenging to Edward Durand. Smith Hancock and Almon Andress brushed off a piece of ground, and there dug the grave.

Henry Brown Holcomb was the first child born, It is said that Colonel Brown had promised to give the parents of the first child born in what was then Brownhelm, the sum of fifty dollars, and that that amount was endorsed on the land contract of Squire Holcomb, who had made his purchase of Colonel Brown. The births of Jeannette Leonard and Charlotte Andress were among the earliest.

Joseph Powers' was the first house opened for the accommodation of travelers. Subsequently the large frame house on the hill, owned by Anson Hales, was built by James Durand, and kept by him as a hotel. The stage road was a great thoroughfare in those days, and Durand's large hotel was almost constantly filled. General Winfield Scott, accompanied by his staff, has been a guest at this house.

A post office was established on the hill, soon after the organization of the town, and Squire Abbott was appointed the first post master. The office was subsequently held successively by Edward Durand, Moses Fuller, Harvey Page, Stephen Jones, and Ansel Hales, the last-named being the present incumbent.

Henrietta was organized in 1827. In November, 1826, the inhabitants in the south part of Brownhelm petitioned the commissioners to take off the three south tiers of lots and to attach them to unsettled lands lying south, and incorporate the same into a township. The petitioners look occasion to say that it was seven miles from the lake shore to the south line of the township; that there hid been but little communication between the north and south settlements; and that it was extremely inconvenient for some of the people to attend on the public business of the town. 'The prayer of the petition was rejected; but at the same session of the commissioners it was ordered that tracts nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen and fifteen, in range nineteen, with surplus lots lying west of said tracts, be erected into a township by the name of Henrietta, and be attached to Brighton for judicial purposes. This township, as thus formed, included a large part of the present township of Camden and a little more than two-thirds of the present township of Henrietta. As organized, it was not satisfactory to the inhabitants in the south part of Brownhelm, and in February, 1827, upon their petition, two tiers of lots, being over a mile in width, were detached from the south part of Brownhelm and annexed to Henrietta; and tract number nine was detached from Henrietta and annexed to Brighton. An election was ordered for township officers, which took place in April, 1827. Calvin Leonard, Simeon Durand and Smith Hancock, were elected trustees; Justin Abbott, clerk; Joseph Powers, treasurer; Obed Holcomb, overseer of the poor; John E. Page, fence viewer; Joseph Weston, constable; Orlando Holcomb, supervisor; Edward Durand, justice of the peace. In March, 1830, lots eighty-six, eighty-seven and eighty-eight were detached from Brownhelm and annexed to Henrietta; and in March,

The present township officers are as follows: C. L. Ferguson, clerk; W. A. Thomas, Washington Covenhoven, Sylvester Petty, trustees; L. A. Higgins, treasurer; Marsena Peabody, assessor; Henry Whitney and Eugene Walker, constables; G. L. Ferguson and James H. Rosa, justices of the peace.

The earliest schools were held at private houses. The first teacher was Marinda Morrison, who taught in the summer of 1819. Soon afterward a rude log school house, with stick chimney, Dutch back fireplace, and whitewood slabs for seats, was erected on the farm of Simeon Durand. Dr. Forbes taught the first school in this structure in the winter of 1821-2. He was a medical practitioner, and was the first doctor

The log school house served its purpose for a few years, and then a frame was built. It was the first frame school house in this section of the country. It was years afterwards sold to Carlo Andress, and is now used on his old place asa barn. Sarah Ann Ingham, James Durand, Lucinda Johnson, and Wealthy Abbott were among the earliest teachers. Durand taught in the winter of 1825, and Miss Abbott the following summer. Her wages were seven shillings per week which were paid in merchandise. The patrons of the school paid in proportion to the number of children they sent. Henrietta occupies a front rank among the townships of Lorain county with respect to the character of her school houses. They are exceeded in their aggregate value by only two other of the townships in the county in which there is not an incorporated village, and in the average value takes the lead. The report of the clerk of the board of education, ending August 31, 1878, gives the following statistics :

The pioneers of Henrietta were not behind their neighbors in providing for their religious wants. The earliest religious meetings were held at the house of Joseph Powers. This was before the advent of the preacher, and these services were very simple, and, of course, undenominational in character. 'The first preacher was Rev. Alva Coe, from Boston, a mission. ary among the Indians. He preached the first sermon in Henrietta, at the house of Calvin Leonard.

The Baptists were the first to move in the matter of a church organization. A society was formed October 10, 1818, by Elder Goodell, of Painesville, of some fourteen or fifteen members, of whom we have only the following names: Joseph Powers and wife, Mrs. Simeon Durand, Betsey Durand, Jedediah Holcomb and wife. Joseph Powers was appointed deacon. The church had occasional preaching by Elder Joseph Phillips, of Berlin, Erie county, and by others, but it was not until 1825 that stated preaching was had. In that year Elder Squire Abbott moved into town from Kingsville, Ashtabula county, and became the pastor of the church. The society gradually increased in membership for two years following, when dissensions of a radical nature arose in the church, which continued for some time, ''and were not healed until another doctrine was embraced by the pastor and a large proportion of the members," who withdrew from the church. ''In this state of things trying scenes were experienced by those who maintained their allegiance to the church," yet the church kept up its organization, reported to the Huron Association, of which it was a member, and had occasional preaching. The records of the church were taken away by the seceding members, and were not restored until February, 1832. At that time there were ten members. During this and the following year, Peter Lattimer preached occasionally. After this, stated preaching was had. The salary of these early preachers was very: small, and not always promptly paid. Until 1837, the meetings of the |church were held in the school house, west of the Hill, and for a year or two subsequently, in the school house on the Hill. In July, 1837, by resolution of the church, the following members were constituted a branch of the church in Birmingham : James and Catharine Daly, Henry and Mary Howe, John and Ann Blair, Richard and Catharine Laughton, and Hannah Brown, and the church took the name of the Henrietta and Birmingham Church. In May, 1840, the Birmingham branch organized independently.

In 1838, Edward Durand, Esq., erected the house on the hill, in which Harvey Page now resides. The upper part was fitted up for an audience room for the use of the church. It was completed in August of that year, and the Huron Association held their annual session with the church in its new place of worship on the 29th and 30th of that month. An act of incorporation, on petition of the church, was granted by the legislatnre of the State, February 28, 1842, under the name of the 'First Regular Baptist Church and Society of Henrietta." Chauncey Remington, Philemon Shepard, Daniel Axtell, Moses Fuller and Simeon D. Powers were constituted trustees by said act. In 1850, the church edifice on the hill was erected and dedicated to the worship of God on the 18th of November of that year, the Rev. Mr. Berton, of Elyria, officiating on the occasion, assisted by the pastor, Elder Fuller. Elder Julius Beeman of Lagrange, L. Wilder of Berlin, Erie county, and G. W. Allen of Amherst were present and took part in the exercises. The house cost about one thousand six hundred. The present pastor is Rev. Malcom Wood. William A. Thomas is clerk. Present membership, fifty. The salary of the pastor is five hundred and sixteen dollars. A Sabbath school was organized on the first Sabbath in July, 1832, of about thirty, scholars; Philemon Shepard was appointed superintendent. The first teachers were Philemon Shepard, Dennis Powers, Patience Shepard, Venera Shepard and Jane Ellis. There are now eighty-three scholars enrolled, with an average attendance of fifty; William A. Thomas, superintendent.

The Union Churoh

Sometime prior to 1852 a Methodist Episcopal class and a Free Will Baptist society were formed. The constituent members of the Baptist society were the following: Jesse Cook and wife, George Conover, Mrs. Austin and James H. Rosa and wife. We are not informed as to the original members of the Methodist Episcopal class. They held their meetings in the school house in the former school district number three. In the above year they combined in the erection of a church building. The organization was effected under the name of the '' Free Church Association," and immediate steps taken to erect a house of worship. Article four of the constitution specifies that the house is to be free to all denominations of Christians, and to all public speakers who have in view moral, religious or political reform, or the about eight hundred dollars, and was dedicated by Elder Whipple of Oberlin. The Methodists afterward withdrew and formed a class in Kipton, but were subsequently divided into two sections by the slavery agitation, and the more radical wing in regard to the question returned to worship with the Baptists as formerly.

The church has now a membership of thirty-two. J. B. Cook is clerk, Jesse Cook is deacon, and E. G. Wightman, officiating deacon. Rev. G. H. Damon of Medina, and Rev. Hushour of Pittsfield, preach every alternate Sabbath. The church has accomplished much good. It has a flourishing Sabbath school of some sixty scholars, of which Charles Buckley is the superintendent.

United Brethren

There were originally three classes of this denomination - one at the center, one on the first road east of the center, and another on the second road east of the center, called the '' Windfall" class. The class at the center was formed in 1855, by Rev. Alva Prescott, an itinerant revivalist preacher, engaged in the organization of classes of this denomination. The other classes were formed a short time previously. They united in their meetings, which were held in an old log school house on the road next east of the center. Rev. Mr. Prescott was their first minister. He remained a year and a half with them. The center and middle classes subsequently united at the center, and erected a house of worship, which is still used by them. It was erected in 1864, and dedicated by Bishop Glossbenner. "The present membership is fourteen or fifteen. It had, in more prosperous days, a membership of forty. Robert White is the leader of this class, and Charles McCreedy, steward. After the union of the two classes at the center, the '* Windfall" class held their services in private houses in the immediate vicinity, until the erection of a school house, when they occupied that. Marsena Peabody is the present leader,-and 'homas Johnson, steward. Rey. Peter Ish, of Oberlin, preaches for both classes.

The German Methodist Church

was organized in the year 1868, with twenty-five or thirty members, by the Rey. George Berg. Meetings were held in the school house in district number one, until the erection, in 1875, of the present neat and commodious house on the State road. It cost some twenty seven hundred dollars, including the furniture, and was dedicated by Rev. Paoles, of Berea. The church is in a flourishing condition, having some fifty members, and has also a prosperous Sabbath school, of which Henry Haneisen is superintendent. Rey. Adam Weber, of Vermillion, preaches once every Sabbath.

The German Presbyterian Church

situated in the western part of the township, a mile south of Birmingham, was organized in 1872, and a building erected, costing eight hur dred and fifty dollars. The first preacher of this church was Rev. Kuhler, of Vermillion. Rev. Mr. Brown is the present pastor. The original membership was some twelve in number, and is now twenty. The church has a prosperous Sabbath school, Adam Almroth being the superintendent.

The first road in Henrietta was the old State road, now usually called the telegraph road, which runs a diagonal course through the three northern tiers of lots, passing through lot eighty-eight on the east line, and lot ninety-seven on the west. It was originally half a mile south of its present location. There are now two other east and west roads in the township, and five running north and south, besides the county line road; all of which extend through the town except the second one east of the county line, known as ''log lane;" presumably so named from the number of logs scattered along the street by the squatters who made their locations there. This road is not opened north of the telegraph road.

Productive Industries

Abner Hancock also had a mill on this creek, and Roswell Allen one at an earlier date in the south part of the town, on the east branch of the Vermillion. There are now two mills of this kind in the township, that of D. 8. Davis at the hill, and the Currier mill at the center. The Davis mill was built by Durand in about the year 1847. It was destroyed by fire in 1850, and rebuilt since then - machinery for the manufacture of shingles, a blacksmith shop and a wagon shop have been added. The Currier mill was built originally by one Ousterhout. It was burned down after the Currier brothers came into possession, and by them rebuilt.

THE MApLE Grove Cuegsse Factory - Lees aud McDowell, proprietors - was by them established in the spring of 1870. It is in a flourishing condition, many improvements having been added during the past year. There is also a cheese factory in the southwest part of the town.

One of the most flourishing enterprises ever carried on in the township, was the ashery of Edward Durand, and although long since dead, deserves mention.

earlier date. It was originally located just west of the saw mill. Mr, Durand made potash only, but he subsequently removed to the opposite side of the street, and engaged in the manufacture of that article. James Lees, who was formerly in Durand's employ, bought the factory in 1853 or 1854, and carried on the business more extensively than ever before, making saleratus in addition to pearlash. He continued in the business until 1872, when, becoming unprofitable, it was discontinued. A large pile of ashes now marks the location of this early industry. There were at one time also, in the northwest part of the township, near the first settlement, the asheries of Abner Hancock and James Hosford.

Ohio

THIS TOWNSHIP is bounded on the north by Elyria, on the south by LaGrange, on the east by Eaton, and on the west by Russia. It has but two streams of water, and these are the east and west branches of the Black river, the former of which flows from the southeast across the township; the other from the southwest, and both cross the north line of the township near the northeast corner, forming a junction at Elyria.

The surface of the township is generally level; the soil is largely clay, and for the most part well adapted to agriculture, the bottom lands being extremely fertile. The township is described and known on the records as number five in the seventeenth range, and was drawn by Joseph Perkins, John Richmond, Tracy, Hoyt, William Eldridge, John McClennan, Daniel Tilden and Jabez Adains - (Island number six, then Cunningham's, now Kelly's, consisting of two thousand seven hundred and forty-seven acres, was annexed to number five for the purpose of equalization. )

Name

Before the township was organized, the western portion had acquired the name Murrayville from settlers of that name in that locality. This was not satisfactory to the residents of the eastern portion, Phinehas Johnson wishing to name it Berlin after his native town in Connecticut. Unable to agree on either name, a compromise.was effected by calling it Carlisle.

The first settler of Carlisle township was John Bacon, of Windham county, Vermont, who made the journey from that point with a team of horses and wagon, arriving in Ridgeville in the month of October, 1815. He remained there until the early months of 1816, when he came to Carlisle and made a permanent settlement on what is now known as Murray Ridge. He brought with him from the east a few necessary household goods, and his family consisting of a wife and the following children: Clarissa, Hiram and Susan. The first and last are deceased. Hiram married Louisa Halford and yet resides on the old homestead, hale and hearty, though at the advanced age of seventy-eight years. John Bacon died in 1864; his wife in 1857.

A few months after Mr. Bacon made a commencement, a brother-in-law, Abel Farr, came on from Vermont and located on the north line and near the center east and west. His family that came with him was a wife and four children. Others who were married remained in Vermont; two came on afterwards and settled near the father. None of them now live in the township, and the only descendants are the widow and children of a son, Lowell, who was one of the children who came with the family.

There was no further settlement made in the township until the spring of 1819, when Samuel Brooks and family arrived in Carlisle. They were of sturdy Connecticut stock, and made the journey to Ohio by the substantial method of that day, 7. ¢., with an ox team and a stout wagon. In these later years of harnessed lightning and rapid transit the idea of traveling six hundred miles with an ox team seems prosy enough; yet this slow method had its advantages. There were no collisions nor trains trying to "'nass each other on the same track." The date of the arrival of Mr. Brooks in Carlisle was April, 1819. His log house was constructed near the eastern township line, and was the first in that part of the township. Samuel Brooks was born February 27, 1786, and died in Elyria, December 20, 1874; his wife, who was Sophia (Johnson) Brooks, was born June 22,1791. The children who accompanied the parents to Ohio were: Lydia K., who died August 10, 1851; Henry J., who resides in Cleveland; Julia L. (Bishop) who resides at Cuyahoga Falls, and Ira K., who died September 22, 1869.

On November 5, 1819, Hezekiah Brooks, and family, consisting of his wife and three children; Martin L. (now Dr. Brooks, of Cleveland); Ann H., afterwards missionary to Jamaica, who died in Memphis, Mississippi; and Hannah M. (Vincent), now living in

: Elyria, James Brooks, (father of Samuel and Hezekiah,) his wife and two sons, Calvin and Heman, together with Phinehas Johnson and family, came to Carlisle, and with Elisha Brooks and Riley Smith and wife, - who arrived two weeks earlier, - took up their abode with Samuel Brooks, making a total of thirty persons in the little Jog house. However, other dwellings were soon constructed, and ere long, quite a settlement had sprung up in the wilderness. This There was, at one period, a flourishing little hamlet here, with numerous manufacturers and minor industries; but of late years, the town has Jost its former presitge. The rest of Mr. Brooks' children are, Samuel C., of Cleveland; Stephen S., of California; Edward W., of Red Wing, Minnesota; Sophia, now Mrs. Dr. Briggs, of Elyria, (to whom our gratitude is due for assistance in the preparation of this history, as well as for favors shown us in our labors at the court house); Emeline L., now Mrs. Foote of Tabor, Iowa; Mary L., who died young; and William M., who is now president of Tabor college, Lowa.

The children of Hezekiah and Hannah Brooks, not before given, are, James, a physician, residing in New York; Hezekiah, Jr., of California; Sophronia (Hall), of Oberlin; George, who is the only descendant residing in the township of Carlisle; Harriet, of Newburgh, Cuyahoga county, Ohio; Emily (West), Jiving in Wellington, this county; and Ellen (Ruggles), who resides at Newburgh, Ohio.

The children of Phinehas Johnson, a gentleman well and favorably known, in the earlier years of the settlement of Lorain county, are, Sophia, wife of Samuel Brooks; Hannah, wife of Hezekiah Brooks; Cornelia, wife of D. Griswold, now living in Washington Territory; Samuel C., who died before the family came to Ohio; Julia, who married Edmund West (deceased); Irene, who was twice married, and is now deceased; William H., who married Alma Otis (deceased); Lucretia, who died at the age of nineteen years; Phienhas M., who married Orra Ann Collins (deceased); Delia M., who married H. N. Gates, and lives in Cleveland; and Isaac M., the youngest, who married Cornelia Mussey. She died, and he married Mary Hale, his present wife. He resides at Oakland, California. This gentleman is the father of the present deputy county treasurer.

The Brooks' and Johnsons' were of Puritan ancestry, and in the journey to Ohio, which was of nearly seven weeks' duration, they religiously observed the Sabbath day, by encamping promptly each Saturday night, and not resuming the journey until Monday morning.

William Webster, in his '"reminiscences," published in the Elyria Republican, April 7, 1876, says that ''Asahel Kelsey came from Connecticut at the same time," referring to the Brooks' and Johnsons', ''and settled on the south side of the east branch of the Biack river."

Philo Murray and his family, a wife and five children, from Connecticut, made settlement in the township in 1820 or '21. His location was in the western part of the township, on the ridge bearing his name. As none of the family are now residents of Carlisle we ure unable to obtain further data concerning them. :