Orwell Township

Orwell Township

This township is number 8 of the fourth range, and in the original distribution of the Western Reserve lands among the members of the Connecticut land company, September 5, 1798, became the property of Jabez and Ashael Adams, Moses Cleaveland, Joseph Williams, William W. Williams, and Joseph Howland. It was the first draft that was made in the drawing of the land company. It required, by virtue of an arrangement agreed upon by the members of this company (the reader is referred to the chapter in the general history on the Connecticut land company for an explanation of the process of partition), 812,903.23 to entitle a shareholder to one full, equalized township of land. If there were shareholders whose investments were insufficient to entitle each one to draw a full township, they could unite in such a manner as to make their united investments equal the amount required. In this instance this was the case. Jabez and Ashael Adams contributed towards making up the 812,903.23, 81630; Moses Cleveland, 84852.08 ; Joseph Williams, 83693.54 ; William W. Williams, 8959 ; Joseph Howland, 81768.61. Each of these proprietors, therefore, became the owner of such undivided part of the entire township as his amount of money contributed bore to the whole amount. The Adamses, having contributed a little more than one-eighth of the whole amount, were owners of a little more than oneeighth of the entire lands of the township. This township was considered an inferior one in quality, and an addition of seven thousand and forty-three acres of other lands was made to it in order to make it equal to an average township.

These original proprietors did not long retain their possession, which fell to them by lot, and Daniel L. Coit and Christopher Leffingwell became the grantees thereof. If the original owners placed too low an estimate on its value, their successors evidently did not make this mistake. The lands were held at five dollars an acre, a figure much in advance of prices at which lands equally good in neighboring townships could be purchased, the result being to retard the settlement of the township some eighteen years beyond the time when the adjoining township of Windsor was opened for settlement. Leffingwell caused the township to be surveyed into lots each of one mile square, and gave it the benefit of his name, and up to the time of its organization - in 1826 - it was known as and called Leffingwell. Despite the advantage which one would suppose this beneficent act of Mr. Leffingwell would have secured for it, it was many years after the survey before immigrants could be induced to take up their abode in it. What was known as a woods road, leading through the forest from Austinburg through Rome and Orwell, had been opened nearly twenty years before the time of settlement in Orwell, and hence a stream of emigration had passed through the township for many years prior to the coming of permanent settlers. During a number of years Leffingwell was attached to Rome for purposes of organization, many years elapsing after the arrival of the first settler before there was a sufficient number to enable the pioneers to effect a township organization. This, however, was accomplished on the 4th day of July, 1826, by the employment of means whose legality was of a questionable kind. In order to effect organization the law required an enrollment of ten electors. There were but eight residents entitled to a vote in the township. These old settlers were fertile in resources in times of emergency, and in this case an expedient was at hand. Two men, most likely residents of Windsor, were at work on a bridge that was then in process of construction across Grand river, and these were pressed into service, and thus the requisite quorum was obtained and the organization legally effected.

Early Settlements

The first white settler in Orwell was A. R. Paine, who emigrated from Stillwater, Saratoga county, New York, in October, 1815, and, after visiting other portions of the Reserve, finally settled in this township on the 1st day of April, 1817. He had purchased of D. L. Coit, through Coit's agent at Warren, a tract of land in the southwestern part of the township, - lot 4, section 19. Here he erected his log cabin, which was considered rather a superior dwelling-house for those days, as it could boast of a floor made of sawed boards , while most other houses of that day had to content themselves with split-puncheon floors. It was ' a building sixteen by twenty-four feet on the ground, with cobble-gables and a roof of long split-shingles, and must have been quite a respectable building for those times. Mr. Paine is also entitled to the distinction of building the first barn in the township. This was a log barn, sixteen by twenty feet. To Mrs. Paine belongs the honor of giving birth to the first white child of the township, - a daughter, born on the 6th of February, 1820, called Lucinda, - and Gates Chandler, son of Solomon Chandler, was the first male child born in the township, being born on the 6th day of January, 1824. Both the Chandlers are now residents of Plainfield, California.

At the time Mr. Paine settled in Orwell his nearest neighbor lived in Bloomfield, three miles distant, and north of him to the nearest log cabin it was six miles. Mr. Paine had laid in a goodly stock of provisions during a temporary stay at Painesville, paying for flour fifteen dollars per barrel, pork twenty-five cents per pound, potatoes one dollar per bushel, and tobacco one dollar per pound. The father and two brothers of Mrs. Paine resided with Mr. Paine during the first winter.

Solomon Chandler, having purchased the north half of section No. 24, began an improvement in 1818, erecting a log cabin, in which he resided for some time alone. It is related of him that he did credit to the order of bachelors by his neatness, and knew how to be hospitable to those who were his guests. In 1819, when he built a good, substantial barn for those days, for the purpose of storing his grain, assistance was rendered him from the settlement in Bloomfield. A dozen men, perhaps, came from the neighborhood. The day not being long enough to finish the work in hand, the party had to remain with their bachelor friend overnight. At supper-time all were hungry, as men would naturally be who had labored hard and continuously all day. Mr. Chandler brought out his little spider, of sufficient capacity only to furnish one meal for one man, and began to do the best that could be done under the circumstances. He prepared supper for one man, and while that one was enjoying his repast prepared another one's supper. By the time he had satisfied them all, and got a chance to attend to the demands of his own appetite, the night was pretty far spent, and " mine host" was not only a good deal hungry, but very weary also.

The next settlers in Orwell were William Waters, of Chenango county, New York, and Eli Andrews, from Hartford township, Trumbull county, Ohio, who came into the township in the spring of 1818. They purchased land in the northeastern portion of the township, but remained only three or four years, Watters removing to Rome. We have next to record the entrance into the township of Mr. Benjamin Babcock and family, who came from Chautauqua county, New York, in the fall of 1818, but were originally from Massachusetts. Mr. Babcock purchased and settled in section 2, in the northern part of Orwell, the place now owned by Alvin Lamb. He had a goodly number of boys, all smart, industrious young fellows, who knew well how to handle an axe, or handspike, or a rifle. John Babcock was said to be a remarkably active and athletic young man, with the laudable ambition to excel every one else, whether in work or in the sports that were the practice of those days. He got the start of all others in one very praiseworthy undertaking. He led to the matrimonial altar the first bride of the township, - a Miss Lydia Charlotte Wolcott. The ceremony was

In the month of February, 1820, Alanson Spaulding and wife augmented the population of Orwell by their arrival. Mr. Spaulding purchased a part of section 8, and erecting a log cabin in the midst of the wilderness, opened it as a house of public resort, aud much was spoken in praise of the comforts and attention which travelers received at this first tavern in Orwell. Mr. Spaulding became a leading spirit among the Orwell pioneers, becoming the first justice of the peace and first postmaster. He also erected a block-house. Not content with this, he became the builder aud owner of the first brick building in the township, situated in lot 3, sectiou 8, which was also used as a tavern, and is now the residence of C. A. B. Pratt.

Daniel K. Wolcott, from Bristol, Hartford county, Connecticut, having become owner of four hundred and seventy-six and one-half acres of section 13, comprising a large share of the present town-site of the village of Orwell, settled upon his purchase in April, 1822. During the summer of this year he built the first frame house in the township, located near the present site of Mr. Graham's store. This Mr. Wolcott opened as a tavern-stand, and was well patronized. Being of strictly temperate principles, he refused to sell intoxicating drinks. He subsequently sold his tavern to Stephen Jordan, and removed to a log house which he had built about a mile farther east, effecting at this place a good improvement, cultivating a fine orchard. This was the first improvement between Orwell and Wayne centres.

The year 1832 marked the arrival in the township of Ezra Pratt, who removed to this western wilderness from Lyme, New London county, Connecticut, and purchased the farm and tavern-stand of Mr. Spaulding, whom he succeeded as postmaster. Mr. Pratt was an active and industrious man. He opened the first store in Orwell in 1832, immediately after his arrival, in the block building erected by Mr. Spaulding, which had been removed to the opposite side of the road. Mr. Pratt also made rapid improvements upon his farm, and soon wrought a pleasing change in the appearance of his homestead. He continued to discharge the duties of postmaster for about six years, when he was succeeded by Colonel George A. Howard, who had during the season of 1837 built and opened the first store kept at Orwell Centre. Colonel Howard held the office of postmaster until September 4, 1847. He was a good business man, and prominently connected with the interests of the township.

Henry L. Rice, Christopher Loveland, John Weed, Solomon Hunter, Thomas Stone, aud John Bronson opened up settlements in the southeastern part of the township in the year 1834.

At the organization of the township in 1826, Lyman Richards was elected clerk, and Joseph Chandler, Alanson Spaulding, and Solomon Chandler trustees.

The present officers arc Thos. M. Covert, clerk ; Edward Crook, Edwin Reeves, and A. L. Parker, trustees; A. H. Rowley, treasurer; W. H. Henderson and Solomon Bingham, constables; Pomeroy Carter, assessor; Edwin Goddard and J. B. Phillips, justices of the peace.

The first sermon was preached in 1820, by the Rev. Giles H. Cowles, at the log cabin of Alanson Spaulding. The organization of the Methodist Episcopal church was effected at the residence of Benj. Babcock, November 27, 1822, with a membership of twelve persons. The Methodists began the erection of a good, substantial church building in section 12, a short distance south of the village, in 1845, but did not finish it until the summer of 1850. Revs. Taylor and Crawford, circuit preachers, were the first, and Rev. G. G. Watters is the present minister. The present membership is one hundred and fifteen, and the church property, including parsonage, is valued at four thousand five hundred dollars.

Rev. Giles H. Cowles organized the Presbyterians into a church on the 20th day of November, 1831. The membership was composed of residents of both Orwell and Colebrook, but a separation was soon effected, and the Orwell membership formed themselves into a church organization of their own, which was incorporated as such in the year 1837. In the spring of 1841 they erected a church edifice on lot 1 of section 12, in the northern part of the village, the cost of which was about one thousand dollars. Their present minister is Rev. H. D. King, their membership about seventy, and their church property is valued at five thousand dollars.

August 28, 1832, the Baptists of the township, consisting of seven persons, organized themselves into a society, and effected a church organization October 10, 1837, with a membership of ten persons, and their first minister was Elder Benjamin St. John. In 1849 the church numbered nineteen members. It sustained itself but a few years from that time.

In 1843 a Wesleyan Methodist church was organized with a membership of a dozen persons, their first preacher being a Rev. Mr. Langdon. This church organization was sustained but a few years.

The first school-house built in Orwell was a log one, erected in the spring of 1822, in section 13, just north of the centre, opposite the present site of Stone's hotel. The first teacher was Miss Lydia C. Walcott, and the scholars numbered twelve.

The citizens of Orwell evinced a strong interest in the establishment of educational facilities for the youth in their vicinity. Orwell academy was built in 1851, and is located in section 13, in the northeastern part of the village. It is a building thirty-two by sixty feet, and two stories high.

The first board of officers was composed of Jason Waters, A. Bingham, and C. A. B. Pratt; Rufus Barnard, treasurer; and Jacob Tuckerman, secretary. The first principal was Jacob Tuckerman, in 1851 ; succeeding principals, Messrs. Buck, Jas. M. Johnson, Pinney, H. U. Johnson, and Mr. King, the present principal. The school gained for itself an excellent reputation, and has received a large support. The most prosperous period of its history was during the first few years of Professor H. U. Johnson's management. From 1865 to 1870 there was an average attendance of about one hundred and fifty. The township contains eight good district school-houses.

Orwell Agricultural Society was organized May 31, 1858. We copy from the society's books the following minutes of the first meeting held : " By previous notice given, the citizens of Orwell assembled at the town-house on the evening of May 17, 1858, for the purpose of organizing a township agricultural society. Amander Bingham, Esq., was called to the chair and R. E. Stone appointed secretary, aud after addresses by numerous persons present a motion was made that the chair appoint a committee of five to prepare a constitution for an agricultural society. The chairman appointed Ansel Russell, Thos. Day, Lewis Waters, John Holliday, and C. A. B. Pratt a committee to report a constitution at the next meeting. Meeting adjourned to meet again on Monday evening, May 31, 1858.

At the organization of the society, May 31, 1858, the following officers were chosen: Colonel Geo. A. Howard, president; Lewis Waters, Rufus Barnard, Amander Bingham, L. A. Pratt, Anson Russell, N. A. Barnes, and C. A. B. Pratt, vice-presidents; Colonel G. A. Howard, Wm. M. Eames, Lewis Waters, Anson Russell, and C. A. B. Pratt, executive committee ; Dr. Wm. M. Eames, secretary ; C. A. B. Pratt, treasurer.

On the 7th of August following the society leased of Amos Morgan eight acres of land, in the east part of section 13, to be used as fair grounds, the same being a portion of the society's present grounds. The first fair was held the same fall. A fair has been held each succeeding fall with profitable results. The society at present has a lease of twenty acres of grounds, inclosed by a good fence, a good half-mile track, and buildings and improvements worth one thousand dollars. At the twentieth annual fair, held this year (1877), there were nine hundred and twenty-eight entries made, and the receipts were nine hundred and twenty-six dollars and sixty-five cents.

The present officers are: President, S. C. Wilson, Windsor township; Vice- President, F. R. Smith, Windsor township ; Secretary, H. J. Stone, Orwell township ; Treasurer, A. H. Rowley, Orwell township. C. R. Stone, M. Lintern, N. A. Barnes, C. P. Carpenter, Lewis Waters, Wm. Barnard, Windsor, D. S. Chapel, New Lyme, and Alfred Barber, Bloomfield, executive committee.

Orwell Lodge , Xo. 477, I. O. O. F., was instituted June 27, 1871, by Wm. H. Beebe, Special Deputy. The following are the names of the charter members: H. U. Johnson, A. G. Hutchinson, L. P. Jordan, Emerson Paine, Alvin Lamb, Orin Parker, R. E. Stone, J. Runciman, Sr., James Kingdom, E. Crippen, J. H. Dungan, Chas. Bassett, and Amander Bingham. The first officers were H. U. Johnson, N. G. ; A. G. Hutchinson, V. G. ; L. P. Jordan, R. S. ; Emerson Paine, P. S. ; A. Lamb, Treas. ; and O. Parker, R. E. Stone, and J. Runciman, Sr., Trustees. In the fall of 1871 the lodge, in connection with the town, built their present building, the upper story of which is owned and occupied by the lodge as their rooms. The first story is owned by the town, and used as a town hall. The building is situated just south of the corner occupied by Mr. Graham's store ; is in size thirty by sixty feet, with twenty-two feet posts, and cost three thousand dollars. The lodge-rooms were dedicated January 1, 1872. The lodge now numbers eighty members, has its rooms well furnished, and is in a flourishing condition.

Laurel Lodge , No. 220, I. 0. G. T., was instituted August 1, 1867, with the following charter members : E. A. Goddard, F. D. Case, A. D. Brown, J. T. Gillmore, Ivory Basset, A. H. Fenton, E. H. Parker, C. W. Fenton, A. Lamb, J. S. Lamb, Z. C. Bigelow, N. Lamb, H. U. Johnson, G. S. Chandler, P. D. Howard, P. M. Babcock, S. Fillmore, Miss Amanda Dungan, Miss Jennie Bigelow, Miss Libbie Bower, Miss Juliette Goddard, Miss Sarah Morse, Miss Fannie M. Newell, Miss Celia Morgan, Olive E. Barnes, and Mary E. Haines.

Early Roads

The first traveled highway through Orwell was the road from Austinburg south through the forests of Rome and Orwell, leading to the county-seat of Trumbull county. In the winter of 1818 and 1819 an act passed the legislature of the State of Ohio for the establishment of a turnpike-road through the fourth range of townships leading from Ashtabula to Warren. This turnpike was completed through this township in 1819, passing the centre of the township onehalf .mile to the east. In 1812 there was a road laid out from the centre of Windsor through the centres of Orwell, Colebrook, Wayne, and Williamsfield, to the Pennsylvania line, but it was not used much until the establishment along this route in 1831 of the Cleveland and Pennsylvania State road. Previous to the opening of this road there was no point at which Grand river could be crossed, except on the line of the devious old pioneer route leading from Judge Griswold's dwelling in Windsor to that of Judge Hayes in Wayne. When it became known to the settlers of Windsor and Orwell that the State would establish a road leading through the centres of the southern tiers of townships, they resolved to put the road through the Grand river bottoms on each side of the stream in a passable condition. They agreed to celebrate the 4th day of July, 1830, by assembling in force on that day and beginning the proposed work. On the morning of that day, therefore, over three hundred men, residents of Orwell and Windsor, and some from neighboring townships, were on the ground with carts, ox-sleds, mud-boats, with all the teams that could be mustered, the men equipped with axes, hoes, shovels, handspikes, and mattocks. The men were divided into companies, placed under the command of a captain, and the work began. The ladies had come also, and while the men pushed forward the work they spread a table and prepared a bountiful repast. All worked like the heroes they were, and when night came the embankment that stood before them as the result of their toil was a thing of keen delight to every heart.

The first cheese-factory in Orwell was built by a stock company early in the spring of 1870, in section 9, about a mile north of the centre. The factory commenced operations about the 1st of April the same spring. The first board of officers was Geo. Northway, president ; Dan Northway, Robert Sellers, and James Bogue, directors ; C. A. B. Pratt, secretary and treasurer.

The factory, since June, 1874, has been owned and operated by J. G. Kingdom. During the present season (1877) he has manufactured at this factory one hundred tons of cheese. The milk of about seven hundred cows is utilized.

The village of Orwell is located about a half-mile west of the centre of the township. It is an enterprising burg of about four or five hundred inhabitants, and contains two general merchandise stores, three drug- and grocery-stores, one boot- and shoe-store, one clothing-store, one merchant-tailoring store, two flour- and feed-stores, one hardware-store, three millinery-stores, one furniture-store, one jobprinting office, two hotels, one carriage-manufactory, one spoke and handle factory, one planing-mill and cheese-box factory, one harness-shop, one meat-market, two blacksmith-shops, two physicians, one dentist, one jeweler, two churches, and one academy already mentioned.

There were but two families of Indians in Orwell at the time the white settlers arrived. One of these consisted of old Captain Phillips, his squaw, and two sons, called Captains Henry and John. Phillips' camp was on Rock creek, in the northern part of the township. He was an inoffensive Indian, and very industrious in making maple-sugar, which article he would exchange with his white neighbors for flour, potatoes, etc. Of a far different character was the other Indian " family," for, although he was the only member of his household, he insisted that he should be considered a " whole family," and thus called himself. He was a ferocious, blood-thirsty fellow and led a vagabond life; fond of nothing else save to hunt and to imbibe freely of " fire-water." He was a Canada Indian, and went by the name of " Indian Jim." Old Captain Phillips was accustomed to say of him, " Look out Jim ; Jim bad, berry bad Indian ; Jim British. Too much whisky. Fight, scalp, kill; bad, berry bad Indian. Look out Jim." This " berry bad Jim" had his place of encampment in the southeastern part of the township.

In December, 1821, Sylvester Hill, a resident of Painesville, and a hunter of some note, followed the tracks of three bears for three days, until he discovered them treed in the top of a large, hollow whitewood tree, not very far from the vicinity of Indian Jim's place of rendezvous. It seems that the Indian had also found the bears, and their place of lodgment being on his hunting-grounds he claimed the animals as his property. Hill observed the prints in the snow near the bear-tree of Jim's moccasins, and, anxious to secure the booty, he hastened to the cabin of Mr. Babcock, and procuring the assistance of John and David Babcock, and Daniel Rood, returned. The tree was felled, two of the bears killed and carried away. The Indian, upon finding his bear-tree cut down and his bears gone, became furiously enraged. He knew Hill's track, and following him to the settlement charged him with stealing his hears, and demanded restitution. Hill declined to satisfy him, and the Indian left, threatening vengeance. It soon became known that the Indian was on the lookout for Hill, with the full purpose of taking his life. The latter returned to Painesville to avoid the threatened danger, where he remained a few weeks ; but his love for hunting became paramount to his fear of the Indian, and he returned to the forests of Orwell, hoping that Jim's ire had by this time abated. But such was not the case. Learning that Hill had returned, he again sought opportunity to kill him. On the morning of the 1st of January, 1822, the savage, learning that Hill and a companion, John Babcock, had gone that day to hunt in the woods of Colebrook, started in pursuit, and coming to the house of Joel Blakeslee, with flashing eyes and horrid threats inquired for Hill. Mr. Blakeslee could give him no information. He left the house, pronouncing Hill's name with fearful imprecations, and, after carefully examining the ground about the house for evidence of his enemy's tracks, started for the forest in a northeasterly direction with his rifle, tomahawk, and long knife, braudishing the air as he went forward. This was the last that was ever seen of Indian Jim. He went into that forest, but never came out of it. Along towards night, Hill and Babcock emerged from the woods, and, arriving at Blakeslee's residence, were asked if they had seen anything of Indian Jim. Of course they had not seen him, and were profoundly ignorant of his whereabouts. It is said that John Babcock was the best marksman in the township of Orwell.