Plain Township

Plain Township

Hugh Cunningham and family settled on tho northeast quarter of Section 34. Henry Friday, one of Plain's Drat eonslablcs, settled near Myers's Lake; those oame in 1805. In tbo spring of 1800, Jacob Loutzenheiscr moved, with a cart and half a dozen pack-horses, to Plain; left his family with Cunningham till a cabin was built, then moved home and went to work. Two or three weeks went by, when Mr. Loulzcnhoi^or said to his wife, "Shenanhorgera' have landed and sure enough another family had arrived from tbe Keystone Slate.

In 1807 came the Spielmens, the Gafts, the Warners, and David Cunningham, who look lands in the southeast. The some year, Jacob Hosier, the Willaman.") the Weavers, nnd the Everhnrds settled near New Berlin, whose site was owned by Peter Willaman. The village baa considerable size; has aobools, oburohca, and other requisites of a live, orderly placo.

All first settlers were " tavern-keepers," and accommodation was expected at any cabin, although some made a specialty of it, and bore tho name.

Tbo first birth in Plain was a daughter to II. Cunningham; its life was brief, and its donlb tho first. Tho second birth was that of Sarah Leulzenheiscr, March 5, 1807. Tho first man to die was ft cabinet-maker, who lost his life by a falling

Mr. Stevens, in the fall of 1807, started Ibo first school in an old cabin ; ho had nineteen scholars, mostly young men, who brought along their rifles to chance Ihc killing of a deer on their way home.

In 1807, by petition of Honry Everbard, the Cleveland road was snrveycd. A road called tho " Friday road" ran from Manchester to Canton. Cross-roada wero laid out as tho growing number of settlors was able to work them. Tho Lutherans and Gorman Reformed were Iho pioneer religious scuta. Tbo first meoliog fur worship was hold, in tho fall of ISOO, by Elder Slough, at Jacob Loutzenheiser's. The first regular church was buill on Wastlor's land, and look from him tho name of "Henry's Church." It was of logs, erected in 180U, and used by Revs. Wior and Fouat ; it was replaced by a frame, erected by David Eller. The" Lion Church," in tho northwest uf Plain, was another point for the preachers named.

Tho "Dunkards" at that time had meetings in their houses; but few of them remain. A. Vanmoter built the first saw- ond " chopping mill" in the fall of ISOli ; it was but a light pen, and was swept away by the spring freshet. Tho next mill, by G. A. Uox, began work in tbe summer of 1810. Ilia burrs wero the first brought into the County; it was in 1812 that they were conveyed from Georgetown here, at a eost of eight hundred dollars, and gave hia mill an excellent reputation and liberal patronage from twenty miles away. Henry Evcrhard'a mill, to which ho had a road surveyed and laid, was built in 1811. Mills wore tho principal things those days ; other things could bo got along with by patient home-work.

John Andrews gathered a few skins, principally of the deer, and tanned them in hie cabin, and so look the lead in that industry, A regular tannery, by Abram Holm, was started in 1820, in the northeast corner of tho township.

Ovcrsoors of tlio poor luid littlo to do; but ouo panpor was over aolil, and she soon died. Poor rftmiHoB, of doubtful ability in tho lino of Bolf-aupport, were ordered to "koop Dioving." Township offioeB wore bold as posts of Iionor, and littlo, if any, obargca wore Diado for aorvioes.

Agrioulturnl statislioa are recorded, hut pioneer life has its solo existenoo in tho waning inouioriea of one or two aged links to a former gonoratiou ; when Ihoso are gone, tho history ia irrotriovably lost. It is yot poasiblo to obtain aoino faota of I.ttko's early history.

Among its oldest Bottlers, looating at various ohoaon aootiona of froah landa, were Joseph Moore, llonry Schwartz, the Harkloya, Jaeob Drown, Camp, John Fryberger, Goorgo Maehftnor, John Morehoarl, Martin Baohtol, and Potor Roam. The present oldest man in this quarter is John Miller, just now d. roaidonl of Grcentortu, and aged ninety-ono.

Organiiation of Lake datoa from Juno i, 1816, by order of the Connty board, then eonaiating of Jaiuea Dronnan, John Krydor, and James Latimer. Election was ordered June 21), at the house of Joseph Moore, for township ofiiaors. Of justices, John Houghton was sworn in, 18.15, and aorvedoightoon years; auceecdcd by S. S. Geib. This prominent man served tho same long period.

The surface of the township is undulatory; tlio aoil is rich in grain olomcnla. Excellent wheat and fine fruit are raised in abundance. Congress Lake, the presence of which probably suggested the name of this part of Stark's domain, is a fine sheet of water, one mile and a half long by a half mile wide, and located in tho northeast corner of the township. Well stocked with fine fisli, it is a favorite resort for disoiploa of tho rod. Its outlet was cleared out and tho Inko loado a feeder to the Ohio and Pennsylvania Canal, but time boa aeon both roolaimcd by nature.

The water-shed between tho lake and gulf extends from tho east woatwardly across the township: the inclination either side is imperceptible. South of the lake are amall swamps, being drained by the rospeetive land-oivuera upon whoso forms they exist,

Tho inception flf variona occnpations, so far as learned, wore as followa: A pi.st-offico, on Section 33, in a structure built by John Fryberger, and used as a tavern, said Fryberger being both landlord nnd postmaster. Another public house was kept by Jacob Brown, half a mile north, on the Canton and Ravenna road, and a third, by Henry Kramer, on tho same road, south of the first named. They were all of the old, well-known log type. Ono of the oarlieat distillers was Henry Swartt, in the southeast of the township. A water-mill is running still, built in 1835, by David Shroves. A steam griat-mill is in operation near Grcentown, run by Honsoly, Wise i Co.

There are four poat-oftices, and oaeb ia a point of interest in township history. Uniontown and Greontown enjoy a daily mail; Cairo and Hartsville hut twice a week. Hartsville, in tho northeast, is a smart business pliico. laid out, in 1850, by Joseph Shallenhergcr, now seventy-four years of age. It has grown to a present population of ono hundred aud fifty to two hundred. Its first trader was Henry Grove, followed by John Willis, and then Squire Houghton.

The old log store fulfilled its mission aud gave way, in IST'l, lo a church owned by tho Evangelical Lutherans, and oonstrueted at a outlay of three thousand dollars. Rev. Birch, pastor. The Methodists had erected, about 1845, a house of worship, which was bought by tho German Reformed ; it has Binoe gone down. A log cabin, ono mile north of town, is noted as the forerunner of greater things in the inception of aubools.

Cairo, to the south, is a hamlet, owing its existence to Simon Snyder. It haa a Btoam-mill, and ita ainglo tradesman, D. F. Machamior, aella many goods.

Uniontown, on tho Canton and Akron road, was laid out, in 1810, by the Myora Brothers, whoao various appellotious are still a subject of pleasantry. Tho German Reformed put three thousand dollars into a church, in 18S5, and Imug in its steeple a musical-sounding bell, which ia heard for miles around. There are two other ehurchcB, and drug and dry-goods stores. Peoplomnko tlio town a plaoo in which to live rather than to do buainess, and it beara a name for (luiol. Population, one thousand.

Grcentown, nine miles north of Canton, haa five hundred people, several mills, and a church. Hero Ephraim Ball started a foundry, about 1835, and began a prosperous career. This town baa tho honor of being the birthplace and early home of Cornelius Aultman, Colonel E. Ball, Jacob and Lowie Miller, and George Cooks, the prominent men of Canton and Akron.

North of Grcentown ia a handsomo quarry of sandstone, oponod by Leonard Rftbor, Esq, Lime-kilns abound; coal-banka are ample, and tho oitizons of Lake Township will find, by emigration elsewhere, no better homoa.