Strongsville City

Strongsville City

When Settled - Its Surface - Its Early Owners - J. S. Strong, Agent - The First Pioneers - First Woman and Child - The Survey - Unwelcome Intruders - An Indian Visitor - The Second Family - Going after Grain - First Marriage - First Birth - Emigrants of 1817 - Progress - First Church - Township Organization - First Officers - The First Physician - Emigrants of 1818 - Underbrushing the Road - First Framed Building - First Death - Emigrants of 1819 - First Tavern and Gristmill - Arivals of 1820 - Panther vs. Owl - Good Health - Indians - Second Gristmill - A Check on Emigration - The Vote of 1824 - Searce Money - "Black Salts"* - A Potash Campaign - First Store Building - The Town House, Etc. - Log Raisings - Bark Torches - A Bear Hunt - Settlement at Albion - Flush Times - Carding Machine, Woolen Factory, Ete. - The

Business - Final Decline - The Quiet Center - The War for the Union - Since the War - List of Official and Professional Men - lhe Free Con_ gregational Church - The List of Township Officers.

Tuts township, which in the survey of the Western Reserve was number five, in range fourteen, though it was sold by the Indians in 1805, and though its boundaries were surveyed in 1806, as related in the general history of the county, was not settled by white men until the close of the war of 1812. Situated on the southern line of Cuyahoga county, its twenty-five square miles were composed chiefly of high, dry land, coyered with beech, maple, oak, elm, etc., somewhat broken, but not too much so for tillage, and nearly all capable of being converted into excellent farms. Through it meandered, in a northwesterly direction, the east branch of Rocky river, with several small creeks, all finding their way into that stream.

In the allotment of the western part of the Reserve among the members of the Connecticut Land Company as individual owners, number five, in range fourteen, was assigned to Hon. Oliver Ellsworth, an eminent Connecticut statesman, Governor Caleb Strong, of that State, and to two other gentlemen who owned only extremely small fractions. The shares of Mr. Ellsworth. and Governor Strong were about equal, the former owning to the amount of $13,673, and the latter to that of $12,000, while both the other shares amounted to only four hundred and fourteen dollars. Mr. Ellsworth having died, his interest passed to his heirs, William W. and H. L. Ellsworth. In 1815 the owners appointed John Stoughton Strong, an enterprising citizen of Connecticut, already arrived at middle age, but full of the vigor and courage of youth, to act as their agent in the sale and settlement of number five.

It was ir. the month of February, 1816, that the first band of settlers, having made their tedious way from Connecticut in sleighs, entered the territory afterwards known as the township of Strongville. It was led by John 8. Strong, the gentleman just mentioned, a small, active, nervous man, full of untiring energy, well suited to the task of opening a new country, and was composed, besides him, of Elijah Lyman, Guilford Whitney, William Fuller, Obadiah Church, and Goodell. Mr. Strong selected a point only a few rods northwest of the center of the township, where the village of Strongville is now located, as the place for his own residence and the headquarters of the infant colony. Axes were speedily ringing in the forest, and a log house was soon erected to serve the party for shelter while surveying the township into lots.

To that cabin in the forepart of March, 1816, came John Hilliard, accompanied by his wife (the first white woman who ever resided in Strongsville township), and his young daughter, Eliza. Mrs. Hillard took up her residence in the log mansion and became the housekeeper of the party. A surveyor was obtained from Newburg, and the work of subdividing the township into lots was speedily begun. Whitney, Goodell, Church and Fuller acted as chain-men. The lots were made half a mile square, thus containing a hundred and sixty acres each. Had the townships been just five miles square, as was originally intended, there would have been just a hundred lots of that size. A hundred lots were actually surveyed, but the five miles east and west did not quite hold out, and the lots in the westernmost tier were only about a third of a mile wide. They were numbered, beginning with number one in the southwestern corner, thence running north to number ten, in the north_ western corner, thence baek in the next tier on the east to number twenty, and so on forth and back, closing with number one hundred in the northeastern corner.

The survey was the principal business of the season, though two or three small clearings were made. Mrs. Hilliard, who was then only twenty-one years old, was the only woman in the township throughout the spring and summer, and had her share of the adventures natural to such a situation. One morning after breakfast, while sweeping the rough floor of the cabin, she heard a sharp rattle and saw a large snake lying on the warm hearth, whither it had just crawled from under the floor. She called some of the men who were working near the house, who speedily came in and dispatched the intruder. It was found to be an enormous specimen over five feet in length. After it had been duly examined and then thrown out of doors, the men returned to their work and Mrs. Hilliard resumed her sweeping. Ere it was completed she heard another angry rattling beneath the floor. The men were again summoned, the loose floor was opened and another large rattlesnake, the mate of the former, was killed and dragged out.

Indians frequently came wandering over their former hunting-grounds. One day during the summer in question while the men were all gone to a raising in the adjoining township of Columbia (now in Lorain county, but then a part of Cuyahoga), a huge warrior, arfhed with gun, knife and tomahawk, sauntered into the cabin where Mrs. Hilliard was alone with her little daughter and gruffly asked: "Where is the man?" She answered indefinitely that he was not at home. The visitor made no hostile demonstrations, but the numerous stories of Indian atrocities during the recent war were enough to make any mother's heart beat with unwonted quickness under such circumstances. 'The warrior, unbidden, seated himself in a chair, when the little girl, with all the fearlessness of infancy, toddled up and offered him the piece of bread and butter which she was eating. He promptly accepted it, and, while eating, took the little one upon his knee and caressed it. The mother looked on with trembling, but, after _ finishing his bread and butter, the savage soon left

About the first of October, another family was added to the little settlement; Guilford Whitney then bringing from Connecticut his wife and his four children, Flavel, Jubal, Vina and Betsey - also a young lady named Charlotte Wallace. Later in the same month Abial Haynes, then a young man, came from the same "'land of steady habits," to examine the lo-

_eality. His report must have been favorable, for a year later his father, Ahijah Haynes, Sr., located in the new colony with his family including a younger brother, Ahijah Haynes, Jr. Both Abial and Ahijah Haynes, Jr., still live at Strongsville Center, being two of the very oldest surviving residents of the township.

Not only was there no grain in the new settlement, but it was extremely scarce in the older localities around, owing to the cold summer of 1816. Mr. Abial Haines mentions that in January, 1817, he was compelled to go as far as Harrisville, (now on the south line of Medina county) some thirty miles distant from Strongsville, to. obtain wheat. The road could with difficulty be traveled by a yoke of oxen with a sled; the wolves came in sight after dusk, showing their angry teeth, but declining to come in reach of young Haines stout club, and after he arrived in Harrisville he had to thresh his wheat and winnow it with a "'hand-fan" before he could get it. The price was a dollar a bushel.

During the winter of 181617 the first marriage took place in the township; the groom being Hollis Whitney and the bride being the Miss Charlotte Wallace before mentioned as accompanying Guilford Whitney's family the preceding autumn.

Early in 1817 came Chipman Porter, whose son Edwin, born shortly afterwards, was the first white child born in town. John Hilliard's eldest son, Frank, who came into the world only a few days later, was the second one.

The other immigrants of this year, so far as known, were George F. Gilbert, James Nichols, David Goodwin, Seth Goodwin, Wheeler Cole, Thatcher Avery, James Bennett, ''haddeus Ball, and John and James Smith. This was a large immigration for a single township, and great prosperity was expected. People came much more readily to the high, but dry and healthy, land of number five than to the more level, but damper, ground of Middleburg. Axes were heard in every direction, and log houses rose in various parts of the township in quick succession. John Bosworth cleared fifty acres for Mr. Strong, thirty of which were sown to wheat that fall. Numerous smaller clearings were made, many tracts were sown to wheat, and the township bade fair to be speedily independent of the outer world, so far as food was concerned. The religious habits of old Connecticut were imported by the colonists, and on the 10th of October the First Congregational Church was organized, of which a separate sketch is given a few pages farther on.

Such rapid progress incited the principal men to apply to the county commissioners to erect number five. into a separate civil township. 'Their petition was granted, and the name of Strongsville was given to the new township, in honor of its most prominent citizen, John S. Strong. On the 18th day of February, 1818, the first election was held for the purpose of organizing the township. It was presided over by Ephraim Vaughn, Esq., a justice of the peace of Middleburg. The judges of election were James Nichols, David Goodwin, and Chipman Porter. The following officers were elected: Trustees, John Dinsmore, James Nichols, James Smith; clerk, Seth Goodwin; treasurer, Guilford Whitney; fence-viewers, James Bennett, Benjamin G. Barber; constables, Jas. Nichols and G. F. Nichols; supervisors of highways, John Bosworth, John Dinsmore, and B. G. Barber. The last-named official declined, and Abial Haynes was appointed in his place. At a special election the following June, James Nichols and Ahijah Haynes, Sr., were elected the first justices of the peace.

In the spring of this year Mr. J. 8. Strong brought his family from Connecticut - except those who, having reached man's estate, h:d already emigrated to Strongsville. The whole list embraced the names of Warner C.;Lyman W., John, Chipman, Emery, Beuda, Franklin, and Lavinia. Another large family which settled in Strongsville this year was that of Joseph Olds, among the members of which were Ed- son B. Olds (afterward celebrated in Ohio politics), G. L., L.W., C. N., and Dr. Benj. B. Olds. The lastnamed immediately began practice at 'the center," becoming the first physician in Strongsville. Still other emigrants of 1818 were Liakim Lyon and family, Josiah Carpenter and family (including his sons Caleb, Zachary, David and Rufus); Zara D. Howe and family (including Manser, A. P. and Z. D.); Otis and N. D. Billings, Mrs. McNeil, Mrs. G. G. Olds, and Apollo 8. Southworth. A young man named Ansel G. Pope also came the same year, and established the first blacksmith shop in the township. Mr. Pope, sixty-one years later, still resides at Strongsville, in a remarkably hale and vigorous old age.

One of Eliakimn Lyon's family, D. 8. Lyon, then aboy of eleven, is also still a resident of the township. Ife says that when he came there was hardly a stick of timber cut between Strongsville and Cleveland. The same autumn of their arrival the main road, which afterward became the turnpike, was '' underbrushed out" four rods wide, all the brush and saplings under six inches in diameter being cut away. As for the larger trees, travelers were expected for a year or two more to make their way between them. Mr. Eliakim Lyon settled a mile west of the present residence of D. 8. Lyon, and about a mile from the south line of the township. The Goodwins and a Mr. Bennett were all who had then penetrated thus far to the southwest. Mr. Lyon for a long time occupied Mr. Bennett's house. The wolves were so thick and so saucy around them, that one evening when Mr. Lyon, tired of their howling, let his big dog out into the woods, in hopes to scare them away, they quickly chased him back, almost to the very threshold of the cabin.

During the same summer Mr. J. 8. Strong erected a framed barn, the first framed building in the township. The raising was a great event, attended by all the men of Strongsville, and probably by some outsiders from Middleburg and Columbia. .When the work was completed the men ranged themselves on one of the plates, in accordance with the ancient custom, passed a bottle of whisky from mouth to mouth until all had partaken, and then gave three rousing cheers, while the last man flung the bottle as far as his arm could send it.

The celebrated '' Hinckley hunt" occurred in December of this year, in which nearly all the men of Strongsville took part, but as there were also numerous participants frem several other townships of Cuyahoga county, we have given a description of it in the general history.

The expenses of ''running" the new township were very light, but the resources were still more meager. At the March meeting of the trustees in 1819, the expenditures for the past year footed up $16.50; the

The newcomers of this year were Jonathan Pope and family, Ebenezer Wilkinson and family, Seth Bartlett and family, James Waite, Moses Fowle, David E. Hier, Luther, Samuel and Elijah Bosworth, Chester G. and Ezra Tuttle, Jr., John Colton and family, and Jeduthan Freeman and family.

During the summer a Methodist society was organized at the house of Jonathan Pope, by Revs. Ira Eddy and Billings O. Plympton. The first traveling Methodist preachers were Revs. M. Goddard and Charles Waddell. The same season a log structure was erected at the center, designed to serve the triple purpose of town-house, school-house and meetinghonse. It was thus used for six years. In 1820 the first tavern was erected by J. 8. Strong; a frame building which is still used for that purpose at Strongsyille Center. This was the first framed residence in the township.

Up to this time the people had generally got their grinding done at Vaughn's mill in Middleburg, or at Hoadley's in Columbia. When these were dry the hungry citizens were compelled to travel as far as Tallmage, Chagrin river, or even Painesville, to procure the needed work. 'That enterprising pioneer, John S. Strong, now thought it time that his township should have a mill of its own. In the fall of 1820 he accordingly erected a gristmill on Rocky river, at the point now called Albion. KE. Lyman was the millwright and A. J. Pope did the iron work. Thaddeus Lathrop (father of Mrs. Benjamin Tuttle) came from Middleburg and boarded the hands who worked on the mill, and was afterwards the first miller in the new structure. A sawmi!l was built about the same time as the gristmill.

During the season Timothy Clark brought on a stock of goods, small, but somewhat larger than those previously brought by J. 8. Strong, E. Lyman and John Bosworth. All the three last named, and we believe Mr. Clark, sold their goods in their houses, as was the custom in early times almost everywhere. The other new arrivals for 1820 were Moses O. Bennett, Jesse Root, Benjamin Schofield, Cyrus Iarlan and Nathan Britton and family.

Though the ' THinckley hunt" had, to some extent, broken up one haunt of wild animals, they were still numerous throughout the woods. Venison was to be had for the shooting, while mutton was an almost impossible luxury, because the wolves were apt to get ahead of the butcher. -Bears were by no means uncommon, and occocasionally the unearthly scream of the panther was heard by the dwellers in the scattered cabins, causing every mother to look hastily around to see if all her children were sate from that fiercest of forest roamers.

It would seem, however, that the panther's yell could sometimes be imitated by less dangerous screamers. Mr. Abial Haynes relates how he and his father's family were startled one night by a dismal noise, which those who claimed to be experts declared to be the shrick of a panther. The next night the sume sound was again heard not far from the cabin. Abial took his rifle and proceeded in the direction of the noise until he saw a pair of glaring eyes a short distance in front of him, about the right hight from the ground for a panther's head. Between these he aimed his rifle, fired, and the eyes dropped to the earth. Further examination the next morniug discovered a big owl lying cold in death behind the log on which it had sat. It is possible that some other accounts, by belated travelers, of dismal shrieks and glaring eyes, would have had an equally harmless ending, if the supposel monster had been slain and examined.

The Indians frequently came during the first few year's of settlement, and stopped a few weeks in temporary camps to hunt the game which abounded in the forest. Mr. Haines mentions the existence, at various times, of a camp near Albion, another on "Hast Hill," and another larger one, which numbered some fifty inmates, at Strongsville Center.

From one great pest of new countries the pioneers of Strongsville were comparatively free. There was much less sickness than is usual during the period in which the wilderness is subjugated. There was a little ague along the banks of Rocky river, but the high, dry, rolling ground, of which the township is principally composed, was almost entirely free from this and other forms of sickness.

In 1821 or '22 J. 8. Strong built a distillery near his mills, at what is now Albion. In the latter year occurred the death of Dr. B. B. Olds, the first physician, who had meanwhile married a daughter of Mr. Strong. Rev. Luke Bower, the first resident minister and school teacher, came this year. The same year Mr. Strong, having sold his property at Albion, proceeded to build another gristmill on Rocky river, nearly two miles cast of the center. 'Chere could hardly have been business enough for two gristmills in the thinly-settled township, but Mr. 8. was of so enterprising a temperament that, as Mr. ILaines says, "IIe couldn't keep still. Ile also built an ashery at the center, where he manufactured pot and pearlashes for many years.

In 1823 Ezra Tuttle, father of Benjamin Tuttle, now of Albion, came into the township; Benjamin, however, did not come till several years later. Ebenezer Stone settled with his family a mile west of the center, one of the members being Marvin E. Stone, who is still living at Albion. Mr. Stone bought out Ebenezer Pomeroy, who had been there a year or two and was about the first settler west of the center. Curtis Stone also came about the same time; one of his sons being Walter F., since a judge of the supreme court of Ohio.

Down to this time, as will have been observed, the settlement of the township had been quite rapid, and the proprietors thought they could safely raise the price of the land from $3.00 to $5.00 per acre. But about the same period Congress perfected its system of surveys, and instead of selling land as before to wealthy men in large tracts, began offering it to every one in quarter-sections at a dollar and a quarter an acre. Emigration to Strongsville quickly fell off before this competition, and for several years was very light; the proprietors being at length compelled to reduce their prices to $2.00 per acre in order to sell their land. The number of residents qnalified to vote for presidential electors must have been very smull, for, according to the record, there were only twentyfour votes cast for those officers in 1824. Of these twenty-three were for Henry Clay and one for John Quincy Adams.

Food was now plentiful but grain was so low as hardly to pay for carrying it to market. Money was extremely scarce, and about the only means of obtaining it was by the sale of the ''black salts" made by boiling down the ashes obtained in clearing the farms. Generally the ''salts" were sold to be manufactured at Strong's ashery, but sometimes the farmers themselves made them into pearlash. he Stones were> about the only ones who made their salts into potash.

When made, the potash or pearlash had to be hauled to Cleveland. By this time the main road through the township, where the turnpike was afterwards made, had been cut out, but the others were mere paths through the woods. yen the main road was almost impassable through the low ground of Middleburg. When men went to Cleveland two generally journeyed together so as to help each other through the bad places; each having two yoke of cattle, a sled or wagon, an axe, an augur, several days' provisions and a jug of whisky, as if he was starting onacampaign. Mr. M. E. Stone states that he has been four days making the fifteen miles to Cleveland and back. Two barrels of potash, holding from four to five hundred pounds cach, were considered a g load for two yoke of cattle. It brought at Cleveland from four to five dollars per hundred.

The first store in the township which occupied a separate building was established by Emory Strong about 1824. In 1825 the present framed town-house and school-house combined took the place of the old log building which had previously been used for that purpose.

Dr. Olds was succeeded within a year or two after his death by Dr. William Baldwin, who practiced at the center ten or twelve years. During this period the inerease of population was moderate, there being eighty-nine householders in 1826,

There was plenty of friendliness among the pioneers, and newcomers were always cordially weleomed. When there was a log house to be raised nearly every man in the township would be onhand. After working all day they would start off at night and travel two, three and four miles to their homes, lighted on their darksome paths by torches of hickory bark, which were found to be just the thing for holding

When the people met in the school-house for *'evening meeting," or spelling-school, or singing-school, one might see a dozen or more long bunches of hickory bark, each neatly tied together, leaning against the wall. When the exercises were over, each pioneer gallant would light his rustic torch and set forth to escort his chosen fair one to her home, the flashing lights flinging fantastic shadows among the giant oaks and elms which shaded the forest pathways.

The wild beasts still roamed with great freedom close to the houses of the settlers, and numerous were the fatal shots fired at the deer, not only in their forest retreats but even in the edge of the clearings. Mr. M. E. Stowe speaks of killing thirty or forty in a year. Other game afforded still more excitement. Late in an afternoon in 1825, a she-bear and two cubs were seen crossing the road about half a mile south of the tavern at Strongsville Center. The news quickly spread from cabin to cabin, and in a brief time more than twenty men and boys were out with rifles, shotguns and occasionally an old revolutionary musket, hurrying along on the track of the devoted animals, while the woods rang with the voices more or less melodious of an equal number of dogs, of various breeds and sizes. The bears were moving at a leisurely gait, and had only gone a short distance east from the road when the sounds of pursuit broke upon their ears. 'They hastened their movements, but the cubs were incapable of rapid traveling, and the old bear would not desert her young - and was herself given rather to waddling than to racing.

Just at dark they were overtaken about a mile east of the road. The old bear turned at bay and the dogs gave back from. her savage teeth and Herculean paws. But the foremost hunters speedily came up, leveled their guns, and in an instant the devoted mother lay stretched in death. Meanwhile one of the cubs had hurried away into the fast darkening forest, and the other had climed the most convenient tree. The former escaped from its enemies; the latter only postponed its fate. The hunters built a fire near the tree, and stood guard by turns all night over - or rather under - the unfortunate cub. When daylight revealed his hiding-place among the branches he too was shot, and the citizens around had an opportunity of comparing the merits of old bear meat and young bear meat for several days afterwards.

By 1830, however, the deer and bear were becoming scarce. Some lingered fora few years longer, but by 1840 there was hardly one to be seen. If one appeared it was probably a straggler from the low grounds of Middleburg, where they stayed till a still later date. By 1830, the log houses of the first pioneers had begun to be exchanged for frames, and in the course of the next decade the exchanges had generally taken place, and the township had put on the general appearance of a civilized district.

mill on Rocky river (since known as Albion), but there was yet no hotel or store there. Mr. M. E. Gallup, who came into town, a boy, in 1833, says that at that time Ebenezer Prindle was keeping tavern at Strongsville Center. Emory and Warner Strong were then selling goods on the corner and old Mr. Strong about the sume time established a store in a new brick building.

Emigration was now brisk, and so was business of all kinds. These were the celebrated '' flush times," when paper moner was issued in unlimited quantities, by irresponsible banks, and everybody appeared to expect to get rich in a few months. About 1834 Benjamin Northrop, commonly called Judge Northrop came from Albion, New York, located at the lower mill and built a carding machine and fulling mill there. The people around were anxious to have such an establishment in town and readily furnished supplies of timber and other material on credit; taking their pay afterwards in cloth and work. The settlement there rapidly increased, Mr. Northrop was recognized as the principal man in it, and in honor of his former residence he named it Albion.

Two or three years later Judge Northrop built a woolen factory in connection with his carding works. Albion rapidly increased; several stores and other places of business were erected, and the new village went entirely ahead of its more staid competitor, Strongsville Center. Even.the great financial crisis of 1837, which brought ruin upon a large majority of the business men of the United States, did not stop the growth of Albion. When they were short of money for small change the '' borough," for the place was incorporated under that title, issued scrip, signed by Judge Northrop as mayor, which passed current in the immediate vicinity.

A Baptist church, which was at first also used as a school-house, was built at Albion as early as 1835. It was occupied with more or less regularity until 1871, when it was removed to Berea.*

An Episcopal church was also organized at Albion, and a church edifice erected in 1841. There was likewise a Methodist church in a flourishing condition; of these three, the Methodist church alone remains.

large part of the village, but inflicted a blow on its prosperity from which it never recovered. There were then six stores, three or four blacksmith shops, several other shops and thirty or forty dwellings. These were mostly on the main road on the top of the hill, while the mills, the factory, the distillery, etc., were on the creek below. The fire began on the flat, and the wind drove it rapidly up the hill and along the street to the southward, destroying nearly

*Elder Freeman preached in it for three or four years before 1847, at which time it was moved and repaired. After 1847, the first preacher was Rev. Mr. Guernsey, and next the Rev. Mr. Dibble.. Rev. Mr. Hubbard succeeded and preached until the beginning of the war. Elder Wood preached a year or so after Mr. Hubbard and since then there have only been occasional services.

The decline of the place dated from this time, but the fire was not immediately fatal. Some houses were rebuilt, and some places of business were reestablished. The travel still continued brisk along the old turnpike, and this, of course, made business for the taverns and, to some extent, for the stores. Trask and Tuttle built a tannery in 1844, which did a good business for many years. Mr. H. B. Bradley says that when he came in 1849, Albion was still quite a prosperous place. Many four-horse and six-horse teams traveled the road, drawing big wagons with tires six inches wide, heavily loaded with farm produce destined for Cleveland, or with articles from that place for usein the country. But when the railroad was built through Middleburg in 1851, a large part of this travel left the turnpike, and the glory of Albion faded slowly but steadily away.

Meanwhile Strongsville Center continued on a more even tenor. Even while Albion was most prosperous, the voting-place for the township continued to be at the center, and after the decay of the former village, the center still continued to be the common gathering place for the farmers around, and the trading place for those who did not go outside of the township for that purpose.

Judge Northrop sold the woolen factory at Albion in 1849, to Dr. St. Clair, and removed to Cleveland. Dr. St. Clair ran the factory several years, and sold it to Lester Miles, who made a gristmill of it, though he still kept up the carding works. 'The mill was burned in 1860. Mr. Miles rebuilt it, and operated it several years. He was suceeeded by Milo Haynes who did a large business for a time; but business finally dropped away, and now little remains save the frame to tell of the busy times of old.

When the war for the Union called the youth of our country to arms, Strongsville promptly responded to the cry, and her sons, through four years of conflict with the foe, showed that they, too, could meet hardship and danger as readily as had their sires in the struggle to subdue the wilderness. Their names will be found with their respective regiments and batteries in the general history of the county.

During the war the old turnpike, which for thirty years had been one of the principal highways of this part of the country, was surrendered to the public by its owners, and the gates were permanently removed.

'prosperous farmers, year after year, gather and market the produce of a fertile soil, and where healthful breezes invigorate the sturdy inhabitants, but where

Before passing to our sketches of the existing churches, we will mention some of the prominent men, and members of the various professions, who in their youth were residents of Strongsville, and who have

"graduated," so to speak, from its borders. The names of resident representatives in the legislature, however, are given in the chapter of the general history devoted to the higher officers of the county, while those of township officials succeed the sketches of the churches. 'he official and professional gentlemen formerly of Strongville, are, according toa published list, as follows:

Judges, Walter F. Stone, Benjamin Northrop, Perry Bosworth; physicians, Henry Parker, Jonathan Pope, OC. E. Tupper, Albert Southworth, Calvin Pomeroy, John F. Whitney and R. 8. Hubbard. 'To these may be added the resident physicians. After Dr. Baldwin, before mentioned, or about the time he left, which was near 1830, came Dr. Boswell Trask, who staid nearly twenty years, and died in the township. Dr. H. L. W. Leonard came somewhat later, and survived Trask. He died in Strongsville only a few years ago. The present physicians are Dr. Hudson, Dr, Berghoff, and Dr. McConnel. Ministers, Thomas W. Pope, David Warwick, George A. Stone, D.D., Wm. C. Rodgers, Stanley G. Pope, Calvin O. Freeman, Hiram Brooks, Cyrus Colton, Lyman Freeman, Flavel Brittan, Levi Sabin.

Church Of Strongsville

This church was organized at Strongsville Center on the 10th day of October, 1817, Reverend Messrs. William Hanford and Luther Humphrey being present. The first members were Seth Goodwin and Deborah, his wife; Ahijah Haynes and Jerusha, his wife; Guilford Whitney and Anna, his wife; Hollis Whitney and Barincey Hilliard. Guilford Whitney was the first deacon, and Ahijah Haynes the second.

For two years the church was unable to employ a regular minister, or build a church edifice. Services, however, were held with great regularity at the houses of members, sermons being sometimes read by one of the congregation, while at other times traveling ministers, with rude but fervid eloqtfence, held forth the promises of the gospel to the assembled listeners.

In 1819 the church, in connection with the township, erected a log building at the center, which, as before stated, served as school-house, town house and church. Six years later a framed building was erected which was equally well employed for the three purposes mentioned. On the 12th of January, 1828, the Rev. Simon Woodruff was installed as the first settled minister of this church. He served until 1834; the church meanwhile steadily increasing with the growth of the township. In the last named year Mr. Woodruff was succeded by the Rev. D. C. Blood, who remained three years. The Rev. Myron Tracy was installed in 1837.

1842 what has been known as the Second Congregational, or Free Congregational Church, separated from the first church, considerably reducing its membership. In 1843 Rev. D. C. Blood was recalled, remaining until 1850. He was succeeded by Rev. Timothy Williston, and he, in 1853, by Rev. Elias Thompson; though the latter was not formally installed until 1854. Mr. Thompson was succeeded in 1860 by Rev. Charles S. Adams, who closed his services in 1861. Rev. Harvey Lyon preached for a short time after that, though not regularly installed. In July, 1862, Rev. Amzi B. Lyon began his ministerial services, which continued until 1864. The next year, 1865, Rev. A.W. Knowlton was called to the pastorate, which he occupied for twelve years, closing in 1877, after the longest erm served by any minister for this church. He was succeeded by Rev. James W. Turner, the present incumbent.

In 1871 this church, retaining its ancient creed, (which is held in substance by both the Congregationalists and Presbyterians), adopted 'the: Presbyterian form of organization, and became a member of the Presbytery. It is still, however, more commonly called by its early name, the .First Congregational Church of Strongsville. At the timé the wriler visited the township the elders of the church were Abial-

Haynes, D. M. Strong and Lorenzo Strong; the trustees of the civil organization were Benoni Bartlett, William Heazlit, Porter Lyman'and Merrick Strong.

The Free Congregational Church

This church, frequently called the Second Congregational, was formed from ther First Congregational in 1842; its organization being completed on the 16th

James A. Thorne, a professor at "Oberlin: College. Services were held with varying regularity wntil 1852. During this time the pulpit was frequently "supplied temporarily by professors or pupils of Oberlin; Rev. Uriah T. Chamberlain regularly in-1843 and '44, and the Rev. Mr. Moore for two or three years subsequently.

On the 28th of June in that year, Rey. Gideon Dana became the pastor. A marked improvement was soon manifested in the vitality of the church, and on the 17th of August following, the corner stone of a new brick church edifice was laid at Strongsville Center. The work was pushed rapidly forward; the legal organization of the.society being completed meanwhile by recording the necessary papers in the office of the county recorder on the 19th of October in that year. On the 2?th of January, 1853, the newly erected church was duly dedicated with appropriate ceremonies, but little more than five months having been occupied in its construction.

Mr. Dana's labors continued until October, 1855. In February, 1856, Rev. O. W. White succeeded to the vacant pastorate, which he occupied until the latter part of 1862. On the first of January, 1863, Rev. William Bacon became the pastor; remaining until gertleman preached part of the time at Berea; occupying the pulpits alternately until 1872. After the close of Mr. Bacon's services Messrs. Burr and Miller preached occasionally during the remainder of 1872 and the beginning of 1873. During the latter year Rey. C. S. Cady was installed as pastor, continuing in that relation until November, 1875., No .regular minister was employed until January, 1877, when Rev. J. W. Turner was installed as pastor of this church, as well as of the First Congregational, or Presbyterian church. Mr. Turner has served both churches from that time till the present.

The deacons of the Free Congregational church are Isaac I. Gifford and Elijah Lyman; the trustees of the society are I. I. Gifford, E. Lyman and Richard

1818, Clerk, Seth Goodwin; trustees, David Goodwin, Jno, Dansmore, Jas. Nichols; lister, Chipman Porter; appraiser, Thad. Ball; justices of the peace, Jas. Nichols, Ahijah Haynes.

4828, Clerk, Timothy Clark; trustees, Asa Drake, Wm, Fuller, Abra ham Conyne; treasurer, Ebenezer Stone; lister, Philo Millard; appraiser, Zara D. Howe; justice of the peace, Jno. 8. Strong.

1830, Clerk, M. E. Stone; trustees, Ebenezer Stone, Guilford Whitney, BE. Lyon; treasurer, Curtis Stone; justice of the peace, Timothy Clark.

1833, M. E. Stone; trustees, Jno. Fuller, Richard Wetherbee. ron Pope; treasurer, Eliakim Lyon; justices of the peace, Harmon Stone, J. Fuller. ;

1835, Clerk. M. E. Stone; trustees, Timothy Clark, Ebenezer Pomeroy, Thos. Copper; treasurer, Lyman Sirong; justice of the peace, Harmon Stone.

1841. Clerk, David Harvey; trustees, Philander Pope, Alanson Pome, roy, Ruben Haynes; treasurer, Lyman Strong; assessor, Ebenezer Merril; justice of the peace, Warner Strong.

1842. Clerk, Ansel J. Pope; trustees, Alanson Pomeroy, Asa Drake, Roswell Trask; treasurer, M. E. Stone; assessor, Ebenezer Merril; justice of the peace, Myron A. Whitney.

1847. Clerk, David Harvey; trustees, Abial Haynes, Flavel Whitney, Philander Pope; treasurer, Warner Strong; assessor, Roswell Trask; justice of the peace, Alanson Pomeroy. 2

1848. Clerk, David Harvey; trustzes, Abial Haynes, Flavel Whitney, Philander Pope;: treasurer, Warner Strong;" assessor, Augustus P: Howe; justice of the peace, Harmon Stone.

1850, Clerk, M. Stone; trustees, Philander Pope, Alanson Pomeroy, Francis Bryant; treasurer, M. E. Gallup; assessor, O. H. Hoyt; justice of the peace, Alanson Pomeroy.

1853. Clerk, M. Stone; trustees, A. Pomeroy, Ahijah Haynes, Chas Ashley; treasurer, Jubal Whitney; assessor, O. H. Hoyt; justice of the peace, John Miller.

1860. Clerk, Milo S. Haynes; trustees, Abial Haynes, J. Dunham, Wim. Heazlit: treasurer, Milton Gallup; assessor, O. H. Hoyt; justice of the peace, Lester Miles.