Thompson Township (part 5 of 5)

44 You know where Punderson's mill is, in Newbury? (Yes, yes). Carlton, of Mantua, went there to mill, with a yoke of oxen. He was belated there, and had heavy woods to pass through, which were full of bears and wolves. They struck his trail, and the pursuit became so hot that he cut the keys of his oxbows, and left the oxen for the wolves to feed upon, while he reached home in safety." was next called out. "Windsor was once my home," said Mr. Frisbie, "and we moved from there to Harpersfield forty or fifty years ago, when there were no residents there, and we blazed trees. There was then but one family from the river to the center of Montville. Mr. Frisbie described a home-made rig with which he went one day to the spring mill, a common trip in days when the poor man lived on Indian. His wife carried butter to Rock creek, fourteen miles, riding an ox, and returned by sun down. A horse cost ten dollars, and four dollars an acre was paid for clearing land. One time I owed Esquire Spaulding, ot Orwell, seventy-five cents. We agreed that I should call him in the morning on a certain day, and he should answer by firing his musket. If I could then get to the house before breakfast was ready, the debt was to be cancelled, if not, I was to work for him two days. I rose at three, ran seven miles and a half,, and shouted 'attention Spaulding!' Bang went the musket. Spaulding looked out the window, and said to his wife 'hurry up, here's Frisbie, right here, and he'll be in before you get breakfast upon the table,' and I was. I went home, and earned a dollar that day working for another man." read a list of those who lived in Thompson, or moved there soon after his father arrived there, fifty-one years ago next month. Most of them went through with the toil and labor of clearing the land, and have passed over the river : one of Austinburg's oldest boys, was next introduced. "The men who settled this country," said he, " did not wait to be dandled in the laps of maiden aunts. My father was one of them, coming to Austinburg in 1799, going around the lake point, and swimming the creeks, holding on to the oxen's tails. Those old pioneers did not bring much property with them, but they have done something for us in instilling moral and religious sentiments." Mr. Austin closed with a comic bear story.

Old Folks Concert

At the conclusion of the reading, Mr. Bronson exhibited a bassoon, an instrument resembling a double-barreled shot gun, without the stock, used in military bands and orchestras one hundred years ago. This one is supposed to be the first one made in this country, and, in its early days, "went to meeting," and accompanied the hautboys and clarionets, carrying the bass. "Now I'll give the pitch, and we'll sing Lenox, with a will." Mr. Bronson gave the key, and "Blow ye the Trumpet, Blow," was sung, Mr. Bronson playing an effective bass. The congregation not keeping time correctly, one of them explained, at the finish, "We haven't sung together before for a good while." next took the stand. She is a daughter of Joseph Bartlett, who arrived in the township in 1798, and he and Seth Hurlburt were the first two permanent settlers in the township. She was then seven years of age, and recollects seeing the Indians, who often tried to annoy but not to harm her.

Aunt Maria Howe

"When we came to Tompson the river was full-banks, and hearing that there was a dug-out at Emmerson's mill we procured it, and rowed ourselves and goods across. Half of Thompson came down to help us cross and get their dinner. A bed-cord was tied to the wagon and an attempt was made to draw it across, but the wagon came apart in the stream, and the hind wheels floated down to the island."

Noah Pomeroy

" My uncle, Daniel Pomeroy, came to Thompson in 1809, soon after my father did, who settled in Hambden. There were then no roads in the township, and no clearing except the Palmer lot, where grass was cut for our cattle." Indians were numerous during the war of 1812, and for the amusement of Young America Mr. Pomeroy described some of their ways of living, etc. He was one of the first pedagogues in the township, and afterward a merchant. His schoolhouse was in the Barnes district, near what is now Bostwick's corners, and he was happy on the munificent salary of nine dollars per month.

grandson of Daniel Pomeroy, was the next speaker. "I remember when Thompson was mostly woods. We traveled by marked trees, the forest was unchopped, and the lands uncleared. I attended school in that log school-house, and Ursula Gee was one of my first teachers. The first minister was Leslie, and Rev. Winchester occasionally preached in the log meeting-house. A frame school-house was at length built, where the blacksmith shop now stands. Moses Murphy, a hunter, lived on the Ledge, and there was another hunter here by the name of Glass." After relating how one Joseph was treed by a bear, and how another individual encountered one in crossing a log on Mill creek, Mr. Pomeroy closed, expressing his pleasure in greeting with a shake of the hand those who had dandled them upon their knees in infancy.

Apology

I am no systematic historian. My mind, for the last year, has been too confused to write all I had planned. I have tried to engage some one else, but no one felt that there w-as pay in it. I shall be well paid, even if this I have written should appear, meager as it is. Many more characters might be presented, and things said by the right man. F. M. Leonard.

Military Roster

Many difficulties surround making a perfect roster of the soldiers of the war of the Rebellion, but this arrangement of the Historical Society to find and compare will doubtless make it nearly perfect. Some dates will be wanting, and soldiers dislike to be placed wrong in company or regiment.

Company B, Nineteenth Regiment Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry

George Aikin, company D. discharged for disability in August, 1862 ; after, enlisted in heavy artillery, and served till the close of the war.

Ninth Ohio Battery

All but Barnes and Goodsell went in in 1862, and were discharged with the battery, June, 1865, Goodsell dying in January, 1865, at Bridgeport, Alabama,

Twenty-Ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry

George Strong, company K, missing after battle in eastern Virginia and not again reported. Daniel Auringer, enlisted in 1861, discharged in 1863.

John Jenks, company K, taken prisoner at Port Republic; was in rebel prisons three months, and exchanged ; discharged from regiment and died at home, of consumption.

Second Ohio Heavy Artillery

Theodore Stockwell was young ; died of measles, in Kentucky. Regiment unknown. Alvin Kimball enlisted in a regiment in the western part of the State, and deserted. Reuben B. Chaffee is living, a pensioner of the war of 1812.