Wadsworth City (part 1 of 6)

Wadsworth City

The undersigned, acting as a conmiittee for themselves and all the old residents and their descendants now living in Wadsworth, extend to you a cordial invitation to be with us on

Thursday, May 28, 1874

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1874, The sixtieth anniversary of the settlement of Wadsworth, called to revive old recollections, and renew old acquaintances. We hope to see every old pioneer now living, wherever scattered abroad, present on that occasion. Manv have a.lreadv given assurance that they \\ isl be present if alive. We also invile all the Mothers, Wives, Sisters, Daughters, Fathers, Husbands, Sons, and clesceiidants of the old pioneers, and all tl.eir friends, assuring them of a most cordial welcome. Arrangements will be made for the accommodation of all who will favor us with their presence. Let each one bring with him any interesting

We desire to add to our present stock of materials for the early history of the township, a biography of each old resident, containing the date and place of his birth, and all such other facts as may be now known. Let each pioneer write out something, or cause it to be done, of history of himself or some other; also facts, anecdotes, or what may be remembered of " Auld Lang Syne." In the history we shall publish, we shall embody the names of ail our guests, with an account ot the proceedings of our Aimiversary Day ; also all such letters as may be received from old settlers unable to attend.

Come, then, old pioneers, and see the Wadsworth of today - witness the result of your labors, cheer us by your presence and help us to make it a gala-day. We expect one of the largest meetings of the kind ever held, and hope to have a good time generally. Please write to us on receipt of this, and assure us of your presence if possible ; and if not, write anyway. Address Corresponding Secretary.

Proceedings Of The Pioneer Meeting

For several weeks the people of Wadsworth had been making preparations to receive the early settlers of the township, and give them a rousing reception. The time slowl)^ approached, and occasionally an old settler came in to look over the scenes of his childhood, before the day arrived. The day previous to the celebration, quite a large number arrived, and on the 28th many more came, strangers to almost all, vet warmlv attached to the old, old home. They looked with astonishment upon the Wadsworth of today, and could scarcely realize that here is where they heard the dreary howl of the wolf, and saw the panting deer chased by the early hunter. Here Avas the scene of their early trials and hardships ; here they spent the prime of their lives, and here to-day they shed the tear of joy.

Thursday, May 28th, opened clear and warm. At an early hour teams began to come in from the country, and by 10 o'clock the streets began to assume a crowded appearance.

As the procession was very long, the march was from the square south to Pine street, down Pine to Lyman, and up Lyman to Loomis' beautiful grove. Here were a large number of seats, all occupied, and many were not able to sit. The woods were full of wagons and people. The stand was capable of seating about eighty persons, and was

Wadswouth Memorial

Judge Allen Pardee, President of the daj^, called order, and a song, entitled " Welcome, Pioneers," composed for the occasion by Mrs. Stanhope, of Guilford, daughter of Judge Henrj'^ Hosmer, was sung by the choir, with instrumental accompaniment ; at the close of this. Rev. J. F. Rowe, of Akron, offered prayer, the audience rising. A song, entitled " Fifty Years Ago," was then sung, followed by music by the band.

Benjamin Dean, of Iowa, was then introduced as the first man who struck a blow toward the settlement of Wadsworth. Aaron Pardee then read an address, pr(!- pared by Mr. Dean, he being unable to read, from the infirmities of age.

Ox-yoke, shown by A. Hinsdale ; 55 years ago was used on one ox ; (single ox did all their work for several years ; going to church, mill, etc.).

Wadsworth Memorial

the original inventor of iron ships. Judge Hosmer has had it for about 30 years. Was originally rigged with masts, etc. N. B. Eastman gave explanation showing the design. Hard, of Wooster, gave further information. This invention was gotten up by Olcott, when a student at Yale College. The inventor died in the poorhouse, in Medina

Her father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. She was born in 1797. She gave some accounts of early recollections an<l incidents of about 1816-1818 ; among which was the dressing of a rattlesnake for a sick woman, and the history of her family, breathing a very good and Christian spirit.

Biographical sketches by Aaron Pardee, and also giving history of his arrival here, and a brief, practical allusion to the past, and the Wadsworth of to-day.

James Redfield, of Harrisville, the famous wolf-catcher, one of the three survivors of those who first came into this county - gave several wolf stories; he had carried several home alive, after they had been caught i)i a ti-ap ; had caught 120 up to 1830 ; bought a horse for one dollar to use in bating traps. To encourage the young people in <'-etting married, he said he caught wolves to get money to pay the miuistev withi

Friday, May 29

The day opened clear and hot, but the programme of visiting dillerent points of interest in the township was carried out. The party consisted of about twenty-five persons, and went first to Western Star, thence north to the cemetery, thence on to Bigelow Chapel, and thence home by the diagonal road.

On the way to the cemetery, they stopped at interestingpoints, when Rev. Edward Brown explained scenes and incidents of early pioneer life in the wilds of Wadsworth, which brought up its early history vividly to the minds of the company.

At the old cemetery, north of Western Star, scores of names on tombstones, sacred to the memory of good men and women, were read, and blessed memories recalled of them, although some of them had lain there over half a century. After a sad, but pleasant half-hour was spent in this sacred spot, the company proceeded on their return to the village.

On their way to Western Star, the company hauled up to the pleasant residence of that old pioneer, Philo P. Mills, and were received by him and his excellent wife with an old-fashioned, hearty welcome, and regaled with cream, milk, cakes, etc., and had a most pleasant time, never to be forgotten by its fortunate participants.

On their return home, they were ordered into the pleasant yard and residence of the late Col. H. A. Mills, where they were most hospitably entertained by his sou and worthy wife.

They separated, many of them never again to meet on this side of tlie mystic river. May we all be blessed and benetited by this pleasant reuiuonj and be ever ready, Avhen the summons comes, to go lience.

Mr. I'aj'dee reicrrcd to a number of letters from old pioneers, not read yesterday, for want of time, among Avhich Avas one from Ira A. Sprague, of (xleuAVOod, loAva ; one from Almon 15. (irccn, of Willoughby, Lake county, O. ; one froin Philander Green, of Lordstown, Trumbull county, (J. ; one from Mrs. Susan Kenyon, of Fulton, N. Y., Avidow of the lat<' 1 )r. Pardee ; one from G. O. Fay, and his mother. Mr. Fay is the son of Rev. Gilbert Fay, Avho died iji this place, about the year 1835. He and his mother are employed as snperintemlent and nuitron in the Deaf and Dumb Asylum at Columbus, (>. ; one from Eugene Pardee, of Madison, AVisconsin ; one from Dr. Samuel AVolf, of Wilmot. Stark county, O. All these Avriters regretted their inability to attend, and sent their regai'ds and hest Avishes for the success of all ilicir oldfriemls. After singing Coro-

In the evening, there >vtis (^uite a kirge gathering at Dr. Lyman's residence, in resi)onse to an invitation from him. The time was spent in visiting, singing after tlie manner ol" our tathers, drinking lemonade, &<*. The band also added mueh pleasure to the occasion, by fnrnisliing excellent music.

On Saturday eveniug, iha old and young singers met at the residence of Wm. M. Eyles, aud had a very pleasant time. The evening was spent in social conversation, singing, &('..

The day opened warm, but there was a cokI breeze stir- I'ing, making the out-door meeting in Loomis* beautiful grove C|uite pleasant. I)ut it was i-atlnir diflicult for the Kpeakcr to make himself understood. As there was no other meeting*ln town at this hour, the attendances was very large, probably nun)beriug 2,000 i)eoplc. tlu^ exercises were opened by the reading of tlie (Jotlj Psalm, by ]?ev. T. W. Browning, which was followed by singing '* All hail the Power of tlesus' Name ;" after which, prayer was olFered by Kev. S. C Goss. After another hymn and some announcements, Rev. Edward Browu preached his memorial !^ermon. from the 78th Psalm, (ith and 7ih verses.

The religious exercises being closed. Judge Allen Pardtie again took the chair, and announced the arrival of tlic time for the leave-taking, and the tinnl good-by of llic pioneers and numerous guests.

At this point. E. G. Loomis read a poem, by .Mrs. .Jennie G. Brown, of Medford, ^Minnesota, wife of Kev. E. Brown, addressed to the old pioneers, which was well received.

our hearts. We thtiiik voii Ibi- (lie joys you have kindled : and O mav the joy.s oi' our meeting- eontiuue to glow! We hope, and believe, you have liad a good time ; for to U8, we assure von, it has been sn])lime. And now, as the time lor the good-bv has come, aiuL each will return once again to his home, mav blessings, such as only Heaven can give, be Avith all the old settlers, as long as they shall live.

This resolution was seconded by E.G. Loomis, and passed bv the audience present, with a perfect shout of acclamation. Also on motion of K. G. Loomis, seconded by Aaron J*ardee, a vote of thanks was given by hearty acclamation to Rev. E. Brown, for his address and sermon, to give which he had made a journey of 8(X) miles.

The Deacons" meeting, at the (Congregational church, was opened by Father Lyman reading the hymn beginning, '' Cojne Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove," which w\as sung by the choir, after which, he read the lioth Psalm, without the use of glasses, though 8-1 years old. This w^as followed by prayer by J. M. Beach, of Chatham. After another hymn. Father Lyman took up the old book of sermons previously alluded to, ami turned to an old sermon, the author of which he had heard in his earliest recollections. Mv. K. G. Loomis was called npon to read it, and did so.

.1. B. Campbell followed with prayer, ami the closing hvnin, " Lord dismiss us with thy blessing," was sung, after which the mcctiug adjourned.

in the Akron Daily Argus, and the Akron Daily Beacon, are extended notices, portions of which we also give, which will show how the celebration was viewed by those outside of town.

Yesterday was a magnificent occasion for Wadsworth' and Medina county. It w^as our pleasure to be present, and enjoy and participate in the festive entertainment. W« have rciisoii to believer tluit it lias excelled aiiydiln^i' of the kind that has over boon held in the State of Ohio. Ample l)rovisi()n had been made for the entertainment of tlie pioneer guests, some of Avhom came from jNIinnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. The Wadsworth Cornet Hand, and (jrlce Club, all day long- discoursed tlie sweetest music, and sang" in dulcet strains, the most appropriate songs. The procession that formed in the ceiiler of the town, under the direction of Capt. lleni'v A. ^Vfills, ISTarsliall of the dav and that moved to I.oomis' grore, inside the corporation, was over a mile in length. lion. Allen Pardee presided, being' tlie oldest gentleman on the stand, hut not the oldest settler. Aaron Pardee, Esq.. humorously remarked, thai' though his brother Allen was the chosen Moses to lead the people forward, he (Aaron) was chosen to be his brother's spokesman. Rev. Edward Brown, of ]\[iunesota, delivered the historical oration, Avhidi was not only ela])oralely pr(>- pared, and systematically arranged, hut was prolilic of thought, full of beautiful sentiment, excecdingiy humorous, and crowded with iucideutsand reminiscences of sixty vears.

As it is the intention to incorporate the proceedings of the rc-nnion in book form, thir address \\ ill appear before Jong, printed in that shape.

A note-book, that was printed in 177:^. was exhibited, Avhich was sung out of 58 vears ago. in Wadsworth. The choir on the platform entertained the vast assembly, by singing out of this antiquated book, atnne called Tfolborn.

Benjamin Dean, of Iowa, was introduced as the tirst white man who felled a tree in the township. Alonzo Durliam wa s the first cliild born in the townshi[). iu 1814. At that time, during" the war of 1812 - 1815, flour was shown to be Avorrh $17 a barrel, Avheat $3 a bnshcl. corn $2. and salt JO cents a pound. The tirst fruit plucked, was in 1821. .lames L. Redfield, the oldest surviving settler of ihe county, and a famous wolf-hunter, related his early woliish exploits.

K. (i. Looiuis, ill characteristic style, exhibited many antique and rare relics - sncli as a pitcher, made in commemoration of the opening' of the Erie (^anal. in IS24; saucedishes, manfactnred of glass, at New Portage ; slnittles, for weaving linen and linsey-woolsey; a quaint little jug, presented to ihv family, about 77 years ago ; a wineglass, brought into the country 62 years ago; tumblers, made of horn ; a cow-bell, nuide in 1770, in Holland, and ])ronght to t his country. K. G. Loomis quieted the babies by tingling this old Dutch bell, whose minor-key tones excited cnrious recollections. An old-fashioned, black profile of Philo French was displayed. An ox-yoke, 55 years old, and intended only for one ox, once the ])roperty of Capt. Hinsdale. One ox did their work for several years. A cane, made 90 years ago, also the property of Capt. Hinsdale^ the father of Albert Hinsdale ; pewter steam-dishes, shown by Mrs. Henry A. Mills. Powder-horns, made in 1812, now the property of David Wilson. Embroidered linen, handi* work, made by Mrs. A. Dean, 70 years ago ; a cup, from Massachnsetts, made in 1817. Biit in the inventory of relics given, the rarest was that of ji model iron ship, made l)y Charles Olcott, an ingenions and talented lawyer of Medina. This model, which is now the property of Jndge Ifosmer, of Seville, was gotten up while Mr. Olcott was a student of Yale College. An English student was attending the same College. The snpposition was expressed, that this stndent carried the idea of this model iron ship, across to England, where it was projected, and from which originated the Great Eastern. At the time of the invention, Mr. Olcott being a rigid, nncompromising Abolitionist, a Democratic Congress wonld not assist him in ])rosecnting his work.

A fancy box, made ]>y Indians, and presented to Mrs. Hannah Clark, in Xova Scotia, in 181(3; most ingenious pair of smoking-tongs, made in Holland over 200 years ago. ilie property of Charles Coe, and presented to him by his iiiaudfathcr: iil.so it dnil) hroarlolotlj ovorcoat, made for (-harles Coe, whir-li ho exhibited on his ])ersou, to llie merliiiient of all, the yoiiii«- in particular.

Takinji it all in all. tliis was one of the happiest, liveliest, loveliest,^and most satisfactory meetiuL's we ever attended. I'our generations were })resent to enjoy tlie festivities. But for the presence of white hairs and gray beards, a stranger woubl liave sn})])osed the assembly was composed of youn^J men and rhaidens. J>rav<' old men - they met in joy. they ])arl in tears.

Early this morning our streets bej^an to fill up with people, and by 10 o'clock tlie sidewalks were everywhere full. A hirge number of old pioneers, from all parts of the country, had been coming in for several days, and as they met each other after a long separation, the scenes were often atlecting.

At 10 o-clo(;k, the proc(.'ssion was formed, and marched to the grove, headed by our cornet band. There were one hundred and ninety w*agons and carriages in line, and a very larae crowd on foot, which, witli the number that had

Wadswokth Memorial. S3

Judge Allen Tardce. the oldest man in the township, and President of the day, ealled the meeting to order, and alter a song by the choir, pniyer was otlercd by ]{cv. J- V. ifowe, of Aki'on. Benjamin Dean, of Iowa, the man who raised the tirstax to snbdue the forests of Wadsworth, was llien introdneed, and gave a brief sketch of his early reeolleclions. and was received with applause. Rev. Edw^ird Brown, of Minnesota, then followed with a well written address, giving the history of the township, historical incidents, biographical reminiscences. &c.. in an able manner? recalling many very pleasant, as well as sad recollections* His memory is verv prolitic in the earlv history of this place, and his pleasant address made it a rich treat to all who Avere able to hear his voice.

At the close of the address, the basket dinner was announced; and a dinner it was, too. Every place in the capacious grove had its grouj) of friends, surrounding the good things ot life, prepan^d foi' the occasion, and all enjoyed it in the height of pioneer style.

After dinner, a historical sketch, by Peter Walt/., wa*^ read, dating back to August, 181.4. when his Hither s family came to the vicinity, and had :i full share cd" the hardships of those early days.

The history by Mr. Dean w as very interesting, as contaijiing many historical facts. connecte<l ^\l\h the early hisr Tory of this section of the ('ouuti-\. On Mai'ch ITth. iSM.-

Mr. Dean and Mr. Durliani built llic first house in Wadiswortli. At tliut time, tlicre wei"e but eight houses between liere and what is now Middlel)ui'y, tlien known as Tallnjadge. Akron was tlien merely a swamp, and but two or three houses were built, where now stands vonr beautitul fity.

The address by Mr. iJroM ii was very tiiic The si)eaker first sj)oke of liis childhood among the woods tliat stood wliere now stands our thiMving village. lie thanked llie present inliabitants for their Aveieome to the old i)ioneers* and tlien welcomed the pioneers to so hap[)y a meeting. In a very vivid manner, he described the situation of the tirst settlers, as compared with tlie present generation, lie beautifully pictured the Journey of the settler, with his iiimily, from the far East; the great hardsliips and privations in w^andering- through the woods, to the far West ; the con struction of the rnde loii' cal)in ; the labor of fellinsf the trees; the tedious way of tilling the soil; and the infinite number of discouragements, which vexed and harassed onr lathers. J>nt tlie "old folks"' were not Avithout their g^ood times: the husking-bee, tlie raising, and the general training,^A\'ere as much enjoyed as the genteel })arty, the ball, and great displays of to-day.

After the Address, each one' seemed to e<iually enjoy the lunch, Avhich Avas served from overflowing baskets, at the hands of the generous citizens. Many curious and anti- (juated specimens of the art of our grandfathers Avere dis- ])layed, and a feAT very interesting letters AA^ere read from old friends of the pioneers, Avho could not be Avith them.

From the Beacon of Saturday. May 30. As a fitting- uddciKluin to the lirst day's pioceedinge. as g;iven in our Friday's issue, it is proper to mention^ that on Thursday evening, the spacious parlors of E. G. Loomi.s, Esq., on South Main street, were, on invitation, filled by both visiting and resident pioneers, and their friends, wlio in social converse, singing of ancient tunes, &c.; made up one of the pleasantest parties ever lield in Wadsworth.

This forenoon (Friday) was spent in visiting old acquainta-uces, and the various: points of interest in the vicinity. In the afternoon, according to previous announcement, the old people again came together in the ?^Lethodist Ohun-h, at 3 o'clock, for the purpose of relating and hearing reminiscences of pioneer life, and of having a good time generally. On motion. Sherman Hlo--k.'r. Ksq.. was called to the chair, wlio after stating the ohji't't^i of the meeting, and thanking the audience for the honor as well as the pleasure conferred u})on him by selecting him to ])reside over it> <.alled upon Rev. W. McCUoud. ol (>i"anger. to lead olT, and most nobly did the "old man elo([uent" respojid to tlie call- Father ]*fc( Uoiul is 75 years of age. For many years, he had been praying to get to a iieticr iaiid. though this was a protty good land alter all. Forty years ago he had attended a quarterly meeting in this wvy house, though then it Avas m an unfinished condition, without either i)ulpit or scats. Fifty-live years ago last winter, he had settled in (tramrer, having' h'ft his fatlier's house with but a single dollar in his pocket, thus literally beginning life in his new home "without money and without friends." I'ut acting on the parting advice giv^-n hini hy a godly neighbor. " Mind at all times to behave yotirself well," lie had endeavored to be a good boy. Jocularly remarking. ''-perhai)s you see it in me now - nearly a hundred years old." Allmling to the socialties of pioneer "ife. the speaker said that even now, old as he was. he would detirly love to raise a colony 'An(\ "ii-o AVest," When about leaving home, hi- u'if<' a-«kc(l hjm where lie was goiii{^'. Netokl Jicr he was going to Waclsworth, to tlie pioneer uKseting. "Yes, to be a child again," said slie. He believed in being yonng - felt that it was ''good to be here," and to live over again the scenes of the past - that lie had in so large a degree retained his youthful viijfor bv liard work, retirin<i' aud rising early, and totally abstaining from intoxicating liquors, tobacco, tea, coffee, and other exciting stiinulants. The spt^aker closed his remarks by asserting his belief tlial lie should never die - though the body might perisli. the nobler part would live forever - and fervently prayed that all ])resent might meet him on the other side of the river.

Deacon ]V. B. Northroj). of iMediua. (S;{ years old, was the next s})eaker. Came to Medina, with his father's family, in I81G. Aftei' providing a cabin for liis family, tilled with- "Love to (rod. and charity for all mankind," a meetinghouse was projected. On the moniiug of April lOth. ISlti about 25 or 80 men and boys assembled with oxen and l)roper implements, on the ground selected tor the etlilice? j\*ev. Searles having sent them word that he would be with them to preach at 4 o'clock that aiternoon. ^Setting to work with a will, the ground was cleared, the logs were c\it and titted. the walls were reared, the lloor Avas laid, the roof was shingled, the scats were pre]jarcd. and the sermon was preached Jil the time ai)i)oint(Ml. Other interesting church reminiscences were related, indicative of the great good that had been accomplished through those instrumentalities. in shaping the morals of the community.

After a recess of fifttH'U minutes. (.len. I >. Northrop, 80 years old (brother of the deacon), of .Mentor. Lake county, was called to the staiul. The General, after alluding to the fact that he had represented Medina county in the State Legislature from LSol to 1838, expressed a just pride in - having cnt tlown the tirst tree, in 1810, on the spot where tin; village of Medina noM' stands, lie then supposed that location was about the center of the woi'ld. and tliat Mediw A Dswotrni MEMoiii A r., 27 h;l was to be the to^vii of tiic Uuckovo fStati'. 'I'hough his -Marge expectations had not, perhaps, all been realized yet the changes that, had taken place were truly marvelous. The speaker gave an anuising account of the tirst wedding in the township - that of his sister - at which every person then living in the township was present, except one - an old lady, who had the rlicurnatism so bad that she could not come. The refreshments consisted of "white" and -'black" cake, ajid whiskey-sliug stirred up with a pudding-stick ; the merriment being so intense that the guests did not light their torches to go home until o o'clock in the morni)ig. ]\I.edina countv was organized in 1818, and the first court, held in a barn, was presided over by Judge Tod (father of the late (Governor Tod), with Judge Brown, of AYadsworth, Judge Harris, of Harrisville, and Judge W'elton. of Richlield, as associates. At this term of the court, there were no cases, and no lawyers, and in the rather '- festive ceremonies, described by the speaker, which took place dui-ing the night, after the court had adjourned, the presiding Judge, on being addressed as "Judge Tod," exclaimed, -'Don't call me Judge Tod - 1 am (rcorge Tod, until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning."'

Rev. M. K. Hard, of Wooster, born in Wadsworth, in 1818, inquircnl if anyone knew who was the first child born in the township, ami was answered that Alonzo Durham was born in July. 1814, !ind was still living, in the State of Indiana. -

Mr. (xoorge Miller, of Akron, formerly of Wadswortli related some incidents connected with the early "jury system " of the county ; how many of the jurymen had to take their provisions with them, and that one man - a Mr. Parsons, of Chatham - on being sumnioned as a juror, took his cow along with him, and kept her there during the term.

Hon. Myron C. Hills, of Medina, was the next speaker. Referring to the length of time required to perform the journey from Connecticut to Ohio in 1818. when he settled iu Gnui^ci'. he >aid that a certain man who thon predictod tliat within hfty years, such improvements would be made in the uiO(h^ of travel that the journey could be accomplished in a \vo(»k, was regarded as a visionary, and almast a fool. Xo\\ it could beaccompli.-<hed in a single day. The old times wore good times - no caste - all sociable, all happy. I^iit there's a great deal of good in human nature - as much so now as then - hut it takes adversity to bring it out. ]\£r. Hills closed by inviting all present to attend the meeting of the Pioneer Society of Medina and Summit counties, ol' which he is President, on the lOth of September next.

llev. Warner, of Seville, though not a pioneer himself, was the son and grandson of pioneers, and in a brief but eloquent ad<lress, paid a glowing tribute to the pioneers of the country, and called upon the present and rising generations to cherish their memory, and emulate their virtues.

Mrs. Ilobart, of Cleveland, stated that she had receutly called upon Rev. Josepli II. Breck, who j^reached in Wadsworth in 1824, now living in Cleveland, who wished to bf' remembered to his old acquaintances present.

Aaron Pardee stated that he had received letters irom Almon and Philander Green. Ira Sprague, of Iowa, Mr Fay, of Columbus, Eugene Pardee, and others, which there was not time to read, but wliich would bf published in the l>ook about to be issued.

Brief remarks wim-c made l)y I'resideut Blocker, Capf Lyman (84 years old), A. Mc(rre,gor, of Canton, and others' when, under the lead of Gen, N'orthroj), as chorister, with Miss Jennie Hard at the organ, the entire audience joined in singing Coronation and Old Hundred, closing with the Doxology, Rev, Edward Brown pronouncing the benediction.

TVm- meeting- closed with tlio very best feeling', about half ]vdsi live o'clociv. Dr. Lyuian extending an invitation to uU present to attend a sociable at his house in the evening.

On Friday evening, pioneers and citizens, to the niuiiber of over 500, assembled at the house of Dr. Lyman, under the command of Gen. Northrop, of Lake county, an.lwcre marshalled according to their ages, in military line, in i\ "Tand review column, when choice niusie was furnished by the excellent band of AVads worth, after which the multitude entered the spacious rooms of the house, and devoted Cbemf^elves to enjoyment, such as was probably never before had by any assembly lu the whole county. In the ' multitude were the oldest surviving pioneers of Wadsworth and Medina county, and children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren were all mingled together, recounting jKrencs in the history of Medina county, and "Wadsworth towuHhip, that embraced its history from LSU down to 1^0. It is impossible to enter into details of the re-union. Oapt. Lyman acted as host of the house, and he liad the rare good fortune of looking at friends and acqaintances, reaching from 18H) down to the present date.

Gen. Xortlirop organized the ohhi- monibors of the throng into a singing class, and with himself as leader and chorister, had all ages, down to about forty years, as singers. They sang ancient tunes, in an old-fashioned manner^ And I will* venture that no better time was ever had by an\^ company than ;it that old-time singing school. Such a rc!-union, witli <o niucli piety and hilarity, interspersed with anecdotes of three-score years, will pi-obal)]\' never be agrain held in the historv of the Srate.

After hearty enjoyment until near midnight, the company sang "John Brown's soul is marching on,*' and separated, never to meet again in a similar meeting on this earth. Saturday was spent in visiting public and private plnces, and in renewing old memories and scenes of pioneer life in i)ae township and vicinity.

On Snnday forenoon. Kev. Edward lirown ch'Iivered a memorial sermon, in the grove, to a vast throng. Here ihv good-by's were said, and many of tlie pioneers mingled their last tears together in one tinal embrace. It was a solemn time - enougli to melt \\n' most obdnrate heart.

In the afternoon, an old-fashioned Deaeons' meeting was held in the Congregational Ohureh, presided over by that venerable man, ( -apt. (ieorge Lyman, who is tlie only surviving member left of its organization in 18U».

Here the programme closed, and a Jl/ial separation took ph\cc of the pioneers of W'adswortli, sonu; of whom have to travel neai-ly a thonsand juiles to reach tlieir present homes. Many things more miglit l)e ssiid of this memorable meeting, bnt your correspondent must content himself with a simple narration of facts, and leave others to garnish the event in a more detailed account. ^^ * *

The oldest person present was Mrs. Mary Jacobs, one of the first settlers of Norton, who had survived three successive husbands, all pioneer settlers; Nathan Bates, Jothani IMakeslee, and John Jacobs. The next. \Vm. Allen, of Akron, aged 8(5. Among tlic ladies on the stand, Avere INfrs Benjamin Tyler, aged 81, Mrs. I.odema Loonns, who taught school in the township, in 1819, and .Mrs. ('ahow. of one of the tlrst fannlies that settled in the townshij) of Norton, in 1812, and Mrs. Mary Basor, the lirst white woman married in the township. Among the guests not nn>ntioned in the foregoing notices, were Morris Northrop, Esq., ('apt. Austin Badger, Hon. H. G. Blake, "\Vni. i\ Clark, and :Martin Snell, of ]\[edina; Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Loomis, of Mentor; Mrs. Ann F. Russell, and Mrs. Eliza Porter, of Cleveland; Mr. and Mrs. .1. H. (Inntsie, Mr. and Mrs. M. AV. Henry.

Mr. and ^iv^. George Weeks, S. A. Lane. B. F. Battles, Edward Brovii, Mrs. S. Blocker. INlrs. Aliiion Brown, Mrs. J. P. Bowe, of Akron: Dr. A. W'illey, of Spencer; Dr. Aurelius A«^ard. of Sandusky : Mrs. Ennly Eastman, Mr. and Mrs. V. (-. Eastman. Uo\ . V . NToyes. Mrs. Noyes, A\- bert Munson, A. D. Licey, J. Jl. Ifec^e. .1. A. Jiell, of Guilford : Ilev. and Mrs. Eeonai'd Brown. I). ('. Clillbrd and wife. W'ellington : A. Curtis. Ashland: Arch. ]VleGreg"or. Canton: B. B. AVainer, Massillon ; Harry Pardee. North Hampton, Airs. Elenor l^irdee. Madison. Wis.: Mrs. Mijierva t'tley. Milwaukee. AVis. : Mr. I'hilo Kreneli. Beiea : Gurdon Ililliard, IJedford : Homer Jolrnson, Sharon ; jVLrs. Frances Hamlin. Weymouth : Christian Caekler, Kent; m,s well as many others, who did not report their names or attendance, who were amon^" the old pioneers of this portion of the State, or had been fornn^r residents.

The attempt to organi/.e what is called an '*01<l Folks' (/'oncert"in the abundance of preparation liad been «riven up as impracticable, but \\as more than made up ])y the one improvised by (ien. Duthan Northrop - one ot the pioneers of the county - once a noted singer, still in his eii^htieth year, retaining his clear voice, and almost the vigor of middle ag"e. Collecting' the old singers of from 40 to 80 years of ag'e in a circle, in the large parlor, he stood in the center, with tlie sanu' tall, erect, commanding' ligure that furtv vears ago singled him out even to the strauii'er as a leader of men. beating time in the old style, leading olf in the old fugues, enlivening the \\ hole with his j)leasaj)t sallies, and happy hits. Having set old Sherbern on too high a ke> - to the renuirk. -- (rcneral. you'll liave to come down." he re])lied, '- No. llu' Gen( ral never comes down; however,^ we'll j)ut the tune a little lowi'r." At the close, a liearty vote of thanks \Aas given tc) General Northroi). foi' having afforded to the j}resent generation n reed Old Folks" ('oucert.

iiigs. 60 long kept, up twice each Sabbath, in the old log &choolhoiises by those old pioiieer.'j of WndMworth's relijj- 3011S history, Frederick Brown, Ebenezer Aiidrim, William Graham. Benjamin Agard. George Ia man, and Sherman Loom is. no part of the proeeedinirs stirred up the deep fountains of emotion as did the reeallin*;' of those f^cencs once more in tlieir lives, at the Deacons' meeting;, held in ^he Congreg'ational Church, cm the Sabbath afternoon, conducted bv (xeorsf-e Lvman. bv more than 20 vears th«' last fcurvivor of tliat band, l^im-^elf 81 years old

Readin<>' a cha))ter in tlie Ilibh', as in the oUlen time, and j;iving" out the hymns, without ulasscs. in the second sight of extreme ohl age. he htmded the volume of sermons - ])rinted in 1797 - that \n a>^ lirst \i<v(\ in those days, to Mr. E. G. TiOomis - whose father, with liis sonorous voice and rhetorical delivei\v. was most often called upon to read - and desired him to read ;i <ermon. from ^latthew 5: lo, by Bev. Ab'xander Gillett, of Torrington. Ct. - his old pasloi- - '"to whom." said the old pntriarrh. "more than sixty _\ ears ago. 1 ^youi two miles in tln' night s«'ason. to ask? 'What shall 1 do to be saved?'"

As the reader, often choking with ciuotion. read tljf discourse, and the audience, mostly of aged men and women could recall the voice of th(> father in that of the son, the buried momories of half a century c;tine up as living realiities, and the dead and tlie living seemed once more met together in soleinn w orship, till each seemed to feel, like him Avliose Aision connected heaven and earth, "How dreadful i< this jdacel this is none other but the house of («od. and this is the gate of heaven." It was an hour of solemn stilbiess. silent tears falling, or deep emotion breaking forth in the audible sob, as each recalled tlie pleasing and sad remembrances of other years, and felt that this was indeed the last re\ival of iheir li\es* tenderest memories.

Song Of Wklcome

To welcome Pioneers I Gather in, ye welcome band:? I bruTC hearts and willing hands, Made for uh the^c bcanteoiiK lands; Worthy Pioneern!

On the first day of March, 1814, Oliver Durham and the writer, Benjamin Deau, went seven miles into the w^ilderness, and made the first beginning in Wadswortli.

My father, Daniel Dean, and my brother Daniel, came two days later. We built a camp, or shelter, by sticking crotches and laying a pole on them, then cut and split planks, or puncheons, and placed them with one end on the pole, and the other on the ground. At night, we built a large fire in front of our camp, and wa'apped ourselves in blankets, and lay there with our feet to the iire. The wolves howled about us nearly all night, but did not come within sight. Sometimes they would get still, but if we would make a little noise or increase our fire a little, they would give us more music. At one time I rapped on a dry tree, and they yelled at the top of their voices. We soon found that they had a line of travel from Wolf Creek to the Chippewa, and that they iDassed us every alternate night, following the road, until the settlement became so large that they went around il. But they always, in passing, saluted us with a specimen of their music.

Indian Holmes (these all lived where Parinelee afterwards built his brick house), Pliny Wilcox - who lived near the foot of the hill, Vviiere Mr. Perkins afterwards built his stone house. Paul Williams and his son Barney - aftei*- wards called Colonel Williams - lived on the hill beyond where Akron now stands, and betwixt there and the Mills, we passed Major Spicer, and Mr. Hasen. (The above was written in Iowa; I have learned since I came here, to my astonishment, that the town of Akron now not only takes in the Williams farms, but also Major Spicer's, and the whole of ]\Iiddlebury). But to return ; the sawmill, and Hie gristmill, made of hewed log's, and three log houses, were all that could be seen where JNIiddlebury now stands. There was a log house, and some land cleared, where old ' Squire 'Henry \";inhyning afterwards lived on Wolf Creek, and he moved in elune, 1814.

There were at that time in the territory afterwards formed into Medina county, including" Xorton, Copley, Bath, and Richfield, in the 12th range, only twenty families, viz. : five in Xorton, three in Ilarrisville, five in Liverpool, two in Bath, and five in Pichfield. My mother saw no woman but Mrs. Durham until August, and Mrs. Durham saw no woman but Mrs. Dean until October, during which time she gave bii-th to a son, the first born in the township. He was called Alonzo ; was born in 'Tuly, ISU.

The first store in Middlel)ury was opened in July, 1814 in a room of Judge Norton's house, by Peleg Mason. In 1815, lie and his brother built a small store-house, and other merchants soon came in.. It will be remembered that this was during the war called the war of 1812, and provisions were closely bought uj) for the army.

Before harvest, wheat was worth $3 a bushel, flour $17 a barrel, and pork could not be bought at any price. To my knowledge, salt, which had to be brought up in wagons, on account of the British fleet on the lakes, was WCU'lb |20

The early settlers of Wads worth were from the East, and ha<l been accustomed to form labor. They were a hardy, indnstrious class of people, and were very economical. Their moral character wa,s j<ood, and they were mostly religious. But very few of them had money to pay for their land, and l\ad to buy on credit. Some of them had hard work to support their families till they could raiijc a crop on their own lands. A very few had money to pay for improvements, atter payinj^ for their land, and this helped the poorer class, as it enabled them to get employment in helpino- to clear land.

It cost much labor to clear up the land, as the timber was very heavy. This, with their land debts, kept the people embarrassed for a good many yeai*s ; but they lived together in peace and harmony. Their general intelligence and literature would compare favorably with the farmers of this day.

At that time there wu;* no school la^v in the State; and where they got inhabitants enough together, they built schoolhouses by neighborly liberality, and employed tea-ehers at their own option. Each had to pay in proportion to the number of days he sent to school.

Wc had good schools in those days, and the best society \ ever was in. I often think of the meetings wc had in tlie old log schoolhou-'f.'. mostly by reading sermons, and siometimes a missionary would come and preach to us.

The land in AVads^sorth is mostly, as you know, high sad rolling. The land in the Korthern part of the township us &aid to be as high a.s any in the St4)te. It is certainly as healthful, and naturally as good for fruit, as any in Ohie>.

In 182tS, we swapped farms with Steward Kichards ; w^ took his land, where William J'Veeborn now lives, and he took that upon which we first settled ; being what Is now called the Duly Farm, of Western Star. Our orchard on the locatiou, bewail to bear in i^'U ; and fro in that time until 1864, when I left Wadsworth for Iowa, where T now reside, the apples were never killed but once. We had a lYo^t in 18M, that killed all the applos in the State.

In the beginning, onr land Avas cleared by girdling such of the large timber as would kill easily, and a good deal of that timber was permitted to stand till it wonld fall down and rot ; doubtless a good deal of sickness was caused in

Before we moved to Wadsworth, the old east and west center road had been partially opened. Men owning land in Western townships endeavored to have the road, to encourage settlements. The road was first located, by an order from Trumbull county. This was when all this county, and still west of us, was part of Trumbull county, C-aptoin Bela Hubbard, of Randolph, was the surveyor, flud Esq. David Hudson, of Hudson, Gen. Campbell, of Kavenna, and Esq. Day, of Deertleld, were the exploring coiumittee. Esq. Day afterwards had the job of opening the road. T think this was in the year 1808.

In 1810, after Portage county was organized (inchuling what is now Medina county), and Owen Brown, of Hudson, was one of iha county Commissioners, another appropriation was made, and Capt. Hubbard was employed to make more bridges, and other improvements.

The fiurveving partv above referred to. named tlie streams in this vicinity. They named Wolf Creek, in consequence of tinding the carcass of a deer on its banks, that hAd been killed by wolves ; and when they passed Hudson's run, Esq. Hudson mimed it by cutting his name on a beachtree. All the rest of the party chose streams, and recorded them in the same way : but when they came to River Biyx, and Chippewa, they gave them other names, no one preferring to leave his name for eitlier of them. This statement I had from Capt. Hubbard, in 18U, and after- W»4-d« ii-om Esq. Hudson. Bexja:>iix Dea^%

Ihc rare view, taken on the return of that day of the year when the day and the niglit exactly meet: wiien standing on an eminence to Avatch the declining sun as it dips to the horizon, its disa])pearing half at the same moment appearing like a newly risen snn in the east; so as life declines, memory blends the bright rays of its morning snn with the somber hues of its setting beams.

Xo memories are so deeply impressed upon the soul as tirst jnemorics, first joys and sorrows, first hopes, first loves, and first aspirations. They return in day reveries, and night dreams, and are discernetl in the mutterings of second childhood, when the child is mistaken for the In'othor, and the middle-ijiged neighbor for the father's associate, long since like him passed away.

Except, then, in the rare cases wiiere an early blight has withered the life, there can be no spot on earth so sweet as childhood's first home, or next to it, the scenes wdiere our first loA'es were lonned, and our tirst manly hopes blossoiiiecl. Though rucky. or ruj2,g-ed, or imsightlj, or even a desert where we wouUl scaree desire to dwell, ^Ull it becomes to us holy i,a'onnd.

'-Breathes there the man with .soul mi tleatU That never to hiuisell' hath >aid, This is my own, my native land - Whose heart hath ne'er within hijii burned. As home his footsteps he hath turned From wandring ou a foreign strand?"

Drawn together by a common feeling-, we meet for a short re-union, to many of ns the last one on this side the mystieal river; to dwell for a brief day in the past ; to try to catch another glimpse of the joys of which we tlien, amid the busy cares of life, were scarcely conscious; for it is human, in our eager grasping at the future, to forget the present pleasures, so that

Threescore years! To A'outhful imagination an age! To senile memory a day ! Almost the average lifetime of two generations. What changes have, during this period, taken place in the earth's historv ! 8ixtv memorable vears ! Beginning ere yet the " great fire canoe '' had begun to terrify the savages upon the shores of Lake Erie and tlie Ohio ; ere yet the bison and the moose had fled before the soimd of the woodman's ax; Avhen canals were only talked of as a future possibility ; Avhen the railroad was only a tramtrack, and the *' iron horse " a '- donkey engine " in an English coal mine ; when the "wild, virgin stream, with its si)angled w^aterfall, like a coy maiden, was liard to be Avooed and won, to submit to tlu; drudgery of turning the wheel, to card, si)in, and weave ; when the carxjeuter, witli his podaugei', found his daily task a tiresome '-6o?"e,"and drove the *- wrou<>-lit nail "with a hunnner forged bv his neighbor, "the viUage blacksmith,'" who, like Tubal Cain, wa.-; *-an instrutcor of ev(M*v artiticer in brass and iron." When the farmer, in early 8priug-, j;ot out Iiis own ploiigh-hajfitlleS; from the trimk and rootn of an ash, and hewed hi* wooden mould-hoard from a ])un('htion split from a winding" beach ; when the young- ladies' music lesson wa,« tb<> monotonous bumble of the Hpiiuiing-wheel, and "cards" were played without a partner, over "check tow-and-wool '* apron; when the joyous shout of the com-husking, on th« floor of the log barn Avas hearth under "the beams of the fuU-orbcd hunters' moon," in October; when true loves, sincere if not romantic, were stealthily breathed while iht industrious needles were plied at the rustic quilting party ; and when in the merry-making winter season, the lads and lasses entered with a hearty zest into the sleigh-ride, not in a splendid rig from the livery, but in a "Canadian pjdudo," made of bent hickorx poles, surmounted by a rough box, or crockery-crate.

Sixty years I What a weight of memories they lay upon the mind of the aged, as we attemi)t to recall their history. As when the captives of old returned and laid tlie iomidatious of their new tem|)le, while the younger part shouted for joy, the old men who had seen the first temple wept - so this occasion is necessarily one of mingled joy and sorrow, -lo}' to all for tlie past and present prosperity and the future prospects of one of the fairest portions of our favored land, and of sadness to the then stalwart })ioneer, noAV the patriarch, " leaning upon his statf for very age" - Avho has almost outlived a geiuu-ation : AA^ho can count the names of far more of those Avho with him opened tliese roads, and subdued the primeval forcstB, upon the Avhite tablets of yondei- cenu^tery, than he can find among the living; who sees Avith joy, an intelligent and enteri) rising generation entering into his labors, yet becomes himself more and more a stranger Avhere he was once a leader. -Only Avaiting,'' now, like Aaron, for the summons to asceiul llie mount, lay his robes upon hie sojj, and be gathered to his people, not sadly - for he leaver

Wads Worth Memokial

And yet, it U sweet to stay a little longer, and ^ee the maturing fruits froili our planting. To trace the windings of the stream of blessings, widening its course, that flows from the rock we smote in tiie wildernesB, and be able to say, How small, indeed, wa,s ours, the human part of the miracle of progress ! Oidy a feeble blow of a staff upon a rvTgged rock ; but, -'Behold what hath God wrought I"

(Jlicer uj), tlu-n, t^rnall but to-day honored band of fathoTB. In the future annals of the town, and country around, your names can not be forgotten. In behalf of the former residents and old pioneers, wlio have come to greet each other on this occasion, some of us from far distant Slates, let me express the gratitude w^c feel to the present, inhabitants of AV"ad?<worth, for the honor they have shown u«, and the labor, eelf-f^acrilicc, and expenditure they have bestowed, to make this occasion one worthy of themselves, and a fitting tribute to the departed worthies, and their surviving cohorts of the ** heroic age," when "a man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.'' An opportunity afforded to perpetuate the recollection of the hardships, the toils and labors, it cost to clear off those massive forests, to open these roads, to develop these resources of wealth, to found in an humble way these ^^chools and churches, and make this a desirable abode; one of the bright gems in the crown of the queenly State of Ohio. Nor can 1 refrain from expressing my individual thanks for the honor you have conferred upon me, in inviting me from my far off prairie home, to stand beneath these trees, where, half a century ago. I bnskcrl in their shade at noonday, slaked niy thirst from }onder sjjrin^'', or Avitli luy boy com j)an ions, with bows and arrows, and painte<l wooden tonnihawks. ])hn-ed llic Indian in llicse woods, or chased tlie s(inirrel up tlie tall clicstnut, to sco'd back at us from his safe retreat - to tell the story of the j^ef dement lliat was bci^un with the same vear in which my life l>egan, and recall tlie incidents witli which I was once so well ar(|uainted, or in wliich 1 bore a part. J proj)osc. then, without further preliminary, to Initer into a brief Iiistory of the llrst sotth^ment of the town, and some of the prominent incidents of its earliest vears. Mv knowledge, g'ained by personal conversations, my own recollections, dating' from a few years subse(|ucnt, and from )>reviously published documents.

The earliest record of the visit of any Avhite men lo the fownship of Wadswovth was, till iSoL to be seen in ohl letters, carved in tlie bark of a large beach-tree, on the west fKiuk of Holmes' Brook, near the north side of the road. The tree was cut down in straightening- the load, in l>^'.\i. On the north side of the tree, the letters grown Avide by its growth, but still legible,Jcould be seen this inscrix>tion :

AVho w^ere Philip AVard and his companion?, or for what purpose "they visited that locality, so far IVom civilized habitations, is unknown. Tlie dale is not far from the time when fSeth Tease, with his surve ving ])artv, employed by the Connecticut Jjand Comi)an} , vixn the south line of the AVestern IJeserve.*

'J'ht' lirst white man who ever had a habitation m Wadsworth, w'as a former Indian irader, of Engli.sli hirth, from Montreal, by the name of John Ilohnes, who, marrying' among the Indians, lived among' them as a hunter and trapper, and was known to the wdutc settlers as " Indian Holmes." The renniins ol his old cabin used to be pointed ont to me, near the brook that bears his name. But as he had in a great measure lapsed from civilization, had neveipui"ohased nor cultivated land, but lived the roving, unsettled life of an Indian, he is no more entitled to tlie name of first settler than the Aborigines themselves, and like tliem w^oidd have been forgotten, but for the accident of lii* mime having been given to the stream.

The first setllers were the families of Daniel Dean, and Oliver Durham, emigrants from Vermont, one of whom, Benjamin Dean, the eldest son of ISLv. Dean, is permitted to join with us to-day.

'J'he settlement w'as begun on the east line of tlie townshi)). on the ground that is now a part of the village of AVestern Star. Their arrival was March 17th, 1811. The next family was that of Salmon Warner, Fel)ruarv, 1815.

The iirst settlers of AVadsworth were pri)K-ix)ally trom three States; Yermoid, Connecticut, and Penusylrania, From Vermont were the Deans, O. Durham, and his brother Calvin (who wn*ote his name Dorwin), Ids latlier-in-law Salmon AVarner and sons, Beuben F., Salmon Jr., Daniel. Hoi-atio, Amos, M. D. ; (Elisha Durham, brother to (). and C, died on tlie w\ay from ^'ermont, and his w^idow^ daughter of Lysander Hard, married jSfr. Henry AVright) ; Lysauder Hard, and son Harlow, and stepsons, Davis and

Welles IJolcomb, and his brother, Abraham Ilurd, with his sons, Cyrus, Abraliani Jr., L. Nelson ; Jolin M., Peter, and Leavilt Weeks; Timothy S. and Harry Bennett (Abel. Stanton, and Elam Bennett came atterwards); W. II. Wright, and Milton Wright, and afterwards their father, Kbenezer AVright, and their brother Orris; SaraneJ M. Hay den, and Hiram C Kingsbury.

or those From Connecticut, first, Orin Loomis, then hi* iather, Joseph Loomis, and his brother, Siierinan Loomis ; itenjamin Agard, and his sons, Alvin and Roman L. ; Frederick Brown and sons, Marcus, Jolui, and Edward ; AVni. IS., Harry, and Cullen Kicluirds, afterwards their fathev» Jedediah Richards, and his other sons, Jedediah, Milln, Robert IT., r>ekiel, Julius, and George, M. D. (part of these lived just over the line of Xorton); Augustus Mills and sons, Harry A., Luman T*., Fhilo P., William, and C Curtis: Allen Pardee, and afterwards his brothers, John, Ceo. K., Augustus, Aaron, and still later, Sheldon and Ebenezer, and brother-in-law, Phineas Butler; Norman and Cyrus Curtis, and afterwards their father, Cyrui^ Curtis, sr. The ]\lills's Curtis's and Pardee's, though from Norfolk, Ct., resided for a time in Marcellus, N. Y.

From Torrington, Connecticut, came Ceorge LymaJi, (hirdon Hilliard, Hobert THlliard, Lemuel North, Abel Bcx^ch and his sons, George and Orlando; Elisha Hin8dal<* and his sons, Elisha, Sherman, and Albert. Prom Winsted c^me Philemon Kirknrn and his son, George Kirkum, just over the line, in Norlon. l''rom Hebron, Ct., Wm. Eyles.

From Pennsylvania, Samuel Blocker and sons, David and Eli ; Jacob j^Iiller and sons, George and David; the Razors, George, Christopher, and William; old Mr. Everhard and sons, Jacob, John, Chrislian, and Jonathan ; Henry, Christian, and Israel Ritter; Lawrence, Adam, and Paul Baughman, and sons, and Adam and Jax^^ob Smith ; Peter Waltz and sons, John and David: Joim Wise, and Jacob Wise : Nicholas Long, and John Lon^.

The west part of Wadsworth, along- the eeutcr road was, before it was cleared up, very swamp}, and bocanse of its dismal appearance, was named by Ibe surveyors, "The Infernal Kegions ;" and the slnogish stream that oozed through the swamps, was named ''River Styx," from t lie old mythological river of that name, 'i'hose swamps and River Styx Avere a great dread io travelers for many years. The old road was tilled wiih causeways, made of poles ; two of them, near River Styx, each about 40 rods long, and one over the Styx, on the ^ledina road, over 80 rods long. The late Judge Brown changed those causeways inlolurnpikes, in 182G and 1828.

The first house built and clearing made, on the grouiul where AV^adsworth village now stands, was that of Frederick Brown, in 181C. The nexi house west of this, at thai linie, was that of George Burr, of TIarrlsville, as the road then ran, fifteen miles. Passing Jlari-isville, going <lue west, the next settlement was at Upper Sandusky ; the next at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and no other to the Pacific Ocean.

The first settlers came just al the close of the war with GreAt Britian, called the y\i\r of 1812. From the Genesee River westward, the whole country wns new; mostly heavily timbered forest. The immigrnnt on liis way, lound not even a common turnpike road. The family of my father, Frederick Brown, accompanied by Sherman Loomis, were bix weeks on their Avay iVom Connecticut, with a three-horse team, and wagon. That of Elisha Hinsdale eight weeks.

a' sorry predicament. Goods for the country stores wvVi.- brought from Philadelpliia, over tlie Allegiianies, in what Avas known as a Conestoga wagon - a large veliicle, about" ilouble the size of a common wagon, with box about tiiree feci deep; the wlieels double-tired, to keep from sinking n tlie mud. The wagons were almost, invariably jiainled blue, and covered Avith canvass stretclied ni)on poles; a large tar-bucket, for lubrication, hanging below the hind

The team was usually of six. sometimes eigiit, large horses; the driver always riding the ueai* wheel hoi-se, earrving what was called a blacksnake whip, and driving the whole team with a single rein. lu m:dv'ing uj) the outfit, one span Avas accouided necessary lo draw the wagon : tlie rest, the load.

Our tinwai'e aud '- notiojis/' were usually brought to our doors by i)eddlen>., mostly from Connecticut, wlio Ijore an opposite character to tlie Pennsylvania teamsters. Far too many of them for the good name of their State, aud to the grief of the moral New England settlers of the Reserve, sleek, polished knaves - so that the houest yeomen from the coiiuties south of us, jmlging the race by its vagabonds (as was \'cry natural), when they cauie auiong us, were on the lookout lesl thev should ])e '-vaukeed" - a svnouvm tor swindled - and the horn gunflints and woo(b^n nutmeg,-^ that gave the sobriquet of "The .Nutmeg State '" (o Connecticut, ])assed eveu into song.

Salt was lirst l)rought from Pi(ts))urg; aflerwards - about my lirst recollection - from a little village on the lake shore, called Clenrvelaud, which the Clerirveland Herald, in 182'A (50 years ago), told us - contained 100 houses. Since then, it has lost a letter fioui its name, and added considerablv to the number of its houses.

Mr. Deaii tells us of paying- ten «JtMil> pt'i- puiiiul for salt, hi 1814, and Mr. George Lyman '$11 per barrel in 1817- My father moving from Conneetieut in 1816 - the memorable "cold summer " - if was exceedingly ditlicuU to llnd Jbod enough to subsist the family, upon the road ; often able to buy or beg only enough for the little ones, and retire fasting, to lind food on the road some time in the forenoon. AVheat, when it was to be had at all that year, was '$3 a bushel, and corn $2. The bear, the deer, and th« wild turkey, under the well-aimed ritles of Orin Loomis, David Blocker, and AVilliam ^inicox, l'urni«,hed the snpplies that kept the neighborhood from starvation. To that corps of hunters were afterwards added Thineas Butler, and Timothy Dascom. All these were "mighty hunters'"' in those days.

In that year, tl udge Amzi Atwater, of Mantua, and Jason llammoml, of Bath, liaving a surplus of Avheat and corn, sold it at a reduced price, on credit, to those alone who had no money, bidding those who wanted to buy on speculation to go elsewhere; to their honor 1 record it.

Our limited trading was done at Middlebury, until Mr- Porter opened a store at the cross roads, then called Ilitrveystown, eight miles southeast of Wudsworth. They advertised-that they would give a high price in goods fur dried ginseng root, and the woods were searched over, the next fall to tind the precious root, for there was money in it. My brother and 1 dug and dried enough to buy for each of us our first white cotton shirts, at the Ioav i)rice of only iifty cents per yard ; and the next Sundaj', you may ]>elieve that "Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Do you think thai we wore any coats on that day and hid the white arms? ^Xo indeed ! Though late in October, it was too xcarm ; so we carried them on our arms.

cial pressure, with i(s low ])rices, before tlie opening of the Eric and tlic Ohio canals, when it was hardly poseiible to raise enough in Jiioiiey, fi'om their farm products, to pay taxes. I can remember when rye for distilling- brought a better price than wheat for bread. 'J'he lirst grinding was done at Norton's mill, - afterwards known as Tallmadge Yillagc, afterwards as MiddJebnry, now a part of Akron - and at AVetniore's mill, in Stow, a mile above Cuyahoga J'"'alls, and at Northampton Mills. 1 can well remeiiibcv when they used to put up at my father's house, going and i-efcurning from Middlcbury with their grist.s, from a-; far westas Sullivan. Huntington, and Wellington. Afterwards Rex's mill, east of New Portage, was built : then the uiill ko long owned l>y ( ioorgc Wellhouse, in Ciiippewa. The tirKt uiill built in Wadsworth was a log mill, built by Luther llemmingway, on the Medina road; the water carried in a log tlume from a spring brook. The next by A. and J. l*artlee (now ^'oder's mill).

Owing to the distance from sawmills, our floors were made ot "puncheons," or planks split from straight-grained chestnut timber, hewed with the broadax, and suiootbed with the ad/,, or ])lane. Tlie llrst sawmill built, wa« the one that now slantls one-fourth of a mile west of the depot, by Joseph T^oomis, Sherman Loomis, Abel Beach, and George Beach, in J<S2(). The next by George Lyman, and Cyrus Curtis, on Holmes' Brook. But though to the honor of Wadsworth, it never had a distillery, amid all the deprivatioiis of that ])eriod, there Avas none of old rye whisky ; every family could have it, whether they liad a co\t or noi. Not that drunkards abounded; it Avas before the doctrine of lotal abstinence was known, and its temperate use (as it Avas then esteemed) w^as universal. Though a few v.cnt home iioi-y from military musters and, perhaps, one or two fi-om a barn raising, we stood above the average of Western communities as a temperate people.

Ttadsworth Memorial

a case of delirium tremens ; " the only one," he said, " I ever saw, aad I pray God 1 may never see another." AVhcre is the pliysician that can now say that, in this or any other community ?

The early settlers had, most of them, an appreciation of the benefits to themselves and their children, of the school and the church. As soon as there were children enough to form a school, they had the school.

The fii-st school was taught by Harriet AVarner, in a room of her father's double log house. Tire first log schoolhouse wa^s erected on the farm of Jacob Miller, at the cross roads, one mile and a half east of this village. The first school taught in this house was by Marcus Brown, son of Fi-edcrick Brown. The second by his sister, Catherine Brown, afterwards Mrs. T. Hudson. About a year later, another house was put up, near the residence of the late Judge Wm. Eyles. The first school taught in this, was by Miss Lodema Sacket (now Mrs. Loomis), in 1819. Those houses were for many years known as the north and south schoolhouses. The first school at the Center (now Wads worth village), was in a log house owned by Frderick Brown, and was taught by Dr. William Welton. These were also the only houses of Avorship, for several years.

The first settlers were mostly such as had been accustomed, to regard the Sabbath, and sustain the institutions of religion ; yet, coming from different sections of our country, and springing from different nationalities, each naturally tenacious of his own belief and his accustomed mode of worship, as has ever been tke case in new settlements of that character - they suffered more from too many church organizations, than too few ; each society being too IVicble, for many years, for efficient work. Yet, from the first, they were never without the Sabbath, and the public worship of God. But of this I am to speak in a more extended manner, on the coming Sabbath. My father taught the first singing-school, in 1821-2, in tlie south schoolhoiise, and organized the first choir, of which lie and Timothy Hudson were the choristers. After Mr. Hudson removed from the place, Benjamin Dean filled liis place. The next was taught by Richard Clark. Both had great difficulty in making their pupils "learn the gamut." For the want of books, they wrote their tunes on slips of paper. Tliey used the old-fashioned niahogony pitch-pipe to " sound the pitch." (Here the speaker exhibited the first book of tunes used, published in London, Eng., in 1772). A man by the name of Howe also used to teach in the south part of the town. In 1831-2, David S. Gibbs taught singing at the Center, and at Western Star. Gideon F. Gardner, of Chatham, taught in 1831-5.

Our boots and shoes were made from our own leather, which was tanned on shares. The first tannery was owned by Levi Blakeslee, in the same yard as the one that stands near where we arc now assembled ; these grounds being owned by him. Our first shoemaker^was James Piatt ; the next, Reuben "Warner. We had also, shoemakers who went from house to house, and did the Avork for the whole family; tailors likewise. This was called, "whij^ping the cat." Our grindstones were made by Samuel M. Hay den.

The first retail store was owned by Allen and John Pardee, on the hill, at the present east limit of the village. The second by George Lyman ; the third by H. B. Spellman. The first smith work was done at the shops of Peter Waltz, in the southeast corner of tlie township, and Elislia Hinsdale, on the Akron road, just over the line in Norton. Waltz and Hinsdale were both soldiers of the Revolution. Hinsdale and his brother were for many years manufacturers of axes, in Torrington, Connecticut. Hinsdale axes were regarded of superior quality, and much in demand on the Reserve.

In 1819, Hiram C. Kingsbury set up a blacksmith shop, on the east bank of the brook, in the limits of this village. He was also a manufacturer of axes.

The iirst physician in the townshii) was Dr. John Smith, who lived a short time in the Eastern part of tlie township, and then removed just over the line in Guilford, on the Medina road. Dr. Samuel Austin was the next, at Western Star. The first at the Center, now the village, was Dr. Nathaniel Eastman. The next, and for many years the only one at Wadsworth Village, Dr. Geo. K. Pardee.

The first Post Office in the township, was kept by Abel Dickinson, on the Me«iina road, established in 1822, which was removed to the Center in 1826, and kept by Frederick Brown. The first at Western Star, established at the same time, was kept by Mills Richards. The first at River Styx, by David Wilson. Previous to this the old citizens received their letters from Tallmadge, Canton, Old Portage, jSTew Portage, or whatever office was to them convenient.

The first mail route was from Canton to Norwaik, by way of Medina, established about 1821. The mail was carried by Josiah Price, of Canton, who brought our newspapers from the Canton and Medina offices to our doors, calling us out with a tin horn.

Among the exciting amusements of the early times, not the least was the ring-hunt, occurring once a year, usually in the fall. AVhen lines of swam^os, in the west part of the townships of Wadsworth and Sharon, or the large swamp of Copley and Norton, so famous as the great pigeon-roosf, were surrounded, and the game, consisting of bears, woIvcf? foxes, and deer, were driven out, usually upon a conical hill, and picked off by experienced marksmen, and the spoils divided among the participants. The last of these was a wolf hunt, in the Western part of Wadsworth and Sharon, in the Spring of 1835.

The Western Reserve, and indeed the whole of Ohio, in the times of early settlement, abounded in wild animals, and the choicest game. The common deer, and moose (improperly called elk); abounded. Turkeys were very nu- iiieroii8, and wild pigeoua in such numbers that the jiceounts given, below the tacts, were regarded at the Ea*t as fabulous and were ridiculed as " Ohio stories/' of the same class as the sailors"' fish stories." But the numbers that ilew over Wadsworth every evening and morning, going to their roosts in the great swamps S. E. of Copley, and N. E. of Norton, and to find their supplies in the vast beach woods, in towns westward, would seem incredible to those now living there, since those woods have been cleai'ed up. They would come in vast flocks from the west, in the evening. For a long time before they appeared in sight, we could hear the roar of their wings, like a distant cataract. Then they would come, spreading like a cloud over the whole horizon, tor several minutes. In the morning they would fly westward, breaking up into smaller flocks as they proceeded ; so their morning flight was not, like the evening, in clouds, but in chains. In the fall of 1823, I watched such a chain flying over tliese grounds, that continued without a break from 6 to 9 o'clock.

There was always, as Davy Crockett would say, "a right smart sprinkling of bears in these parts." I have a very vivid impression upon my memory of sitting up till a late hour, hearing James Cahow tell over hie bear stories, of which he was the hero, till on the heads of us little ones, it caused "each particular hair to stand on end like quills upon the fretful porcupine ;" and when, at length, we were compelled to ascend the ladder and go to bed, we would >iet down the candle and peep under the bed, io see if there w^as any mischief a Bruin there.

Wildcats, opossums, raccoons, gray foxes, and -- the fretful porcupine," were not uncommon. A "coon-hunt," of a moonlight night in October, was the most fun for m boys. Wolves were very plenty, especially in the winter teason. In the winter of 1824, they were very numerous and bold. They had a ruinvay up the brook, and through the ravine where the depot now stands. We could heai'

Uieir dismal concert, down at the point of the rock, where the sawmill now stands. They were sometimes canslit with steeltraps, but the most common way was the wolfpen ; a pen made of poles, about eight feet by three, and three feet high, with the top lirmly pinned together, and raised by means of a spring. This was baited with fresli rneat^ which the wolf coming in and gnawing, lie w^onld spring the trap, and remain a prisoner.

But saddest of all the episodes of those new settlements, were the searches for the lost ones ; a not uncommon incident to the early settlement in those vast forests. The memorable one of Wadsworth, was a long and fruitless search for a young woman, who was a deaf mute, and subject to paroxysms of mental derangement, during wiiich s-he was much inclined to escape from the house, and wander off. Her name Avas Sylva Beach, daughter of Abel Beach, and sister of Orlando Beach. In March, 1823, one evening, being with her mother, in the yard of the house, a« her mother went in, she slipped around the house. The family ran out, but could not fmd her. They and the neighbors searched for her all night, and In the morning, horseback couriers were sent to all in the region, for three or four miles around.

There had been a slight fall of snow, in which tracks were to be found, and traced about a mile ; but the risingsun soon melted the snow awav. The search was organized about 10 o'clock, imder the direction of William Eyles, chosen commander, with a general committee of arrangements, among whom I recollect Frederick Brown, Allen Pardee, and Sherman J^oomis. The woods of Wadsworth and Sharon, and 8ome parts of Copley, Norton, and Chippewa, were searched for several days. They came from Guilford, Chippewa, Norton, and Copley, till the line was iucfeased to over four hundred men, stationed one every fom' rods, or sometimes broken into two or more bands, searching in different directions.

At length they met at the Center one morning for consultation, after about a week's search. The committee, after conferring with the father and brothers, concluded to go over the grounds nearest the place of her departure, and in case of tailure, gire up the search. I can recall the very words of Esq. Eyles, as he addressed the croAvd that assembled at the Center on that third morning, before forming the line, which reached beyond the hill, west of Holmes' Brook. (I was then a boy nine years old).

" Fellow-citizens," said he, " give me your attention for a moment, while I give you our directions. You will march westward, and let one man stop every fourth rod. Let each man look to his right hand man, each man to keep his proper distance, and not break the line. You will start at the sound of the horn at the west end, which will be repeated by the horns all the way through. When the last horn sounds, all move forward ; then let no man shout, no horn blow, except to announce that she is found. iSearch around every log or brush-heap with great care, for we only expect to find her lifeless body ; and let each man remember his responsibility. This is not a bear-hunt, or a wolf-hunt, but a search for a lost fellow-creature, and may God give us success ! Move forward !"

Never was a conununity more stirred in sympathy for a poor wanderer, and the afflicted family. But search was unavailing. Advertisemenls were sent to tlie Ohio Repository (Canton), and the Cleveland Herald, but no tidings of the lost one or any remains were ever found.

The first death in Wadsworth was that of Daniel Ware, in 1817. He was buried in the south burial ground. The funeral discourse was preached by John Wise, of Chippewa. His coffin was made by Reuben Warner, and others, from puncheons split from a tree, and hewed down to thin planks.

This was the first burial in the Center ground. The second buried in that ground was Abraham Falconer, son ol" Henry Falconer : died, 1817. The first adult burial was that of John Curtis ; died of consumption, in 1820. The second adult burial, Julia, Wife of Sherman Loomis, and daughter of Augustus Mills, in 1820. The next, Mrs. Wrio-ht, wife of AVilliam Henry Wright, and daughter ot Lysander Hard, in 1821. The first buried in the town lino .^round was the wife of Ebenezer Wright, and mother of W. H. Wright, in April, 1825. The next, John Sprague, in 1826. The next, Lyman Brown ; killed by falling under a cart loaded with stone, at Akron, in 1826.

Wadsworth Academy

The first school above the grade of common school, was held in the winter of 1830-1, in the then new Congregational Church. The teacher was George W. Barnes, a student of Western Eeserve College. The next by Loren Kennedy. The next bv Isaac VanTassel - both also students of tiic same College. The next by John McGregor, a native of Scotland ; a scholar, and in many respects a model

In 1839, AYadsworth Academy was incorporated, and the octagon house erected, which has for a few years past been used as a church. In this Mr. McGregor continued as teacher till 1846. Several difi-erent persons taught for a short time in succession, till the graded school was established, and the Academy went into disuse, and the building was sold.

In the days of the Academy, Wadsworth was sought by young men from many surrounding towns, as the place to obtain the rudiments of a higher education ; and the number is not small of those who have made their mark in the world, in the learned professions and as business men, who had their start here. * * * * *

Of the brilliant achievements of that day, I ean recollect but one ; but it equaled that of a renouned king, " with twenty thousand men," which the poet's pen has immortalized, for they '* marched down the hill, and then marched up again." The next year, the Guilford company beingset off and Captain Wilson with it, George Lyman was elected Cax)tain, Marcus Brown Lieutenant, and Calvin Dorwin Ensi2,u. Thev trained in the field where Dr. Lv' man's house and barn now stand. The next Captain clcc ted and commissioned Avas Lemuel jSTorth ; but he failed to make his appearance on the muster day, on account of sickness, and Peter AVeeks, Ensign, took command, using a cradle-finger for a sword. lie performed his duty with singidar gallantry, considering that he was quite lame, from a severe Avound in the knee, received that morning, in a skirmish with my father's old dog Trihi, who could not understand why a man should be coming through his master's field, "with regimentals on."

The next Captain was John Crissman. The next year, Norman Curtis, a recent emigrant from New York, where he had served as Captain, was elected to command the Wadsworth militia. Then began the era proper of the military spirit, or rather, its revival to what it was under Lyman's administration. The company greatly enlarged. Captain Curtis inspired them with an ambition to be the largest, best eqidpped, and best disciplined company in the regiment. Being promoted to Major, and then to Colonel, his brother, Cyrus Curtis, Jr., became Captain. He was succeeded by Harry A. Mills, afterwards promoted to Col. He by Daniel Warner.

What was the record of Wadsworth in tlie great struggle of our country, tlie pens of those who know must tell ; but I have no doubt -' the most gallant sons of gallant sires" did their duty, and fill their place on Ohiob roll of hotior. I have thus endeavored to carry your minds back to tile beginning of things in this flourishing village, and the towns and conntrv round. Mv business has been only t,o show you the past. To picture to your mind's eye, AVadsworth as it was. You have called us back fi'om our distant homes, to show us Wadsworth as it is. "We find the old landmarks fa:^t disappearing, and somerimes find it hard to connect the old with the new.

The present generation can form no such conception 6f the grand old forests we were once familiar with, as our memory recalls. Nor did our most sanguine hopes take in a view of what IVadsworth was to become. The least of all seeds has gi'own to a magnificent tree.

We bridge the chasm of half a century (and to the elders tiie span is but a short one), but how difi'erent the views? upon either side. There, vast forests of primitive oaks, chestnuts, beeches, and sycamores, Avith here aud there a log house and barn - the view confined to a few acres.:! Here, broad farms, stretching in the distance, with large farmhouses and barns, making in every direction, a landscape of surpassing beauty ! There, the little log school- Itouse, sixteen feet by twenty, with its low, sliding windows, and fireplace occupying half of one end ! Here, the brick structure, ample enough for a College of the olden time, aud even the College bell, heard ringing out clearly on the morniu^ air ! There, the little shops, of humble pretensions, but hard labor and toil ! Here, large manulac- - turing houses, going up on every side, and the wares of ' Wadsworth contending for prizes in distant States! There, the wagon-track following the line of blazed trees, , and a dozen miles to some stage route ! Here, the shrill whistle announcing the arrival of the cars, on one of the great national railroads ! There, the post-rider on a jaded horse, with his tin horn announcing the arrival o f. the weekly newspapers, giving you the news from New-York, not more than three weeks old I Here, the daily mail and the telegraph, giving the news from the same points, in as many honrs ; and the issues of the Press, from this village, going by hundreds of thousands to every State in the Union I There, the farmer scarcely able, from his products, to raise the money for his taxes ! Here, the very earth opening, and yielding up to the miner the hoards of wealth stored for ages !

We, then, who by your hospitality have been invited from our distant homes, in this and various other States, to this pleasant re-union on the old, familiar ground, bid you a hearty God-speed in the growing prosperity of our beloved town, in whose welfare we have felt a common Interest, though other States, or other towns, now claim ue.

Though Providence, in years past, has cast our lots in newer scenes ; though we can speak with pride and pleasure of our joyful homes far away from you (for we live in a favored land, that under a Christian civilization, a free government, and liberal institutions, makes a home for hu* manity everywhere) ; though we can tell of delightful Bcenerj'^, of broad, fertile prairies, of beautiful aud growing towns, not a few of them founded by your own former citizens ; though we love these homes, we have found no better laud than this. It would be hard, in this land, to find an area of five miles square, having as many natural advantages combined, as can be found in Wadsworth, Ohio.

Go with me to Prospect Point, as we called it in my youth, one mile east of this village, and there take in the view from every point of the compass, and I can show you a landscape view, with Wadsworth as its center, containing not grandeur, but beauty and loveliness. With all thatis necessary to make desirable homes, and prosperous and happy people, unsurpassed, I fear not to say, in this or any other land, where a kind Providence, with no parsimonious hand, prepared a home for a happy aud prosperous pimple. Happy, so long as virtuous. Prosperous, so loiit?^ as frugal, iudustrious, and tcraperato. BlcsHed in your basket and your store, in the city and the field, so long a^s you forget not the God of your faihers.

And now', having enjoyed this tirst and last happy re-union, w^ bid you and each other, not a sad, but a cheerful and affectionate good-bye.

In August, 1814, a company of thirteen of us started ft-oii-i ^llswortb, to come West. Names as follows : My father, brother John, Catherine, aud myself; Christopher Rasor, William Uasor, Christian liasor, and George Rasor ; old Father Evcrhard, Cliristian Everhard, Jacob Everhard. and Jacob Smith.

We started on Monday morning, about the middle of August, with two wagons loaded with provisions. The first day, we came about six miles, to Turkey Creek, where we broke an axle of one of our wagons. Here we encamped over night, and repaired the wagon. The next day, we came to this side of Deerfield, and encamped on what was called Yellow Creek. The third day, we got along finely till almost night, when we again had bad luck. The other wagon was ])roken in the same way as the first. This day, we arrived at Suflield.

In the morning we started, and camo as far a^ to whcro old Mr. Cahow lived, near Wolf Creek ; from there, we crossed Wolf Creek and came on the old Ilarrisville trail, across the Broad Bottoms Run ; then came west to near where Jacob INtillers house now siands. T'^om hence, cut the road southward, to where John Everhard lived. We arrived there little before night set in. They hnd erected a shanty here, in the Spring, in which we all found lodging until Monday. We th<^n cut a road to where Jacob Everhard lived, and from this place, we cut our way through to our new home, known at present as the site of the Old Waltz Church. We had to seek shelter in our wagons for two nights. Tlie third night, we had quite a house to live in. Then, you may believe, we felt at home.

When our company came to Middlebury, Judge Norton, and William Hart's father lived there, and had erected a small ^ristroilh They wanted to know whether we be-

We worked hard all snmmer, in order to clear enough laud to sow^ some wheat in the fall. The next Spring, in April, 1815, Ave moved our families. Yon may imagine what a time we had in getting here.

We brought a lot of hogs along, and as the bears were then quite numerous and annG7ing, we were obliged to keep them penned up ail summer, so as to shield them from the depredations of Bruin. The bears killed two of our hogs. We discovered two of the savage beasts, w^hiio in the act of devouring them, and as we had two firstrate dogs to assist us, the bears had no chance of escape.

Now I will give you an account of how we obtained our salt in those days. In the fall of 1815, myself and father went to Cleveland for some. We had a span of horses, and a yoke of cattle, hitched to the same wagon, which was loaded with ])ork and w^ild honey. The first day, we got to where Mr. King kept taveru. From here we started, and gtit on the wrong road, and struck the river, below Old Portage. AVe kept on the west side of the river, till wo got down to where James Brown lived, where we broke one of our wagon chains, in consequence of which, we were delayed one day. My father sent me to Hudson, a distance of seven miles, to get the chain mended. The charges for the same were tAvelve and a half cents. It took eight days to go to Cleveland and return.

Middlebury was the place we got our grinding done. It ,^lw\ays took two days to go to mill, and return. Where tapper Akron is now situated, was then a large alderswamp, through which we (^onld not drive, but jvere obliged to drive around it.

I I'atn would sing tho praise of those who first begun To make, in WcHteia wild?, a home for toiling man. From peaceful, quiet homcH, w here much -was laid in ston*. And strife with savage men was long since known uo mor**. Where sire, and grandsirc's sire, had lived, and loved, and die<i^ And graud-dam.s, in their youth, were brought as happy brldet.; From all that makes life sweet - kindred, and kindred'n kin. They journeyed to those wilds, a new life to begin.

Where deadly serpcnt-s lurked beside the fairest bubbling spring-, And death and danger seemed to dwell in every living thing. To such a home, those brave men came with earnest heaits, and tme. Bringing the wealth of faithful wives, and children not a few. Small store of gear for outward wear, and less of household pelf- All that was worn by sire or sou, eacli matron made, herself, lladc were the homes those hardy men first reared, amid the Of unhewn logs, and earth for floor, with oaken puncheon tiled-

On the broad hearth, a generous store of giant logs was laid. And every night its ruddy glow on happy faces played, And by it« light the housewife toiled, the children played in gle«. While the father told of the olden time, to the boy bedside his kueei, But fast, beneath the ringing strokes, by sturdy axmeu dealt, The giant monarchs loose their crowns, the mighty forests melt; And soon, the green stalkfi of the maize show in the open glade, The first this soil had ever known since first the world was made.

Ere long, the lowing of the herds, the bleating of the lambs. Gave promise of a rich reward to faithful heartii and hands; And as rude nature yields her sway to man's opposing power, We see the dawning of the day that brings us to this hour. For, step by step and stroke on stroke, the work was carried on; No laggard, in that busy race, the pri^e has ever won. But change i3 marked on all below; each passing day is strange; And looking back for sixty years, how great has been the change.

How few the eyes that shone with joy, and youthful pulses' beat, ^all gather Avith us here to-day, their old-time friemle to greet. But on each hand, we sec the work their industry hath wrought; The well-cleared lands, the happy homers, their patient labor boughl. Fair a^ the vision of a cli'cam, the land in beauty lies, But looking back, at memory's call its ancient forests rise* -

The hills, the rocks, the wild -wood game that wandered far and free, The friends that'shared and cheered our toil, in memory we sco - Ail, all relur.^ . A moment, then, the present claims our care, And drifting f i om the present, we the future would lay bare. When sixty years have set their seal on all we sec to-day, How many, living now, shall greet that anniversary? Who of all those assembled here will meet on time's fair shore, And tell the talcs that we now tell, of those long gone before? Though few may stay on this side heaven to see that other time. May we all meet to welcome them, in that celestial clime!

Humorous, Poetical And Prose Narkative, Of Aakon Pardee, Esq

My dear boys and girliJ, come and »it down beside mc While I tell of the early days, things that 1 know. At the age of sixteen, a tali Yankee, they found mo In Wadsworth, one morning, a long time ago. There were four of us, John, sister Julia, and mother, . And John's Avife and children, and Allen, my brother. John he drove one wagon, and Allen the other, And I drove two cows, and I think I drove slow.

This was in Se])teiiiber. 1824. Butler married my sister 8ally. They lived on the corner, where the road turns to Akron. The house stood on the south side of the stream, on Slanker's land now. Butler and Judi,^e Pardee moved from New York State into Wadsworth, six years before, and Al went back to hcli) us move.

For the next three years following, 1 think 1 was busy; I worked on a farm, and I planted and sowctl. To think how I Avhirled round e'en now makes me dizzy, And though tall then as ever, I " spc^cs that I growed." At all parties, and meetings, and gatherings you'd find me At evening, on hor.sebaok, with some girl behind me. I smile, and 1 weep, when old memories remind me Of the right arms ;a-ound me those nights, as we rode.

I knew every boy and girl in Wadsworth then, and everybody else. Here at the Center, were Judge Brown's folks, Levi Blakesh^e, and Hiram C. KiiiJ4"sbiiry. We moved onto the Tim Hudson farm, now called Kasor farm. Sanrael lilockers folks were on the Yockey farm ; then old Jakv) Miller, and John Sprague. Next came, as you go west, Esq. Warner, Gus Mills, Stew Richards, and old

UxwJe Jed. Cul, Zeke, Mills. Geor^^e, and Jule. (I beliere they could ail fiddle, that is the Hichards'B could). Then there was Capt. Cyrus Curtis, lived on the little stony knoll, this side of Western Star, and Col. Norman on the hill north. Henry Wright along" the town line: (hen old Lysander Hard owned the Dague farm ; John 1\ esmith on tJie other side of tlie roud. Capt. Lyman owned the Doulittle farm, but I think: he was in Canton, teaching school. Uncle Ben Agard on the Laws farm ; Judge Eyles, and Uncle Joe Loomis, and Orin and Abel Beach. Then there was Lewis Battison. Alvin Agard. and Lemuel North. Moody Weeks lived down in the hollow, since a part of the old Glasgo farm. Moody Weeks died in February, 1825 ; his funeral atus the first I ever attended in Wadsworth. Then there was Peter and Leavitt Weeks, Tim Bennett. Jimmy and Nancy Spiilman, Elder Newcomb, Bichard Clark. Gurdon Hiiliard and Bobert, Ben Dean, and his father. Daniel Dean. Judge Pardee then lived on the farm now owned by Jacob 8. Cverholt, and Harry Mills between them and Butler's. Then it Avas woods, over to Etc Moody's and Ira's. Then old Abram Hard, old Dr. Smith on the Hanchett farm. Lntbnr Hemmingway. Tom French, ''Spider Hanchett," Abel Dickinson, and Josh Shaw, where Benjamin Tyler now lives; then, Chaunccy Hart. Then you come over towards the Center, and you find George Beach and Sherman Loomis.

All the southwest quarter of tlie township was woods^ except George Beacli's farm, and David Biers's, who had a house opposite tlie house of (), Beach. Then, to come back into the southeast quarter, we find the Everhards, the Kasors. Christian, Cristopher (called Stofel), William, and George ; the Smiths, Jake Smith and Big Jake ; Samuel Hayden, the Falconers, Henry and Sam ; William and Benjamin Simcox ; James Piatt, and Beuben Warner : Fiatt lived just south of the depot, and Warner where th^ pine-trees stand.

60 now let's go back to the scenes of our childhood, Our youtb, or our manhood, and log cabin home, With the small spot of clearing reclaimed from the wildwood Where the wild deer and wolf unmolested could roam. Bream on, dear old man, or dear lady, thy dreaming Gives joy to thy heart, on thy countenauce beaming; (.)T, perhaps, may awaken those tears that are streaming l>own the deep-furrowed cheek, for the days that are gone.