TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS	1840	1880	TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS	1840.	1880
Bronson Clarksfield Fairfield Fitchville Greenfield Greenwich Hartland Lyme New Haven New London	1,291 1,473 1,067 1,294 1,460 1,067 925 1,318 1,270 1,218	1,092 1,042 1,359 822 900 1,376 954 2,575 1 ,807 1,764	Norwich   Norwalk   Peru   Richmond   Ridgefield   Ripley   Ruggles Sherman   Townsend   Wakeman	676 2,613 1,998 306 1,590 804 1,244 692 868 702	1,157 7,078 1,194 1,014 2,359 1,038 1,223 1,405 1,450

7 - PHOTO - THE OLD PIONEERS 8 - BLANK HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 9 Population of Huron in 1820 was 6,677 ; in 1830, 13,340 ; in 1840, 23,934 ; 186o, 29,616; 1880, 31,608, of whom 21,728 were born in Ohio ; 3,142 New York ; 963 Pennsylvania ; 124 Indiana; 76 Virginia ; 54 Kentucky ; 1,783 German Empire ; 800 England and Wales ; 684 Ireland ; 201 British America ; 103 France ; 69 Scotland, and 3 Sweden and Norway. Census of 1890 was 31,949. Huron county lies in the southwest portion of the Connecticut Western Reserve, and originally and for many years after its settlement it comprised all of the Firelands, or five hundred thousand acres. Its southern boundary is the forty-first parallel of latitude, and until 1838, when Erie county was formed out of its territory, it extended northwest to the shores of Lake Erie, including the peninsula and islands north of Sandusky bay. The townships in the county were as nearly as possible laid out five miles square, but owing to the fact that the breadth of the Firelands' tract, from east to west, is twenty-five miles, fifty-one chains and thirty-two links, each township, from east to west, is a fraction more than five miles in extent. The county is, then, generally speaking, a rectangle, twenty-five miles long by twenty miles in width—its greater length being from east to west. By the original survey, each township was to contain about sixteen thousand acres of land. This would give the area of the county as four hundred and seventy- five square miles, or three hundred and six thousand acres. The auditor's duplicate for 1877 has three hundred and six thousand and ninety-seven acres, which, however, does not include lands regularly laid out into town lots. Land occupied by roads is sometimes, but not generally omitted, as are public grounds, cemeteries, etc.; so that probably two or three thousand acres are thus left out. The county is bounded on the north by Erie county, on the east by Lorain and Ashland, on the south by Ashland and Richland, and on the west by Seneca and Sandusky counties. It has nineteen townships, as follows : Wakeman, Clarksfield, New London, Townsend, Hartland, Fitchville, Greenwich, Norwalk, Bronson, Fairfield, Ripley, Ridgefield, Peru, Greenfield, New Haven, Lyme, Sherman, Norwich and Richmond. Its principal towns and villages are Norwalk, Bellevue, Monroeville, Plymouth, Wakeman, New London and Collins. The county originally comprised twenty townships, but Ruggles was set off at the formation of Ashland county in 1846, and became a part of that county. The village of Bellevue lies partly in Sandusky county, and that of Plymouth partly in Richland county. Huron county has no lakes or considerable ponds ; no large or navigable streams ; no high hills, rocky ledges, nor ravines or gorges of considerable depth or extent, and yet the surface is far from an unbroken monotonous plain ; on the contrary, it is pleasantly diversified with hills and dales of often picturesque beauty and attractiveness. The _slope of the county is to the northward, the numerous streams that are found within its limits all bearing tribute to Lake Erie. On its southern boundary these streams are well nigh insignificant in size ; in fact, within five miles, the divide is reached, south of which the streams are tributary to the great Mississippi basin. Huron county is drained by two principal water courses-Huron and Vermillion rivers-at the mouth of each, especially at the former, there are good harbors ; but the streams themselves are too small to be navigable to any distance. However, by the aid of a canal 10 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY the former stream was at one time ascended by lake craft as far as the village of Milan. Vermillion river has its source in Savannah lake, Ashland county, where it connects with streams which are tributary to the Ohio, the valleys uniting at the divide in a continuous channel, now deeply filled with drift, indicating that the drainage of both valleys was formerly southward. The connection of the head waters of Huron river with the streams running south is not so distinctly marked, yet it can be easily traced between them and the two valleys, one to the east and one to the west of Mansfield, in Richland county, where the drainage is also to the south. October 19, 1809, the directors ordered that a road be laid out and cut through Huron county, from north to south, passing from, or near the shore of Lake Erie, on the east side of Huron river, running thence on the most suitable route until it strikes near the center of the north line of the township of Norwalk, and thence southward on a line as near the center of the other township as the ground will admit ; that William Eldridge be appointed agent to cause the road to be laid out and cut, causewayed, logged and bridged in the best and most prudent way regarding the interest of the Firelands Company ; to be cut and cleared off at least sixteen feet in width, and the stumps to be cut down Smooth with the surface of the ground at least twelve feet in width. The sum of eight hundred dollars was appropriated for the work, the agent to receive no compensation for his services. A second and similar road was ordered laid out north and south through the county, on or near the line between the twentieth and twenty-fist ranges. Six hundred dollars was appropriated for the work, and Ebenezer Jesup, Jr., appointed agent to carry it into effect, and to serve without compensation. A third, leading east and west in the county, to commence on the east side thereof, at the termination of the road already laid, marked or cut through the lands of the Connecticut Land Company, leading from the Portage in the southerly part thereof, butting on said east line, and extend to, or near the middle or center of the south line of the town of Norwalk until it intersects the road already voted to be laid out, or as near as the nature of the ground will admit. That a fourth road be laid out to commence at or near the south line of Norwalk, where the north and south road crosses it, then running west on township lines, or as near the same as practicable, to the west line of the county. Another similar road to begin on the south line of Fairfield at the north and south road and running west, following town lines as near as practicable to the county line. Five hundred dollars were appropriated for the construction of the first road and six hundred dollars for the other two roads, and Isaac Mills appointed agent to construct them, to serve without compensation. On January 31, 1811, an act was passed further organizing Huron county, but the war ,with England prevented it from being carried out, until January 31, 1815. The first court of common pleas was held at the county seat, in Avery township, (now Milan,) George Tod, presiding judge, and Jabez Wright, Stephen Meeker and Joseph Strong, associates. Complaint having been made that the location of the county HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 11 seat was unsuitable, the legislature was induced, on the 26th day of January, 1818, to appoint Abraham Tappan, of Geauga, William Wetmore, of Portage, and Elias Lee, of Cuyahoga county as commissioners to view the present seat of justice of Huron county, and to investigate the claims of other localities, and if they should consider that the interests of the county require it, were authorized to remove it to such a place as in their judgment might be more suitable. The proprietors of Norwalk were much interested in securing a report in favor 'of their infant village, and were not, it is to be presumed, backward in presenting its claims, which they did with so much success that the commissioners decided in their favor and removed the county seat thither. The first meeting of the commissioners of Huron county was held at the county seat, in Avery, on August 1, 1815, at the house of David Abbott. The commissioners were Caleb Palmer, Charles. Parker and Eli S. Barnum ; Ichabod Marshall was appointed clerk, pro tem. Abijah Comstock was appointed county treasurer. Among the townships set off were the following : Vermillion, to comprise the whole of the twentieth range, together with all that tract of country belonging to Huron county, east of the twentieth range. Greenfield, to comprise townships numbers two and three in the twenty-first, twenty-second twenty-third and twenty-fourth ranges. New Haven, to comprise township number one, in the twenty-first, twenty- second, twenty-third and twenty-fourth ranges. The commissioners decided at this meeting that the bounty for killing wolves in the county of Huron to be paid by said county shall be : For each wolf scalp more than six months old, two dollars ; for each wolf scalp less than six months old, one dollar. They also ordered that the building at the county seat which hitherto has been occupied as a school-house, should, for the future, be used for a courthouse and gaol until other arrangements could be made. The second board of commissioners consisted of Nathan Cummins, for one year ; Frederick Falley, for two years ; and Bildad Adams, for three years ; the length of service being determined by lot, and appointed Frederick Falley as their clerk. The meeting was held at the house of David Abbott, Esq., at the county seat, on the first Monday of December, 1815. The following townships were ordered set off : Ridgefield, comprising the townships of Ridgefield, and Lyme, together with the township of Sherman. June, 1822, the wolf bounty was fixed at one dollar and fifty cents for each wolf over six months old, and seventy-five cents for those under that age. August 12, 1818, it was ordered by the commissioners that notice be given that the commissioners will, on the first Monday of December following, receive proposals for a court house, forty by thirty feet, and a jail; and on the 7th of December following, the commissioners purchased a building of David Underhill & Company for a court house, for the sum of eight hundred and forty-eight dollars. March 2, 1819, the commissioners contracted with Platt Benedict to build a jail, twenty-four by forty-six feet, two stories high, for the sum of one thousand two hundred and seventy-five dollars. 12 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY The first term of court was held at the old county seat, in October, 1815. In Vermillion there were two extensive fortifications on the banks of the river of the same name, and another in the southern part of the township. There were, in the same township, a number of mounds in which human skeletons and scattered bones were found. In Berlin, in the western part of the township, there was a mound covering a quarter of an acre, with large trees growing upon it. Near the center of the township, on the farm formerly owned by the late Lewis Osborn, was another mound, and in the northern part of the township, a fortification. In Huron township, mounds were found on the highlands on both sides of the river. Two of these mounds on the west side of the river and about two miles from its mouth, were quite large and nearly round. Human bones and "beads of different colors" were found in them. In Ridgefield township, Huron county, circular fortifications were found in lot two and lot three of the first section, and a small mound containing human bones, in lot eighteen of the second section. The fortifications are on high banks of branches of the Huron river. In Norwalk there were three fortifications near the Ridgefield line, and crossing it, on the farm now owned by Isaac Underhill. That gentleman has preserved reminiscences of his plowing, when a boy, through the dry and brittle bones of the men of whom these works are the monuments. In the western part of New Haven township was a circular fortification with large trees growmg on its embankments when first discovered. Except a few "conical mounds" said to have been found in Norwich, in the southeast part of the township. ROSTER OF COUNTY OFFICIALS OF HURON COUNTY FOR 1909. Circuit Court—Sixth District : Hon S. A. Wildman, Hon. R. R. Kinkaid, Hon. R. S. Parker. Common Pleas Court—Hon. C. S. Reed, Hon. S. S. Richards, Hon. S. P. Alexander. Member of Congress-Fourteenth District : Hon. William G. Sharp, Elyria. State Senator—Hon. T. A. Dean, Fremont. Representative—Hon. S. E. Crawford, Norwalk. Probate Court-Hon. A. E. Rowley, Judge ; Mrs. Edith Orr and Marguerite Schock, Deputies. Auditor-J. E. Smith ; Deputy, Adelbert S. Vail. Clerk—C. E. Tucker ; Deputy, Clark Blackman. Treasurer—John McMann ; Deputy, Jennie D. Griffin. Sheriff—W. H. Sattig; Deputy, Clifford Powers. Recorder—Carl C. Thompson ; Deputy, Arlie A. Holiday. Prosecuting Attorney-Don J. Young. Surveyor—Kieth Van Horn ; Deputy, L. C. Herrick. Commissioners-H. G. Trimner, W. H. Grant, H. A. McDonald. Infirmary Directors—W. G. Blackmore, J. E. Seeley, C. H. Willoughby; Superintendent, A. G. Bedford. HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 13 Coroner—Dr. E. W. Crecelius. Court Stenographer and Law Librarian-W. R. Bathrick. Court Bailiff—George H. Gates. Jury Commission—Frederick Burk, W. S. Weston, Jay Wheeler, H. C. Barnard. Deputy State Supervisors of Election—J. M. Bechtol, Clerk ; William H. Kiefer, Chief Deputy ; W. D. Johnson, Leroy Hoyt, J. F. Henninger. Blind Commission—Hon. C. P. Venus, Dr. R. H. Reynolds, W. W. Whiton, Esq. Board of County Visitors—Hon. H. S. Mitchell, Mrs. E. K. Fisher, S. Gray, Miss Lottie Gibbs, Hon. C. P. Venus, Mrs. John Rexford. Janitor—A. J. Curren ; Assistant, Julius Davis. THE FIRST SETTLERS OF THE TOWNSHIPS. After the organization of Erie county, March 15, 1838, Huron county was left with only twenty townships, whose settlements occurred as follows : Norwalk, in 1809 by Nathan S. Comstock of New Canaan, Connecticut. Greenfield, in 1810 by William McKelvey, Jr., of Trumbull county, Ohio. Lyme, in 1811 by Asa Sherwood of Homer, New York. New Haven, in 1811 by Caleb Palmer of Trumbull county, Ohio. Townsend, in 1811 by George Miller of Pennsylvania. Ridgefield, in 1811 by William Frink. Sherman, in 1812 by Samuel Seymour, Burrell Fitch and Daniel Sherman of Norwalk, Connecticut. Bronson, in 1815 by John Welch of Pennsylvania. New London, in 1815 by Abner Green of Vermont. Peru, in 1815 by Henry Adams, of Marlborough, Vermont, Elihu Clary and William Smith of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Fairfield, in 1816 by Widow Sample of Newark, Ohio. Norwich, in 1816 by Chauncey Woodruff and Wilder Lawrence of Saratoga county, New York. Wakeman, in 1816 by Augustin Canfield of New Milford, Connecticut. Clarksfield, in 1817 by Samuel Hustead and Ezra Wood of Danbury, Connecticut. Hartland, in 1817 by William and Alva Munsell. Fitchville, in 1817 by Peter and Abraham Mead of Connecticut, and Amos Reynolds. Greenwich, in 1817 by Henry Carpenter of Ulster county, New York. Ruggles, in 1823 by Daniel Beach. Richmond, in 1825 by William Tindall. Ripley, in 1825 by Moses Inscho, D. Broomback and James Dickson. In 1846 the county of Ashland was organized. At that time the old constitution of Ohio provided that no new counties should be created with less than four hundred square miles of territory, nor should any old county be reduced to less than that amount. In order to give the new county of Ashland the constitutional amount of territory, it was found that Huron, among other counties, would have to be encroached upon, and Ruggles, our southeast corner town, was taken away from us and became part of the new county. 14 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY INTERESTING HISTORICAL DATA FROM THE FOUNDING OF PLYMOUTH COLONY TO THE SETTLEMENT OF NORWALK 1N 1809. BY HON. C. H. GALLUP. The Pilgrims were English "Separatists" who sailed from Delfshaven (in the Netherlands) in the Mayflower and founded Plymouth Colony, New England, November 11, 1620. In 1630 they were followed by others of like faith and hopes, among whom was John Winthrop, bearing a royal commission as governor of Massachusetts Colony. April 23, 1662, John Winthrop and eighteen associates received from Charles II., of England, the munificent grant of "All that part of our dominions in New England in America," * * * from "Narragansett Bay on the east to the South Sea on the west, with the islands thereto adjoining." The same year "The Solemn League and Covenant" for religious reforms and liberties in England, Scotland and Ireland was renounced and by order of King Charles declared illegal. In 1685 Louis XIV., of France, revoked the "Edict of Nantes" the charter of Huguenot liberties. Those reactionary measures placed the brightest intellects of Europe at the mercy of bigotry and intolerance and drove the independent, brainy men of many faiths and nationalities to this new.world to find and establish civil and religious liberty. The descendants of the composite race thus begotten, formed the finest body of creative statesmen since the days of "Moses the Lawgiver" and gave this country the proud title of "The Beacon Light of Liberty." In 1779, George III., in an effort to check and destroy this new spirit of liberty which was challenging the "Divine Right of Kings to Rule" sent Governor Tryon and Benedict Arnold with an army into Connecticut that destroyed Greenwich, Fairfield, Danbury, Ridgefield, Norwalk, New Haven, East Haven, New London and Groton by fire. September 13, 1786, Connecticut ceded to the United States for the benefit of herself and the twelve other states, all of the King Charles grant lying west of a line parallel to, and one hundred and twenty miles west, from the west line of Pennsylvania, (West boundaries of Huron and Erie counties.) The one hundred and twenty mile strip .was reserved from that concession of Connecticut and has ever since been known as "The Western Reserve." In 1792, the state of Connecticut, to reimburse those of her citizens who suffered loss by the Tryon-Arnold raid, dedicated five hundred thousand acres of land lying next to the west line of "The Western Reserve" (Huron and Erie counties, or Huron county as first organized). This grant to the fire sufferers is known as "The Firelands." Disputes arose between the grantors and the United States relating to the ownership of the land. May 30, 1800, the United States ceded the land titles to the fire sufferers and the representatives of the "Reserve" transferred the political jurisdiction to the general government. The Indian title was extinguished by treaty July 4, 1805, on payment of eighteen thousand nine hundred and sixteen dollars and sixty-seven cents. Thomas Comstock, of New Canaan, Connecticut, after the British raid, extended shelter and such assistance as he could to many of the Norwalk suffer- HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 15 ers. To repay his kindness, Simeon Raymond and Gould Hoyt released to him their claims in the Firelands, aggregating six hundred and twenty-three pounds, fifteen shillings and, three and one-half pence, which under the plan of distribution made Mr. Comstock the owner of lots numbers twenty-four to thirty-eight containing one thousand three hundred and sixty-one acres, in the second section, and lots numbers fifty to fifty-six containing six hundred and eighty-four and one-quarter acres in the third section of Norwalk. In 1806, Nathan S. Comstock, son of Thomas, came on to look at and locate his father's lands but failed to find them. Early in the spring of 1809, 'bringing with him from Connecticut, Darius Ferris and Elijah Hoyt, he was more successful and found the land. Milan was then Pequattiag, a Moravian Indian village. The Indians were very friendly and gave the pioneers the use of their mission house until they could build a home for themselves. This home was made of logs, with a "puncheon" door ; its roof of "shakes ;" its bedsteads were bunks made of poles driven into clefts between the logs ; its mattresses of sacks stuffed with leaves and moss ; its floor of mother earth ; its cooking range a brass kettle hung on a pole supported on two crotched stakes ; its window lights of greased paper. It was no palace, but rough and strong and made for service, like he strong- willed, iron-handed men who built it ; it was a home, the first home of Norwalk. It stood a few rods northeast from the "Old State Road" brick schoolhouse, and near the remains of one of "Johnny Appleseed's" old apple trees and was the birthplace of Thomas Comstock, the first white child born in Norwalk, in August, 1812. In returning to his old home after his family, in the fall of 1809, Nathan S. Comstock encountered such exposure as to impair his health and he never returned, but sold his possessions to Abijah, his brother, who made them his home in 181o. Abijah became the first county treasurer of Huron county. After he had collected the taxes, friends successfully importuned loans of money promising repayment in time for his settlement with the county commissioners. As is usual in such cases, they failed to make good. When confronted with, his defalcation, he lost no time in returning to his old home, mortgaged all his Norwalk property back to his brother, Nathan S.; came back to Norwalk and faithfully fulfilled his trust, dollar for dollar. He never recovered his losses, but lived an honest and honored. life. He was the brother of Mrs. Eben Boalt, who was the mother of Augusta Boalt, of Cleveland, and the late Giles and Stephen Boalt, of Norwalk. Nathan S. was the father of the late Philo Comstock, of Milan, whose descendants still hold "the old farm." This review is but a brief outline of events which have been our lives for the hundred years now closing. It stops on the threshold of this just maturing first century. We are to celebrate the event by the return of our sons and daughters, by reunions, reminders and rejuvenations. On Firelands Day, there will be much in reminiscent review of this passing ten-oftens. Come and help in the review of our century and bring some one or more contributions to the rare historic collection of the Firelands historical museum, that you may there be represented and remembered in the coming centuries. 16 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY In October, 1826, an association of individuals was organized, under the name of "The President, Trustees, etc., of the Norwalk Academy." A three-story brick building was erected on the site of our present high school. In October, 1829, the academy was consolidated with the district schools with John Kennan as principal. In the museum and the Firelands historical society may be seen a catalogue of the officers and students of Norwalk academy under date of March 17, 1829. Trustees : Platt Benedict, president ; Timothy Baker, Deverett Bradley, William Gallup, Henry Buckingham, Thaddeus B. Sturgess, Obadiah Jenney, John Kennan, principal. Nathan G. Sherman, Levina Lindsey, assistants. On the eleventh of November, 1833, the Norwalk seminary was opened in the academy building under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal church, with Rev. Jonathan E. Chaplin as principal. The seminary burned February 26, 1836; was rebuilt in 1838, and closed in January, 1846, and the whole property sold under execution in favor of the builders. Reopened as Norwalk institute in August, 1846, under the auspices of the Baptists of Norwalk. Rev. Jeremiah Hall was the first principal of the "Institute," and was succeeded by A. S. Hutchins, who continued as principal until 1855, when the institute ceased to exist by reason of the Akron school law providing for graded public schools. In March, 1855, the school board purchased the brick building occupied by the Norwalk institute, to be used as a central and high school building for the district. The purchase price was three thousand five hundred dollars which embraced the entire square occupied by the present beautiful high school building, a small library and some apparatus. In 1884 the central school building was erected at a cost of about sixty thousand dollars. The first graduate of the high school was Sarah E. Wilkinson in 1861. The largest class graduated is the class of 1905 numbering eighteen young men and sixteen young women. In all, two hundred and thirty-one young men and three hundred and ninety-five young women have been graduated from the Norwalk high school. HURON COUNTY'S SOLDIERS. Huron county has always had patriots ready and willing to answer any and all calls the government made upon it for troops. Hundreds of her sons perished in the war for the Union. Hundreds also responded to the call for troops in our war with Spain. The author of this work, a soldier himself, would gladly give the name and service of every Huron county man who served under the "old flag" in any war in which our country has been engaged, but the space allotted for this work is too limited for such notices. The soldiers of the army of the United States have ever been actuated by the impulses and convictions of patriotism and of eternal right, and combined in the strong bands of fellowship and unity by the toils, the dangers, and the victories of war. A G. A. R. post is maintained at Norwalk, and is well attended by the comrades. 17 - PICTURE OF ORIGINAL M. E. CHURCH; 2ND M.E. CHURCH AND PRESENT M. E. CHURCH 18 - BLANK HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 19 In this connection, we copy the following address delivered by the Rev. E. J. Craft, before the Mansfield historical society, June 12, 1902, the subject of the address being "Our Unknown Heroes." Mr. Craft is a minister of the Protestant Episcopal church, and at the time of delivering this address was rector of St. Timothy's, Massillon. "Standing in our national cemetery at Gettysburg, one can see around him the marble shafts and granite blocks which mark the resting place of the nation's illustrious dead. Here and there among them are grim cannon, keeping their sombre guard over the silent city. Down the slope which stretches away south and eastward, in the early morning I saw thousands, it seemed, of little marble slabs which the sun's rays kissed into glistening beauty. They bore the simple inscription 'unknown.' I knew that after the fearful battle hundreds, yes thousands, of dead men were carried hither and buried in these long trenches—unrecognized ; no loving hand to fashion for them a last resting place ; no one to preserve their memory and hand down to future generations their honored names. What part each took in the great struggle, what deeds of daring and high courage they performed, none but God can know ; but here no less than there under the fluted marble on which loving hands have caused to be engraved a fitting eulogy, steep heroes of our nation, who toiled, suffered and died that their children might inherit the promise. Lost though their individuality may be, their personal efforts unknown, intermingled with the deeds of thousands, as their bones which lie crumbling there, yet no less to them we owe a nation's debt of gratitude. "How typical this is of the great movements of society which have brought the blessing or upliftment to the race of man. Here and there, in these great epochs of history some figures stand out clear and distinct among the multitudes, and around which all interest seems to be concentrated ; but back, far back, in the past are souls who inflamed with holy zeal and love for eternal right, have set in motion a current of events which gathering force has burst forth from obscurity, and sweeping onward irresistibly has carried humanity on its tide farther up the height of progress. "In the pages of the ordinary historian their names are unwritten. Indeed such research from effect to primal cause is for him an impossibility. He can only gaze upon the superstructure as it emerges from obscurity and forget those who toiled with bleeding hands upon the foundation far below. Yet no one can fully appreciate a great movement of society until by tracing back through the centuries he is able to be in affinity with the thought, conditions, feeling, spirit and the endeavors which gave it birth, and can count the cost by which the gift has been transmitted to him from the past. That is the glorious work which is being performed by the Richmond county historical society. In bringing to life by patient research the early history of Richland county, telling to the generations of the present the splendid story of the past, tracing out the conditions which met the pioneers, their heroic struggle and their achievements, which have resulted in the founding and developing of one of the most splendid sections of country upon the face of the globe—bringing before the present generation that history of courage and fortitude, whose remembrance cannot but stimulate and intensify the spirit of true manhood-the 20 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY love of home, whose every spot is sanctified by the toil and struggle of those whose bones make of all a hallowed ground. "It is a worthy task for worthy men, for spirit touches spirit into existence. A nation's strength is in its history. Generations are what generations have been. It is the knowledge and veneration for the past which wings loyalty to jump from one generation to another, as the sun leaps from mountain peak to mountain peak around the world. For there is that in this history of our unknown heroes, and in the development upon the foundations they have laid, which cannot but call forth admiration, which is the parent of emulation, and he who presents to mankind an ideal which takes hold upon their thoughts and imagination has given to the world as great a gift as the Olympian Jove of Phidias or the Madonna of Raphael. And what a subject is here. Adventures which in interest and exhibition of courage and resource equal the fabled Ulysses, deeds which outrank a Hector's prowess, devotion and sacrifice beyond that of a Prometheus, heroism transcending a Thermopylae ; for even I, unskilled in this county's early history, can imagine something of that which took place in the foundation building, in the long journey from distant states, the parting of friends, the long look into the perils of the way, the paths they blazed through the trackless forest, the danger from wild beasts, the weariness, the ambush of Indians, the battle from the wagons, the shrieks of tortured captives, the blazing cabins, the mutilated bodies in the embers, the anguish of bereavement, sickness, the wayside grave, the humble prayer, the battle with the forests, the clearing of the land, the plowing of the foreign soil, the failure of crops and the wasting of the famine. Every foot of soil was won by tears and blood. For us they suffered that we might inherit the promise. Here was enacted scenes at which a world might well have wondered, and which took as much true courage as when the Light Brigade charged at Balaklava. "You, of this historical society, are erecting a monument to the memory of the early settlers of the county which will far outlast the marble slabs and the granite shafts. For as we are gathered here to listen to the records of the past, in the inner sanctuary of every soul, where we have placed the hallowed images of our ideals, there with warrior, statesman, poet, philosopher and heroes, we will place one of majestic outline and of lofty inspiration, which we will consecrate to the unknown heroes—the pioneers of the early days." THE FIRELANDS. BY DR. F. E. WEEKS. Something over two hundred and fifty years ago, John Winthrop of England was elected governor of the colony of Massachusetts Bay. He was held in high esteem by Charles I, King of England, who gave him a magnificent diamond ring. Eleven years later, after the death of both these men, Charles II ascended the throne and John Winthrop the second was governor of the colony of Connecticut. The colonists desired larger possessions and more liberty, and in 1662 they delegated their governor to go to England and endeavor to obtain from the king a new charter. When Governor Winthrop reached HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 21 England he obtained an interview with the king, and by way of introduction showed him the ring which the elder Charles had given to the elder Winthrop. The king was so much affected by the sight of it that he was moved to tears. At this opportune moment Winthrop presented before the king the prepared charter which he had brought with him. This document provided for the right of self government and extended the territory of the colony westward to the "South Sea" as the Pacific ocean was called. When the king asked how far it was to the "South Sea," Winthrop said he thought it could be seen from the western hills of the colony. The requests seemed to the king to be very modest, so he signed the charter. That charter gave to Connecticut the territory from which the Western Reserve was created, and much more came of that diamond ring than the king or John Winthrop dared even dream of. Connecticut enjoyed the possession of her unbroken wilderness, with its vague western boundary for more than a hundred years. Owing to the ignorance of the English people and of the colonists themselves, of the true extent of the western portion of our land, charters were given to other colonies which included the same western territory. Fierce disputes grew out of this as the lands were settled more. Virginia, Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut all claimed wide strips from sea to sea. After the war of the revolution the United States government claimed these disputed tracts and some bloodshed followed. To settle the matter Connecticut, in 1786, ceded to the United States all claim to her western lands but reserved a portion extending one hundred and twenty miles west from the west line of Pennsylvania, and, of course, the same width as the state of Connecticut, with the 41st parallel of latitude for its southern boundary. This tract of land was called New Connecticut, or the Western Reserve. The conflicting claims of the other states were not finally adjusted until 1800. The United States claimed jurisdiction over the Western Reserve, although recognizing the right of Connecticut to the ownership of the lands. This tract of land became a portion of the Northwest Territory and was included in the state of Ohio when that state was organized. During the war of the revolution the British sent different expeditions which burned the towns along the coast of Connecticut. Among these were the towns of New London, Norwalk and Danbury. To compensate the sufferers, the state of Connecticut, in 1792, set apart a portion of the Western Reserve, containing a half million acres of land, and granted it to them. This was called the "Sufferers" land, or "Firelands," and was set off from the western extremity of the Reserve, and comprises the present counties of Huron and Erie, as well as the townships of Danbury, in Ottawa county and Ruggles, in Ashland county. The state of Connecticut incorporated the grantees of the Firelands, some nineteen hundred in number, into a company which had full power to transact all business necessary to be done in surveying and dividing the lands. Nothing appears to have been done until after the state of Ohio was organized in 1802. In 1803 a new charter was granted to the owners of the Firelands by the state of Ohio. A board of directors was then chosen, and was authorized to extinguish. the Indian titles, to survey the lands into townships and to divide them among the 22 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY owners according to the amount of their individual losses, and to levy a tax to defray the necessary expenses. On July 4th, 1805, Isaac Mills, as agent of the company, and one Janett, representing the United States, met the chiefs of the Indian tribes at Fort Industry, where Toledo now stands, and made a treaty with them by which all Indian title was relinquished for a sum of money amounting to about nineteen thousand dollars. Thus the first owners of the soil were the last to relinquish their claims, and it is gratifying to note that the claims of the red men were recognized and respected by the Connecticut people. The title to the Firelands is derived from a monarch of England, from the state of Connecticut, from the United States and from the Indians. In 1800 the territorial government of Ohio established Trumbull county, comprising the whole of the Western Reserve. In 1805 it was divided and the counties of Geauga and Portage set off. Huron county was organized February 7, 1807, but was left attached to Geauga and Portage counties for judicial purposes. It comprised more than the Firelands at first, but a little later was reduced to the limits of the Firelands. In 1838 the northern tart was cut off and organized as Erie county. In 1846 Ruggles township was detached to go towards forming Ashland county. The first county seat of Huron county was located on the farm of David Abbott, north of the present village of Milan, This was in 1811, but in 1818 the location was changed to the new village of Norwalk. On December 16, 1805 the Firelands Company, by their agent, Taylor Sherman, (grandfather of Hon. John Sherman) contracted with John McLean and James Clark, of Danbury, Conn., to survey the Firelands "by Almon Ruggles or some competent person," the outlines of the half million acres to be fixed and the whole to be run off into townships five miles square, the work to be done within a year, unless prevented by the Indians, and provided the Congress of the United States ratified the treaty made at Fort Industry. The United States did not run the south line of the Western Reserve as soon as expected, so the time for completing the survey was extended to June 1st, 1807. The establishment of the south line being still delayed, the directors of the Firelands Company empowered Isaac Mills and Isaac Bronson to ascertain the true south boundary of the Reserve, and the southwest corner of the Firelands, as well as the dividing line between the Firelands and the rest of the Reserve, (which had been sold to the Connecticut Land Co.). Seth Pease was employed to do the work. In the spring of 1806 a company of twelve men started from Danbury to commence the survey which Ruggles had been hired to make. Simeon Hoyt, who afterwards settled in Clarksfield, was one of the party and was employed as flagman to go ahead of the compass. They had eight horses and three wagons. At Pittsburg Alnion Ruggles joined them. They spent some time at Cleveland (which had but three families) while preparing tents, pack saddles and a canoe. The latter was made from the trunk of a tree which measured eight feet in diameter. Ruggles took part of the men and the canoe and started out to get the outline of the lake shore, while James Clark took the rest of the party, of which Hoyt was one, to run the west line. One of their horses was stolen by the Indians and another was drowned in Rocky river. When the west line which was to be parallel with the west line of Pennsylvania, HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 23 was run, the men went to Huron, where they found the other party. John Flemmond had established a trading post at that place in 1805, and there were plenty of Indians and squaws as well as Canadian Frenchmen. After surveying the islands in the lake, which Hoyt says was a difficult job on account of the great number of rattlesnakes and the tree tops, they went to Cleveland to wait while the surveyors could make their calculations and know just where to run the east line of the Firelands so as to cut off the half million acres. The most of the men went back to Connecticut but Hoyt and one other remained with Ruggles and Clark and were chainmen for them during their surveys of the winter. They suffered much from the severe cold while working at running the east line and the township lines during this winter. In the spring they started for Connecticut with only twelve dollars to pay their way. They reached New York in twenty-one days with fifty cents of their money. From there they went to Danbury, after an absence of thirteen months. After a time it was found that the point from which the south line of the Reserve was measured was two miles too far west, thus making the west line of the Firelands too far west and the whole work would have to be done again. Maxfield Ludlow, a deputy surveyor of the United States, then ran the south and west lines of the Reserve, setting a post at each mile and noting in his minutes the character of the country passed over. Ruggles then ran the east line of the Firelands again, commencing June 8th, 1808, Mr. Hoyt again assisting him. The east and west lines of the Firelands were supposed to be parallel with the west line of Pennsylvania. After the east line was run off the boundaries of the townships were marked off and Ruggles returned to Danbury, but Hoyt and Jabez Wright built a log but on the bank of Huron river and remained during the winter. When Ruggles returned in the spring of 1809 they proceeded to survey into lots the townships of Vermillion, Florence, Wakeman and Clarksfield, and surveyed into sections the townships of New Haven, Norwalk and Berlin. Mr. Ruggles received the sum of three dollars per mile for this survey and it is interesting to note that subsequent calculations showed that the Firelands, as set off by Ruggles contained five hundred thousand and twenty- seven acres. Mr. Ruggles soon afterwards settled on the lake shore in Vermillion township, on the farm which includes the well known summer resort of "Ruggles Beach," and where his son, Richard Ruggles, still lives. Jabez Wright settled at Huron and Simeon Hoyt in Clarksfield. These surveying parties encountered many dangers and suffered many hardships. They lived principally on flour and salt pork, although a woman at Huron baked bread for them during the last survey. The party was so large as to frighten the game away and they could not take time to hunt it. We should honor these pioneer surveyors for their labors in providing a way for the future settlement of the country. After the lands were surveyed it was necessary to divide them among the various proprietors. In 1808 a committee was appointed to devise some plan, and the following one was adopted. There were thirty townships, each with four sections, making one hundred and twenty sections. The total amount of losses sustained by the original grantees was divided by one hundred and twenty and the quotient, one thousand, three hundred and twenty-four pounds (the 24 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY English division of money being still in use) represented the value of each section.. One hundred and twenty tickets were prepared, with the names of claimants whose claims amounted to the total value of one section, written' upon each. An equal number of other tickets were prepared with the name of a township and number of a section written upon each. The tickets were put into two boxes and one of each kind drawn by a disinterested person, and the section thus drawn was the property of the persons whose names were found upon the other ticket. We do not learn how the different proprietors managed to divide the sections. The most of the claims had probably been sold to speculators or land companies who obtained possession of large tracts and the actual settlers often selected the land they desired after they had arrived, here. This drawing was made on the 9th day of November, 1808. Very few, if any, of the owners of these lands ever lived upon them. . Among the names of the proprietors or original fire sufferers we find many names which sound familiar to Clarksfield people, such as Barnes, Cunningham, Huested, Knapp, Barnum, Starr, Mead, Gregory, Finch, Wildman, Hoyt, Wood, etc. Forty-six different persons by the name of Mead were "sufferers" at the town of Greenwich, Conn. On account of the method of making the division of the lands, many of the purchasers of small tracts could not tell where their land lay until they reached the borders of the Firelands and they could learn where their township lay, and when the township was reached they had to find the lot by means of the trees which the surveyor had marked. The location, might be good or it might be poor and there was something of a lottery about it. Some, of the pioneers who came from the rocky hillsides .of New England or New York (like the grandfather of the writer) were not able to judge of the best soil and passed by the sandy land of Berlin township and chose a tract of dense timber with its heavy clay soil, further from the lake shore. By reason of the Firelands being owned by so many different persons, all anxious to sell, the new settlements did not proceed steadily westward from an older settlement, but were isolated from each other. The date of settlement of the different townships shows this: Huron, 1805. Vermillion, 1808. Danbury, 1809. Portland, 1809. Groton, 1809. Florence, 1809. Berlin, 1810. Milan, 1810. Margaretta, 1810. Oxford, 1810. Norwalk, 1810. Greenfield, 1810, Perkins, 1810. New Haven, 1811. Lyme, 1811. Townsend, 1811. Ridgefield, 1811. Sherman, 1811. Bronson, 1815. New London, 1815. Peru, 1815. Fairfield, 1816. Norwich, 1817. Wakeman, 1817. Clarksfield, 1817. Greenwich, 1817. Hartland, 1817. Fitchville, 1817. Ruggles, 1823. Richmond,. 1825. Ripley, .1825. HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 25 Prior to and during the War of 1812 emigration to Ohio was slight. After the war and especially during the years of 1817-18, when there was a revival of trade and those owning property in New England could sell it if they wished to, there was a great tide of emigration. One other cause operated powerfully to hasten emigration at this time, viz., the cold summer of 1816. In New England there were severe frosts every month in the year, and crops were nearly destroyed. Mr. Zabez Hanford, of Wakeman, ( father of Mrs. Marquis D. Randall, of Clarksfield) who lived in Connecticut at this time, made the following entry in his family Bible : "The year of our Lord 1816 being a remarkable year is worthy of record. The spring was very cold and backward with considerable thunder. From the 6th to the 10th day of June, very cold with severe frost. The ground froze to some thickness ; the wind generally from the north and dry. Snow fell in Canada on the loth of this month twelve inches deep. Corn all cut to the ground. The first of August the summer continues to be dry and cold. The corn is now very small with but little hope of a crop. Frosts July 24th, August 27th and 29th, so that clothes spread out were frozen stiff." Communication by railroad, canals and steamboats did not exist as now and it was difficult to get food from other sections of the country. The following winter was severe and the spring backward. There was much distress and many people nearly perished from starvation. At this time highly colored stories of the rich soil and mild climate of Ohio were circulated. A sort of stampede took place from the cold and desolate hills of New England to the land which promised so much. One writer says that he well remembered the tide of emigration through and from Connecticut on its way west during the summer of 1817. Some persons went in covered wagons—frequently a family consisting of father, mother and eight or nine small children, with perhaps one a babe at the breast—some on foot and some crowded together under the cover with kettles, gridirons, feather beds, crockery and the family Bible, Watts' Psalms and Hymn Book and Webster's spelling book. Others started in ox carts and trudged on foot at the rate of ten miles a day. Many of these persons were in a state of poverty and begged their way as they went. Some of them died before they reached their destination. The roads over the Alleghenies between Philadelphia and Pittsburg were then rude, steep and dangerous and some of the more precipitous slopes were consequently strewn with the carcasses of wagons, carts and oxen which had been `shipwrecked' in their perilous descents. The scenes on the road-of families gathered at night in miserable sheds called taverns, mothers frying, children crying, fathers swearing—were a mingled comedy of errors. Even when they arrived at their new homes * * * frequently the whole family—father, mother,. children—speedily exchanged the fresh complexion and elastic step of their first abodes for the sunken cheek and languid movement which marks the victim of intermittent fever The above sketch will show that our ancestors did not always find .the path to a new home in the wilderness one of roses. Henry Howe, the Ohio historian, in "The Family Magazine.' of 1837 says : "The frontispiece of the present number represents a halt for the night of an emigrant with his family ; one, perhaps, who has left his native soil and the inheritance 26 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY of his fathers, and seeks in the far west for that independence in his worldly circumstances which he has tried in vain to gain from the stony and barren patrimonial homestead; or perhaps one who has looked on his rapidly increasing family, and, ambitious of doing something for his children while he is in the prime of life, or anxious to see them settled comfortably around hint, that his old age may be cheered by their presence, has resolved to go to the far west, the land which is represented as flowing with milk and honey, the land which repays with an hundred fold the labour expended upon it, and the riches of whose bosom far exceed those in the mines of Peru. Resolved to emigrate, the emigrant collects together his little property, and provides himself with a wagon and two or three horses, as his means permit ; a rifle, a shot gun and an axe slung over his shoulder form part of his equipments, and his trusty ,dog becomes the companion of his journey. In the wagon are placed his bedding, his provisions, and such cooking - utensils as are indispensably necessary. Everything being ready, the wife and children take their seats, the father of the family mounts the box, and now they are on the move. As they pass through the village which has been to them the scene of many happy hours, they take a last look at the spots which are hallowed by association ; the church with its lowly spire, an emblem of that humility which befits a Christian, and the burial ground where the weeping willow bends mournfully over the headstone which marks the parents' grave ; nor do the children forget their playground nor the white schoolhouse where the rudiments of education have been instilled into their minds. The road is at first comparatively smooth and their journey pleasant ; their way is chequered with divers little incidents, while the continual changes in the appearance of the country around them, and the anticipation of what is to come prevent those feelings of despondency which might otherwise arise on leaving a much-loved home. When the roads are bad or hilly the family quit the wagon and plod their way on foot, and at night they may be seen assembled round the fire made by the roadside, partaking of their frugal supper. The horses are unharnessed. watered and secured with their heads to the trough, and the emigrants arrange themselves for the night, while their faithful dog keeps watch ; or if the close of the day finds them near a tavern or .farm house, a bargain is struck for the use of the fireplace and part of the kitchen, and the family passes the night on the floor. Amid all the privations and vicissitudes in their journey they are cheered by the consciousness that each day lessens the distance between them and the land of promise, and that the fertile soil of the west will recompense them for all their trials. The roads become more and more rough, the swamps and little forest streams are rendered passable by logs plated side by side, and the bridges thus formed are termed "corduroy" from their ridgy and striped appearance. The axe and the rifle of the emigrant or "mover", as he is termed in the west, are now brought daily, almost hourly into use. With the firmer he cuts down saplings or young trees to throw across the roads which, in many places, are almost impassable ; with the latter he kills squirrels, wild turkeys or such game as the forest affords him, for by this time his provisions are exhausted. If perchance a buck crosses his path and is brought clown by a lucky shot,- it is carefully dressed and hung up in the forks of the trees, fires are built and the meat cut into small strips . and smoked and dried for future subsistence. The road through the woods now 27 - OLD COVERED BRIDGE ERECTED 1836, MONROEVILLE 28 - BLANK HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 29 becomes intricate, the trees being merely felled and drawn aside so as to ermit a wheeled carriage to pass, and the emigrant is often obliged to be guided in his route only by the "blaze" of the surveyor on the trees, and at every few rods to cut away the branches which obstruct his passage. The stroke of his axe reverberates through the woods but no answering sound meets the woodman's ear to assure him of the presence of friend or foe. At night in these solitudes he hears , and sees the wolves stealing through the gloom and snuffing the scent of the intruders, and now and then the bloodshot eye of the catamount glares through the , foliage. At length the emigrant arrives at the landmarks which indicate to him the proximity of his own possessions. A location for the cabin is how selected, near a small stream of running water, and if possible, on the south side of a slight elevation. No time is lost. The trees are immediately felled, and shortly you can perceive a cleared space of ground of perhaps a few rods in circumference. Stakes, forked at the top, are driven into the ground, on which are placed logs, and the chinks between these are stopped with clay. An inclosure is thus thrown up hastily, to protect the inmates 'from the weather. The trunks of the trees are rolled to the edge of the clearing and surmounted by stakes driven crosswise into the ground ; the tops of the trees are piled on the trunks, thus forming a brush fence. By degrees the surrounding trees are killed by girdling. Some that are fit to make into rails are cut down and split, while . others are either left to rot or are logged up and burned. The next season a visable improvement has taken place. Several acres have been added to the, clearing. The emigrant's residence begins to assume the appearance of a farm. The brush fence is replaced by a worm fence. The temporary shanty is transformed into a comfortable log cabin, and although the chimney is built of only small sticks piled together and filled in with clay, and occupies an end of the cabin, it shows that the inward man is duly attended to, and the savory fumes of venison and other good things prove that the comforts of this life are not forgotten, and that due respect is paid to that important organ in the human economy—the stomach. In a few years or even months, the retired cabin, once so solitary, becomes the nucleus of a little settlement ; new portions of ground are cleared, cabins are erected, and in a short time the settlement can turn out a dozen efficient hands for a raising bee, logging bee, etc. A saw mill is soon in operation on one of the neighboring streams, the log huts receive a poplar weather-boarding, and as the little settlement increases, a church and school house appear ; a mail is established, and before many years elapse, a fine road is made to the nearest town ; a stage coach, which runs once or twice a week, connects the place to the populous country to the east of it. A generation passes over. The log buildings have all disappeared. In their places stand handsome edifices of brick or wood, painted of a pure white, and the settlement has all the conveniences and refinements of its parent settlements on the Atlantic frontier. The emigrant himself is now an aged man. His locks are silvered by time. His toils are over. Some fine summer's evening he may be seen seated in the porch of his dwelling, his frank, open countenance beaming with delight as he relates the tale of his early adventures to his little grandchildren, who, clustering about his knees, drink in every word with intense interest. 30 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY The first roads through the forest were mere trails and could only be followed by a line of blazed trees, made by chopping off the bark from a spot on one side of the tree, and not burning it by fire as some men supposed. The next step was to chop the brush and small trees from the line of the road, leaving the large trees to be girdled. In miry place logs of wood, from twelve to fifteen inches in diameter and twelve or more feet in length, were laid side by side, crosswise of the road. Although the logs were of a uniform size when laid, some would sink into the mud more than others ; one end of a log might be supported by a stump or large root and held up while the other end would sink in the mud and thus the road became very uneven in time. The roots of the large trees, around which the driver must pick his way, .added to the unevenness of the road and a wagon would rock as much as a ship in a storm and the horses be almost thrown from their feet. Some of these logs are to be found in the roads to this day, though placed there fifty, sixty or seventy years ago. When the settler had selected the location for his house, dear a spring, if possible, and this fact accounts for the crookedness of some of the earlier roads which wound along the banks of streams, near which the springs were found, he first cleared away the brush and trees from a space large enough so that none of the standing trees, when they were afterward felled, would endanger the safety. of the house or occupants. Word would be sent to his neighbors, (everybody within a dozen miles might be considered neighbors) to come to the "raising." An experienced man was selected for the "boss" and an expert axman for each corner to cut the notches in the logs so as to make them fit together. As soon as logs enough to make a commencement had been cut and hauled, the work of building the house began. The logs were laid butt and top alternately, to keep the walls level. When the walls were breast high, skids and handspikes were used. The laborers were divided into two parties and there was a strife to see which side would get their walls up first. Accidents sometimes happened from the slipping of the log, and the ever present black jug did not always help matters. Sometimes the floor of the house was "Mother Earth," but it was generally made of puncheons, which were planks or slabs two or three inches thick hewed on one side with a broadaxe and laid on sleepers. It was far from being tight or smooth. When the walls were as high as the eaves, a log was placed on each end wall, but-long enough to project a foot or so beyond each side wall. These were called the "eave bearers" and supported the "butting poles." The logs forming the gable ends, called "trappings," were of basswood or some other soft timber, which was easily' chopped off to make the slant of the roof. Poles called were laid lengthwise to support the roof. If the settles was in a hurry the roof was made of bark, but it was usually made of "shakes," which were shingles three or four feet long split from a straight grained tree by a tool called a "frow." The first course of shakes was laid on the ribs against the butting pole. A "weight pole" was laid, lengthwise of the roof near the upper end of the first course of shakes and kept from rolling down by short pieces of wood called "knees," resting against the butting pole. T His weight pole made the butting pole for the next course, and thus the roof was carried to the peak. No nails., were used and the roof would shed water first rate and last many years. HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 31 When the logs were cut out to form a doorway a piece of plank or puncheon was set up at each side and pinned to the ends of the logs by wooden pins to form a door casing. The door was made of puncheon, or plank if a sawmill was in reach, fastened together with a cross piece at top and bottom, pinned on with, wooden pins. The wooden latch was on the inside of the door and was raised from the outside by means of a leather string which was passed through a gimlet hole in the door. The door could be locked on the inside by pulling the strmg inside, and from this circumstance came the accepted symbol of hospitality, "the latch string hangs out." The windows were made by sawing out a section of one of the logs and fastening some upright sticks in the opening. To these sheets of paper were pasted and well greased with lard or bear grease. They let in a kind of subdued light, but were not much needed for the door and huge chimney let in plenty of light in the summer and in the winter the light of the fire was sufficient. The great chimney was generally built against one end of the house. The lower part was made of small logs or of stones and the upper end of thin pieces of wood laid up in clay, and the whole chimney was well plastered on the inside with clay. Some chimneys would be built only part of the way up, and left for a more convenient time for finishing, which never came. Sometimes the chimney was built up on the inside of the house with the lower part built of stones. Sometimes the settler would not take the trouble to cut out a section of the wall for the back of the fireplace, but would wait until the logs were burned through. It is related that in such a cabin a bear once suddenly made his appearance at the opening back of the fireplace attracted by the savory odor of a kettle of corn mush which was standing one side of the fire. The woman of the house was alone, so without any ado, he thrust his head through the opening and proceeded to eat the mush and then went away. The fireplace generally had a hearth of stones, but sometimes a portion of the cabin next the fireplace was not floored over and the fire was built on the ground. In such a case it was possible to do what boys are now sometimes told to do : "Sit on the floor and hang your feet off." Building a fire in these fireplaces required some degree of skill. As large a log as could be handled was first rolled to the back side of the fireplace, and was known as the "backlog." The "andirons" were placed at the front of the hearth and a smaller log, called the "forestick," was laid upon them. The space between the logs was filled in with fine stuff and the fire kindled. The blacklog of green timber would last for several days, and was often hauled into the house by a horse. The andirons were used to allow a draft under the forestick. They were made of wrought or cast iron, and the more expensive ones were of brass and were ornamental when kept brightly polished. The furniture of the fireplace was not complete without the long handled shovel and tongs, as well as bellows. The shovel and tongs were sometimes ornamented with brass to correspond with the andirons. The fire would be covered with ashes at night, but if not properly done might go out in the night and then a boy might have to be sent to a neighbors to "borrow fire." An iron crane was fastened to one side of the fireplace in such a way that it could be swung out from over the fire. The kettles were hung on the crane by hooks of different lengths or on a "trammel," according to the condition of the fire. In some of the more primitive fireplaces there was no crane, but a 32 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY stick of timber called the "bearing stick" was placed across the chimney ten feet or so above the hearth, and a chain was fastened to it so as, to hang clown over the fire. The hook to support the kettle was hooked into a link of the chain at the proper height to suit the fire, and this arrangement answered the ;purpose very well, although not as convenient as a crane. Potatoes were roasted in the ashes, and no modern way of roasting excels it for quality of the "finished product." The next improvement was the "bake kettle" or "Dutch oven" with its three legs and a. cover with a raised rim. Live coals were drawn out on the hearth and the kettle was set upon them, while more coals were heaped—not on an enemy's head-but on the cover, and thus the contents of the kettle were cooked. After this came the "tin oven," or "reflector," which was set on the hearth in front of the fire and the heat was reflected from its polished back and, it would "bake roast or broil." As the frame and brick house superseded the log house, while the fireplace was in use, the brick oven built at the side of the fireplace was a great improvement. The oven was heated by building a fire in it or shoveling in some coals. When heated, the coals and ashes were swept out and the heat retained by the oven was sufficient to do the baking. The men folks had to ,look out and pro-, vide a supply of "oven wood," generally of white ash split fine, and have it dry . for baking day. A long handled flat shovel was used for taking the bread, etc., from the oven. Last of all came the modern stove. The spaces between the logs of the house were filled with triangular strips of wood, or moss, and well plastered with mud. Every man was his own mason. With a cord or so of blazing hickory wood in the fire place, these houses were fairly comfortable, but the objection to that kind of heat was that it was too much on one side ; the face would scorch while the back was freezing. There was a loft to the house, reached by a ladder on the outside of the house or in one corner of the room. It was an airy place for a person to sleep on a winter night, for the numerous cracks let in plenty of fresh air as well as snow. In some houses the roof extended down over the eaves far enough to form a porch or "stoop." A passable bedstead could be made by inserting one end each, of a side and end pole into holes bored into the logs at the proper distance from one corner of the room, the other ends of the poles being supported by a forked . stick for a leg. The other side and end would be fastened to these and strips of basswood bark wound around the poles to support the tick. Probably the most of the settlers of this .town brought their beds with thin and were not reduced to this primitive method. The first settlers of this town could not bring very many articles of furniture with them and depended upon the trees of the forest to furnish the material for ordinary furniture and dishes. The table furniture consisted largely of a few pewter plates, dishes„ and spoons, but mostly of wooden bowls, trenches and noggins. Gourds and hard shelled squashes made serviceable dippers or other dishes, and spoons Could be made from horn. The table might be made of a wide slab hewed smooth on the top with a broad-ax, with four legs inserted in auger holes. For seats, benches and three-legged stools were used. One writer says that it was necessary to have three-legged stools, formore than that number of legs could not touch the floor at once HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 33 Wooden pins in the walls supported. shelves upon which were arranged the housewife's store of pewter and wooden dishes. Poles overhead supported circles of dried pumpkins, strings of dried apples, ropes of onions, etc., at a time when these were raised. The ax, broad-ax, frow and auger were about the only tools required for building a house, and no nails were needed. The houses often had but a single room, unless the settler was a man of means and could afford the luxury of a double house which was the same' as two houses joined together, end to end, with a covered passage way between them. A more pretentious house was built of hewed logs, with sawed clapboards for the gable ends, and glass windows. Many houses had two large doors opposite each other so that the back logs could be hauled in by a horse. The barns were necessarily made of logs, and the old log house was frequently turned into a barn when a new house was . built. Those settlers who were not fortunate enough to get a location near a spring of water were obliged to dig wells. Instead of the handy pumps of these days the pioneer used a "well sweep," which consisted of an unright post with a fork at the top, placed at the side of the well. In this crotch was fastened a pole by means of a pin, with the mall end up, and to the end of this. a rope or smaller pole was fastened and the bucket suspended from it. The large end of the sweep was weighted so that it would balance a bucket of water. The new settler found his land covered with a dense growth of huge trees and thick underbrush, unlike the rocky hills of New England or New York. He frequently had but little experience in chopping trees and found it. slow work to chop the large trees, but there were expert choppers who could he hired to "slash" a piece of timber for four or five dollars an acre, and one man could chop an acre a week. For ten dollars an acre they would chop the trees and pile the brush, ready for burning. They planned their work with much skill and felled the trees so as to bring the bodies of several together, then piled the brush on top of them. After the brush was burned the trunks could be hauled around a little so as to bring them parallel and form a log, heap with little labor. Others who were not so particular with their work would commence at one side of the place which was to be cleared and cut the trees partly off, in such a manner that they would fall toward the center of the strip cut over. When the other end of the strip was reached a tree was cut off, and in falling. it broke another and that another, and so on until all the trees on the strip chopped over would he clown in a huge winrow. The chopping was generally done in the winter and after harvest was the time for "burning the fallow." Fire was applied to the brush and the dry leaves and branches made a roaring bonfire in a few minutes. Such fires could be seen in all directions and the air was full of smoke. After the fire had burned out, the operation of "logging" began. The trunks of the trees were chopped into lengths convenient to handle. Sometimes the large logs were cut by "niggering off.", A small log was laid across the large one at the point where it was to be cut in two, and set on fire at the point of intersection. As the small log was consumed it was shoved along so as to keep a fire at the one point, and in time the largest trunks were divided. Oxen hauled the logs and they were rolled together and piled high by the strong arms of the pioneers. The crevices were filled with smaller chunks, until the heap was .as compact as 34 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY it could be made. The fire brand was applied and in a short time. the great heap would be nearly consumed. It was necessary, at this time, to use handspikes and poles and roll the unconsumed portions of large logs together so as to keep the fire going. After a while there would be nothing but "brands" or small pieces left. Then began the operation of "branding," which was rolling these brands together, or if the fire had gone out, hauling them to another heap. Sometimes the settler called his neighbors together to his "logging bee.; One man was chosen for a boss and he planned the heaps and divided the men into gangs who had certain work to perform. One set of men would take care of the logs as they were brought to the heaps and rplled them together, or used skids and levers when the heap was higher than one tier of logs. The oxen were broken to know what was wanted and as soon as they were hitched to a log Would start for the heap without waiting for the word of command. The driver had to look out for himself for they would hardly wait for the chain to be hooked or unhooked before they were off. The logs were blackened by the previous fire and the men soon became as black as negroes, and if a man was not black enough to suit the fancy of the rest of the company he would be held While the charcoal was applied to his face in liberal quantities. The work of logging was laborious and the men'- needed no tonic to increase their appetites. The "boiled dinner" of potatoes and pork was heartily enjoyed. In some cases where the land was not immediately needed for tilling, the trees were girdled and left to die. Such tracks afforded better pasture than the woods. The fire left the ground bare except for the stumps and heaps of ashes where the log heaps were burned. The ashes were carefully gathered and sold to go to the asheries where potash was made from them, or the settler made lye from them and boiled it down to "black salts" and sold it in that form. The sale of ashes or black salts was often about the only source of revenue for the pioneer, and the great "ash wagons" were as common -as the "egg wagons" are at this. day. Some of the ash- wagons used to carry a few articles of dry goods' or other goods for barter. After a piece of timber had been chopped over a dense growth of "fireweeds" sprang up and grew to the height of six or eight feet. The seeds of these weeds were covered with fibres like fine cotton and would blow like thistle down. There was an irritating substance about the seeds which caused sore eyes in those who worked in the "slashings." In the fall a crop of wheat was sown, The seed was covered by a clumsy "A" drag made of three poles and nine heavy teeth. This implement was drawn by a yoke of oxen or a team of horses and went bounding over the stumps and roots, endangering the limbs of the driver if he. did not keep his distance. Much of the wheat would be left uncovered and great flocks of wild pigeons and wild turkeys would feast on it. Notwithstanding these drawbacks large crops- were the rule. Homer's description of the sounds of the forest would aptly describe sounds during the days mentioned above: "Loud sounds the axe, redoubling strokes on strokes, On all sides 'round, the forest hurls her oaks HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 35 Headlong. Deep echoing groans the thickets brown : Then rattling, crackling, crashing, thunder down." Gen. Franklin Sawyer says : "Such scenes were the order of the day. Everywhere the woods resounded with the stroke of the axe. The old pioneer let in the daylight, built his cabin, garnished its walls with dried pumpkin and venison, danced on his puncheon floor in his moccasins or with bare feet, got jolly over an ox sleigh ride, went to church at the toot of a dinner horn and knew and loved his neighbors from one end of the county to the other." In clearing off a piece of land enough oak or black walnut trees would be saved to make rails for fencing it. Cattle and hogs could be kept out, but raccoon, woodchucks, squirrels, deer and turkeys could" not be kept out and they took heavy tribute from the growing crop. The wheat was cut with a sickle or cradle, raked by hand, threshed with a flail and winnowed by hand. 'A winnow was made like a basket, only shallow, perhaps three feet in diameter, with a handle at each side. The mingled chaff and grain was put into this and Was tossed into the air, the chaff being blown away and the grain caught again. By repeating this several times the grain was left quite clean. A windy day was necessary for the best success at the work. After the country was cleared more and larger quantities of wheat were raised, the flail was too slow for threshing and machines were invented to do the work. The first ones used in the Firelands were made at Monroeville in 1834. , Fanning mills came into use before this time. Wheat raising grew to he a great industry in this part of the state and Milan was the principal market. The grain was hauled for fifty, sixty or even more miles, and no town near had a larger trade or brighter prospects than Milan until the advent of railroads changed the scene. Frequently the first crop of corn would be planted by striking an axe into the ground and dropping the seed into the opening and covering it with the foot. The ground was so full of roots that no effort was made to till the crop beyond chopping out the fireweeds and other weeds and sprouts from the tree roots. The native fertility of this virgin soil was such that a good crop was assured, even by this rude method of cultivation. Pumpkins, squashes and melons grew luxuriantly in the new soil and were( very welcome addition to the bill of fare of the pioneer and his growing children. The pioneer had to contend with many difficulties in the way of wild animals. Bears and wolves were eager to taste of his sheep, hogs and calves. The sheep had to be penned up every night to keep them out of reach of wolves which were their special enemies. The wolves were shy and hard to shoot, but could often be caught in "wolf pens." These were built of rails or poles laid up so as to slope inward at the top and so high that a wolf could not jump over, but could easily clamber up from the outside, but could not escape when inside. A sheep or two was put inside the pen for bait. After a wolf vas inside, he would not touch a sheep unless he knew he could get out again, and the sheep was left unharmed except for the fright. The great grey wolves were arrant cowards in the daylight and when .alone, but were dangerous to meet when roaming the forest in packs of twenty or thirty. More than one belated traveler has been obliged to rely on his speed far safety or has been obliged to climb a covenient tree and remain until daylight drove 36 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY them to their lair in some dense swamp, or help came otherwise. Many stories are told of races with wolves, and some of them have a ludicrous side. One man relates a talc of being pursued by a pack of wolves and climbing a tree for safety and sitting on a limb all night, while kept awake by their howling. At break of day, when they had left him, he put clown his feet preparatory for a descent of the tree and was thoroughly disgusted with himself when he discovered that in his fright he had not progressed upward when climbing and had remained all night perched on a projection of a root a couple of feet from the ground. The howling of a wolf was a Most unearthly sound. One man says that it was like the discord produced, by a brass band when each player makes the.most discordant sounds possible. Multiply that by the number of animals in the pack and you have an idea of what it sounds like. There used to be a bounty of several dollars on each wolf scalp and many a pioneer has felt rich when he was lucky enough to kill a wolf and get the bounty to pay his taxes. The last wolf in this county was killed about 1844 or '45. .William Stiles says that the last Wolf heard of in this vicinity crossed the Stiles mill dam at the present village of West Clarksfield and went into the "Buckley swamp" in the northeast part of Hartland township. His tracks were seen in the snow at different places between here and Medina county. A hunt was organized and the swamp surrounded by some five hundred men. The wolf was not within the inner line of men, but attempted to get back into. the swamp when he heard the noise made by another line outside. He attempted to come through near where William and Samuel Stiles were posted. A well known hunter from Townsend by the name of Mingus saw him and brought him down at the first shot. He Was 'a very large animal, but very thin. After the wolf was killed the most of the men went to Minor's tavern and had a celebration at which the crack marksmen tried their skill by shooting at a target, the prize being a gallon of whiskey. William Bissell carried Squire Wood's old flint lock rifle and secured one of the prizes. Bears were not so plentiful, but would make a raid on the hog pen occasionally, even in; daylight. Levi Barnum was once hunting cattle and treed a young bear. He shot him and wounded him so that he fell to ground, but was not disabled. A hot fight ensued in which the gun was broken, but the young bruin was finally killed. Mr. Barnum removed the entrails and shouldered the carcass and went home with the pieces of his gun in his hand. Some of the regular hunters caught bears in traps: One kind Was a very large spring trap. like the common rat traps in shape, with a piece of log chain to hold it. Another kind of trap was a pen , made of logs with a heavy door so arranged that when the bait was disturbed it would fall and the bear was shut in. Panthers, painters or catamounts, (different names for the style animal) were heard and seen occasionally. Deer were plenty and were a convenient source of food and raiment for the pioneers. Fresh venison was worth four cents a pound, salt venison eight cents and dried venison a shilling. Venison hams were worth twenty-five cents each. Deer skins were worth about two dollars and a half each. Deer licks were places. where some salty substance was in the soil and the deer would go there and lick it. These, licks were favorite places for erecting "deer blinds" of bushes, from which the hunter could easily get a shot. Rattlesnakes were numerous; but we believe only one death has occurred in this township from the bite of one. see snakes had a den in the rocks on the bank of Vermillion river 37 - PICTURES: LAST LOG HOUSE IN CLARKSFIELD AND BARRETT CHAPEL AND SCHOOLHOUSE, CLARKSVILLE 38 - BLANK HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 39 a short distance north of the Methodist church at the "Hollow," to which they retreated when cold weather came. In April, 1819, before the snakes had emerged from their winter quarters the settled turned out with bars and picks and proceeded to unearth the reptiles. Stones were overturned and the snakes killed until they had a pile of more than sixty of the bodies. One opening could not be followed, so it was plugged. Years afterward a quarry was opened at that place and the skeletons of scores of snakes were found. This raid greatly reduced the number of the pests, but did not exterminate them entirely. Various entries in Captain Husted's account book show that the men who took part in this raid were supplied with that popular antidote for snare bite, "Spiritus Frumenti." The tracks of otters were sometimes seen, but these animals were so wary that they were rarely seen or captured. Beavers, wildcats and porcupines were found, as well as the wild animals of the present day. Wild turkeys were very numerous and were shot and trapped. The traps Were pens made of poles or rails, covered over the top. Trenches were dug under the bottom poles, so that turkeys could creep under. A lot of corn or wheat, was scattered in the pen and trails of the bait laid in different directions through the woods. When the turkeys found the bait they would be led to the pen and would follow the line of bait into the pen, through the trenches. After the bait in the pen was eaten or something alarmed them they would raise their heads and try to get out of the trap, but did not know enough to look down and creep out the way they went in. Sometimes eight or ten would be taken at once. The wild turkey disappeared from this section about thirty years ago. Owls were numerous and their hooting would frighten a "greenhorn." This parody is quite appropriate for the times : "Hush, my dear, lie still and slumber, Wolves and panthers guard thy bed ; Bats and screech owls without number Flit and scream around thy head!" Cows were allowed to run in the woods and fund plenty to eat in the summer in the way of coarse marsh grass, young shoots of trees; leeks, etc. Sometimes the scanty supply of hay of cornstalks provided for winter use would be exhausted be- fore spring and the cattle would be obliged to browse the twigs of trees and bushes, which would be cut for the purpose. To assist in finding the cows in the woods bells were hung on their necks. These were made by the local blacksmiths and gave forth tones which were far from musical, although far-reaching, and each one would have some peculiarity of tone which distinguished it to the ear of the boy or girl who was sent to bring the cows home for the night., Hogs were frequently turned out in the woods in the fall to fatten upon the acorns and other kinds of "mast." They became quite wild and could be secured only by shooting. May a quarrel and law suit between neighbors has been caused by two men laying claim to the same hog. Cattle, horses, hogs and sheep often strayed away and it was hard to track them through the dense woods. The township records contain many notices of strays being taken up and advertised. If no owner appeared the strays were. sold and the finder received pay for his trouble and the balance went into the township treasury. For the purpose of identifying stock each man in .the township had the privilege of laving his mark or brand re- 40 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY corded in, the township record, so as to prevent two men claiming the same mark. The'marks were made by cutting the ears of stock in various ingenious ways; such ,as "holes," "swallow forks," "crops," "half pennies," "slopes," "spades," ."Slits," `"nitches," etc. In the early times the settlers suffered much from the loss of cows and oxen by the "bloody murrain." It was a grievous loss when one of the yoke of oxen lay down and died. The earliest settlers on the Firelands were obliged to subsist almost entirely upon wild meat until a crop of vegetables could be grown. If the settler came early enough to get a little patch of ground cleared in time to plant he could have some the first season. The meat diet was not a good one and did not satisfy hunger. Wild leeks came up in early spring in the woods and were eagerly eaten by the pioneers for they made a small change in the diet of corn bread and meat, but the breath of the eaters! It "smelled to heaven." The children, especially, narrowly watched the growth of the potato tops, pumpkin and squash vines and blades of corn, hoping. from day to day to get something to answer the place of meat. How delicious was the taste of the first young potatoes ! What a jubilee they had when the were permitted to pull roasting ears'. Still more so when the corn was hard enough to be grated and made into johnny cake: The family then became healthy and vigorous and contented with the situation, poor as it might be. They suffered much inconvenience front the absence of mills to grind their corn and wheat. They used to go long distances to Cold Creek or Richland county. When the corn was not fully ripe it could be shaved off with a plane, but when ripe and hard it must he ground or pounded in someway. Some men had hand mills, but more of them used the Mortar and pestle or a tin grater. The mortar was a hard wood stump with a cavity in the top made by boring holes and burning, then scraping the surface smooth.' The pestle was a log of wood, perhaps with an iron wedge, driven into the lower end, suspended from a limb of a tree, or a spring pole or an arrangement like a well sweep. The grain was put into the mortar and pounded until fine enough. The man or boy who operated this primitive mill truly "earned his bread by the sweat of his brow." Sometimes the corn was converted into samp or hominy which made a very palatable dish. Wheat was sometimes boiled whole. The most primitive way of preparing food was to take some corn meal, mix it with water to make' a Satter, spread it on a chip and set it before the fire to hake. In addition to cornbread, venison, turkey, squirrel, raccoon, bear or hog meat was eaten. The ravenous appetites, of growing children; tired wood choppers and hunters supplied the sauce to make this rude meal a feast: When milk could be obtained a dish of mush and milk made a healthful and nutritious diet. Sugar could be obtained from the maple trees, Salt was scarce and high, and a dollar and a quarter a peck has been paid for it. "'Store tea" was too expensive for the pioneer, so he used blackberry leaves, sassafras or spicebush bark, or parched corn. On special occasions, such as weddings & raisings, logging bees and the like, whisky was supplied. Captain }lusted once went fen miles after a barrel of pork, but when it was opened it was found to be too lean to fry itself. A deputation of neighbors was sent to the lake after catfish, and.that remedied the difficulty to a certain extent. The first, section of this township was not settled as early as the other portions and the settlers lived in a primitive way as late as 1841, and we may judge from the HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 41 way they lived as to the customs of the first settlers in the rest of the town. There are people living who tell us that they lived on corn and buckwheat, with no wheat flour. Fat pork swimming in its own grease was the meat. For a Christmas dinner wild turkey roasted before the fire place and stuffed with buckwheat pancakes, wild honey, sauce made from wild crab apples or plums, and tea made 'from blackberry leaves was a menu good enough for the best. One lady says that she passed through Norwalk in 1818, at the time the first court held there was in session. The lawyers and others put up at David Underhill's. They had for supper wild crabapples stewed, corn cakes, wild honey and crabapple pie. Seth Jennings of Milan said that in 1819 a grand Thanksgiving dinner consisted of roasted turkey, venison, pork and other meats: baked Indian pudding, pumpkin and first rate mince pies. The latter were made without wine, cider, sugar or molasses, apples or beef. For sweetening pumpkins were boiled down to a syrup, for apples cranberries and pumpkins were used, and for beef, venison. When the clothing brought here by the pioneer was used up it, had to be renewed in some way. After the land had been cleared long enough a crop of flax was raised and garments were made of flax and wool. The flax was rotted, broken, swingled, hetcheled, spun, woven and made into garments by the settler's own family, perhaps although not every woman had a loom or could weave, but she need not go out of the neighborhood to get her weaving done. The garments made from this homespun linen or tow were durable, but not fine. The long fibres obtained by hetcheling was linen, and could be spun into finer yarn. It was woven with wool and called "linsey woolsey." It could be colored with butternut bark, or similar dye stuffs, and woven in checks or stripes, according to the fancy of the weaver. This was made into shirts and dresses, bed clothing, etc. The short fibres which were combed cut by the hetchel made tow which was spun into coarse yarn for coats, vests,, pants -and coarse cloth and twisted into cords and ropes for domestic use. The very earliest settlers used deer skin for pants and coat. It was well suited for rough usage, but had a fashion of stretching marvelously when wet. If the wearer sat before the fire and allowed the pantaloons to dry upon him he had no easy task to get out of them at bedtime, for they were hard and stiff when dried after being soaked. They would shrink back to their former size or a little smaller. A man who did not understand this properly once went to Norwalk at the time two Indians were It ere. ere. He traveled through the bushes and swamps on his way there and got his trousers wet. When they first began to hang clown to his heels he cut off a piece of the legs instead of rolling them up. After a while he cut off another piece. When he arrived at Norwalk the sun was shining hot and it was not long until his pants were up to his knees and he attracted almost as much attention as the Indians.' When the pants were wet by the snow in winter and dried it required a good degree of resolution to crawl out from the bed in some loft where the floor was covered with an inch or so of snow and stick one's legs in to a pair of these' garments, which were like stove pipes, and it also required no little skill to get into them or bend after they were once on. It is related of one of the earliest settlers in this county that his old buckskin trousers were beginning to- show sits of passing away. He had a deer skin which would do for one leg, but the deer which was to 42 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY supply the other leg was still running m the woods. He and a neighbor started out to find a deer, and as they were traveling through the woods they came upon a deer which had just fallen from wounds received from other hands. Our hero jumped, slapped his hands, and shouted: "Fortune favors the brave! I shall have a pair of breeches yet !" The tannery was an institution which followed not far behind the first settlers. Sometimes the tanner followed the trade of cobbler as well. The shoemaker used to take his kit of tools with him from one house to another, wherever his services were required, and make up and mend the supply of shoes for the winter. This was called "whip-pin' the cat." Boots and shoes were made to order over home made lasts. They did not have high heels and the distinction between toothpick toe, coin toe or round toe was not thought of. The leather was neither kangaroo, kid, enamel calf nor pebble goat, but plain cowhide or calfskin. Buckskin moccasins and "shoe packs': were worn to some. extent. Rubber boots or overshoes were unknown. The flood of light from the fireplace in the winter evenings made the room light enough jor most purposes, but tallow candles were generally used to read by. One man made tallow candles for his own use by melting deer fat in a tea kettle cover and pouring it over a twisted piece of muslin with a spoon. They were not handsome, but served to give light for him to attend an evening school. Sometimes a kind of lamp like the illustration was used. It was suspended by driving the sharp end of the pointed iron into a log of the wall. Lard or bear grease was the oil and a piece of rag, the wick. A "flip ding" or "slut" was a lamp made out of any kind of dish filled with lard with a piece of twisted rag in it. These lamps gave a dim light and furnished a cloud of smoke. Friction matches were unknown. Fire was obtained from coals on the hearth or by means of "tinder boxes." These were small iron boxes with some pieces of tinder (made by burning a piece of linen rag to charcoal) or punk, (a substance found in decayed amber). A piece of steel was struck across the sharp edge of a flint stone and the spark fell upon the tinder or punk. This held the fire and a blaze was kindled If from this by means of some light shavings or sulphur matches ( made by dipping bits of wood in melted sulphur). If the settler neglected his tinder box and the fire on the hearth was allowed to go out a boy was sent to the nearest neighbor's to "borrow fire," and carried home a burning brand between two pieces of bark. Clocks and watches were too expensive for universal use. On clear days the housewife could tell the time of day by a mark on the floor, called the "moon mark," where the shadow of the door post reached at noon. The New England pioneers of the Firelands were well aware of the advantages of educational privileges and as soon as a few families had settled conveniently near each other a school was established, perhaps in one of the houses at first. until a school house could be erected. A young lady, daughter of one of the families was, perhaps, the teacher. After a time a log school house would be built. The seats were puncheons or slabs from some sawmill, with the flat side up and pegs insetted into, auger holes for the legs. The desks were made of wide whitewood boards fastened to arms driven into holes bored into the wall. The pupil could rest, his back by leaning against the edge of the desk. Not HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 43 many branches were taught, the "three R's" being considered about the only essentials. The teacher "boarded 'round," spending as many nights at each place as the ratio of pupils sent from that place required. Frequently the teacher hardly knew where to go for ,the inhabitants of the district might not all be ready to board him until they had butchered or done something else which would answer for an excuse. The wages of a lady teacher were from seventy- five cents to a dollar and a quarter a weed and "found." The settlers did not possess many, books and could not obtain newspapers w until some years after the settlement as made. At first they had to go long distances after mail, but post offices were established at an early day. It cost twenty-five cents to receive a letter from New York or New England, and a letter had often to lie in the office some time until the pioneer could obtain the money in some way to pay the postage. Many of the early settlers were pious people and soon became acquainted with neighbors of like minds. They would meet at each other's houses on Sunday for religious exercises. One of the number would read a sermon, hymns would be sung and one or more of them could lead in prayer. Occasionally a pioneer missionary like Alvin Coe, Harry 0. Sheldon, Father Gurley or David Marks would preach a sermon, and if the house was not large enough to hold the congregation a log barn would be used. As the community increased in numbers a church society would be organized and supplied by a pastor from some neighboring settlement, perhaps. Sooner or later a church would be erected under great difficulties and with many self sacrifices on the part of the members. A perusal of the "Memoirs of Rev. David Marks" gives one some idea of the hardships and dangers which some of the pioneer preachers endured while engaged in the labors to which, they thought they were called. In June, 1882, he left Black Rock, N. Y., On a schooner on his way to Portland, now Sandusky. The captain very ungenerously landed him with some others on the peninsula, six miles from Portland, after taking his last cent to pay his passage. Besides the lighthouse keeper there \are no inhabitants near there. Marks had eaten but one meal in the last forty 'hours and the keeper was nearly out of provisions, so they lay down supperless. After the men who landed with Marks had fallen asleep, the keeper, remembering the "poor boy that had come far from a father's house to preach the gospel," gave him a cracker and a half pint of milk. In the morning one of the men killed a fawn and their hunger was appeased. After waiting a day or two" and seeing no prospect of getting away soon, Marks and one of the men calked an old skiff which they found in some drift wood and started for Portland. siThey kept afloat for some time by bailing out the water with a shoe, but were , forced to return and were nearly swamped by the waves. The next day they were so fortunate as to get a ride on a boat across to Cedar Point. They walked nine miles along the beach before they came to a house. Marks walked to Milan and there found friends. He was only sixteen years of age at this time, but no difficulties dampened his ardor for the work in which he had embarked. When the Northwest Territory was organized by the government of the United States slavery was forbidden, but when the constitution of the new state of Ohio was adopted the friends of slavery who had come from the slave states of New 44 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Kentucky and settled mostly in the southern portion of the state, attempted to insert a clause allowing a limited form of slavery, Judge Ephraim Cutler, of Marietta, a native of New England, turned the scale in favor of freedom, but the victory was barely won by one vote. Thus the influence of New England was felt in this question at an early day. For a long time there was a large party in the state favorable to slavery, and their influence was felt in legislation. The colored people were not allowed to testify in courts of law, nor to vote. Separate schools were provided for colored children, and this law, the last one of the so-called "Black Laws" left on our statute books, was repealed only ten years ago, or so, although it had been a dead letter for years. Many years ago the enemies of slavery began to aid the slave to escape from his master. These anti-slavery sympathizers had a system of communication and. transportation known as the "Grapevine Telegraph" and "Underground Railroad," by means of which hundreds of slaves were assisted on their way to Canada and freedom. Stations on this road were the homes of the more daring of the abolitionists, a few miles apart, and the runaways were secretly conveyed from one station to the next. Some were captured and returned to bondage, but the most who were able to reach the Western Reserve, where their enemies were fewer, were successful in reaching safety. The taws of the United States made it a crime to assist a slave to escape or to refuse to help capture one when called upon to do so by the owper or officer in pursuit of him. Nevertheless hundreds of men in the Firelands stood ready to assist the slave at the risk of person and property. Rush R. Sloane and Frank D. Parish, of Sandusky, were each heavily fined at one time for defending the rights in court of escapmg slaves, but they were taken to Cincinnati, where the pro-slavery sentiment was stronger than at Sandusky. When the call for volunteers came in 1861 and later the Firelands furnished plenty of brave soldiers. The Firelands were not behind the rest of the country in the projection of railways and two of the earliest roads in the state, the Mad River & Lake Erie, and Monroeville & Sandusky, which were commenced about 1835, ran from Sandusky. Some of the most influential men'. in the building of the Cleveland, Norwalk & Toledo road, now the Lake Shore, lived at Norwalk. Clarksfield's first railroad will be described later. When the country was new fever and ague was common. The chills or "shakes" were very severe, lasting sometimes for two hours, shaking patient, bedstead and floor. After thechill was over the patient fell into a deep slumber, but when the fever came on his sufferings were increased and he was tormented by a burning thirst. In some forms the chill would not return until the second day afterward. and the patient could work some on the well day. In other cases the chills occurred every day. This condition lasted week after week and month after ,month, perhaps, .unless the patient succumbed sooner. The patients usually recovered, but frequently a whole family would be down sick at the same time and there would be, scarcely enough well persons in a neighborhood to care for the sick. Tansy was supposed to be something of an antidote for the ague, and the occasional beds of tansy which are still to be seen were planted for that purpose. It was used in the form of bitters, made with whisky. It was a common practice to offer a neighbor, when he made a call, a glass of "tansy bitters," which might be no HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 45 more than a tumbler of whiskey with a sprig of tansy in it, and some men got the reputation of being wonderfully afraid of the ague, judging by the amount of the antidote they consumed. They ran the risk of the "snakes" to avoid the "shakes !" Along in the 30's another disease was prevalent. This was called "milk sickness." The symptoms were ;vomiting, high fever and rapid and extreme prostration. It was supposed to be Caused by drinking milk from cows which had eaten some poisonous weed. Such sickness, as well as the frequent accidents from falling trees and limbs, slipping logs, etc., required the services of the physician and we find the pioneer doctors not far behind the first settlers in a community. Their path was not one of roses and they had to travel long distances through the woods on foot or horseback, fording streams, being chased by wolves, getting lost, 'etc. Their pay was scanty, but by buying a piece of timber land and getting it cleared and carrying on farming they eked out a living and brought up their families respectably. The first settlers were sometimes obliged to go a long ways to a store, but different men would bring a little stock of goods with them from the east, and it would not be long before there would be a store in the community. The goods would be brought to Huron by boat or by way of Pittsburg overland to the Firelands by wagon. Saw mills and grist ills were built along the streams as soon as there was a settlement large enough to support them, and they did quite a business while the water lasted. The forests abounded, with magnificent oak, whitewood and black walnut trees, but the cost of hauling the lumber to market with ox teams over the miserable roads of the times left so small a margin for the labor that a large proportion of such timber was horned to get it out of the way. The early settler had no easy-riding spring carriage a conveyance, but used a lumber wagon with chairs for seats, or maybe he hung a hickory, pole on each side of the inside of the wagon box by hooks, and laid board seats on these. These "took off the sharp edge" of the jolting over corduroy roads. In many instances there would be no roads cut out between the houses of the settlers and the best way to carry the women and children on a visit to a neighbor's was to load the family on a sled, hitch the oxen on and make a "bee line" through the forest, not forgetting to tarry an ax to cut away the bushes and tree tops, if any were in the way. Many used to go to mill or to the store in this way. Sometimes the vehicle was a stone boat with chairs for seats. When a Young gallant took his best girl out for a ride he would get a horse with saddle or pillion. The lady sat behind on the pillion and embraced the young man to prevent her falling off, and the rougher the road the tighter she hugged. As the roads became drained and settled spring wagons-were made and in time came the modern light carriages. People frequently became lost in the dense forest, if darkness overtook them where the only path was the line of blazed trees. The writer's father and aunt once were obliged to lie in ,the woods all night on account of being lost. In the earlier days, before county infirmaries were built, each township was obliged to care for its own paupers. One of the duties of the trustees was to "sell the paupers," that is, to let to the lowest bidder the contract for boarding each pauper for the year. Very often the man who bid off a pauper made up by Scanty 46 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY food and clothing for the low price which he received for the board, and the treatment of the unfortunate ones was much less humane than by the modern methods. Whenever a person came to live in a township and was likely to become a township charge, either through sickness, intemperance, or other reason, the over-seers of the poor would "warn him out of town," so _that the town from whence he came would become responsible for any help furnished him in case he required Public aid. The citizens were not so hard hearted as the township records would indicate, and the persons warned did not always become paupers. NORWALK-ORIGIN OF THE NAME (FROM SELECTION READ BY HON, C. H. GALLUP, AT A MEETING OF THE FIRELANDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY.) "Two hundred years ago the settlement of Norwlk, Connecticut was begun. At a session of the General Court of the Colony of Connecticut, 26th June, 1650, Nathaniel Ely and Richard Olmstead in behalf of themselves and other inhabitants of Hartford, desired the leave and approbation of the Court for planting of Norwaake; to whom an answer was returned in substance as follows : "That the Court could not but approve of the endeavors of men for the further improvement of the wilderness, by the beginning and carrying on of new plantations in an orderly way ; and leaving the consideration of the just grounds of the proceedings of the petitioners to its proper place, did manifest their willingness to promote their design by all due encouragement, in case their way- for suc an undertaking were found clear and good; and provided the numbers and 'quality of those that engage therein appear to be such as may rationally carry on the .work to the advantage of the public welfare and peace; that they may make preparations and provisions for their own defence and safety, that lie country may not be exposed to unnecessary trouble and danger in these hazardous times ; that the divisions of lands there to such as shall 'inhabit, be made by just rules and with the approbation of a committee appointed for that end by this Court or to be rectified by the Court in case of aberrations, and that they attend a due payment of their proportions in all public charges, with a ready observation of the other wholesome orders of the country." This is the first mention of Norwalk in the ancient records of the Colony, Though, in itself, of small moment, yet, as the origin of our name has been called in question by respectable authority, and an error in regard to 'it been spread through standard books, it may be worth ,while to inquire whence the name? Barber, in his Historical Collections, says, that according to tradition, "the name is derived from the one-day's North-walk, that limited the northern extent of the purchase from the Indians." Whence he learned the tradition, we know not ; but that it is erroneous, if not fabulous, we do know. (I) The original deeds, in 1640, give the name Norwalke, as then designating the river, and there is the same evidence that that was the original Indian name, as that Saukatuk and Rooton were. (2) All the settlements along the coast, and in the interior, were first called by their Indian names, and were changed only for specified reasons. Thus, Quinnepiack was changed for New Haven; Cupheag and Puquannock for Stratford ; Uncowa for Fairfield, and Rippowams for Stam- 47 - BLANK 48 - PICTURE OF A. J. BAUGHMAN, PROF. B. F. PRINCE AND C. H. GALLUP 50 - BLANK HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 51 ford. But Norwalk was never changed. (3) But, thirdly, the fancy that Norwalk is an abbreviation of Northwalk, is dissipated the moment you open the original Colony Records. In those records., from 1636 to 1665, the name is often used, and is spelt in at least eleven different ways. Thus, in the first instance where the word occurs, the orthography is, 1. Norwaake, Col. Rec., p. 210, 1650.  2. Nor-wauke, Col. Rec., p. 224, 1651.  3. Nor-waack, Col. Rec., p. 228, 4. Nor-wack, Col. Rec., p. 242, 1653.  5. Nor-worke, Col. Rec., p. 242, 1653.  6. Nor-wacke, Col. Rec., p. 277, 1655. 7. Nor-woake, Col. Rec., p. 265, 8, Norr-wake, Col. Rec., p. 279, 9. Nor-walke, Col. Rec., p. 290, 1656, 10. Norwalk, Col. Rec., p. 324, 1658. 11. Norwake, Col. Rec., p. 418, 1663. Thus. the record dissipates the fancied tradition. Who would ever have thought of the name being derived from North-walk, had it been uniformly spelt, as at first, in the Colony Records ? Not only is there no allusion to such a derivation, but our present orthography, Norwalk was not used till 1658. Subsequently to that period, there seems to have been more unformity—the name being written Nor-walke, Nor-wake, or Norwalk the latter finally prevailed. Here be it observed, that the ancient orthography was designed to express, as near as possible, the primitive pronunciation, but in process of time, was changed, to accord more fully with the English form of words. ONE CENTURY OF NORWALK. ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE FORTY-NINTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE FIRELANDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, JULY 22, 1909, COMMEMORATING NORWALK'S CENTENNIAL BY HON. C. H. GALLUP. I have promised to tell a little of the history of Norwalk for the past hundred years. I think it is upon the program as "One Century of Norwalk." I am going to tell you some stories,— I will try to make it a series of stories to illustrate how Norwalk has been built. I have so many times told the story of the origin of the name "Western Reserve" that I shall not tell it here again. I have so often told the origin of the name "Firelands" that it is not necessary to repeat it today, but I am going to tell you just how our ancestors built up this city and township in the last hundred years. To commence with, I want to tell you that there were three wolves that immortalized themselves at the commencement of this hundred years. You have all read the story of the settlement of the Comstock family in Norwalk, the first family to come into the township in 1809 and the building of their house. They built near Milan. It wasn't Milan then ; it was a Moravian Indian settlement. They had a mission house there. They gave the use of that mission house to these first settlers to occupy until they should complete their own house. One day they had put their dinner to cooking,—pork and beans, and left to do some clearing. When they returned for their dinner and came in sight of the house, they saw three wolves scampering away, and when they got to their dinner pot, it was, empty. Now those three wolves immortalized themselves by that failure to stop the start of Norwalk. This was in 1809. 52 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY Settlers came in very slowly. Two or three families came up to 1812. In 1815 two Connecticut Yankees came on to attend court at Avery, and that is a place now where there is no habitation or sign of life except a hill and grass and trees, There are no buildings where the county seat was in those days. Incorrectly it has been called Wheatsboro. That was a mistake. Avery was the township now known as Milan. Now these Connecticut Yankees came on there .and thought they saw an opportunity. They had traveled through here land hunting and they had' seen the sand ridge. They had fallen in love with it. They got their heads together and said, "Well now, we will make a land speculation. We will take the county seat away from here and up to the sand ridge." Elisha Whittlesey, Platt Benedict, Frederic Failey, three of them, entered into a written agreement to that effect. They sent Platt Benedict on to Connecticut on horse back. He rode eleven days and the land that Norwalk was built on was bought for about one dollar and twelve cents an acre. They got an act through the legislature for the appointment of a commission to locate the county. seat. Huron embraced Huron and Erie then. I don't know what manipulation took place, but they got the report of the committee. The act authorizing the change -of the county seat required that they should indemnify the owners of property at Avery for any damage they might suffer by the removal of the county seat. Elisha Whittlesey gave a bond to indemnify those people for all losses they might suffer as might be determined by a commission. The commission was appointed and acted. They awarded damages amounting to about three thousand four hundred and forty dollars. Elisha Whittlesey gave a bond to make that good. Elisha. Whittlesey in behalf of the four parties (Falley having surrendered his interest to E. Moss White and Mathew B. Whittlesey) who purchased the property here took title in his own name as trustee for himself and the rest He said to a certain number of the people of Norwalk, "If you will take off from, my shoulders the responsibility of my bond to those Avery people, I will surrender my interest in the town plat of Norwalk" and five men stepped up and assumed that liability. I want to give their names ; David Underhill, Peter Tice, Levi Cole, Platt Benedict and Daniel Tilden. They obligated themselves in the sum of eight thousand dollars to make good any damage that might occur. For five men to assume an obligation of eight thousand dollars away back there in 1815 or '16 was equal to men of today assuming hundreds of thousands of dollars. They were poor people, men who had come to hew out a home in the wilderness. They took their courage in their hands and signed the bond. That is the kind of spirit that builds towns. That is, the kind of spirit built up atthat time that has never died from that day to this in Norwalk. In 1817 Platt Benedict came on with his family and with him the family of Luke Keeler. They were the joint settlers of the city of Norwalk. The city hasn't reached its century mark yet. We are celebrating the Norwalk Township centennial-. Those two families came, one settling just east of the Court House, the other building his home way out east on the sand ridge, so that Pla tt Benedict was really the first settler of the city of Norwalk. When a few families had become settlers here, they bethought themselves of the institutions of their old home. They wanted schools ; they wanted churches. A few of them gathered themselves together and organized a church, and this is the HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 53 paper that records that organization. It is a quaint old paper and I am going to read you a little from it. "Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio, Jan. 20, 1821. At a meeting of a number of persons residing in this vicinity, Platt Benedict was elected clerk of the meeting, and the following gentlemen enrolled themselves as members or friends of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America ; Platt Benedict, John Keeler, Luke Keeler, John Boalt, Amos Woodward, Samuel Sparrow, William Gardiner, Asa Sanford, Ami Keeler, Henry Hulbert, William Woodward, E. Lane, Gurdon Woodward, William Gallup, Ezra Sprague, D. Gibbs, Enos Gilbert and Moses Sowers." Those men associated themselves together to organize their church. They did organize it and soon afterward had their first baptism. Here is a record of that. "On Sunday. Jan. 21, 1821, the ordinance of baptism was administered to the following persons by the Rev. Roger Searles : Louise Williams, aged three years ; Theodore Williams, aged one year, children of James Williams. Sponsors, James Williams, E. Lane. William Gallup, one year. Sponsors, William Gallup, Sarah Gallup. Ebenezer Shaw Lane, one year. Sponsors, E. Lane, Frances Ann Lane, James Williams. This is the record of the first old church that was started here for the benefit of those settlers who had come in and who were living here with the woods all around them. Now and then the nights were made hideous by the drunken revels of the Indians who came in and got the white men's fire water, and they were always apprehensive of the results of those drunken revels. They were living in log houses ; their windows were not glass. Theirs was the spirit that builds towns. They came in here with the intention of building a town and a home, but they did not foresee what was to take place. They could not foresee that magnificent display that took place on our streets yesterday. I wish they could. They had to have paper. How were they going to get it ? They had to have flour and things of that kind. When they first came here, they had to carry their grain way to the Black River on horse back. They had to carry it in bags and bring it back on horse back. They started a mill here. Henry Buckingham, Platt Benedict and a few others started a paper mill and a grist mill. I want to tell you what they said about it way back in that day. Platt Benedict in writing to Elisha Whittlesey under date of August 25th, 1832, said to him, "I have taken possession of the Henry farm and am improving it, have been offered twelve dollars an acre cash in hand which I refused, and the steam mill which was thought so foolish and visionary is the sole cause. The mill does a good business, making seventy to eighty reams and grinding about a thousand bushels of corn a week." That paper mill was started in 1831, and run by an engine built here by Daniel Watrous, our pioneer machinist. This little book is a pioneer book. It was given to the Firelands Historical society April 6th, 1859, by Hon. Frederick Wickham, the father of Judge Wickham, and long editor of the Norwalk Reflector. This is a rare publication. I don't know of another copy in existence. It is the "Ohio and Michigan Register and Immigrant's Guide." This was published by J. W. Scott, Florence, Huron county, Ohio, in 1832. The spirit of commerce was abroad in the land in those days. I want to refer you to these two ads : 54 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY "Norwalk Manufacturing Co., paper makers," etc. "Printed by S. Preston & Co., Norwalk, Huron county, Ohio." The whole thing is a product of Norwalk way back there in 1832. We can’t make paper here today. But we have the physical record of that old paper mill. A mile or so up Norwalk Creek they built a dam and from that dam they ran a mill race all the way down to town to the mill. That stood over on the slope of Woodlawn avenue, on the west side of that avenue, about thirty or forty rods south from Main street. They ran the water down into a well which they built. I filled that well up myself about twenty-five years ago. There are parts of the old race still to be seen, showing the enterprise of those days. About half way down from the dam to the paper mill a saw mill was built and run by water from that mill race. The tail race from that saw mill is yet plainly in evidence just south of East Elm street bridge. That spirit of enterprise has always stayed here. The pioneers started it here and nobody has ever been able to take it away from us. In 1851 Norwalk was nothing but a side show to Milan. Milan had a canal which they had built from Milan down to the deep water of the Huron river, about eight miles to the lake, and up and down that canal used to go the commerce that supplied the territory from here south as far as Columbus. The grain and farm products of all that territory were carried to Milan and marketed in two, fout, six and eight horse wagons, the larger ones called "Pennsylvania Schooners" The dry goods, groceries, etc., purchased in New. York city by our merchants came back by the Erie canal and lake to Milan. I have seen the streets Of Norwalk filled with those teams at night, camped from one end to the other. Norwalk was simply a side show. But in 1851 Milan was offered the opportunity to have a railroad through from Cleveland to Toledo. They didn't want a railroad. Their canal was the main thing and nobody could take that away. They wouldn't give a dollar for the railroad. Norwalk voted fifty thousand dollars bonds upon itself and it then had about twelve hundred inhabitants. That is the spirit that builds towns and it has always been here. That proved a good speculation. The capitalists in the east thought they saw an opportunity and they commenced buying up the stock of this road, The directors of the road watered their stock fifty per cent and those people bought that all up at par, so that the bonds that Norwalk gave brought them back seventy- five thousand dollars. That was a pioneer rod built from Cleveland to Toledo, John Gardiner, our esteemed and venerated citizen, was its first president. Charles L. Boalt was the mainspring, the moving spirit that built the road. Lewis D. Strutton sat up all night one night and all day, Sunday signing the bonds that they might get away before an injunction could be gotten out. As soon as they were signed, Boalt got out of Norwalk and out of reach of an injunction. Bonds from other towns were put in his hands. With the proceeds of the sale of bonds, he bought the iron for the first road. He paid one hundred and twenty dollars a ton. It was Norwalk enterprise that did it. That spirit that chased the three wolves out down there was still here. When these four gentlemen who planned the removal of the county seat to Norwalk laid out their plot, they dedicated four lots for public purposes ; one for a court house, one for a jail, one for a meeting house and one for an academy for the promotion of the arts and sciences. HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 55 In 1854 twenty-five gentlemen of Norwalk organized themselves together under the name of the Whittlesey Academy of Arts and Sciences. They contracted and sold the rooms that are in the old Whittlesey building by lease, ninety-nine years, a ground rent charge, and put up that old building. They have received those rents ever since. They reserved "Whittlesey Hall" and rented that and it brought in from nine to twelve hundred dollars a year rental for many years. They accumulated quite a sum of money, but every dollar of that money has gone for the public benefit of Norwalk. It has gone into the public library, into the building and upon its shelves. Not one red cent has ever stuck to the fingers of any one of the twenty-five organizers or their successors. Those twenty-five charter members constitute a roll of honor, and I am going to read them to you and I want to say that no one of them now lives, but there are twenty-five successors still living and still doing what they did; using the proceeds of the rental of that property for the advancement and welfare of their posterity and all who come hereafter. These incorporators were G.T. Stewart M. R. Brailey George H. Safford E. Gray J. E. Ingersoll C. E. Newman F. A. Wildman O. G. Carter Chas. B. Stickney W. L. Rose Louis D. Strutton Saml. T. Worcester John Tift S. R. Beckwith B. F. Roberts J. A. Jones N. S. C. Perkins Edward Winthrop Charles Bishop J. A. Jackman Hiram Rose J. E. Morehouse John Cline George Baker Joseph M. Farr The structure that they built, the sentiment and spirit they put into its creation is as active and potent today as it was the day they formed the organization. It is going on now and it has within itself the power of self perpetuation, tor every member is a member for life. When they leave Huron county or die, successors are elected to them, and based upon this our Library Association has become a protege of the Whittlesey Academy. This society has been taken up by them. The library association may go out of existence, this society may go out of existence, but the Whittlesey Academy will stay here and see that the work goes on. We have had some queer experiences here in our time. We once had what was known as the Norwalk Barrel Company. They grew up and prospered and then died. A traveling man with a good deal of energy and life aout him suggested to certain of our citizens that they should start an organ factory. Judge Wickham was one of the parties approached and he succumbed to their blandishments and became one of the incorporators of the A. B. Chase Company. They negotiated for the purchase of the Barrel Company's property. That company asked four thousand dollars for it. They offered three thousand dollars for it. No ! They offered three thousand five hundred dollars. No ! They offered three thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars. No ! One of our citizens out upon the street just before train time met A. B. Chase with grip sack in hand, and he said, "Chase, where are you going?" "I am going to Fostoria to accept their offer." "I thought you were going to take the barrel factory." Chase said, "We won't be punished for staying in Norwalk." He then related the circumstances, that they had offered three thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars 56 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY and it had been rejected. This citizen said, "Will you take it fcr three thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars now?" He said, "Yes." "You shall have it." In less than two hours, two hundred and fifty dollars was raised by subscriptions "on the street." The money was taken in and paid to the Barrel Company and a receipt therefor was turned over to Mr. Chase. That settled the location of the A. B. Chase factory in Norwalk. It is one of the most beneficial institutions in the town, employing hundreds of men. You saw their display on the street yesterday, which should have taken the premium—the grandest part of the display was the two hundred and fifty men marching there, all clean cut good citizens of Norwalk, home owners, that alone entitled them to the reward. In 1877 another problem came up for settlement, and that was the location and building of the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad, and I can say to you that the work done here in Norwalk was the work that built the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad. It would never have been built if it had not been for the life, energy and nerve that went into it from Norwalk. At that time, 1877, we had a population of about four thousand, I think. Meeting after meeting was held here. Delegates from towns all along the line used to meet here. The preliminary work of raising the money to build that road was mostly done here in Norwalk! At that time we raised and paid for the building of that road seventy-two thousand dollars. That was a big load for a town of that size. Three years afterward the question of the location of the shops came up and they pinched us. We had opposition. Wellington was fighting us. Toledo, Fremont, Massillon were all bidding for the location of those shops. A committee was sent from here to New York city to try and influence Commodore Garrison who was building the road. When that committee got to New York, they called on Commodore Garrison. He said, "I am glad to meet you. I want to hear all about this." One of the committeemen said, "Is Mr. Griggs here?" "Oh, no," he said, "he won't, be here until Saturday." "Well, excuse us, What we have to say we want to say in the presence of Mr. Griggs." His son said, "That's right, father." It was arranged to wait until Mr. Griggs came. He came on Saturday and the interview took place. One of the committeemen chosen as spokesman told the story that 'Commodore Garrison hadn't heard. He said, "You have said to Mr. Gardiner that . all things being equal you will favors Norwalk. We propose to show you that as between Norwalk and the *principal competitor things are not equal. Norwalk has subscribed and paid seventy-two thousand dollars for the construction of this railroad. You now ask us, we suppose, about twenty-three thousand dollars, and for that sum we have understood you would locate the shops at Norwalk. Wellington subscribed thirty thousand dollars for the construction of the Wheeling & Lake Erie Road and unbeknown to us obtained from the management of the road a reimbursement of that subscription in freight and passenger traffic certifrcates, and we consider that they are not in this contest with us." Commodore Garrison turned to the contractor, "Is _ this true, Mr. Griggs ?" "Yes." "Do not let such a thing happen again." "It sha'n't." He turned to the Committee, "Suppose I say to you will have the shops if you make the subscription thirty thousand dollars, fifteen acres of land and free water." One of the committeemen said, "We can't give you free water, but we can furnish it to you at cost." "That is all right. When you can assure HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 57 me of the fulfillment of these terms, you shall have the shops." These terms were telegraphed through to Mr. Gardiner. The answer came back, "Twenty-five gentlemen have guaranteed the subscription, thirty thousand dollars." That was carried to Commodore Garrison. He said, "That settles it, you shall have the shops. Mr. Griggs, you arrange the details of this." Ten o'clock the next morning was set. Ten o'clock came. The servant at his house said, "Mr. Griggs has gone for the clay." That committee camped on Mr. Griggs' door step all day. It began to rain. Finally Mr. Griggs came at seven o'clock p. m. He said, "Gentlemen, have you waited long ?" "All .day," they said. He said, "I have been spending the day at the grave of my wife. It is the anniversary of her death." The contract was put in black and white. That night the committee went back to Commodore Garrison's house and they were met at the door with a statement that he could not see the committee. A lady's voice came from above, "John, tell father it is those gentlemen from Ohio." Commodore Garrison - came in a moment. He said, "1 have got a whist party on my hands. What hotel do you step at ?" "At the Astor House." "What time do you get a train in the morning ?" "At 1o :20." "I will be at your hotel at ten in the morning." He was there. That contract in duplicate was read over. He signed it and the committee started for Norwalk. On the way they met S. S. Warner of Wellington coming from the train going to try and get the shops. That is what secured the shops. That is the kind of spirit that builds towns. That thirty thousand dollars was added to the seventy-two thousand dollars. In 1901 a gentleman from Pittsburg proposed to us if we would buy five hundred city lots that they might lay out on some property, they would build a steel plant here that should employ hundreds and thousands of men. In side of two weeks, Norwalk had subscribed for every one of those five hundred lots. A hitch took place ; that organization went to pieces. A year or two afterwards another organization brought the proposition to us, and we resubscribed one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars in a very few days to purchase those lots. That spirit is the spirit that built the old paper mill, that built the old church. It was still existing, and that is the spirit that builds towns. In 1904, The Sandusky, Norwalk & Mansfield Railroad knocked at our doors and wanted one hundred thousand dollars taken of their bonds. That was a pretty heavy load at that time, especially after putting so much into those steel plant lots, that really proved a white elephant. But Mr. Gardiner in negotration with the head of another financial institution devolved this plan and one of the financial institutions made this proposition :-"We will put in two thousand dollars, if each one of the other five banks will put in two thousand dollars and it will give to this movement a financial standing that it hasn't got now." Mr. Gardiner saw every one of the banks and they all agreed to it. That subscription of twelve thousand dollars gave it a financial credit that put it t pon its feet and we have the railroad. In 1893 Mr. McCriltis burned out in Milan, came and wanted a little help. In a little while, two thousand five hundred dollars of his bonds were subscribed for. He built his handle factory here and soon paid back the bonds, and the plant is running, one of our successful mstitutions. 58 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY Last year, 1908, we had a calamity. The Wheeling & Lake Erie shops we, had worked for so hard and paid so high for burned down. The receiver of the Wheeling road said, "If you will give us fifty thousand dollars we will rebuild here." Inside of ten days we had raised that, but when- it came to the details of agreeing upon rebuilding here, we could never fasten them down to it, and we never paid the money, but it shows the spirit was here yet. We have a little institution here called The Auto Bug Company. They asked for a stock subscription of fifteen thousand dollars. We' raised it in a little while. I have cited these facts to show you how Norwalk has been built. I have tried to convey to you the thought that there is a spirit of brotherhood here that was implanted by the original settlers that has never left us, and until that leaves us, nobody is ever going' to have a weak back in Norwalk. There are four old gentlemen in Norwalk who have always been boosters and never kickers. They have always pushed and they have always pulled and they have always lifted and they have always been found when we wanted them. They are George M. Darling, ninety-seven years old, Charles W. Manahan, ninety- six years, John Gardiner, ninety-three years, Benjamin Nyman, eighty-nine years. Those four men have always been ready and willing to the extent of their ability to help us along. All of those things lead me to say that nobody need worry about the future of Norwalk. So long as this spirit lives, so long will we .progress. When that spirit becomes tired and lies down, then Norwalk is dying. The embodiment of that spirit is illustrated in these verses : Trust no future, howe'er pleasant, Let the .dead past bury its dead. Act, act in the living present, Heart within and God o'erhead. Let us then be up and doing, With a heart for any fate, Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait. THE NORWALK CENTENNIAL AND HOME-COMING. The Norwalk centennial and home-coming week, July 18 to 24, was opened Sunday, July 18, by home-coming services in all the churches in the city. A sacred concert was given in the afternoon, in which all united. Monday, July 19, was school day, with Professor J. E. Cole as chairman. At 9:30 a. m., reunion of alumni and for students of high school, Norwalk academy and Norwalk seminary, held in the high school yard, and was addressed by the Hon. L. C. Laylin. Monday afternoon was taken up by amusements of various kinds. Large and patriotic was the crowd which was present Monday night at the entertainment held in the high school-.yard under the chairmanship of Rev. Arthur Dumper. 59 - PICTURE OF PEARL STREET LOOKING WEST, CHICAGO, OHIO 60 - BLANK HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY- 61 For this purpose a grand stand had been erected with seats in front sufficient to provide ample accommodations for the audience. The program of the evening was opened with a selection by the orchestra after which Rev. Mr. Dumper in a happy speech told of the purpose of the meeting and introduced Mayor C. P. Venus who gave the address of welcome. The mayor said in part : "It becomes my pleasant duty as Mayor of the city, in accordance with the general custom, to extend to you, as guests of Norwalk, such a welcome as seems fitting for the occasion. We feel we have a double claim on you, and you on us, not as guests and hosts alone, but as father meeting son, and brother meeting brother after years of separation." Mayor Venus compared the home coming of former Norwalkians with the return of the Prodigal Son of scriptural times, claiming that the home coming of Norwalkians was even better in that there is no envious brother to complain at the merry making and no regret for misspent years. "Although you have been away from this, your old home, for many years," said the mayor, "perhaps to every remote corners of the earth, yet we have known of you during all of these years, have felt the heart-glow of pride at hearing of your successes, and how well you have upheld the fame. of Norwalk. "That heart-glow is with our welcome of you back again, to hear from your lips and to read in your prosperous bearing the full measure of your successes, and to meet and greet the sturdy young sons and fair daughters you are bringing with you from your distant new homes to this your old home. The picture of the welcome coming of Santa Claus to a -child, or a sister of mercy to a needy sufferer, can call up no greater response of joy than in the welcoming we have for you today. "We have attired ourselves in our Sunday clothes to welcome you. We have matched the rich, verdant hues that nature has given this 'charmed home- spot with bright streamers and bunting; we have killed the fatted calf for the feasting, and provided all the diversion and entertainment to make more pleasant the all-too-brief hours of your stay in your old home ; and if all we have done appeals to you as proof of the cordial, heart-felt welcoming we would give. I want you to know that it cannot express one iota of the true feeling of welcome in our hearts. Just as all of the affection of a father to a son, hallowed by the years of companionship in the old home flowed out into the welcoming home to the Prodigal Son, so a thousand tender recollections ; the drawing of sacred family ties ; of joys and sufferings of younger days ; of familiar spots loved and treasured in the memory ; incidents of childhood, too often the only heritage left us by departed friends ; all these sacred associations in which we are joint owners, and the loves and friendships of those good old days of our childhood, made fonder by the years of your absence, and fanned into new life by your presence here again, are all here speaking to you from us through this welcoming we are giving you." "Norwalk of Yesterday," the topic assigned to Hon. S. A. Wildman was ably handled by that speaker. Mr. Wildman showed an interest in his subject and a scholarship of historic lore which carried his listeners back, willy nilly, 62 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY to the days when the silent forests were tread by Indians, "single file, barefooted. like dervishes of old." "The flight of time," said Mr. Wildman, "has interested mankind 'from time immemorial. The ancient Greeks and other nations have written of it, and their ponderings have found a prototype in Macbeth, wherein Shakespeare pictures the three witches at the cauldron scene.!' Rapidly, but with surprising detail in a speech so short, Mr. Wildman sketched the various phases of Norwalk's early history. He told of the time when the present Main street was a trail for the Delaware Indians going down into the flats to make their maple sugar. . Gradually the town became settled. First one hardy pioneer came and then another till gradually the little log ,hut in the'si wilderness of Western Reserve had grown, he declared, until today as you stand at Court House square you perhaps cannot recognize one out of a score who pass you. Those who came found a warm welcome and that spirit ha the spirit which has made Norwalk the city of which you are so proud. The oldest house in Norwalk, the speaker said is the residence now occupied by former councilman B. A. Blume, which was built in 1816. It is a yellow painted frame dwelling and is located on Whittlesey avenue. Glowing optimism was the keynote of the address : "Norwalk of Tomorrow," by Ed. L. Young. Mr. Young declared that Norwalk is the product of the spirit of enterprise of old New England. There is no room in the city, he said, for the croaker or knocker but all should help push. "The city has had reverses," said Mr. Young, "but these reverses have purified certain phases of business life and the standard was never higher than today. Norwalk's successes far outnumbers her failures. "Norwalk," he declared, "wants boosters, it needs the spirit of those who will put, their best foot forward. It' is a splendid city, surrounded by fertile fields, it has good stores, solid banks, excellent churches, transportation facilities unexcelled, a municipality well officered, it is a town where law and order prevails. "We have in Norwalk the two greatest American advantages, American homes and American spirit." The meeting closed with a selection by the orchestra, after which the crowd spent a few moments visiting the various sights and then returned to their homes. Tuesday was Fraternal Day. At nine a. m.' the exercises of the day opened, followed by a grand fraternal parade. in which all the fraternal societies of Huron county participated. In the parade were floats, carriages and decorated vehicles. The address of the occasion was made by the Hon. Charles E. Piper, of Chicago, president of the National Fraternal Congress. In the evening there was a reunion of all former Norwalk officials, with Mayor Venus as chairman. A plea for universal fraternity was the keynote of the Actress made by Hon. F. W. Van Dusen, the first speaker introduced. He said that the spirit of chivalry did not die with the middle ages, nor has it been limited to any age or time. Fraternal day, he Said, is singularly appropriate for a home-coming celebration for if there are two words in the English language which are syn- HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 63 onymous they are "home" and "fraternity." If the people, he said, will not go to the fraternities, why should not the latter go to the people? Civilization, he said, is measured by the aspect with which woman is regarded. Among the savages she was a slave, in the early Christian days a toy. Today she is assuming a better position. Lightly touching the much Vandiscussed question of suffrage he said that the proper place of woman is perhaps not in the mire of politics where she might only add to the. numerical strength of the voting force and not improve it. Hon. Charles E. Piper, of Chicago; president of the National Fraternal Congress was in a happy vein when he arose to speak. Whimsical, but earnest withal he held the attention of his hearers. The boy starting out in life, he said, learns history three times. First he learns the bare facts. When he goes to high school these are- elaborated with regard to their position in history, but when he enters college he is for the third time told that he does not know history and must study it. The instructor makes him learn not only the facts of history but the facts with reference to the course of the world. It is not sufficient for him to know that Charles Martel defeated the Saracens, he must know why the Saracens" were in Europe at that particular time. In something the same manner we not only should know of the existence of fraternity but should know of it with reference to the world, why it is here and what are the objects which it is meant to accomplish. Wednesday was Merchants' and Manufacturers' Day, opening at ten a. m. by a grand parade. At one-thirty p. m. was the decorated automobile parade,. At three p. m. address by Hon. Judson Harmon, Governor of Ohio. The combined efforts of the manufacturers and merchants of the city in celebration of industrial day resulted in the largest and best .pageant in the history of the city. The various factories and merchants were represented with elaborate floats in a most creditable manner. The two ends, of the parade met at State street, extending from that thoroughfare to Newton, to Jefferson, to Cortland, to Main, to State, a distance of over a mrle and one-half. It took the paraders thirty minutes to pass a given point. The pageant was witnessed by thousands of spectators who thronged the line of march, particularly in, the business portion of the city. Early cars com menced bringing people from outlying districts and neighboring. towns and cities until at ten o'clock Main and adjoining streets were a mass of humanity. The parade moved at ten-fifteen 'o'clock and included in its make-up Governor Harmon, who viewed the pageant from his automobile in front of the Avalon on the counter march. The governor was kept busy lifting his hat in response to the cheers which greeted him along the line. The automobile parade in the afternoon was a feature of 'merchants' and mechanics' clay of the centennial celebration. Fifty handsomely decorated machines made up the unique pageant, which reflected great credit upon the committee which had the, affair in charge, which included Theodore Williams, chairman ; W. C. Pressing, grand marshal ; E. E. Sly and Arthur Young, assistants. 64 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY Mr. Pressing's car headed the parade and was followed by Dr. Merritt's car in which was seated Governor Harmon, Mayor Venus and Hon. S. E. Crawford. Two cars followed carrying the governor's staff and then came Dr. Sim- moil's car with members of the centennial committee. The cars carrying the governor and staff and members of the committee were gaily decorated with flags and bunting. At three p. m. the vast crowd assembled at School Park to her the Governor's address. Governor Harmon made a plea for law enforcement in his address at the high school grounds during the aftbrnoon. The governor said that every dollar spent by a government affects the home own much and the failure of any to obey the laws reacts on all. There was a large crowd assembled when the governor arrived in an automobile with his . staff. He was briefly introduced by C. F. Jackson, president of the Chamber of Commerce who said, the executive was welcome not only as the governor but because through ancestry he is in a certain sense a home corner. "The mere fact of having existed for a hundred years,". said the governor, " is no matter for glory, but the glory exists in whatever may have been accomplished." He said that in looking -back to what Norwalk was a century ago, it has every reason to be proud. "No state in the union," he declared, "has as many prosperous cities as Ohio, and of these Norwalk is ranked with the fairest. We are proud of the cities of our state and proud of the agricultural districts which created them and which are sustaining them." The governor said that he had visited this city in the past and was much surprised at the numerous industries located within its precincts. "But more than industry or wealth," he said, "it is necessary for a city to possess rigid virtue and high ideals, and these Norwalk has. "I do not know who will stand in my place a hundred years from now," said -Governor Harmon, "but I do know that whoever he is, he will receive from Norwalk citizenship the same hearty welcome which was accorded me. "When my ancestors moved to what was called west, two hundred years ago, that is the western part of New York, the house they built was not burned during the ravages of Benedict Arnold. Had he done so I might have been here in the capacity of a home-comer, a native of the Firelands. "As we comes to these home-comings we see that some of us are /growing older but there are those who can show us how to grow old gradually, and teach us that every age has its pleasures if we will but find them." The governor referred humorously to the numerous invitations which he has received from Ohio societies throughout the country and said that if he accepted one, for instance, which was sent him from the Pacific coast, he would not be able to attend to his duties at Columbus and the people would say that he is loafing on the job. Becoming more serious on this topic he said that home-comings are an excellent thing, that they tend to strengthen the band of unity between section and section, making this more and more one country under one flag. HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 65 "One of the things which made easy the Civil war," said the governor, ((was the fact that the criss-crossed lines of kinship did not run north and south and that we were two great bodies instead of one. It is different now, there are societies of the north in the south and vice versa." The governor remarked that one of the signs of prosperity in Norwalk is the fact that almost everyone owns his own home. He closed by making a plea for law enforcement because on it depends much of the safety and happiness of the household. At the conclusion of his address the governor was whirled away in an auto, followed by his staff in two other machines, to the Avalon, where a public reception was held in the lobby. Members of company G. formed a pathway through which the people passed in a jam for three-quarters of an hour to shake the hand and pass a few words with the chief executive. Mayor Venus introduced the callers to the governor. Owing to arrangements to take the chief executive to Sandusky where a public reception was arranged for a short time, the reception at the Avalon was cut short at three forty-five o'clock.. The special car on the Lake Shore Electric, conveying the governor and several prominent Sandusky democratic politicians, Senator Dean, and Representative Crawford, of this city, who entertained the governor during his stay in this city, left for the Bay City .at three fifty. Thursday was Firelands Day. The Hon. C. H. Gallup, chairman. Rev. Arthur Dumper pronounced the invocation and, omitting the music by the Italian band, Mr. Gallup' at once introduced Hon. C. P. Wickham, who gave a memorial address. to two honored ex-presidents of the society : Hon. G. T. Stewart, of this city and Judge Rush R. Sloane, of Sandusky, both having died in the last year. Judge Wickham's tribute was one that could well be rendered by one whose acquamtance with the two men had been closely intimate and personal. Of Mr. Stewart he gave a brief account of his life from his birth in 1824 to his recent death, of his education at Oberlin, his law study with Jairus Kennan and Noah Swayne, his newspaper connection with the Dubuque Times, where he held ,the unenviable position of anti-slavery editor in pro-slavery territory, of his long law practice in which he achieved distinction for his ability and justice. Mr. Stewart was a member of all organizations of Norwalk with the object of benefiting and uplifting and preserving the good. and valuable, and prominent prohibitionist and temperance worker, last surviving charter member of the WhittIesey academy and one of the organizers of. Firelands. Of Mr. Sloane, Judge Wickham said: "He was a product of the Firelands, born and reared here and with his vital interests centered here. He was active in the prosecution of the Fugitive Slave law, but was for that afterward rewarded and recognized by election to various offices, among them probate judge. . Lincoln's appointment as agent of postoffice department, and afterwards his commercial ability and recognition in railroad circles, caused him to abandon active law practice. He also was a, member of many archaeological and other societies and was the donor of five hundred dollars to the Firelands for its present home." 66 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY Dr. Beckwith, whose address was entitled "Reminiscences from 1835 to 1853," is a delightful, breezy old gentleman, whose recollections cover a peril of Norwalk's history that saw great strides in her progress. He was born in Bronson, and first remembers Norwalk for an encounter between the Bros son and Norwalk lads on "the hill," where the latter essayed to enter Norwalk the occasion being a circus. This was soon after followed by a mighty bat in which the Bronson Davids (with slings) slew the Norwalk Goliaths and pea. was established. Dr. Beckwith attended Norwalk Seminary and recalled many interesting episodes. One, the attendance upon a young lady of the female department, his consequent public reproof, which failed of effect because he It been waiting on that same young lady sixty years. Dr. Beckwith attended t school with General McPherson, the famous general of the Civil war. George R. Haynes, who died early, George G. Haines, late of Toledo, well known circuit judge here for many years. Dr. Beckwith's accounts of his earlier a. ceptance of homeopathy and its practice was interesting and often humorous. His early study with Dr. Tifft and his treatment of the nervous patient T., Strong, his acquiring of drug knowledge in John Dewey's drug store, his association with Drs. Kittredge and Baker and George Crane, all are reminiscence that recall the well known figures of Norwalk fifty years ago. His early existence of long rides and disagreeable cases rewarded by small or no fees, we very interesting. He was actively engaged in practice at the time of the chole epidemic in 1853, consulted with Dr. Tilden and Dr. Kramer of Sandusky. amusing incident was one of his resuscitation of a certain amorous Cox after close of laudanum. The sequel was characteristic. Attorney Tim Strong warned him that a serious charge had been placed against him, in which all the lawyer of Huron county were against him. Mr. Strong advised him as a friend, to engage Judge Ranney, of Cleveland. Dr. Beckwith inquired, "Why?" "Becaus you brought back to life that 'love-sick' fool, Cox." Dr. Beckwith closed with a glowing tribute to Dr. Tifft, whom many present well remembered. The afternoon session was principally given to addresses and reminiscences by pioneer descendants. Hon. C. H. Gallup gave an interesting talk on “One Century of Norwalk," recounting the city's growth from its founding by Nathan Comstock, February 7, 1809, to the present day. Another speaker was Professor A. S. Root, who talked in an entertaining manner with regard to local historical societies, their uses and benefits. "It is such organizations as these," he said, "that stir patriotism and gives to all a keener interest in the affairs of state and municipality." He paid a splendid compliment to the local society on the completeness of its records and the splendid museum. Another speaker was Professor Prince, of Cincinnati, a member of the Ohio Archeological and Geological society. He told of the rich historical value of the Western Reserve and the Firelands as viewed from residents of another portion of the state. A number of pioneers spoke briefly giving reminiscences of early days in the Firelands. The following is taken from the Norwalk Herald, of Friday, 18th: The closing remarks of the Firelands Pioneer Historical society were made by A. J, Baughman of Mansfield, who was here as representative of the State Archaeological society, and they were peculiarly appropriate as a prelude to the exercises HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 67 of today in which the G. A. R. participated, as at the close, Mr. Baughman recited a little poem, "The Soldiers of the Civil War Are on Their Last March." They are marching down the valley at the great Commander's call, Though the way is rough and weary, and the mystic shadows fall ; But the hearts that beat so bravely in the battle's fierce affray, Do not falter at the summons, nor the dangers of the way. They are marching down the valley, hark, the sound of tramping feet! They go on thro' summer's sunshine. they go on thro' winter's sleet ; Banners wave and arms aglitter, and the music's throbbing breath Echoes in the solemn valley, that we name the Vale of Death. They are marching down the valley, and we follow gladly on, For the music sweet and eerie tells the way that they have gone; And we'll find them camped in meadows where the waters stilly flow ; Where the sward is soft and verdant, and the flowers of heaven grow. Thursday was also Sunday school day. The parade moved promptly at ten-thirty o'clock, the appointed hour, in charge of Charles A. Paul as grand marshal, assisted by Dr. H. Fulstow, Milo Johnson, Phil Fulstow and Douglas Gardiner. Following the grand marshals came the Royal Italian band and centennial officials in carriages. The first Sunday school in the line was the Baptist organization, headed with a large float trimmed in yellow with a cross in the center, to which a young woman, with long, flowing hair clung, representing, "Rock of Ages." Women with babies in carriages, representing the cradle roll came next. The ladies of D. Kies' Bible class wore gowns of yellow and white and clung to white and yellow streamers which led to a staff carried by Mr. Kies. One float was filled with boys alongside of which walked men of various races representing the missionary work of the church. The Congregational church was the second denomination in line. Their delegation started with the cradle roll in small carts drawn by ponies, all neatly decorated with white flowers. Ladies in carriages, children dressed in white, riding on large floats and another large wagon filled with church pews, on which were seated elderly people, concluded the delegation from the Congregational church. The Junior Order drum corps marched at the head of the Episcopal delegation, the first being a large float filled with children. A small pony and cart handsomely decorated with yellow cloth and nasturtiums carried yellow. An auto gaily decorated with flags and evergreens, filled with children followed, the procession of Episcopalians being closed with two carriage loads of children dressed in white. The Presbyterian Sunday school was led by two electric automobiles handsomely decorated. A large float handsomely decorated in white carried many children neatly dressed in white suits and dresses. It required, in addition, to carry the delegation—eight surreys and a band wagon. 68 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY The Chicago Junction band came between the Presbyterian and Methodist organizations the latter being headed by several surreys in which were seated ladies dressed in white. A large float, decorated in pink and white, and covered with flowers, carried a large number of children, arranged in pyramid form. Two floats decorated in red, white and blue, carried young people, one representing the Puritans of several centuries ago. Four automobiles, with white decorations, carried a number of young ladies in white gowns. The entire procession was concluded by the Universalist Sunday school, a float decorated in red, white and blue carrying children, and three carriages filled with teachers of the school. Friday was Grand 'Army and Military Day, and one of the largest gatherings of the veterans of the Civil war ever held in Huron county was at the home-coming in Norwalk on this day. The meeting of the Soldiers' and Sailors' association was deferred until the present week in order to combine the two functions and make one grand general reunion of the veterans and their families, the meetings being usually held in June of each year. This morning's session was devoted to the business affairs of the organization, the election of officers and other such matters. The meeting was called to order by President J. M. Chaffee shortly before ten o'clock. A neat souvenir, consisting of an American flag pin, was presented with the compliments of the Marsh company, to each of the veterans as he entered the hall. Vice president Charles Stacey, secretary W. G. Holiday and treasurer AT. H. Cline were busy at the beginning of the session pinning badges on members of the association. Among those who spoke during the forenoon were Orville S. Reed, of Toledo, department chaplain, and past department commander of Ohio Rogers of Cleve , land. The Gilger theater was filled in the afternoon by veterans of the Civil wa and their friends to hear the eloquent words that fell from the lips of General R. B. Brown, of Zanesville, past department commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. The theater was handsomely decorated for the occasion with flags and emblems of the order, the front of the balcony and stage being handsomely festooned with the national colors. Colonel James H. Sprague was chairman of the day. General Brown, known as one of the most eloquent speakers in the G. A. was at 'his best yesterday afternoon and his reference to the stirring incidents of the bloody civil conflict caused the pulse of his old comrades to quicken, while numerous pathetic stories of the war caused the tears to course down the furrow, of the cheeks of the old soldiers who knew full well the meaning of his word It was an intensely patriotic audience that listened to General Brown and he was frequently interrupted by applause. General Brown made a strong appeal to parents to instil in their children the idea of patriotism ; to teach them the full significance of their liberty under Mir great republic ; what its institutions mean, and the great sacrifice made to bring it into existence and perpetuate it. HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 69 The sight of "old glory," he said, prior to the Civil war, with the possible exception of some Fourth of July celebration, was a rare thing. He ventured the assertion that had "old glory" been as familiar a sight in the days before the war as it is today the civil conflict would have been impossible. Troop K, fifteenth cavalry, U. S. A., arrived in Norwalk Thursday forenoon. Riding two by two through Main street, the troopers presented a splendid appearance, were in full marching order, with sabers and carbines and shelter tents wrapped in rolls, their service uniforms being neat and clean in spite of their long "hike." At their head as they entered the city rode Captain F. C. Marshall, in command, and First Lieutenant John Cocke. Saturday was the closing day of the centennial celebration. The day dawned cool and clear and has been ideal for such a celebration as the city has indulged the past week. Farmers seemed inclined to take a day pff and early afternoon cars brought crowds from the rural districts. The officials of the centennial association are supremely satisfied with the celebration and count it a great success. The following editorial, suggested by Norwalk Home Week celebration, appeared in the Cleveland Leader of Saturday : Such a celebration as that which has taken place at Norwalk this week is good to participate in, fine to contemplate by those whose early home ties lead them to some other city or village away from the metropolitan centers. The "home week" serves both to bring back old memories and to renew old acquaintances, as well as to show the elder boys and girls who have drifted away what a fine place the old town is, after all. Thus the new Norwalk displays its many attractions, while the old Norwalk is brought to life in the memories of its children. "Home weeks" in America are less ostentatious manifestations of the spirit which has inspired English towns to work out festivals with showy greatness. American towns have no hoary legends to commemorate, and depend largely upon the memory of men and women now living to supply the traditions. For sheer personal enjoyment the American "welcome home" beats the English elaborate pageant all hollow." The following letters from one of "the old boys of Norwalk"-"Jim" Patterson—will explain themselves : DENVER, COLO., June 14, 1909. C. P. Wickham, Norwalk, Ohio. Old Friend Charlie :-I have this day received notice of the "Norwalk Centennial," in which I read, "Please come home, Old Mother Norwalk wants to see all her children;" and requesting an answer "whether or not you will be present to celebrate the occasion with us." How much I would like above all things to come; and will if possible, but am afraid I cannot. "Home coming!" What visions open up; how old memories are stirred when we think of the old home ; how present surroundings recede and the boyish environments come to the front and occupy the whole stage. Gee ! But say, wouldn't it be better for me to stay away ? I shall miss so many things. Won't I suffer sharp disappointments ? Over half a century! Here 70 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY now I am an old man ; there I was a boy. I don't know your Norwalk of today; the Norwalk of old is in my mind. I am sure I no longer recognize it as you have made it. I could not—nor would I wish to if I could-destroy the illusion. It is a comfort for me to dream of the things that were there once upon a time, and that was in the long ago. I know that it has not all vanished, but in the picture memory presents to me I see plainly certain outlines of streets, houses, gardens, forests, meadows and streams that have vanished or altered. This gradual change has been going on all these years ; you have not noticed it, it is nothing to you, but it is everything to me. What are you going to do about it ? I know. You are going to entertain the old boys and girls the very best you can ; you are going to "point with pride" to all your improvements. We old ones will recognize your pride in these things, as the age in which we live demands them, and your civic spirit has been equal to the call ; but I fear there will be an aching void which you cannot fill and for which you will be in nowise to blame. We can lay it on to old Father Time. In later years when you are no longer there, when long years have intervened, you are conscious that all those old things are dear to you, necessary to you, that they are a part of you, and you have a great desire to see them again, Will I be able to gratify this longing if I come there? These old scenes which you no longer behold, which you imagine you may never again behold, and whose memory you cherish, take on a melancholy charm; they rise up like an apparition ; all that is restful, pleasant, enchantingly visible to your longing mind. You love it, you call up things as they were, you cannot tolerate any change in them, for you were attached to them. They are woven in the warp and woof of the boy who received his first impression of things in his most plastic, susceptible state of mind, and you cannot eradicate them or offer a satisfactory substitute for those things that filled the mind in those far-off days of happy childhood and youth. You cannot erase the indelible impressions produced upon the heart of man by the place where he was born. No matter how many long years have intervened since you left your native place, no matter if all your property interests are centered in some other place, no matter how pleasantly you may be situated or how good your health may have been, you may be one of the leading citizens of your adopted home, advising all to come and profit by its wonderful advantages and invest their money as the best place in the world ; yet, in the heart of that man the pleasant. est memories of all his life cluster around the old original home. It might not have been the best place in the world, but it is the best to think about. I long to. see it again, to roam around and examine it, just to see how much damage you have done to it by your improvements. I would like to ride down to the lake on your electric cars. I used to go down to Huron on foot, or rather on two feet—and both of them bare at that Yes, there are lots of things I should miss, but above all, I should miss the forms and faces and pleasant voices of so very many of my old companions and acquaintances. Some of them are left, and I would like to meet them, and will if I can. I see your name on the reception committee, and others that I recollect so well, but there are so many that I do not know ; sure they are 71 - PHOTO - CHURCHES 72 - BLANK HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY - 73 all right or they wouldn't be there, and if I cannot be with you I hereby send my heartiest greetings. If I come I will bring them with me. Remember me to= allold friends, and most sincerely to you and yours. J. O. PATTERSON. MAKE REUNION STEADY THING-CITIZEN SAYS HE CANNOT WAIT ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS TO MEET HIS FRIENDS. Why wait a hundred years? Maybe we'll all be dead then. There is considerable pith in the suggestion made to the Herald today that the present glorious home-coming be made an annual event instead of an occasion observed only at each centennial. "There is no reason for thinking," said a prominent citizen, "that love of the old city burns but once in a hundred years or that it requires the stimulus of a centennial to warm the friendly hand-clasp. The flower of love. is not a century plant, nor should the 'cup of kindness' be put on the stove to simmer for a dozen generations before it is quaffed. "Those who came to the centennial and home-coming were glad to be here and we were glad to see them. Will they not be just as glad next year and the year after, and every year until the end of time ? "This home-coming spirit is a great thing and should be encouraged. It is just the right procedure to implant in the young mind a love of his native city, which is only patriotism in a narrower form, and teach him that after he has flown the home nest there is someone always waiting to hear good things of him. "So let us have the home-coming every year. It need not be elaborate, may be nothing more than the hand-shake and the 'God bless you,' spoken from the heart but let it become an established institution so that all will know that Norwalk welcomes its wandering sons. "If we wished to go into it on an elaborate scale we might have a pageant typifying the settlement of the Firelands and the Western Reserve. Redskins scooting down the main street, and pioneers roughly attired going to church with a gun slung on their shoulders would be a sight to make the youngsters of today open their eyes, I'll warrant. "A pageant of this sort could be prepared without a great deal of expense and people would came miles to see it. It would become a sort of Mardi Gras of the north and if made an annual event would do more to advertise Norwalk than one could imagine." THE CHURCHES OF NORWALK. THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. BY MR. L. L. DOUD. In 1823 the First Methodist Society was organized with seven members. Preaching services and Sunday school were held in Joseph Wilson's house, which stood on the southwest corner of East Main and Prospect streets. 74 - HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY The first church building was erected in 1833-34, on Seminary street, and is still used for church services by the Evangelical Lutheran Society. The second church building was erected in 1855-56, on the corner of West Main street any Benedict avenue, and was occupied until May 1, 1893, when this property was sold to the C. F. Jackson Co., who built what is now known as the Glass Block on the site. The society then held its church services in Whittleey Hall, across the street, until the Sunday school room of the present church building was ready for occupancy, February 14, 1897. Here the services were held until the main auditorium was completed and the church finally dedicated, June 22, 1902. The church records now, in 1909, show a membership of six hundred and thirty enrolled, with about five hundred in the Sunday school. The records on high alone can tell how many souls have been saved through this church, and finally garnered in heaven, during the past eighty-six years. THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. BY MR. BYRON HANFORD. On September 20, 1818, four men and one woman joined in a conference that January, 1819, became the present Baptist church of Norwalk. It numbered fourteen members. A Scotch minister preached from the words, "Fear not little flock," etc. Asahel Morse was first clerk, and Lemuel Raymond the first deacon, and the earliest settled pastor in 1821 to 1824 was John Rigdon. Services were first held in a log schoolhouse on land now owned by heirs of Sidney Brown, Ridgefield township. The present location was contracted for January, 1835, and the first edifice dedicated June, 1836, while the present one was dedicated March, 1880. The organization has had twenty-two pastors in its ninety years' existence. The late Otis G. Carter was the earliest Sunday school superintendent and the present church membership is about four hundred. THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. BY MR. F. C. WICKHAM. Of Norwalk was organized in 1830, nearly eighty years ago. In this time has had but eight pastors. The first person to be ordained as its regular pastor was Rev. Alfred Newton, D. D., who served his church for thirty-five years with a steadfast purpose that during his time and in after years brought forth rich fruitage. Retiring from service on account of the infirmity of years, he was made pastor emeritus carrying with him to his grave the love and esteem of not only his own church people but of the entire community in which he so long resided. He was succeeded by Rev. Henry H. Rice, a young and zealous pastor and he by the following named pastors : Rev. James D. Williamson, Rev. J. Seymour, Rev. Dr. W. A. Broadhurst, Rev. W. D. Atkinson, Rev. H. S. Forr and Rev. A. J. Funnell, the latter having been called in the spring of 1909. The church has a live, working membership. of three hundred or more a, with it a prosperous and growing Sabbath school.