CARLISLE.

Residence of the Heirs of David Bennett, Carlisle Tp., Lorain Co., Ohio

THIS TOWNSHIP is bounded on the north by Elyria, on the south by LaGrange, on the east by Eaton, and on the west by Russia. It has but two streams of water, and these are the east and west branches of he Black river, the former of which flows from the ,southeast across the township; the other from the southwest, and both cross the north line of the township near the northeast corner, forming a junction at Elyria.

The surface of the township is generally level; the soil is largely clay, and for the most part well adapted to agriculture, the bottom lands being extremely fertile. The township is described and known on the records as number five in the seventeenth range, and was drawn by Joseph Perkins, John Richmond, Tracy, Hoyt, William Eldridge, John McClennan, Daniel Tilden and Jabez Adams—(Island number six, then Cunningham's, now Kelly's, consisting of two thousand seven hundred and forty-seven acres, ' was annexed to number five for the purpose of equalization.)

NAME.

Before the township was organized, the western portion had acquired the name Murrayville from settlers of that name in that. locality. This was not satisfactory to the residents of the eastern portion, Phinehas Johnson wishing to name it Berlin after his native town in Connecticut. Unable to agree on either name, a compromise was effected by calling it

SETTLEMENT.

The first settler of Carlisle township was John Bacon, of Windham county, Vermont, who made the journey from that point with a team of horses and wagon, arriving in Ridgeville in the month of October, 1815. He remained there until the early months of 1816, when be came to Carlisle and made a permanent settlement on what is now known as Murray Ridge. He brought with him from the east a few necessary household goods, and his family consisting of a wife and the following children: Clarissa, Hiram and Susan. The first and last are deceased. Hiram married Louisa Halford and yet resides on the old homestead, hale and hearty, though at the advanced age of seventy-eight years. John Bacon died in 1864; his wife in 1857.

A few months after Mr. Bacon made a commencement, a brother-in-law, Abel Farr, came on from Vermont and located on the north line and near the center east and west. His family that came with him was a wife and four children. Others who were married remained in Vermont; two came on afterwards and settled near the father. None of them now live in the township, and the only descendants are the widow and children of a son, Lowell, who was one of the children who came with the family.

There was no further settlement made in the township until the spring of 1819, when Samuel Brooks and family arrived in Carlisle. They were of sturdy Connecticut stock, and made the journey to Ohio by the substantial method of that day, i. e., with an ox team and a stout wagon. In these later years of harnessed lightning and rapid transit the idea of traveling six hundred miles with an ox team seems prosy enough; yet this slow method had its advant tages. There were no collisions nor trains trying to "pass each other on the same track." The date of the arrival of Mr. Brooks in Carlisle was April, 1819. His log house was constructed near the eastern township line, and was the first in that part of the township. Samuel Brooks was born February 27, 1786, and died in Elyria, December 20, 1874; his wife, who was Sophia (Johnson) Brooks, was born June 22, 1791. The children who accompanied the parents to Ohio were: Lydia K., who died August 10, 1851; Henry J., who resides in Cleveland; Julia L. (Bishop) who resides at Cuyahoga Falls, and Ira K., who died September 22, 1869.

On November 5, 1819, Hezekiah Brooks, and family, consisting of his wife and three children; Martin L. (now Dr. Brooks, of Cleveland); Ann H., afterwards missionary to Jamaica, who died in Memphis, Mississippi; and Hannah M. (Vincent), now living in Elyria, James Brooks, (father of Samuel and Hezekiah,) his wife and two sons, Calvin and Heman, together with Phinehas Johnson and family, came to Carligle, and with Elisha Brooks and Riley Smith and wife,—who arrived two weeks earlier took up their abode with Samuel Brooks, making a total of thirty persons in the little Jog house. However, other dwellings were soon constructed, and ere long, quite a settlement had sprung up in the wilderness. This locality is now designated as La Porte. There was, at one period, a flourishing little hamlet here, with numerous manufacturers and minor industries; but of late years, the town has lost its former prestige.

The rest of Mr. Brooks' children are, Samuel C., of Cleveland; Stephen S., of California; Edward W., of Red Wing, Minnesota; Sophia, now Mrs. Dr. Briggs, of Elyria, (to whom our gratitude is due for assistance in the preparation of this history, as well

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246 - HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

as for favors shown us in our labors at the court house); Emeline L., now Mrs. Foote of Tabor, Iowa; Mary L., who died young; and William M., who is now president of Tabor college, Iowa.

The children of Hezekiah and Hannah Brooks, not before given, are, James, a physician, residing in New York; Hezekiah, Jr., of California; Sophronia (Hall), of Oberlin; George, who is the only descendant residing in the township of Carlisle; Harriet, of Newburgh, Cuyahoga. county, Ohio; Emily (West), living in Wellington, this county; and Ellen (Ruggles), who resides at Newburgh, Ohio.

The children of Phinehas Johnson, a gentleman well and favorably known, in the earlier years of the settlement of Lorain county, are, Sophia, wife of Samuel Brooks; Hannah, wife of Hezekiah Brooks; Cornelia, wife of D. Griswold, now living in Washington Territory; Samuel C., who died before the family came to Ohio; Julia, who married Edmund West (deceased); Irene, who was twice married, and is now deceased; William H., who married Alma Otis (deceased); Lucretia, who died at the age of nineteen years; Phienhas M., who married Orra Ann Collins (deceased); Delia M., who married H. N. Gates, and lives in Cleveland; and Isaac M., the youngest, who married Cornelia Massey. She died, and he married Mary Hale, his present wife. He resides at Oakland, California. This gentleman is the father of the present deputy county treasurer.

The Brooks' and Johnsons' were of Puritan ances- try, and in the journey to Ohio, which was of nearly seven weeks' duration, they religiously observed the Sabbath day, by encamping promptly each Saturday night, and not resuming the journey until Monday morning.

William Webster, in his "reminiscences," published in the Elyria Republican, April 7, 1876, says that "Asahel Kelsey came from Connecticut at the same time," referring to the Brooks' and Johnsons, and settled on the south side of the east branch of the Black river."

Philo Murray and his family, a wife and five children, from Connecticut, made settlement in the township in 1820 or '21. His location was in the western part of the township, on the ridge bearing his name. As none of the family are now residents of Carlisle we are unable to obtain further data concerning them.

Salmon Sutliff, of Erie county, New York, came to Lorain county in August, 1820. He made a temporary location in Avon township, coming to Carlisle the following January. The journey from the east was made with a horse team, and three cows and a few sheep were driven along. The family consisted of a wife and four boys: Silas B., William H. H., Asa G., (who afterward became the pioneer settler in Waseca county, Minnesota) and Oliver H. P. Another child, a girl, Lovisa, was born and died previous to emigrating to Ohio. Two months after they reached Avon a son was born, Charles B. The place of their location was on one hundred acres of land in section, ten, now occupied by S. M. Mason. Upon this farm they remained until 1831, and during this interval the following children were born: Ralph 0., Lucetta, Warren 0., Lucinda, and Jesse S. In May, 1831, Mr. Sutliff removed to section one, locating on the farm now owned by the son, Oliver H. P., where the father and mother remained until their decease. The former died in November, 1857; the latter May 18, 1870. Of this large family of children ten are now living, seven of them in Ohio. Warren C., (to whom we are indebted for the data of this sketch) married Jane A. Bennett, and resides on three hundred acres of land in section twelve, Carlisle township.

Chauncey Prindle, of Waterbury, Connecticut, was the first settler at the center of Carlisle township., In the spring of 1823 he came through with his family, a wife and two children. He came overland . with a team of horses. Mr. Prindle stopped at Capt. James Brooks' until he could cut a road to his farm, on section number thirteen, distant one and one-fourth miles, and erect a log cabin thereon. He then moved into the woods and began in earnest to make a farm. The children above mentioned were Maria, who married Aaron Bacon, and resides in Oberlin, and Henry H., who married Christiana E. Spafford, and resides on the old homestead. One child was born to Chauncey Prindle and wife, subsequent to their removal to Ohio. This was Mary J., who became the wife of J C. Slaughter, and is now deceased. Chauncey Prindle died in May, 1872. Mrs. Prindle died on the 23d day of the previous September.

Obed Gibbs, also from Waterbury, Connecticut, settled in Carlisle in 1822, on the farm now occupied by his son Ransom. With him came his wife and two children. Ransom, the eldest child, had a wife and one daughter, Jane, who eventually married George Boughton, and removed after a few years, to Nebraska, where she died. Sally the second child of Obed Gibbs married . Merrett Clark. They did not remain long in the wilderness, ere they became home- sick, when they returned to their native New England. Obed Gibbs died in Carlisle in 1840, and his wife a few years later. The children of Ransom Gibbs, born subsequent to his removal to Ohio, were: Harriet, who married Alson Wooster, and resides in Elyria; Lewis, who married Martha Jackson, and lives in Nebraska City; and David, who married Jane Slaughter, and occupies the old homestead.

We find the name of Akin Sexton among the early settlers on Murray ridge, but are unable to learn any thing further of him.

Daniel Bennett, from Londonderry, Windham county, Vermont, came to Ohio in 1827, and pur- chased one hundred and twelve acres of land in section twelve, Carlisle township (now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. W. S. Sutliff). Mr. Bennett then returned east, and, the following spring, came to permanently settle on his farm. His family consisted of a wife and niece. In May, 1828, they arrived in

Residence of Lorenzo Clark, Carlisle Tp., Lorain Co., Ohio

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO - 247

Carlisle. For a short time they lived in a small log house standing near where is now the Hart Cheese Factory. There was at this time but one family in this vicinity, that of Lewis Shumway, who had a wife and two children. He was from the east, but only remained a year or two, going still farther west. Mr. Bennett erected, on section twelve, the first frame house in this part of the township. Here he lived, reared a family of six children, brought the land to a profitable state of cultivation, and died July 16, 1863. As first wife died August 10, 1829, and February 6, 1830, he married Jane Galpin, of Elyria, who survives her husband and lives on the old homestead. From 'this marriage the following children were born: Polly, who died at the age of fifteen years; Jane, who married Warren C. Sutliff and occupies the old farm; Emerett, who married Curtis Webster and lives in Elyria, Celestia, who died in infancy; Melvin R. and 0assimar D., who live with their mother: Daniel Bennett was a justice of the peace for many years, and a very worthy citizen.

William Webster, of West Hartford, Connecticut, married Abigail Johnson, of Berlin, same State, January 4, 1800, and removed to Onondaga county, New York, in 1818, and to Carlisle in 1828; arriving there on May 15th of that year, be settled and cleared up the farm one mile north of Laporte, now owned by William Brush. In 1832, Mr. Webster removed to the southeast corner of the township, where he died October 27, 1844. Mrs. Webster died August 16, 1862. The children were as follows: Harriet, who married Joseph Weston; Amanda, who married Calvin Brooks; William, Jr., who married Catharine Phillips (a daughter of this couple is now the wife of Dr. Kelsey, of Elyria); Abigail, who married Levi Lee; Bethuel, who married Roxa Andrews; Louisa, who married Abram V. D. Bergh; Nancy, who married Harris R. Shelden; and Henry, who married Sarah Johnson.

The first settlers in this corner of the township were John B. Andrus, Paul Taylor, John Randall,

Thomas Girard, Cornelius V. D. Bergh, Elias Morgan, William Cook, James V. Baker, Enoch Forbinder, Stephen Witichell, and a family named Shepard. Of these, but two are now residents of the township, Stephen Winehell and William Webster, Jr.

Joseph Patterson moved into Carlisle from Berkshire county, New York, in 1834, locating on section six. His family were a wife and nine children. Of these but two now live in Carlisle: Hiram, at present the superintendent of the County Infirmary, and William, who married in the east and came to Carlisle in the spring of 1837, locating on section eighteen. This he cleared. He was elected sheriff of Lorain county by the free soil party. While occupying the position he bought the farm of one hundred and sixty-four acres, on which he now resides, in section fourteen.

Daniel Tenney and family settled in Carlisle (at Laporte) in the fall of 1835, and remained there until his death, February 1, 1875. His wife was Miss Sylvia Kent, of Dorset, Vermont. Mr. Tenney was a native of Temple, New Hampshire. Mrs. Tenney is living with a daughter at Thayer, Kansas. The children of this couple are Benjamin, Jewett, Emily, George, Myron and Ellen who are dead, and Horace, Henry W., Maria E., Electa and Daniel K., now living, the greater part of them at least, in Kansas.

B. F. Marlett, the "Village Blacksmith," came from Steuben county, New York, to Carlisle in 1844. He was then 17 years of age. Two years later he began his present vocation. He was for three years a soldier in Company K, Twenty-third Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In 1849 he married Cecelia Breckenridge, of Grafton township, this county.

FIRST EVENTS.

The first birth in the township was that of a son to William and Clarissa Bacon Saxton, which event occurred immediately after a settlement was made on Murray Ridge. The child was named James, eventually married a Miss Flint, and removed to Iowa where he died. The pioneer birth in the eastern part of the township was that of Samuel C. to Samuel and Sophia Brooks. Cleveland is now the home of this, at that early date, important addition to the colony.

The first marriage was that of Miss Cornelia, daughter of Phinehas Johnson, to Mr. Dudley Griswold. The ceremony was performed at the residence of the bride's father by Sherman Minott, Esq., of Elyria township. This happened in the fall of 1820. The couple now reside in Washington Territory.

In the cemetery at Laporte we find a small sandstone slab erected to the memory of Lucretia M., daughter of Phinehas and Hannah Johnson, who died August 23, 1823; aged eighteen years. This is presumably the first death of a white person in the township.

In the western portion of Carlisle, lands were donated for the cemetery in section two by. Philo Murray, and the first interment therein was the body of Emeline, daughter of J. D. Murray, who died December 27, 1825.

The first post-office in the township, was established in about the year 1825. Phinehas Johnson was duly commissioned post-master, and the mails were received and distributed from his residonce. M. V. B. Pitkin is the present post-master at this point. Another office was established a few years later, in the western portion of the township, at Murray's Mills. This office was named " Murrayville." Charles Drakely was commissioned first post-master, or at least he was among the first. This office was afterwards removed to the dwelling of Ransom Gibbs, who was appointed post-master, and remained as such until the office was discontinued, in the spring of 1853.

Phinehas Johnson kept a house of entertainment as early as the spring of 1820, but it was not until about 1830 that he formally opened a hotel. This was at LaPorte. During the period of stage coaches, two

248 - HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

large hotels were in operation at this place. There is at present none. Another hotel was erected by Obed Gibbs, in the west part of the township (section twelve). Abiram Drakely also had a hotel on section nine. These existed at an early date. Both were long since closed as hotels.

The first store was opened in about 1835. Alonzo Chapman was its proprietor and sole manager. The building occupied by him, stood on or near the site of M. V. B. Pitkin's present mercantile establishment. Mr. Chapman followed merchandising some years. There are now at LaPorte, in addition to the store given above, C. L. Hurlbut, general merchandise, and a tin store by H. Lake.

PHYSICIANS.

The first to locate in Carlisle, was Milton Chapman, whose residence was on the ridge. Dr. Chapman was a gentleman of excellent professional attainments, and practiced there many years. Deacon Turner, the builder of the mills bearing his name in the western portion of the township, was also a physician, but did not, we understand, practice his profession to any considerable extent. Dr. J. F. Butler, afterwards a prominent member of the medical staff of Elyria, practiced at LaPorte for a time. Dr. Hiram Thompson, now of Grafton township, also practiced at LaPorte some years before removing to his present location. After he left, the physicians of Elyria were employed to compound and administer the divers nauseous drugs by aid of which dame nature is kept in proper working order over in Carlisle. At present H. E. Haring is the only physician in the township.

INDUSTRIES.

The first mills in the township were built by Phinehas Johnson and Asahel Kelsey, in 1820. The one built by the former was a saw mill. It stood on the north side of the east branch of the Black river; and that of the latter was a grist mill, on the opposite side of the river. Of this mill, William Webster says: "The stones were home-made, and manufactured by a citizen out of hard-head stones found in the neighborhood. It required a strong and well-braced building to stand the motion of the stone when grinding, as they were not very round or true, but did the work well for those days. In the spring of 1828, the water made an opening between the mill and the bank, in consequence of which it became necessary to remove the mill to another location. This was done, and for some years the old mill was in operation. Dr. Turner built a second saw mill, in about 1824, at Murrayville. This is, we believe, still in operation, and is at present owned by Henry Morehouse. Dr. Turner also erected a grist mill soon after the saw mill was put in operation, near the same place.

The first cheese factory was constructed near the center of the township, in the spring of 1869, by a stock company, composed of some twelve or fifteen persons. The patronage the first season was two hundred cows. This factory was burned in the fall of 1873. The present factory was erected the following spring, by H. H. Prindle, Clark and Eckley. This factory was operated during the season of '78, by A. Wilmot, who utilized the milk of two hundred cows.

Walnut Grove factory is located on section eleven, and was started by H. H. Hart in the spring of 1872, and had four hundred cows the first season. It was conducted by Mr. Hart until the spring of 1877, when Messrs. Braman, Horr and Warner became the owners. This enterprising firm established the "Cedar Grove Creamery," in connection with the factory. In the season of 1878, four hundred and fifty cows were in contribution. John T. Vincent is the maker. In about 1840, Anson Braman planted the first stock in the Carlisle Nursery. This was the first nursery in Lorain county, Mr. Braman was its proprietor for a number of years.

In the year 1849, a stone quarry was opened, on section twenty-five, Carlisle township, by Messrs. Lockhart and J. W. Hart. The last named became sole owner, and in 1870 began the manufacture of grindstones, and this has grown to be the major part of the business.

In 1872, the Black River Stone Company was organized, with a capital of two hundred thousand dollars. The following well known capitalists were the incorporators: Selah Chamberlain, Dr. S. S. Steeter, William H. Grout, George E. Dascomb, John Dayton, and J. W. Hart. Mr. Hart retains one hundred and twelve thousand dollars of the stock. The officers of the company are, George E. Dascom, president; Dr. S. S. Streeter, vice-president; J. C. Hills, secretary and treasurer; and J. W. Hart, superintendent. In 1849 and '50, a spur track was laid to the quarry by the C. C. C. & I. R. R., and a large quantity of the stone used in the construction of the bridges and culverts of the above road, was quarried here. The stone from which the Forest City and Arlington blocks, and the First Presbyterian church, of Cleveland, were constructed, came from this quarry. Forty workmen are regularly employed, with a payroll averaging fourteen hundred dollars monthly. The company are now making heavy shipments of building stone to Toronto, Canada.

Just above the quarry named, is another extensive one, owned and operated by the Grafton Stone Company, W. E. Miller, superintendent. They employ an average of thirty-five men. Their products are principally railroad and building stone. Both the above quarries are situated on the C. C. C. & I. and C. T. V. & W. railroads.

The Elyria Chair Company is located in Carlisle township, on the east branch of Black river, and was established March 15, 1878, by John Kelley, James Measley, and P. M. Peabody. It employs seven workmen. The investment is one thousand dollars. Wood-seat chairs are exclusively manufactured. There is also a saw mill at the same point, owned by Clayton Johnson.

248A - WILLIAM PATTERSON

Photo. by Lee, Elyria, O.

William Patterson comes of ancestors noted for longevity. Charles Patterson, his grandfather, was born at Danbury, Conn., where he married Miss Martha Hall, born at the same place. Moving into Berkshire Co., Mass., Charles died there, ninety-two years of age.

Joseph, his son, being born at Mount Washington, Berkshire Co., Mass., Oct. 17, 1780, took for his life partner Miss Elizabeth Kane, in 1808. He took up his residence in Carlisle, Lorain Co., Ohio, in 1834, and engaged in farming, moving to Minnesota in 1869. He there died in 1871, in his ninety-first year. His aged wife yet lives in Minnesota to mourn his loss.

William, son of Joseph, commenced this life at Mount Washington, as above, Feb. 27, 1811. To use his own words, " I lived on my father's farm for years, amongst the rocks that afforded no advantage for either man or beast." Leaving such opportunities and going to Green River, N. Y., he there married Miss Phoebe Vincent, March 4, 1833. Following his father, he settled in Carlisle, in May, 1837, where he still resides. There, with little or nothing, a home has he wrought out by hard labor as a farmer.

In the relation of father, by his first wife one son and two daughters look back to his efforts for their welfare, more especially in the matter of education : Dr. Patterson, of Baltimore; Mrs. Camp, of Jackson, Mich., whom so many parents and pupils of the Union School of Elyria remember as the kind and efficient teacher ; and Mrs. Harriet A. Herd man, of Zanesville, Ohio.

Mr. Patterson's first wife died in 1856, July 14. He was again married, in 1857, to Miss Caroline A. Blanchard, daughter of Dr. Jas. C. Blanchard, of Penfield, Lorain Co., Ohio, the happy mother now of an only son.

Mr. Patterson was elected sheriff of Lorain County in 1848, filling the office with great credit.

Again his fellow-citizens, knowing his fitness, made him commissioner of said county, and his own township have expressed their respect for him by electing him to every local office.

Proud of his children, with a competency, all who have to do with Mr. Patterson, love and respect, and regard him as a finished example of a self-made

man.

Photo. by Lee, Elyria, O.

248B - CHAUNCEY PRINDLE.

Chauncey Prindle was born in Connecticut, in the year 1794, and resided with his father until the death of the latter, which occurred in 1812. Soon after this sad event he married a daughter of Johnson Mercy, a happy union, which resulted in a family of three children,--one son and two daughters. The son, H. H. Prindle, who lives on the old homestead, has this sketch of his father, with the accompanying portrait, inserted in this work as a token of filial regard. Maria P., a married daughter (wife of A. W. Bacon), now resides at Oberlin. The other daughter, Mary J., married J. C. Stanton, and re- sided on an adjoining farm until her death.

Chauncey Prindle removed to Ohio in the fall of 1822, and first settled on fifty acres of land located in Carlisle township, Lorain Co., which he had received in payment of a debt. He started from his native place in Connecticut with fifteen dollars in money and about the same amount invested in tinware.

The journey occupied six weeks, and he bartered most of his tinware with tavern-keepers on the road West, and was glad to find that he could do so, and thus save what little cash he had on hand. The appearance of his land was anything but flattering when he arrived here, as it was covered with several inches of water, and presented anything but a brilliant prospect for the anxious pioneer. By dint of hard work, and assisted by his excellent wife, he soon had his land cleared, and added to it from time to time until he had one hundred and thirty acres well improved, and upon which he erected comfortable buildings.

One of the peculiar hardships he had to encounter was the construction of about a mile of road through the woods, in order to get to his land. He also experienced great difficulty in getting his wagon through the mud and mire.

Mr. Prindle continued a farmer until his death, which occurred May 8, 1872, his good wife having preceded him to the grave about a year, Sept. 23, 1871. They were in every sense a worthy couple, and enjoyed the esteem and respect of all with whom they came in contact, either in business or social communion.

Mr. Prindle held several offices in his township, all of which he filled with the same honesty of purpose and faithfulness to duty that characterized the management of his personal affairs.

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.249

ORGANIZATION.

Carlisle and Elyria townships, then of Huron county, were organized as one township, for civil purposes, under the name of Elyria, on the 20th day of October, 1819. This connection was continued until June 4, 1822, when the present township of Carlisle was organized. The first record of an election we are able to procure, bears date April 4, 1825, when the following persons were elected: Lyman J. Frost, Obed Gibbs, and Samuel Brooks, trustees; I. A. Sexton, clerk; Samuel Brooks, treasurer; and Ransom Gibbs, Barton Waite, and Hezekiah Brooks, supervisors of highways. Phinehas Johnson's bond as justice of the peace, and he was without doubt the first person to fill that office, bears date February 19, 1823.

The officers for 1878 are, William Patterson, Julius Beuhring, and James McMullin, trustees; M. R. Bennett, clerk; John Booth, treasurer; William H. Sutliff, assessor; William L. Taylor and John Einig, constables. There are twenty-six supervisors.

Justice of the peace, Phinehas Johnson, was succeeded in 1832 by Hezekiah Brooks, and following are the names, with date of election, of each person who has filled the office until the present time: April 6, 1835, David Bennett; August 22, 1836, Joseph Patterson; February 25, 1837, Henry M. Warner; April 2, 1838, Solimus Wakeley; April 3, 1843, Daniel Tenney; October 23, 1843, David Bennett; 1846, both re-elected; 1849, Nelson Groat and J. P. Noble; 1851, Joshua C. Bassett, who resigned March 7, 1853; Adna Groat, October 14, 1852; Daniel Tenney from 1853 to 1856, Lyman Rawson, 1856; 1859, Tenney and Rawson re-elected; 1862, Nelson Groat and James Carroll; 1865, I. S. Straw and Daniel Tenney; 1868, William Patterson and Warren S. Sutliff; 1874, Patterson and Sutliff re-elected; 1877, Sutliff and Elbert Haring.

CHURCHES.

On the 29th of October, 1822, agreeable to previous appointments, the people convened to consider the propriety of organizing a church in Carlisle township. The Revs. Joseph Treat and Alfred Betts, missionaries from the missionary society of Connecticut, and members of the Presbytery of Portage, were present, and the following persons were duly constituted the " Congressional Church in Carlisle," viz: Hannah (wife of Phinehas Johnson), Samuel Brooks and Sophia his wife, Hezekiah Brooks and Hannah his wife, Lydia, wife of James Brooks, Samuel Eldred and Irene Johnson. Samuel Brooks was chosen clerk. This church was removed to Elyria and consolidated with the Presbyterian church at that point, upon its organization, November 25, 1824. It remained thus until August 2, 1833, when at the request of Deacon Samuel Brooks, the members residing in Carlisle were granted permission to form themselves into a church in that township. For a time the church ;flourished. A substantial meeting house was erected in about 1836, and a Sabbath school was organized. Gradually, however, the ranks were decimated until preaching was abandoned and the church ceased to be.

The following sketch of the Methodist church is prepared from data furnished us by A. A. Chapman, a former member: Rev. H. 0. Sheldon, it is believed, was the first minister of this denomination to hold services in Carlisle township. This was in 1824 or 1825. A class was not formed, however, until 1830 or 1831, which consisted of the following persons: A. A. Chapman, Cornelius Vandebergh, Nancy, Jane and Catherine Vandebergh, J. B. Andrews and wife, (Andrews was local preacher,) Henry Spicer and wife, Stephen Winchell and wife, Enoch Foss- finder, Paul Taylor, Harriet Taylor and James V. Baker and wife. Cornelius Vandebergh was first leader of this class, and it was formed in the western portion of the township. A second class was organized in the eastern part of the township, now called Laporte, in about 1833. Among its members were 0. J. Humphrey, leader, wife and two daughters, and Mrs. Abigail Webster and a daughter. The church edifice at this point was erected some thirty years since and cost one thousand dollars. There is a present membership of sixty. The pastor is Chester L. Foote; class leader, William Brush; stewards, Thomas Pound and Gilbert Fields; superintendent of Sabbath school, Gilbert Fields. The attendance is sixty. The following are some of the early ministers: Elnathan C. Gavit, George Elliott, William Runnells. He that is now Bishop Harris was on this circuit in 1835 and 1836. Thomas Barkdull, D. M. Conant, M. L. Starr, W. M. Safford, Wm. C. Pierce, Spafford C. Thomas, H. L. Parrish, T. J. Pope, James, Sawyer, Guiberson and others. Both the Baptists and Universalists have had an organization in Carlisle. None now exists.

SCHOOLS.

In the summer of 1821, Miss Julia Johnson taught the first term of school in the east part of the township. This was held in a little log school house erected the previous spring, on the hill east of the river. In the west part a school house was built on section ten, now the farm of D. C. Pember. This was erected about the same date as the one mentioned above, and the first term taught therein was by Miss Minerva Murray, cannot give the exact year.

May 29, 1826, the township of Carlisle was divided into two school districts. The western half was number one, and contained the families of Abner, J. D. and Philo Murray, William and Iona A. Sexton, Abiram Drakeley, Dr. Milton Chapman, Noah H. Hurd, Obed and Ransom Gibbs, Henry and Charles Smith, Barton Waite, John Bacon, Salmon Sutliff, Asahel Powers, Anson Seward, Chauncey Prindle, Lyman J. Frost and Moses C. Baker. The residents

250 - HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

in district number two, then comprising the entire eastern half of the township, were, Samuel, Hezekiah and James Brooks, Phinehas Johnson, Asahel Kelsey, Thouret F. Chapman and Dudley Griswold.

Carlisle township had in 1878 eight school houses, whose valuation, including grounds, was seven thousand dollars. The total amount paid teachers for the same year was one thousand four hundred and seventeen dollars, and there were of the requisite school age two hundred and eighty-five children.

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS FOR 1878.

Wheat, 700 acres 11,082 bushels.

Potatoes, 105 " 11,345 "

Oats, 716 " 80,623

Orchards, 387 " 5,080

Corn, 1,053 " 61,014 "

Meadow, 2,051 " 2,821 tons.

Butter 52,750 pounds

Cheese 254,960 "

Maple Sugar 450

Population in 1870 1,219

Vote For President in 1876.

Hayes 38

Tilden. 180