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PENFIELD.

A SURVEY of Penfield discloses to one, upon every side, the evidences of the truest and best prosperity, evidences of material wealth and of moral well being —secured and transmitted to their descendants of to-day by the hardy pioneers whose ax blows resounded in the forest over half a hundred years ago. They are gone now—nearly all of the simple, honest, hard working, unconsciously heroic men and women who took up their abode in the wilderness; but the example of their lives endures; the good that they began moves on; the institutions that they organized still exist, increasing constantly in strength. The religion that they planted is flourishing in fruition, and the solid substructure of social and spiritual life which they laid down remains sound and intact, the foundation of all that is admirable in the edifice of to-day.

The ringing of the church bells will sound no more forever upon the ears of many who loved to hear their call. They have passed from the church militant to the church triumphant, but their children and their childrens' children obey the summons, and upon Sabbath mornings, from all directions, come to listen to the gospel which was the solace and the consolation of their forefathers as it is theirs.

The inheritance which the present generation has secured, is one which included something more than the broad farms cleared and the fine orchards planted by the pioneers. It is an inheritance of good principles, morality, religion, education, of sturdy independence, of industry, of strong patriotism and of the varied qualities that combine to make the early residents of the Reserve men of sterling worth.

What we have said of Penfield is applicable in a degree to almost any of the farming townships in

the New England of the west. We have simply taken it as a type.

THE FACE OF THE COUNTRY.

Penfield was first known as town number three in the seventeenth range of the original Western Reserve. It is upon what is known as the table or level, situated about twenty miles from Lake Erie, and ten miles north of the dividing line of the waters. The Black river enters the township at about the center of its southern line, and flows northward and a little eastward 1n quite a tortuous course. It has broad bottom lands, and has made but few bluffs, and those not more than ten feet high. The soil is a clay loam with a mixture of more or less sand. The land is most rolling east of the river, and there contains the most sand. The subsoil is a little heavier than the top, and when worked up and mixed with it, makes an earth which will bear as fine crops of wheat as could be produced fifty years ago.

ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS.

Township number three in range seventeen became by the original drawing the property of Caleb Atwater. He paid for it the not extravagant sum of twenty-five cents per acre, or about four thousand dollars for the entire township which contains not far from sixteen thousand acres. He deeded this land to his six daughters, Lucy Day, Ruth Cook, Abigail Andrews, Mary Beebe, Sarah Merrick, and the wife of Judge Cook, dividing it into six equal sections.

Only three of these sections were in the market when the first settlers came to the township.

SETTLEMENT.

Peter Penfield and Calvin Spencer, both from Eastern New York, came into Penfield, in the fall of 1818, for the purpose of seeking lands suitable for settlement. They were assisted in their examination by James, a son of Major Ingersoll, of Grafton. They experienced some considerable difficulty in finding the township lines, so as to know on what lands they were, or what township they were in. They finally succeeded in finding the corners of the townships that are now known as Litchfield, Grafton, LaGrange and Penfield, which occupied most of the first day. They returned to Major Ingersoll's that night. This was a trip of about thirteen miles, almost entirely through the wilderness. The next day they went out with another son of Major Ingersoll's, Marshall, and when they struck Black river they followed up the stream for some distance on the river bottoms, and the sight of the large black walnut timber growing, and the rich lands, called forth many expressions of admiration, especially from Mr. Spencer. With this short exploration they returned to Major Ingersoll's that night, and the next morning they set out to return home, making the round trip in about six weeks. During the following year negotiations were made with the proprietors who proposed to give to Peter Penfield the agency of part of their lands in the township, and each to give him fifty acres off from each section, in consideration that he should move with his family into said township with a view of remaining there. The quantity of land was afterward reduced to twenty-four acres from each of the six proprietors.

In the fall of the following year, 1819, Peter Penfield returned with his son Alanson and selected

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Residence of William W. Penfield, Penfield Tp., Lorain Co., Ohio

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land. Seth C. Ingersoll being engaged to erect a house upon it, the father returned to his New York home, leaving Alanson in Sheffield, on the 22nd of February following, 1820. Peter Penfield and his nephew Lathrop, started from Harpersfield, Delaware county, New York, and with backs turned upon their old home pushed resolutely forward to the forest in which they were to make a new home. After a fatiguing journey of four weeks they arrived in Grafton and stopped at Ingersoll's headquarters for newcomers. After collecting a quantity of provisions they started for the place where they were to begin life as frontiersmen, and had a pretty hard experience upon the very outset. They were literally obliged to cut their way through the woods to the land that had been purchased. When they arrived at the cabin (lot four, section six,) they found it unfinished. They were then alone in the midst of a wilderness, which stretched from Elyria to Harrisville, and from Medina to Wellington. Besides the work of cutting a trail from Grafton, the Penfields opened the north and south road through the wilderness as far as Butternut ridge, spending about thirty days' time, for which they never received any remuneration. They were obliged while doing this work to go to Harrisville, a distance of fifteen miles, for provisions. Their horses strayed away, and after ten days search they found them upon Rocky river, north of Medina. The work of preparing the ground for corn and wheat was immediately undertaken. Peter Penfield returned east in July, Lathrop and Alanson remaining to enlarge the clearing about their log cabin, and came back to town number three, as it was then called, bringing his family, in March, 1821. Truman Penfield came out in May, selected a site for a home, lot eleven, section four, and went back in the following month for his family, which consisted of his wife and one son, Samuel S. He returned with his household, November 5th, 1820. His family was, therefore, the first that had a home in the township, and that of Peter Penfield the second. Lewis Penfield and his son Amos moved in the year 1824, and Amzi, another son, came in 1827. Ephraim came still after. Lewis located upon lot fourteen, section four.

The descendants of the Penfields have been numerous, and had even the sons and daughters of those who were among the first settlers all become residents of the township at one time, it would have had a fair population. Some of these, as has been shown, did not come into the country until several years after the arrival of Peter, Lathrop and Truman.

Peter Penfield's family alone, from first to last, numbered fifteen persons. His wife was Catharine Hawley. Their descendants were: Alanson, Marilla, Sarah, all three deceased; Horace, now in California; Austin C. and Benjamin, deceased; Homer and Russell H., residents of Elyria and heads of families; Maria, deceased; Emily (Mrs. Walker), in Massachusetts; Susan (Mrs. Clark), in Huntington township; and Harriet, deceased.

Lewis Penfield, a brother of Peter, and his wife, Ada, were the parents of Truman, Betsey (Mrs. Raymond Starr), Ephraim, Amos, Lathrop, Amzi and Gideon, all of whom are now dead but Lathrop, who is a resident of Springfield, Ohio; he married, in 1824, Caroline West, and their children were: Franklin, Betsey, Warren and Fletcher.

Amzi Penfield was also the father of a large family of children, of whom Rosalie, Henry and Euphemia are residents in Penfield, and James in Wellington.

Truman Penfield's children were: Samuel S. and W. W., resident in the township; Truman and Mana (Mrs. Hiram Smith), in Illinois; and Jane (Mrs. A. W. Hendry), in Sandusky, who was the second child born in the township. Truman Penfield's first wife was the first white woman who entered the wilderness; she endured many hardships, and died soon after coming into the settlement, it is said, from the effects of the pioneer's life of toil, privation and exposure. Truman Penfield married a second wife.

Again, taking up the descendants of Peter Penfield, it may be stated that the family of Austin C. is at Saratoga, and that the children of Horace—George, Myron and Willie—are at the old homestead, where the first cabin was built. Russell H. married Henrietta Virginia Blanchard; their children are: Emerson, Anna M., Florence V. and Amia P. Homer Penfield and his wife, Martha, have two sons, Norman and Roderick.

The Starrs were one of the largest families among the early settlers. Raymond was the. first. He came from New Harpersfield, Delaware county, New York, in 1829, and settled on lot nine, section four (the center). He married Betsey Penfield, and they were the parents of Lewis, who resides in LaGrange; George R. and Horace C., of Elyria; Russell (dead); Franklin arid Alonzo, in Cincinnati, Ohio; and Betsey (Mrs. Goodwin, of Elyria).

William Starr came into the settlement in 1830, and took up land in lot two, section four. His three sons were, Orrin K., George W. (dead), and Gideon B. The daughters were, Polly Ann (Smith), of Wellington, Clarinda, Orline, Jane, and another.

Orrin Starr came in 1834, and took land in lots five and six, section five. His wife's name is Abigail. They have six children, four of whom are in the county. H. H. is in Nebraska, and Mana (Taylor), in Michigan. The others are: Heman E., Clapp R., Minerva (Smith), and Edna (Dixon).

Talcott came into the township last of all, having remained in Elyria sometime after coming into Ohio. He took up lot eight, section five. Two of his descendants, Matthew L. and Gideon L., are residents of Penfield. Alden is in Cleveland, Angeline in New York, and Maria dead.

The Starrs have been prominently identified with the interests of Penfield, and have contributed much, in various ways, toward its prosperity.

Abner Beardsley, a squatter, and his family, came to the township next after Peter and Freeman Pen-

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field. Calvin Spencer came again in 1821, selected land, engaged Peter Penfield to build a log house, and returned east.

The Knapp family were the first permanent settlers after the pioneer Penfields. They were from Harpersfield, Delaware county, New York, and their first representative, Samuel, who remained in the township, came to the settlement in the spring of 1822, locating on lot fifty-five, section three, east of the center. His wife's name was Mary. She died in 1842, and he married his second wife, Sarah Hayes. Samuel Knapp died in 1874. William Knapp had come out in the spring of the same year with Peter Penfield and located land, on lot forty-nine, section four. On his way back after his family he was taken sick, and died at Hamburg, New York, near Buffalo. Stephen Knapp and his wife, Grace Johnson, came in October, 1825, and settled on lot forty-nine, section four. They brought with them two children, Lucy and William J., aged respectively three years and one year and two months. William J. is still a resident of the township, and has not been absent more than two years altogether since his arrival. He is a carpenter and joiner by trade. His wife is Eliza Lindsley, a native also of Delaware county, New York. The other children born to Stephen and Grace Knapp, were Charles S., Julius B., Sally, Harriet, Van Buren, Ephraim, Helen, Charlotte and Carrie. All are living except one. Stephen Knapp died March 22, 1870, and his wife is still living. Shubael Knapp, a brother of Samuel, Stephen and William came into the township in 1830, and took up lot thirty-four, in section four. He was killed, a few years later, by the falling of a large hollow sycamore log, which he was assisting in standing upon end for the purpose of making a smoke house. His skull was crushed and he died almost instantly. His children were L. L., Abigail and Shubael. Lewis Knapp, another brother, came in about 1834, bringing his mother and settling upon lot thirty-five, section four.

James Job and family resided for a short time upon lot two, section six, arriving in 1823.

Calvin Spencer and his family, and brother Ichabod, moved into the settlement from Durham, New York, in the spring of 1824. Calvin had purchased land on lots seventeen, eighteen, nineteen and twenty, section two. His children were: Merwin, Mary, Harriet, Hoyt, David and Julia (Mrs. Carman, the famous singer of Norwalk).

Benjamin E. Merwin and wife, of Durham, Greene county, New York, came in May, 1824, and located on lot thirty-seven, section five. Their children were: David P. Jr., Geo. E., Caroline and Irene. David P. Merwin, Sr., arrived a year later. None of the family are now resident in the township.

Elijah and Mercy Hawley came at the same time as Calvin Spencer, and the husband died in August of 1825. Their children were Jesse, Elijah, Catharine, Mary (Mrs. C. Spencer) and Eunice. Jesse

Hawley is accredited with the honor of having been the originator of the Erie canal scheme.

Dr. James Hall, of Cairo, New York, settled in 1825, upon lot two, section six.

William, usually known as Squire, Andrews settled in 1828. He was from Wallingford, Connecticut, and was a brother of Judge Andrews, of Cleveland. He died in 1876. Beni Andrews, a cousin of the Squire, became a resident in 1834.

William L. Hayes, of Delaware county, New York, arrived in 1829, and settled upon lot forty eight, section four. His father, Andrew Hayes, came two years later. Wilburn. married Aurilla Lindsley, and reared a family of seven children.

H. G. Witbeck and his wife, Freelove (Welton), came from Schoharie county, New York, in 1831, bringing with them three children -Josiah H., Hiram and Mahala (afterwards Mrs. R. Peters). Josiah H. and Hiram are residents of Penfield. The other descendants of H. G. and wife were James, Abel, Mitchell and Lucinda.

D. W. C. Dixon, of Litchfield, Connecticut, settled in 1832, upon lot fourteen, section one, and Lewis Hart, of the same State, came about the same time.

In 1833, J. B. Gaylord and his wife Hannah, came from Delaware county, New York, and settled upon lot fifty-eight, in section two. Peter. Bosh, of New York State, settled the same year upon a farm in section two.

Elisha Sheldon took up land in 1834, and in 1835 himself and wife settled upon it. Their homestead is upon lot sixty-one, section one. They had seven children, of whom five are still living: Sarah E., (Mrs. C. E. Starr), Daniel P., and A. E. in Wellington, William L. and C. H. in Penfield.

Edward Palmer, of Columbia county, New York, came in 1836. Giles, Charles, Randolph and Sarah were his descendants. The last named -is the only one now living.

Joel B. Smith was an early settler; and a son, Levi Smith, is now one of the leading citizens of Penfield.

Pliny Jackson made the first settlement in the northwest part of the township, taking up the extreme corner lot, in 1832. His children were Jane, Martha, George, Alonzo, Melissa, Harriet, and Eliza.

Dr. James Blanchard, who had previously made a visit to the township, settled upon lot forty, section six, in 1835. He was from Cairo, New York.

Hiram Norton, of Allegany county, New York, settled in 1841, in the southeastern part of the township. He had three sons. George H. Norton is a resident of Penfield. Edward J. and Andrew J. arc in Michigan.

INDIANS.

When the Penfields came into the woods they found a few Wyandot Indians encamped there, pursuing their only occupation, hunting and trapping. They were seen in the vicinity more or less frequently for ten or a dozen years later, and then the last brave disappeared before the advancement of the superior

Residence of Elisha Sheldon, Penfield Tp., Lorain Co., Ohio

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race. Some of the squaws were very handsome in heir swarthy savage style of beauty, and are said to have known how to enhance their charms by many rude arts of the toilet, but their appearance was rendered less suggestive of wild woodland life than the imaginative reader would like to suppose by heir wearing calico dresses; the warriors wore deer skins. The Indians came sometimes to trade with the whites and bartered baskets, turkey wings and other trinkets, as well as venison, for calico, blankets, and bread or flour.

Among the Indians who were seen in early days at this settlement was the famous Seneca chieftain, Red Jacket, a savage nobleman of symmetrical figure, powerful and of commanding presence. It was evidently with great reluctance that he forsook the old hunting ground of his tribe.

The Indians were in the custom of going just before the holidays to Sandusky, where they exchanged furs and other trophies of the chase with the traders for blankets, trinkets and supplies for the winter. In the spring they returned to the Black river country to hunt and make maple sugar. The mer chants of Sandusky would furnish them with certificates in these words: "This is to certify that the bearer is of the Seneca tribe of Indians, which is an entirely peaceful tribe, and desires that he be permitted to hunt on the lands unmolested, and in no case to give him whiskey." These certificates they were very forward to show.

Maple sugar making was very generally practiced by the Indians in the spring, and the same ones have been known to return season after season to localities favorable for following this, the most civilized practice they engaged in. They made their sap troughs of bark peeled from trees of medium size, and taken off in pieces about two feet long, half cylinders in shape. The ends were turned up and tied with thongs, the rough outer bark being removed, and the trough, when finished, was capable of holding three or four quarts of sap. The bark, stripped from a huge tree, would make a reservoir of sufficient size to contain half a barrel, and this was used as a receptacle for the collected contents of the smaller sap troughs. Kettles were hung above a fire, and the same process of sugar making was pursued, that is so commonly practiced to-day.

Nearly all of the Indians who encamped in Penfield, were upon friendly terms with the settlers, and many favors were extended by each race to the other.

W. J. Knapp, who came into the woods when a little boy, with his father, remembers playing with the Indian children, particularly one bright, active, handsome little fellow, of whom he learned how to shoot with bow and arrow.

Spy Buck, an Indian of magnificient physique, and a great hunter, encamped with others of his tribe in the woods for some time one season, and was much admired by many of his pale-faced brethren. He had with him a very beautiful squaw, and the two seemed to live together in a condition of sylvan happiness almost idylic, but one day a party of Indians arrived from the headquarters of the tribe in Upper Sandusky, and compelled Spy Buck and his band, including the handsome squaw, to return with them. The settlers heard along time afterward that the squaw belonged to another Indian, and that in punishment for their infidelity, she and Spy Buck had been put to death at the stake. The other Indians of this tribe were very reticent in regard to what had become of the two, but it was evident from their manner when the whereabouts of Spy Buck and the squaw was asked, that they knew perfectly well their fate.

Among the last of the Indians who came into Penfield, was Seneca John. In company with several others, he had been camping for some time in the favorite hunting grounds of this vicinity, and finally some of the settlers made up their minds that Seneca John and his untutored companions must leave the country. Three of them constituted themselves a kind of a delegation to make known to the Indians the desire of their white brothers. They took with them a colored man, and proceeding to the but of Seneca John, informed that dignitary that he and those of his race must depart from the country. Seneca John listened to the spokesman of the party quietly, until he had ceased-speaking, and thou drawing himself up to his full height, expressed briefly but forcibly his indignation and contempt:

" Ugh! damn! four white men, one of 'em nigger, tell Indian he must no more hunt on Black river! ugh ! damn ! "

After this brief extempore speech, the "four white men" left, and notwithstanding the force of the declaration of independence he had made, Seneca John and his braves cleared the country .a few days after.

WILD ANIMALS.

The territory lying along the Black river formed the favorite hunting grounds of the wandering bands of Indians, who had headquarters farther west. They enjoyed undisputed possession of this forest before the white came in, and still lingered in the vicinity when the settlement contained a dozen families. As the forests disappeared, the Indians and the game went also. Deer were very numerous. The country was full of wild hogs, opossums, porcupine, turkeys, raccoons, and the smaller varieties of animals. Beside these, there were wolves and wildcats. Hunting was sufficiently dangerous to be exciting, and those who went into the woods to secure material for a dinner, had to be upon their guard lest they should be made a meal of Lewis Penfield provided himself and family with their first thanksgiving dinner, with his rifle. He was a pretty good shot, and concluding that some venison would lend attractions to the board, he went out a short distance into the woods, and in a few minutes time brought down a fine buck. Stephen Knapp was a great hunter, and many instances of his

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success in woodcraft might be cited. He was very fond of adventure, and often made long tramps in quest of the larger kinds of game. He once shot a wildcat under his dwelling house, and made a huge panther bite the dust, over in the edge of Litchfield township. Several others were killed about the same time. Wild turkeys sometimes came very close to the dwellings of the early settlers, and quite a number of them were entrapped through their temerity, upon one occasion. Quite a flock of them entered Mr. Knapp's barn, to pick up kernels of grain from the floor. They were seen to enter, and one of the family. creeping cautiously to the barn, quickly shut the door. Afterwards the barn was several times baited as a trap, and once or twice the family was successful in making a catch. There were beaver in Penfield, but they abandoned their dam very soon after the first sound of the ax was heard in the clearing. The writer was shown by Mr. W. J. Knapp, the dam which still stands as a monument to the industry of these strange animals. It extends across a swale through which a small stream runs, about a quarter of a mile north of the center. It is now about six feet high above the bed of the stream, and was probably two feet higher when constructed. Its form is plainly visible. It is that of an arch, with the convex side up stream. It was built in the place where the minimum of work would secure the maximum of result, and had the intelligence of man instead of the instinct of animals, been exerted in its construction, it could not have been made more perfect. The extent of the overflow caused by the building of the dam, was from twelve to fifteen acres.

FIRST EVENTS.

In the matters of birth, a girl got a little the start of the other sex, as girls usually do in all the affairs of life. The first child born was Harriet, daughter of Peter and Catharine Penfield. The birth occurred in December, 1821. John, son of Amor and Altana Penfield, was the first boy born.

The first death in the township was that of 'Ruth Ann, wife of Truman Penfield, the first woman who claimed a house in the settlement.

The first marriage in the township was that of Caroline, daughter of David Merwin, Sr., to Dr. Samuel Strong. It took place in 1826. The first resident of the township married, was Lathrop Penfield. He was married March 17, 1824, to Caroline West, of Grafton, the ceremony being conducted by Franklin Wells, Esq.

The first litigation was between Peter Penfield and Levi Mills, in the summer of 1826 or 1827. It was in regard to work done upon a mill-dam, and the dispute was settled by referees.

The first log house was that built in the fall of 1819, for Peter Penfield, by Seth C. Ingersoll. The first frame house was built by Peter Penfield, upon his homestead, in 1822. The first brick house was built about 1854, near the center, by Hiram Smith.

The first tavern was a strictly temperance house, conducted by Truman Penfield.

The first store was opened in 1828, by Raymond Starr.

The first row of corn was planted by Lathrop Penfield, in 1820, the small timber being cleared from two acres and a half of land for this crop. Some wheat was sown the same season, where now stands the first orchard, planted by Peter Penfield.

RICHLAND-PENFIELD.

The township was noted for its fertile soil and fine crops. Corn and the cereals were raised in larger quantity and of better quality than in the adjoining townships. It was a not uncommon thing in the first decade of its settlement, for the pioneers of older townships to come here for produce, when, because of inferior soil, and perhaps through want of proper tillage, their own crops had proven insufficient.

A farmer once drove into the settlement at the head of a small procession of other farmers, each in a huge wagon, and, addressing one of the residents, said: "We come after that for which the children of Israel went to Egypt—corn!" Their wagons went back heavily laden.

So prolific was the soil, and so rich the harvest, that, when a name was to be chosen for the township, that of Richland was popularly agreed upon, and before the town was organized the commissioners of Medina county were petitioned to bestow upon it that name. They took it into consideration; but, discovering that there were other localities named Richland, rejected the petition and named the township Penfield, in honor of the first settler. It may be added that the productiveness of the soil has not been decreased by the application of this name. The township is still Richland, in fact, though Penfield by name; and its farms and orchards fully attest, to-day, the truth of what was said in regard to the agricultural qualities of the township fifty years ago, by the men who first felled the forest and broke the ground.

ORGANIZATION.

The first township election was ordered to be held upon the first Monday of April, 1825, at the house of Truman Penfield. The following officers were elected upon that occasion: clerk, Truman Penfield; trustees, Samuel Knapp, Samuel Root, Peter Penfield; treasurer, Lathrop Penfield; overseers of the poor, Lewis Penfield, Calvin Spencer. In 1826, May 27, Benjamin Merwin was elected justice of the peace, the first in the township. At the close of 1878 the township officers were: clerk, Andrew Denham; trustees, W. C. Hastings, Elisha Sheldon, M. E. Starr; treasurer, A. D. Lindsley; justices of the peace, W. W. Penfield, George H. Norton; constables, W. J. Krebs, Perry Bost. School Board: David C. Bunt, president; Samuel McCoy, Calvin Ensign, Foster Lewis, Douglass Goodyear, Edward M. Linder, D. F. Curtice, Orrin K. Starr.

Residence of the Late Beri Andrews, Penfield, Lorain Co., Ohio

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RELIGIOUS.

The earliest religious service of which any of the present residents of Penfield have recollection, was held in 1826.

Elisha Fields preached the first week of March in that year at David Merwin's house. After that, meetings were held every four weeks until fall, by the same preacher, and then the Rev. Harry O. Sheldon began his ministrations in the township, speaking to small assemblages at the old log school house. Rev. Matthew L. Starr was also an early preacher. He came from the east, and preached his first sermon in an unfinished house, standing upon a workman's bench which had been left in the largest room of the rather small dwelling.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

The first church formed in Penfield was of the Presbyterian denomination. It was organized January 14, 1829, by Revs. A. H. Betts, Xenophon Betts, Joel Talcott and D. W. Lathrop. Following are the names of the original members: Lewis Penfield and wife, Peter Penfield and wife, Truman Penfield and wife, Amos Penfield and wife, Amzi L. Penfield and wife, Dr. James Hall and wife, and Anna Merwin, wife of David Merwin-thirteen in all.

The church had in 1878 forty-five members and a meeting house adequate to its needs. The pastor was the Rev. O. V. Rice and the officers the following : trustees, L. H. Penfield, Peter Dahlglish, Heman Starr; clerk, Robert McConaughy; deacons, W. W. Penfield and Robert McConaughy; Sunday school superintendent, W. W. Penfield; assistant, L. H. Penfield.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The first class of this church was organized in August, 1834, the Rev. A. Billings in charge. It was composed of the following members: Wm. L. Hayes, Aurilla L. Hayes, Mrs. Sarah Hayes, Esther Mary Hayes, Russell H. Starr, Henry G. Witbeck and Freelove Witbeck. But two of the original members are still living-Mr. and Mrs. Wm. L. Hayes. The society at this date, December, 1878, numbers one hundred and sixteen members. The Rev. Thomas G. Roberts is pastor, and the officers of church and society are as follows: stewards, Levi Smith, A. B. Hayes, E. A. Starr (recording), S. Long, Wm. Knapp; class leaders, James Webber, Wm. Furze, Wm. P. Boice, Clapp Starr ; local preachers, P. C. Bunt, George Norton, Mathew L. Starr (superan rutted); Sunday school superintendent, James Weber; trustees, Orrin Starr; Mathew L. Starr, Joseph Jones, George Norton, S. Barton, Willard Hart, James Webber, Wm. L. Hayes. A church building was erected in 1842, half a mile east of the center, but the society moved to the center about 1855, and occupied the more commodious house at present in use.

BAPTIST CHURCH.

In the year 1839 or 1840, the Baptist church was organized with twelve members, viz: Rev. Asa Straight and wife, Samuel Knapp and wife, Wm. Rogers and wife, Peter Bost and wife, Mrs. Elisha Sheldon, Mrs. Kellogg Latham, Mrs. Edward Hart, and the mother of Wm. Rogers. Mrs. Sheldon is the only one of the original members living. For some time this church had no regularly settled pastor, but was supplied with preaching by different ministers. Meetings were held in school houses and private dwellings for several years. In 1853 efforts were made to secure funds for building, and in April of 1855 a house of worship was dedicated, Rev. E. Tibbals being the pastor in charge. Previous to this time, however, the church had a settled minister— Elder George Edwards. The present pastor is the Rev. Michael Shank; deacons, Silas Rogers, Elisha Sheldon; trustees, Elisha Sheldon, W. B. Andrews, Shubael Knapp; clerk, W. B. Andrews; treasurer, Elisha Sheldon.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

An Episcopal church was organized in 1844, but did not remain long in existence. The following, from the record of the church, explains how it came into being:

"We whose names are hereunto affixed, deeply impressed with the importance of the christian religion, and earnestly wishing to promote its holy influence in the hearts and the lives of ourselves, our families and our neighbors, do hereby associate ourselves together, under the name, and style, and title of the parish of Christ Church, in the township of Penfield, county of Lorain, and State of Ohio, and by so doing do adopt the constitution and canons of the Protestant Episcopal church in the diocese of Ohio, in communion with the Protestant Episcopal church of the United States of America.

To the above form the names of twenty subscribers, the number required, were affixed, and a meeting was held, in conformity to notice given, upon the 13th of August, 1844, at which time Rev. Messrs. Davis and Holden, being present, the church was organized and the following officers elected: senior warden, Daniel Andrews; junior warden, Beni Andrews; vestrymen, Lewis Jones, Bishop Richmond, William Andrews; clerk, William Andrews. The church never built a house of worship.

SCHOOLS.

Before the usual facilities for teaching were provided, Clarissa Rising, of Huntington, taught a school in Calvin Spencer's private house, about a mile south of the center. This was the first school in the township, and was held in the summer of 1829. Among the pupils were Samuel and Jane Penfield, Horace Starr and Betsey Ann Starr, William Avery Penfield, and the Spencer children, Mary Merwin, Harriet Hoyt and David Hoyt. George R. Starr,

304 - HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

now of Elyria, taught the second school in the winter of 1829 and 1830, and Lucy Adams also taught after him. The first school house was erected a mile and a half east and about three quarters of a mile north of the center. It was a frame structure covered with rough boards. Several log school houses were built afterwards. The first select school was taught in 1854, by Eleazer Hale, an Oberlin student. At this writing the township has eight district schools.

CEMETERY.

The burial place is upon a plat of ground, half a mile east of the center, a portion of which was donated by Gideon Penfield, in 1840. Additions have been made at various times, as has been made necessary by the increase of the population, and proportionable increase of mortality. There is a family burying ground upon the old Samuel Knapp farm, one of the earliest dedicated to those who have have passed over to the silent majority.

ROADS.

It is a noticeable fact that, in the southern part of Lorain county, and in territory lying contiguous to it, the roads first laid out have been those running from south to north. There is an explanation of this fact. We find that the settlers in this part of the country, and further south, had a desire to perfect routes of travel to the lake, for it was there that they naturally expected to find a market, in future years, for the corn and wheat they did not need for home consumption.

The first road through Penfield, was one of these roads, laid out as a line of travel, by which the inland farmers might take their produce to the larger towns near the lake shore, and to the harbors. It is known now as the River road, and was opened from Spencer and Homer, in Medina county, through Penfield, in the early days of the settlement. Much time was spent in its improvement. But little was done upon the Penfield and Wellington road for many years, the swamp in the latter township remaining a place to be dreaded at all times of the year, and nearly, if not quite, impassable during the wet seasons.

The north and south center road was laid out and planked in 1836, or the following year, and was known as one of the best roads in this part of the country, as long as it was kept in repair. The planks have been a thing of the past for many years.

POST OFFICE.

In the spring of 1820, a mail route was laid out from Medina to Norwalk, through Penfield center. The first mail was carried through in April, by a man named Laborie, who traveled on foot. The Penfields living a mile and half from the line, arranged to deposit all of their mail matter in a hollow tree, at the river crossing, and to have matter left there for them. This was the primitive post office of the township.

In April, 1821, Truman Penfield moved on to the line, and took charge of the mail, in an informal way, until 1825, when he was commissioned postmaster. He held the office for many years, and was not a defaulter. His successor was D. W. C. Dixon, and he was succeeded by Lyman Hayes. W. J. Krebs was commissioned as postmaster upon the 17th of December, 1878.

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

The first saw mill in the township was built by Peter Penfield about 1828. Samuel Knapp built one about two years after; and Calvin Spencer and others at a still later date. Black walnut timber was so common that it was used very largely for fence rails, and the lumber was sold for only four dollars per thousand. In 1850, a saw mill was built and operated by R H. Penfield, Horace Penfield, Orrin Starr, Lyman Hayes and Almond Lindsley, for the purpose of furnishing lumber for the plank road leading north through LaGrange. This was burned in 1857, and subsequently rebuilt. It is now owned by W. W. Penfield. There is also another saw mill, with a flouring mill in conjunction, owned by S. Samson & Son, which was built in 1868, by A. C. Hitchcock. Both of these mills are located near the center, upon lot twelve, tract four.

CHEESE FACTORIES.

Hiram Witbeck and John McGraw started a cheese factory upon the center road, west of the center, in the spring of 1869, and took the milk of about three hundred cows. McGraw soon sold out his interest to Witbeck, who confined to run the factory until 1877, when he sold to Mr. Crozier, of Wellington. Christy & Norton started a factory in 1869, in the south part of the township, conducted it for several years, and then transferred the property to Baldwin & Laundon, of Wellington. This firm also owns the factory started in 1870, east of the river, by a Mr. Benedict, of Litchfield. S. White started a small factory in 1875, which he still manages. There is another factory upon the river, in the northeast part of the township, which was started in 1875, by R. Holcomb, and is now owned by George Rozier, of Wellington.

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

The following are the statistics for 1877, showing the amount of the most important productions of the township; also the population in 1870, and the vote for President in 1876:

Wheat, 574 acres 9,760 bushels.

Potatoes, 36 " 3,255 "

Oats, 513 22,121        "

Orchards, 276 325 “

Corn, 807 31,785 "

Meadow, 1,925

Butter 2,358 tons

Cheese 67,264 pounds

Maple Sugar 364,530 "6,220 "

Population in 1870 749

VOTE FOR PRESIDENT IN 1876.

Hayes 163

Tilden 39

Residence of Orrin Starr, Penfield, Lorain Co., Ohio

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO - 305

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

TRUMAN PENFIELD.

Prominently identified with the material progress and development of Penfield township, and among its most respectable citizens, was Truman Penfield. Removing to Penfield nearly sixty years ago, he was one of the pioneers of the township, and became one of its most substantial business men, as well as among its best practical farmers. He not only witnessed the transition of a sparsely settled region into a prosperous and flourishing locality, from an uncultivated wilderness to a highly fertile and productive agricultural township, bnt by his industry, energy and thrift, did much toward the consummation of these various and beneficial improvements.

Truman Penfield was born at Fairfield, Connecticut, October 4, 1789, and died at Penfield, Ohio, April 20, 1868. He was the son of Lewis Penfield, who was born March 26, 1765. He married Ada]] Beardslee, January 22, 1789. In 1802, they removed to Harpersfield, Delaware county, New York, where they became respectable citizens.

Truman Penfield was married to Ruth Ann Scoville, May 10, 1814. The fruits of this union were: Samuel S., born July 13, 1818, in Harpersfield, New York; married Permelia Dayton, September 23, 1839; resides in Penfield. Jane A., born August 27, 1823, in Penfield, Ohio; was graduated from the Oberlin Collegiate Institute (ladies' course of 1847); in the following year, August 15, 1848, was married to Judge A. W. Hendry, of Sandusky, Ohio, where they have since resided.

Mrs. Ruth A. Penfield died December 5, 1824. For his second wife, Mr. Penfield married Maria Dayton, of Harpersfield, New York, in September, 1825. The children of this second marriage were: Maria, born August 22, 1828; married Hiram Smith, September 18, 1851; they reside at Flint, Michigan.

William Wirt Penfield was born June 29, 1831; and November 22d, 1854, was married to Martha, daughter of Jedediah Gaylord, of Penfield. He (William W.) has always lived npon the homestead farm at Penfield center, where he was born. In 1872, he removed the old farm house and built a new one, in modern style, an illustration of which, with portraits, adorns another page of our work. He is extensively engaged in raising improved breeds of cattle, with which the old farm is well stocked. In addition to his agricultural pursuits, he is quite largely interested in the manufacture of lumber, he being the owner of a capacious and well furnished steam saw mill located at the center. He occupies a leading position in his township, and in his life and character has admirably typified what well directed energy, perseverance and industry will accomplish.

Truman Penfield, third and last child of Truman and Maria (Dayton) Penfield, was born August 3, 1833; married Sarah, daughter of Levi Gaylord, March 20, 1857. He now occupies the position of general ticket and passenger agent for the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad Company, and resides at Hannibal, Missouri. The character for personal integrity and high moral worth which the Penfield family have always maintained, is so well known to the residents of Lorain county that anything of a laudatory nature from us, in this respect, would be superfluous. The desire to improve the locality where he cast his lot nearly sixty years ago, was one of the strongly marked traits of Truman Penfield. His son has done much toward beautifying the homestead, and in adding many improvements, which his father would have done had he lived a few years longer. They have certainly, between them, made Penfield center a delightful as well as a beautiful hamlet, which, in future years, shall remain a monument to their enterprise.

ELISHA SHELDON.

Closely identified with affiairs tending to develop the general interests of the township of Penfield, and always endeavoring, by his life and character, to exercise a beneficial influence in the community of which, for many years he has been a prominent member, Elisha Sheldon to-day deservedly enjoys a foremost position among the best citizens of that township.

Elisha Sheldon was born in the town of Kortright, Delaware county, New York, January 16, 1811. He continued to reside in Kortright until the death of his father, Jonathan Sheldon, which occurred in 1822, when he went to live with an uncle in the adjoining town of Harpersfield, where he lived until he was twenty-two years of age. He was engaged as a team_ ster for Croswell & Dickerman, tanners, of Gilboa, Schoharie county, New York, with whom he continued almost one year. In the spring of 1834, he removed to Ohio and purchased one hundred and eighty- eight acres, located in the town of Pen field, Lorain county, upon which he worked, and also by the month, until the fall, when he returned to New York, and the following year married Sallie Peters, and returned to the new home in Ohio, May 3, 1835. He then put up a log cabin, in the midst of an almost unbroken wilderness, into which he moved before it had windows, and lived therein six months before it had a chimney. In the January following, he built that necessary appendage to a comfortable dwelling, his young wife helping to lay the brick. After the elapse of forty-five years, Mrs. Sheldon very appropriately designates her experience in the brick-laying line, as " the spice of pioneer life." The first year of his settlement, Mr. Sheldon cleared off some six or eight acres and sowed it to wheat. Every year since has witnessed some improvement to his farm,

306 - HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

to which he added seventy acres, subsequent to his original purchase, upon which he still resides. He has deeded to each of his sons a good farm, thus giving them an infinitely better and easier start in life than he ever had.

Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon have had seven children, namely: Sarah E., now the wife of C. E. Starr, resides in Penfield; Daniel P. lives at Wellington; Addison resides on a farm in Wellington township; William L. lives on a farm in Penfield; Charles H. lives at home with his parents, owning a part of the homestead; James M. and John L. are dead, the former dying at the age of five years and five months, and the latter at the age of almost ten years.

In politics Mr. Sheldon is a republican. He has served his township as assessor and trustee several terms. He and his excellent wife are both members of the Penfield Baptist church, of which Mrs. Sheldon is the only one of the constituent members now living. This worthy couple have pnlled together forty-four years, and the prospects are for them to celebrate their golden wedding.

Mr. Sheldon is noted for his liberality in sustaining benevolent and charitable institutions, and for the generous aid he lends to worthy objects connected with religion and education. He is deservedly esteemed as an upright and honest citizen, a good neighbor, a kind husband and an affectionate father. He has lived an industrious and busy life, and in the management of his interests has been careful and economical, so that he and his wife, who has largely assisted him in the accumulation- of his property, can pass their declining years in comparative ease and comfort. Having always been temperate and regular in his habits, he enjoys perfect good health, and bids fair to exceed by many years, the allotted span.

BERI ANDREWS

Prominently connected with the material interests of Penfield, and among its early and respected citizens was the subject of these lines. He was born in Meriden, Connecticut, February 5, 1806. He was the son of Marvel and Sallie (Bronson) Andrews, both of whom were natives of Connecticut, and among the worthy citizens of that State. At the age of twenty-three, Mr. Andrews married Eliza Hall, the union resulting in four children-two sons and two daughters, namely: Bela, now married and settled in Henry county, Illinois; Hannah E., Sarah B. and William B., all living on the homestead farm. Mrs. Andrews died April 21, 1857. On the twenty-ninth of April, 1858, he married Amy, daughter of Jonathan Sheldon. She survives him.

In 1834 Mr. Andrews moved to Lorain county, Ohio, and settled on the farm where his widow now resides. The place then contained over three hundred and fifty acres, of which two hundred acres remains in the family.

Mr. Andrews held several offices, notably those of township clerk and justice of the peace, in which he served with general satisfaction to the people, and with personal credit. He was an exemplary member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, of which he was senior warden for many years. After an eminently useful life Mr. Andrews died October 9, 1868. He was a man who was greatly respected for his many excellent qualities. A good practical farmer, and an industrious and honest citizen, his death was felt as an irreparable loss in the community in which he had lived so long, and in which his worth was well known and so generally appreciated.

A portrait of himself and widow, together with a view of the old homestead, is inserted in this work, as a deserved testimonial of a meritorious life, and as a token of regard from her to whom his many virtues were as a household word, and to whom his death was a sad bereavement.

ORRIN STARR.

Among the representative pioneers of Penfield township, who have materially assisted in the growth and progress of that town, none are more worthy a place in its history than Orrin Starr. Emigrating to this section of the country forty-five years ago, at a time when the territory now embraced within the limits of the township, contained but two frame dwellings, and when the number of families therein did not exceed a half score, he has contributed not a little to its present prosperity. Orrin Starr was born in Delaware county, New York, October 30, 1803. He is the son of Eleazar and Rebecca (Clapp) Starr, old settlers of that county. He received what literary education he ever obtained at the common schools of his native county. When seven years of age his father died, and the duty of helping to provide for his widowed mother devolved upon him, which duty he cheerfully preformed, assisted by his elder brothers. Ins early years were spent on the homestead farm. la 1834 he sold out his interest in the family estate and emigrated to Lorain county, Ohio, and settled on the farm now occnpied by David Drake, and located about one mile and a half northeast of Penfield con for where Mr. Starr now resides. On the 12th of September, 1825, he was married to Abigail, daughter of Heman and Lucinda Hickok, of Schoharie county, New York.

Hon. Heman Hickok was born in Watertown, Connecticut, and removed in an early day to Jefferson, Schoharie county, New York, where he was extensively engaged in farming and milling. He was a public benefactor, and for many years a justice of the peace of his town, a side judge, and also a member of the legislature of the State of New York. In 1823

Residence of Street Goodyear, Penfield, Lorain Co., Ohio

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO - 307

Mr. Hickok and his wife removed to Ashtabula county, Ohio, where three of their sons, Ambrose, Heman C. and Hiram, had preceded them some years.

This worthy couple have now lived together harmoniously for fifty-three years, having celebrated their golden wedding three years ago, surrounded by many relatives and friends. They had eleven children, of whom six survive. The names of the children are as follows : Melinda, deceased ; Minerva and Maria, twins ; the former lives in Penfield, the latter in Michigan; Elizabeth, died in Kansas, Alonzo B. died of disease contracted in the army, at Mount Vernon, Kentucky ; Hiram H. resides in Nebraska, Emma L. deceased ; Edna, resides in Oberlin ; Clapp R., Marian A., deceased. Those living are all married and settled in life and are good and respectable citizens.

Mr. Starr is a republican in politics, and was formerly an old line whig. He was elected to the office of justice of the peace in his township, but resigned after serving about a year, feeling as though his time was required in the management of his personal affairs. He has also been elected to other township offices. Mr. and Mrs. Starr are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church, the latter having joined it in the days of her youth. Mr. Starr now owns a fine farm of two hundred and thirty-seven and a half acres, located at the center, an illustration of the buildings of which, with portraits of himself and wife, appears on another page of this work.

Mr. and Mrs. Starr are not only among the pioneers of their town, but are also among its most respectable and influential citizens ; and no history of the town of Penfield would have been complete without a representation of themselves and their home. Their entire career has been characterized by an honest endeavor to promote the best interests of their children, and to leave a record behind them worthy the emulation of those who follow. Industry, economy and a determination to succeed have been the prime factors of their life work, and the results have been alike flattering and well deserved.

STREET GOODYEAR AND FAMILY.

Eli Goodyear, father of Street, the subject of this sketch, married Sally Hitchcock, both residents of Hampden, Connecticut. They had five children, viz: Chester, Wooster, Ezra, Lucinda and Street.

Street Goodyear was born May 19, 1808, and unfortunately, during his youthful days, he had little opportunity of gaining even a good common school education; but being possessed of a quick and active brain, he, by observation, or rather by intuitive perception, acquired good business qualifications, enabling him to make progress where others might have failed. At the age of eight years he was left without a protector to shield him from the rough, thorny pathway of life; but by rare good sense, and pleasant mien, he won his way step by step up the rugged hill of fortune. He was married November 25, 1834, to Miss Susan A. Jones, of North Madison, Connecticut.

Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Lucy (Austin) Jones were residents of North Madison, Connecticut. They were parents of twelve children, viz: Sally M., Lewis, Austin, Lucy Ann, Nancy, Polly, Caroline, Joseph, Emeline, Henrietta, George and Susan A., all born in North Madison, Connecticut. All are now living excepting Polly and Lucy Ann.

After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Street Goodyear settled in Northford, Connecticut, where four of their children were born, viz: Jane Ann, born March 27, 1836; Gilbert L., born June 25, 1837; Francis R., born October 12, 1841, died October 29, 1849; and Edward S., born August 29, 1843.

In the fall of 1844, the family removed to Penfield, Lorain county, Ohio, establishing a new home amid the wilds of an unbroken forest, where wild beasts roamed at night in search of prey. After settling in this pioneer home, two more jewels were added to the mother's crown, viz: Douglas J., born June 14, 1846; Lucy Ann, born January 4, 1851. Jane Ann married Hiram Witbeck and settled in Penfield; number of children seven. Gilbert L. married Nettie Stewart, of Hinkley, Medina county only one heir. Edward S. married Miss Mary Crane, of Penfield; they have two children. Douglas J. married Miss Mary E. Ecker, of Rousburg, Ashland county, Ohio, three heirs; Lucy Ann remains single, ministering to the wants of the many. Like a sister of mercy, doing good as opportunities are presented.

Politically Mr. Goodyear is a strong and earnest republican.

Mr. and Mrs. Goodyear, early experiencing a change of heart, they became members of the Congregational church in Northford, Connecticut, remaining in good and regular standing until their removal to Ohio.

After a short sojourn in their pioneer home they united with the Methodist Episcopal church, becoming active and efficient members, and workers in the vineyard of the Lord.

The toils and struggles consequent upon a pioneer life, and the many cares laid upon willing hands, have quite unfitted Mrs. Goodyear for enjoying the blessing of health. She being an invalid, is dependent upon others to guide the faltering footsteps along the shore of time. Of a quiet and pleasing address, and social temperament, she wins affection, and binds with cords of love the hearts of her household.

Although Mr. Goodyear's life has been one of almost constant toil, he has ever been personally a stranger to sickness, and yet remains an active, energetic man for one of his years. His persevering industry has yielded a competence sufficient for all necessary wants, and he is wont to compare the present with the past, when immediate wants compelled him to work for his more fortunate neighbors, receiving his pay in grain, which he was forced to take upon his back (for want of an easier conveyance) and go

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to mill in order to secure sustenance for the loved ones at home.

To procure money necessary to pay taxes, he was compelled to fell trees, pile them in immense heaps, then burn to ashes, and convert into black salts, they being the only article that would command cash on delivery in the pioneer days.

How little the sons and daughters of the present time know of the toils and struggles endured to secure the independence now enjoyed by hem. If they would seek for enlightenment, let them question such men as Mr. Goodyear, whose life lessons were learned in the tread-mill of experience.