Medina, Medina County, Ohio

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CHAPTER VII.

MEDINA TOWNSHIP -DESCRIPTION AND TOPOGRAPHY —COMING OF THEWHITES

WOODS - INDUSTRIES OF THE PIONEERS -EARLY INCIDENTS RELiGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL— VILLAGES..

AN unbroken forest that when clothed in its robes of summer luxuriance, was almost impenetrable to the rays of the noonday sun and shut out his light from the virgin earth beneath ! No sound. other than the war of the tempest. the howl of the wild beast, the yell of the Indian, had ever echoed through its gloomy aisles. until the advent of the sturdy pioneer. Far off in his New England home. reports had come to him, as he toiled among his sterile hills. of a land lying away to the West. that flowed, at least figuratively. with milk and honey. and had determined him to seek in this fabled land the wealth it promised. As healighted from his lumbering wagon. drawn hither by oxen. the whole range of his vision took in a wild and tangled forest, nothing more. No human habitations. no churches. no villages. no schoolhouses. dotted the landscape, or nestled in the heavily timbered groves. It was a picture little calculated to inspire enthusiasm in the new comer. and less determined men would have despaired at the uninviting prospect unfolded before them. But their strong arm and indomitable energy have triumphed and wrought a grand transformation in the sixty odd years that have come and gone since the first white man squatted in this section of the country. In

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the pages preceding, matters pertaining to the county at large have been taken up. and the different threads of its history fully carried out. In this chapter, our business is with Medina Township. and everything in its history will be treated of in its proper place.

The township of Medina lies just north of the center of the county. and is bounded north by Brunswick Township. east by Granger. south by Montville. and west by York. It is a little less than a full township. being only about four and a half miles north and south. by four and a half miles east and west. and is designated as Township 3 north, Range 14 west. It is somewhat rolling and even hilly in places, but not enough so to render much of it unfit • for cultivation. It is sufficiently rolling. however. to require little or no artificial drainage. A heavy growth of timber originally covered the entire township. comprising the different species indigenous to this section of the State. viz.: oak, beech. maple. hickory, ash. with a little poplar and walnut. together with some of the smaller shrubs.

The soil is mostly of a clayey nature, and produces corn, oats and wheat bountifully, and also is adapted to grazing. and is used considerably in that way. Some attention is paid to stock, particularly cattle, and the dairy business is one of the large and valuable industries of the township, though not so extensively carried on now as it was a few years ago. The township has an excellent natural drainage. The most important stream is the Rocky River, which traverses it in almost all. directions ; a branch flowing from northeast to southeast. by way of Weymouth, then, taking a curve, it passes on to the northwest, leaving the township near the northwest corner. It has any number of branches and tributaries, most of which are small, and many of them nameless on the maps, but afford to the land most excellent drainage. and to the farmer an abundance of stock water. In early times. Rocky River was utilized by thepioneers. who built a number of mills along its tortuous course, for which it furnished good water power. One railroad passes through a corner of Medina Township, which, since its completion, has been of great benefit to the people as a means of bringing markets nearer home. and as affording a mode of travel and transportation superior to what they had before enjoyed.

Medina Township was settled principally from the old Nutmeg State. consequent upon the fact. perhaps, that this entire section, known as "the Reserve." belonged originally to Connecticut. as fully noted in another part of this work. But few of the early settlers of Medina, therefore. but were "Connecticut Yankees," as they were termed by the people from other States. They brought their natural thrift and energy and persevering will with them. qualifications essentially necessary in the wilderness life that opened up before them. These characteristics bore them safely over the trials and privations of border life and led them through all difficulties to final prosperity and happiness.

The larger portion of the land in this township was owned by one Elijah Boardman, a native of New Milford. Conn. In 1795, he became a member of the Connecticut Laud Company, and was thus made the proprietor of large tracts of land in the Western Reserve. A few others owned small tracts in Medina Township. among whom were Homer Boardman. Judson Canfield. Z. Briggs, Roger Skinner and perhaps some others. The township was surveyed. in 1810, into eighty-one lots of equal size. the better to suit purchasers of that day, who were generally men of small means. The first cabin erected in the township was on Lot 22. by a man named Hinman. He and his brothers cleared about three acres; built a small cabin. in which they lived for a short time. But fearing the Indians, who were troublesome in this region in consequence of the war of 1812. then in progress. the Hillmans left their

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little improvement in one of the periodical scares of the time. and never returned.

The first permanent settler in Medina Township was Zenas Hamilton, a native of Danbury. Conn. He had made a purchase of some land in the township and determined to occupy it. and so, in the latter part of the summer of 1814. he made preparations to move hither. He left Harpersfield. N. Y.. where he had been living for a short time, and. in October. I814, arrived in Medina Township. He went into the deserted cabin of Hinman. Lot 22 being a part of his purchase. As soon as he could build another and more commodious cabin, he moved his family into it. This latter cabin. however. was not a palace by any means. but strictly of the primitive and pioneer pattern, being innocent of any iron: even a nail. It was built of logs or poles. one story high. with clapboard roof and puncheon floor and door, the puncheons fastened with wooden pegs instead of nails. and the boards of the roof held to their places with ‘ weight poles.' Mr. Hamilton and his family were alone in Medina Township monarchs of all they surveyed"—for a year and a half before another family arrived in the neighborhood to relieve them of their utter loneliness. Their fare at best was meager. and sometimes required the utmost exertions to obtain a sufficiency to satisfy the cravings of hunger. To such extremities were they often reduced, that they would put corn into a leather bag and pound it into a coarse meal or hominy. At other times they were forced to shell out wheat and rye by hand, and boil it. to maintain life until they could get meal from the mill, twenty or thirty miles distant. by measurement, but. taking the roads of the times into consideration. some fifty or seventy-five miles. No one of the present day can begin to realize their trials and privations. Experience was necessary to form a just idea of them. Hamilton was quite a hunter. and through this means was enabled to supply hisfamily with plenty of meat. Deer and bears were numerous, and during the first few years he killed fifteen bears, besides a great number of deer and turkeys. These additions to the family pantry were of great benefit, and served them in the place of pork and beef. The following incident is told of him, which shows his prowess in hunting : He was out in the forest one day, and, approaching a large oak tree, discovered a bear at the foot, eating acorns, and, as he looked up. saw in the tree the old one and her two cubs. getting off the acorns. Knowing that, as soon as he fired at the one on the ground. it would be the signal for the rapid descent of those in the tree, he prepared for the emergency, by taking some bullets in his mouth and making every preparation for hastily reloading his gun. He then shot the larger bear at the foot of the tree, then hastily put some powder in his gun, spit a ball into the muzzle. gave it a chug" on the ground, causing it to prime itself (this was before the invention of percussion caps), and in this way shot the others before they could get down and away, thus piling them in a heap at the foot of the tree in a very short time.

Mr. Hamilton was, for many years, a prominent and active member of frontier society, and a most worthy citizen. His cabin was the general stopping place of early settlers, until they could find a shelter, or erect a cabin of their own. He died near the township center, many years ago. and was mourned by a large circle of friends. The next settler in Medina Township to Hamilton was James Moore, who arrived in the early part of March, 1816. In a narrative published by him, he says : " At this time. Zenas Hamilton and family were the only inhabitants in the township. While I was getting material together on Lot 52 for a cabin, James Palmer, Chamberlin and Marsh arrived, and assisted me in putting up my cabin, being the third in the township; this must have been in the fore part of April, 1816.

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I cut and cleared, without team: three acres, where David Nettleton's house now stands, and planted it with corn, and left it in care of Jacob Marsh, and the last of May, 1816, I started for Boston, returning in October of same year. During my absence, several cabins were erected. In April, 1816. Mr. Hulet. in the west part of Brunswick. was, after Zenas Hamilton. my nearest neighbor in that direction, and Mr. Mott. east on the old Smith road, each about seven miles from my cabin."

Mr. Moore had come to the new country, and prepared a home for his family. who came on with Andrew Seaton and family in 1818. They were (Moores) from Massachusetts. and remained upon the place of his original settlement. viz.: Lot 52. until about 1829, when, in partnership with one of the Northrops. he erected a substantial log house on Lot 73. where they remained until 1832. They cleared up a good farm on Lot 73, putting up all needed buildings. planting fruit trees, etc., when they sold out to Daniel Northrop. After selling the farm opened on Lot 73, he, in company with Erastus Luce. purchased a farm in the northwest part of Medina, near Abbeyville, built a fine mansion, improved the place highly, and in a few years again sold out. He seems to have been a man who was not long contented in a place. as we learn of several removals made from one section of the township to another, when he finally sold out and removed to Lake County. Ill.. where he resided for a number of years. and where he lived 'at last accounts of him. Mr. Moore gives the following incident , connected with his trip to this township : " We spent several days in running lines, but, finding that wherever I selected a lot it was reserved, I made the best excuse I could and left for Mr. Doan's, and soon became acquainted with Capt. Seymour, who volunteered to show me the mill site. where he and Mr. Doan would soon erect a mill in the township of Medina. Accordingly, the Captain, with tin cup, rifle. and a most formidable butcher knife, led the way, and, as if by instinct, found his way some ten or eleven miles through a dense forest. After viewing the mill site, we descended the branch of Rocky River, as far as Lot 52, and, after some examination, found our way to Zenas Hamilton's, where we spent the night. In the morning the beech-tree, conspicuous as the seat of justice of Medina County, was visited; and, if size gives importance, this tree was truly important. It stood some forty or fifty feet a little north of east, in front of the old court house."

Another of' the pioneer families of Medina Township, was Abijah Marsh's. They were from Windham County. Vt., and came to this township in November. 1816. in wagons, and were forty-two days on the road. Upon his arrival. his family consisted of the parents. two daughters, one of them named Lydia. a woman grown, and four sons, from nine to eighteen years of age. Jacob, an elder son, had come out the winter previous, and entered some land adjoining Zenas Hamilton's on the north, and had cleared some five acres during the summer. The family moved into a vacant cabin a little south of Hamilton's, until they could build on the land that had been entered by Jacob Marsh. Says Mr. Marsh in a communication to the Gazette : " The inhabitants of the township at that time were Zenas Hamilton, living about three-quarters of a mile north of the center of ' the township. and Rufus Ferris. who settled a few months before near where the county seat is now located. There were two bachelor establishments, one near the present site of Bagdad, occupied by Capt. James Moore, and a sailor named Copps, the other about one and a half miles northeast of Mr. Hamilton's, occupied by James Palmer. and one or two of his brothers. These were all the residents of the township when we arrived in the fall of 1816." A circumstance occurred soon after the arrival of the Marsh family. in which one of the daugh-

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ters (Lydia) figured prominently. which will be given in connection with pioneer incidents. further on in this chapter. In 1820, Harmon Munson and wife and Joseph Pritchard and family came in and settled near the center. The Munsons are an old and respected family in the county.

Within three years from the first settlement made in Medina Township by Zenas Hamilton, the following additional settlers arrived from Connecticut and made improvements : Rufus Ferris. Noah M. Bronson. Joseph. N. B. and Duthan Northrop. the Warners. William Painter. Lathrop Seymour. Gad Blakslee. and perhaps others. Mr. Ferris. who was the agent of Boardman. the owner of the land. arrived in the township on the 11th day of .June. 1816. He settled about half' a mile north of the public square of Medina. where he erected a comfortable to house. and. as the was the land agent. his house soon became the stopping-place of newcomers. He was originally from New Milford. and. upon his arrival here, built a sort of shanty. into which they stowed their things. while they did all their work in the open air. and Mrs. Ferris did her cooking and baking every day by the side of a fallen tree. Ferris had a number of men at work. and pushed forward the chopping and clearing so rapidly that they soon had corn and wheat growing where but a short time before was an unbroken wilderness. In 1817. Ferris had the first frame barn put up ever built in the township. He employed J. and N. B. Northrop to do the work. and " help " for raising the huge affair was partly obtained from Liverpool and Brunswick Townships. Not being able to complete the building the first day. the hands remained overnight and finished it next morning. The following incident is related of this barn-raising: ". Ferris, being fond of fun, prepared too large pails of milk-punch, sweet but strong with whisky, and,

in a short time. six or eight of those who drank most freely, were on their backs feeling upward for terra firma." The raising was finished in the morning, and when completed " Uncle John Hickox," as he was called, went up on the end rafter and walked the " ridge-pole " to the other end and down again to the " plate." This barn was afterward used in which to hold some of the early courts of Medina County. Mr. Ferris was a man of considerable prominence in the neighborhood, and much respected among his fellow-citizens. Mr. Bronson came from Plymouth. and settled here in October, 1816. Hiram Bronson came to the township with the family when small. His mother rode most of the distance on horseback, and carried her infant. He has served two terms in the State Legislature. and has been a prominent citizen in the community. He drove the first cattle from Medina Township to market, and hauled the first dour from the same place to Cleveland ; also hauled potash there with ox team, bringing back salt. These trips usually occupied five days. Of the Warners, there were David. George. James and E. A. Warner, who came about 1817-18. The Bronsons and Warners are old and respected families, and many descendants are still living in town and county, and are among the most worthy citizens. Mr. Bronson, in company with one of the Warners, purchased Lots 37. 54 and 55, which they improved, and upon which they settled.

The Northrops, one of the prominent families of the township, came in I816-17. Duthan came first and built a cabin on Lot 30, for his father, Joseph Northrop. who had stopped with his family at Nelson, in Portage County. He waited there for snow, that the trip might be more easily made by " sledding." The last of January. 1817. he came on to Medina, and went into the house with Ferris until his own could be finished. It had been put up by Duthan, and covered, and now, in order to make mud, or mortar, for the purpose of daubing the cracks, they had to heat water, and dig through the snow, then eight inches deep. But patience and

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perseverance triumphed. and they moved into their own cabin on the 6th of February. It was without floor, door or chimney. and the weather was very cold. There was. however, plenty of wood convenient, and they managed to keep comfortable, and in a few days a stick chimney was added to their primitive home. Puncheons were then hewed, and 'a door was made ; bedsteads were manufactured from poles, a few rude stools. and their household furniture was complete. Mr. Northrop. as we have stated, was from Connecticut. He was born in Brookfield. and his wife in Stratford ; he died July 21. 1843. in the seventy-eighth year of his age, and his wife December 26. 1851, aged eighty-two years. His family consisted of Nira B.. Betsey (Mrs. Johnson), Duthan. Eliza (Mrs. Barnes), Morris and Mary. The latter died unmarried. Morris and Gen. Duthan Northrop are still living—the others are all dead. Gen. Northrop lives at Mentor. and is a neighbor to Gen. Garfield, whom he knows well. Nira B., Betsey and Morris all lived to celebrate their golden weddings ; Duthan's wife died a short time before their fiftieth marriage anniversary. William Painter, Gad Blakslee and Lathrop Seymour came in the spring of 1817. Painter and Blakslee were from Plymouth. and Seymour from Waterbury. Blakslee died years ago, and of Painter we were unable to learn-anything definite.

Capt. Seymour was a prominent man in the community. He left Connecticut with his family in the latter part of September, 1807, in company with four other families with ox teams. Through mud and mire they finally arrived at Buffalo, where they took passage in a small. dirty vessel, and, after a tiresome voyage of several weeks. arrived at Erie, Penn. At this place Mr. Seymour left them and started for Euclid, while his wife continued her journey on foot, in company with another family. Horses were procured at Euclid. and Seymour met them forty miles from Erie, and took them to Euclid,where they spent the winter. and in the spring went to Cleveland and remained there three months. They then removed to Columbia, where they suffered severely with the ague, and during their stay there lost a child. They next went to Huron. and, war being declared between the United States and England. soon after. Mr. Seymour enlisted as a soldier. and his wife was left alone most of the time with her children. In 1814 Mr. Seymour having served out his time in the army. they moved to Liverpool, where they boarded the hands that worked in the salt-works. From this place, they again went to Columbia. and in March. I 816. came to Medina to look at a mill site. which he and Mr. Doan had lately purchased. In April. I817, he moved to Medina and settled permanently. He took his family into a little log shanty, so small that when their beds were spread down they covered the entire floor. In company with Doan. he built a sawmill in the fall of 1817, and the next year built a gristmill at Weymouth. These were the first mills in the township. Capt. Seymour and his family suffered all the privations common in a new country at that early period. Once they were without bread for three weeks, and had to live on meat, potatoes and milk. This was before Seymour built his mill at Weymouth. and the nearest mill was four days distant with ox teams. Capt. Seymour died in December. 1835, but his wife survived him many years. living to a good old age.

Chamberlin and Marsh. who came to the township with James Palmer in the spring of 1816, did not remain long, but soon removed to Sullivan. James Palmer. who. as we have said, came with Chamberlin and Marsh, built a cabin on Lot I6. and opened a large farm. which he reduced to a fine state of cultivation ; and upon which he lived until his death. which occurred iii February. I850. He is described by those who knew him. as a just and upright man and worthy citizen ; highly esteemed and re-

PICTURE OF AUSTIN BADGER

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spected by all who knew him. Timothy Doan. Samuel Y. Potter. Isaac Barnes and a Mr. Calender and a few other families settled in the township in I817. Shortly after the arrival of those mentioned above. F. A. Abbott. with his family. came in and located on Lot 33. north half: while Augustus Philips settled on the south half of same lot. Philips' father and mother came in I820. They were colored people. and are said to have been descendants of the noted Indian chief—King Philip. In I8I8. David Allen. John Briggs. S. B. Welton. Eden Hamilton and their families moved in and became settlers. Eden Hamilton. Jr.. Jacob R. Welton and David Nettleton had preceded them a short time. and were already permanent settlers of the township. Several other families came soon after. but remained a short time and then went West. Giles Barnes settled on Lot 71 in 1818 ; his brother, John Barnes. came at the same time. They were from West Hartford. Conn. John went to Michigan. where he finally died. Isaac Barnes came from Camden. N. Y.. to this township. and some years later removed to Michigan.

The Clarks were another of the pioneer families of Medina Township. Ransom and John L. Clark, brothers. came in May. I817. They purchased a part of Lot 43. and. until they could build a shanty, they slept under their wagon, which they weather-boarded " with elm-bark. They built a cabin of such poles as they could themselves handle, the floor and ceiling of which were made of bark. In this they kept bachelor's hall through the summer. and during the following winter. Ransom, who was a joiner, worked at his trade in Wooster, while John L. taught school in Columbia. The next spring, (1818) Dr. B. B. Clark, a brother to Ransom and John, arrived in the township, and brought the information that their father. John Clark. Sr.. was coming. and might be expected in a short time. They at once commenced cutting logs for a cabin for the family, and had it upand partly covered when their father arrived. The roof was soon finished. and the family crossed the river on driftwood (the river being very high at the time). leaving the teams behind. They carried their bed-ticks over with them, and filled them with straw and leaves, and lodged in their new cabin in true pioneer style. and. like those around them. fared as best they could. They were on the road forty days from Bridgewater. Conn.. and arrived in June. 1818. They were good. upright citizens, and there are still numerous descendants in the county. The parents of Levi Chapin were among the early settlers in Brunswick Township, but afterward moved into this township, where Levi now lives, a worthy representative. They were from Berkshire County. Mass.. and came to Ohio in I816, by ox team. The elder Chapin had traded a farm in Massachusetts for wild land in the ". Reserve," upon which he settled upon his arrival here. Capt. Seth S. Walker was from Massachusetts; also. and settled in Medina Township in 1833. He was in the war of 1812, and served in the Fortieth Regiment of Infantry. He and his good lady celebrated their golden wedding in Medina on the 9th of July, 1867, at which many friends were present. including thirty-six children and grandchildren. He is now eighty-six and his wife eighty-two years of age, and are living on the old homestead with their son Andrew. Matthew L. and A. Hamilton came in 1818. They were cousins of Zenas Hamilton, the first settler of the township. Each of them entered 100 acres of land—Matthew's where he now lives. In the fall of the year, he returned to New York on foot, where he married in August. 1821, and in the fall came back to Medina in a two-horse wagon. Charles M. Cook came to the township with his father's family in 1818. from Connecticut. He died January 1, 1877. Stephen N. Sargent came from Boston, Mass., and settled in Medina Township about 1817, and was a man of some prominence.

Capt. Austin Badger is another of the pio-

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neers of Medina Township, and among the oldest in the county now living. He is a native of New York. and. during the war of 1812, bore his share of the privations of soldier life. In 1818, he came to Ohio, and in May of that year located in Medina Township. He found. upon his arrival in a new country, a striking contrast to the civilized community he had left the cabins were few and very far between. and of the rudest construction. He built the first double-log house on the present site of Medina Village. and with one Hickox. who was a married man. opened a tavern. the first in the neighborhood. In this tavern court was held, before the building of a court house. Capt. Badger took the contract for clearing off the public square. in 1819. and. also. for the building of the first court house. He is still living in the village of Medina. though. in a few years after he came to the county. he removed into Montville Township. where he lived until he settled in Medina. some years ago. We are indebted to him for many particulars relating to the history, both of Medina Township and the county at large. The Nettletons were among the early settlers of the township. Five members of the family came in between 1818 and 1832, and three of them celebrated their golden weddings.

But emigrants were now coming in rapidly. the vacant land was being taken up. and settlements made to such an extent as to preclude the possibility of the historian keeping pace with them. Soon there was not a vacant lot in the township. and the settlers' cabins were found in very close proximity to each other.

For the first few years. the pioneers had to suffer more or less for the actual necessities of life. Bread and potatoes were extremely scarce. in consequence of the distance to where they were to be obtained. At one time, N. B. Northrop went fifteen miles and paid $10 for twenty bushels of potatoes. and $5 to get them hauled home. Some time previously, he hadgone twenty miles for a load of wheat. paid 81.50 per bushel for it, got it ground and then paid a like sum to get it home. He also. it is said. paid $3 for the first bushel of salt, $34.30 for the first cow. and $26 for the first barrel of pork. At another time. Mr. Northrop and F. A. Abbott paid 811 for a barrel of Liverpool salt. and it fell short one-tenth. All this falls far short of the privations actually endured by the hardy settlers. who had staked their all upon hewing out a home in the wildernes. Says Howe. in his historical collections of Ohio. referring to Medina "Owing to the want of a market. the products of agriculture were very low. Thousands of bushels of wheat could at one time be bought for less than. 25 cents per bushel. and cases occurred where ten bushels were offered for a single pound of tea. and refused. As an example Joel Blakslee of Medina. about the year 1822. sowed fifty-five acres in wheat. which he could only sell by bartering with his neighbors. He fed out most of it in bundles to his cattle and swine. All that he managed to dispose of for cash was a small quantity sold to a traveler for 12 1/2 cents per bushel. as feed for his horse. Other product; were in proportion. One man brought an ox-wagon. filled with corn. from Granger. eight miles distant. which he gladly exchanged for' three yards of satinet for a pair of pantaloons. It was not until the opening of the Erie Canal. that the settlers had a market. From that time the course of' prosperity has been onward. The early settlers. after swearing out their woolen pantaloons. were obliged to have them seated and kneed with buckskin. in which attire they attended church. It was almost impossible to raise wool. in consequence of the abundance of wolves destroying the sheep." n addition to alt these little annoyances and discomforts. many dangers existed. The woods were full of wild beasts. some of which would not hesitate to attack human beings when pressed by hunger. and if a person chanced to get lost in the for-

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ests. they ran great danger of being devoured by them.

The following incident. which occurred in 1816. is told in a communication written by the brother. of the lady who figures in the affair. and published in the Medina Gazette. December 17. 1869 "About two weeks after our settlement [the Marshes] in Medina. the Palmers went to Sullivan to assist in surveying that township into lots, and my sister. Lydia Marsh. went there to keep house for them in their absence. My brother generally went over to stay with her during the night. One evening he went over just at dusk. and. not finding her in the house. went out to the cowyard. supposing she was milking the cow. He found the milk-pail hanging on the barpost. but Lydia and the cow were absent. My brother remained until after dark. shouting and calling her name. but. hearing no answer to his repeated calls. returned home and gave the alarm. Mr. Hamilton turned out. and we procured the assistance of Moore and Copps. Mr. Ferris lived live miles away, and was not called upon. The search for her was kept up through the night. between Palmer's and where Weymouth is now located. as the cattle were in that direction. and we rightly judged that it was in an attempt to find the cow that she became lost. A horrid din of all kinds of sounds was kept up at Palmer's house during the night, and the party who prosecuted the search in the woods kept shouting. but no trace of the lost one could be discovered. In the morning. we all assembled at our cabin. and. after hastily swallowing some breakfast, held a consultation as to the best mode of procedure. We were somewhat alarmed. and there was just cause for our fears. It had rained in the fore part of the evening. but before midnight turned cold. commenced snowing and froze hard. We supposed she had become exhausted with fatigue and benumbed with cold. and. if she had not already perished. would soon. if not found. The plan adopted was to send a message to arouse the inhabitants of Liverpool, the nearest settlement of much extent. and renew the search at once. A person was dispatched to Liverpool. and we had taken a few steps toward Palmer's. when Lydia suddenly made her appearance. looking some years older than she did the clay before, but otherwise safe and sound. We called our messenger back, who was not yet out of hearing, and all repaired to the house to hear her story. We were somewhat excited ; the sudden transition from fearful foreboding to the certainty of her safety was not calculated to produce coolness on our part. In the first excess of joy at her safety, . we all had to have our jokes at her forlorn appearance before we could listen to her story ; but, when the excitement had subsided, she gave us the history of her wanderings. The Palmers had one cow and a yoke of oxen. which ran in the woods. The cow usually came up at night and was shut in a small yard. There was a bell on one of the oxen, but none on the cow. Mr. Palmer had told Lydia. if the cow failed to come up at night. not to go into the woods after her ; but she disobeyed his injunction and hence was lost. The afternoon was cloudy, and Lydia. busy with her work. did not notice the lateness of the hour until it began to grow dark in the house. She then took her milk-pail and hastened to the cowyard. The cow was not there. but she heard the bell over toward where Weymouth is now located, and. as it did not appear to be more than half a mile distant. she hung her pail on the bar-post and started after the cow. It grew dark rapidly, and when she found the oxen the cow was not near enough to be seen. She depended on the cow to lead her home. and hunted for her until it was quite dark, and, in wandering around in the search, she became uncertain which way home was situated. In her dilemma she started the oxen. in hopes that they would lead her home ; she could follow them by the

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sound of the bell, but could not see them at the distance of ten feet. The oxen, however, had no idea of going home, and, when she became convinced they would not, she left them and undertook to find the way without them. She was in error as to the place where she left the oxen. She supposed it was north of Palmer's, on or near the line of Brunswick, and this mistake led to another, which cost her eight or ten miles' travel in the morning. A drizzling rain had set in early in the evening. and, in the almost total darkness that surrounded her, she fell into a creek and of course was thoroughly wet. The wind had got into the north, the snow was falling, it was freezing rapidly, and she began to realize some of the discomforts of being lost in the woods in a stormy night. About midnight, she stepped on ground that seemed to have been trodden clown harder than that she had traveled over, and, feeling with her hands, found ruts made by wagon wheels, and knew she was in a road. It was too dark to think of following it. and she concluded to wait until morning. Sitting down by the side of a tree. she pulled off her stockings, wrung the water out, wrapped her feet in her clothes, and awaited the coming of daylight. She supposed she had struck the road between Hamilton's and Liverpool, and, if her absence was not discovered, she intended to get back to Palmer's in the morning. and not let anybody know she had been lost. Toward morning, she heard the roosters crowing but a little way off to the north. but. believing they were in Liverpool, she did not go to the house in the morning, as she would have to tell them she had been lost, and she had some hopes of being able to keep the secret of her night's experience in the woods. Her stockings were frozen in the morning so she could not get them on her feet, so she put on her shoes without them and started south. The place where she stayed overnight was about eighty rods south of our cabin, and a little further from Hamilton's, where she heard the chickens crow ; and of course she went directly from home. She first took the road running southeast from the center, and followed it about three miles, as near as we could judge from her description, then came back and took the road to Ferris' and followed that to the river. and then knew from our description of the crossing where she was, turned about and came home."

The above incident took place within a few miles of the county seat of Medina County. As we look around us at the farms and pleasant homesteads. standing so thick that one may travel all day and never be out of sight of some farmhouse, it is rather difficult to realize all that is contained in the words, " lost in the woods," and that. too, only sixty or seventy years ago, when. for miles and miles. the forest was dark and almost impenetrable. except to wolves, bears, panthers and other ravenous beasts. and the cabin of the settler was to be found at rare intervals. The young lady who figured as the heroine of this rather unfortunate circumstance. resided for many years in Medina County. the wife of Uriah M. Chappell. They, at different times. lived in Wadsworth. Guilford and York.

Medina Township was one of the first created after the formation of Medina County. and was originally organized by order of the Commissioners of Portage County, before Medina County got her machinery into good running order. The order issued by the Portage County Commissioners to hold an election. was dated March 24, 1818. This election was for township officers, and organization was effected by appointing Isaac Barnes. Noah M. Bronson and Abraham Scott. Judges ; and Samuel Y. Potter. Clerk of Election. The following township officers were duly elected : Joseph Northrop. Abraham Scott and Timothy Doan, Township Trustees ; Isaac Barnes. Township Clerk ; Rufus Ferris and Lathrop Seymour, Overseers of the Poor; Abijah Marsh and Benjamin Hull, Fence

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Viewers ; James Palmer. Lister : Rufus Ferris. James Moore, Zenas Hamilton and William Painter, Supervisors ; Samuel Y. Potter and Ransom Clark. Constables. and James Moore.

Treasurer. These first officers have long since paid the debt of nature, and not one is now living. As will be seen, settlers were so scarce in the township that there were not men enough to fill the few offices. but several had to take two offices apiece. Thus was the township legally organized, and the first officers elected to administer its affairs according to law. Zenas Hamilton was the first Justice of the Peace for Medina Township. The following incident of his ideas of equity and justice is related in Northrop's history of the county : Joseph Northrop had bought a pig from a Mr. Woodward. of Bath. As the money was not sent quite as soon as Woodward had expected. he sent his claim (82) to Zenas Hamilton. with orders for him to sue on it. But Squire Hamilton. rather than send a summons, went two miles through the woods. informed Mr. Northrop of the fact. and told him that if he would say that the money should he in hand. three months from that time he would do no more about it : and thus the matter ended." in those primitive days. when people. in the simplicity of their hearts. were thoroughly honest. civil officers were frequently much more ready to save their neighbors trouble and expense than to pocket a paltry fee for a small lawsuit.

At the beginning of the settlement of Medina County, the people encountered many difficulties in obtaining bread. The nearest mills were twenty and thirty miles distant. and required from five to ten days to make a trip with ox teams. which were then the usual means of hauling and milling. The first mill in Medina Township was a sawmill erected by Seymour & Doan, in 1817. The nearest gristmills were at Middlebury and Stowe, which, in the best of weather and the best condition of roads, was a four days' journey with ox teams. The nextyear they built a gristmill adjoining their sawmill, which had been erected where Weymouth now stands. This was the mill site mentioned by James Moore in his narrative pertaining to the early settlement of Medina. Moore & Stevens erected a sawmill early in the year 1818. at Bagdad. near the center of the township. It was soon afterward purchased by James Warner, who, with his son-in-law, Stephen N. Sargent, put up a gristmill in 1820, just below the sawmill. These early mills were a great benefit to the pioneers, and relieved them of the long, tedious journeys to mills at a distance. The township and town of Medina are now supplied with as fine mills as may be found in the State of Ohio, and the people of today,, who have the best of mill facilities at their very doors, can, with difficulty, realize what their forefathers had to encounter here sixty or seventy years ago, in the one simple feature of procuring meal and flour.

The early roads of Medina were merely trails through the forest, in which the underbrush was cut out to enable wagons to pass. One of the first of these was from Liverpool to Squire Ferris', and which passed Zenas Hamilton's. Another of the early roads branched off from the one above mentioned, at the Center, in a southeasterly direction. striking the " Smith road," near the corner of the township. The people had only ox teams, and these rough roads cut through the woods, after being passed over a few times, became impassable from mud, compelling them to continually open new ones. Some years later. a road was opened from Cleveland to Wooster, and afterward extended to Columbus, known as the Columbus and Cleveland stage road. This road passed through Medina, and was. in the early days of the country, a great thoroughfare of travel, being a stage route between the north and south parts of the State. Medina has improved, however, in respect to its roads, as well as in many others. Good roads now pass through the

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township in every direction. with substantial bridges spanning all the little streams. so that locomotion is not retarded in any respect. but uninterrupted travel may be enjoyed with the outer world, without danger of sticking fast in the mud, or being drowned in some swollen stream.

The first birth. death and marriage, in a new settlement. are objects of considerable interest to the people. The firstborn in a neighborhood grows up an individual of great importance the first wedding is an event that is long remembered, while the first funeral and the first grave in a lonely wilderness engenders sad and mournful reflections that shadow the community for years. Of the first birth in Medina Township. there are conflicting statements. One authority says : The first person born was Matthew. son of Zenas Hamilton. June 9. 1815." This is doubtless correct. as Zenas Hamilton was the first actual settler in the township and located as early as the fall of 1814. It is told of this first born of Medina Township. that, when he arrived at maturity, he studied medicine and went West. where he had worked himself into a good practice as a physician, and. in crossing a river one day. to see a patient. was drowned. The first girl born is claimed to have been Eliza Sargent. now Mrs. Judge Humphreville. who was born in August. 1818. This first birth of a female is contested by Samantha Doan. now Mrs. Slade. whose post office address is Collamer, it being claimed that she was born in June preceding the birth of Eliza Sargent, which took place. as given above, in August. The first death is said to have been a young daughter of Asahel Parmalee. from Vermont. while stopping in the settlement on their way to Sullivan. It occurred early in the spring of 1817. Another of the early deaths of the township. occurred at the raising of a log barn for Giles Barnes. August 12. 1819. Barnes lived on Lot 71, and. in raising a heavy barn. a man named Isaac J. Pond.in taking up a rafter. was killed. He had got up on the house with the rafter. and was standing on the end of the butting-pole." when it rolled and he. losing his balance. fell. and the rafter struck him on the head. causing instant death. His little son. Henry N. Pond. was three mouths old that day, and his mother. the wife of Mr. Pond. on hearing of his sudden death. fainted away. The remains of the deceased were interred the next day. and the bereaved ones had the sincere sympathy of the entire community. The grave was on Lot 33. a little west of where F. A. Abbott lived. It is a sad coincidence. that the child. Henry N. Pond. referred to above. was. some thirty years later. then the head of a family of his own. killed by the fall of a dead tree. while at work in his field. Both father and son were much-respected and worthy citizens. Thus. as the seasons roll on. so do the shady and sunny sides of this life appear. The first couple married in the township were Giles Barnes and Eliza Northrop. on the 23d of March. 1818. It was a time of great rejoicing. and the whole neighborhood turned out on masse to celebrate. Invitations had been sent out to all the dwellers in the township to attend. The ceremony was performed by Rev. B. Searle. an Episcopal clergyman. and the first preacher in the township. The festivities were continued to a late hour ; but. as " the boys " had provided a good supply of torch bark. when the ceremonies and rejoicings were over. they went to their homes. lighted on their way by their bark torches. Some were said to have been a little high from the effects of' the wine they had drank. This. however. was not considered in the least extraordinary (even for some clergymen at that day), under such circumstances as a frontier wedding. Whisky did not contain so much poison then as at the present day. hence was not so dangerous.

The cause of education in Medina Township is coeval with its settlement by white people.

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They came from a section of the country where the education of the youth was considered one of the first and greatest duties of the time. The first school taught here is said to have been taught by Eliza Northrop. in the old log meeting-house built by the people in 1817. In the summer of the same year, she taught school, and among her pupils were Joseph. Ruth. Elizabeth and Mary Hamilton; George, Lucius. Carlos and Lester Barnes ; Banner and Harrison Seymour ; Jared and Mary Doan ; Anna, Cynthia. Philemon, Chloe. Ruth and Madison Rice : Clement and Freeman Marsh ; Frank and Philander Calender. and Lois and Liusa Palmer—twenty-three all told. Probably not one of the pupils of this pioneer school is now living. More than sixty years have passed since it was taught. In that period the school system has been much perfected, and school facilities increased according to the demands of the time. The following statistics from the last report of the Board of Education, show the present state of the schools of Medina Township :

Balance on hand September 1. 1879..................$615 79

State tax ..............................................................270 00

Irreducible fund ....................................................17 00
Township tax fur school and schoolhouse pur-

pose? ..............................................................506 35

Total ...............................................................$1,409 44

Whole amount paid teachers.............$603 50

Paid for fuel. etc .................................165 10

Total expenditures ...............................................768 60

Balance on hand September 1, 1880.................. $640 84

Children between the ages of six and twenty-one years : Males. 81 ; females 91; total, 172. There are in the township five comfortable schoolhouses. valued at $3.000. The best and most competent teachers are employed, and good schools are maintained for the usual term each year.

The religious history of Medina Township dates back almost to the first settlement. The first preacher was the Rev. R. Searle, an Episcopal minister. He was here as early as the spring of 1817. The first public religious service. of which we have a reliable account. was held at the house of Zenas Hamilton, on the 11th of March in the above year. At this meeting. Rev. Mr. Searle preached the first sermon delivered in the new settlement. He had been the Rector of St. Peter's Church. Plymouth, Conn. Services were also held the next clay, when Rev. William Hanford preached ; he was a missionary from Connecticut. A short time after this, Rev. Searle organized St. Paul's parish of Medina. This was what is now St. Paul's Church of Medina Village. though organized originally in a distant part of the township. Some of the first members were Rufus Ferris, Miles Seymour. Benjamin Hull, Harvey Hickox. David Warner. William Painter. George Warner, M. B. Welton and Zenas Hamilton. The first church edifice was erected in April, 1817. Says Mr. Northrop in his history of the county :

On the 10th day of April, 1817. the people assembled with teams and tools, at the place appointed. near the present residence of Chauncey Blakslee, where Herbert Blakslee now lives, and about a mile northeast of the present town house. cleared away the underbrush, cut the timber, hauled it together, and put up a log meeting house ; cut the tree, made the shingles. covered it. etc. About noon. notice came that Mr. Searle would be there and preach a sermon at 4 o'clock in the afternoon that day. We did our best to he ready. We prepared seats by placing poles between the logs and stakes drove in the ground. and had it all ready in due time. Mr. Searle came and fulfilled his appointment ; nearly all were present who could get there. The exercises were accompanied with appropriate singing, and all passed off in very pleasant pioneer style." It was in this house the first school was taught as already noticed. It was a kind of union church, and was occupied by all denominations who were represented at the time in the community, though the Episco-

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palians and Congregationalists were largely in the preponderance, and, as a general thing, it was used half of the time by each of these denominations. Some time after, a log church was built at the Center, and in it meetings were conducted, in the greatest harmony. until it was burned. A town house was then built. which was used also as an Episcopal Church, until it. too, was burned. A meeting house was then built by the Congregationalists at Bagdad. and meetings held there and at the village, alternately. for several years.

Among the early Congregational ministers of Medina Township were Rev. William Hanford, Rev. Simeon Woodruff, Rev. Lot B. Sullivan and Rev. Horace Smith. The first Congregational Church was organized at the house of Isaac Barnes, on the 21st of February. 1819, by Rev. William Hanford, from Connecticut, who had been sent out by the church as a missionary. He was assisted in the organization by Rev. Simeon Woodruff; one of the first Pastors of the church. Among the original members of this organization were Joseph Northrop and Charity, his wife ; Isaac Barnes and Martha. his wife ; N. B. Northrop ; Giles and John Barnes. Mr. Hanford preached for several years. both to this society and in Medina Village ; this society was finally moved to the village, where further notice will be made in connection with the Congregational Church. Rev. Lot B. Sullivan was also an early minister of this first Congregational Church. V and served one year as Pastor. dividing his time. one-half to it and one-half to the church at Wellington. Rev. Horace Smith was with the churches of Medina and Granger Townships for about six months as a missionary sent out by Hampshire Missionary Society, Massachusetts. Rev. S. V. Barnes came about 1827. and was instrumental in getting up a great revival in the east part of the township. and afterward in the village and vicinity. He was the stated minister in Medina and Weymouth for a number ofyears. Says Mr. Northrop : "Religious, moral and temperance reform were gaining the ascendancy ; schools were improving ; and every important enterprise was cherished, and urged onward to success. Thus we seemed to see the wilderness and solitary places literally budding and blossoming as the rose, and, indeed. becoming vocal with the praises of the Most High God." The church history of the township centers principally in the village, although the first societies were organized outside of it. and so the histories of these early religious societies will be resumed in the chapter devoted to Medina Village. Another incident from Mr. Northrop's history of the county. and we will pass from this branch of the subject "During the time of the rectorship of Mr. Searle. in connection with St. Paul's Church in Medina, a somewhat exciting difficulty occurred among some of the members. and. at the same time. the Episcopal Methodists at the village manifested considerable engagedness in their prayer meetings, and in reply to some remarks of Squire Ferris upon the subject. Seth Roberts said that the devil had really come to Medina. had got the Episcopalians all by the ears. and frightened the Methodists to their prayers : and the

“Presbyterians look on and sing.

Sweet is the work, my God and King.'

When this township was first settled by the white people, there were still a few roving bands of Indians in this section of the State. They were friendly. however. although. when Zenas Hamilton made his settlement in Medina. the war of 1812 was raging. the Indians that occupied the country along the Rocky River were not hostile. For a few years after settlements were made in the township. the Indians remained in their old hunting-grounds, but were, it is said, most inveterate beggars. Mr. Northrop says they were induced to leave from the following circumstances : . Mr. Hulett, of Brunswick, was at Nelson, Portage County.

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and, saying something about the Indians being a nuisance, Capt. D. Mills, the old pioneer hunter, well known to the Indians, told Mr. Hulett. that if he would tell them that Mills, Redding and some others that he named, were coming out there, and would make way with every Indian they could find, he thought they would leave. Mr. Hulett did so, and sure enough, they packed their horses and left. and never returned."

Thus it has ever been, since the occupation of this country by the European, the rights of the Indian have been utterly disregarded. his lands and hunting-grounds wrested from him by the pale-face Christian. and he driven back step by step. as the increase of his white foe demanded more room. And yet we curse the Indian as a barbarous savage, that ought to be exterminated from the face of the earth, wholly forgetting that to us are they indebted for much of their barbarity and fiendish cruelty. There is no doubt but that we would be as savage as they. were we placed under similar circumstances. We do not set ourself up as the champion of the " noble red man." nor the apologist of his cruelties. but merely to note an historical truth, that. where Indians were treated as human beings, they displayed a noble magnanimity. and returned gratitude for gratitude to a degree never excelled even by the Anglo-Saxon.

Wild beasts of every description were plenty when the country was new. Wolves particularly were plenty. and were a great source of annoyance to those who made an attempt to raise hogs or sheep. The following incident is related as an illustration of the depredations committed by these pests of the pioneer clays : Gad Blakslee, an early settler of Medina Township, had procured a fine flock of sheep. and the wolves killed eighteen at one time. It was found that they inhabited the " wind-fall." in the south part of the township. They got Zenas Hamilton to go and assist in making atrap. in which, together with a large steel trap, they caught nine old wolves, besides a lot of young ones, and one more old one, the next year. This thoroughly cleaned them out in that locality, and the people were no more annoyed by them. Wolf hunts and bear and deer hunts were a common sport and pastime with the early settlers, and they used to collect in great numbers for the purpose of engaging in one of these periodical hunts. As other chapters of this work detail some of these hunts. we will make no further mention of them here.

The progress of the new settlement for the first few years. was necessarily slow. There were no markets for produce. and the settler did not exert himself to raise bountiful harvests. but merely sufficient for his moderate wants. A few bushels of corn and wheat sufficed. while the forest furnished him his meat. Besides his trusty rifle, the principal tools he had to work with were his ax, his drawing-knife and his shaving-horse. To these, in a settlement of any extent. were added au auger or two. a broad-ax, and an implement called a " frow." which was used for splitting out clapboards. The original members of this pioneer settlement have all gone to their last repose. They were the ,men of the " Golden Fleece "—the “Argonauts." whose lives were full of romance and adventure. Time has mellowed the asperities of their character and of their deeds. and enveloped them in a haze of purple and golden light. The generation of men who settled in the limits of Medina Township during the first fifteen or twenty years, have gone only recently. or linger yet for a moment to look their last upon the green fields of time. Their children are the business men and women of to-day.

The little place, rejoicing in the high-sounding name of Bagdad, as a town, was never much of a success. It was designed originally for the town of the township. and. we are told, even aspired to the honor of becoming the county seat. Failing in this, it rapidly dwindled into insig-

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nificance, and. like ancient Rome; the spider wove her web in its palaces, the owl sung his watch-song in her towers." A mill or two, a small store, a carding-machine and fulling mill constituted all the town the place ever possessed. James Warner built a mill here—first a sawmill. to which was afterward added a gristmill. Deacon Northrop built a sawmill a little lower down the stream. and a few years later sold it to Gad Blakslee. A store was kept for a time. but did not last long. A church was built here by the Congregational people. as already noticed : and a carding-machine and fulling-mill was built. and run by waterpower from the mill. The fulling-mill. we believe. is still in operation. This is the only trace left to tell where once stood the great city of Bagdad. Sic transit gloria. etc.

Weymouth was one of the early points of settlement. It was here that Lathrop Seymour built a mill at an early clay, as mentioned elsewhere. Sometime after building this mill. he sold it to one Jairus Stiles. who operated it many years. After this mill went down. Seymour put up a sugar factory near the same spot. His son had been away at school. and learned enough chemistry to know that by a certain process potato starch would yield a certain amount of sweet. Upon this information. Seymour erected a factory for the purpose of manufacturing sugar from potatoes, or from potato starch. It proved a failure. It was then changed into a mill. and in that capacity proved more valuable than as a sugar factory. There is a gristmill on the old site. which was built about 1850-52, and which is now owned and operated by Norman Miller. It is a good mill. is in good running order. and doing a flourishing business.

The first store in Weymouth was kept by Doan & Adams. in an early day. J. P. Doan erected the building in which Erastus Brown now lives. for a storehouse. Adams was a brother-in-law to Doan. and came from Euclid,and in partnership with him opened a store. a business they continued several years. The next store was kept by a man named Sale. in a building erected by Lathrop Seymour. Sale was a native of the Isle of Man, and, after merchandising here for several years, died of hemorrhage. A post office was established at Weymouth very early. and Stephen N. Sargent commissioned as Postmaster. H. B. Seymour. however, attended the office, and was virtually the Postmaster. The present representative in this department of Uncle Sam is Lewis R. Mann. He also keeps a store. Another store is operated by Amos R. Livingston. This is at present the mercantile business of Weymouth. There are two blacksmith-shops and a wagon-shop. A cheese factory was erected in May. 1870. by Sedgwick & Clark. Says the Gazette. referring t o it : The building was erected and apparatus finished at a cost of 83.000. Make up 4.300 pounds of milk daily into cheese, turning out ten and eleven cheeses each day. The milk is obtained from 200 cows. There is a continued flow of water through the factory. which is a neat and complete establishment." This comprises the business of the place. In early times, it was a noted point in the lumber business. But. with the disappearance of the timber, and railroads passing through other portions of the county. its days of prosperity have passed. Years ago, there was a great deal of' teaming from Wooster to Cleveland. and the road passed through Weymouth. Flour was hauled from Wooster, and goods brought back in exchange. So from Weymouth lumber was hauled to Cleveland and exchanged for goods, which were sold to the settlers. The name Weymouth was bestowed on the place by Judge Bronson. When they applied for a post office, it, of course. must have a name, and. by request, Judge Bronson called it for Weymouth in Massachusetts. Like Bagdad. Weymouth caine near being the county seat. But. for the fact that those owning the

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land about Weymouth lacked sufficient public spirit to donate land for public buildings. the ! place would no doubt have been selected as the seat of justice. Ah, what might have been !

“Of all sad words of tongue or pen,

The saddest are these: ' It might have been.' "

Weymouth has always been the seat of learning and education. One of the early school-houses of the township was built here. The present large schoolhouse was originally built for other purposes. The upper story was finished and used as a hall. for a lodge of the Sons of Temperance. The lower story stood a year or two unfinished. when it was purchased by the School Board, and from that time on used as a schoolhouse. In August. BM. the board. under a law creating separate districts. bought the entire building and opened a high-school department. and since that time the children of Weymouth and vicinity have enjoyed school facilities equal to those of any other portion of the county. The present teachers are : William I. Bracy, teacher of the high school : Miss Kitty Thomas. teacher in intermediate department. and Miss Mary D. Perkins. teacher in the primary department.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Weymouth was organized on the 15th of June. 1834 by the Rev. George Elliott. Meetings were held in the schoolhouse for several years after organization. About the year 1840. a church was begun. but was not completed and dedicated until in 1856. Rev. Mr. Elliott. who was instrumental iii forming the church, was its first Pastor. Numerically. the society has never been very strong. and of late years has decreased in membership, until at present thereare but about twenty on the church books, and they are without a Pastor. Neither does the church support a Sunday school.

The Congregational Church was organized in January, 1835, at the house of Lathrop Seymour. They worshiped in private houses and in the schoolhouse, until about 1838-39, when they erected their church building. Since it was originally built, it has been remodeled and enlarged. until. at this time. it presents a fine appearance and is quite a handsome little temple of worship. The society was originally organized by Rev. V. Barnes. Their last Pastor was Rev. O. W. White. who died last summer (1880). and since that time they have been without a regular Pastor. The present membership of the church is between seventy-five and one hundred. and a good Sunday school is maintained. under the superintendence of John Morrell. It is well attended by the children of the town and vicinity.

Medina Center is the crossing of two of the principal roads. and the geographical center of the township. One of the early churches. as already noticed. was built here. and afterward burned. A town hall was erected, which was also used for church purposes. until churches were built in other portions of the township. The town house. at present. stands alone at the Center. Not tar from it is a very handsome little cemetery. where a number of "stones and lettered monuments show the affection of the living for the dead.

This brings us down in the history of the township, to the laying-out of the village of Medina. the capital of the county. The different departments of its history. however. will be treated of in another chapter.