BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP - 405
CHAPTER XVI.
BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP.
A MANY-NAMED TOWNSHIP-EQUALIZING LANDS-EXPLORERS AND SETTLERS --LOCATION OF THE EARLY PIONEERS-ORGANIZATION AND POLITICS-THREE CLASSES OF FIRST EVENTS-EDUCATION AND RELIGION-BUSINESS BEGINNINGS -LARGE SHIPPERS-RESOURCES-STATISTICS.
BRIMFIELD, like one or two other townships of the county, had the reputation of being swampy, and was slow to be settled. It was originally the property of John Wyles, of Hartford, Conn., and Israel Thorndike, a merchant of Boston, and was Town 2, Range 9. From the fact of its being swampy, it at first went by the name of Swamptown, after which it was called Beartown, because there were many bears inhabiting the swamps. Then, for some reason not remembered now, the township was known as Greenbrier, which gave place in turn to Wylestown, in honor of one of the proprietors, who had owned the entire township at first, but at the organization in 1818, Thorndike offered to give a plat of ground for a public square at the Center, if hey would call it Thorndike, which was agreed to and it was so named officially, but the old "Ingun Giver" backed out of the contract and would not make a deed for the ground, so the citizens petitioned and had the name changed to Brimfield, in honor of John Wyles, Jr., to whom his father had in the meantime bequeathed his interest. Wyles, Jr., resided in the town of Brimfield, Hampden Co., Mass.; hence the name. At the division of the property of the Connecticut Land Company, townships were drawn and awarded without regard to the quality of the land, or its location, but in some instances the townships so drawn were, according to common report, so very far below the average that, to equalize the drawing as near as they could get at it, lots were added elsewhere to the property that fell to the share of the unfortunate ones. This township being considered a "poor" share, a lot on
406 - HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
Superior Street, Cleveland, afterward very valuable, and several hundred acres of land in Geauga County, were thrown into the bargain by the Equalizing Committee. The honest old speculators, however, were slightly mistaken, for Brimfield is now one of the best sections of the county, and the "swamp” lands are among the best grazing spots to be found anywhere.
In 1816 Thorndike and Wyles came to the Reserve to view their land and make a division of the same. They found Brimfield, or rather Town 2, Range 9, an unbroken wilderness, with nothing but wild beasts as its inhabitants, and they had no difficulty in making the division. Thorndike chose the north, and Wyles the south half. They then returned to the East, but Thorndike sent out his nephew, Henry Thorndike, to act as his agent and make a settlement. He brought with him Arba Twitchel, who immediately commenced a clearing on the old Boszor hill, half a mile north of the Center. About this time a man named Simcox, a squatter, attempted to make a settlement, but he never purchased any land, and remained only a short time. The first permanent settler was John Boosinger, who came from Ravenna in June 1816, but was originally from Maryland. He settled on Lot 39, where he lived for sixty years. when he passed across the River. In the following November Henry Thorndike with his family and his brother Israel arrived. Israel a bachelor, but soon after coming married a daughter of Martin Kent, of Suffield. Henry settled on Lot 21. Abner H. Lanphare, a single man, also came and lived in the Thorndike family.
In January, 1817, Deacon Alpheus Andrews came in and settled at the Center, and the reason whereof is thus stated: Thorndike, being anxious to have a speedy settlement of his township, offered to give to the first child born therein, eighty acres of land. The good Deacon, hearing of this proposition, and having certain indications within his household that he might possibly win the prize, straightway moved into the township from Rootstown, and sure enough, on the 17th of April ensuing, the expected visitor arrived. He demanded the prize-land, but as the child had died, a compromise was made on forty acres of land, upon which he lived and died.
During this year, 1817, among others there came in Jeremiah Moulton, Henry Boszor, Erastus Flower, Capt. Uriah Sawyer, Harrison G. Moulton, Abner Moulton, John V. Gardner, Jonathan and David Thompson. David Coburn, Reuben and Henry Hall, Thomas Rice, Benjamin Mallory, Champlain Minard, John Furry, Nathan Packard, John K. Chapman, Peter Wolford, John Williard, Nathaniel Beasley, John Twitchell, Samuel Thompson, Jacob Hall and Alpheus Underwood. In 1818 came Asa Sawyer, William Smith, Frederick Jones, Edwin Barber, Jonathan Law and E. A. Palmer; in 1819 Lyman Barber, Amos Benedict, Selah Hart, Peter Osborn, Benjamin Hall and William Hall; in 1820 Jeremiah Pike, Dr. Lincoln and William Davidson; in 1821 Guy Doolittle, Capt. Courtant Chapman, and one or two others, and along about 1825, among other prominent settlers were Deacon Harmon Bradley and James and Julius Blake. From this time forward the township settled up very rapidly, and in 1831 contained the following families, with their locations, as enumerated by Dr. A. M. Sherman, of Kentucky, in an address delivered in 1881.
" We first find the family of Edward Russel in the northwest corner; coming to the Mogadore road, we find on the hill, Uncle Asa Sawyer, next, his son, Squire Asa Sawyer; passing west from the Corners, Benjamin Mallory; John Furry and John Chapman; returning and coming south, Capt. Uriah Sawyer and Uncle Sammy Thompson; going west from the Corners, Reuben Hart,
Amos Benedict, Jonathan Law; at the Corners, Selah Hart, Jacob Hall, Erastus
PAGE- 407 - PICTURE OF HORACE ADAMS
PAGE - 408 - BLANK
BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP - 409
Flowers, Edwin Barber, Guy Doolittle and Julius Blake; further south on the Corners, was Philo Taylori next, Joseph Gilbreath, John Gilbreath and Barnett Stilwell; commencing at the north line again, we find Deacon Harmon Bradley, Arba Twitchel, the Wolf ord family on the Henry Boszor farm, William Hall and father, Benjamin Hall, Deacon Henry Hall, Reuben Hall, Oliver Sawyer; south at the Corners, Cone Andrews; south, John Boosinger, Harris Sherman; south on the bill, William James, John Shelhorn; a little west, William Davidson, and south of him, William Spaulding; following the east and west road, south from the Center, were Conrad Fowser, Samuel Myers, Peter Osborn; south of the Corners, Thomas Parsons, Deacon Edward Parsons, Moses Birge and Peter Hockobout; east from the Corners there was no house for two miles; north from the Corners, toward the Center, was Sullivan Moulton, George Moulton, Anson Moulton, Augustus Moulton, George Price, William Price, Jonathan Price; west from the Center, Solomon Carver, Henry Sawyer, Hiram King, Dr. Lincoln, Abel Forcha and Benjamin Haynes; north from the Center, were Martin T. Hackett, Nathaniel Beasley, Henry Boszor, Nathaniel Packard and Champlain Minard; at the Center, Deacon Alpheus Andrews; east, Widow Harrison, G. Moulton, Capt. Chapman, Harry Chapman, Joseph Chapman, Abner H. Lanphare, James Blake, Orrin Blake, Judge Jeremiah Moulton, Sluman Able, E. A. Palmer and Alpheus Underwood; south on the diagonal road, David Coburn, John V. Gardner and Abel Burt; north of Gardner was Isaac Osborn, Jeremiah Pike, Andrew Coosard, John Hill; east from the Corners were Albert Underwood, Lybia Underwood, Augustus Minard and David Fuller; north from the Corners, Freeman Underwood, Frederick Jones, William Smith, Martin Edson, Huedang Hall, Benjamin Cady, Elisha Burnett and Isaac Ives; in the northeast corner of the town were Levi Stoddard, Thomas Cartwright, Lucius Edson, Joseph Williard, Frederick Moore, Lyman Barber, Benjamin Edson, Beverly Y. Russ and Chauncy Isbell.
From 1821 to 1840 came the following persons: Col. H. L. Carter, William Sessions, Hiram Ewell, Alvin Needham, Erasmus Needham, Valorous Needham, Williard Thomas, Algernon Thomas, James Furrey, old Father Cairier and his son Lucius, George Guiestwite, Conrad Neff, Dr. Samuel Hastings, William R. Kelso, John Kelso, Charles Edson, David L. Rockwell, Joel Burnett, the Bard family, Leverett Black, Ebenezer Rawson, Porter King, William Meloy, the Stow family and many others."
The township was organized in the spring of 1818, and the first election held in April. There were thirteen votes cast, out of which eleven officers were elected: Trustees, Henry Thorndike, Champlain Minard, Reuben Hall; Clerk, Alpheus Andrews; Treasurer, Israel A. Thorndike; Assessor, David Thompson; Fence Viewers, John Boosinger, Henry Boszor; Constables, Arba Twitchell, Thomas Futson; Justice of the Peace, Jonathan Thompson.
Politics did not enter into this election for the reason that they were all of the same mind, but it is reasonable to suppose they were Jeffersonian, as the township has been Democratic for nearly fifty years in the Republican county of Portage. In 1840, owing to the great popularity of Gen. Harrison, the Whigs bad a small majority, and politics ran high, so high, indeed, that when two Constables were running, one of them was so reckless as to bet a dollar on his election.
The business of the Justices in those early days seems to have been nearly nil, and the same good custom of not going to law for every trifling and imaginary wrong seems to prevail at the present time. There is less litigation in Brimfield than in any other township in the county, scarcely two cases a year
410 - HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
coming up in any shape whatever. Magistrates never grow rich here on fees Extremely rare have been the cases carried to the County Court, and no lawyer has ever lived here, yet the township has been the home of many excellent business men, among whom may be mentioned Judge Jeremiah Moulton; Associate Justice for seven years; John V. Gardner, Coroner; William R. Kelso, Commissioner; Rodolphus Bard, Recorder; Erasmus Needham, Representative; and Col. H. I. Carter, County Auditor.
The child born to Mrs. Alpheus Andrews, wife of Deacon Andrews, and named Henry T., in honor of Henry Thorndike, and in seeming response* the prize offered by that gentlemen, was the first to make its appearance in the township, and the date was April 17, 1817. The first death was that of an infant of Capt. Uriah Sawyer; the next the death of Porter Walbridge, an adult, and the third the prize-child of Deacon Andrews. Walbridge was buried in the cemetery at the Center; and it is said that be had such pronounced heterodox views on religion that the good Deacon would not bury his son in the same ground, for fear the devil, when he came around for his own, would make mistake and carry off his child in place of Walbridge, so he conveyed the lit. tle fellow over to Rootstown, and buried him there. Dr. Sherman tells tat tale, and another in regard to the first marriage, or rather the marriage of parties living here, the knot being tied in Ravenna. A fellow named Thompson, with a p, was courting a Miss Durkee, and she agreeing to have him) he started to Ravenna to get a license, but after he had gone, Thomas Tutson; as a joke, persuaded her to give up the other fellow and marry him, upon which she said it was a " whack," and they started off, also for Ravenna. On the road they met the expectant groom, who was informed that she had changed her mind, and although he said he would die, etc., etc., the couple continued their journey, and were made one. The first marriage in the township was that of Abner H. Lanphare and Miss Sophia Moulton, July 4, 1819.
On the 22d day of December, 1818, the first school in the township was opened by Jeremiah Moulton, in his own house, and continued during the winter. Four families monopolized this school. The teacher had ten children, Alpheus Andrews had seven, and the two Thompsons' houses were full of them. He opened again the following winter. The first district school was taught by Henry Hall. Abner Lanphare also taught school in several districts.
There are eight schoolhouses in the township, and the high school at the Center is a very excellent and creditable institution. Prof. A. W. Carrier is Principal, and there is an attendance of about fifty pupils. The course of study is well advanced, and the school is doing a good work. The statistic!' for August, 1884, are as follows: 129 boys and 119 girls enrolled; 8 school. buildings, valued at ,950; male teachers' average pay, $40; female teachers' pay, $21; revenue, $3,005.43; expenditures, $2,586.38.
The first church to have a regular organization was the Presbyterian, in 1819, the membership being seven persons: Jonathan Law and wife, Alpheus Andrews and wife, Reuben Hall and wife, and Benjamin Mallory. Rev; Simeon Woodruff called the little flock together. They built a modest little church in 1834, which is now used as a residence. In 1818 Simeon Woodruff preached the first sermon at Henry Thorndike's log-house.
A Methodist Church was organized in 1823 by Elder Eddy, of Hudson, and. consisted of eight members: Benjamin Mallory (formerly a Presbyterian) and wife, Amos Benedict and wife, John K. Chapman and wife, and Abner H. Lanphare and wife. This society built a church in 1838. A Baptist Church was organized about 1834, and consisted of four members: Deacon Harmon Brad ley, Martin T. Hackett, and John Taber and wife. They built a small house of worship in a year or two afterward.
BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP - 411
The first Universalist Church was built in 1837. It was burned down, and rebuilt in 1868. Resident ministers have been very few. The Universalists have as their present pastor Rev. Andrew Wilson, and the Methodists have Rev. Huston.
In 1818 Israel and Edward Thorndike started a nail factory one mile and a half west of the Center, but the difficulty in obtaining the raw material and the consequent high price of the nails, 18 cents per pound, soon rendered the enterprise a failure. In connection with the nail factory a saw-mill was started, but it, too, was abandoned, and the building afterward removed.
The first store was opened in 1833 by William Sessions. The first post-office was established in 1835, and Constant Chapman was first Postmaster; the next was Edward Parsons. A hotel was opened by William R. Kelso, and there never was any other. The first frame house was built in 1819, by Henry Thorndike. The first physician was Dr. Lincoln; then came Dr. Stocking, Dr. Gray and Dr. Hastings.
Township Officers. -Trustees, J. T. Williams, J. P. Lull, A. H. Underwood; Clerk, G. W. Bard; Treasurer, E. D. Brobst; Assessor, James E. Woods; Constables, William Hasness, Lewis Metcalf; Justices of the Peace, J. L. Carrier, M. S. Chapman.
Brimfield Center has one general store, kept by J. T. Williams, who is also Postmaster; one harness shop, A. C. H. Brown; a chop-mill, a wagon-shop, one fly-net maker. Werstler Bros.' feed-mill and cider-mill was established in 1882 at Brimfield. The value of machinery and building is $2,500. This industry gives employment to three men. Darwin Smith's saw-mill was erected in 1882, employing three men; the capacity is 6,000 feet per day. The Brimfield cheese factory is operated by Parker.
Brimfield is the largest wool-producing and shipping center in the county. Reuben Brobst is one of the heaviest dealers on the Reserve, handling some seasons over 100,000 pounds of wool. J. T. Williams is the next largest dealer, he handling about 75,000 pounds. Both of thew) gentlemen are also the heaviest dealers in clover seed in the county.
The Center is beautifully located, and has the handsomest town hall and park surrounding it, in the county. The cemetery is beautifully laid out and the monuments elaborate. The citizens are an intelligent, genial and hospitable class, alive to all public enterprises and the needs of the Nation. They sent eighty-one brave boys to the field of war, and twenty of them fell in the service.
The statistics of this township for 1884 are as follows: Acres of wheat, 2,050, bushels, 31,132; acres of oats, 968, bushels, 38,491; acres of corn, 850, bushels, 13,726 (shelled); acres of meadow, 1003, tons of hay, 1465; acres of clover, 676, tons of hay, 840, bushels of seed, 180; acres of potatoes 160, bushels, 17,986; home-made butter, 42,536 pounds; factory made, 6,000 pounds; cheese, 33,300 pounds; 117 maple trees yielded fifteen gallons of syrup, 86 hives, 960 pounds of honey; 32,928 dozens of eggs; 8 bushels of sweet potatoes; 13,049 bushels of apples; 445 bushels of peaches; 15 of pears; 10,289 pounds of wooli 484 mulch cows; 6 stallions; 136 dogs; 39 sheep killed or injured by dogs; animals which died of disease-15 hogs, 78 sheep, 11 cattle and 2 horses; acres of cultivated land, 8,453; of pasture, 1874; of woodland, 2,221; of waste land, 139, aggregating 12,687 acres. Population in 1850 was 1015, including 411 youth; in 1870, 913; in 1880, 1030; in 1884 (estimated) 1,200.