350 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. striking points of similarity to those that we print to-day. Take the following examples : From the Repository of August 24, 1815. FROM FRANCE.       . DEFEAT OF BONAPARTE. GREAT BATTLE IN BELGIUM. LORD WELLINGTON WITHIN TWO DAYS' MARCH OF PARIS. ABDICATION OF BONAPARTE. Boston, August 5, 1815. The brig Abelline, Capt. Wyer, has just arrived from France, and brings Paris papers to June 23. They contain POLITICAL ACCOUNTS OF THE GREAT OVERTHROW OF THE WHOLE FRENCH ARMY, on the 18th of June, with the loss of all its cannon, baggage and stores; The rapid flight of Bonaparte ; His abdication of the throne ; The choice of a provisional government of five persons ; The Declaration of the Emperor, to wit: FRENCHMEN ! In commencing the war to support the independence of the French nation I had calculated upon the co-operation of all. I had reason to hope for success, and I have braved all the denunciations of the powers against me. Circumstances are changed. I offer myself a sacrifice to the hatred of the enemies of France. MY POLITICAL LIFE IS ENDED, and I proclaim my son under the title of Napoleon II, Emperor of the French. Done at the palace of Elysium, the 22d of June, 1815. (Signed) NAPOLEON. Boston, Auguat 5, 1815. SURRENDER OF NAPOLEON III. BATTLE OF SEDAN From the Respoitory and Republican of September 9, 1870. THE WAR NAPOLEON SENT TO A GERMAN PRISON. REPUBLIC PROCLAIMED IN PARIS PRUSSIAN ARMY "STARTS ON TO PARIS." London, September 3.—A special correspondence of the Tribune telegraphs from the King's headquarters at Vendrest, near Sedan, Friday : The battle of Sedan began at 6 o'clock on the morning of September 1. Two Prussian corps were In position on the west of Sedan, having got there by long-forced marches to cut off the French ',treat to Mezieres. South of.Sedan was the first Bavarian Corps, and east, across the Meuse. the Second Bavarian corps. The Saxons were on the northeast with the Guards. I was with the King throughout the day, on the hill above St. Meuse, commanding a splendid view of the valley of the Meuse and of the field. After a tremendous battle, the Prussians, having completely surrounded Sedan, and the Bavarians having entered the fortifications, the Emperor capitulated at five o'clock and fifty minutes P. M. In his letter to the King of Prussia he said : As I cannot die at the head of my army, I lay my sword at the feet of your Majesty." NAPOLEON. Brussels, September 3. — The Prince Imperial of France has arrived at Chemay, thirty-two miles southeast of Mons, and has been at the palace of the Prince of Chema It appears by Wellnngton's official account of the battle fought at Waterloo, in Belgium, that Bonaparte was defeated with aims of 20,000 knlled and wounded, 200 cannon and two eagles. The loss on the part of the allies is also severe. Seldom is the active, business life of a man prolonged to such a period as has this one, the termini of which are marked by such startling events. As will be seen elsewhere, Mr. John Saxton, who enjoyed this rare good fortune, died on Sunday last, the 16th instant. A man universally beloved by old and young, Mr. Saxton, made a very narrow escape with his life in the fall of 1868. A young man with a great show of outward piety, and one who made long and eloquent prayers at the prayer-meetings of the Presbyterian Church and was greatly beloved by the sisters of the congregation, rented the cellar of the house in which Mr. Saxton had resided for many years (the house within a few weeks torn down to make room for the extension of the new and beautiful post office building of Mr. James A. Saxton) for storing apples purchased for shipment to the Eastern market. He had bought and stored therein about 1,200 bushels, when he took out an insurance on them of $2,500. The name of the young man was J. W. Moyer, and he came from Pittsburgh. It is strongly suspected, and in the light of after events, reasonably certain, that, after taking out his insurance, he had procured carbon oil, and sprinkled barrels and boards with it, and then in the later part of the evening set fire to it. He was positively known to have gone into the cellar about 9 o'clock on that evening. It was soon after the close of the prayer-meeting at the Presbyterian Church, and Father Saxton had already retired for the night. Providentially the prayer-meeting at the Baptist Church on South Market closed somewhat later than usual, and parties on their way home from the church discovered the fire and gave the alarm, and it was put out before getting into full headway. Mqy-er was arrested and tried by the court, but by the superior efforts of able counsel was acquitted by the jury. It was currently reported at the time that having no money to hire counsel, he had secured the services of the gentleman who defended him, by executing a chattel mortgage to him on the apples which had not been materially injured by the fire, and that after being saved from the penitentiary by his attorney, he had endeavored to cheat him out of his fee in the sale of the apples. Moyer soon found public opinion too strong against him in Canton and went to other parts. He came finally, it is said, to an untimely end, a proof that " the way of the transgressor is hard." Mr. Saxton was a soldier in the war of 1812, between the United States and England. While in the service, upon garrison duty at Black Rock, near Buffalo, he partially lost his hearing by an accident. In the discharge of some duty he was under a large canon, when a soldier fired it off, paralyzing the organs of hearing. This was the greatest physical misfortune of his life. Mr. Saxton commenced the publication of the Repository during the administration of James Madison. He belonged to the Republican party of that day. He was subsequently a Whig, but espoused the present Republican party uponMoyerirst organization. He voted for the CANTON TOWNSHIP - 351 following Presidential candidates : James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, also for Henry Clay, in 1832 ; for Harrison in 1836 and 1840, for Clay again in 1844, Taylor in 1848, Scott in 1852, Fremont in 1856, Lincoln in 1860 and 1864, and Grant in 1868. The biography of John Saxton, calls to mind the fact that Hon. Joseph Medill, now one of the editors of the Chicago Tribune, began his newspaper life with Mr. Saxton. In 1831, when Mr. Medill was about seven or eight years old —his parents then residing at Massillon, Ohio, —his father took him to Canton to attend a Revolutionary Soldiers, celebration, and subscribed for the Repository, which he continued to take until his death, in 1868. In the winter of 1838-39, the younger Medill began writing for Mr. Saxton,s paper, upon education and kindred topics. During the campaign of 1840, he contributed almost weekly to the paper, many of his articles being used as editorials. Mr. Medill generally called at the office on publication day, when Mr. Saxton would press him into the service in " writing the mail," after which, the young man would be loaded down with papers for the subscribers on his route homeward. About 1840, Mr. Medill " learned the case," and frequently helped in getting out the paper. He continued to write for it until about 1845, contributing many articles during the campaign of 1844, when he was editing the Cleveland Leader. He relates that Mr. Saxton usually composed his editorials at the case, frequently doing this while engaged in conversation with his frnends in the office. About the year 1858 or 1859, Mr. Medill's brother, the late Maj. William H. Medill, established the Republican at Canton, which, a few years afterward, was consolidated with the Repository. The Messrs. Medill's father was a warm friend of Mr. Saxton, and, during thirty years of his life, frequently contributed to the columns of his paper. In leaving the, record of Father Saxton, it is but appropriate to refer to the somewhat wonderful career of John McGregor, one of the original proprietors of the Stark County Democrat under its present management, which, from 1848 to this date,. has been with but little intermission under the editorial control of his son, A. McGregor, a period of nearly thirty-three years. John McGregor made his advent in this city for the purpose of assisting his son, A. McGregor, in a private school of the latter, in the early part of the year 1848. Soon after, the Democrat was purchased by the two, and has remained in the family from that time to the present. In taking control of the paper on the 24th of May, 1848, the new editors presented their position as follows : " The paper will be conducted as heretofore upon Democratic principles. We are, and always have been, opposed to a Bank of the United States, and to a paper currency in any shape, believing with Mr. Webster, that banking enriches the rich man's field with the sweat of the poor man's brow., We are opposed to a protective tariff, and fishing bounties, believing that they will cripple commerce and tax communities, to benefit the manufacturer, the iron master, the sugar grower, and the fisherman. We are opposed to all monopolies, believing:. that all that is necessary to raise our country to the highest pitch of greatness and glory is 'et clear course and no favor.' We are in favor of an independent treasury, believing that the people are better qualified to take care of the public money than is any soulless corporation. We are in favor of electing all public officers, believing that the people are better qualified to choose their own servants, than any President, Governor, Legislature, or Court is of choosing for them. These are our opinions on the subjects mentioned, and these subjects we will discuss calmly and reasonably in the Democrat. We will not, knowingly, injure any man in reputation or feeling, and if; by inadvertence, anything should be inserted that is wrong or unjust to any individual, we shall always be ready, when convinced of the wrong done, to make the amende honorable. Having no personal feelings to gratify, with respect to any one—being under the control of no man or set of men, we shall avoid all personal altercations, and shall not allow others (through the Democrat) to malign, traduce, or abuse any man in the community, nor shall we be guilty of such conduct ourselves. Principles, not men, is our motto. While we wish ' to do unto others as we wish them to do unto us,, we shall, also, act upon the converse of the proposition, and exact from others such usage as we are willing to accord them. Guided by these principles and sentiments, the Democracy of Stark County will, at all times, find us at our post, ready to do our best in the cause of freedom, equal rights, equal   352 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. burdens, constitutional reform, and the defense of our common country against internal and external foes." John McGregor, the senior editor, died on the following 6th of September, at Wadsworth, Medina County, his place of residence in this State. He was born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the 28th day of June, 1796. At fourteen years of age, he removed to London, and was placed under the care of the Rev. Alexander Fletcher, preparatory to his entering college. After graduating, a few years later. at the University of Glasgow, he adopted the vocation of a teacher in his native town, Hamilton. By nature an ardent Republican, he engaged with ardor in the cause of freedom, and was a distinguished member of the Radical party of 1819. in Scotland. His talents and energy made him a conspicuous leader of the Rebels—they, were called rebels in those days—and he was appointed to head the revolt in Hamilton. In the of this spring of this year, 1819, all parts of Great Britain were rife for insurrection, but whilst millions of men, in England, Ireland and Scotland, had " pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor," to stand firm in the hour of trial, there was treachery somewhere, and the Government being made aware of the plans of the leaders, used its huge and mighty power to crush out the rebellion, and this was quickly accomplished. Of course, the leaders being known were marked as victims to satiate the demands of the offended and incensed rulers. John McGregor, as one of these, preferring liberty, at any price, to a sojourn in prison, fled to the mountains, and managed to elude those employed by the British Government to arrest the rebels, until the storm of governmental wrath had blown over, and par; don had been granted to all the leaders of the revolt who remained alive. Seeing that all hopes of establishing a British Republic were abortive, Mr. McGregor with his family, then consisting of his wife, his son, A. McGregor, and his three daughters born in Scotland, determined to emigrate to America. In 1827, he settled in Addison County, in the State of Vermont, where he resided until 1833, when he removed to Medina County in this State. At the time of his decease, besides the four children brought along from the old country as mentioned above, five other children had been added to Mr. McGregor's family. Mr. McGregor was somewhat known in Canton as a teacher of youth, before he assumed the more complex and arduous duties of an editor. In the strictest acceptation of the word, he was a gentleman. In politics, he was rigidly firm but courteous. As a scientific man, he, then, had but few equals. He died honored and respected by all, and without an enemy. His mantle has fallen on worthy shoulders, in the person of his son, A. McGregor, Esq., the present editor of the Democrat. Besides the papers mentioned above, Canton has two papers of more recent origin, one the Canton. Republican, yet in its first volume, edited and published by Robert C. Cassidy, advocating Republican principles from a proposed higher moral and social standpoint than is often taken by the political press of our country. The other, the Canton Courier, a paper devoted to the advocacy of the most radical and advanced views of the modern temperance reform, which is controlled and edited by R. C. Mosgrove. Both these papers are conducted with marked ability. Of those who have contributed freely and largely to the press of Canton, and who have had much to do in former years in shaping public opinion, and are yet of great influence in the community, the names of Dr. L. Slusser and Louis Schaefer, Esq., stand out prominently indeed a large part of this history of Canton city and township is compiled from their contributions. That " the pen is mightier than the sword " has been instanced on very many occasions, and the history of Canton is no exception. Ignoring the fact that at times the political press has been severe, possibly unjust and abusive, it may still be said that the press of this city, without exception, has, as a rule, favored every movement looking to the material and intellectual improvement of the people, and the cause of true morality and religion has had but little, if any, cause to lament the power of a free and untrammeled press. And this is as it should always be in a free country. Along back so far ago as the year 1837, the temperance movement commenced in Canton, as in other parts of the country. The Baptist Church seems to have taken the initiative several years before this time as the following action will show : " Regarding the evils of intemperance and its desolating effects upon the happiness of individuals, public and private virtue, and the welfare of the community, it was de- CANTON TOWNSHIP - 353 clared May 22, 1834, to be the strong and deliberate conviction of the church, that the time had arrived when no professed disciple of Christ could manufacture, buy, sell, or use ardent spirit as a drink without being guilty of immorality, and violating his profession as a Christian, and it was resolved that entire abstinence from the manufacture, use and sale of this article should be an invariable condition for membership and good standing." The historian's position will not allow him here to sit in judgment upon the wisdom and propriety of the positions taken in this action, and the same will hold true in regard to other temperance movements and organizations for other purposes. It is his province to state the facts, but he cannot help saying here, that in the absence of almost everything of a tangible nature, after his most diligent researches in regard to the rise and progress of the temperance movement in Canton, he is extremely gratified to he able to start his brief discussion of this part of the subject from this earliest action in that direction. Without being able to fix dates or furnish particular reminiscences, Mr. John Danner, an old resident, and a lifelong active and consistent temperance man, informs us that this movement.. in Canton has gone through about the same stages and the same experiences as in the other older settled parts of the country. The original temperance agitation, as appears in the above cited action, was directed solely against spirituous liquors, and no effort was made to prevent the use of malt liquors, wine and cider as a beverage. This made but little headway against the evils of intemperance, and it was not long until pledges were urged and taken also against the use of the latter. One of the more prominent movements against the use of all alcoholic beverages is known as the Washingtonian movement. The organization was specifically distinguished from all previous movements in this direction as the reformed drunkards, organization, and was carried forward mainly by the recital of experiences on the part of men who had been victims of the inordinate desire for strong drink, and had taken the pledge. These experiences, laughable at times and pitiable by turns, addressed as they were to men's emotions, ran like wild-fire throughout the length and breadth of the land. According to our friend Danner, the Washingtonian movement struck Canton before the year 1840. The Presidential campaign of this year was known as the " Hard Cider Campaign," and the effect of it upon " Washingtonians " was sadly demoralizing. Many went back to their cups and never rallied again. Following the days of Washingtonianism came the Sons, the Daughters and the Cadets of Temperance, organizations to some extent secret in character. While these still live in some places, they have long since been buried in Canton. Up to the time of these organizations, everything was ostensibly carried forward under the influence of "moral suasion," but while the Constitutional Convention .of Ohio, which framed the present State Constitution, was in session, a strong pressure was brought to bear upon the members by the more radical temperance people of the State, to take away the prestige of selling liquor, by refusing license for its sale in the Constitution of the State. The convention yielded so far as to present an article on license to a separate vote of the people. A vigorous campaign followed ; the constitution was adopted, but the article providing for license was rejected. The views presented against this article were that the sanction of the law made the business of selling liquor respectable, and that if this sanction were removed, it would soon cease to be so ; that men would by the force of public opinion be compelled to desist from it entirely. But not so ; instead of the licensed houses under penalties for violating the laws, there was free trade in liquor, and the traffic, at first open and public as before, multiplied tenfold, and finally took refuge in basements and behind green screens and painted windows. This was the beginning of the modern saloon business, and it may be styled also very appropriately the " transition stage " of the temperance movement, not only in Canton, but all over the State of Ohio. After this began the period of legal prohibition, which combined with various special movements to combine features of all the previous stages, have been going on for a period of nearly thirty years, but which are of recent origin and have hitherto been so unproductive of marked and permanent results that they can hardly as yet be considered historical. Among the present active, energetic temperance men of Canton, we give the names of Samuel J. Rockhill, for some years a teacher in the public schools, and Maj. Frank Baird.   354 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. There are two lodges of the Masonic fraternity in Canton. One of these, Canton Lodge, No. 60, held its first meeting on the 1st of March, 1821, under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Ohio. The officers were Moses Anderson, Master ; James Dunnan, S. Warden ; B. C. Goodwill, J. Warden, and J. W. Lathrop, Secretary. William Coolman was the first delegate to the Grand Lodge for Canton in December, 1821. The lodge was dedicated January 15, 1822, by Rial McArthur, Deputy Grand Master, and at this time received its charter. This lodge is now in a prosperous condition and is composed of 125 members. The present officers are Henry A. Wise, Master ; Joseph Weaver, S. Warden ; R. Bauhof, J. Warden ; W. H. Wyant, Secretary ; H. Bowen, Treasurer ; and M. Frederick, now one of the oldest members, Tiler. Eagle Lodge, No. 431, was organized by members drawn from Canton Lodge. The first officers were Herman Meyer, W. Master ; J. F. Bauhof, W. ; G. W. Lawrence, J. W. ; M. Ruhman, Treas. ; A. M. Shane, Sec'y. This lodge had an auspicious beginning, and has prospered from the start. It has a membership at this time of seventy-two members. The present officers are C. F. Laiblin, W. M. ; J. F. Bauhof, S. W. ; A. J. Underhill, J. W. ; M. Ruhman, Treas. ; T. C. McDowell, Sec'y. ; M. Fulmer, Sr. Deacon ; William Ball, Jr. Deacon, and M. Frederick, Tiler. Whether all its claims upon antiquity are well founded or not, Freemasonry is the oldest, most wide-spread, and in our judgment the most perfectly organized of all the fraternities. We are sorry, therefore, at not being able to present any interesting reminiscences of Masons in the early settlement of Canton. Nimisilla Lodge, No. 39, I. O. O. F —Was instituted June 9, 1845, 0. P. Stidger, James Armstrong, George Miller, Ralph A. Ingersoll, and G. T. Clark having been the Charter Members. This lodge has been for years in a prosperous condition, and now numbers over 200 members. Stark Lodge, No. 513, was instituted May 15, 1872, by members from Nimisilla Lodge, and now numbers about one hundred members. Manheim Lodge, No. 408 (German), was also instituted by members of the old lodge, August 27, 1868. Canton Encampment, No. 112, a higher branch of the order, was instituted August 3, 1868, and is prospering. All these lodges of the I. O. O. F. meet in the third story of Whiting & Poyser's Building, corner of Seventh street and the public square. The Knights of Honor, Canton Lodge, No. 9.4—Was instituted March 15, 1875, with about fifty charter members, and Canton Council, No. 373, American Legion of Honor, was instituted December 10, 1880, with 156 charter members. These orders are both for the purpose of providing insurance for their members at a very low cost. Up to this time only one of the members has died in this city, and the amount of $2,000 was paid to the family of the deceased. We are indebted for the above facts relating to the fraternities mentioned, mainly to Mr. William H. Wyant, and express our regret at not being able to make them fuller and more explicit. There are undoubtedly other orders of a similar character, which deserve as honorable mention as those named, but our limited space prevents any further notice of them. The early settlers in this township and city being mostly Pennsylvanians or native Germans, had a high regard, as a rule, for intelligence from their standpoint, and for a sound morality. It must be acknowledged by the writer of this part of the history of Stark County, himself a Pennsylvanian, that their estimate of intelligence would not answer the gauge of the present time, nor was it up to the New England standard ; but, beneath it all lay the natural conservatism of the German character to " make haste slowly." " Try all things, and hold fast that which is good," is sound doctrine in many more things than in questions of religious doctrine and practice. Schools and schoolmasters, in German and English, though both partaking largely of the primitive type, were a part and parcel of the original settlement of this township and city. And one thing is to be said right here in favor of this old German conservatism, the schools here have never retrograded ; though slowly, still advancing, they stand equal to the best in the whole country to-day. Radicalism, in any sphere of progress, makes many mistakes and blunders, which require time for their correction, while a progressive conservatism with fewer mistakes to correct, is likely to move forward more steadily and more successfully in accomplishing its object. Some of the earlier school efforts, reminiscences of teachers, and school experiences have been given in former chapters. Among the first teachers of Canton, CANTON TOWNSHIP - 355 besides those already mentioned, Capt. Darius Lyman may be mentioned with honor ; he taught successfully in Canton, for three or four years about 1820-23, when he removed to Wadsworth, Medina Co., where he is still living, though over ninety years of age and quite feeble. Bradley C. Goodwill was also one of Canton's early and honored teachers. About the year 1830, William Dunbar taught school in this city. Before 1830 was also a Mr. Lyman. In and after 1831 came Dr. Barrick Michener, and Messrs. Monks, Timothy Hopkins, James Allen and Beck. Dr. Michener was not only a successful teacher, but also a distinguished one. He studied medicine, practiced some years in Massillon, and afterward removed to Illinois. Andrew Monks, priding himself particularly in teaching penmanship and figures, was a somewhat peculiar man. He was a very heavy man, with extremely large abdominal development, and withal, pretty fond of his toddy. One of the boys of the day, still living and honored in this city, states that it was almost his daily habit when school had closed for the day to repair to Clark,s Tavern in the Fourth Ward and indulge with any boon companions he might chance to meet there. As Monks in liquor was very fond of discussion, he, on many occasions, provoked quarrels between himself and his friends, when, in accordance with the custom, " in such cases made and provided," all parties would adjourn to a neighboring tan-yard and settle the dispute by " a knock-down argument," in which Monks, from his great " weight," usually came off victor. Mr. B. F. Leiter, when he first came to Canton from the State of Maryland, taught school for awhile, afterward studied law, was first elected to the State Legislature at Columbus, where he occupied the chair in a heated contest between the two parties to get control of the House of Representatives, under peculiar and somewhat embarrassing circumstances, and was afterward, in 1854, and again in 1856, elected to the Lower House in the Congress of the United States. He continued to reside in Canton until his death. Mr. James Cowles, a graduate of Yale, opened a school in the old Academy building, but only remained a year or two. A. McGregor taught one of the public schools in the winter of 1842-43, Messrs. E. L. Carney and John Sheridan teaching with him during the same winter. Mr. McGregor afterward had a select school until 1848, having associated with him his father, John McGregor, during the last part of the time, when both became connected with the publication of the Stark County Democrat. John McGregor died the same year ; A. McGregor still edits, as vigorously as ever, the Democrat. Ira M. Allen took the McGregor select school and continued it until 1849, when he became the first Superintendent of the Union School. A few years later, he took charge of the Charity School at Kendal, now a part of Massillon. Mr. Allen, after a lapse of some years, is again at this time in charge of that school. Before proceeding to consider the present school system of the city, this is the place to state that, in 1838, Rev. Mr. Goshorn and his wife opened a Female Seminary in the city, under the auspices of the Methodist Church, as will be seen under the history of the Methodist Episcopal Church, given further along in this chapter. They taught in the seminary quite successfully for a number of years, or until about the year 1845, when they left. An interregnum of a year or so occurred, when the Trustees, finding no one in the Methodist Church desirous or willing to take the seminary, authorized Louis Schaefer, Esq., to correspond with Rev. Mr. Mealy, and if possible, to secure him as Principal of the seminary. Some correspondence had already passed between Mr. Schaefer and Mr. Mealy with reference to another position, which, however, he had declined. The Trustees of the seminary offered the use of their building for one year free of rent, showing a very liberal spirit, when it is remembered that the institution was under Methodist auspices, and Mr. Mealy was a Lutheran Minister. He accepted the proffer made him, and at once removed to Canton with his wife and only daughter, who afterward became the wife of Louis Schaefer. Mr. Mealy continued in the seminary only one year. A few years later, he purchased the Witting drug store, the stand now occupied by Dr. P. H. Barr, so long and so favorably known, over most of the county, as the old Geiger drug store, on east Tuscarawas street. Mr. and Mrs. Mealy spent the remainder of their days in Canton ; they are gone from among us, as is their daughter and only child, Mrs. Schaefer ; but the remembrance of their Christian kindness and sociability remain fresh and fixed in the hearts and memories of many of the present residents of the city. After Mr. Mealy’s 356 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. retirement from the seminary, it remained unoccupied until it was sold and diverted into other uses ; it did a good work, though its life was short, and its memory is blessed. A convention composed of delegates representing German citizens from all parts of the United States, was held at Phillipsburg, Penn., August 13, 1841, to promote the study of German and English classical literature, and they resolved to erect a seminary for that purpose. Louis Schaefer, of Canton, was a member of that convention, and although then a young man, he was appointed general collecting agent for the United States, to raise funds to establish such an institution. For some reason or other, the project failed of realization. But Mr. Schaefer has to-day, in his hands, a subscription list, with original and copied signatures, among the names upon which appear John Tyler, President of the United States ; T. Ewing, Secretary of the Treasury ; Daniel Webster, Secretary of State ; Fr. Granger, Postmaster General ; Henry Clay, United States Senator ; Daniel Sturgeon, United States Senator ; John Bell, Secretary of War ; John C. Calhoun, United States Senator, and E. Whittlesey, Auditor of the Treasury. In 1840 or 1841, parties in Canton, interested in the cause of education, made arrangements to take possession of the school property donated by Mr. Wells, and erect thereon a male academy ; the newly organized English Lutheran congregation paid a part of the money necessary to erect the building, with the privilege of using the first floor as a place of worship until it should be required for school purposes. The building was erected, but the school did not prosper to any great extent. In the spring of 1846, a company consisting of Isaac Harter, William Hawk, Martin Wikidal, Christian Palmer, Abraham Lind, Jacob Flohr, George Dewalt and Louis Schaefer, bought the rights of the original Trustees on easy terms, organized under a written constitution still in the hands of Mr. Schaefer, and authorized the latter to secure the services of Rev. Dr. A. B. Bierdemann as Principal, which he did. The arrangement seems not to have been entirely satisfactory ; Dr. Bierdemann, whom the writer of this, in after years, knew personally and somewhat intimately, was a fine scholar, and, in most respects, a genial man ; but he was also a man of very firm convictions and even prejudices, and of an unyielding character under opposition. At any rate, the Board of Trustees and he did not harmonize, and, at a meeting held November 16, 1846, he was requested formally to surrender his lease of the academy building, or rather that part of it used for school purposes. This he did, other teachers followed but with indifferent results, and a few years later the academy building became the nucleus of the present school system of Canton, and was transferred to the control of the Board of Education. In the year 1849, a general act was passed by the General Assembly of Ohio, entitled " an act for the better regulating of public schools," but a year before this, by a public vote of the people, a public school was organized. Previously, all the schools of the village were under private management, and no special arrangements had been made for the education of the poorer classes of children. The teachers of the former period were generally devoted and earnest educators, whose souls were in the work, and they laid deep and strong the foundation, upon which the present condition of general intelligence and educational progress in Canton has been attained. Among them, A. McGregor and Ira M. Allen were with the first advocates of the public school system. Upon the re-organization of the public schools of Canton under the law of 1849, Mr. Allen, who had already taught one year in them, was elected the first Superintendent of the Canton Union School. Among those who did good, successful work, against all opposition, for the establishment of the public schools by a vote of the people, the name of Mr. G. W. Huntington stands preeminent. He lived, too, long enough to witness the good results, which the people and their children secured for themselves by the vote of that election day so many years ago. The opposition came principally from the wealthier classes, and was somewhat formidable, though a few prominent property-holders gave the project their favor from the beginning, and nearly all have ever since given the public school work their cordial support. Canton was at this time a village of less than four thousand inhabitants. Mr. Allen was succeeded by Hon. H. S. Martin in 1854. The original records of the Board of Education have been either lost or destroyed, and there are no trustworthy statistics of the schools prior to the year 1855. In July of that year, Mr. Martin was re-elected CANTON TOWNSHIP - 357 Superintendent, and teacher in the high school, with eight assistant lady teachers in the lower departments, as follows : Two in the Grammar School ; one in the Secondary (C. and D. Grammar School) ; four in the primary schools ; and one in a mixed school. Among these was Miss Betsey S. Cowles, who is yet well-known all over the State as of one of the best teachers that have graced the profession in Ohio. From the nearest calculation that can be made upon the meager data of . this period at hand, the number of pupils in all the schools did not, in the year 1855, amount to five hundred. The Superintendent's salary was $800, and that of the lady teachers ranging from $150 to $400. Mr. Martin continued in the schools until January 1, 1864, a term of over eight years. His former pupils invariably speak well of him, and some of them are at this time still teaching in the Canton Public Schools. He left the superintendency to take his seat in the Senate of Ohio, to which distinguished position he had been elected at the preceding October election. In the Senate, he was a warm friend and supporter of all measures looking to the greater efficiency of the school work ; and, if we are not mistaken, he served as a member of the Standing Committee on Public Schools throughout his entire term of two years' service. He is still a resident of Canton, and a warm friend and patron of the schools. His successor was Mr. H. S. Leland, who continued as Superintendent during the remainder of that school-year, and the greater part of the following one. On account of misunderstanding and difficulties, which, for a time, seriously threatened the success of the school work in Canton, he resigned his position in the latter part of May, 1865. His successor, Daniel Worley, who had before served a period of ten years or more as Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in Capital University at Columbus, Ohio, but who at the time was residing in Western Pennsylvania, was unanimously elected by the Board of Education, on the 13th of June following, but he did not take the position until the beginning of the next school year, in September, 1865. Mr. Worley was annually re-elected until June, 1874, when, under the new school law, he was the first School Superintendent in Ohio, to be elected for a period of three years. Owing to the failure of his health mainly, he however, ,only served two years of this appointment, and, after a period of eleven years' continuous service in the schools, resigned his position in June, 1876. In accepting his resignation the Board of Education passed a series of very complimentary resolutions, and showed their further confidence in his administration of the school work by appointing Mr. John H. Lehman, long associated with Mr. Worley in the school work in Canton, as his successor, that the work might be continued in the same general spirit as before. Mr. Lehman is still in charge of the schools. Though Mr. Worley,s salary was, during the latter years of his superintendency, $1,800, Mr. Leh-man's was made $1,500 ; but it is gratifying to the writer to be able to say, that the latter's service has been so satisfactory, that in re-electing Mr. Lehman Superintendent a month or so ago, the Board of Education made his salary $2,000 per annum for the new term, this being the highest salary ever paid any Superintendent in Canton. Since their organization, the schools have, therefore, been under the charge of the five following-named Superintendents : Ira M. Allen, from 1849 to 1854. H. S. Martin, from 1854 to 1864. H. S. Leland, from 1864 to 1865. Daniel Worley, from 1865 to 1876. John H. Lehman, from 1876 to the present time. During Mr. Martin's administration, additions were made to the old Union School building, and a small new schoolhouse, with two rooms, was built in the eastern part of the city, now for the first time beginning to be numbered among the cities of the State. During Mr. Leland's time, preparations were made for a new school building in the south part of the city, but it was not erected until after his successor had taken charge. During Mr. Worley's time, the Board of Education erected, in addition to the one last named, a building of four rooms in the northeastern part of the city ; one of six rooms in the eastern part, and one of two rooms for primary pupils in the southeastern part, and one of six rooms in the southwestern part of the city. With all this increase of buildings and rooms, the rapid growth at this time always showed a great lack in adequate school facilities. The need of a new and better Central High Schol building became every day more apparent, and the Board of Education were at last constrained to take the sense of the people 358 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. upon the question of borrowing money upon bonds for a series of years, and a tax to meet the principal and interest as they became due, so that they might be able to erect several new buildings for primary and grammar schools the next season. Fierce opposition was made against the proposition ; but, after a warm contest, the majority of thepeople decidedd favorably. The Board of Education commenced the good work bravely at first, in accordance with theinstructionss of the people ; but the clamor of the leading capitalists soon scared them, and the work was left to progress more leisurely as before. Nevertheless, in 1877,duriugg Mr. Lehman's time, four rooms were added ; in 1878 four rooms ; in 1879-80, six rooms, together with two additional rooms to the south building in 187647. Steps have also been taken for the erection of a building of six rooms in the northwestern part of the city, and an addition of two rooms to the building on East Eighth street during the present summer, making eight additional departments for next year. The present growth and importance of Canton among the cities of the State imperatively demand a better and more commodious Central and High School building than the old schoolhouse on West Tuscarawas street. The growth of the schools and of the city may be seen from the following exhibit prepared and published five years ago. Total enrollment for year ending August 31, 1855, about - 500 Total enrollment for year ending August 31, 1865 - 965 Total enrollment for year ending August 31, 1875 - 1,674 No. teachers in 1854-55, male, 1; female, 8; total, 9 No. teachers in 1864-65, male; 3; female, 11; total, 14 No. teachers in 1874-75, male, 7; female, 26; total, 33 Average salaries paid in 1854-55 - $ 800 $250 Average salaries paid in 1864-65 -. 900 314 Average salaries paid in 1874-75 - 1,037 423 The status of the schools last year is kindly furnished us by Superintendent Lehman, as follows : School year 1879-80.—Total enrollment, clay schools, 2,453 ; night schools, 174 ; total, 2,627. Number of teachers, including Superintendent; .male, 11; female, 39 ; total, 50. For the year 1880-81, just closed, theincrease ine enrollment will be not less than 300 with four additional teachers, and a prospect of even a greater increase during the next school year. About 30 per cent of the pupils enrolled 1 in the primaries find their way into the grammar schools, and about 20 per cent of those in the grammar schools take a partial or complete course in the high school ; but it is gratifying to all the true friends of popular education to know the fact that within the past decade the number of pupils continuing longer in the schools, and of those completing the entire course is at least 25 per cent greater than before. The course of study below the high school provides for a thorough drill in the common English branches, including vocal music, drawing and object lessons in elementary science. In the high school, pupils are taken through a tolerably thorough academic course in language (Latin and German), mathematics and natural science. With frequent reviews, the pupils in the departments, from the A Primary upward, are subjected to the test of a written examination several times a year. Candidates for graduation in the high school are examined at the end of their course, and are given a diploma only after passing satisfactory examinations in all the studies of the course, with the exception that in language only the full course in one of the languages stated is required. Pupils enter the school at six years of age. To complete the entire course ordinarily, with a pupil of average ability, requires eleven years. Of these, four years are given to the Primaries—D, C, B and A ; four years to the Grammar Schools—D, C, B and A ; and three years to the High School. Promotions are made at stated times by the Superintendent, but provision is also made for promotingpupilss at other times, whose natural capacity or diligent application enables them to advance more rapidly than the average of the class in which they may chance to be at any time. On the other hand, pupils not properly sustaining, themselves are equally liable to demotion. Besides these regular grades of schools, the Board of Education, under the requirements of the general school law of the State, have provided for German-English schools, with threeteachers,, in which the gradation of the other schools is observed as nearly as may be, as far as the B Grammar Grade, or through six years of the school course. Many of the high schoolpupilss and graduates of former years now fill responsible positions at home and abroad, whose whole preliminary training was derived from CANTON TOWNSHIP - 359 our public schools. Through their influence in and upon society, they are paying back into the treasury of the public security and good, much, yea, infinitely more than was expended upon their education from the public purse. Besides the excellent public schools of Canton, there are parochial schools (English and German) of the Roman Catholic Churches, with seven teachers, enrolling during the year not less than six or seven hundred pupils ; a parochial school of the German Lutheran Church, with one teacher and from sixty to seventy pupils during the year ; a select school for boys and girls, started and sustained by Prof. Worley, May 1, 1877, who is still at the head of it, with a yearly enrollment of about fifty ; and an academy upon the ground of the Collegiate Institute of a few years ago, with two teachers—Mr. Spencer and Miss Danner—and about the same yearly enrollment. All these schools in their particular spheres, are doing good work in the field of education. In conclusion, it may be remarked that at no previous time in their history have the schools of Canton been dearer to the hearts of the people than they are now, and as increased facilities are afforded from year to year, they will, under wise and discreet management, assuredly increase also in efficiency, in thoroughly preparing the mass of our growing youth for the responsibilities of the future, and in beneficent results upon society in general, which are only to be secured through the intelligence and virtue of the people. Canton was originally settled by a class of men from the East and from " Vaterland," who revered Deity and loved religion of the primitive type. For the first few years, the early settlers of course found it a hand-to-hand struggle to meet the wants of life ; but the first difficulties in this direction having been surmounted in a short time, they began soon to desire the spiritual provender they had enjoyed in the old homes left behind them. At first this was sparingly furnished, and the more relished. At that early day, an occasional visit from a missionary was hailed with delight ; to-day, with so many churches and regular services every Lord's Day, how very many, even of the descendants of those old pioneers, neglect entirely to enter a church or to show any other reverential recognition of the Divine Being. As a rule, however, Canton people are a God-fearing people, and her churches are well main- tained. A list of them here given will show no lack for persons of all descriptions : The German Lutheran Church, East Tuscarawas street ; First M. E. Church, corner Poplar and Tuscarawas streets ; Second M. E. Church, South Market street, near William street ; First Presbyterian Church, Plum and Tuscarawas streets ; English Lutheran Church, West Tuscarawas street ; First Baptist Church, Ninth and Market streets ; St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Tenth and Poplar streets ; Disciples' Church of Christ, Seventh and Poplar streets ; St. John's English Catholic Church, Plum and North streets ; St. Peter's German Catholic Church, Poplar street, above North ; Evangelical Church, Fourth and Herbruck streets ; First German Reform Church, East Tuscarawas street, near Herbruck ; Trinity Church, Second Reform, 90 East Tuscarawas street ; United Brethren Church, Charles street, South Canton ; Mission Chapel M. E. Church, Cherry street and Washington avenue ; Winebrennarian Church, East Tuscarawas street, near creek. Most of the old pioneers were of Lutheran and Reformed stock, and hence these denominations deserve first consideration. The first preaching in this neighborhood was held in the barn of Michael Reed, who lived on the quarter-section just north of the present fair grounds. He had a double log barn, and the threshing-floor was the auditorium. The seats were slabs from Slusser's saw-mill. The preacher was Father John Stanch, a Lutheran, whose home was in Beaver County, Penn., and he came at stated periods during the summer months as early as the year 1806. Alternating with him was Father Mahnenschmidt, of the Reformed Church, preaching at the same place. The meetings were always well attended, as people of all classes came from every quarter, with a desire to hear the latest news, as well as to discharge their religious duties. In the winter, private houses and the taverns were used less frequently as places of meeting, especially the dining-room of Dewalt,s tavern. There are some reminiscences of this early period worthy of mention, of which we single out one only. The boys and girls of the early day usually went " barefooted ;" they would carry their shoes and stockings along, and would put them on before appearing in the presence of the great congregation ; but after the services they would invariably doff the said incumbrances 360 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. and return home, as far as feet were concerned, in a primitive state. In 1810, the German Lutheran and Reformed congregations took possession of the lot on West Tuscarawas street (now occupied by the Presbyterian Church), donated by Bezaleel Wells for a house of worship, and erected on it a small frame structure for a meeting-house. The building was never plastered, but served its purpose for a short time, and several sermons were preached in it. In the meanwhile, about 1808, Rev. Anthony Weier, a Lutheran minister, took charge of the congregation, and he was the first resident minister in Canton, and through his influence the two congregations purchased from Mr. Wells the grounds upon East Tuscarawas street, upon which are at this time a Lutheran Church and parsonage, and a Reformed Church and schoolhouse. Many were not well satisfied with this arrangement, and it was several years before they became reconciled. Steps were taken at once to erect a brick church. As an insufficient amount was subscribed, the progress of the building was slow. For several years it stood under roof unfinished, and in the meantime was stru k by lightning and considerably shattered. Up to this time the Reformed congregation did not have the services of a regular pastor. Occasional supplies were given by Revs. Mahnenschmidt and Sounendecker. The first regular preacher was Benjamin Foust, who began his ministration in 1818. The frame church was occupied by the two congregations about four years, and then they bought the lots on East Tuscarawas street, where they now are, and built the brick church in 1822, both societies occupying the same building until 1863. Benjamin Foust died in 1832, and was succeeded by Rev. Peter Herbruck, who was then only a little over nineteen years old. At the first communion there were only twenty-six communicants present, and the pastor's salary at the time was $40 per annum, and kept rising until 1858, when it reached $100. This was his local station, but he preached at various points in four counties, ranging from eight to thirteen places. The gentleman is the oldest active minister ; that is, oldest in one place in the county, and is still hale and hearty, bidding fair to be among us yet for many years. He resides in an old-fashioned house east of the church, almost concealed from view by a mass of trees and flowering shrubbery. A cozy study is his usual location and where he receives his visitors. Rev. Herbruck is still in charge of this old congregation, and will, within a few months, he able to celebrate, with his people, the jubilee of his connection with them. Up to this time he has attended two thousand and sixty-six funerals, has baptized four thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven persons, has confirmed two thousand four hundred and forty-six, and has married one thousand nine hundred and sixty-one couples ; a record which, it is believed, cannot be equaled by that of any one pastor in one place in Ohio or elsewhere in this country. The church was finished in 1822, and occupied jointly by the two congregations until 1852. Rev. A. Weier, of the Lutheran Church, died in 1828. The first organization of this congregation was effected about the years 1812 or 1813. Among the first appear the names of Simon Essing, Jacob Becher, a Mr. Kraft, Jacob Rapp, Jacob Bucher, Jacob Rex, George De-wait, Philip Dewalt, John Coleman, George Schneider, John Leininger and Jacob Kitzmiller. After Weier, Rev. Prof. William Schmidt had charge of the Evangelical Lutheran congregation, commencing his ministrations in the latter part of the year 1828. During his connection the Joint Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio and adjoining States started the project of a Theological Seminary, and made Prof. Schmidt the Theological Professor. His first class was organized in Canton, in 1830. The seminary was finally located in Columbus, Ohio, and, in 1831, the Professor removed with his class to this place, and for several years and to the time of his death, in 1839, he filled the position ably and to the entire satisfaction of the Synod. While residing in Canton, he united in marriage with Miss Rebecca Buckius, a daughter of John Buckius, who had emigrated with his family to Canton some years before from Alexandria, Va. It may be an interesting reminiscence here to say that John Buckius was the last man to look upon the face of George Washington, first President of the United States. Mr. Buckius was, at the time of Washington's death, a tinner in Alexandria, and sealed the lead casket which contained his mortal remains before they were laid away to rest at Mount Vernon. Three daughters of Prof. Schmidt yet survive. The oldest is the wife of Prof. Worley, in Canton ; CANTON TOWNSHIP - 361 the second the wife of Rev. M. B. Lenker, Ly- kens, Penn. ; and the youngest the wife of Rev. Prof.. E. Schmidt, of Capital University, Columbus, Ohio. The theological department of this university is the same commenced in Canton, over fifty years ago. Pastors following Rev. Prof. Schmidt were Rev. J. J. Fast, in 1831, or thereabouts ; Cadiz, Yaley, Melsheimer, J. D. Nunemacher ; Fast again ; G. J. Bruegle, from 1862 to 1866 ; J. C. Schulz, from 1866 to 1870 ; then J. J. Fast again provisionally until 1872 ; on the 8th of September, 1872, Rev..A. H. Feldmann, took charge, and has served the congregation ever since. The present number of communicants is about three hundred. Rev. Mr. Feldmann also supplies the Evangelical Lutheran Congregation at Osnaburg every two weeks. At this time regular services are held in both the English and German languages. In 1852, the Reformed Congregation withdrew and erected a brick church on the west part of the premises, leaving the old church in possession of the Lutherans. They occupied it until 1868, when it was taken down, and the present new Church erected, a handsome brick structure, with two spires of unequal height on the northeast and southeast corners,with two large double door entrances in front, and one at the side for the Sunday-school. The church proper is a large hall nearly fifty feet high, frescoed, carpeted and contains pews capable of seating six hundred persons, although, with a little preparation, room can be made for one thousand ; rose windows panel the sides, and gas chandeliers near the ceiling, under bright reflectors, illuminate the evening services. A commodious pulpit in the " west " accommodates the sacred desk. In the rear of this are two small rooms for the ministers, and still further back is a lecture-room, provided with a blackboard for illustrating Scriptural lessons, while texts plentifully bedeck the walls. A " winding stairs " leads up to the second story, where is found the organ loft, and west still are a number of class-rooms used for Sunday-school purposes. The entire building is heated by means of two immense furnaces. About the year 1837, a number of members of the German Lutheran congregation, desirous of securing services in the English language, more particularly for their children, and the majority being unwilling to grant them this privilege in the old church, they organized under Pastor J. J. Fast, deceased. The following history of the English Evangelical Lutheran Church, prepared a few years ago by a prominent member, will present the facts in a clear and concise manner : About the year 1837, a portion of the English-speaking members of the Lutheran Church being desirous of having occasional services in the English language, and being frustrated in this by the German members, withdrew from the congregation and formed a new organization under the pastoral charge of Rev. John J. Fast. They were joined by several members of the German Reformed Church, who were also desirous of attending worship in the English language, and, soon afterward, the organization was incorporated as the " Evangelical Congregation of Canton, Ohio." Although always served by Lutheran ministers, it had no direct connection with any Synod until some years afterward. The town hall, in the old market house, which formerly stood on the north side of the public square (now the engine house at the corner of Eighth and Poplar streets), was engaged for their purposes, and was used as a place of worship until 1842 or 1843. After serving the congregation for a year or more, )1 r Fast removed to Cincinnati, but after three or four years' absence returned, and again took charge of the congregation—they meanwhile being without a Pastor. In 1840 or 1841, an arrangement was made with the Trustees of the Canton Male Seminary (now forming a part of the West Union School building), by which the congregation, in consideration of $1,000 paid into the building fund of the seminary, were to be permitted to occupy the main hall on the first floor of that institution as a place of worship, until the room would be needed "for educational purposes," when it was to be surrendered and the congregation was to receive back the money so paid into the building fund. After the erection of the Seminary buildings, the congregation fitted up its room with pulpit and pews, and at once took possession of its new sanctuary. In 1842, the Rev. Mr. Wadsworth, who had just graduated from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Penn., came to Canton in search of a charge. After preaching a few times for the congregation, a majority of members favored a change of ministers, and accordingly gave Mr. Wadsworth a "call." Some of the members being dissatisfied with the action of the majority, temporarily withdrew from the congregation, and for a time attended the Presbyterian and other churches. Mr. Wadsworth remained about one year, when a bronchial affection compelled him to cease preaching. Rev. Dr. Hamilton was next employed by the congrega- tion, and he continued to serve it until 1845, when it was found necessary, on account of the distance at which the Doctor lived from Canton, his other engagements, and the difficulty in holding services at a time to suit the various members, to engage a minister who would reside in Canton and devote his entire attention to the congregation. A " call" was accordingly extended to Rev. A. J. Karn, which was accepted, and Mr. Karn remained Pastor for about HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 362 four years. During his incumbency, the congregation flourished. and most of the members who had withdrawn when Mr. Wadsworth became Pastor, returned. Mr. K. was succeeded by Rev. L. Rizer, who continued two years, and after him came Rev. B. H. Bittle for one year. About this time, the sub- Rct of a new church building was first mooted, and ev. S. A. Mealy, who then resided in Canton, to aid in erecting one preached to the congregation for a time without compensation, but his health failing, Rev. W. P. Ruthrauff, of Shellsburg, Penn., was next employed, and during his pastorate of seven years, the church edifice now occupied by the congregation was erected. The members of the congregation who had come into it from the German Reformed Church being now all dead, the name of the organization was about this time (that is, during Mr. Ruthrauff 's incumbency), changed to " Evangelical Lutheran Congregation," and it was attached to Pittsburgh Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. This Synodical connection produced several protests from other Synods of the church. The congregation was within the bounds of the Joint Synod of Ohio, to which the German Church at the cast end of town belongs, and also within the bounds of the East Synod of Ohio, which is attached to the General Synod of the church. The Joint Synod is independent of the General Synod. The lines of the Pittsburgh Synod did not at that time extend into Ohio, but Mr. Ruthrauff being a member of that Synod, the congregation voted to go into it also, and being received by the Synod, it remained in connection with it until 1863, when it withdrew and united with the East Ohio Synod, where it still remains. Mr. Ruthrauff was followed by Rev. D. Garver, who remained about three years. While Mr. Garver was Pastor, the steeple of the church was blown down by a high wind, and the erection of a new one and other necessary repairs, cost the congregation a considerable sum of money. For several months after Mr. Garver's withdrawal the congregation was without a Pastor, being temporarily served by Rev. J. A. Kunkleman and others. In 1863, Rev. G. F. Stelling took char re of the congregation and re- mained one year. Next came Rev. John W. Goodlin, who continued four years and was succeeded in 1869 by Rev. L. M. Kuhns, the present Pastor, whose term of service has been longer than that of any of his predecessors. Of all the ministers who have regularly served this congregation only four are now living—Revs. Hamilton, Stelling, Goodlin and Kuhns. The following personal sketch of Dr. Kuhns, now the Pastor of the English Lutheran Church, and second to Rev. P. Herbruck, the longest resident minister in the city, will be of interest to his many friends here and elsewhere : Mr. Kuhns is a native of Western Pennsylvania, educated at Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio, which institution conferred upon him the title of Doctor of Divinity in 1876. He entered the ministry in the spring of 1852, and his first charge was at Freeport and Leechsburg, Penn., within a few miles of where he was born, and he preached there for fourteen years, in a neighborhood where his father was founder of the church, and he confirmed. It is very seldom that a young man can so long and favorably serve a congregation at his own home, which goes greatly to disprove the old adage " that a prophet is not honored in his own country." In the spring of 1866, he took charge of a Lutheran Church at Bellefontaine, Ohio, where he remained until 1869, when he was called here, thus making eleven years of pastorate in Canton, and now being the second oldest minister in the city. He has a pleasant countenance, and numbers among his friends members of every church in the city, besides being on a friendly footing with all the clergy, which, sad to say, cannot be said of ministers in every community. The communicants number 210. Since he came here, he has received 180 members, but many removals have taken place. He has baptized eighty-seven children ; married eighty-one couples ; but upon consulting some old yellow musty records, which we have found in most ministerial sanctums, could not give correct burial figures, as he officiated at many funerals outside of his regular congregation. Trinity Second Reformed Church was organized out of the German Reformed congregation in 1870, with nineteen members. J. B. Shoemaker, of Lancaster, Penn., was first Pastor. E. Herbruck took charge of the congregation in May, 1873. When he took charge of the congregation the membership was thirty-five, and now numbers 160. At the beginning of his pastorate there was a heavy debt, which is not yet all paid. Church cost $8,000 ; pews free ; seats 350. He has officiated at the following : Baptisms, 174 ; marriages, seventy-four ; deaths, fifty-three. A few months ago, Rev. E. Herbruck resigned his position and removed to Tiffin, to take the editorial chair of the German Reformed Messenger, the English organ of this church in the West. The Roman Catholic Church—Was represented in the quite early settlement of Canton. John Shorb, who came to Canton as early as 1807, with his wife and three children, was the first resident Catholic in the place. Soon after the war of 1812, other Catholic families came to town, and to different parts of the County ; of the families settling in this neighborhood were Andrew Meyers, Stephen Shorb, George Hossofross, the Pirrong brothers, Joseph Trout, Adam Rider, Cassily, Owen Grimes, Martin Zimmerman, John Gillig, Floom, and McCormick. As early as 1818, before this portion of the State belonged to a diocese, the Dominican Fathers, who had been sent West as missionaries, held occasional services at Mr. Shorb's CANTON TOWNSHIP - 363 house, on the locality still occupied by his descendants. The missionaries came about twice a year, and when the weather permitted the services were held in a grove in front of the house. The time of the meeting was made known in good time in advance, and parties from a great distance, in .Stark and adjoining counties, were sure to be present. Catholic devotion to the services of the Church is proverbial, and worthy of closer imitation by members of other communions. The first Catholic service, in Ohio, was at Gallipolis, in 1793 ; the second in Perry County, in 1812 ; and the third in Shorb's Grove, Canton, in 1816. As the people came from great distances, as much as thirty and forty miles to attend these meetings, though bringing their own provisions with them, it was often a difficult matter to provide lodging places for them. Mr. Shorb was a zealous worker in the cause of his religion, and it was his ambition to have a church in Canton. In his visits to Baltimore and other parts of the country numerously inhabited by Catholics, he made it a part of his business to get contributions to the accomplishment of this end. When sufficient means for a start had been collected, he generously donated a site for the new church upon his own grounds, and gave his personal attention to the construction of the church thereon. The building, commenced in 1823, and finished the following year, was a structure 40 by 90 feet, a section of the East part being partitioned off for family use. Mr. Shorb was fatally injured at the raising of the building, by a rafter falling from the hands of a workman and striking him on the head ; he died the following day, lamented not only by his family and his church, but also by the entire community, who knew his personal worth as an upright man, desirous of promoting, by every means in his power, the best interests of the town of Canton. The first priest in charge of the church here was John A. Hill, a nephew of Lord Hill, of England. He commanded a regiment at the battle of Waterloo. He was married soon after this, when both he and his wife became converted to the Roman Catholic religion. Mutually impressed afterward with the idea that they must devote the balance of their lives to the service of the church, they agreed to separate, she entering a convent in Italy, and he an institution of learning, to qualify himself for the priesthood. After completing a course of study, he was sent to America, and served as a missionary for several years. He came to Canton in 1824, where he continued his labors successfully until death called him home from his earthly labors and usefulness. He was buried September 3, 1828, at his own request, under the eaves of the church, but later his remains were removed to Somerset, Perry Co., Ohio. Father Hill was loved by his flock and highly esteemed in the community. He was a lover of children, and, without respect to denominational distinctions, was generally beloved by the children of the town. He was a man of a strong social turn of mind, enjoyed a game of chess, and, it is said, he would occasionally try his skill with William Raynolds, Dr. Simmons and William Christmas, the prominent chess players of Canton at that time. For several years after his death, the church was without a regular Pastor. Fathers Miles, Martin and others officiated at intervals. From 1830 to 1834, Rev. John M. Henni was in charge of St. John,s. During his pastorate, in 1832, Bishop Fenwick, of Cincinnati, after attending a jubilee in Canton, was taken with cholera on his way home in the stage, and died near Wooster, Ohio. Rev. J. S. Alemany followed Rev. Henni in this pastorate. Rev. Henni afterward became Archbishop of the diocese of Milwaukee, and Rev. Alemany the Archbishop of the diocese of San Francisco. The St. John's Church was twice enlarged to meet the growing necessities of the congregation. For about ten years after Rev. Alemany's time, pastoral changes were frequent. In 1844, about twenty-five families left the English Church, and under Rev. H. Lahr organized a German Catholic Church, under the name of St Peter's, and measures were at once taken for the erection of a German church edifice. Among the later Pastors of St. John's Church were Fathers Doherty, Lindersmith and Bartolett. During the pastorate of the latter, a new church was built, one of the finest in the city, at a great sacrifice of labor on the part of the Pastor, and sympathetic efforts and co-operation on the part of the people of his charge. This congregation has steadily increased, and now numbers not far from two hundred families. We conclude this notice of the Catholic Church in Canton by a brief history of St. Peter,s Roman Catholic Church.   364 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. As stated above, this congregation was founded in 1844 by Rev. H. Lahr, who died in Cincinnati a few years ago. The membership at that time was about thirty-five families, who had separated from old St. John,s Church, which was too small to contain all its members. Under the worthy pastorate of Rev. F. M. Boff and J. B. Uhlman, the number of members increased rapidly, so that in the year 1865, when Rev. Arnould, the present Pastor, took charge of the congregation it numbered 206 families. In 1874, the old church building being considered too small, the Pastor called a meeting of the congregation, at which it was decided to erect a large church edifice, the cost of which was not to exceed the sum of $80,000, at the same time a building committee was formed with Rev. V. Arnould as President ; Joseph Biechele, Treasurer ; William Dannemiller, Secretary ; Joseph Schott and George Gonder, Advisers ; all active, energetic men. The plan was made at once by H. Engelbert, of New York, in the Gothic style. In September, 1874, the foundation was built, and in June, 1875, the cornerstone was laid with appropriate ceremonies by Right Rev. Bishop Fitzgerald, of Little Rock, Ark., the Bishop of Cleveland being then absent on account of ill health. The building measures 164x74 feet. The ornamental plastering or stucco work was done by Carroll & Nolan, a Cleveland firm of great experience and ability ; the wood work was under the direction of Stephen Wagner, of Canton, a very conscientious and skillful mechanic ; the whole under the immediate superintendence of the reverend Pastor. The building is one of the finest in the State. The school children number 280, and are instructed by four teachers. The Sunday school is attended by 300. During his pastorate, the clergyman has baptized 1,495 ; married 195 couples ; buried 198 persons. This congregation now numbers about 300 families, and is still under the charge of Rev. Father Arnould, a faithful Pastor, and a wholesouled, genial, Christian gentleman. St. John's is at this time tinder the charge of Rev. Father McGuire, a man of rare taste and culture, and the congregation seems to be flourishing under his pastorate. It is worthy of note that the priests in charge of the Canton Catholic Churches have, as a rule, been men of more than ordinary ability, some of them attaining high positions in the church, and to this fact much of the success of Catholicism in this city is mainly attributable. The ministers of the Presbyterian denomination, on missionary tours through this part of the country, first made their appearance in Canton about the year 1809, though previous to that time there were some families in town of that persuasion. Itinerant ministers of different denominations had worshiped in favorable weather in Michael Reed's barn, about a mile from town. In the winter season and bad weather, services were held in private houses until the erection of the first court house, corner of Third and Market streets. The first minister of whom there is any definite account was Rev. Joshua Beer. He lived in Springfield, now in Summit County, but he seems to have labored in Canton, at stated periods, until 1815. There is an entry of a marriage in the records of Stark County, solemnized by him December 18, 1811. To a certificate of a still later date, he signs himself Joshua Beer, V. D. M., Presbyterian Church, Canton. From this fact, it is tolerably certain that an organization existed at a very early date ; but as no records are known to be in existence, but little can be said about it. From 1817 to 1819, Rev. James Adams officiated quite frequently, and there are several marriages solemnized by him on record. The names of some of the other ministers visiting here in the early days were Mathews, Vallandigham (father of Clement L. Vallandigham, a Democratic legislator and congressman a few years back, a man of great personal power, of pleasing address, and of great importance to his party) and Cleland. In the absence of a regular settled Pastor and fixed services, the church did not at first attain very marked success. In 1820, Rev. James McClean took charge of it, and found it in a very weak condition. He began his labors in the old brick court house, erected a few years before his coming. John Harris, esteemed a good singer, led the singing. In his second sermon, Mr. McClean spoke of the " utility and importance of Sunday schools." This discourse so impressed his congregation that a meeting was called at the court house the following Thursday evening to consider the matter. It was there resolved to establish a Sunday school, and a committee was appointed to complete such an organization. This school met for the first time in the court house on December 2, 1820, and was the first Sunday school CANTON TOWNSHIP - 365 in the county. It had, in the start, fifty-six scholars. Rev. McClean continued to preach during the winter and summer following ; but spent a considerable portion of his time in visiting destitute localities in the surrounding country. Up to the time of Mr. McClean's advent in Canton, no records of the church seem to have been kept. In the minute book of the session, the following entry appears : Mr. McClean, not finding any records of a regularly organized congregation, a meeting was called and held on the 13th of September, 1821, and proceeded to the election of three Elders, viz., Samuel Coulter, James Latimer and Robert Latimer. These brethren, having accepted the office, were ordained and installed on the 27th of September, and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered on the following Sabbath, Mr. McClean being assisted by Rev. A. Hanna, of Fredericksburg. The membership at that time was twenty-seven. Mr. McClean continued his services until the spring of 1822, and six new members were added to the church. He left the field because of the non-payment of his salary. As the Trustees, Robert Latimer, George Dunbar and James Gaff, Sr., were unable to collect the subscriptions, they were sued by the minister, and, confessing judgment by default, had to make good the amount from their ,own pockets. Mr. McClean was an Englishman by birth, and was a man of quite a stylish appearance. For more than three years, the new congregation was without a Pastor ; but occasional services were given by Revs. James Adams, James Snodgrass and A. Hanna, who had charges not far distant. In October, 1825, J. B. Morrow, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Winchester, Va., was engaged. After a formal call, he was ordained and installed .by the Presbytery of Richland on June 21, 1826, when the ordination sermon and charge to the new minister were given respectively by Rev. James Rowland, of Mansfield, and Rev. James Snodgrass, of Pigeon Run. Rev. Mr. Morrow continued as Pastor until December, 1830, and during the time of his charge there were seventy-six additions by profession and letter, and losses by dismissal, death and suspension of fifty, leaving at his retirement a membership of fifty-six. The Sunday school was maintained during Mr. Morrow's connection with the church. From an old library register of 1829, it appears that Jacob Rex was the Superintendent, and that Mary L. Craighead, Eliza Laird, Catharine Harry, Mary Coulter, Amanda Gaff, Thomas Christmas, James Hazlett, Seth Godden, Joseph Parker, Joseph Heckman and Eliza Porter were the teachers. At this time, they numbered about one hundred scholars in the school. The lot now occupied by the Presbyterian Church and parsonage was donated by Mr. Wells, as we have had occasion to remark above, to any religious society who would take possession of it for a house of worship. In 1810, members of the Lutheran and Reformed denominations first availed themselves of the benefit of this grant, and as early as the year 1810, they erected thereon a small frame church, and held possession of the premises until 1821. The location did not please the members, and it was at last surrendered, and the frame structure was sold and removed. About the year 1827, the Presbyterians took possession of the lot, and commenced building a church, but by want of means and negligence it was not pushed forward to completion, and Mr. Morrow, thoroughly discouraged and disheartened, resigned his place and removed to New Philadelphia. Spiritual declension followed, and the Sunday school soon ceased its operations. There was occasional preaching by ministers in search of new charges, but they received little encouragement until Rev. T. M. Hopkins, of New York, came along. His wife and himself were known as experienced teachers, and he was induced to come to Canton, to start a school, and to preach for the congregation. General apathy prevailed among the members of the church ; many persons of influence in the community had imbibed infidelity from Paine's " Age of Reason," and made pub lie opposition to the cause of religion ; and, on the whole, the field did not seem to be a very inviting one. After an interval of four years in the services of the church, Rev. Hopkins took the charge. He was in the prime of life, vigorous and enthusiastic in the cause of his Master, and at once took hold of his work in this new and neglected field with a vim that indicated success. The earlier members of the congregation were John Harris, Samuel Coulter, Robert, Thomas and James Latimer, James Gaff, James, Harry and Ebenezer Shaw. There were others, who by previous training and personal preferences were led into sympathy with the Presbyterian movement, and gave it from time to time substantial encouragement. In HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY - 366 this connection appear the names of James Hazlett, William Christmas, Dr. Hartford, William Raynolds, John Sloan, Seth Godden, James Lathrop, George Sloan, George Dunbar, Sr., and William Drayton, all of whom were in their day men of influence in the community. To add to the complications mentioned before, Mr. Hopkins found at first a considerable opposition growing out of the new-school doctrines of the Presbyterian Church, which at that time were especially canvassed in his church, and which he himself had adopted as the true basis upon which to build up a regenerated church. He went, nevertheless, earnestly to work, re-organized the congregation, and in a year or two began to see the fruits of his labors. The cause of the unfinished church edifice was taken up anew, the women of the congregation took the matter vigorously in hand, the money was raised, and the church was finished and dedicated in 1833. Its internal arrangement and construction were of the ancient order, with a gallery on three sides, the choir occupying the side directly in front of the minister. The floor pews were boxes with doors, and the seats narrow and straight-backed and high, suggesting anything else than ease and comfort. Mr. Hopkins, nevertheless, was a popular minister, and his services were well attended. He was an outspoken temperance man, and his courage may be judged when it is stated as a fact, that while it was the universal custom of merchants in his day to keep the whisky bottle on the counter for the convenience of the customers, he was the first in the town to condemn and publicly denounce the traffic in spirituous liquors. Soon after the dedication of the new chursh in 1833, he removed to another field on account of personal difficulties among the members of the congregation, which seriously interfered with his pastoral administration. Mr. Hopkins was followed soon after by Rev? Mr. Reeves. He was a good man, but hardly able to cope with the situation. While he was in charge, an Evangelist, by the name of Rev. J. F. Avery, held a series of meetings for several months in the Presbyterian Church, though members of other churches in sympathy with the movement, took an active part, also, in the meetings. Mr. Avery was eminently successful in stirring up the " dry bones," and as a result of his efforts, more than a hundred converts were reported, and among them some who had before boasted of their infidelity. As is apt to occur with purely sensational religionists, many of those in the " time of temptation " fell away, but, probably, the most disastrous effect of the excitement occasioned by Mr. Avery,s preaching, was that the taste of the congregation for the plain and simple statement of Gospel truths was much disturbed, and it is recorded by one of our chroniclers of passing events, that " Mr. Reeves found himself inadequate to supply the pabulum desired by the congregation, and he had a call to another field, the soil of which required less stirring." Rev. Mr. Taylor followed Mr. Reeves, and being himself a man of decided convictions, he succeeded in bringing the congregation into active connection with the new school branch of the church. Mr. Taylor was a good speaker, and stood well generally with the congregation and the community. He remained only four years, but during his pastorate, the church was remodeled inside,- and its appearance and comfort greatly improved. Rev. E. Buckingham succeeded Mr. Taylor, in 1846, and remained in continuous charge for a period of twenty-six years. Mr. Buckingham was a man of strong convictions, in some things with a strong leaning to bigotry, but at the same time honest, conscientious and zealous in advancing the best interests of his charge, according to his own convictions. There can be no doubt that the substantial position of the Presbyterian Church in Canton, to-day, is very largely due to his earnest, active and long-continued labors in this field: During his very long services, Mr. Buckingham retained the love and esteem of the greater part of his congregation. A man of noble impulses, and fearless in the discharge of every duty, as he regarded it, he sometimes came out very plainly in his public discourses, and taking a lively interest as he did in all public questions, he not unfrequently trod very closely upon the toes of some of his parishioners, and little bickerings and dissatisfactions, accordingly, arose from time to time ; but as he never compromised his calling, and did not knowingly lend his influence or countenance to anything which might bring reproach upon the cause of Christ. and, while positive, was always the urbane and obliging gentleman, he retained a strong hold upon the affections of his people until the last. After his resignation in Canton, Mr. Buckingham re- CANTON TOWNSHIP - 367 moved to Muskingum County, and took charge of Putnam Female Seminary until his death. His remains were brought to Canton and interred in the cemetery west of the city. Darin̊ his pastorate in 1850, a belfry was attached to the church edifice and a bell purchased, the one still in use ; in 1853, a parsonage was erected at a cost of $2,200 ; in 1857, the church "as incorporated under the title of " The First Presbyterian Church of Canton ; " in 1856, measures were inaugurated and carried out for the building of the stone church, corner of Tuscarawas and Plum streets, at a cost of about $40,000. Mr. Whitelock, of Chicago, was the architect. Mr. Buckingham was a warm friend of our public schools, and did very much during his stay in Canton to enhance their popularity and usefulness. When he left at last, it would be hard to decide which felt the worse, his congregation or the community at large. A few months after Mr. Buckingham left Canton, Rev. W. J. Park received and accepted a call to this pastorate. He gave promise of great usefulness in this field, but after a few years' service and communion, on or near the 5th day of June, 1879, he became complicated in grave charges ; his connection with the congregation was dissolved in July, 1879, and on the 7th of September of the same year, he was, conditionally, deposed from his office by the Presbytery to which he and the congregation belonged. From that time on until very recently, the congregation has had no settled minister. In January of this year, 1881, Rev. David E. Platter received a call, and in pursuance of an acceptance thereof, entered upon his duties last March. He was regularly installed on Tuesday evening, May, 31, 1881. The following brief account of his installation will be of interest in the future : The installation of Rev. D. E. Platter as Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, by a committee appointed by the Presbytery of Mahoning, took place last evening in the presence of a large congregation. The services were opened by the choir singing " How Beautiful Upon the Mountains." The Rev. D. H. Evans, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown, presided and preached a sermon appropriate to the occasion, after which he proposed the Constitutional questions to the Pastor-elect, then to the people. The Rev. N. P. Bailey, D. D., of Massillon, then delivered the charge to the Pastor, and the Rev. A. B. Maxwell, Leetonia, the charge to the people, at the conclusion of which the installing prayer was offered by Mr. Evans, and the services closed with the benediction by the Pastor. The floral decorations, the work of Mr. Harry Meyers, assisted by some of the ladies of the church, were very fine, and drew favorable comments from many admirers. Of the very earliest movements of the Methodists in Canton, in the absence of authentic records, but little is known. The first active Methodists of whom there is any knowledge were William Hill and Philip Schlosser. These men frequently met, discussed the situation, and deprecated the lack, according to their judgment, of religious interest among the first settlers ; they accordingly agreed to help improve every opportunity to encourage meetings for divine worship. Whenever a missionary came to town they made themselves active in providing and giving notice of the place of e meetings. These and a few other of the earlier Methodists frequently came together in private houses, afterward in the old log court house, and still later in the old schoolhouse, corner of Plum and Tuscarawas streets. For many years the members of this persuasion were accustomed to meet in this old school building on Sunday morning for prayer and class meetings, and to preserve their identity as a special denomination of Christians. During this time, it is said, that John McLean, afterward Judge of the United States Supreme Court, but at that time a young man, on a tour through Northern Ohio, stopped over Sunday in the Eagle tavern, kept by Philip Dewalt. He had been from his youth an ardent, devoted Methodist, and to his latest day he made it a point to attend religious services on the Lord's Day, and he never missed an opportunity to do so if his health permitted him to be out. His case is one of many others among our public men, who con- sistently, by profession and practice, have given their approval to the doctrines of our holy religion. On the Sunday morning he spent in Canton, Judge McLean inquired of Mr. Dewalt whether there was any Methodist meeting. in Canton on that day, and was informed that there was probably such a meeting in the schoolhouse. After finding out the location of the schoolhouse he directed his steps thither, and, on entering and taking a seat, he found a small number of persons holding a prayer-meeting. This closed soon after, and Mr. Schlosser announced a class-meeting, and requested all not members of the church to leave, and all not members left ; but Mr. Mc- 368 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. Lean remained. For his benefit the request to leave was repeated more emphatically, but he still kept his seat, and the exercises commenced. The presence of a stranger of such commanding appearance as Judge McLean put a damper upon the meeting. There was no enthusiasm, and the meeting for a time was exceedingly cold and formal, until finally Father Schlosser, addressing the stranger, asked if he had anything to say. Upon this invitation the Judge arose, and, in a low, distinct voice, narrated his experience. He talked very impressively, eloquently, and with such pathos as had never before been heard in their meetings ; he carried his audience with him, and soon there was not a dry eye in the room. Mr. Schlosser, upon his conclusion, congratulated him on being a better man than he had thought he was. As early as the year 1825, the society had acquired considerable strength and influence. Among the active new members were John and Thomas Bonfield, John Webb, Mother Cake, Peter Tofler and Newberry Cline. Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Rex, originally of the Lutheran Church, united with them. At this time Canton was a " regular appointment," with preaching once a month, and five years later, in 1830, every two weeks. The regular place of meeting was the upper room of the old Academy, corner of Tuscarawas and Plum streets. Revs. Frey, Plimpton Ruckel, Kent, Graham, Sheppard and Harry O. Sheldon were among the earlier preachers on this circuit. Sheldon was somewhat peculiar ; a stout, muscular man, he did not hesitate long to take rowdies in hand who disturbed his religious meetings, and he could generally, as it became well known that, being without fear, he would, if necessary, fight for the Lord, as well as labor for him. Mr. John Buckius tells of his being nearly beaten on one occasion. Mr. Sheldon, after the introductory services were over, got up to preach, and began by saying, " I have been thinking of two texts, and revolving them in my mind as No. 1 and No. 2, and am undecided which to take." George Tofler, a well-known character of the town, called out promptly, "Take No. 1." The minister was astounded, but soon recovered himself and responded, "So be it," and announced as the text, " He being dead, yet speaketh," upon which he then preached an excellent and impressive sermon. The first camp-meetings were held for several years in William Hill’s woods, two miles northwest of town, drawing immense crowds of people. They were afterward held in Williams' woods, north of town, and subsequently in the Yohe settlement, on the Steubenville road. In 1830, a lot was purchased on Eighth street, near the corner of Plum street, and a frame church, 40x50 feet, was built upon it by Thomas Cunningham. There being no pavements at that day except on Market and Tuscarawas streets, and very muddy walking in every other part of the town during the winter, a tanbark walk was constructed to the church. Soon after the completion of the church building, Rev. Milton Colt, who was then on this circuit, took sick at Father Tofler's and died. He was buried upon the church lot, but his remains were afterward removed to the cemetery. David White and Joshua Saxton, of the Repository, William Dunbar and Daniel Gotshall, of the Democrat, George N. Webb, Sheriff of the county, and William, were, at this time, all prominent and active members. The oldest members still living are Frederick Hafer, residing on North Poplar street, and Barbara Ann White, on Cherry street. Next to them come Mr. and Mrs. Patterson, on South Market street, who settled in Canton in 1837. Rev. John M. Goshorn and wife came to Canton the following year, and started a female seminary. They were active members of the Methodist Church, and were both well fitted to conduct a first-class school. Mainly through the instrumentality of Dr. Thomas Bonfield, backed by the liberality of a few generous citizens not members of the church, means were secured to erect a good-sized seminary building, on the lot adjoining the church, corner of Eighth and Plum streets. This building still stands, though for almost a generation past it has no longer been used for school purposes. It has also been greatly changed and remodeled within and without, and has for many years been used as a residence by Mr. John Buckius and family. The brick house on the corner of Poplar and Fifth streets, so well known as the old Grant corner, was occupied as a boarding-house, and was the first house in town furnished with a bell-pull. This was a very great temptation to the young gentlemen of the town desirous of obtaining interviews with the young ladies, which were only sparingly granted by the worthy Principals. The seminary was well patronized ; pupils from   CANTON TOWNSHIP - 369 a distance were in attendance, Graduation Day was made memorable, and the exercises well attended ; and this institution did much to elevate the standard of female education in Canton. On the opening of the seminary, the congregation, feeling assured of more liberal contributions, secured the services of a stationed minister, Rev. Edward Burkett, who was the first stationed minister of the Methodist Church in Canton. It soon became evident, however, that the congregation was too weak to give him an adequate support, and they were therefore compelled again to forego regular Sunday service, and re-enter the circuit. This embraced Canton, Hartville, Greentown, Greensburg, Bethlehem, Sparta and Miller's Church, in Pike Township. The ministers who followed Mr. Burkett on the circuit were Rev. Messrs. White, Hare, Cramer, Baker, McCue, Swasey, McAbee, Jackson and Scott, with probably a few others whose names have not been ascertained. McCue was here in 1840, and became a convert to Millerism, a prevalent hallucination of that day which dazed the minds of a great many good -people all over the country. Believing the end of all things and the day of judgment to be near at hand, McCue turned his horse out to grass, arrayed himself in a white ascension robe, and put himself in readiness patiently to wait the summons of Gabriel's trumpet to meet the Savior in the air. But alas ! Mr. Miller's signs and calculations were not as infallible as they were thought to be, and the angel did not blow the trumpet at the appointed time. The completion of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad through Canton in 1851-52, and the advent of Ball, Aultman & Company, who were active members of the Methodist Church, gave the organization here new life and vigor. The congregation increased, the contributions grew apace, and it was not long before they had regular, stated preaching. The old church on Eighth street was soon deemed inadequate, and in 1862, a large and at the time, and to the time of its destruction, a very grand and imposing structure was erected for the use of the congregation, on the corner of Poplar and Tuscarawas streets. An old citizen of Canton says, that " upon its occupancy, a new order of worship and paraphernalia were instituted. The cushioned seats, carpeted aisles, grand organ, and the promiscuous seating of the sexes were regarded by many as a wicked innovation. The style of preaching was also changed, being less emotional and more logical, directed more to the head than the heart. Shouting, which constituted so prominent a feature in protracted meetings and revival occasions, became almost obsolete. The old members were slow to accept the new departure, but the world moves, and they were compelled to move with it or be left by the wayside." The new church was built upon the site of the first St. Cloud Hotel, erected, furnished and kept by Mr. John Buckius and his son-in-law, Will Hawk. It was burned down but a short time before. This church edifice was also destroyed by fire on the first Sunday in January of the present year, 1881. The weather had been excessively cold for a number of days, and it took a great amount of firing-up to make the audience room comfortable during the meetings held in it for a few days previous to holding communion services. On this Sunday a large congregation had assembled with the Pastor, Rev. Dr. H. Miller, and the services appropriate to the celebration of the Lord's Supper had progressed almost through the act of blessing the elements of the communion. While on their knees, engaged in prayer, two or three gentlemen discovered fire nn the upper part of the church, and gave the alarm. Confusion prevailed for a moment, but a few hasty and earnest words from the Pastor restored order, and in a very few minutes, the congregation, without accident, had escaped from the doomed building, but not a moment too soon. In a minute or two, the flames burst furiously through the roof; and began mounting the tall and stately tower which surmounted the building, and in a few hours, notwithstanding the heroic efforts of the fire department to stay the ravages of the destroyer, it was a total wreck, and nearly all its contents were burned up with it. The congregation, however, not disheartened, resolved to go ahead as soon as the weather would permit, and " build a new temple, which should surpass the glory of the old one." At this writing the work is progressing rapidly, and will be pushed energetically forward to completion. The designs for the new building are gotten up by Mr. Frank O. Weary, and are to be seen at his office in the County Surveyor's room at the court house. A writer in one of the local papers says : Judging from these designs the building will be of one of the finest church structures in this part of 370 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. the State. It will be a mixture of the gothic and modern styles of architecture, and will be built of pressed brick, with Berea stone trimmings. The length of the structure will be one hundred and thirty-four feet, in the shape of a letter T, with the cross arm running east and west at the south end of the building. The front will be seventy-nine feet long, with three entrances, a stairway turret on the east side, and the tower rising to a height of one hundred and thirty-five feet at the west. The audience room, which will be on the first floor, is 72x65 feet. The pulpit will be located at the north end with the choir and organ back of it. Main entrances are on each side of the pulpit. The seats are designed in amphitheater style, and the floor is raised two feet igher in the rear than in the front. In the center of the sides of the auditorium are large windows, topped by gables on the outside. Three addional double windows are on each side. Three large doors, 15x18 feet, at the south end of the audience room, separate it from the Sunday-school room ; when desired, these doors slide down into pits, provided for 'the purpose, and thus throw the two rooms into one. The Sunday-school room will be divided into two stories, each of which will contain five class-rooms, arranged in a semi-circle, and facing the general Sunday-school room, at the north end of which is the Superintendent's platform. The class-rooms are to be separated from the regular Sunday-school room by doors with glass panels. The ceiling of the audience room will be finished in walnut paneling and fresco work ; that of the Sunday-school room will be made dome-shaped with a skylight at the top. The means of entrance and exit to the first floor are numerous. The audience room is provided with two large entrances, and the Sunday school room with four. The north end of the structure will be raised five feet from the ground, and the south end seven feet. This makes a nice, airy basement, which will be divided into lecture and supper rooms, ladies' and gentlemen's parlors, cooking and serving kitchens, store rooms, pantries, toilet rooms, janitor's room, cloak rooms and boiler room. In the latter, will be located the steam boilers, which will furnish the heat for the building. Ventilating registers will be put in the wainscoting of the audience and Sunday school rooms, which will be connected by flues with the ventilating tower, located at the juncture of the roof of the main building and the hip roof of the Sunday school part of the structure. The inner part of the building will be finely finished in walnut, and the large windows will be furnished with stained glass. The roof will be surmounted by an ornamental tile casing, and the gables will be topped with stone trimmings. In the tower, a place will be made for a chime of bells. The contract for the foundation, to be of Massillon stone, has been let to Mr. John Melbourne, who will begin work as soon as the ruins are cleared away. Contracts for the other work will be let, and it is expected that the building will be under roof before snow flies. The estimated cost of this magnificent structure will be between $60,000 and $75,000. While the great mass of the old congregation readily adapted themselves to the new order of things, there were always some imbued with the more emotional fervor of the older type of American Methodism, who could not bring themselves into full sympathy with their brethren in vs hat they considered unwarranted innovations. These at last left the First Church, effected an organization as the Second M. E. Church, and erected a large brick church on South Market street, neat but plain, and without steeple or dome. There is no organ in this church, and the services, including " revivals," are more nearly like those of the primitive Methodist Church. As there are in every community men and women in whom the emotional naturally forms the greater part of their intellectual and moral nature, there is probably necessity also in religious matters to arrange by organization that these be provided for ; at any rate, this organization seems to have measurably flourished from the start. Whether the emotional or the rational ought to have the higher value in any religious system is not for the impartial historian to determine ; the middle ground is probably the safe one ; a religion without place for the emotional in man's nature tends to formality and dogmatism ; a religion which ignores man,s rational being tends on the one side to superstition, on the other to fanaticism true religion addresses man's higher intellectual powers, and through these, under subjection to faith, seeks to guide and control the affections, the feelings and the will. A third Methodist frame church building was erected a few years ago in the Fourth Ward, in the immediate vicinity of the north school building as a point for missionary operations. This movement, however, has up to this time not resulted in anything tangible or permanent. There are also two Methodist churches in the township, one in Section 26 and the other in Section 30. The First Baptist Church was started in April, 1849, by Mr. and Mrs. John Danner, Thomas Goodman and Robert C. Latimer, at which time the services of Elder John Winter, of Warren, Ohio, were secured at a salary of $300. April 22, 1849, a Sabbath school was formed with fourteen scholars. The communicants to the church at this time numbered seven. In 1852, Mr. Danner agreed to build a church if the Home Mission Society would pay $500 for pastor's salary for one year, and at the end of the year he would guarantee it free CANTON TOWNSHIP - 371 from debt, which the society agreed to do. June 25, 1853, the church was dedicated by Rev. John Winter, Pastor. The church, situated on the southeast corner of Tenth and Market streets, seating 350 people, was used for eighteen years. In 1871, the new church on Ninth and Market streets was built at a cost of $50,000, which is now free from debt, with 275 communicants. Rev. E. W. Lounsbury, the present Pastor, came here in March, 1877, and is well liked by his congregation. In 1858, a few Episcopalians associated themselves together and held services under the name of " Church of the Advent," until 1868 ; the number of Episcopalians increased, and a number of lots were purchased at the northwest corner of Tenth and South Popular streets, Easter Monday, March 29, 1869 ; a Vestry was elected, and the Rev. J. C. Laverty called to the rectorship. In September of the same year, turf was cut for the erection of a new church—the present edifice, which was soon after finished, with several thousand dollars indebtedness resting upon it. Mr. Laverty reduced the debt largely. His resignation took place in the summer of 1875. October 1, 1876, the Rev. Joseph P. Cameron was called to the rectorship, which continued until August 1, 1878. He also reduced the church debt, which was finally entirely paid in 1881, under Rev. Frederick Burt Avery, Rector, now in charge, who came to the parish the last Sunday in August, 1880. The church property now consists of a frame edifice, with a seating capacity of 300, well-furnished walnut seats, pipe-organ, chancel windows and side windows of stained glass ; the church is painted and in good repair. The whole is now paid for, as are also the two lots—the one on which the church is built, and the adjoining one reserved for the rectory. Value of the property, about $10,000. Although a number of the old members have been removed by death and otherwise, the communicant list has ,been increased, by confirmation and transfers, by twenty new members. The Sunday-school numbers sixty-five scholars, ten officers and teachers. The Ladies, Guild has for its officers, Mrs. D. Tyler, President ; Mrs. A. G. Dart, Secretary. The officers of the church : Rev. Frederick Burt Avery, Rector. Vestrymen, E. W. Amsden, Senior Warden ; William Britton, Junior Warden ; J. H. Mathews, M. D., Treasurer ; A. G. Dart, Clerk of Vestry ; Capt. Williams, J. W. Young, D. Tyler, H. Churchman, John Snyder. The Evangelical Church took this city as a mission field, A. D. 1852 ; and the same year, Rev. Peter Wiest was sent here as a missionary. Ire immediately set to work to build a church, which was completed in 1853. The building was a neat, one-story brick, which answered its purpose at that time. The church was rebuilt in the year 1874, under the administration of Rev. T. Bach, as preacher in charge of the congregation, and Rev. S. B. Kring, as Presiding Elder. The edifice is now two stories high. This church is located on the east corner of Herbruck and Fourth streets, on a lot donated by Mrs. Barbara Young. When this congregation was organized in 1852, there were but twelve members, viz., Isaac Voegelgasong and wife, John Hane and wife, Peter Tream, Phillip. Tream, Gotlieb Kasher, Sister Kitzmiller, Catharine Dittenhaver, Lewis Voegelgasong and Mr. Leininger and wife. Brother Hane served the church of his choice temporarily. The Brethren I. Voegelgasong, P. Tream and J. Hane, obligated themselves to the Conference to pay $107'a year to the missionary cause in order that they might be supplied with a missionary. Rev. Jacob Burkett was the successor of Rev. Wiest, and his labors were crowned with a success that resulted in the conversion of quite a number of souls. This gave the work a new impulse, and ever since that time the influence and the borders of the church have been extended. Rev. G. F. Spreng was the first Presiding Elder presiding at this place. At present; Rev. J. A. Yount is the Pastor of this congregation, and Rev. J. A. Grimm, Presiding Elder. The future for the congregation seems to be bright. A present, this church has about one hundred and seventy communicants. The Church of God is located on east Tuscarawas street, Rev. M. M. Beck, of West Lebanon, Ohio, Pastor. This is a plain brick structure surmounted by a small spire, containing no bell. The church is 60x40 feet and will seat 150 persons comfortably. It was built in 1876, at a cost of $3,300, and is not yet free from debt. Inside the church is roughly plastered, and has plain benches and a small gallery. The illumination is furnished by coal oil lamps, and the heating apparatus consists of two stoves. The congregation consists of eighty communicants. They believe in immersion and 372 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. accept the Bible as their foundation rock. The society was organized about ten years ago, by Rev. Mr. Beck. The United Brethren Church is on Charles street, and is built of brick with a seating capacity of about one hundred and fifty. It is lighted and heated in the old-fashioned style. A small spire with a bell surmounts the church. Rev. S. W. Koontz is Pastor. The Disciples' Church of Canton dates back for its organization for more than a score of years, and has, under a number of able Pastors, enjoyed a fair share of prosperity. The church building is on the corner of Poplar and Seventh streets. Rev. Mr. Henselman is the present Pastor ; he serves besides a congregation at New Berlin in Plain Township, and one newly organized, with a neat frame church lately built at North Industry in this township. A small brick Lutheran Church has also been erected about a half-mile north of North Industry, on the Canton road, which though occupied a few times for divine worship is not yet quite finished. Last of all, but doing a good work in its own sphere of activity, is the Mennonite Church just east of Canton, which was built during, or about the year 1830, by Jacob Rowland. Joseph Rohrer was the first minister, with the following members : Jacob Rowland and wife, Mrs. David Schriver, Mrs. Henry Hull, and Christian Wengard, and wife. About the year 1852, Mr. Rohrer moved to Indiana ; from that time till about 1870, Revs. Smith and Newcomer, from Columbiana County, officiated. The old log church was torn down, and the present brick structure erected in the year 1875, since which time. Michael Rohrer has been the principal minister with from fifteen to twenty members. In concluding these sketches of the Canton churches, the writer deems it due to the publishers and himself to say that it is to be regretted that so many of the ministers take so little interest in securing a history of their church organizations in permanent form, such as this work would afford them an opportunity of doing. With a few exceptions, they failed to co-operate heartily in the work, and left the historian to do the best he could. CHAPTER XII.* PERRY TOWNSHIP—NAME AND ORGANIZATION -SETTLEMENT - AN INCIDENT—OTHER EARLY SETTLERS— FIRST RELGIOUS MEETINGS—VILLAGE OF KENDAL—PIONEER INDUSTRIES—THE OHIO CANAL—EDUCATIONAL—THE CHARITY SCHOOL. " Gather we from the shadowy past The straggling beams that linger yet." —Spenser. AT a meeting of the Board of Commission- ers of Stark County, on the 7th day of December, 1813, it was " ordered that the tenth township of the ninth range be, and the sa Le is hereby made known as a separate and distinct township by the name of Perry. The inhabitants of said new township will meet at the house of Samuel Patton, in Kendal, on the last Saturday in February, and proceed to elect township officers." From the above it will be seen that the township took its name from Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of Lake Erie in the war of 1812. The battle at Put-in-Bay had been fought but about three months previous *Contributed by Robert H. Folger. to the above order, and as the success of American arms in that battle had saved the frontier settlements from being overrun by the British and Indians, the naming of the first township that was organized in the county, after the battle, was a fit recognition of the benefits which accrued to the pioneer settlers of the exposed region. Comparatively few settlements had been made on what was known as the " New Purchase," which was the territory lying west of the Tuscarawas Branch of the Muskingum, in what is now known as the townships of Sugar Creek, Jackson and Lawrence. West of the Tuscarawas River in Stark County, no organization had been made prior to 1810, nor in Wayne prior to 1812. In 1810, the township of Tuscarawas had been organized and its first census showed 145 inhabitants of all ages. South of the forty-first parallel of latitude, PERRY TOWNSHIP - 373 the lands were known as Congress lands to distinguish them from the Western Reserve, New Connecticut and the Fire lands as that portion lying north of the forty-first parallel was called. Much of the land now included in the townships of Bethlehem, Perry, Jackson, Lawrence and Franklin, in the county of Summit, was surveyed by Ebenezer Buckingham in the year 1800, and a man of the name of Carpenter. The Tuscarawas was then the boundary line between the United States and the Indians, which was the reason why the balance of these townships was not surveyed at the same time. Mr. Buckingham was afterward one of the Commissioners of the Canal Fund of Ohio, and lived many years at Zanesville, where he died, closing a long, active and useful life. As already noticed, Perry is called Township 10 of the ninth Range. In forming the ranges, the United States began on the base of the Western Reserve, at the east line of the State, or the base line of the Western Reserve, or latitude forty-one degrees north, and every six miles west was a range, numbering from east to west. The townships on the east side, or first range, counted from the Ohio River north to the base line of the Reserve. Pursuant to the order of the Commissioners, the voters of Perry Township met in Kendal, now the Fourth Ward of the city of Massillon, on the last Saturday in February, 1814, and elected the township officers, but who were elected to the particular offices, cannot be ascertained, as no person is now living who was present at the election, nor is there a record to he found of an earlier date than 1825. Who were the first Trustees, Treasurer and Clerk, Supervisors, Fence Viewers and Overseers of the Poor and their successors for the first eleven years cannot be stated with entire certainty. Among the residents of the township at the date of its organization, were Jacob Bahney, John Waggoner; Philip Jacoby, George Amick, Frederick Stump, Robert Barr, Michael Bose, Stephen Shorb, William Armstrong, William McCaughey, James McCaughey, Paul Beard, George Miller, Jonathan Neely, Abraham Golladay and Daniel Ritter, all of whom with others were residents of the south end of the township. In Kendal and in the immediate neighborhood were William Henry, already mentioned, Thomas Rotch, Charles Coffin, Zaccheus Stanton, Moses Gleason, John Hendley, Abel Strong, Benjamin Franklin Coleman, Rowland Coleman, Alexander Skinner, Charles K. Skinner, Joseph Morton and Thomas Rotch, who resided at Spring Hill, the present residence of Hon. A. C. Wales ; John Hall, Arvine Wales, Ephraim Chidester, Boyd J. Mercer, Edward Nelson, John Bowman, Aaron Chapman, Ambrose Chapman, Austin Allen, Richard Whaley, John Shobe, a German, who built a powder-mill on the south side of Sippo Creek, about twenty rods east of the flouring-mill of Messrs. Warwick & Justus in the First Ward of the city of Massillon. The powder-mill, as remembered by the writer, was a log building, in one end of which old John slept with kegs of powder piled up around his bed, and around his fire, wooden trays of the explosive material were arranged for drying. He never feared a blow-up except from lightning ; on the appearance of a thunder storm, he was sure to vacate his mill and dwelling until the storm was over and danger from lightning had disappeared. Among the prominent of the early settlers in 1812, and whose influence tended to lay broad and deep the foundations of social order in Perry Township, were Thomas Rotch and his wife, Charity Rotch, members of the Society of Friends, natives of New Bedford, Mass., who moved from there to Hartford, Conn., and from Hartford to Stark County. With him came Arvine Wales and the late Charles K. Skinner, who with Mr. Wales became permanently identified with the growth of the township, and, as will be seen hereafter, with the now city of Massillon. Thomas and Charity Rotch were prominent members of the Society of Friends, both being recommended ministers according to the discipline of the society. The village of Kendal was laid out by Thomas Rotch, in 1811, who named it after a prominent manufacturing town in the West of England. On laying out the village, Mr. Rotch sought at once to utilize the water-power of Sippo Creek, the principal outlet of Sippo Lake, in the northeastern part of the township, by building a woolen factory and saw-mill, both of which have long since gone to decay. Mr. Rotch's policy was not such as tended to advance the growth of his village, nor was the condition of the new country favorable. The immigration was entirely agricultural. A land office was established at Canton, of which Col. Gibson and Col. John 374 - HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY. Sloane were Register and Receiver respectively, and as fast as land came into market, it was entered. On the 18th of June, 1812, war was declared against Great Britain by the United States, which exposed the frontier settlements to incursions of the British and Indians, especially after Hull's surrender, when many of the settlers of the new country went back to their former homes. The paralysis of all sorts of business which followed the declaration of war can hardly be realized at this late period, and which continued many years, and retarded improvements of all kinds. At the close of the war, in 1814, the General Assembly sought to relieve the embarrassment in which all sorts of business was plunged by chartering banks, which went into operation without capital, but soon suspended operations, and nowhere was the embarrassment of the country greater than in the Tuscarawas Valley. There was no surplus of provisions of any kind for many years, and when the surplus came wheat sold for 25 cents per bushel, when it would sell at all, as late as 1826, and all cereals proportionally low, potatoes at twelve and a half cents, while salt commanded at one time $3 per bushel of fiftysi x pounds. On the 14th of the ninth month, ip 1823, Thomas Rotch died at Mount Pleasant, in Jefferson County, while attending the Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends (Quakers), and was buried there ; he was born at New Bedford, Mass., on the 13th of the seventh month, 1767, consequently was but little more than fifty-six years of age ; be is well remembered by the writer as a man of fine presence and great shrewdness in all business matters, and, as all Quakers did and do, bore faithful testimony against human slavery. He was frequently called on to protect the fugitive slave on his flight to Canada, and never was known to let the call pass unheeded. A single instance will illustrate his devotion to his principles on that subject, as well as his courage. In the spring of the year 1820, a woman with two children called at his residence and satisfied him that they were fugitive slaves ; he at once provided them with a place of safety in the second story of a spring house almost adjoining his residence. In the morning of the following day, immediately after breakfast, a couple of strangers on horseback rode up to the door and inquired if Mr. Rotch lived there, and, on being answered in the affirmative, commenced to make their business known, which was that of slave- hunters, one being known as a man who was in the habit of aiding slaves to escape, advising them what route to take, then following them for the reward offered by their masters ; the name of De Camp, the slave-catcher, had become as familiar as household words. Thomas heard him very patiently describe the woman and children, and say that he had traced them to his (Thomas') residence. and produced a warrant for their seizure issued under the act of Congress of 1793, and supposed his work was done—that, the Quakers being a law-abiding people, the mother and children would be at once delivered. After he had exhausted his vocabulary. Thomas said, " Dost thou think thou can take the woman and her children here if thou canst find them ?" " Certainly," replied the slave-catcher. " Well," said Thomas, " thou may be mistaken. Thou hast not found them yet, and shouldst thou find them, thou might have trouble to take them." The strangers had not been invited into the house, and while the dialogue was going on between Thomas and him having the warrant, the farm hands, of whom Thomas kept three or four, gathered around, and seeing such a crowd. the strangers began to look at each other and evinced alarm, which Thomas was not slow to notice, and, breaking a momentary silence. said to the person having the warrant, " Dost thou know a man who follows the business of slave-catching by the name of De Camp ?" " I do," answered De Camp, for it was he, and was betraying fear of bodily harm, and inquired, " Have you any business with me ? My name is De Camp." By this time. the men of Thomas' household, himself included, had formed a sort of circle around the slave-catchers. Thomas replied with the utmost coolness, " I expect very soon to have some very important business with thee, and it will be well for thee to be prepared for it." De Camp and his confrere concluded it would be best to beat a retreat, which they did without delay. On reaching their horses, they sprang into their saddles and left the Spring Hill farm and its Quaker occupants, and never again called