(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) 1000 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. called her son down; he first said he was going away; did not know where, and wanted to deed his property—the house—to Hannah; said before going he would see some of the folks who had slandered the family; said to Wilson his sister had done nothing wrong, let the matter drop; and throughout, both in the direct and cross-examination, denied holding out any inducements, or giving any encouragement whatever, to Roof, to inflict punishment, or seek revenge, upon any person or persons whatsoever. In corroboration of Moore's statement the lame sister of Roof (Hannah) testified she did not know that Moore was at their house on the Saturday night before the murder, hut that on his visit there the Thursday previous, though sitting in another room, she did hear her brother Wilson threaten to kick Saxe, and heard Moore tell him not to do anything that would bring himself or the family into trouble. ARGUMENTS—CHARGE—VERDICT.—On the fourth day of the trial, at 3:20 P. M., both parties rested, and the court adjourned for the day. On Friday morning, May 31st, at 8 o'clock, the arguments commenced. Prosecuting Attorney Willard opening for the State, followed by Ezra B. Taylor and S. W. McClure for the defense, and concluded by John McSweeney for the prosecution, all being fine efforts. The arguments closed at u:30 P. N., and Judge Tuttle proceeded immediately to charge the jury. Retiring to their room at half past seven, the jury at eight o'clock in the evening summoned the court to receive their verdict, which was that the defendant Milton Moore, was not guilty of the offense as charged in the indictment, and though the evidence and all of the attendant circumstances of the case, showed great indiscretion on the part of Mr. Moore, very few, if any, questioned the righteousness of the verdict, for those at all acquainted with him, and with his peculiar temperament and traits of character, would hardly believe him capable of inflicting personal vengeance or injury, on any human being, however great the provocation, either by his own hand, or by proxy. ROOF PLEADS GUILTY TO MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE.--At the conclusion of the above long and exciting trial, Roof, through his counsel, tendered a plea of guilty of murder in the Second degree, which Prosecuting Attorney Willard accepted, feeling, possibly, that the developments in the case just tried had created a general feeling of commiseration and sympathy for the accused, or else, remembering the surprise of himself and the public at the verdict of the jury in the case of Beery, a few months before, that he might be let off scot-free. Judge Tuttle thereupon immediately sentenced the self-confessed slayer of Harriet Musson—Wilson Shannon Roof— to imprisonment during his natural life in the penitentiary of the State of Ohio, to which institution he was conveyed by Sheriff Jennings, on the 7th day of June, 1867. PARDON OF ROOF—SUBSEQUENT LIFE, ETC.—Young Roof accepted his fate without a murmur, thoroughly regretful for his fearful crime, and conducted himself, after his incarceration, in such a manner as to secure the good-will and sympathy of his keepers and the officers of the prison, who, a few years later, joined his friends in asking Governor Young for his pardon, which was granted on the 9th day of January, 1878, just nine years even months and two days after his arrival at the penitentiary. SPRINGFIELD IN PUBLIC OFFICE - 1001 Since his liberation he has almost continuously resided in Mogadore industriously working, for the most of the time at his trade, for Myers & Hall, potters, of that village, and the sole dependence of his widowed mother and crippled sister, Hannah; his father, who had rejoined his family soon after the occurrences above187u,ated, dying of consumption in 1876, the mother dying December 21, 1889, of paralysis. The two younger sisters are happily married—Hattie being the faithful wife of an industrious and prosperous mechanic in this city and the mother of several children; and Lottie, the equally faithful wife of a former Akron mechanic, now residing in Colorado. MR. MOORE'S LATER LIFE.—Of course, the transactions herein above narrated, attached a .certain degree of odium to the reputation of Mr. Moore, not only affecting his social standing, but his pecuniary status, also; while his family relations .continued to grow more and more inharmonious from year to year, culminating in final separation from his wife in 1878. The large expense incurred in 1is defense with other losses and sacrifices incident to his domestia and business troubles, resulted in utter financial prostration for several years, though the writer has gladly learned, through a friend well informed upon the subject, that he is at present engaged in an enterprise that bids fair, should his life be spared, to place him upon his financial feet again within a very few years. SPRINGFIELD'S CIVIL ROSTER. Without reverting to whatever of civil honors may have fallen to Springfield under the earlier rule of Trumbull and Portage counties, it will be seen that she has played quite a conspicuous part in the official affairs of Summit county, in spite of the fact that she has never, in a single instance, at a general election, cast a majority vote for the political party through whom the offices have been bestowed. HENRY G. WEAVER, an intelligent and prosperous farmer, of Springfield, was elected in October, 1840, as Summit county's first representative to the State Legislature, serving one year. HENRY G. WEAVER, was elected county commissioner, in 1845, and re-elected in 1848, holding the position six years. HENRY PURDY, then an enterprising manufacturer of stoneware, at the center of Springfield, was elected county recorder in October, 1852, and re-elected October, 1855, for six years faithfully and courteously serving his constituents in that important office; since which time Mr. Purdy has filled the office of mayor of the village and city of Akron, four years, and has held the office of justice of the peace for Portage township, with an interregnum of a single term only, since June 1, 1868, until his resignation about three years ago. Portrait and biography on page 56. DOCTOR MENDAL JEWETT, then living in Mogadore, was in October, 1855, elected representative to the State Legislature, for two years making a very useful member of that body, indeed. Portrait and biography on page 264. JOHN S. GILCREST, in October, 1856, was elected county commissioner, and re-elected in 1859, giving to that responsible position six years of good and faithful service. 1002 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. MILLS B. PURDY, a native of Springfield, but for the past thirty-five years a resident of Akron, served as city clerk of Akron six consecutive years-1868 to 1873, inclusive. JAMES ALEXANDER LANTZ, also of Springfield origin, who as a member of the gallant 67th Regiment, 0. V. I., lost an arm in the service of his country, was elected county recorder in October 1864, and re-elected in 18u7, making a first-class officer for six consecutive years. JACOB MISHLER, of Springfield, was elected county surveyor in October, 1873, and after having qualified as such resigned the position before entering upon its duties. KING J. ELLET, born in Springfield, December 27, 1831, and one of the solid men of the township, was elected county commissioner in October, 1883, and re-elected in 1886, his six years' incumbency being in every way efficient and satisfactory to hie constituents. Mr. Ellet afterwards for a time being one of the trustees for the Summit County Children's Home. JOSEPH MOORE, a long time resident of Springfield, but since 1868 a citizen of Akron, besides serving as the assessor for his ward, and as city school enumerator for many years past, has officiated as a county infirmary director, since 1887, being now president of the board. HON. THOMAS WRIGHT, a resident of Springfield for over half a century, and one of its most intelligent and prosperous farmers was elected as one of Summit county's representatives to the State Legislature, on the Republican ticket, in November, 1889, ably serving his constituents in that body through the sessions of 1889, '90 and 1890, '91. SPRINGFIELD'S PRESENT OFFICIAL STATUS (1891), TRUSTEES, Jacob Krumroy, Jacob Mumaw, and William McClelland; clerk, O. J. Swinehart; treasurer, Thomas J. Gilcrest justices of the peace, James A. Stetler and Benjamin W. Bixter; constables, John Powers and William Boam; postmasters. Krumroy, H. L. Wagoner; Thomastown, Conrad Huber; Brittain, John Brittain; North Springfield, Ira Machimer; Mogadore, Henry Gates. CHAPTER XLVIII. STOW TOWNSHIP-HISTORICAL AND INCIDENTAL-FIRST FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION ON THE WESTERN RESERVE-" STOW CASTLE "-A PIONEER " MIRACLE " - EARLY SETTLERS, ORGANIZATION, ETC. - TOPOGRAPHICAL AND HYDRAULIC-TERRIBLE AND FATAL TORNADO-FOUR MEMBERS OF ONE FAMILY INSTANTLY KILLED - INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES - INDIANS, BEARS, RATTLESNAKES, ETC.-VITAL STATISTICS-EDUCATION, MORALITY, RELIGION, ETC.-STOW'S HONORABLE WAR RECORD-TERRIBLE EPISODE OF THE REBELLION-TWO CITIZENS SHOT TO DEATH BY AN INFURIATED NEIGHBOR- EXCITEMENT OF THE PEOPLE-WOUNDING AND CAPTURE OF THE HOMICIDE- INDICTMENT, TRIAL AND CONVICTION-LIFE SENTENCE-PARDON, SUBSEQUENT LIFE, DEATH, ETC.-SOMETHING ABOUT THE MEN KILLED AND THEIR FAMILIES-STOW'S CIVIL RECORD, ETC. STOW'S BEGINNING. IN the distribution of the lands of the Connecticut Land Company, by draft, as elsewhere explained, Township 3, Range 10, fell to Joshua Stow, of Middletown, Connecticut—hence the name. Mr. Stow, whose portrait taken from an original painting in possession of relatives in Middletown, Connecticut, is herewith given;was a member of the first exploring party, sent out by the company, in 179u, consisting of forty-five men, two women and one child. This party, making the journey principally by water, in small portable boats, via Lakes Ontario and Erie, and contiguous rivers, landed at the mouth of Conneaut river, in the extreme northeastern part of the State, on the morning of the fourth cirl' day of July, 1796 Here, an impromptu dual celebration—the National Independence and the safe arrival of the party at their destination — was held, consisting of a national salute, with such fire-arms as they possessed, martial and vocal music, toasts, speeches, poetry, etc., which was undoubtedly the first celebration of that character upon the Western Reserve. A PIONEER MIRACLE.-Of this party Mr. Stow was Commissary General, it being his duty to provide boats and proper equipments, arms and ammunition, necessary tools and implements, blankets, provisions and other supplies. For the proper keeping of these supplies, a block-house was built near the landing at Conneaut. This house, in honor of the commissary, was, by common consent, named "Stow Castle." 1004 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. Among the supposed to be indispensable items of supply, in those early days, in any enterprise—from church-building to boating—was whisky, a goodly quantity of which, of course, had been provided for the expedition in question, by Commissary Stow. So long a time had been spent upon the journey, and the difficulties of transportation being so great, Commissary Stow, fearing that this prime "necessary of life would run short before a fresh supply could be obtained, had adopted the plan of surreptitiously increasing the volume, by decreasing the strength, realizing which, the poet of the party, General Moses Cleveland, one of the directors of the company, and the founder of the present magnificent city bearing his name, improvised the following couplet as appropria to the situation: "Christ, the divine, turned water into wine ; Joshua, the boater, turned whisky into water." ULYSSES MARVIN, — born in Lynn, Connecticut, April 11, 1801; common school education ; at 17 commenced to learn chair-making, at Middletown, but afterwards learned the fulling and cloth-dressing trade ; May 1, 1822, was married to Miss Elizabeth Bradley, of Middletown, establishing a woolen mill in Lynn ; in 1829, moved to Ohio, settling on an uncultivated farm in Stow, which he largely cleared and cultivated with his own hands, also doing considerable work in the neighborhood at painting, an inkling of which business he obtained while working at the chair business in Connecticut. Mr. and Mrs. Marvin had six children —Arba Bradley, now in Dane county, Wisconsin ; Jane Elizabeth, married to S. C. Weeks, of Stow, died in March, 1854; Sophronia, married to H. C. Wilcox, now living in Granger ; Asahel M., died in 1850, aged 17 ; Chloe B., wife of Milton C. Danforth, of Hudson ; Ulysses Leslie, ex-judge of Summit county, now practicing law in Akron, whose portrait and biography appear elsewhere. Mr. Marvin was for over thirty-five years an overseer in the Stow Disciple Church, and often served as township trustee, assessor, etc. Mr. and Mrs. Marvin lived together over sixty. years, Mrs. Marvin dying, June 28, 1884, aged 84 years, and Mr. Ma May 11, 1887, aged 86 years and one month. STARVATION IN THE WILDERNESS.—Shortly after the arrival of this party at Conneaut, came Judge James Kingsbury, from the State of New York. While, in pursuance of his work, General Cleveland during the Summer removed his supplies to the site of his contemplated city, at the mouth of the Cuyahoga, Judge Kingsbury remained with his family at Conneaut. Business requiring him to return to New York, in the early Autumn, he left his family in their comfortable log cabin, with ample subsistence to last until his anticipated speedy return. Unfortunately, however he was taken sick and detained until the setting in of Winter. As soon as able to travel, he started on horseback, hiring an Indian guide at Buffalo, and purchasing a 25 pound sack of flour at Presque Isle (Erie, Pa.) which, on the giving out of his horse, at STOW'S PIONEER SETTLERS - 1005 Elk Creek, he strapped upon his own back, and, with gloomy foreboding as to the fate of his loved ones, pushed forward on foot.. On reaching his cabin, he found his wife and elder children in the last stages of starvation, and the infant, born in his absence, lying dead for want of proper nourishment—literally starved to death. Judge Kingsbury afterwards settled in Newburg, and was for many years an influential citizen of Cuyahogd county. MOSES D. CALL, —born in Merrimac county, New Hampshire, July 12, 1815 ; raised on farm with common school education ; in 1835, went to Boston, Massachusetts, and engaged in baking ; in 1838, started for Peoria, Illinois, but stopping to visit friends in what is now Summit county, finally concluded to settle here; followed coopering fifteen years, teaching, Winters, the first five years. November 17, 1842, Mr. Call was married to Miss Harriet M. Starr, daughter of Josiah Starr. who settled in Stow, in 1804. In 1859, Mr. Call purchased the 188 acre farm, which he successfully cultivated until his death, March 24, 1891, at the age of 75 years, 8 months and 12 days, having also, for nearly twenty-five years, been the principal owner and manager of the Hudson cheese factory. He held the office of justice of the peace forty-seven consecutive years, and the responsible office of county commissioner two full term,s-1877 to 1883. An earnest Republican, Mr. Call warmly espoused the cause of the Union during the slave-holders' rebellion, and was, through life, a liberal supporter of the educational and benevolent enterprises of the day. Mrs. Call died June 26, 1886, aged 67 years, 9 months and one day. Their children are—Mary L., now Mrs. George H. O'Brien, of Akron ; Emma A., Mrs. Edward A. Seasons, of Stow ; Ella J., Mrs. Lafayette Darrow, of Stow ; and Charles A., now living on and working the home farm. FIRST ACTUAL SETTLERS.—Although Mr. Stow made thirteen trips from Connecticut to Ohio, and back, on horseback, in looking after the interests of the township bearing his name, he never became a resident of the township, as erroneously stated by previous local historians. In 1804, Mr. William Wetmore, (father of Henry Wetmore, Esq., still living (1891) hale and hearty at the age of 90, in Cuyahoga Falls), also from Middletown, as the agent of Mr. Stow, made a permanent settlement in the township, building his house at the exact geographical center, which is half a mile north of what, since the earliest settlement, has been known as "Stow Corners;" and being the second house erected in the township, the first having been built in July, 1802, by Mr. William Walker, from Virginia, who had squatted on lot 89 in the northeastern portion of the township, where, afterwards purchasing the same, he resided until his death, and where his descendants still live, his brother Robert, and a sister, afterwards married to Joshua Stewart, coming at the same time. Mr. Wetmore, on his arrival (1804) employed Joseph Darrow, who came to Ohio with David Hudson, in 1799, to survey the township into lots, which was successfully accomplished during that 1006 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. year. Captain Gregory Powers, father of the late Senator Gregory Powers, Jr., of Middlebury, and the maternal grandfather of Akron's second mayor, John C. Singletary, Esq., now (1891) still living in Streetsboro, Portage county, and Mr. John Campbell, both also from Middletown, with their respective families, came in this year (1804), the former building his cabin on lot 85, near what is designated as Powers' Brook; the latter at first settling near the Corners and afterwards upon Fish Creek; these parties coming, via the Susquehanna and Allegheny rivers to Pittsburg, and from thence to Warren, by the zig-zag path cut by General Simon Perkins, and thence, through the unbroken wilderness to their destination. HON. FRANK M. GREEN, — born in Norton, September 28, 1836 ; reared to occupation of farmer ; educated in district schools, and Western Reserve Eclectic Institute, at Hiram; teacher from 1855 to 1863, since mainly devoting himself to preaching as a minister among the Disciples of Christ, filling, at different times, the responsible positions of general missionary, secretary, editor and author, Bethany College, in 1884, conferring upon him the honorary degree of Master of Letters. An ardent Republican, Mr. Green ably represented Summit county in the 67th General Assembly-1886, '87. For the past sixteen years, Mr. Green has resided in Stow, his venerable father, Rev. Philander Green (who, with his father, Samuel Green, emigrated from Connecticut to Ohio, in 1810), now in his 81st year, also residing there. March 11, 1862, Mr. Green was married to Miss Ellen E. Stow, whose father, Albert C. Stow, was born in Stow township, July 5, 1810. Five children have been born to them—Lurie, now Mrs. E. S. Wetmore, of Stow, born December 26, 1864; Fannie, now Mrs. W. J. Cox, of Cuyahoga Falls, December 10, 1864 ; Mary Tarissa, January 26, 186'7, died February 14, 1881; Frank Albert, now student in Hiram College, December 7, 1868 ; and Daisy Almira, September 30, 1871, now Mrs. William R. Hillyard, of Cleveland. SUBSEQUENT COMERS.—Our limited space will only permit the barest mention of those, nearly all from Middletown, who followed the foregoing, in rapid succession, as permanent settlers in Stow township, and in this we are unable to mention all, or to give the order of their arrival, or their several domiciliary locations. But among the names now accessible to the writer, may be mentioned the following: Titus Wetmore, Thomas Rice, Josiah Starr, John Gaylord, Adam Steele, George Darrow, John Sadler, John Arbuckle, William Leach, Joseph Harmon, William Lappin, Elkanah Richardson, Jacob Cochran, Samuel Burnett, Samuel Baker, Frederick Victor, Caleb Wetmore, Isaac Wilcox, Ira Kelso, Francis Kelsey, Constance Rogers, Samuel Cheney, Stephen Butler, Jonathan Gaylord, David Ruggles, Erastus Southmayd, Bemus Hamilton, William McClelland, James Dailey, Thomas and Isaac Steele, and a few -years latex, Thomas Gaylord, John Sawyer, John Blackman, Henry Kenyon, Doctor Spalding, Andrew Rich, Jacob ORGANIZATION, TOPOGRAPHICAL, ETC. - 1007 Richmond, Ezra Wyatt, Ward, Hubbard and John Pendleton, John Graham, Timothy Brainard, Virgil M. Thompson, David Strong, William Galloway, Ira Barnes, William Hibbard, Ethe Wetmore, Arthur Sadler, James Smith, Noel Beckley, George Hartle, Chauncey Lowery, John Kemp, Mr. Mc Avoy, Jesse Pratt, David Sanger, William Stow, Frederick Sanford, Orrin Gilbert, Henry O'Brien, Frederick Wolcott, Rowland Clapp, Palmer Williamson, etc. ORGANIZATION, ETC.—Stow was at first attached to Hudson, in township organization, both being then under the jurisdiction of of Trumbull county, Mr. William Wetmore being elected and officiating as justice of the peace for the Stow portion of the combination. On the passage, in 1807, of the act erecting the county of Portage, William Wetmore Esq., of Stow, was named as one of the associate judges of the new county, taking his seat upon the bench at the first term of the court, at Ravenna, August 23, 1808, Judge Calvin Pease being the presiding judge, and Aaron Norton and Amzi Atwater the two other associate judges. Judge Wetmore seems to have possessed great versality of talent, as well as what in modern times would be called " push," for it appears in the records in his own writing, that in addition to his duties as judge, in the absence of a regularly appointed clerk (clerks then being appointed by the courts), the functions of that office were performed, ex officio, by Judge Wetmore, until and including the December term, 1809, near the close of which he was regularly appointed clerk by the other members of the bench, being succeeded as judge, at the ensuing term, by Samuel Forward, Esq. The first recorder for Portage county was Mr. Titus Wetmore, brother of the judge, but the records of deeds, mortgages, etc., during his brother's incumbency, commencing July 2, 1808, and ending August 23, 1810, are in the neat and uniform handwriting of the judge, who, at the latter date, succeeded to the recordership himself, which official position, together with that of clerk, he seems to have filled until February 25, 1813, at about which date Judge Wetmore was appointed commissary in the army, under General Elijah Wadsworth, with headquarters at Old Portage, serving in that capacity until the close of the War. On receiving this appointment, Mr. Wetmore moved back to Stow, after the close of the War, about 1815, building the commodious house now standing, immediately east of Silver Lake. The township of Stow was organized the same year as Portage county was (1808), but there is no record now extant, as to who its early officers were, though Judge Wetmore, except while living in Ravenna, continued to exercise the functions of 'justice of the peace for many years, the judge, by his intelligence, uprightness and enterprise, very largely promoting the settlement, and the material, educational and moral interests of the township, his death occurring October 27, 1827, at the age of 56 years. TOPOGRAPHICAL, HYDRAULIC, ETC.—In point of topographic and hydrographic advantages, fertility of soil, etc., Stow may be regarded as one of the very best townships of Summit county. With a rolling, but in no wise hilly, surface; with the Cuyahoga river traversing its entire southern border; Silver Lake (formerly Stow Pond), with a circumference of nearly three miles, a little southwest of the Center; Crystal Lake (formerly Cochran's Pond), a short distance to the northwest; Turtle Lake (originally Mud 1008 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. Pond), in the northwest part of the township; Walnut creek at Stow Corners (forming at that place a romantic gorge in its descent to the river); Kelsey creek, or Wilcox run, entering the river from the south, below Munroe Falls; Fish creek, entering the river from the north, in the east part of the township; Powers brook and Mud brook in the north, finding their way through Northampton to the river, near Old Portage, a great abundance of water for agricultural and mechanical purposes is furnished, without any appreciable amount of contiguous waste land, as in some of the other largely watered localities of the county. Both Silver Lake, Crystal Lake and Turtle Lake, are beautiful bodies of water, the two former entirely fed from springs, neither having any visible feeder, while each has quite a copious outlet, the former flowing into the river below Munroe Falls and the latter being a tributary to Mud Brook. Silver Lake, always a favorite locality for both the Indians and their pale-faced successors, has of late years attained a state-wide repute as a Summer resort. Of abundant depth—in some places from seventy-five to eighty feet—to float the good-sized steamboat which has been plying its waters for several years; with its beautiful grove, upon its western border, tastefully fitted up with conveniences for sheltering and feeding the multitude, and with a good carriage road, and a railroad station in close proximity, it is now, under its present proprietor, Mr. Ralph H. Lodge, one of the most popular pleasure resorts in Northern Ohio. INDUSTRIAL STOW.-By referring to the maps, it will be seen that the village of Munroe Falls, and quite a large part of the village and township of Cuyahoga Falls, lie within the original boundaries of Stow township, both affording large manufacturing facilities, that should, perhaps, be credited to Stow, but which being alluded to in connection with those villages, need not be repeated here. In addition to various works at those points, during the pioneer period, there were several early saw-mills in different parts of the township, the earliest in 1808, by Ezra Wyatt, on eighty acres of land donated to him for that purpose, by Judge Wetmore, near the present site of the Cliff house at Stow Corners, but which was dismantled in the early twenties by reason of the failure of the waters of that stream; one upon Mud Brook, built by Joshua Stewart prior to 1820, and for many years operated by Mr. Henry Wilcox; one on Fish Creek and a number of others, which by reason of the clearing up of adjacent timber lands, and the consequent diminution of the water in those streams, were long ago dismantled, and the sites of some of them are scarcely known to the present "oldest inhabitant" of the township —portable sawmills now doing such occasional local work as may be needed in that line. That modern lacteal institution, the cheese factory. however,- has for several years been a prominent industrial feature of the neighborhood, several of which, in different localities accessible to suitable streams of waters, for cooling and cleansing purposes, afford a ready (though perhaps not always very profitable) market for the milk product of the adjacent farms. The soil may be generally called a clayey loam —though in some places approaching to sandy—and adapted to every variety of farm and garden vegetables and grain, but especially favorable to stock growing and fruit. WHISKY, EDUCATION, RELIGION - 1009 In this connection the fact should not be omitted, that among the very earliest of Stow's supposed to be indispensable industries was the whisky distillery. Army regulations, at that day, requiring that one gill of grog per day should he dealt out to each soldier, and as the whisky used for the purpose of supplying the troops at Old Portage, and contiguous points, had to be transported at heavy expense from Pittsburg, Commissary Wetmore, in. 1812 or 1813, erected a distillery upon the east side of Stow Pond (now Silver Lake) in which Mr. John Graham, who had worked at the business in Scotland, was employed as distiller. After the close of the war, to.supply the demand caused by increased immigration, Mr. Graham built a distillery for himself on the north bank of the river near the present village of Munroe Falls, two others being built in other portions of the township about the same time. Though these establishments were quite profitable, and at that time universally regarded as a legitimate and honorable business, the agitation of the temperance question in the latter twenties and early thirties, not only lessened the demand, but brought conviction to the minds of the proprietors of the wrongfulness of the business, and they were all soon afterwards dismantled, though a third of a century later an immense distillery was carried on for several years, within the original limits of Stow, now Cuyahoga Falls. EDUCATION, MORALITY, RELIGION, ETC. — It has been represented, in certain quarters, that the leading early sentiment of Stow being atheistic in its character, the township suffers, in comparison with some of its neighbors, in regard to its intelligence, morality and religious status, which it seems to the writer is grossly unjust to both the early settlers and the present inhabiitants of the township. It is very possible that some of her pioneer settlers, as well as some of their descendants and successors, may have been free thinkers, and it is quite probable that she may not have sent forth as many eminent divines, scientists, and statesmen as some of her sister townships; but that she is in any sense behind her neighbors in general intelligence, morality, piety or patriotism, can scarcely be conceded. As early, perhaps, as 180u, Deacon Stephen Butler, a rigid Presbyterian, whose cabin was a short distance north of the center organized a small class among his Christian neighbors, who met regularly at his house for lay worship, with such occasional preaching as could be secured from Hudson and other neighboring localities. Later on, the meetings were held in the school house at Stow Corners, and still later in a small house of worship erected a short distance southwest of the Corners, on the Cuyahoga Falls road. Some of the remembered prominent members of this society in addition to Deacon Butler, were William Stow, and John and Thomas Gaylord, with their respective families. The membership gradually increased until some time during the early forties, when, the Disciples having obtained a strong following in the township, the house was transferred to that denomination, the Presbyterians allying themselves with the church at Cuyahoga Falls. The Disciples, largely in the ascendency in the township at the present time, a few years since erected a more commodious and imposing house of worship at the Corners, on the east side of the Hudson road. 64 1010 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. Episcopalianism also, as early as 1818, obtained quite a footing among the pioneer settlers of Stow, the present St. John's Church and society of Cuyahoga Falls, having been organized there in 1830. Among the early promoters of this form of faith, were Mr. and Mrs. Josiah Wetmore (the latter being especially zealous and active), at whose house, at Stow Corners, the meetings were first held; Orrin Gilbert, Frederick Sanford, Henry O'Brien, Arthur Sadler, Frederick Wolcott, William Wetmore, Rowland Clapp, sev eral of the Gaylords and others whose navies are not now recalled. Lay services, with occasional preaching, were held in different places, in private houses, in school houses, at the tavern, etc., until 1835, when the society permanently located at Cuyahoga Falls, erecting the present St. John's Church structure, corner of Portage and Second streets, which, being completed in the Spring of that year, was consecrated as a house of worship by Bishop McIlvaine, July 10, 1836, Stow still maintaining a respectable mem. bership in the society. In the early twenties, also, a Universalist society was organized, and for several years vigorously maintained, among its promoters being Mr. and Mrs. Caleb Wetmore, Isaac Wilcox, Francis Kelsey and others, services being held in the school house by the resident preacher, Rev. Bigelow, a very fluent speaker, and a most excellent citizen. In addition to the foregoing, there has also existed, for many years, in the northwestern portion of the township, at the point so long designated as "Little Ireland," but whose postoffice desig. nation is now "Metz" a United Presbyterian Church and society, with a snug little house of worship, and quite a large membership, while religious meetings have been of frequent occurrence in the commodious school house at Darrow Street, now officially called Darrowville, and perhaps in other localities, during the past half century, so that it may be safely stated, that whoever asseverates that Stow is " without God and without hope, in the world," lies—under a very grave misapprehension. In the matter of education, while it is true that Stow offers no academic or collegiate advantages to her youth, like some of her neighbors, it is also emphatically true that her common schools are as highly cherished, and as- well conducted, as those of the very best of her contemporaries, with a general corresponding intelligence Among all classes of her people. TERRIBLE AND FATAL TORNADO.—On the night of October 20, 1837, or rather on the morning of the 21st, there occurred one of the most violent and fatal hurricanes that ever visited Summit county, or perhaps the State. On the east and west center road, and a few rods directly north of what is now known as Silver Lake, stood the residence of Mr. Frederick Sanford, a small story-and-ahalf frame house, with a frame barn standing some 12 or 15 rods northeasterly therefrom. The family consisted of Mrs. Sanford, his wife, Clarissa, their two sons, Charles, aged 22, and Norman, 19, their daughter, Mary C., 14, and Mrs. Mary Collins, the mother of Mrs. Sanford. On the evening of October 20, the entire family had been absent from home, attending a wedding, for which purpose, in addition to their own, they had borrowed a buggy from the widow Butler, living a short distance northeasterly, on the north and south center road. Returning at a late hour, leaving the buggies standing in the yard, between the THE FATAL TORNADO OF 1837 - 1011 house and the barn, the family retired to bed, all but Mr. and Mrs. Sanford sleeping up stairs. Between three and four o'clock, while all were sound asleep, the cyclone struck the house, every portion of which above the cellar walls, was entirely demolished, and all the family excepting Mrs. Sanford, and her daughter Mary, almost instantly killed. The bodies were all found between the house and barn, Mary being the farthest from the house. Mrs. Sanford's collar bone was broken, and she was otherwise considerably cut and bruised; but Mary, found in an unconscious condition, lying upon a gate which had been carried from in front of the house, sustained no further injury than a slight cut upon one of her ankles and a few inconsiderable bruises, though the shock to her system made it necessary for her to keep her bed for several days. The tick of the bed on which Mary was sleeping being found in the top of quite a large tree, between the house and the barn, it was supposed that she had been carried through the top of the tree, also. In her hand was tightly clutched her every-day dress, which, on retiring, she had laid upon the bed ready for use in the morning. Mr. Sanford was still alive when found, and removed to the house of Mr. Maxwell Graham, but expired in a short time without regaining consciousness, his thigh being broken, besides the internal injuries which caused his death. The two sons and Mrs. Collins were all dead when found, though it is not remembered that any of them were seriously disfigured. The course of the tornado seemed to be from southwesterly to northeasterly, some effects of it being visible near Gilbert's Corners, three-fourths of a mile west, while it was evident, from the moisture and sand found about the Sanford premises, that a considerable portion of the water and mud, in what is now known as Crystal Lake (formerly Cochran's or Hart's pond), were scooped up and carried along by the storm. Mr. Sanford's barn was partly unroofed, and an adjoining shed entirely demolished; the barn doors blown open and a fanning mill standing on the barn floor carried away; a cart and barrow left standing in the street, south of the house, were found some distance beyond the barn; the two buggies left standing in the yard were entirely demolished and carried away; a plow standing near the house, after being made to plow quite a long circular furrow, was dashed to pieces, and nearly all the chickens upon the place were killed and stripped of their feathers. The household furniture was entirely demolished, and the family clothing, bedding, etc., all destroyed or blown away, some of it being found in Streetsboro, some five or six miles away, and other portions nearer by, folded and in good order, as when laid away by their respective owners. Easterly from the scene of the chief disaster, Mr. Maxwell Graham's barn was unroofed and house somewhat racked; a log house further east occupied by a family named Wells, the house of R. M. Barnes, a short distance beyond on the same street, and that of Mrs. Butler, upon the Hudson road, were unroofed and otherwise more or less injured, Mrs. Butler finding fragments of her own buggy, which had been loaned to the Sanford's, as above stated, in the loft of her own house after the storm was over. Fortunately, however, no other persons than those named, were killed or seriously injured, though quite a number of domestic animals were either killed or more or less crippled, while fences and a large 1012 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. number of forest and fruit trees were uprooted or twisted off by the gyrating besom of destruction, in its brief but fearful march through the township. The funeral of the four persons thus suddenly deprived of life, was held at St. John's church, Cuyahoga Falls (of which Mr. and Mrs. Sanford were communicants on its first organization in Stow, as elsewhere mentioned), October 23, the very impressive services. being conducted by Rev. Boydon, rector of Trinity church, Cleveland, the burial being in the cemetery at Cuyahoga Falls. A new house was afterwards built upon the foundation of the demolished structure, which is still standing. Mrs. Sanford died February 12, 1849, at the age of u1 years. Mary was married to Mr. William L. Hanford, on the 18th day of February, 1844, and, with her highly respected husband, still lives upon the site of her fearful and mournful experience of 54 years ago. VITAL STATISTICS.—The first marriage in the township is helieved to have been that of John C. Singletary, of Streetsboro, to Harriett Powers, daughter of Captain Gregory Powers, by Justice William Wetmore, in 180u, though Joseph' Darrow, of Stow, was married to Sally Prior, in Northampton, as early as 1803; William Lappin, of Northampton, being married to Elizabeth Walker, of Stow, by 'Squire Wetmore, in 1807. There is some discrepancy of recollection as to the first birth in the township, a former historian having recorded that Betsey Walker was born in the Fall of 1803, Mary Campbell in 1804, Samuel Walker in 1805, and Clarissa Rice, daughter of Thomas Rice, the same year, though Mr. Henry Wetmore is of the opinion that the last named was the first white child born in the township. The first death reported in the township was that of Mrs. Gregory Powers, in February, 1807; the second that of Elizabeth Gaylord in 1809; third that of George Darrow, November 20, the same year. "Lo ! THE POOR INDIAN."--On the first arrival of the whites in Stow, Indians were abundant, especially in the neighborhood of the river and lakes, Mr. Henry Wetmore reporting that from 1808 to 1812 there was a continuous line of wigwams around the southern end of the lake, about where the wagon road now is, and another camp near the river, at which points there must have been at least 500 Indians, men, women and children. They were generally on very friendly terms with the whites, though misunderstandings would now and then arise, with perhaps occasional instances of treachery and cruelty on the part of the savages, and retaliation on the part of the whites; especial emphasis being given, in the traditionary lore of the neighborhood, to the Indian-killing exploits of Jonathan Williams (the slayer of the Indian Nickshaw, as detailed elsewhere); at least three townships—Hudson, Stow and Northampton—claiming the honor of Williams' prowess, in the selfsame transactions, while a resident of their respective townships, fuller mention of whose reputed exploits will be found in another chapter. MYSTERIOUS EXODUS.—Soon after the inauguration of the War of 1812, between England and the United States, it was suddenly noticed by the white settlers, that something unusual was transpiring in the camps of their tawny neighbors; their visits to the INDIANS, RATTLESNAKES, ETC. - 1013 cabins of the whites had entirely ceased; there was much hurrying to and fro, from camp to camp, and from lodge to lodge, the men holding frequent consultations and apparently engaging in important discussion; the apprehension rapidly spreading that mischief was brewing for the pale-faces, who quietly put themselves and their cabins in as good a state of defense as their limited resources would admit of. But early one morning it was found that, during the night, the Indians had all departed, in a westward direction, leaving their wigwams standing intact. After' the war, the few that temporarily returned, disclosed the true inwardness of their "sudden taking off." A British emissary had visited the camps, in the disguise of an Indian, and persuaded them that they had been swindled in the ceding of their lands to the United States, promising that if they would rise and massacre the whites, by whom they were surrounded, and join the British army, after the Americans had been conquered by the English, their lands should be restored to them. They assented to the proposition to join the British army, and fight for the reclamation of their hunting and fishing grounds, but utterly refused to massacre, in cold blood, those who had always treated them kindly, but on returning with the victorious my, give their old neighbors a chance to fight for their possesons, or run for their lives. The many other traditionary Indian reminiscences extant in the township will have to be omitted here, for want of space. THE VENOMOUS " SARPENT."—In the early times immense numbers of rattlesnakes abounded in the vicinity of the river, and in the gorges traversed by the smaller streams, particularly in the rocky fastnesses of Wetmore Creek, between Stow Corners and the river. At length a sort of club was formed by the neighboring settlers, devoting a certain amount of time to the destruction of the venomous reptiles, which was joined by Samuel Baker, a blacksmith, on condition that he might do his share on Sunday, as he could not spare the time during the week. One Sunday morning he discovered a large number of snakes issuing from a cleft in the side of the gorge, south of the 'cemetery, and sunning themselves on a narrow ledge of rock. When all were apparently out, Baker stripped off his coat, and, with a long pole, shoved it into the fissure from whence the snakes emanated, to prevent their returning to their den. He then descended into the chasm, and with his pole began an onslaught upon the squirming and writhing, but half torpid, mass. While Baker was thus engaged, Deacon Butler and his devoted neighbors were holding religious services in a log cabin near the Corners, and while the Deacon was in the midst of a fervent prayer, Baker's little son came running up to the open door of the cabin, yelling, at the top of his voice, " O, dad's killed a .lot of snakes! Dad's killed a lot of snakes!" "Amen!" said the deacon, abruptly closing his prayer, and the entire congregation hastened to the gorge to witness the discomfiture of man's original enemy, and found the entire product of Baker's Sunday morning "devotions" to be, upon actual count, just sixty-five dead rattlesnakes. On blasting open the den, the next day, one old patriarch, only, probably the ancestor of the entire batch killed, was found therein. From this time such vigilance was exercised that the entire 1014 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. venomous race wholly disappeared within a few years, though not before one young man had lost his life and several fatalities to animals had occurred from their virulent bite; and it is related by Mr Henry Wetmore, as a singular fact, that with the disappearance of the Indians and the rattlesnakes, the plant used by the former as an antidote for the bite of the latter, entirely disappeared from the woods, also. HORRIFIC INCIDENT.— One, only, of the many narrow escapes from fatal casualty, by contact with rattlesnakes, can be here given: A little three-year-old child of John Campbell had been given a cup of milk and a spoon, and left sitting on the rough cabin floor for a few minutes, while the mother absented herself from the room. On her return, hearing the little one cooing and prattling to itself, as she supposed, she looked through the small window at the end of the house, to see what it was doing. To her intense horror she saw a huge rattlesnake coiled up, almost in the child's lap, licking up the milk which had been spilled upon its apron, and the child delightedly patting the snake upon the head with the spoon. The frightened mother uttered a piercing scream and rushed to the rescue of her child, whereupon the snake glided beneath the floor, through a crack between the puncheons, where Mr. Campbell and Mr. William Wetmore soon afterwards found and killed it. BEARS, WOLVES, ETC.—Bears, wolves and other wild animals and game, both large and small, were abundant, some of which though not regarded as especially dangerous, were a very great nuisance. Mr. Henry Wetmore informs the writer that one day when quite a small boy, being in the woods, he saw their drove of hogs running rapidly towards him, in the direction of the house and stepping from the path to let them pass, a large bear bound past him in hot pursuit, while he himself started in the wake of the bear. The hogs dodged through a gap in the fence which was to small to admit bruin, who, when Mrs. Wetmore came to the door to ascertain the cause of the disturbance, was standing on his hind feet looking over the fence at the porkers with wistful eyes and watering mouth. Motioning her boy to go around, as soon as she found that he was safe, the plucky woman seized some convenient weapon and sallying forth drove the discomfited quadruped away. At another time Mr. Jacob Cochran, being at Mr. Wetmore's, saw a bear seize a good-sized shote. and make off with it. Mr. Cochran gave chase, and on going through a thicket the bear dropped the hog between two saplings, which so delayed its movements that Mr. Cochran came up and shot the bear. The hog was so seriously injured that it had to be killed, also, both carcasses being hauled to the house by Mr. Wetmore's oxen and cart, Other families had similar "pleasurable" experiences, which can not be given within the limits of this chapter. PIGEONS BY THE MILLIONS. —Elsewhere reference is made to the ancient pigeon roosts in Copley swamp. In this township, also, at Mud Brook Swamp, was a similar resort for millions of pigeons, every Autumn, while stopping, in their flight southward, to feed upon the beech nuts and acorns of the adjacent forests. For an hour or two, night and morning, while going to and returning from their feeding grounds, millions of them would fill the sky, obscuring the sun like a dense black cloud, and in their LARGE BUT TRUTHFUL PIGEON STORY - 1015 flight producing a noise like the roar of a mighty wind. In 1815, Mr. Wetmore, with several companions, visited the swamp one night for the purpose of securing a supply of the birds for the family table, the noise of their wings and their chatter, at the distance of half a mile, resembling the rumble of a heavy waterfall, and when close at hand being so great that the visitors had to raise their voices to a high pitch to be heard by each other. Not only the large trees but the smaller bushes of the swamp were thoroughly covered with the birds, large branches of lofty elms being broken down by their weight; the company being able to capture and bag what they needed, with their hands, within a very few minutes. This may seem incredible to the modern reader, but from similar experiences in Copley swamp, the writer can vouch for its entire truthfulness, myriads being thus captured every season, from forty to fifty years ago, for the Akron and Cleveland markets, to say nothing of the immense numberS consumed by the inhabitants of contiguous localities. STOW'S TAVERN ACCOMMODATIONS. - At an early day, Ezra Wyatt, built a house of entertainment, at the Stow Corners. on the northeast corner of the Hudson and Kent roads, which was for many years, under its successive proprietors, one of the leading country hotels in the State. The old mail stage route from Cleveland to Pittsburg, on the east, and to Middlebury, Canton, Akron, Wooster, etc., on the south, was through Hudson and Stow, the latter point being the junction of the diverging routes, and the hotel in question being the "stage house" for the entertainment and transfer of passengers. With a large dancing hall, and an ample dining room, it was also a popular resort for sleighing and other social parties, and the headquarters for the annual militia " trainings," so vigorously kept up for many years after the close of the War of 1812; as well as the scene of many a carouse, and an occasional disgraceful fight, between the bummers attracted thither from neighboring localities, by its well furnished bar. In the later years of its existence as a hotel, this house was kept by General Oliver E. Gross, who afterwards bought and fitted up the "Cliff House," just around the corner on the Munroe Falls road, the original old Stow Corners hotel being now fenced in and relegated to private use. STOW'S MILITARY HISTORY.--There is no adequate record in regard to the early military history of Stow. That a number of her original settlers had performed honorable service in the War of the Revolution is quite probable, though the names of four, only, have been handed down, viz: those of Isaac Steele, Charles Wooden, George Darrow and Gregory Powers. In the defense of the frontier, in the War of 1812, quite a large proportion of her adult male citizens took an active part, the names of Josiah Starr, Samuel Flanders, Oscar Harvey, Ambrose Roswell, William Burnham, George Darrow and Harry Wilcox, being mentioned in that connection, by Colonel Schoonover, in his contribution to the Military History of Ohio. In the War of the Rebellion, however, through the foresight and courtesy of Mr. William Southmayd, formerly a resident of Stow, afterwards of Cuyahoga Falls, but now deceased, we are enabled to include in this work a full list of the patriotic young 1016 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. men who went into the Union army from that township, which is as follows: George W. Bailey, Frank D. Bailey, Charles Beckley, Benjamin Boon, Samuel B. Bradley, Charles Buchanan, Benjamin F. Buckelin, William Burdick, Elmer Barney, Norman Cochran E. T. Curtis, A. B. Curtis, Oscar Champney, Seeley H. Chapman Asa Clapp, J. W. Chamberlin, Alexander Corey, Henry Cedar, A H. Cole, John C. Castle, Theodore Castle, Embury Castle, Join Campbell, Norman L. Darrow, James M. Darrow, James Dailey Frank Davis, Albert G. Eves, Leonard E. Gaylord, Robert Gaylord Samuel Gaylord, Hannibal Grinnell, Sylvester Gaylord, William Gaylord, Charles H. Gridley, Albert R. Hewitt, Thomas Hoover William Hazzard, Arthur A. Jones, Clayton Kelso, Luther Lend say, Henry Lendsay, Walter Lewis, Richard Lewis, Wesley E Loomis, Ferdinand Lord, Thomas Morris, Milton Miller, Lyman C McAdams, Ulysses L. Marvin, George E. Nichols, Henry Nicker son, Theodore Nickerson, Albert Nichols, Jesse D. Post, Levi D Post, William Peate, Ransom C. Parks, Edward Peebles, Frani Peck, Andrew Peck. Eugene Pendleton, William Puts, Alber Reeves, Frank M. Root, George Ray, Horace Southmayd, J. S Sweeney, Edwin A. Season, Chauncey F. Smith, William R. Smith Edwin S. Smith, L. B. Stark, Charles H. Stark, Henry Smith, Alan son Standish, Dwight Shumway, St. Clair Steel, Martin Schrady Henry F. Stewart, Robert Sears, John Scanlin, Robert Scanlin Edgar Sears, Thomas Steel, Newell Stratton, George S. Turner Lorenzo Talcott, Adelbert Thomas, Charles G. Talcott, Edward Thompson, James Tothaker, James Turner, Henry Victor, Julius 0. Williamson, Alson Wetmore, Samuel Wooldridge, Clarence Wilcox, Lemuel Wilcox, Charles H. Wetmore, Joseph Wallace, Warrer Wright, John Wooldridge and William W. Wetmore, 104 in all, the last two being in the 100 days' service in 1864, in addition to which Samuel Gaylord and William C. Nichols joined the Squirre Hunters to repel the projected attack of the rebel forces, under General Kirby Smith, on Cincinnati, in September, 1862. Space will not permit a full record of the service of each volunteer, as named above, a brief synopsis of which, as furnished by Mr. Southmayd, was published in the Summit County Beacon September 7, 1865, and was also, probably, spread upon the record; of the township.. The aggregate term of service of the 104 per sons named, was, as computed by Mr. Southmayd, 181 years. Of the entire number, though in a great many engagements, mu only, Samuel Wooldridge, is definitely known to have been killer in battle, shot through the head at Buzzard Roost Gap, May 8 1864, though two others, Alanson Standish and Benjamin Boon were so reported. Seventeen died in service from various causes two ( Jesse D. Post and Henry Victor) from starvation in retie prison at Andersonville; two (Robert Gaylord and Charles H. Wet more) after six or eight months of terrible suffering in the prism pens of Meridian and Andersonville, lost their lives by the blowing up and burning of the steamer Sultana, on the Mississippi river while en route for home, April 27, 18u5; there being but two deserters in the entire number, and only ten discharges for disa bility before expiration of their several terms of service, several o whom, on recovery re-enlisted. In addition to the above, Hiram Gaylord, being drafted it October, 18u2, procured a substitute for three years; in May, 1869 MILITARY AND CIVIL AFFAIRS - 1017 Charles Southmayd, Elias Shick, Alexander Gettys, John Buchanan, George W. Hart and Lyman Gilbert, were drafted, the two former paying $300 commutation each and the four latter furnishing substitutes. In the Fall of 1864 the following persons furnished substitutes before the draft: Hobart Wolcott and William McGrew, one year each; Henry Southmayd, two years; Marcus Darrow, Henry O'Brien and George S. Richardson, Jr., three years each. The assessor for 1865 returns the following, as having died in the service: Samuel B. Bradley, Norman L. Darrow, Ransom C. Parks, Horace Southmayd, Edwin Smith, Edward Peebles, Henry Victor, Samuel Gaylord. It will thus be seen that Stow, notwithstanding the frightful episode connected therewith, to be hereinafter detailed, was loyal and patriotic to the core, in the bloody conflict of 1861-65, for the defense of the Union and the supremacy of the stars and stripes. STOW IN CIVIL AFFAIRS.—While Stow has furnished no presidential incumbents of the White House, at Washington, or any ministers plenipotentiary to the Court of St. James, or Envoys Extraordinary to the king of Cannibal Islands, she nevertheless presents a civil record in county and state affairs that will compare favorably with the average of her sister townships of Summit county. WILLIAM WETMORE, Stow's earliest permanent settler, besides being the first justice of the peace of the township, was one of the associate judges of Portage county, on its organization, in 1808, resigning which honorable but profitless position, after about two years service, he officiated as both clerk and recorder of the county until the breaking out of the War of 1812, through which he served as commissary of the army, as heretofore detailed. TITUS WETMORE, brother of the above, was the first regularly elected recorder of Portage county, holding the office two years, from 1808 to 1810, though its duties were mainly performed for him by his brother, Judge William Wetmore, as elsewhere stated. GREGORY POWERS, JR., was elected representative to the Legislature from Portage county in 1832, serving one year, and elected state senator in 1838, but died before the expiration of his term, July 10, 1839. WILLIAM WETMORE, JR. (the eldest son of the Judge), was state senator for the Portage-Summit district, from 1844 to 1846, filling the office very acceptably to his constituents in both counties for the full term of two years. EDWIN WETMORE, (the second son of Judge Wetmore), for three consecutive terms, of three years each, from 1849 to 1858, was one of the very best county commissioners that Summit ever had. GENERAL OLIVER E. GROSS, for many years a citizen of Stow, besides filling important positions in the local military organizations of the county for many years, very acceptably filled the office of coroner, from1853 to 1855, and again for two consecutive terms, from 1868 to 1872. ULYSSES L. MARVIN, a native of Stow, though for many years past, a resident of Akron, besides his honorable military service in the War of the Rebellion, gave to the people of Summit county able and faithful service as probate judge, for two full terms of three years each, from 1869 to 1875. On the resignation of Judge 1018 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. N. D. Tibbals, May 1, 1883, Judge Marvin was appointed, by Governor Charles Fostd, to fill the vacancy upon the common pleas bench, which he very acceptably did until the induction of his successor, Judge Edwin P. Green, in the following October, Judge Marvin also being the presidential elector for the Twentieth Congressional District, composed of Summit, Medina and Stark counties, for 1884, casting his vote in Electoral College for James G. Blaine, for president and John A. Logan for vice president. SAMUEL C. WILLIAMSON, though born in Portage county, may properly be regarded as a Stow boy, having spent much of his boyhood with relatives there. For faithful service, both in the volunteer and regular army, he fully earned his several promotions in the latter, from sergeant to captain; and though afterwards manfully battling with the fell disease, contracted in the service, which finally- carried him to his grave, gave to the office of probate judge, to which he was twice elected—in 1875 and 1878--six years of unswerving fidelity and more than average ability. MOSES D. CALL, for many years one of the justices of the peace for the township, with whose interests he was identified for nearly half a century, was elected county commissioner, in October, 1877 and re-elected in 1880, making an extremely faithful and painstaking officer for the full period of six years. WILLIAM SOUTHMAYD was born in Stow, May 16, 1830. Always active and public spirited, after having served as township clerk for nearly 20 consecutive years, in October, 1879, was elected infirmary directory for one year, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Captain Alfred R. Townsend, and in 1880 was re-elected for the full term of three years. While serving in that capacity, Mr. Southmayd had personal supervision of the first re-construction of the insane department, and to the close personal labors which he bestowed upon that noisome job, Mr. Southmayd very largely attributed the malady which 'finally resulted in his death. HON. FRANCIS MARION GREEN, was born in Norton, September 28, 1836, removing with his parents to Stow when eight or nine years old. Educated at Hiram College, under President James A. Garfield, following the example of his father, Elder Philander Green and his uncle, Elder Almon B. Green, both well-known preachers of the Disciple Faith, he early adopted the ministry as his life calling. In addition to his very acceptable ministrations in Stow, and elsewhere, Mr. Green for several years did good service on the editorial staff of the Christian Standard, and made numerous and valuable contributions to the Ministerial and Sunday School literature of the Church of Christ, receiving from. Bethany College, in 1884, the Honorary Degree of Master of Literature. Coincident with his clerical duties, Mr. Green has always taken an active interest in political matters, as an uncompromising Republican, and, in 1885, was elected by his party to the State Legislature, for two years serving his constituents as ably and as faithfully as any representative that Summit county ever had. THE GRAHAM-FILLEY-KILPATRICK TRAGEDY. Stow, generally as orderly and peaceful as the average of the proverbially orderly and peaceful townships of the Western Reserve, was, nevertheless, the scene of one of those occasional STOW'S GREAT WAR TRAGEDY - 1019 bloody tragedies, growing out of political and partisan bias and bitterness during the late Civil War. In the states in rebellion, the slightest expression of opinion against the cause of the South, was deemed to be sufficient reason for summary action against both the property and the person of the recalcitrant; but in the North, the utmost freedom of speech and action, short of downright treason, was generally quiescently, if not cheerfully submitted to. As the War progressed, however, and as the danger to the Union became more imminent, the feeling grew stronger, among the masses, that the people of the loyal states should be compelled to be as unanimous in support of the government, as were those of the disloyal states for its destruction; especially in regard to contributing their just proportion towards furnishing the sinews of war, both physical and monetary. Thus, when troops were called for, in the later years of the War, it became customary, in raising the necessary amount of money to clear them from a draft, for the people of the several townships to appoint committees for the purpose of assessing and collecting the required amount from business men and property owners, in proportion to their supposed ability to pay, liability to draft, etc. And in some instances, when, from parsimony or partisanship, persons able to contribute refused to do so, a species of coercion was resorted to—or "raiding," as it was termed—by which, if the moral pressure thus brought to bear proved ineffectual, a horse, cow, or some other valuable belonging was confiscated to the fund in question. BEGINNING OF THE TROUBLE.—Among-the very limited number of the citizens of Stow whose political partisanship overshadowed their patriotism, was Mr. William Graham, one of the most wealthy and enterprising farmers of the township. During the presidential campaign of 1860, Mr. Graham had many exciting political discussions with his neighbors, and others, and on the announcement of the result, and the inauguration of the secession movement, openly advocated the cause of the South, and bitterly opposed the coercion of the seceding states. As the War progressed, and call after call was made for troops, and money for recruiting and bounty purposes, Mr. Graham's bitterness and hostility increased, and, though having a son subject to draft, not a penny would he contribute to the bounty fund, sought to be raised by voluntary subscriptions, for filling the township's quota and obviating the necessity for a draft. When the last draft was pending, in the beginning of 1865, in making their computations and assessments, the committee—composed of some eighteen or twenty of the best people of the township, both Democrats and Republicans—apportioned to Mr. Graham the sum of $50, on his property possessions, and $10 add ional, because of the liability of his son to the draft. These sums, on being called upon by a member of the committee, Mr. Graham, with great bitterness of speech, peremptorily refused to pay. and on learning that others entertaining the same views—in Stow and elsewhere—were being "raided," gave out that he should defend his property from seizure at all hazards, and to this end had his double-barreled gun thoroughly repaired, bought a supply of ammunition, prepared a quantity of bullets, slugs, etc. 1020 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. THE DEADLY AMBUSCADE.—Thus matters stood on the morning of Thursday, March 2, 18u5. Feeling that it was due to the rest of the people of the township that Mr. Graham should contribute to the bounty fund the proportionately small sum assessed against him, it was resolved to call upon him in " committee of the whole," hoping that their united influence and persuasion would be as effectual with him as it had already been with several others of his class, who at first had refused to contribute. Accordingly, early in the afternoon of the day named, the committee in a body, on horseback, but wholly unarmed, started from the hotel at Stow Corners, in the direction of Mr. Graham's residence, about a mile distant, on the east and west center road. After turning the corner, and while yet some distance from Mr. Graham's premises, the committee halted for consultation. It was agreed, that whatever might be the result of their visit, they would not undertake to sequestrate any of his property, and sent one of their number, a warm personal and political friend of Mr. G., forward to assure him of their pacific and friendly intentions. While quietly proceeding on his way, and while opposite the lands of Mr. Edwin Wetmore, some distance east of the premises of Mr. Graham, he was halted and, on pain of death, ordered into the fence corner by Mr. Graham, who was concealed in the bushes, behind the fence, on Wetmore's land. Seeing their delegate thus diverted from his course, two other members of the committee rode forward to ascertain the cause. On coming opposite to Mr. Graham, they, too, were ordered to halt, and not complying, were fired upon by the infuriated man, but fortunately without serious result, one of them putting spurs to his horse and riding rapidly down the road to the west, while the other turned back towards the main body up the road, the original delegate also starting forward down the road. UNAVAILING NEIGHBORLY INTERVENTION.—Almost opposite the point occupied by Mr. Graham, lived Mr. John H. Burridge, who, on hearing the command to halt and the report of the gun, came out to ascertain the cause. On seeing Mr. Graham in the act of reloading his gun, the two men riding rapidly down the road and the balance of the committee to the east, Mr. Burridge instantly took in the situation, and started across the road to plead with his neighbor to go home, and avoid the serious trouble he was evidently getting himself into. But this only served to increase his fury, Graham threatening to shoot him if he did not go back. Mr. Burridge then walked up the road towards the committee with the view of advising them to retire, lest fatal consequences might ensue. In the meantime, Graham, still in the lot, worked eastward towards the committee, and assuming a threatening attitude, the committee dismounted, using their horses as a breast-work, in case they should be fired upon. TWO FATAL SHOTS.—Here Mr. Burridge again begged Mr. Graham to retire, but instead of doing so, he fired one barrel of his gun, loaded with slugs, at Hugh Kilpatrick, whose person had become partially exposed by the restiveness of his horse. The main portion of the charge struck Kilpatrick's right thigh. The wounded man hobbled towards the fence on the north side of the road. Mr. Burridge and Mr. Homer Filley, a member of the committee, going to his assistance, the balance of the committee TWO MEN DELIBERATELY SHOT TO DEATH - 1021 retreating up the road. Mr. Burridge now made another earnest appeal to Mr. Graham to desist in his bloody work, and assist him and Mr. Filley to carry the wounded man to his house and endeavor to save his life. But the appeal was wholly unavailing, Mr. Graham re-loading his gun and taking deliberate aim across the fence, firing at Mr. Filley, while endeavoring to stanch the flow of blood from the shattered leg of his wounded friend. The ball also entered Mr. Filley's right thigh, causing him to leave his dying comrade to the care of Mr. Burridge, and run towards the rest of the company, up the road, on reaching whom, he fell to the ground, and soon afterwards expired, the femoral artery in both cases being severed. Mr. Burridge was now compelled, by Graham, on pain of death, to leave Mr. Kilpatrick, who by this time had fainted from loss of blood, but soon afterwards returned for a moment—while Graham had gone in pursuit of the rest of the committee, who had by this time dispersed—only to find Mr. K. dead, also. STANDING GUARD OVER HIS VICTIMS.—Mr. Burridge then went to the house of Mr. Maxwell Graham, a short distance west, to get him to endeavor to appease his brother, but finding him absent, again started for the scene of carnage. Before reaching his own house, he was met by. Graham, who, leveling his gun at him, threatened to shoot him, also, if he did not instantly leave the street and go into his house, compelling him to climb three fences in doing so, instead of permitting him to enter the gate. Thus, all the afternoon, Graham kept guard over his victims, permitting no one to approach, excepting Dr. George C. Upson, of Cuyahoga Falls, to ascertain whether the wounded men were living or dead. Some distance before reaching the wounded men, the doctor was halted by Graham, from his peach orchard, on the north side of the road. In answer to an inquiry as to what he wanted, the doctor explained that he had been sent to look after the wounded men, whereupon Graham said : "I want you to understand that this is headquarters and you must report to me," and permitted him to pass. Finding both men dead, the doctor so reported to Graham, who declared he was glad of it, and wished to God he had killed more of them, and then ordered the doctor to leave. In response to the doctor's request to be permitted to come with a wagon and a single assistant, to remove the bodies, Graham declared that the bodies should not be removed until those horses had been returned (alluding to several head of horses that had been taken from another party), but finally acceded to the doctor's request. GRAHAM HIMSELF WOUNDED.—In the meantime the news of the tragedy spread rapidly throughout the neighborhood, and a warrant, issued by Justice Charles W. Wetmore, of Cuyahoga Falls, was placed in: the hands of Constable Julius A. Upson, who started, unarmed except as to the legal process indicated, for the truly "dark 'and bloody" ground. There were, by this time, hundreds of terribly excited men at Stow Corners, who endeavored to dissuade the constable from approaching the infuriated man alone and unarmed; but Mr. Upson determined to make the venture. As the officer approached (on foot) he was halted by Graham, who demanded to know his business. Informing him that he had a warrant for his arrest, and urging him to submit to the process 1022 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. of the law, the constable was told to be off, on pain of death, as he would not submit to arrest. Returning to the Corners, Mr. Upson sought to organize a posse to aid him in the arrest, but finding the crowd decidedly averse to facing the desperate man who had already laid two of their neighbors low in death, he accepted the proffered services of the late Parvin Eves to accompany him alone, providing he could be furnished with a sure-fire weapon. A messenger was accordingly sent to Mr. Thomas W. Cornell at Cuyahoga Falls, who was known to be the possessor of a ver fine rifle; that gentleman, after carefully loading the weapon promptly responding to the call. On the return of the messenger with the rifle, Messrs. Upson and Eves started, the former walkin in the middle of the road, while the latter skirted the fence, insid the lot, the intention being that if he saw Graham raise In weapon on the officer, to immediately fire upon him, with the view of crippling and preventing him from doing further fatal mischief. As Mr. Upson again approached, he was again halted by Graham, still on the north side of the road, and a short parley ensued, the officer stating to Graham that it was both his duty and his determination to serve the warrant which had been placed in his hands, and again urging him to peaceably surrender without causing any further bloodshed to either others or himself. Peremptorily refusing to submit, Graham again raised his rifle and ordered Upson to leave on pain of instant death, and as he turned to leave Graham fired, one of the slugs with which the gun was loaded cutting quite a gash' on the side of his neck, the remaining slugs riddling the fence on the opposite side of the road. Simultaneously with the discharge of Graham's gun, Eves also fired, whereupon Graham immediately retired to the corner of the fence out of sight. In a few minutes he called to Mr. Upson to approach, saying that he was wounded and would surrender. After a momentary delay, fearing a ruse on the part of Graham, to get the officer within range of his gun, while himself safe from that of his ally, Upson went to him, soon after which Graham tumbled over upon his face in the snow in a dead faint. On turning him upon his back, and throwing snow in his face to bring him to, Mr. Upson discovered that his left elbow was badly shattered, by the shot fired by Mr. Eves. Constable Upson then called to his brother, Dr. G. C. Upson, who with many others, a short distance up the road, were anxiously watching the proceedings, although by this time it was getting quite dark. Dr. Upson gave the wounded elbow such surgical attention as the means at his command would admit of, and Graham and the bodies of his two victims were taken to Stow Corners, by Constable Upson, and the many willing hands now tendering their assistance. THE MURDERER IN JAIL.—Sheriff James Burlison having been telegraphed for, accompanied by Deputy United States Marshal David A. Scott, arrived at the hotel soon after the arrival of the party there, and though the excitement was by this time most intense, both in the neighborhood and at Cuyahoga Falls, as well as in Akron, succeeded in safely conveying the prisoner to jail. Doctors William Bowen and George P. Ashmun being called in by Sheriff Burlison, the next morning, found Graham's elbow so badly shattered that amputation was at first deemed to be necessary; but finally, after removing several fragments of bone, by INDICTMENT, TRIAL, VERDICT - 1023 the use of splints, bandages, etc., the arm was saved, though in a badly crippled condition. A few days later, a brief preliminary examination was held by Justice Wetmore, the defendant being duly committed, without bail, on the charge of deliberate and premeditated murder. SOLEMN FUNERAL SERVICES.—The obsequies of the two murdered men were jointly held at the Methodist Episcopal Church, in Cuyahoga Falls, on Sunday, March 5, 1865. There was a very large attendance, the solemn services being conducted by the pastor of that church, Rey. Chapin. The remains of Mr. Filley were taken to Northampton for interment; those of Mr. Kilpatrick being buried in the cemetery near Stow Corners, with masonic rites, Mr. K. being a highly respected member of that order. INDICTMENT, CONTINUANCE, ETC.—The February term of the Court of Common Pleas being then in session, the matter was immediately brought before the grand jury, by Prosecuting Attorney, Edward Oviatt, Esq., and two separate bills of indictment were returned, each charging the defendant with murder in the first degree. Owing to his physical condition, however, the trial was postponed until the ensuing May term, two new indict- merits, of three counts each, being found by the grand jury of that term; the several counts, in both indictments, each charging Graham with deliberate, willful, premeditated and malicious murder. ARRAIGNMENT, TRIAL, ETC.—On all of the six counts, on being arraigned before Judge Stephenson Burke, the defendant entered a plea of not guilty, Prosecutor Oviatt first putting him on trial for the murder of Homer Filley. The trial, which lasted nearly a week, was conducted by Prosecuting Attorney Edward Oviatt, assisted by Henry McKinney, Esq., on behalf of the State, and by S. W. McClure, Esq., Judge Rufus P. Ranney, of Cleveland, and R. 0. Hammond, Esq., for the defense; the plea of both insanity on the subject of politics and war, and of justifiable homicide, being urged in behalf of the defendant. The main facts as to the killing, substantially as above given, and as developed on the trial, were admitted by defendant's attorneys, but a large amount of testimony was introduced tending to show, first, that by reason of injuries to his head, received in a serious railroad accident, a short time previous, the defendant's mind was so far thrown out of balance that, under great provocation and excitement' he was wholly irresponsible for his acts; and, second, that from reports which had been .brought to him of the action of the committee with other parties, and of their intended action against him, he had reason to believe that he was about to be illegally despoiled of his property, and perhaps subjected to personal injury, and fully believed that the defense of both his person and property against the formidable body of men he saw approaching his premises; was justifiable. ARGUMENTS--CHARGE—VERDICT, ETC. — The testimony closed about noon, on Thursday, January 8, 18u5. Prosecutor Oviatt opened the argument for the State, in a clear and lucid argument of about an hour and a half, followed by S. W. McClure, in an able plea of about three hours, on the part of the defense. On Friday morning, Judge Ranney, in an extremely ingenious plea, of nearly four hours, closed the argument for the defense, Mr. McKinney 1024 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY. summing up the case, and concluding the arguments for the State in an extremely impressive plea of about five hours. The charge of Judge Burke, occupying about three quarters of an hour, was regarded by all who heard it, as remarkably clear and impartial, carefully guarding the interests of the people as well as affording full protection to all the rights of the accused, under the law and the testimony given in the case. The case was given to the jury at 6 o'clock P. M., and at about 10 o'clock the same night, they returned a verdict of murder in the second degree, which, the theory of insanity being thus discarded, was at the time generally regarded as unwarrantably mild, in view of the war-like preparations which the defendant had made, and the deliberation and persistence with which his attack upon the unarmed body of men approaching, and before they had reached his own premises; was made and followed up—even to the extent of preventing a disinterested neighbor, and a peaceable physician from giving succor to the two men who had already fallen before his deadly aim. Exceptions to Judge Burke's charge were filed, by defendant's counsel, but no further move was made for a new trial, and Judge Burke immediately sentenced the defendant to imprisonment, at hard labor, in the state penitentiary, during the period of his natural life, and to pay the costs of prosecution, amounting to $747.86. AFTER THE TRIAL.—In speaking of the trial and its results, the present writer, editorially in The Beacon, said: "The prisoner has nearly recovered from the wound received in his capture, though the elbow will always, probably, be stiff. We do not learn that he has ever manifested any contrition for the terrible crime, though he admits that it would have been better for him to have paid what was asked of him, and esteems himself very lucky, indeed, at the mildness of his sentence. He is very busy with his friends—who in their deep affliction have the cordial sympathy of the entire community—in arranging his business matters, and otherwise preparing for the long imprisonment which awaits him, the legitimate fruits of his unbridled temper and his sympathy with the enemies of his country." IN THE PENITENTIARY.—Sheriff James Burlison conveyed Mr. Graham to the penitentiary on the 23d of June, 1865, in speaking of which the present writer then editorially said: "The prisoner was very observant of the growing crops and of passing events, and expressed himself as being wholly unable to realize whither he was going. Surely it must have been very difficult for the doomed man, who has ever been in the enjoyment of prosperity, the society of kind friends, and but for his ungoverned temper, unalloyed happiness, to comprehend, in its full import, the terrible fact that he was soon to be shut out: forever from the bright and beautiful scenes of earth, to drag out the remainder of his existence at hard labor within the gloomy walls of the penitentiary. 'Verily the way of the transgressor is hard.'" CIVIL SUITS FOR DAMAGES.—On the 17th day of March, 1865, Messrs. Henry McKinney and J. J. Hall filed petitions in the Court of Common Pleas, in behalf of Amanda Filley administratrix of the estate of Homer Filley and Seth W. Harrington, administrator of the estate of Hugh Kilpatrick, against William Graham, for civil damages, in the sum of $5,000 each. At the May term of the