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CHAPTER XII.*

MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP—FOUNDING OF THE VILLAGE—EARLY INDUSTRIES—CHARCOAL MANU-
FACTURE—NAMES OF EARLY SETTLERS—INCORPORATION—FORMATION OF TOWN-

SHIP— ANNEXATION TO AKRON—EDUCATION AND RELIGION.

"O. Country: rich in sturdy toil,

     In all that makes a people great;
We hail thee, queen of Buckeye soil,

     And ding our challenge to the State,

We hail thee, queen, whose beauty won

     Our fathers in their golden years:

A shout for greater days begun,

     A sigh for sleeping pioneers."

THE American people are becoming famous for their love of celebrities. In opposition to the democratic theory of human equality, they have become genuine hero-worshipers. and usually select their idols from the nobler specimens of the race. They are not particular whether the person be dead or in the full vigor f life. So strong has become this sentiment, that the mind

* Contributed by W. A. Goodspeed.

is unsatisfied with homely realities, but seeks faultless conceptions that lie within the magic circle of inspiration. Imagination comes forward and decks the images with the flowering attributes of nobility. The location of the being worshiped, in point of time, depends upon the age of the devotee, his moral and intellectual temperament, and the natural elevation of his soul. The path which men pursue in life, the dark waves they struggle to repel, the placid waters they endeavor to traverse, and their temporal happiness, depends almost wholly upon surrounding circumstances. To the warlike, the names of Alexander and Napoleon will be fresh in the memory forever. Musicians bow in adoration at the grave of Mozart. Poets burst into songs of inspiration over the gothic

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bard of Avon. Philosophers view with wonder the logic of Bacon and Aristotle. Astronomers are astonished at the discoveries of Newton and Laplace. Artists stand entranced before the sublime paintings of Raphael or Angelo. The past is filled with venerated beings, many of whom had no just claims of preeminence. The untrod paths of future years are partially explored by the feeble light of existing human experience ; the present is illumed by the dazzling genius of the progressive man ; and the past, is seen in spectral relief through the many sided prism of the soul. The distance that lends enchantment to the view of the past, hides a cold sterility. Ideality takes the limpid clay of beings long since returned to dust, recreates it in the image of divinity, and breathes into it the breath of life. Contemptible creatures are lifted from among the undeserving, and crowned with the bright flowers of unearned greatness and eternal remembrance. Beings with transcendent virtues pass into obscurity and forget fulness. The faculty of the human mind to venerate the dead. had its origin in the general results of evolution. It began in its lowest type in primitive and barbarous man, and as it steadily developed, mortals were deified and gods created. Ancestral worship is universal, and has been from time immemorial. The virtues or vices of the dead, as one or the other preponderates, are magnified by the passage of time, thus leading inevitably to hero-worship. The demand for such a sentiment. and its steady and rapid growth when begun, have resulted in its universal development in man, and have changed the whole current of his life. Devotion to God is the highest type of hero-worship. Devotion to ancestors is second in degree of reverence, while the great beings of the present and the shadowy ones of the future, afford perhaps the lowest degree. The fact that history is but a record of the lives of men, and the relation of those lives to the plastic forms of social and political being, renders such a study of vast interest to mankind, in view of the statement that in the past are found the greater number of those heroes who are venerated by the race. Where is the youth who is not told to imitate the virtues of some person long since dead ? The existence of' near relationship multiplies the loyalty of the race to the departed ancestors. How tenderly we cherish the memory of a parent or other dear friend, who has been laid at rest in the silent grave. History is the record of our hopes, ambitions. experiences, thoughts. deeds and accomplishment: and, consequently, is the most important stud in the curriculum.

But the historian has wandered far from th topic before him. and must retrace his steps. So far as Middlebury has contributed to the history of Summit County, appropriate and ample credit will be given. That it has played the part of star actor in the drama of the county, becomes evident to those who will take the pains to examine the memorials of its rise and progress It was at the height of its power and prosperity when Akron was first founded : and at that time was one of the most important trading points in Northeastern Ohio. Much of its early history was never recorded, and the fact that all the early settlers are dead. transports the subject to the province of conjecture. An at tempt. however, has been made to gather the prominent events of early years. with what fidelity the reader is required to determine. A citizen. well known to the people of the county writes as follows : "The founder of this village was Capt. Joseph Hart. In 1807. he purchased fifty-four acres of land, including the site now occupied by the village. moved on the farm thus selected. and commenced erecting a mill. He soon after sold one-half of his purchase to Aaron Norton. and the two in company finished the erection of the mill." The building was a one-storied affair, with one run of stone. a large tub wheel. and. from the fact that the Little Cuyahoga, upon which the mill was located. contained three times as much water as at present, it was capable of operating the entire year. Near the spot where it was built, was a natural fall in the stream, of about ten feet. Instead of endeavoring to utilize this fine power, the owners of the mill had built a strong dam about five rods below it. and, at this point, on one side of the stream, was the log grist-mill, and, on the opposite side, a saw-mill, which was built soon afterward. Why the owners did not take advantage of the natural fall of water is difficult to determine. The labor would have been greater, the dam much more insecure, and the cost multiplied, had they done otherwise than they did. At least, these reasons seem to have been in their minds when they selected the mill-site below the fall. A splendid custom work

• Gen. L. V. Bierce.

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was immediately secured, and the mill continued to be, until the building of the canal, the most valuable mechanical enterprise in the county. Settlers came . for flour to this mill thirty and forty miles, and the Middlebury Mills became famous. No merchant work was done, as, on account of the enormous cost of transportation, it was impossible to compete with those mills near the consumer. The mill was a godsend to all the settlers for miles around, and was the cornerstone of the Middlebury of sixty years ago. After a few years, Mr. Hart died, and his interest went to his heirs. His son, William J. Hart, afterward a prominent man at Middlebury, controlled this interest until about the year 1818, when the settlement of the father's estate having been perfected, the son became the owner of one-half interest in the mill. At this time, about 1818, the old mill was torn down, and a new three-storied frame. 30x40 feet, was erected a short distance above it. Two run of stone were employed, and the vast custom trade was renewed. At the death of Judge Norton, the nature of the mill was altered. The saw-mill was operated successfully until the time when the new grist-mill was built, and was then removed.

It should be noticed that at this time Middlebury did not exist as it does now. Four townships centered at that point, and the village had not been laid out. Heavy forests covered the land, and stumps and trees could be seen in all directions. In about the year 1810, John and Samuel Preston, then living in Tallmadge, purchased a small portion of the land belonging to Mr. Hart. and erected there on a small frame building, in which was placed machinery for carding wool and fulling cloth. The machinery was simple, and the work was done largely by hand. Few sheep were in the country at that period, but a few years later the carding-mill had all the custom work it could do. Wool was brought to the mill to be carded, after which it was taken to the cabins to be spun and woven into cloth, and then returned to the mill to be fulled and perhaps dressed. The fulling, dressing and coloring were done by hand. These men continued their enterprise until about the year 1820, when Bagley & Humphrey assumed control, and increased the scope of the mill. They purchased machinery for weaving, and employed a first-class weaver of satinet. They

manufactured considerable cloth, which was mostly used at home. Some five or six hands were employed. Mr. Almon Brown remembers that he purchased a suit of inferior broadcloth for the consideration of a barrel of whisky and $2.

One of the industries in early years was a " furnace," erected by Laird & Norton. Considering the meager population in the county at that time, the magnitude of this undertaking was gigantic. More than sixty employes were connected with it in one way or the other. The ore was obtained in Springfield, Copley, Northampton and other townships, and consisted of two kinds—bog-iron ore and kidney ore or stone ore. Large quantities of the latter were hauled by men with teams and unloaded at the furnace. Here it was first burned on log heaps. under which process it crumbled into lumps about as large as a walnut. It was then ready for the melting process. As soon as the molten ore was ready, it was ladled into moldings, and there received its permanent shape. Many large cast-iron kettles were made, some of them containing a hundred gallons. These were sold to the settlers, and used in the manufacture of pot-ash, of which enormous quantities were prepared in the backwoods in early years. Smaller kettles for culinary and domestic purposes were also made. Flat-irons, andirons, chimney jambs and other useful articles were also provided. One of the chief articles manufactured was stoves. These were known as box stoves, or ten-plate stoves. Ten distinct iron plates were cast with holes at the corners, and these were fastened together with iron rods, and sold to the settlers. They were looked upon as the perfection of inventive skill. A house containing one of these, instead of the old fire-place, was supposed to be with-out a care in the world. and its inmates were regarded as the happiest of mortals. The fuel used in this furnace was almost wholly charcoal. A score or more of men were employed to chop the surrounding forests into cord-wood, and experienced colliers were given control of the subsequent proceedings. Under their direction the cord-wood was placed in great bowl-like heaps, often containing 100 cords, after which the whole was covered with several inches of leaves raked up in the forest. This being done, the entire heap was covered

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with some five inches of earth, the leaves serving to prevent the dirt from falling down between the wood. In the center of the heap, a small opening was left, with which air-holes communicated. Here, material was left that fired the kiln after its erection was completed. The fire having been lighted, the blaze slowly ate its way through the heap of wood, under the guidance of the collier, who seemed to know just where it was burning and how rapidly. Care was necessary to prevent the fire from consuming the wood. instead of charring it as desired. A few small air-holes, changed as the charring progressed, were carefully guarded ; and when, in the judgment of the collier, the process was completed, all the air-holes were closed, and in a short time the charcoal was ready to be taken from the kiln. .Mr. Beards-lee. who worked in the furnace for a number of years. says. that a premium of a gallon of whisky was promised the collier for each stick of charred cord-wood he could produce unbroken. Sometimes several were found, in which case the liquor was provided and enjoyed. The kiln was first opened on the lower edge. and, as the wood was yet a mass of glowing coals, the fire had to be smothered before the charcoal could be loaded into wagons and taken to the furnace. This smothering was done by means of the covering of earth, but air must be kept from the interior, as otherwise the wood would be wholly consumed and the kiln a total loss. It occasionally happened that. either from the structure of the kiln or its subsequent management, the wood and labor were lost in the manner stated. A novice would be unable to tell when the burning was finished, and when the fire should be smothered out. Not so the collier. He could tell from several signs, the chief one being the settling of the covering of earth. The owners of the furnace employed, as stated above, some sixty hands in the various departments of mining and hauling the ore, melting it, and from the molten mass manufacturing the desired article, and cutting the cord-wood and burning the kilns and hauling the charcoal. This industry alone would have founded a village around it, as the greater number of the employes had wives and families, who lived in the village. Some twelve or fifteen families lived at the village in 1812, and six or eight years later it had a population of between two and three hundred. Just before Akron sprang into existence with its gigantic manufacturing interests, the population of Middlebury was almost or quite four hundred, and if the emphatic statements of the early settlers are to be believed, there were no idlers nor loafers.

Another early and important industry was a nail-factory, begun and conducted by the Sumner brothers. The enterprise was begun in 1620, and is said to have been the first combined rolling-mill and nail-factory '' in Ohio. 1 From three to five hundred pounds of nails were manufactured daily. The heavy iron was taken, and, by repeated rollings, given the desired thickness ;-then, by means of suitable machinery run by water-power, the plates were cut into rough nails, and the heading and pointing process was done entirely by hand. the header " being able to prepare about one hundred pounds per day. The iron was largely obtained from New York, Philadelphia and other Eastern cities. and was transported to the village at the enormous cost of 124 cents per pound. This was the cost of transportation alone : four, six, eight and tenpenny nails were manufactured, and. on account of the scanty supply of ready money, the nails, kettles and other articles manufactured in the village became almost a legal tender. These products were exchanged for farm produce, and many a promissory note was given, payable in nails. kettles or agricultural products. The fuel used in the nail factory was charcoal, and many men were employed in this branch of the business. A forge was built on the stream, some distance below the village. The furnace, nail-factory and forge, it is said, were capable of consuming from four hundred to eight hundred bushels of charcoal per day. This fitly illustrates the enormous quantity of charcoal prepared. It was not long before the heavy woods, for several miles around, were leveled with the earth and used in the manner stated. This accounts for the denuded condition of the surrounding country. The nails were sold for about 25 cents per pound, and the enterprise was continued until about the year 1828, and then abandoned. About this time Heine & Sherman owned and conducted a small furnace. They likewise made considerable potash. All the establishments having running machinery were operated by water-power, most of them having large overshot wheels. It

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was also about this time that a small machine-shop was erected by Nathan Gillett, Jr., at which cards for the woolen-mills were manufactured, besides other mechanical articles.

When the furnace was closed in about 1828, Dr. Crosby began manufacturing cast-iron plows on a small scale ; but soon afterward sold out to Daniel Stewart, who enlarged the scope of the enterprise. The plow was Food's Patent," and many were manufactured and sold throughout the surrounding country. A Mr. Graham opened a distillery at a spring a short distance east of the grist-mill. This was about 1811, and terminated in 1815. Considerable liquor was manufactured. Mr. Gillett also conducted an establishment of the same nature, beginning in about 1817. It was continued in operation a few years. and manufactured whisky a t the rate of about eight gallons per day. All this found a speedy home consumption, selling at from 15 to 25 cents per gallon, largely in trade. During all these years. whisky was imbibed by everybody, and the most respectable people were often engaged in the mauufacture that is looked upon with so much disfavor at present. It is stated that all the leading merchants at Middlebury, in early years, kept a keg of whisky on their counters, at all times. for the free indulgence of customers. A tavern without a barroom was a novelty that met with comment and criticism. if it did not meet with studious avoidance from the traveling public. In truth, taverns of this character were compelled to suspend business from a lack of patronage. Abstainers were careful not to adopt the occupation of hotel keeping. Samuel Newton erected a large hotel in about 1817, and continued to entertain the public for many years. His old building was burned down but a short time since. He. on one occasion, bought twenty-five barrels of' whisky of a man in the Miami Valley. who was compelled to sell, paying 16 cents per gallon. and finding a ready disposal for the whole.

An early writer has this to say of Middlebury : From 1815 to 1828, business of all kinds increased, and the village became the center of trade and fashion for all the surrounding country. It seemed destined to become the leading town on the Reserve. As Akron had no habitation. not even a name, Middlebury became the resort of the enterprising and business men, who were bidders and contractors on the Ohio Canal. So great was the business at that time (about 1825), that there were no less than sixteen stores in the village, and all doing a good business. Mills, factories, and mechanical shops sprang into existence as if by magic. On the location of the canal, Akron sprang up with its immense water-power, and, for a time, entirely overshadowed Middlebury. Several of the early friends of the village died. Others looking to immediate effects, became discouraged, and with their capital, left the place. The factories closed, the grinding ceased, the thronged streets were transferred to Akron, and the epitaph of Carthage was almost inscribed on her monument. The friends of Middlebury then discovered that prosperity did not lie in speculation nor fashion, but in industry and enterprise. Mechanical establishments began to increase, and the valuable water-power was improved. A company was incorporated by the Legislature of Ohio, called the Middlebury Hydraulic Company, and authorized to raise the natural surface of Springfield Lake, in which the Little Cuyahoga had its rise, six feet, and lower it four feet below the natural surface. This gave to the water-power of the village a permanency and sufficiency that could at all times be relied on." Aaron Norton. one of the founders of the village, did a great deal in early years to improve it. The same writer continues, : While the Judge was upon the bench, a fellow who had been employed in the Middlebury Mills was indicted and tried for stealing a log-chain. His defense was former good character, to sustain which he called on the Judge who swore his character was about as good as that of millers in general. After the adjournment of court, Gen. Woodward, of Franklin. who was a miller took Norton to task for what he called an impeachment of the character of the millers. ' I was bound,' said Norton, ' to swear to the truth. I believe his character for honesty is as good as millers in general, but I believe he stole the log chain.' "

The first tavern was opened by Peleg Mason. In about the year 1815, this man brought a small stock of goods to the village. About three years later, Orrin Pitkin began with a stock. Several others came in within the next two years. By 1825, ten years after the first store was opened, there were, as stated above, sixteen stores in the village. Among the more prominent were H. & H. A. Howard, dry goods, gro-

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ceries, hardware, crockery, glassware, stone and hollow-ware, tinware, drugs, medicines, surgical instruments, etc.; Hiram Johnson & Co., the same. (These firms bought all sorts of produce, flour, pork, whisky, pot and pearl ash. giving in exchange their goods or paying their money.) McClure Brothers, general assortment ; John McMillan, ditto ; Kent & Oviatt, ditto ; McNorton & Cleveland, ditto. Besides these there were H. Briggs, boots and shoes ; James Ross. soap and candle factory ; M. Johnson. druggist and physician ; H. Loveland, attorney at law : G. F. Norton, ditto ; Barlow & Allen. wool-carding and cloth-dressing ; William Bell, saddles. harness and bridles ; L. Chatfield. fancy and dining chair factory ; Hard & Sumner. wool-carding and cloth-dressing : H. Rhodes. tavern keeper ; G. Powers, Jr.. attorney at law ; McNaughton & Cleveland. tanners Mrs. L. Wheeler. milliner ; Phineas Pettis. plow rnanufactory : John McMillan, grain buyer : Zenas Chase. boot and shoe maker ; Alva R. Chapman. painter : B. A. Allyn. cabinet-maker : Payne & Squire. distillers at Old Forge ; Linus Potter. tailor ; Humphrey & Kirkum. attorneys at law ; John & Legrand Hanford. hat manufacturers : Ed. Sumner. tavern keeper ; McNorton & Cleveland. grain buyers ; Erastus Tarrey, ditto : Daniel Crist, boot and shoe maker : and a multitude of others, in for a short time at various pursuits.

A Masonic lodge was organized in about the year 1822. It was known as "Middlebury Lodge, No. "34" participated in the ceremonies of the laying of the corner stone of the first college building erected at Hudson. A post office was secured at an early day, and soon a tri-weekly mail was obtained. Hemperly & Sumner ran stages between Middlebury and the villages of Cleveland. Canton and Wooster. While the canal was in process of construction, large quantities of flour, pork and produce were purchased. to be consumed by the laborers. When the canal was opened in 1827, several companies of men began buying enormous quantities of grain preparatory to being shipped away when the canal was opened. But the greater portion of this business died out, when Akron sprang full-fledged into life. There was a company of firemen organized at Middlebury in an early day. From the fact that McMillan & Dodge were engaged in the. manufacture of " brake engines," the value of afire organization was rendered at once easy and desirable. According to the statements of Julius A. Sumner, a" bucket company " was also organized. Whether these firemen had much work to do is not recorded. The Sumner Brothers engaged quite extensively in buying and shipping cattle and horses. Julius Sumner says he crossed the mountains eight times while engaged in this business. Oxen were purchased for about 840 a yoke. and three-year-old steers for some $10 or $12 a head. The brothers rode all over the country, buying 100 or 150 cattle, which were driven to Philadelphia or New York. Mr. Sumner says he made 8500 on his first drove. and continued the occupation until over a thousand cattle had been thus purchased and disposed of A few droves of horses were also bought and driven to New York, whence they were shipped mostly to the West Indies, to be used on the large sugar plantations.

An independent rifle company was organized in Tallmadge (luring the war of 1812. many of' its members residing in what is now Middlebury, a considerable portion of which belonged to the former township. It was under the command of Capt. Rial McArthur. The following correspondence between the citizens and Gen. Wadsworth is interesting, as showing the exposed situation of the country at the commencement of the war of 1812 :

To THE HON. MAJ. GEN. ELIJAH WADSWOHTH. ESQ.:

Sir: We. your petitioners. humbly pray that you will take into consideration the defenseless condition we are in: therefore, we pray your Honor to issue orders for Capt. Rial McArthur's Independent Company and the Fourth Company of the Independent Battalion. Fourth Brigade and Fourth Division of Ohio Militia. commanded by Capt. Samuel Hale, to be retained for public safety. as we are on the frontier: that said companies be drilled one day in each week, and hold themselves in constant readiness in case of an attack to march at a moment's warning. Those families that were to the west of us have moved into the settlement. and we are left on the frontier : therefore. we. your petitioners. wish you to take this into consideration, and act as in your wisdom you shall see fit,

(Signed)

PHILANDER ADAMS, NATHANIEL CHAPMAN,

JESSE NEAL, AARON NORTON,

CHARLES CHITTENDEN, DAVID PRESTON,

HENRY CHITTENDEN, AMOS SPICER,

ELIZUR WRIGHT, HOSEA WILCOX,

JOHN WRIGHT. JONATHAN SPRAGUE,

                          PETER NORTON.

SPRINGFIELD, July 13, 1812.

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This communication proves that the citizens in the vicinity of Middlebury were thoroughly aroused to the fact of their exposed situation ; but subsequent events proved that their fears were almost wholly groundless. It may be supposed that the following letter afforded universal satisfaction :

CAPT. RIAL MCARTHUR :

Sir: You doubtless are sensible of the critical situation of our country at this time. War being declared by the United States against Great Britain. it becomes necessary, as we have become the frontier, for the whole body of the militia to be in perfect readiness to meet the enemy • and, sir, yours being an independent company, I place great confidence in your ability and activity in being ready with your company to march and meet the enemy of your country at a moment's warning. You will, therefore, please to order your company to meet at any place you may think proper and convenient, one day in each week, and in the most perfect manner possible. See that every man furnishes himself with arms and ammunition, and other necessary accouterments for actual service. You will please to inform me after the first meeting of your company of their actual situation,

ELIJAH WADSWORTH.

Maj. Gen. Fourth Division Ohio Militia,

Soon after this correspondence was held, the Independent Rifle Company was ordered, first to Cleveland, and afterward to Old Portage, the headquarters of Gen. Wadsworth. and. finally, to the camp of Gen. Simon Perkins, a temporary post on the Huron River. They returned during the spring of 1813, after a short, bloodless. though arduous. service in the field. There were forty-eight men in the company, as follows :

Captain—Rial McArthur.

Lieutenant—Wiley Hamilton.

Ensign—Charles Powers.

Sergeants—Alpha Wright. Justus Barnes. Daniel Kennedy. Samuel Cheney.

Corporals — Edmund Strong. Shubael Lowery. John Campbell, , Justin E. Frink. Drummer—Stephen Butler.

Fifer—Ara Gillett.

Privates—Philander Adams. Samuel Allyn, Samual Atkins, Christian Cackler. Jr., Titus Chapman. Nathaniel Darrow. Liverton Dickson, Thomas Ellett. David Ellen. Samuel Fogger, Jesse Neal, Asa Draper. David Powers, Samuel Preston, Lot Preston. David Prior, Amos Spicer, Jr,, Joseph Towsley. Jonathan Williams, Abner Green, James Thompson. Henry King. Elisha Perkins, John S. Preston. Norman Sackett, John Wright. Jr., Ephraim Clark, Jr.. Aaron Norton. Joshua King. James Bradley, John Collins, Drake Fellows, Henry Bierce, John Castle. David Preston, Jr.

When the above company was first ordered into the service, it comprised but forty-four men, several of whose names do not appear above, and were as follows : Luman Bishop, Charles King, Stephen Perkins and William Prior. The following men were not members of the company during the first enlistment : Samuel Atkins, Asa Draper, David Prior, Jonathan Williams, Abner Green, James Thompson, Ephraim Clark, Jr., Aaron Norton and Joshua King. This company first volunteered, and were ordered into the service of the United States for the protection of the frontiers, on the 22d of August, 1812. Their first term of service ended February 22, 1813. Although the company was then out of service, it did not disband, but kept drilling about once a week.

On the 17th of April, 1813, Gov. R. J. Meigs wrote to Gen. Wadsworth, advising him that " The Fort at the rapids of the Miami (Fort Meigs) is threatened with an attack from British and Indians," and ordering him immediately to detach one flank company to strengthen the post at Lower Sandusky, as the post at the rapids is, I fear, too weak." In pursuance of this order, Gen. Wadsworth, on the 20th of April, 1813, ordered Capt. McArthur's company to march to Lower Sandusky immediately, and to take with them five or six days' provisions, or a sufficient allowance to take them to that place. Gen. Wadsworth says in his order, " You will be shortly relieved. as a large number of troops are on their march to reenforce that army." This was the company whose names appear at length above. It will be noticed that many members of the company lived at old Middlebury. Immediately after the surrender of Detroit by Gen. Hull, in August, 1812. Gen. Wadsworth was ordered to organize a brigade of 1,500 men. To effect this, volunteers were called for, and, finally, the General was obliged to resort to a draft. The company above mentioned, with one or two exceptions, volunteered. Among the drafted were Reuben Upson, John Caruthers, Norman Sackett, Moses Bradford, Ara Gillett and Jotham Blakeslee. Old Portage was the headquarters of these forces, and became celebrated on that account. In later years, Col. John C. Hart organized a regiment of cavalry militia at Middlebury and the surrounding country. It will be observed that almost all the members

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of Capt. McArthur's company lived in what is now Summit County.

It is now necessary to go back and notice other matters relating to the early history of Middlebury. The village comprises land formerly belonging to the townships of Tallmadge, Springfield, Coventry and Portage. Some of the first owners of the Middlebury land were Capt. Joseph Hart, Aaron Norton, Liverton Dickson, William Neil and Ara Gillett. in Tallmadge ; Peter Norton, Rial McArthur and others, in Springfield ; Amos Spicer and Jesse Allen. in Coventry ; and Amos Spicer. Jr.. in Portage.

During all the early history of the village, and for eleven years after the completion of the canal. the electors residing in the village met to poll their votes in their respective townships—the four mentioned above. The original village was in the southwestern corner of Tallmadge ; but, as it gradually enlarged. portions of the other three townships were occupied. after being surveyed into lots. Among the early residents of what afterward became Middlebury, were the following, although this is neither a complete nor a perfect list : Capt. Joseph Hart. Judge Aaron Norton. Rini McArthur. Liverton Dickson. Samuel and John Preston. Amos Spicer. Sr. and Jr.. Ara Gillett. Peter Norton, William Neil, Barney Williams. Mr. Graham. William J. Hart, George Simcox. Peleg Mason. Orrin Pitkin. John McMillan. Elijah Mason, Mr. Hazen. Thomas Sumner and his sons. Charles, Holland, Joseph. John. Increase. Edward and Julius A.. the latter yet living at Akron ; Nathan Gillett. probably the first Postmaster, and many others. The village was first regularly laid out into lots. and probably recorded at Ravenna. in 1818. by William J. Hart. That portion of the village known as W. was probably the first laid out, as it is recorded in Book F. at Ravenna ; while E and S are recorded in Books S and K, respectively. It is likely that over fifty lots were laid out by Mr. Hart, to which additions were made as the rapid growth of the village required. The " boom " at the time of the building of the canal no doubt vastly increased the number of lots, as it did the number of buildings of all kinds.

It is likely that the village was incorporated by a special law of the Ohio Legislature, enacted during the session of 1837-38. as the following, quoted from the Middlebury records, ,would seem to imply, if it does not explicitly state :

At a meeting of the qualified electors of the village of Middlebury, held in said village on the first. Tuesday in May. A. D., 1838. agreeable to an act to incorporate the village of Middlebury, for the purpose of electing officers of said corporation. Roan Clark. Henry Chittenden and William L. Clark were chosen .Judges. and Theron A. Noble was chosen Clerk of said election. whereupon. the following officers were elected: Henry Chittenden. President of the Council: Theron A. Noble. Recorder: Ruswell Kent. Jesse Neal, Gregory Powers. Thadeus H. Botsford and Harry Pardee. Trustees.

(Signed)

T. A. NOBLE.

Recorder.

These officers were immediately qualified, and entered upon the discharge of their several duties. The following committees were then appointed : T. A. Noble and Gregory Powers. on bylaws ; and R. Kent. Jesse Neal. Harry Pardee and T. H. Botsford. on appointments. At a session, May 6, 1838. the "set of rules for the regulation of the Council " was unanimously adopted ; also, Smith Burton was appointed Marshal ; Roswell Kent and T. H. Botsford. Committee on Streets. Highways and Nuisances Jesse Newland, Harry Pardee. Committee on Revenue and Expenditure; and Gregory Powers ' and T. A. Noble. Committee on By-Laws and Ordinances. Soon afterward. John H. McMillan was appointed Treasurer ; Daniel McNaughton, Assessor; and William L. Clark, Surveyor. The records reveal the fact that the Council began at this time to make a vigorous attack upon all nuisances, and passed several stringent ordinances looking to the abatement of the same. On the 21st of July, 1838, it was enacted by the Council That the Chief Warden be authorized to procure a suitable number of hooks awl ladders at the expense of the corporation, to be made and finished as he may direct, to be used in cases of fire and not otherwise." The five fire wardens appointed a short time before were Ambrose Cotter. Daniel McNaughton. Samuel Newton, Harry Pardee and John Johns. In 1843, Philpot and Camp were permitted to build a horse railroad through certain streets of the village. the road to be used for the passage of coal obtained in Springfield. In 1845. the first stone bridge over the Little Cuyahoga was constructed, under the contract of Increase Sumner, who erected the stone work for $1.74 per perch. the whole cost amounting to $578.55. So far' as can be learned, the village electors voted in their respective townships until the act of incor-

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poration was passed ; after which, the village, having been constituted an election district, they met there to poll their votes. The following is quoted from the records of November, 1846: " The Council did not meet at the office of the President in Sherman's building according to adjournment, because the President was out of town on business, with the key in his pocket. (Signed) George W. McMillan, Recorder." The second stone bridge was built in 1847, by Abraham Rhodes, at a cost of $350. The total cost was, however, much greater than that amount. The inference from the following, taken from the records of 1849, is, that the sanitary regulations of the village were inoperative or neglected : " Resolved, That $10 be appropriated for the use of the Marshal in procuring fifty bushels of lime, as required by the ordinance relating to nuisances." It is also to be inferred that the desired results were not secured ; for two months later, it was " Resolved, That each member of this Council be appointed a special committee to examine and report what is necessary for a thorough cleansing of this town, and to report at the next meeting." The records of a few succeeding meetings, show active work in the right direction on the part of the select committees.

Early in 1857. the citizens of Middlebury petitioned the County Commissioners as follows : The undersigned householders residing in Middlebury, in said county, respectfully petition your honorable body to erect and set off a new township. to be composed of the territory embraced within the corporate limits of the village of Middlebury. in the county aforesaid." This petition was signed by eighty-four householders of the village. Attached to the petition was The undersigned. Trustees of the townships interested in the formation of a new township, as proposed in the above petition, hereby give our consent that the said new township may be erected and set off in accordance with the prayer of said petition, to be composed of the territory embraced within the corporate limits of Middlebury." This was signed by a majority of the Trustees of each township. The County Commissioners, at the March session of 1857, proceeded as follows : " The Commissioners, being satisfied that the majority of the householders residing in the village of Middlebury had signed the petition, and that the consent of' a majority of the Trustees of the several townships affected by the creation of the new township had been obtained, and that the necessary legal notices had been given, Ordered, That the territory comprised within the corporate village of Middlebury be set off from the townships of Coventry, Portage, Springfield and Tallmadge, and be hereafter known as the township of Middlebury." Notices were also issued by the Commissioners for the qualified electors of the new township to meet at the town hall in Middlebury, on the first Monday in April, 1857, for the purpose of electing township officers. Thus the village remained until the spring of 1872, when the question of its annexation to the city of Akron, as the Sixth Ward, was submitted to the electors in both towns with the following result : Votes in Akron—for annexation, 1,042 ; against annexation, 16. Votes in Middlebury—for annexation, 140 ; against annexation, 26. The necessary number of affirmative votes having been secured, each town elected a committee to confer with that of the other town, to unite on the terms of annexation. These terms are too voluminous to be quoted here, yet it may be said that both towns will be benefited. in the end. by the annexation. The later history of Middlebury will be found in another chapter.

The first schoolhouse in Middlebury was erected near the site of the present one. in about the year 1811. It was a small one-storied frame, 20x25 feet. with a broad fireplace in one end. The first teacher is not remembered ; but, in 1813–14 and 1814–15, J. P. Skinner, from near Ravenna, taught. This man was a skillful disciplinarian and a competent instructor. He received his pay by subscription, at the rate of some $12 or $15 per month. The three R's were largely dwelt on, and woe unto the scholar with a neglected lesson. Whispering was prohibited, and. in case the rule was violated, dire and summary correction was sure to follow. The old time schoolteachers were very strict about their rules. They usually succeeded in creating an understanding among their scholars that the violation of a rule of the school was an unpardonable offense, and it was often feruled, amusing to see how the guilty one languished. Sometimes young men were severely fero, and more than one school has terminated in a promiscuous fight. One day Mr. Skinner, annoyed from having so much laughter in the room, made a rule that the first one that

408 - HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

laughed out should take the ferule and hand it to the next one that laughed out, who was to do likewise, and so on, and the scholar having the ferule when school was dismissed, should be feruled by the teacher. A short time afterward some one laughed, whereupon the teacher handed him the ferule, of which he must get rid, or he would be punished when school closed. It passed through several hands, and finally went to Ira Dixon. The rule was, by this time working altogether too well to suit the teacher. He, therefore, announced that the next one who laughed should ferule Dixon, and the latter should ferule him. Almon Brown and Ira Dixon were great friends, and, when the former saw that the latter was in for sure punishment, his mirth knew no hounds. He endeavored to repress the tide, and his efforts resulted in volcanic peals of laughter. That instantly precipitated events, and the teacher told the boys they must ferule one another. This each one did, laying it on with a gusto not at all appreciated by the other. By this time, the gravity of the whole school was seriously affected. Mutterings were heard here and there, and at last a young man named Denison Williams burst into a roar of laughter. He was feruled by the teacher, greatly to his mortification, and then the rule that had played so much mischief was declared annulled. Such scenes often transpired in the early schools, and even in later ones. There were fifty-nine scholars enrolled during the winter of 1814-15, at which time the above funny, though serious, event occurred. This schoolhouse was used, summer and winter, until 1828, when J. A. Sumner and others were employed to construct what is known in history as the Old Brick." Both of these houses were used for school, church, town and other purposes. In 1826, Mr. I. N. Mason taught a "select grammar school " in the village. Other terms were subsequently taught. In 1853, the old brick schoolhouse was purchased by the Village Council for $255, and converted into a town hall, to which use it was devoted for many years. It is likely that the present school building was erected about the same time, although nothing is before the writer of this chapter proving that to have been the case.

From the fact that Tallmadge was blessed with good churches. and that many of the early residents of Middlebury belonged to these. no efforts looking to the organization of religious societies in the village were made until about the year 1830. Many of the villagers were laborers in the various shops, and were not professors of religion ; while the few who were professors preferred going to Tallmadge to church, instead of sustaining the cost of erecting a building of their own. However. soon after the completion of the Ohio Canal. several religious societies sprang into existence. The Methodists started up at an unknown date. The Presbyterians put up their church in December, 1831, and the Congregationalists, in December, 1845. Other religious organizations have been established, and Middlebury is now well supplied with churches. Many other interesting historical events in the village will be found narrated in other chapters.