Upload
kimlord
View
224
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/7/2019 History 0002
1/6
I I .
CENTENNIAL.
A sun-burnt, way-stained band of men, landed upon a bare bluff one July
morning in 1796, caught a prophetic glimpse of a future city; a series of magnificent
pageants, dating from the hundredth anniversary of that initial day, has show n u s
how far reality has exceeded the wildest visions
of imagination. A remarkable growth and devel-
opment has been most fitly celebrated. The f utur e
historian of The \Vestern Reserve will not need to
go back of present returns. The centennial editionof The Cleveland Leader alone would seem to have
exhausted every source o f information. Details of
early struggles, of hampered growth, of successive
turning points; developments of great e nterprises
an d b usiness interests; the growth of churches,
schools, colleges, with sketches of early and later
settlers and myriad s of minor incidents , pa ss be-
fore our eyes in realistic panorama.
The way-stained pioneers fade from our view.
With one brief outlook into the Promised Land,
General Moses Cleaveland vanishes from the
scene. His work, his family called him homeward.
Married late in lif e, his flrSt-born child was left
behind for the Ohio pilgrimage. Porter, after ac-
complishing with great l abor and carefulness thesurvey and division of as much of the territory
as was practicable in the autumn of 1796, returned
eastward to spend a long and honored life on the
frontier of Niagara. The laborious survey of the
following year was onducted by Seth Pease
assisted by six surveyors who had served the precedin g s eason, together with
as many of the former employees, and some forty others. They found Job Stiles and
his wife, Talitha Cumi, still at their post, the only residents on the "bleak wilder-
ness coast," the site of the future city. James Kingsbury and his wife who had sur-
viv ed almost incredible hai'dships at Conneaut during the winter, ac~ompanied the
surveyors to a new home in Cleveland. E li jah Gun and his wife had weathered the
winter with apparently less difficulty. Another noted pioneer, Major Alonzo C arter
joined the little settlement during this summer. Under great dif ficulty and obstruc~
tion the work o f survey and division into townships was accomplished and ,. a sorry
sickly looking set of beings" left the Reserve in November, 1797. Disappointment~on all sides were experienced. The number o f acres in the Reserve was found
considerably less than had been previously fi gure d; s o that instead of having an
" Excess," for a new compan y, the Lan d Company had only the quantity for which
.... IJCl.U IJc:l.LU .LJ ...... _J .---- ----
remunerative returns, fresh assessments were demanded. The
found the price of land too high, its jurisdiction uncertain, its
together with the myria d p rivations an d d iscomforts
incident to all new countries.
After the report of the surveyors had been re-
ceived, at Hartford, January 23, 1798, the directors
voted, "To give to Talitha Cumi, wife of Job P. Stiles,
one city lot, one ten-acre lot, one one-hundred acre
lot; to Anna Gun, wife of Elijah Gu n, one one-hun-
dred acre lot; to James K ingsbury and wife, one one-
hundred acre lot; to Nathaniel Doane, one city lot, he
being obliged to reside thereon as a blacksmith, and
all in the city and town of Cleaveland "-and so the
capital city of New Connecticut was launched into
being.For a number of years progress was extremely
slow. Amos Spafford and Nathaniel Doane were
the only members of the surveying party who became
permanent settlers. Other towns gained more rapidly than the city. In 1
general government assumed jurisdictio n; the Reserve was established as Tr
County, with Warren for county seat. Its first election was held in October
forty-two residents cast their votes and elected Edward Paine to represent
the Territorial Legislature of Ohio. Eight townships had then been instit
Youngstown, Warren, Hudson, Vernon , R ichfield, Middlefield, Painesville, Clea
But though Connecticut had yielded jurisdiction she had not ceased to
influence and parental oversight. Her schoolmasters were abroad and also h
sionaries. In missionary work she was ever ready to lead. As early as 1722
raised money to introdu e and carryon the ministry of the Gospel i n Prov
R.1. As her sons went out to found settlements in Vermont , New HamI sh
New York, they were followed by her maries, an d the scattered settlements with
Connecticut had a special claim upon th
vices. For a quart er of a century miss
were sen t o ut and supported by the
Association of Connecticut. In 1798 a
missionary s ociety was organized, the pio
Home Mission societies in this country
first missionary sent under its auspices
\Vestern Reserve was Rev. Joseph Badger
military service during the Revolutionar
and subsequent struggles to SUIply the
early education made him just the man to
COMMISSARY JOSHUA STOW. the hardships of introducing religious inst
among the new settlements. The first church on the Western Reserv e w as or
by him at Austinburgh, October, 1801, consisting" of ten males and six femalewas soon joined by another remarkable man, with remarkable descendants, Rev
Bacon, who, unable to arry out his cherished purpose of laboring a mong
was sent by the Connecticut Missionary Society to carry forwar d t he wor k
settlers on the
condition ma
8/7/2019 History 0002
2/6
- " vv 1.nuuc WlJl ever ue nonorea In
\...onnectlcu t ! l1 connection with her Historl'cal S . t R Tl R bb'. . . oCle y- ev. lOmas 0 l11S-
wh~se lIfetime collection of books w as the foundation of its valuable library. Of delIcate health and scholarly t astes and 11'lbits Mr Robb' ld I dl I
c ,. lOS wou seem lar y equato tl~e work assu~e ~ b y. 111m,.but hIS conscientious d ev otion enabled him to do good
ser~lCe. The dally ]ottl11gs !l1 his diary give a truthful picture of conditions at that
penod and o f t~le many ways"in which the missionary was helpful to the early settlers.
Mr. Robbl11s reached Polan d, Trumbull County, alias N ew C onnecticut,"
November 2~, 1803, aft~r a three months' journey in which he had ridden eight hun-
dre.d and thIrty-four mlle s; staid for a time in Canfield-quite a respectable congre-
gatIOn, mostl~ C .onnecti.cu.t people .. "Th e p eo ple appear pretty stupid," more dis-
posed to cavll wIth C~r~stlan do~~nnes. t~an to attend weekly lecture; y oung people
had a smart dance; VISIted famIlIes; VISIted and catechi zed a school of seventeen
scholars. Dec. 17-Rode to t he north part of the t ow n
mostly Pennsylvania people, livin g g enerally on their land~
withou~ reg~rd t ~ roa ds ; tried to pro po se a plan for societyregulatIOns 111thIS town. 27-Rode to Warren nine miles
, ,through the woods; called at the salt spring ; i t requires about
twelve hundred g allons of water to make a bushel of salt. A
Baptist Church is formed i n this town. Some people here
do much i n hunting; they kill a good many bears. 30.- V is -
ited a school; pretty poorly regulated. but appear ambitious.
184. Jan. I-Preached all day; the meeting w as s erious
and solemn; o ne p erson fell. 2-Visite d a s c ho ol o f more
than twenty scholars. 6-Rode through Vienna to Hartford,
through lovely woods. 7- R od e t o Smithfield; preached all
day; a good number of people; some pretty violently e xercised.
A small church w as f ormed here last fal!. 13-Rode to
Hartford; pre ac he d t o a large and very attentive audience'
17- Rode with company to Morgan, sixteen miles, without d
house; snow and mud very deep. 19-Rode to Austinburgh.a very great religious awakening here. 23-A areat fall of
JAMES KINGSBURY. . . . 1 0snow, It IS now more t lan two feet deep on a level; more than
has ever been known here before; very cold; people are generally pretty well provided
WIth food and fodder. Hold meetin gs all the time; about eight or ten fall almost
every meeting; find much kindness from people wherever Igo; almost worn out with
fatigue. Houses very smoky. This is a very pleasant and respectable neighborhood.1804. Jan. 9-By the assistance of Mr. Badger and three or four members of
the church, composed a Confession of Faith an d C ovenant, and Articles of Practice
for the ~hurclles in ~h.is county. II-Worked with some of the people building a
large bndge. 14-VlSIted; worked considerab ly , helping the people here to clear a
piece of ground for public uses. 21-Rode to Gustavus. 22-Preached' bu t t hree
families in this town. 24-Assisted in measuring a piece of ground for ~ublic uses.
27-Rode to Smithfield; worked with the people clearing their public ground. 28-
Rode to Hartford; worked with people on their public g round. Ithink i t wi ll be
a pretty handsome place. 29- Rode to V ienna; assisted the people, etc.; visited
families. March 2-Rode to Hubbard. This town contains more than sixty families.
4-Col de st day we have had t his winter. A good number of people attended meet-
ing. Conversed w it h a n um ber of Methodists. 6-Rod e t o Yo un gs to wn and
Warren. The court-ho us e in the town was burned last week. Conversed w it
tists. I4-Attended a session o f the c ourt. Litigati~n very liltle prevale
Masonic L o dg e about to be installed here. Is-Met WIth the Masons and de
to them a public discourse. Mr. Badger and Idined with the m. 1 6-Court
rized me to perform marria ge s. Mr. Badger and Iattended the church he
thev adopted the Confession of Faith, Covenant and Articles of Practice wh
lat;ly drew up . q -A ssisted in writing a notification of the incorpor~tion o
tees for a college in this county. 2o-Rode to Poland; attended a socIety m
The Pennsylvania c hu rc he s are on a pretty poor foundation as to sentiments,
or members. Assisted the people i n la yi ng o ut a p ie ce o f ground, 40 rods
for publi c u se s. A pril 14-Mr. Fowler had a large house raised. Rode to C
people here try-
ing to e stablish
a fund for t he
support of a min-
ister. 19- Rode
to Hub bar d.
G I'eat numbers
of familIes are
comin g i nto this
county from be-
lo~v. Visited two
schools; worked
with the people
here clearing a
piece of public
ground, twenty- MR. AND MRS . L OR EN ZO CARTER.six rods square.
2s-Canfield. Attende d a me eting of a number of people here on t he
of forming into a church. Mr. Badger preached. 27-Preached from
xxviii.: 20, 2 1; after which the church was regularly organiz ed , c onsistithree men and six women. May 2-Visited; rode to Vienna; attended the
of a house the first fra me erected in t he t own. 3-Rode to Warren. 6-Prea
in the for~noon; afternoon, Mr. Smith, a B aptist min ister, preached, after wh
baptized three p ersons in the river; A. M. Ibaptized a ch il d. 7- Visited fa
attend ed a military election. The militia i n t his state is now about to be org
June 2o-Rode to Smithfield; wrote records for this church; visited a schoo
well regulated and instructed, particularly i n t he catech is m. J uly I-Can
Serious p eo ple here apprehensive of inroads by Methodists. 3-Rode to De
A Methodist church has been formed here for some time. Conversed and di
with the Methodist preacher; fear he is a dangerous character. s-Rode to H
The bridge over the Cuyahoga quite a curiosity. Wrote the records of the chu
a new book Ibought for them. Visited, preached, catechized the children. V
mills lately bu rn t here. People generally haying. A great c ro p o f g ras~.
Rode through the woods to Cleveland. Tarried wi th Esq. Kingsbury. ThIS
oldest settlemen t i n t he county. I4-Rode out with Co!' Huntington. Went mouth of the Cuyaho ga ; a v ery pleasant situation, commanding an extensive
pect of the lake. The people rather loose in principles and conduct. Is-
a pretty full meeting. The people generally quite attentive. The most of them
8/7/2019 History 0002
3/6
and at Cleveland sick with fever and ague. 2o-Rode to Nelso n i n the raina man very sick w it h t he bite of a rattlesnake.
Visited
Settlements in t his part of the
c 0u n t y v er y small
There are but seven
families i n thi s t own.
23-Rode through the
woods to Warren. 24-
Rode to Hartford.
Here Mr. Robbins
succumbed to il lness
and was debarred from
labor for nearly two
months.
September 16-
Preached for the firsttime since my sickness.
I7-Rode to Smith-field. Some expectation in this settlement of obtaining the college which is to
be established i n t his county. 18-Rode to Kinsman; married a couple of persons.
Some families here exceedingly distressed with sickness~fever and ague. 19-5even
persons examined and approved for admission into the church. 2o-Rode to Hart-
ford; have considerable care in providing for the sacrament. 22-Rode to Smith-
field; began in P. AI. the exercises of a sacramental occasion; Mr. Badger preached.
~3-A large collection of people, about sixty communicants; admitted seven persons
ll1to the church; we had a pleasant place in the woods; the meeting very attentive
and solemn; I preached A. M., Mr. Badger P. M. and evening. 24-Meeting most as
large as yesterday; preached A. Af.; meeting dismissed I P. M. 28-Rode to Can-
field;. tow n i n a great ferment on account of a town quarrel and the approaching
electIOn. 3o-Held meeting in an open new house; some of the people quite dis-
orderly. Oct. 2-Wrote record s f or the church here. Several Dutch families have
moved into the town. 16-Rode to Poland. Many New England families are arriv-
ing in the county. 2 4- Vienna; ten New England families have moved i nto this
town this year. 29-Worked a little all day, helping to raise a loghouse. People met
and c on versed, some on the subject of building a meeting house. 3c-Rode to
Hartford; twelve families have lately moved into this town from Hartland, Conn.
No~. 4-Preached to a large and respectable congregation; very good singing.
Smithfield and Hartford together is now the largest New England settlement in
Trumbull County. 6-At evening, Mr. Badger and Mr. Bacon, our brother mission-
ary, came here; formed an agreeable acquaintance with Mr. Bacon; he has set out
to go to Connecticut on foot; he chooses to go in that way. 9-Rode to Johnston
and preache d; b ut two families in l; this was the first sermon preached in thistown. 12-Snows considerably; people ha ve success in killing deer. Is-Snow
eight or ten in hes deep; fall crops not yet gathered. 28-Rode to Smithfield;
people here building considerably. 29- Kep t b y people in S. and Hartford as a day
of thanksgiving; a large collection of people. 3o-Rode to Vienna; prospec.t of a
good settlement in Brookfield; great commotion in regard to the division of thiscounty. Dec. 18-2 I-Rode to elson, Middlefield, Burton. From Warren here I
SOlt; tile weather extremelY CUIU, "u" ~....~~... _-
23-Preached; people quite generally at meeting. 24-Rode out and visited;
have a large and very good frame raised here for an academy. 2s-Was invited
entertainment, it being Christmas; the people, however, are not Episcopalians.
Snowed all day. The people of this t own generally come here pretty poor; t h
now generally living comfortably, but are not forehanded; they are industrious.
centre of the town is very handsome. 3o-Full meeting; but two or three profe
of religion IIIthis town. 3I-Snow quite eighteen inches deep and very solid.
1805. Jan. 4-Rode to Middlefield. But seven families in the town. 7-R
to Burton. Snow two to two and a half feet deep. 9-Ro de t o Mesopotamia;
half the way there was no path in the snow. But few people in this settlement.
Rode to Windsor; preached. Some families lately moved i nto this town live
poor. 22-Rode to Wooster; preached; first sermon ever preached in the
26-Returned to Burton; invited to take charge of the academy a nd be their
ter. 3o-Rode through the woods to Bondstown and Perkinton; . l