OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

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Welcome to
GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO
HISTORY & GENEALOGY


 

Source:
GENERAL HISTORY

of
GEAUGA COUNTY
with
SKETCHES of
Some of the Pioneers and Prominent Men
Publ. by
The Historical Society of Geauga County
1880

HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Pg. 39.

     On the twenty-fourth of July, 1873, a family gathering was held in the shade of the woods on the fair grounds, being the grove on the farm of Co. H. H. Ford on the old homestead.  In response to invitations to two hundred and fifty relatives and descendants of John and Easter Ford, one hundred and seventy-two were present.  At the suggestion of W. J. Ford then of New Castle, Pennsylvania, the reunion had been called, and he was made president of the day.  The stories of pioneer times were told by the boys, now old and gray-haired, reminding that not long would any remain to tell of early days.  General Garfield was with the company, and in his talk spoke of something being done to save the history of the pioneers.
     At the close of the enjoyable day, Homer Goodwin, esq., of Sandusky, offered a resolution, which was adopted, that W. J. Ford, George H. Ford and Peter Hitchcock be a committee who shall consider, and, if they deem it fitting to do so, to report to a meeting to be called for the purpose, a plan for a Historical Society for the county of Geauga.
     For years, Judge Taylor had been interesting the people on the subject.  Goodwin thought the time had come.  A meeting fair was called and General Garfield engaged to make the address, and the time set September 16, 1873.  The people came early and in large numbers on that day.  The sand had been erected in front of the permanent rows of seats on the fair grounds, to which, as the post of honor, as many of the pioneers as could be seated, were appropriately invited.  The meeting was called to order at half past eleven A.M., by W. J. Ford, esq., chairman of the local committee, and a temporary organization effected by the appointment of Hon. Peter Hitchcock as chairman, and O. S. Farr, esq., as secretary.
     The Hon. Peter Hitchcock, from the committee on "plan of organization," reported the order of the day and a draft of a constitution.  The report was adopted, as follows:

ORDER OF THE DAY

     1st.  Permanent Organization
     2d.  Exhibition of Relics.  Hon. P. Hitchcock.
    
3d.  Dinner.
     4th. Toasts and Responses and Stories by Old Folks.
     5th. Address by General Garfield.

CONSTITUTION.

     The name of this society shall be the Historical Society of Geauga county.  Its object the gathering up and preserving in permanent form the names of early settlers, with date of their arrival in this county, facts, incidents and reminiscences connected with the early settlement, together with such relics as may be of interest and value.
     The officers of the society shall be a president, one vice-president from each township in the county, a recording secretary, a corresponding secretary, who shall also discharge the duties of treasurer, and an executive committee of three, who, with the president and corresponding secretary, shall constitute the board of managers of the society, and a majority of whom shall be a quorum for business.
     Officers shall be elected annually, and their duties be the same as those of similar officers in other like organizations.  Vice-presidents shall be advisory members of the board of managers, charged with looking up historical data and relics in their respective townships.
     The society will meet annually, on the fair grounds in Burton, on the tenth day of September, except, when the tenth comes on Sunday, it will meet on the Saturday preceding.  Will also hold other meetings on call of the president, at request of the board of managers.
     Any person may may become a member of the society by subscribing to the constitution and paying an admittance fee of _____.
     The society will keep open rooms, fitted up for reception and preservation of objects and articles of interest which may be furnished to the society, where the same can be visited by all interested.
     The officers elected for the year, were:

PRESIDENT.

Hon. Lester Taylor, Claridon.  

VICE-PRESIDENTS.

S. B. Philbrick, Chester
Samuel Robinson, Russell
H. H. Benjamin, Bainbridge
Hiram Canfield, Auburn,
John Sanborn, Newbury.
O. Miner, Munson.
Austin Canfield, Chardon.
L. G. Maynard, Hambden.
 
Noah Pomeroy, Claridon.
D. Witter, Burton
Osman Beals, Troy.
Alonzo Hosmer (deceased), Parkman,
E. R. Thompson, Middlefield
H. S. Pomeroy, Huntsburgh.
Anson Shaw, Montville
F. M. Leonard, Thompson

RECORDING SECRETARY.

S. E. Clapp, Huntsburg  

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY AND TREASURER

R. N. Ford, Burton  

BOARD OF MANAGERS.

     The president and corresponding secretary, Henry Rice, Hon. Peter Hitchcock, Burton, and Eli Dayton, Troy.

MEMBERS.

J. W. Beals, Troy
J. Button, Burton
S. S. Bates, Mesopotamia
W. H. Chapman, Troy
William Crafts (deceased), Auburn
William Cay, Burton
Col. Stephen Ford, Burton
G. H. Ford, Burton
Col. H. H. Ford, Burton
W. J. Ford, Burton
Horace Ford, Parkman
William Howard, Bainbridge
A. Hale, Munson.
Elijah Hayes, Burton
C. G. Hayes, Burton
Henry Hotchkiss, Burton
J. C. Hinkston, Burton
D. C. Hollis Chardon
Jonathan Houghton, Newbury.
Ahira Messenger, Auburn
J. M. Moore, Burton
Lyman Millard (deceased), Huntsburgh
W. W. Morse (deceased), Huntsburgh
Dr. A. McGraw, Burton
Joseph Nash, Troy
Orman Newcomb, Parkman
John Punderson, Burton
O. H. Parsons, Newbury
Rev. Wm. Potter, Hambden
Edward Rice, Burton
Ashbel Spencer, Claridon
Deacon Gervase Spring (deceased), Burton
Philip Silvernail, Burton
J. N. Skinner, Montville
H. S. Tolles, Burton
Rev. E. D. Taylor (deceased), Auburn.
Martin Truman, Huntsburgh
Mr. Woods (deceased), Auburn
O. W. Weeks, Burton
Delos Williams, Burton
James Wintersteen, Montville
J. C. Wells, Claridon.
    The same officers have been continued to the present, except the vice-presidents who are:
William Howard, Bainbridge
Ahira Messenger, Auburn
J. C. Wells, secretary, Claridon
W. J. Ford, corresponding secretary and treasurer.
W. H. Chapman, Troy
Horace Ford, Parkman
     The society was a fixed fact - organized and ready for work.  Ample provision for dinner was made, and it was enjoyed by the "old folks," at tables prepared for them.  Sons were sung, and stories told.  The address was made - full of historic lore, commanded by a great intellect, and, uttered from the breast of so able an orator, it was the magic repeat of lives that are gone, and a grand close of the day.  Many quaint things were brought, looked upon, and noted down at the time, by the secretary, Mr. Farr, which adds to the record.
     Mrs. B. Hosmer, Troy, spinning-wheel (little wheel), 80 years; hetchel, 200 years old.
     Hiram Canfield, Auburn, a horn from the last deer killed in Geauga county.  The deer was killed by Mr. Canfield, in the fall of 1845.
     Stirrups and saddle-frame, found while clearing on the farm of Mr. Canfield, in 1846, supposed to have been lost by one of General Wayne's men.
     William Crafts, Auburn, tin lantern 58 years old; iron wedge 58 years old.
     Mrs. McKay Brown, Burton, a plate 200 years old.
     Mrs. Brown, a set of chest-hangings made by her father, Freeman Hyde, in 1807.  Have been in use till three years ago.
     Mrs. Sarah White, Auburn, a hair wreath, 129 years old; a creamer 60 years old; and a piece of table linen spun by her mother at the age of 65, thirty-five years old.
     Charles Woods, Auburn, powder-horn carried in the war of the Revolution, on which is carved a ship, and "Benjamin Woods' powder-horn.  "Dun by his brother Samuel, at Ticonderoga, October ye 24."
     Jeremiah White, Auburn, pod augur, over 100 years old; a rumlet carried by a Mr. Gregory in the war of 1812; a powder-horn 70 years old.
     Mrs. S. Gould, Troy, a kettle, two-gallon stone crock and a plate, 100 years old.
     Mrs. V. A. Florence, wooden box 125 years old.
     L. Norton, Chester, powder-horn made and carried in the war of the Revolution by his father 90 years old.
     Alonzo Hosmer, hay-fork, 100 years old.
     J. W. Fox, Troy, history of New Ipswich, from its first grant in 1736, to date, 1852; formerly belonged ot Josiah P. Wilder.
     W. A. Jenks
, Newbury, silver snuff-box, made in 1750; powder-horn, made in 1800; gold-headed cane, made in 1800.
     L. G. Maynard, Hambden, a copy of the City Gazette and Daily Advertiser, published at Charleston, South Carolina, and bearing date November 24, 1797.  Among the advertisements, were some for runaway slaves.
     Mrs. Burt, Parkman, old papers, Warren Chronicle of 1826, and The Supporter, published at Jefferson, in1809, and later.
     Mrs. J. R. Bartholomew, string of gold beads, 130 years old or more.  Formerly belonged to Jedith Towne.
     G. W. Fox
, Troy, cane, made in 1740.
     Mrs. C. Nash, pocket worn by ladies 100 years age; large back comb 50 years old.
     Simeon Hayes, fire-tongs, 70 or 80 years old.
     A. A. Snow, Indian ax, made of stone, found in Auburn.
     Mrs. Maria Burt, Parkman, candle-stick, 69 years old; some linen thread, 50 years old.
     Mrs. C. B. Hosmer, bed-curtain 125 years old.
     J. W. Fox, Troy, looking-glass, 100 years old; home-made pocket-book, 100 years old.
     Luther Russell, Burton, tomahawk.  In one side is set a silver diamond, in the other a silver strip on which is engraven "Techumse."
     John Ford, Esq., Broad-ax of 1780
     Bell Palmer, watch carried in the Revolution by Major Crafts, great-great-grandfather of the owner.
     Mrs. P. Parmele, an account-book, bought by Merriman Cook, Jan. 7, 1795.  Price $1.37½.  Several evangelical magazines, published in Connecticut, in 1814 and 1815.  Sheet and towel 200 years old.  The sheet was made and kept for a winding sheet.  Set of silver teaspoons made of the knee-buckles and shoe-buckles of the great-grandfather of Mrs. Parmele.  The first set of communion cups used in the Congregation society of Burton.  Part of the small clothes and buttons worn by the great-grandfather of Mrs. Parmele.  A copy of Watt's Hymns, published in 1809.
     Probably the oldest relics exhibited were two earthen plates, formerly the property of Governor Bradford, the second governor of Plymouth colony.  They were brought by him from England, in the pilgrim ship "Mayflower," in 1620.  They are now in the possession of Mrs. Rebecca Crane, of Burton, who is a lineal descendant of Governor Bradford.
     Chief engineer Sharpless
, of the Painesville and Youngstown railroad, sent from Youngstown a deed from William Penn to James Wallis, of five hundred acres of land, on Brandywine creek, Chester county, Pennsylvania, dated 1st day 12 mo., in 1st year of Queen Anne, A. D. 1702.  Witnessed by Edward Shippon, Griffith Owen, Thomas Story, James Logan.  The seal is of wax, inclosed in a tin box, and was attached to the deed by a string.  It is four inches in diameter, and three-fourths of an inch thick.
     "Recorded in the Rolls Office at Philadelphia, in Patent book, vol. 2, page 449, the 8th, 12th mo., 1702.  Tho. Story." "Seal 6s.  Record 4s. 7d.  Box is. 6d."
     To the following the names of the owners were not attached:
     Cradle blanket of Robert B. Parkman, the first settler of Parkman township.  He was born in Leicester, Massachusetts, in 1771.
     A sand box which R. B. Parkman brought into the county>
     Bills for change issued by Parkman & Paine, in 1815, fifty cents, twenty-five cents, twelve and one-half cents, and six and one-quarter cents.
     Connecticut Courant and Hartford Weekly Intelligencer, dated Monday, Dec. 5, 1874, containing the "Freshest advices, both foreign and domestic."
     A copy of the Cleveland Herald, dated Friday, Mar. 24, 1826, being number twenty-two of volume seven, of that paper.
     A spinning-wheel, belonging to the Cook family, over one hundred years old.

SENTIMENTS OFFERED.

     The Press - Let her advance boldly in all her field, under a high moral standard, and she becomes a giant power of our country and the world.
     Response by J. O. Converse, of Chardon.
     By Hon. P. Hitchcock:
     The Pioneers.
    
Response by William Crafts, of Auburn.
     Early Settlers. -  Through their earnest and faithful toil.  we inherit the land and enjoy the blessings of to-day.
     Response by Noah Pomeroy, of Claridon.
     By W. J. Ford:
    
The Temperance of the Fathers. - Their log cabins and hard cider better than the big houses and "benzine" of this generation.
     Response by Rev. William Potter, of Hambden.
     The Geauga County Historical Society - May the success of this first day be but the beginning of a continued success in the future.
     Response by L. G. Maynard, esq., of Hambden.

     From the first, the annual meetings have been largely attended.  Many articles of historic value are given the society, or brought for exhibition on these occasions.  Clocks, spinning-wheels, shoe-brushes, razors, pincers, pitchforks, Indian tools, arrows, books, maps, newspapers, and a great number of things, accounting upwards of one hundred on the list of relics, have been placed with the society in the office room of the town hall.  So much of peculiar interest attaches to these "olden time mementos," that a portion of the address of the corresponding secretary before the society, September 30, 1875, relative to them, is here given.


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