Before
1811 this township was known as township three, range two, but in
that year was organized with the name Beaver. Since 1846 it
has formed a part of Mahoning county. It is bounded on the
east by Springfield, north by Fairfield, and west by Green.
The surface is moderately level with a general drainage
to the north and east. In parts it is slightly broken by low
hills, and along the streams are some lands too low and level for
cultivation, being subject to overflow. There are also a few
small swamps. The township was originally covered with a heavy
growth of oak, ash, maple, beech, elm, and a limited quantity of
pine. Timber still remains in considerable quantity.
Mill creek, the principal stream flows, through the
township northward west of the center, receiving the waters of a
number of small brooks. On account of its low banks but little
water power is afforded. The head of Big Bull creek is in the
southeastern part of the township, but its volume here is no greater
than a brook. Nearly every section has enough springs to
furnish water for domestic use, or it may easily be obtained by
digging wells.
Building stone and coal abound, and sand may be
procured in several localities. The soil is variable, being a
light loam or sandy clay, generally free from stones and easily
cultivated. The inhabitants are mostly occupied with the
ordinary farm pursuits, but lately increasing attention has been
given to dairying and the raising of live stock.
THE
PIONEERS.
One of the first settlers was
Major Jacob Gilbert, a native of
Maryland, who settled on the farm now
occupied by Michael Wieland
about 1802. The Wielands of
this township descended from one of his
seven children, a daughter, who married
Adam Wieland. Major
Gilbert took an active part in the
War of 1812, and was one of the prominent
men of the township in his day.
About the same time John Shanefelt, also
a soldier of 1812, settled near Gilbert
on the homestead afterward occupied by his
son John.
Adam Little
was an early and prominent settler
near the center of Beaver.
The first settler in the north of the
township was an old bachelor named “Billy”
Stewart, who lived alone many years
in a small log cabin. Still farther
west Abraham Miller was the
pioneer.
On section one, the first settler was Peter Stevens,
who had a lease on a small tract of land.
He is credited with being the discoverer of
the coal in this locality, which he mined,
in a small way, for two cents per bushel.
Farther south, on section thirteen, settlement was made
in 1803 by Christopher Mentzer,
and soon after Christian Clinker
settled in the neighborhood of North Lima,
with his sons, Abner, Josiah,
Samuel, and Isaac. Not
far from here were, also, as early as 1804,
Frederick and Michael
Dutterer, and in the southern part of
the township, among the pioneers of that
period,
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were John Harman, Henry NEidigh, and
Frederick Sponseller.
John Coblentz, from
Frederick, Maryland, settled on the south
side of section twenty-five in 1804.
His family consisted of four sons and a
daughter who married John Elser who
has resided on this section since 1827.
Other early and noteworthy settlers were John
Crumbacher, George Hoke, Balzer Mowen, John
Neidigh, Jacob Crouse, Christian Crebs,
David Gerringer, Peter Eib, Isaiah Bachman,
George Augustine, Michael Shaefer, George
Hively, Christian Fox, Adam Movingstar,
Mathias Glass, William Heckman, Henry Myers,
George Pontius, Abraham Stouffer, Abraham
Boyer, Jacob Whitter, David Coy, Jacob
Mellinger, John Metz, John
Rukenbrod, Jacob Overhaltzer, Henry Snyder,
and Jacob Rupert.
Settlements were rapidly made and many changes took
place. This can best be seen from a
list prepared twenty years later.
The freeholders living in the township in 1830 were as
follows: On school district were as follows:
On school district number one–Christian
Ackerman, John Frankfelter, Andrew Hahn,
George Lonefelter, Ebenezer Stahl, William
Sullivan, David Sprinkel, Jacob Witter, John
Bennett, Jacob Gilbert, John Gilbert, Jacob
Paulin, W. Sheckel, John Shanefelt, Jr.,
Frederick Shanefelt, Adam Wieland.
On the second district—John Blosser, Daniel Cohler,
Patrick Dilley, Andrew Forney, John Fox,
Jacob Linn, Jacob Miller, Abraham Miller,
Henry Sponseller, Joseph Sprinkel, Frederick
Smith, Jacob Wansettler, John Chub, Aaron C.
Cain, John Fellnagle, Jacob Fellnagle, John
Heller, Adam Little, George Messerley,
William Shepler, Peter Steffey, Michael
Shank, Ferdinand Shantz.
On district number three lived John Bachman, George
Bachman, Jacob Boyer, Abraham Boyer,
Benjamin Bechtel, John Coy, Frankfelter,
Reuben Grimes, Tobias Heverly, David Hoover,
William Kendricks, Michael Kulp, Henry Kulp,
John Kulp, Daniel Mackley, Frederick Roos,
Mathias Topper, Martin Wilderson, John
Bright, John Calvin, George Foreman, E.
Gardner, John Harmon, Charles Hammer, Philip
Houck, Abraham Myers, John Myers, Henry
Myers, John Nold, John Shoemaker, Henry
Thomas, Peter Yoder.
On district number four were John Aultman, John
Bieber, Peter Blosser, Solomon Crouse, Jacob
Crouse, William Crouse, Frederick Fellnagel,
John Glass, John Hahn, Jacob Jokis, Michael
Huyler, Michael Keek, Christopher Mentzer,
Jacob Mentzer, William Miller, Catharine
Augustine, Jacob S. Buzard, John Cohler,
John Clinker, Isaac Clinker, Michael
Dutterer, John Fasnacht, David Gerringer,
Jacob Harman, R. P. Justice, G. Hutchin, F.
Leitzey, Adam Myrice, David Metzler, Jacob
Mowen, John Mowen, Peter Mowen, Balzar Mowen,
Daniel Shilling, Michael Wieland, William
Eyster, Jacob Reephard, James Simpson, Jacob
Shoemaker.
In district number five lived George Bush, Frederick
Frankfetter, Adam Fisher, Mathias Gilbert,
Andrew Little, John Shanefelt, David
Shanefelt, Gabriel Erb, George Fox, John B.
Fox, Jacob Lenhart, John Simons, Henry
Wohford.
On the sixth district were Alexander Anderson, John
Borlan, Samuel Detweiler, John Fox, Peter
Fox, Jacob Haltereth, Gotlieb Hedler, Jacob
Landis, Mary Mellinger, John Royer, David
Stephens, George Bachman, Jacob Bachman,
Joseph Frederick, Peter Hendricks, William
Heckman, George Haltereth, Jacob Knob,
Tobias Miller, Jacob Oberholser, Jacob
Oberholser, Jr., Solomon Sloop.
District number seven had the following freeholders:
Joseph Borlan, Jacob Baker, David Coy,
Samuel Coy, John Esterly, Jacob Hill, Peter
Kleckner, Henry Kendig, Augustine Miller,
George Bloom, Christian Shiely, John Stiver,
Frederick Stiver, Michael Unger, Christian
Beringer, Frederick Beringer, E. Crumbacher,
Jacob Detweiler, William Hooker, Peter
Hibble, Baltas Kutcher, H. B. Myers, Jacob
Paetner, Christian Rinkinberger, Abraham
Shaeffer, Abraham Stauffer, Frederick
Ungelbower.
In district number eight lived William Cox, Widow
Coblentz, Jacob Cope, Frederick Dutterer,
Michael Dutterer, George Dutterer, John
Elser, George Glaser, John Glackler, Jacob
Glackler, John Harman, Jr., Solomon Harman,
Henry Harman, George Candle, Mary Lipply,
Catherine Myers, George Rukenbrod, Michael
Rukenbrod, John Rapp, Sr., John Rapp, Jr.,
Frederick Sponseller, George Sponseller,
Michael Sponseller, John Schnurrenberger,
Conrad Snyder, Amos Worthington, John
Zeigler.
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CIVIL LIST.
The township was organized for civil
purposes in the year 1811, and in the
following year Beaver was added to the tax
list of the county, the assessment for 1812
being $35.25.
The first election was held Apr. 1, 1811, the judges
being Christian Clinker, Frederick Sponseller,
and Peter Eib. The following were
elected: Trustees—John Crumbacher,
Christian Clinker, Frederick Sponseller;
clerk, George Hoke; treasurer,
John Harman; lister, Adam
Little; house appraiser, John
Coblentz; constable, Jacob
Gilbert; overseers of the poor,
Balzar Mowen, David Gerringer;
fence-viewers, John Neidigh, Sr.,
Christopher Mentzer; road
supervisors, Christian Crebs
and Jacob Crouse.
Peter Eib and Adam Little
were justices of the peace.
MINING AND MANUFACTURING.
Coal may be procured in almost every section
of the township, and is profitably mined in
the central and northeasten parts. One
of the most extensive mines is that of
Azariah Paulin, in section one,
which yields fifteen hundred to two thousand
tons yearly. South from him David
Sprinkel has a mine in which is a
vein of cannel coal five feet in thickness;
and a little southwest are mines operated by
Catterhead & McGill, Inser
& Shaefer, and others. On
section six coal was mined about twenty-five
years ago to supply a furnace for the
manufacture of coal oil. Near the
center of the township there are coal banks
on the farms of Daniel Crouse
and Abraham Yoder, and farther west,
south of East Lewistown, are a number of
mines yielding good coal.
On Mill creek, section fifteen, the first mill was put
in operation about 1805 by Matthias Glass.
A small affair, it was displaced by one of
greater capacity by Jacob Crouse.
In 1849 the present mill was built by
Anthony Smith and steam power
added. Subsequent owners have been
Solomon Elser, John
Faulk, Henry Nerr, and since
1877, Hasness, Thoman & Co.
It is a three-story frame, and has three run
of stones.
ABRAHAM STAUFFER, had grist- and
saw-mills further south, on Mill creek, but
they were abandoned about 1840.
North of the old Glass mill Peter Glass put up a
saw-mill, which was operated many years by
Solomon Crouse.
On Turkey Broth
creek, in section nine, Jacob Detwiler
put up a water-power saw-mill, which was
changed to steam by John Fellnagel,
and is now in operation.
Quite a number of steam mills are now in operation
in the township.
At the village of North Lima a steam grist mill,
erected a few years ago by John Spait,
is now in operation.
In the early history of the place, Jacob Esterley
had a tannery near the site of the
present hotel. Another tannery was
established in 1852 by Solomon Clinker.
Here were formerly distilleries carried on by
Lewis Ruhlman, John Fasnacht, Anthony Smith,
Samuel Summers, and John Fisher.
The village has a carriage shop and a number
of mechanic shops.
NORTH LIMA.
is a pleasant
village, located chiefly on the south half
of section fourteen, and was founded about
1826 by James Simpson.
The original plat contained only a few lots
along the county road. Additions have
been made by John Northrup,
Martin Hasness, Samuel
Crouse, and J. S. Buzard.
The village did not grow fast, and owes its
existence wholly to the demand for a local
trading point. The population is about
three hundred. There are three fine
churches and two handsome school-houses.
The one in the west district is of brick,
32x40 feet, and was built in 1868 at a cost
of $2,500. The east house is of the
same material, 36x48 feet, and cost to build
in 1871 $2,700. There is also a
village hall, the old Evangelical church
having been altered for this purpose in
1876.
As early as 1828 a man named Hartzell sold goods
in a small way in the village; other small
traders were John Glass and
John Northrup. The first
regular store was opened by the Niell
Brothers in a building where is now
Raus' tin shop. John G. Leslie
was their clerk, becoming their partner when
the store was moved down street.
Others here in trade were Crouse &
Northrup, Buzard & Co., J. H.
Donalb, Mentz, Hahn, Fell & Co.,
Miller, Ruhlman, George Buzard, and
J. Ernst.
In the buildings on the opposite corners have been
stores by Truesdell, Baldwin, Kirtland,
Felger, Haller, Buzard, Henkle, Shaefer,
Heindle, and Witter. The village has
also had a few small grocery stores.
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In 1830 John Glass opened the first
public house in a building since used for
that purpose. Among the landlords
which followed were John B. Fox, John H.
Rowell, William McKeown, E. Ruhlman, M. E.
Dutterer, John Weaver, and Amos
Clinker.
The post-office was established about 1828, with
Jacob Gilbert as postmaster. A man
named Stillson carried the mail,
going afoot to Liver pool. Owing to
the difficulty in getting the mail the
office was discontinued about 1831. It
was re-established in 1834, and the
postmasters since that period have been
J. G. Leslie, Samuel Rohrbaugh, J. G. Buzard,
John H. Donald, Samuel Rau, George Buzard,
and Henry Buzard. It has three
mails per day.
About 1831 Drs. Manning and Willet
came to the place to establish a practice in
medicine, but did not remain long. They were
followed for a short space of time, by
Drs. Correll, Blocksom, Eddy, Campbell,
Truesdell, etc. In 1846
Nathan Hahn became the first
permanent physician, remaining until his
death, in 1874. Contemporary
practitioners were Drs. Stewart, Dawson,
Davis, Bowman, etc. Dr. S. S.
Schiller came in 1870, and Dr. H. H.
Hahn in 1876.
Two miles west of North Lima is the village of
EAST LEWISTOWN
It has a very
handsome location on sections sixteen and
twenty-seven, and but for the advantage
enjoyed by North Lima in being the older
village, would have become the more
important place. Village lots were laid out
about 1839 by Peter Goder, Sr., John Nold,
Henry Thoman, Sr., and George
Houck; but it was not until 1836 that
building commenced, when the place grew
rapidly, attaining, in a few years its
maximum. It contains about forty
buildings, and a school house of attractive
appearance, erected in 1867, at a cost of
$3,300.
Jesse Motter opened a store in the
village in 1839, in the house occupied by
H. Thoman as a residence, and was in
trade until 1845. Mean time another
store was conducted on the southwest corner
of the square by Hoover & Rudisill.
The village has had as merchants Jacob S.
Thoman, Daniel Thoman, T. G. Northrup,
Frederick Fellnagle, Franklin Dunn, Smith
& Buzard, Abraham Miller, and
George Buzard.
A man named Morrow kept the first public house
about 1843, in a building opposite the
Thoman residence. Ten years
later Conrad Stigletz opened an inn
on the square, which he kept till 1863.
He was followed by George Heindle.
About the same time a tavern was kept on the
north side of the square by Isaac
Thoman, which was continued only a short
time.
The post-office was established about 1851, and had
Philip Fetzer as the first
postmaster. It then had a semi-weekly
mail; at present it is supplied daily from
Columbiana. The other postmasters of
this office have been Daniel
Thoman, Josiah Rohrbaugh,
Isaac Thoman, David
Wonderlin, and George Buzard.
The first to practice the healing art was an herbalist,
a Dr. Pappenaugh. Dr. Ethan
A. Hoke was the first regular physician.
The hamlet of Woodworth, locally called Steamtown, is
situated on the Boardman line, there being
but a few houses and a steam saw mill on the
Beaver side.
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.
The township has taken great interest in
education, and given particular attention to
supplying an excellent class of
school-buildings. It is stated, on the
authority of a State official, that Beaver
leads all the other townships in this
respect.
There are eleven districts, and every one of them is
provided with a commodious and handsome
brick house, with belfry, inside blinds, and
modern furniture, costing from $2,700 to
$3,500, whose attractive appearance reflects
great credit upon the people of the
township.
A small log meeting-house was built in 1808, by the
Lutheran and Reformed congregations.
Mount Olivet Reformed congregation was
formed in 1810. Paradise church was
built on section nine in 1849. The old
Overholtzer Mennonite church was erected in
1825 and the present one in 1871. The
Dunkers built their present church in 1872.
Calvary Evangelical church at North Lima was
organized in 1836, and their present edifice
erected in 1876. A Methodist church,
not now in existence, was organized at North
Lima in 1840.
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