OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

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Mahoning County, Ohio

.

20th Century History of
Youngstown & Mahoning Co., Ohio

and Representative Citizens - Publ. Biographical Publ. Co.
Chicago, Illinois -
1907
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CHAPTER XVI.
TOWNSHIPS AND TOWNS.
Settlement and Organization of the Townships - Settlement and Founding of the Towns - Sketches of Lowellville, Canfield, Poland, Petersburg, Sebring and other Towns.
Pg. 176

SMITH TOWNSHIP
pg. 225

     Smith township is situated in the southwest corner of Mahoning County, the greater part of the township lying west of the general western boundary line formed by the two townships to the north of it - Milton and Berlin.  The surface is undulating, and in the northeastern part hilly.  The most depressed portion of the township is at and around the center, the land rising as it approches the boundaries.  The township is drained by the Mahoning river, which passes through the southwestern portion, and by its tributaries.
     The first settlement in Smith township, of which there is any record, was made by James Carter of Pennsylvania, who, having purchased some land in the Western Reserve, of which the north line of Smith township forms part of the southern boundary, in 1803, built a log house, and made some improvements on what he supposed was his land.  In the following year he discovered that he had by mistake settled on a tract (of 640 acres, government section 3) that had been purchased by William Smith, who arrived with his family in the year last named.  Smith paid Carter for the improvements he had made, and the latter removed to the tract which he had in fact purchased.  The first permanent settler, therefore, was Smith, who resided in the township for many years, dying in 1841, at the age of seventy-three; his wife survived him four years, dying at the age of seventy-two.  Their remains were interred in the family burying ground, near the present village of North Benton.
     In 1805 James C. Stanley, of Hanover County, Virginia, who was probably the second settler in Smith township, made his appearance, accompanied by his wife and a family of eight children.  He located on section 24, which he had purchased from the government, and which was afterwards called the "Stanley neighborhood."  We have no record of any more settlers for several years, though it is by no means unlikely that there were some, either permanent or otherwise.  In the years 1811 and 1812 other Stanleys from Hanover County, Virginia, arrived, together with Joshua Crew, who married Millie, daughter of Thomas Stanley -  who came in 1812, was accompanied by his family, which included three sons - John, who died in 1877; "Elijah, who died in 1836; Edmund, who died in 1842 - and two daughters - Millie, above mentioned, and Frances, who became the wife of Isaac Votaw and died in 1818.  Thomas Stanley afterwards married a second wife, Priscilla Ladd, by whom he had five children.
     The township was settled but slowly, as by 1828 it contained but twenty-three voters.  A number of subsequent residents settled temporarily before coming to Smith. 
Thus, Levi and Rebecca Rakestraw, who came from New Jersey in 1812, located first in Goshen, where they lived until 1825, then becoming permanent settlers of Smith.
Nathan Heacock
, also, who settled in Salem, Columbiana County, in 1816, came to Smith township in 1825, bringing with him a good old-fashioned family of ten children.
James Cattell, of New Jersey, who settled in Goshen in 1810, removed to Smith in 1833, and remained until his death in 1860.
Gideon Hoadley, with his wife and children settled in Smith in 1823.  His daughter, Maria, married John Detchon who came here from Trumbull County in 1822. 
Samuel Oyster located on section 31 in 1826, being the first settler in the western part of the township.  He continued to the population of the township a family of fourteen children. 
Another man with a large family was Peter Wise, who came from Pennsylvania in 1832. 
In the following year came James M. Dobson, with his wife and one child - John.
Other early settlers were William Atkinson, who came from Goshen; Solomon Hartzell, Hugh Wright, William Johnston, Job Lamborn, Christian Sheets, Jacob Paxton, John Thompson, Jonathan Hoope, John Trago, Matthias Hollowpeter, John Cowgill, Abram Haines, Hugh Packer, Abram and Samuel Miller, Leonard Reed, Adam McGowan, John Hillerman, John Shaffer, William Matthews and Amos Allerton.

ORGANIZATION.

     Smith township was organized at a meeting of the Columbiana County commissioners in March, 1821, upon the petition of Judge William Smith, one of its pioneers, in honor of whom it was named.  The books of the township, containing records of the first meetings, and of the election of the first officers, are lost or destroyed.  James C. Stanley was probably clerk of the first town meeting.

NORTH BENTON.

     This village was formally laid out in March, 1834, settlements in the locality having been made as early as 1830.  It was named in honor of Thomas Benton, a renowned statesman and "hard-money" Democrat of the period, the word North being prefixed in order to distinguish it from another place of the same name.  The first hotel was built in 1832 and called "The Benton Exchange.

WESTVILLE.

     Westville was named and partially laid out in 1831, under the proprietorship of Aaron Coppack, and then consisted of part of sections 35 and 36.  An addition was made in 1835, the enlarged plat being recorded Oct. 15, 1835.

BELOIT.

     Beloit commenced its existence as a station on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, and was originally called Smithfield Station, the name being changed to Beloit in 1863.

SEBRING.

     A thriving little city of Sebring was founded by the four Sebring brothers - George E., Oliver H., Elsworth H. and Frank A. Sebring - natives of Pennsylvania, and sons of George and Elizabeth (Larkins) Sebring, who had in all ten children.  The parents removed to East Liverpool, Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1866, where the boys secured in part their education, and a practical knowledge of the pottery trade.  Frank A. and George E. Sebring were engaged in the pottery business in East Palestine, Ohio, East Palestine, Ohio, as proprietors of the Ohio China Company for several years.  In 1895 the four brothers mentioned originated the French China Company, building a plant at East Liverpool.  In July, 1899, they consolidated their interests purchased two thousand acres of land in Smith township, just over the Columbiana County line, and platted the city of Sebring.  Here in 1900 they erected their first plant - that of the Olive China Company.  They then sold their several plants in Columbiana County and organized the Sebring  Pottery Company.  They subsequently added other plants until the various buildings now cover many acres of ground, giving employment to about 1200 workmen.  The company manufactures a high grade of decorative porcelain ware, and the value of their annual output exceeds $1,750,000.  They have developed a flourishing city, with paved streets, flagstone walks, electric lights, and water works - one that is ideal both of the artisan and the man of wealth.  The pay roll of the company runs from $12,000 to $14,000 per week.  The receipts of the railroad depot for freight and passengers amount to from $10,000 to $11,000 per month.  A cooperage company connected with the potteries gives employment to twenty-five men, their product supplying home needs with some for export.  The Buckeye Forge Works is engaged in the manufacture of drop forgings and a special closed turnbuckle.
     A new and promising industry, started within the current year (1907), is the Magnetic Steel Company, which is engaged in the manufacture of edge tools and trolley wheels by a secret process.  The pump works also give employment to quite a number of men.  The A. M. Hall Machine Company has lately installed a plant which has great promise for the future.  The Citizens' Banking Company is a promising institution, a great convenience to its patrons, and profitable to its stockholders.  The Buckeye Building & Loan Association is also doing a very creditable business.
     Sebring has also an up-to-date newspaper and printing plant.  The Sebring News printed its first issue June 8, 1899, and now has 2,500 regular subscribers.  The office is equipped with an up-to-date Linotype machine, and does an excellent job business.
     The public schools of Sebring had their beginning in 1900.  The rapid growth of a town on land that had hitherto been used for farming purposes made it necessary to seize upon a remodeled barn for a school room until a serviceable building could be erected.  Elsie Roberts and Alice J. Begue, who were the teachers of this crowded school, share the honor of having been the first teachers of the Sebring schools.  The substantial four-roomed brick building erected during the winter of 1900-01 was ready for occupancy by September, 1901, when Superintendent S. V. Cox and three teachers took charge.  The elements at this time were heterogeneous in their make-up, and the burdensome task of organization fell heavily upon the teaching force.  Superintendent G. W. Finch and three assistants had control of the schools during the winter of 1902-03.  By the close of this year the schools were crowded beyond their capacity, and it became necessary to again occupy the building first used, later transferring to the city hall, A two-roomed building was erected and occupied in 1904, making the teaching force six in number.  In 1905 J. A. Maurer and six assistants took charge of the schools.
     The schools have increased in efficiency with their growth and have now (1907) reached a classification that places them even with the front ranks of those of older and more established towns.  A carefully graded course of study, topped by a high school course of three years, is fully carried out by an efficient teaching force working with united energy and enthusiasm.  The schools have brilliant prospects before them.  An increasing enrollment is making necessary the erection of additional rooms and the employment of more teachers.  The total enrollment for the present year (1907) will reach 300.
     The schools have had three graduations, the high school having second grade recognition by the state school commissioner.

TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS.

     There are eight schools under the township board.  No. 9 district has been transferred or annexed to the Alliance city schools.  All the eight township districts report flourishing schools.  Beloit has a graded school with four rooms and a commodious building.

MISCELLANEOUS.

     Outside of Sebring, other manufactories have lately sprung up.  The Manns Car Indicator Company have purchased a site and are about to establish a large plant that will undoubtedly result in the establishment of a new village, the proposed name of which is Thelma.
     A new flouring mill has lately been built in the village of Beloit and is now a successful operation, the owners of which are H. G. Stanley & Sons.

CHURCHES.

     The Friends, or Quakers, erected a church on section 34 as early as 1829.  Their church is now located at Beloit.  They were followed by the Methodists, who in 1840 erected a church edifice at North Benton, where they still worship.  A Presbyterian congregation moved to North Benton from Deerfield, Portage County, in 1851.  In 1870 they purchased the union church building that had been erected in 1859 at Beloit and established a branch church there.  This latter is now merged into the Presbyterian church of Sebring.

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