THE township of Sheffield is bounded on the north by Kingsville, on the south by Denmark, on the east by Monroe, and on the west by Plymouth.  It lies in range 2, township 12.  The central and southern part of Sheffield is level, while the northern part is moderately hilly.  The township is traversed from east to west by the Ashtabula river, which, with its tributary, Pine creek, drains the larger part of its territory.  The township of Sheffield was formerly called East Matherstown, Saybrook being called West Matherstown.  Samuel Mather was one of the first proprietors of the township, and for him it was named; but at the date of the organization of the township, in 1820, it was given the name of Sheffield by John Greggs, who was elected the first justice of the peace in the township.  Samuel Mather had three heirs, and he had the township divided into three equal parts, the division being made north and south.  Elijah Hubbard married his daughter Lydia, and she inherited the middle portion.  The division of the land was made in the year 1818, by General Smith, of Vernon, Trumbull county, and Judge Tappan, of Harpersfield. Matthew Hubbard acted as agent for the sale of the central portion of the Sheffield lands for many years, and was successful in disposing of a large share of them to actual settlers.  He was succeeded as agent by Henry E. Parsons, of Ashtabula, in 1837, and in 1838 Mr. Parsons became agent also for the east and west portions of the lands of the township.  At the time of the arrival of the first settlers the whole township was one mass of forest, with the exception of here and there a small opening or glade on the banks of the Ashtabula river.  The bear, deer, wolf, and other wild animals were plentiful.  The timber which grew on these lands consisted of the oak, whitewood, hemlock, cucumber, beech, maple, and the black ash.  The last grows on the low, wet bottom-lands, and has been, and is now, of great service in the way of fencing the farms.  The east and west parts were not surveyed and offered for sale till the summer of 1825, though there were some squatters on the west part before this time.  The middle part was sold in the summer of 1817 to Stephen Bidwell and his son-in-law, Phineas Webster.  The latter came on the same summer, and had this part surveyed and offered for sale.
     Old Major Moore, who had been a soldier in the Revolutionary war, was the first man to break the forest in Sheffield.  He erected a cabin in 1811, on the Hall place, now owned by Mr. Usher, and cleared two or three acres.  He then went into Richland county, Ohio, and after being gone one or two years returned, and in 1817 married a daughter of Reuben Mendall’s, she being only sixteen years old, then moved back to Richland county permanently.  Smith Webster, justice of the peace of Kingsville, married them, and it was the first wedding in Sheffield. Chauncey Atwater, Sr., went on foot to Jefferson for the license, and on his way back intended to stop with John R. Gage, but lost his way in the forest, and lay in the woods all night.  In the morning he found the river so much swollen by the rains of the night and previous day that it was not possible to cross it, and there being no bridges, he had to go to Kelloggsville, some four miles farther, before he could cross to the other side.  It may be said here that this river in spring and fall, during heavy rains, overflows its banks on the bottomlands adjoining the river.
     Some two or three years before this land was offered for sale, Reuben and Amos Mendall, and their brother-in-law, Abram Springstead, with their families, had commenced improvements in this middle part of the township, north of the river.  A brother of the Mendalls, while on a furlough from the army, visiting here, died of consumption in 1817, and was buried on the northeast corner of the Rood farm, now owned by Mr. Hawkins.  He was the first white man who died and was buried in Sheffield.
     Among the earliest of the squatters on the west division was John Shaw, who arrived in Sheffield in 1812.  He has now numerous descendants in this part of the county.  It is related by his son, Truman B. Shaw, of Sheffield, that John Shaw, his father, in the War of 1812, between the English and the United States, belonged to and was a soldier in the British army, then in Canada.  But preferring the freedom of an American to the bondage of a British soldier, he, with several of his companions in arms, took a small boat from Long Point, Canada, and crossed Lake Erie to Ashtabula in the night, a distance of forty miles, making good their escape.  During the year 1817 other families commenced settling in the middle portion of Sheffield, among them Chauneey Atwater, on the farm known now as the Wellman farm.  He had three children,—John T., Lyman, and Laura Atwater.  The first, John T. Atwater, for many years was a prominent man in the township, adding to his occupation of a successful farmer that of a merchant, dealing largely in stoves and hardware, but was suddenly cut off in the midst of his usefulness and in the prime of life.  Whilst engaged in the procuring of timber for a mill which he was about to erect on the banks of the Ashtabula river, a little east of his house, which is now called the Atwater farm, owned by James Purdy, in felling a tree, a limb was broken off, and, striking him, was the cause of his death.  He left a property of six hundred acres of land, which was divided between his three sons, Chauncey W., Wilbur, and Almon Atwater, —the two first still residing in Sheffield, and are successful farmers, the last occupying a prominent position as chief engineer on the Canada Southern railroad. Lyman Atwater resides in Monroe township, and his sister, Laura Coveil, in Topeka, Kansas, she being one of the first settlers in that region.
     Another of the early settlers in this part of the township was Thomas Fargo, who purchased in 1817 what is known as the Eastman farm, and moved there in 1821.  He set out the first orchard in the township on that farm, and also erected the first frame residence and barn.  Samuel P. Castle, on the Ufford farm, was another early settler.
     In the summer of 1818, Phineas Webster moved his family on what is known as the old Johnson place, now owned by Mr. Freeman, and in March, 1820, he died, and the middle third of the township reverted to the Hubbards.
     Zebediah Whipple emigrated from New London, Connecticut, in 1818, to Sheffield, and now resides in the south part of the township, on what is called Maple street.  He settled on the farm now owned by Ben. Summers, in the north part of the township.  There he cleared ten acres.  It is related by him that in the spring of the year they had to endure many hardships, among which was scarcity of food, having to gather the cowslip greens and wild onions, with what wild game they could catch and kill, for food.  In the fall their chief food was peaches and milk.  In 1820 he built a small frame barn, the neighbors coming from Ashtabula, Conneaut, Kingsville, and surrounding settlements to help raise the same.  For every pound of nails which he used in the erection he paid one bushel of corn.  Zebediah Whipple is still living, and is at the ripe old age of eighty-two years.  He has a family of four children living in the township.  Their names are Andrew, John, William, and Gibson.

THE FIRST ROADS.

     The first road surveyed and opened in the township was one running from Kelloggsville, then known as “Ferguson’s settlement,” towards Jefferson.  It was surveyed by Martin Kellogg at an early day, and was only underbrushed and used as a bridle-path.  The next road was that running from Monroe to Plymouth.

FIRST BIRTHS.

     John R. Gage was married in October, 1817, to Ruth Woodbury, of Ashtabula, and in November following settled on the south side of Ashtabula river, on the farm where he now lives.  He was the first settler on the south side of the river; and his daughter, Locema Clark, now lilving in Austinburg, was born in July, 1818, and was the first child born on the south side of the river.
     Joshua L. Gage settled on the south side of the river, on the farm now owned and occupied by him, in November, 1822.  In the following year was elected justice of the peace, which office he held for twelve years in succession without having a case appealed, though litigation was quite common in the changes incident to a newly-settled community.  Their brother, Stephen, also lived for many years a neighbor to them.  The two first raised large families, who, with their children, are scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 
     In the spring of 1818 Elam Osborn and John Usher settled near what is called Sheffield Corners, on the places known as the Peck and Richmond farms, respectively, and they were the second and third settlers on the south side of the creek, J. L. Gage being the fourth.
     One of the most prominent and useful citizens who ever resided in Sheffield was Elder Edmund Richmond, who came here in 1836.  He gave the land for the Baptist church, was mainly instrumental in building the same, and preached there till his death, in 1861.  His remains lie buried in the township cemetery, within a few rods of the church he loved so well, surrounded by those of his two wives and his sons, Judah L., Horace, and Calvin.
     Hammon Stevens settled in Sheffield in 1836.  His father, Enoch Stevens, emigrated from New Hampshire to Ashtabula in 1810, purchasing the farm known as the Winthrop Watrous farm, and settling there. 
     Very much could be truthfully said of the virtues, the public spirit, and the pioneer pluck displayed by a large number of Sheffield pioneers, and although history may be silent, tradition will carefully preserve the names of Bliss, Johnson, Swift, Hardy, West, Shepard, Ward, Purdy, Kingsbury, Hawkins, Bennett, Rogers, Eastman, and others.

FIRST SCHOOL-HOUSES.

     The first school in Sheffield was one taught by Clarissa Cassell, in a log cabin which stood near where Mr. Ufford’s residence now stands.  The first school-house was built in 1819, about forty rods west of the present school-house, in district No. 11.  The second school-house was erected of logs, in 1823, and stood on the rise of ground north of the residence of James Rogers, and on the southeast corner of the Eastman farm.  The next school was a frame building, erected on the northwest corner of what is now known as Sheffield Corners.  This was built in 1829, and was called the Red School-house, and this building figured prominently in the history of Sheffield, it being used as a meeting-house, and also the town elections and meetings.  We can give but a few names of those who, in early times, instructed the scholars in these schools.  They are as follows:  Eliphalet Gage, Harriet Woodbury, Lake Guernsey, Samuel C. Johnson, and Asal Aldridge.

THE FIRST CHURCHES - METHODIST.

     The first religious meetings in Sheffield were held by the Methodists, in the first log school-house built in the township.  Religion advanced hand in hand with education. In 1824 the first church was organized, Elder Lane, of the Erie conference, preaching once in every four weeks.  Among the names of the first pastors we find the Revs. Wilder B. Mack, John P. Kent, Parson Hall, (Episcopal), Joseph Davis, Elder Palmer, Elder Bailey, Somerville, and others.
     The present church was erected in 1844, and is still in a state of good preservation.  The presiding elder, Hiram Kinsley, preached the dedication sermon, the Revs. John Luccock and E. B. Lane at that time being the pastors of the church.  The present pastor’s name is Rev. E. S. Baker, who resides in Kelloggsville.  The number of present membership is forty.

BAPTIST CHURCH.

     The Baptist church was organized on July 6, 1835, by the Rev. Edmund Richmond, who gave the land for the church, and was mainly instrumental in the building of the same.  He labored here till his death, in 1861.  Under his ministry, on Mar. 26, 1843, William Ward was converted and baptized.  For four years after his conversion he attended the Baptist Theological seminary, in the city of New York, preparing himself for the ministry.  In 1848 he was sent, under the auspices of the Baptist Missionary Union, as a missionary to Assam, India, where he faithfully and effectually labored for a period of twenty years, and died among the people for whose spiritual good he had so earnestly striven.  The number of members at the time of organization was thirteen.  The present membership, twenty-four.  The Rev. Edwin Dibble is the present pastor.

FREE-WILL BAPTISTS.

     The Free-Will Baptists organized in 1839, Rev. D. M. L. Rollin presiding.  They held their meetings in the school-house at Sheffield Centre until the present church was built, in 1853, which occupies a lot of few rods north of the townhouse.  Membership at time of organization, nine; present membership, twenty-seven.  The present pastor, the Rev. Rufus Clark.

UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH.

     The United Brethren church was organized by Revs. George Sleeper and Ambrose Shelly in 1857.  The present pastor is Rev. Landeau.  The membership at the present time is twenty-five.

FARM CROPS.

     The township of Sheffield is more adapted for the growing of grass than for other farm crops, but corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, apples, and garden-vegetables are raised, and yield well and abundantly.  The soil is clay, but along the banks of Ashtabula river is a mixture of clay and gravel.  The timber which grew on the Sheffield lands aided largely the pioneers and settlers of this township in the payment of their farms, as well as in the erection of their residences and barns, and is also a means of support to many now, who carry their wood and lumber to the surrounding towns to market.

CHEESE-FACTORIES.

     The great demand for this article of American manufacture has led the farmers throughout the United States, whose lands are adapted for the growing of grass and the keeping of dairies, to study and understand thoroughly the process of making cheese, so as to utilize every possible facility in the production of this very important article of food.  This branch of industry has reached a high degree of perfection, as to the mode of manufacture, in this locality,—the lands of Sheffield being well adapted for pasture, and also well watered.  Natural advantages are here enjoyed to an extent which not many localities are able to furnish, and hence the manufacture of butter and cheese constitutes the leading employment of the citizens of this township.  The Buckeye cheese-factory, situated on Maple street, on the land of Gilbert Whipple, opposite the residence of H. L. Smith, is a large and prosperous factory, and has been in successful operation for about four seasons.  It was built in the spring of 1874.  It is owned and operated by a joint-stock company.  The names of the present salesmen for the company are as follows: H. L. Smith, S. M. Booth, and J. C. Andrews.  Chauncey W. Atwater, Amos Stevens, and George Peebles are engaged in the manufacture of the “farm-dairy cheese."

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THE FIRST SAW- AND GRIST-MILLS.

     The first saw- and grist-mill was erected by Elijah Peck, in 1827, on the Ashtabula river, a short distance east of Sheffield Corners.  It is said of this mill that it would saw about three or four hundred feet of lumber a day, and that the grinding of four bushels of corn constituted the capacity of the grist-mill.  It is said that Thomas Fargo, who lived on the Eastman farm, took some corn to this mill at an early day to be ground, and Mr. Peck, in order to ascertain whether the corn was being ground fine enough, sent Mr. Fargo down-stairs to watch the meal as his grist came forth.  He went below as directed, but, after watching for some time, and unable to see that any flour issued forth, or that any corn was “ pecked,'’ as they called it, looked up and saw a large rat sitting in the shoe of the mill, devouring the “pecked” corn as fast as it fell from the mill.  This illustrates the mill’s grinding capacity.  Elijah Peck had been a resident of Monroe township for some time prior to 1827.  He raised a large family of children, many of them now living in the county.  There are at present four saw-mills in Sheffield,—one at Sheffield Corners, owned by Mr. James Rogers; another (steam-mill) on the lands of B. B. Hardy, owned by Brownell & Spears; a water-power mill on the north branch of Mills creek, in the south of Sheffield township, owned by L. M. Farr; and the last, about one mile west of James Rogers’ mill, on Ashtabula river, owned by Harvey Clark, who, in addition to this mill, runs an extensive flouring-mill.  This mill was erected first as a saw-mill in 1829.  In 1840 it was enlarged and a grist-mill added.  After which it was sold by Joseph Hawkins to Mr. Rathburn, who swept the whole of the old mill away and erected on its site the present commodious saw- and grist-mill, now owned by Harvey Clark.
     A pump and butter-tub manufactory is carried on by Cleveland Brothers, in North Sheffield, and was built in 1869.  Capacity, twenty-five pumps and fifty butter-tubs per day.

THE FIRST STORE

was built by Norman Thompson and John C. Richmond, and kept by Salmon Chandler, in the old store building opposite the Methodist church.  There are at the present time two stores,—one at the Sheffield Corners, kept by J. P. Smith, and the other at Sheffield Centre, by Henry Fox, who also holds the office of postmaster.

THE FIRST POST-OFFICE

was kept in a building nearly opposite the Baptist church.  David Richmond was the first postmaster, in 1845, and the first quarter’s income was eighty-three cents.

FIRST HOTEL.

      The first hotel was built by H. G. Hinds, at Sheffield Centre, in 1861.

THE FIRST PHYSICIAN.

in Sheffield was Dr. Eaton.  He came to Sheffield at an early day, and died there in 1873.  His family still reside in Sheffield.

CASUALTIES.

     In 1828 Zaccheus Bugley and his son Horace, having settled on what is known as the Kemp farm, and being fond of hunting, started one morning from home, and got as far as the Gould farm, and, while crossing over Pine creek on a log, the father slipped, his rifle was discharged, the ball penetrating his son's skull, killing him instantly.  This was the first accident in Sheffield.
     In the month of October, 1854, Daniel Richards, while drawing a load of cornstalks from one of his fields on the west side of George Ufford’s farm, which land he was owner of at the time, had the misfortune to upset his load, throwing him upon a pitch-fork, and so injuring him that he died in a short time.  On the 3d of January, 1869, Perry M. Whipple, son of Zebediah Whipple, died from the effect of a bite received from a hog, which he was helping butcher on the farm of John A. Stanton.

THE FIRST OFFICERS

in the township were elected in 1820: John Gage, trustee; John Griggs, justice of the peace; and Chauncey Atwater, township clerk; Samuel Johnson, treasurer.  The records of the township from the time of organization in 1820 till 1852 have not been preserved, and we are unable to give the names of the township officers between those dates.  The following are the names of those holding town offices since 1852 :
     Trustees. —William Todd, Joseph Hawkins, George Ufford, Johnson Gillett, Hammon Stevens, Melancthon Wellman, E. Gillett, N. Bonnell, Dan. Swift, W. O. Lilly, J. R. Gage, D. W. Peck, J. C. Quinn, W. R. Howard, F. Mann, C. W. Atwater, A. A. Fink, R. T. Moore, Elijah Peck, J. Hardy, Jr., Erastus Hawkins, James Rogers, A. Whipple, C. A. Brown, K. K. Warda, S. M. Booth, H. D. Cleveland, D. Y. Richmond, H. Shepard, J. Dickson, B. C. Smith.  The present trustees for 1877 are B. P. Hard, A. C. Stevens, and J. P. Avery.
     Township Clerks.—J. Hibbard, J. H. Steward, Daniel Cleveland, Justus Stewart, Horace Shepard, Ira Blodgett, B. C. Smith.  The present township clerk, Horace Shepard.
     Treasurers. —Elisha Peck, H. Purdy, Beriah Bliss, D. W. Peck, W. Shepard, S. T. Gage, H. M. Clark, A. Shelley, Norris Gage, Ira A. Blodgett, A. Marr, Elijah Peck, H. D. Cleveland, Darius Van Slyke.  H. D. Cleveland treasurer in 1877.
     Assessors.—D. W. Peck, S. Stanton, D. T. Richmond, Beriah Bliss, O. S. Wilson, J. P. Eastman, Truman Marr, O. W. Swift, A. J. Whipple. J. W. Atwater assessor in 1877.
     Real Estate Assessors. —Hammon Stevens was elected in 1859 to hold the office of real estate assessor, which office is held for ten years consecutively.  C. W. Atwater was elected in 1870.

STATISTICS.

     The following are the crop statistics for this township for the year 1877:

     Number of school-houses, S; valuation, $3000; amount paid teachers, $1183,89; number of scholars, 245.
     Vote for President in 1876; Hayes, 154; Tilden, 38.
     Population in 1870, 770.

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