CHAPTER XIX.
Pg. 169

BROWN TOWNSHIP
BOUNDARY - ORGANIZATION - FEATURES - RAILROADS - VILLAGES
- CLAY INDUSTRY - SCHOOLS - CHURCHES - POPULATION - FIRST ELECTION

     This civil township was named for John Brown, who then resided at Pekin, and who built the first mill in that part of Carroll County.  Brown Township originally was embraced within the limits of Stark County, was made an independent township in 1815.  It now covers an area of 27,000 acres.
     It was first settled by Richard Vaughn and Moses Porter, the former of whom settled near Oneida, the latter on the tract of land where the village of Malvern now stands.  Isaac  Craig and Amos Janney soon after settled where Pekin now stands and which they laid out in 1808.  They soon erected a small frame mill, which was propelled by a "tub" water wheel.  It helped many a farmer out and saved the pioneers many a long, and mean trip to mill at Canton on horseback.  Soon after, however, the floods carried this mill away.  The mill-site was sold to David and Jacob Crumbecker, who built a good flouring mill which served its customers many a year.
     The first couple married in Brown township was Martin Ayers and Elizabeth Reed, June 10, 1812.  They were united in marriage by General Augustine, a justice of the peace.  Colonel Ayers led an active life at New Harrisburgh; died many years ago of a cancer, after years of intense suffering.
     The Tuscarawas branch of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad passes through this township, via Pekin, Oneida and Malvern.  This road was constructed in 1853-54 and the Carrollton & Oneida road was put in operation in about the same time.
     The first schoolhouse in the township was built in 1812, and the first sermon preached was by Rev. Thomas Rigdon, in 1815, in Pekin.  He was a strict Baptist and a brother of the famous Mormon Sidney Rigdon, who preceded Brigham Young.
     The first election in this township was held in 1816 - all the voters within the township were out to vote and twenty-nine ballots were cast.  Fourteen were cast for James Reed for justice of the peace and fourteen were cast for Thomas Latta for the same office and one blank ticket was cast.  It was then settled by lots being cast which resultedin the seating of James Reed who held the office twenty-one years.
     The population of Brown Township in 1840 was 2,165; in 1880, it was 2,325; in 1884 it was placed at about the same and its assessed

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valuation was $66,960.00.  In 1910 the township has a population of 2,655.
     The villages within this township are Minerva, Malvern, Oneida, Pekin and Leyda.

VILLAGE OF MALVERN

     Originally this was called Troy, as shown by the county plat books.  The date of its platting was November, 1834, by William Hardesty.  It is a station on the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad and in 1884 had a population of 500 souls.  At that date it had four churches, a flouring mill by W. A. Baxter & Co.; a furniture store by G. Deckman; a planing mill by Fishel & Buel; a grocery by Van M. Gween; hotel by A. Lawton; physicians were Drs. W. R. Spratt and John Moffett; dry goods by T. H. Poessler, also by J. H. Wilson.

HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, MALVERN

     This village was among the early incorporations effected in Carroll County - away back in the '30s or '40s.  Its present elective officers are:  C. W. Ruff, mayor; H. Hart, clerk; F. E. Hoffee, treasurer; Fred Reed, marshal; street commissioner, Henry Parker; councilmen, S. G. Deckman, William Diesinger, W. S. Kilpatrick, Harvey Eckley, Walter Elson (chairman).  The village was paved in 1915 at a cost of $35,000; pavements run from thirty to forty feet in width of most excellent home-made paving brick.
     A successful system of waterworks was installed in Malvern in 1915.  Three very deep wells furnish the best quality and quantity of health-giving water.  It is forced to a stand-pipe on the highest hill overlooking the village.  This gives a pressure of over seventy-five pounds per square inch at the curbing of the main street.  A volunteer fire-fighting equipment includes two chemical engines and over 500 feet of workable hose.

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     The village has electric lights produced by a private company organized in 1920, owned by local capital and is known as the valley Electric Light Company.
     The village has a town hall two stories high - a brick structure.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY FOR 1921

THE POSTOFFICE.

     The postoffice at the village of Malvern was established in 1844.  Among the persons who have served as postmasters the following list has been furnished especially for this history:
     David Shull, H. W. Ackley, C. G. Prosser, A. R. Hains, David Shull, Jr., T. H. Peossler, E. H. McCall, V. M. Green, W. C. Lewis, T. H. Newton, W. H. Deckerman, Isaac Kirkpatrick, H. C. Ross, R. T. Spratt.
     The office is now a third class postoffice and has one rural free delivery route with Robert W. Hewit as its carrier.
     During the last fiscal year this postoffice transacted a business of $2,291.01, and a money order business of $35,000.

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     The present postmaster received his commission August, 1919.  His only office clerk is Ora B. McMillen.  The office has been located where it is now situated for seven years.  Dec. 21, 1918, the safe was blown open and the contents stolen..

THE VILLAGE OF MINERVA.

     This sprightly business center, is situated partly in Stark and partly within Carroll County.  It is situated geographically in section 1, township 16, range 6.  It was laid out by Tim Taylor, Jan. 3, 1835.  In 1884 it had 1,200 population and was noted for its being the market for much wool and farm products in its trade circle.  The Pennock brothers located their extensive car shops there; there were then five physicians; two attorneys; one bank; one green-house; a planing mill; three hotels; a flouring mill; opera house, and other business places.  the place is sixteen miles from Canton and twelve miles from Carrollton.
     The present industries include the Owen China Company established twenty years ago as a home stock concern and now employs 150 men the year round.  then there is an extensive toy factory where twenty-five persons find constant employment.  The flouring mill is a flourishing plant.  It was the first to be erected in Carroll County - a log shack of a building but in 1824, changed to a better building over a half century ago and changed to the roller process system and is still doing a good flour-making business.  At the near-by hamlet of Pekin, a large fire-proof building block factory is fully equipped and doing an extensive business; it is owned by Canton capital.

     The business factors of the village in the winter of 1920-21 were:

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THE POSTOFFICE

     Minerva is a third class postoffice, with present office force in the persons of the postmaster, J. C. Ruff; Grace V. Betz, assistant, and Nellie N. Harsh, clerk.
     Among the postmasters now recalled by the present patrons of the office are:  J. F. Greenwood, George E. McDonald, S. E. Moorehead, James Simpson and James Jerome.  The present incumbent received his commission signed by President Woodrow Wilson, Sept. 17, 1916.

LEYDA

     This is a hamlet in section 27 of Brown Township; it is a way-station on the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway and of no commercial significance.

PEKIN.

     This is an old hamlet platted by Amos Janney and Isaac Craig, Sept. 21, 1808 and is really now a suburb to Minerva.  It has some clay industries.

WIERTEMBURG

     This was platted by John G. Hudelmeyer, Sept. 29, 1836.  It is on the opposite side of the creek from Oneida.

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ONEIDA

     This is a station and junction point on the Pennsylvania and the Wheeling & Lake Erie railways, in the center of section 16 of Brown Township  In 1884 it had a good mill, general store, hotel and a marble shop.  It has but little business today.

THE CLAY INDUSTRY OF MALVERN AND VICINITY
(By Hon. C. W. Ruff)
Pps. 174 - 178

     To a great wealth of mineral deposits, Malvern owes the industries that are located here.  Two veins of fire-clay and corresponding veins of coal, known as the Nos. 5 and 6 veins, are found under the hills round and about, and it is these veins that are being worked on a very extensive scale in the manufacture of hollow building tile, sewer pipe, building brick, paving brick and fire brick.
     The early history of this industry is very interesting.  In the spring of 1886 Mr. John Kratz, after an inspection of the fire-clay plant of John Porter located at New Cumberland, West Virginia, decided to look for material in and about Malvern.  After numerous tests had been made by digging and drilling, fire-clay was found in great abundance on the farm of the late Col. David Roach.  At once, in a very primitive way, development was started.  This first venture proved slow, and in the fall of 1S86 Mr. Ross Rue of Alliance became associated with Mr. Kratz in further development under the name of Kratz & Rue.  During the winter of 1886-87 they built the first fireclay plant on the ground where now stands factory No. 7 of the Robinson Clay Products Company.
     Here they manufactured and burned the first kiln of fire-clay brick in the Sandy Valley.  In the autumn of 1887 the firm's name was changed to Kratz, Rue & Sullivan, Mr. B. F. Sullivan of Osnaburgh, Ohio, becoming a partner.  They continued to operate until the spring of 1888, when L. M. Barrack of Canton, Ohio, was taken into the firm and the name was again changed to that of the "Sandy Valley Fire Clay & Paving Brick Company."  This company operated until January, 1889, when what was known as the Canton-Malvern Fire Brick Paving Company was organized.  Among the members of this firm were: John Kratz. Ross Rue. L. M. Barrack, J. S. Melborne, Lewis Middy and Lewis Wernet,  Under their management the plant was greatly enlarged and operated for about two years, when Kratz, Rue and Barrack retired from the firm. The remainder continued in the making of paving brick until October, 1900, when the plant was completely destroyed by fire. They, however immediately re-built and continued to operate until they sold the plant to the "Robinson Clay Products Company of Akron, Ohio.
     In 1887 what was known as the Malvern Clay Company was organized by the following men who were then residents of Malvern: Dr. E. C. Ross. John Gans, C. G. Deuble, W. H. Dickey, A. N. Rock, George Dietrick, W. H. Deckman. George Aller, J. H. Wilson, C. J. Deckman, Gottlob Fisher, L. M. Downs and Senator A. R. Haines.  This company was capitalized at $6,500 and erected their plant on the site where the present plant of the Meadal Paving Brick

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Company is located.  In a short time they were ready to manufacture brick and on April 19, 1888, they made the first brick.  The manufacture of common brick was continued until 1899 when the plant was burned, it was, however, immediately rebuilt and put in operation and in 1893 they made the first paving brick and a number of these brick, not burned, were the only paving brick on exhibition at the World's Fair in Chicago,  And on account of their superiority of style of brick that had previously been made for paving purposes, they were awarded the gold medal.  The first paving brick shipped from this plant was consigned to Fremont, Ohio.  At the World's Fair in St. Louis in 1904, this company again had their paving brick on display and received the gold medal over all competitors.  The firm was reorganized in 1908 and continued under the firm name of Deckman-Duty Brick Company, Mr. Duty, of Cleveland, having obtained a number of shares of the stock.

     J. F. Fisher taking over his father's interests and others of the original company having retired, the company continued under the management of Mr. Fisher to manufacture a superior grade of paving brick, and in 1915 they again enlarged under the name of the "Meadow Paving Brick Company" and continued to make paving brick until 1917, when war conditions forced the company to suspend the manufacture of paving brick.  After a short suspension the plant was remodeled and hollow building tile were manufactured.  Owing to the present condition of the building trade, this plant is now idle, but extensive repairs are being made and when again operated will be on a more extensive scale than ever before. 
     The Big Four Clay Company was organized in 1902.  This company was promoted by John Kratz, G. O, French, Dr. W. A. White, Monroe Kratz, who were the original Big Four and in 1903 this company began manufacturing paving brick and continued to operate

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continually in this line until war conditions forced paving brick makers to suspend operations.   During this period this company had maintained an output of one million paving bricks per month, a very remarkable output and enough to pave many miles of country roads or city streets.
     When the manufacture of paving brick became impracticable, this company remodeled its plant and entered the hollow building tile field.  In this line they enjoyed a very marked success and during the period of the World War, they made material for government contracts and at its conclusion were awarded by the War Department for the superior grade of material furnished.   Their daily capacity is about 150 tons of burned ware and they employ, when in full operation, about 100 men.
     In 1920 the company was reorganized under the name of the Consolidated Clay Products Company of Canton, Ohio. The present officers of the company are G. O. French, president; C. B. French, general manager and treasurer; Dr. W. A. White, secretary, and C. W. Ruff, general superintendent.  Besides the plant at Malvern, they operate at Corning, Ohio.  At the present time, owing to market conditions, this plant is idle, but extensive additions have been made and when the plant is again put in operation, in addition to making hollow building tile, they will mine and ship about 150 tons of coal per day.
     The Robinson Clay Product Company's plant No. 7 is located on the site of the first plant built in the Sandy Valley, his was purchased of the Canton-Malvern Fire Brick Paving Company, in 1901.  After making paving brick for a short time they rebuilt the plant and began making sewer pipe.  Today this plant is one of the best equipped and most modern in every way, especial attention being given to working conditions.  A mixture of shale and fire-clay being used which makes a grade of sewer pipe superior to many and meeting the most drastic requirements of the various city codes.  This company has been in continuous operation and employs about ninety men. Among the different men who have been in charge of this plant might be mentioned M. A. Lewton, George A. Deardolf, George Pollen and John Becker.
     In 1904, Allen Creighton and others organized under the laws of West Virginia, the Pittsburgh and Malvern Clay Company and chose a site about one and one-half miles west of Malvern on what was then the Irwin Thompson farm.  Here in 1905, they erected a modern plant for the manufacture of paving brick and continued under the management of M. A. Lewton in the making of paving brick.  After a time there was a change in the directorship of this company and after a year of unsettled conditions the plant was sold in 1910 to the White Acre Fire Proofing Company.   In 1911 this company began making hollow building tile and soon after installed more machinery thereby doubling the output and bringing the daily tonnage to about two hundred and fifty burned ware and employing about one hundred and fifty men.  Under this company the plant has had almost continual operation until Dec. 25, 1917, when the plant was destroyed by fire. At this time the plant was engaged

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in making war material and the fire was thought to have been the result of German propaganda.  Immediately after the fire the plant was rebuilt and under the able management of C. W. Ruff, who was superintendent at this time, the plant was again put in operation on Feb. 7, 1917, just six weeks after being destroyed.  But like all present building tile manufacturers, at this date, they have been obliged to close down.  They are, however, making extensive repairs and additions, and when operations are continued they will have a more complete and economic plant.
     Oct. 26, 1911, the Malvern Fire Clay Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of West Virginia.  The original stockholders being W. R. Elson, H. C. Downer, I. H. Ross, H. C. Ross, Ella Elson Ross, Mary Elson Downer, E. C. Baxter and O. O. Allison.  These all, with the exception of I. H. Ross, deceased, E. C. Baxter and O. O. Allison, withdrawn, remain as stockholders of the company.  Ground was broken and erection of the plant commenced Apr. 16, 1912.  The first material was manufactured Oct. 12, 1912.  This company has engaged in the making of hollow-building tile from the first.  The plant has been in continuous operation from date of beginning with one exception of about sixty days, when the plant was destroyed by fire on the morning of July 1, 1919. But by competent management under war conditions, the plant was rebuilt and again put in operation on September 9th of the same year.  This company has, by installing more and better machinery, more than doubled their original capacity.  Their present daily output is about two hundred and fifty tons of burned ware.  They employ about one hundred men.  This is considered one of the most complete and up to-the minute plants of the hollow-tile industry.
     This company has furnished building tile for many of the largest buildings of our principal cities. vDuring the period of the World war the plant was operated almost exclusively on war material and at the conclusion the company was awarded by the War Department for excellency of material and service.  The officers remain as they were originally chosen. W. R. Elson, president; H. C. Downer, vice-president and general manager; H. C. Ross, secretary and treasurer.  These officers with Ella Elson Ross and Mary Elson Downer compose the directorate.
     Could the veil, which hides the future from us mere mortals, have been lifted on that April morning that Mr. Kratz, pick and shovel in hand, went out looking for fireclay.  What a wonderful sight would have been his to enjoy!  He would have seen a brick paved road, 16 feet wide reaching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, a modem city built of the building material that would be manufactured by the plants that would follow the discovery of fireclay in such great abundance and of such excellent quality as the following analysis will show:

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     And as he looked day by day and saw the solid train loads of material leaving the plants to find their place in modem developments in practically every city, town and hamlet east of the Mississippi River, it would have been difficult for him to have realized that such an industry would ever arise where now only green fields and verdant meadows dotted the landscape.
     But today we have five large plants, as already described, that represent investments of millions of dollars.  Having a combined daily output of 1,000-tons, requiring a train of twenty-five to thirty cars to move to market and bringing revenues amounting to thousands dollars in payrolls and millions per year in freight; employing from five to 600 men, and making Malvern and Sandy Valley known all over the U. S. A.
     The Hollow Building Tile manufactured from this clay is of such fine quality that its use is recommended and demanded in all structures that are built to withstand time and the elements.  And to show that it is a necessity, we need but to look at the many large buildings of Boston, New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago and everywhere in the eastern part of this country where it has been used exclusively, at a cost much greater than material manufactured at or near these places could have been secured for.  And go where you will, if you are acquainted with the conditions, you will find that a journey in any direction will take you over roads that are partly, if not wholly, paved with the products of these plants.
     In closing it seems but proper to mention some of the pioneer workmen, who-by their endeavors and loyalty, helped to make the industry a success. Among the many the following are only a few:  Mr. Herman Klotz, now the Rev. Mr. Klotz; his brother, L. D. S. Klotz, who is now secretary of, the Whitacre-Greer Fireproofing Company; and ex-mayor of Malvern Mr. George McCall, deceased; Mr. Herbert Hewitt, deceased, who served his country during the Spanish-American War; his twin brother, Herman, now deceased; the sons of Dr. John Moffett, Sam and Ottie; and I. H. Ross, deceased: his brother, H, C. Ross, now secretary and treasurer of the Malvern Fire Clay Company, both sons of the late Dr. E. C. Ross.

END OF BROWN TOWNSHIP