OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

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Welcome to
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
History & Genealogy

Source:
History
of Cuyahoga Co., Ohio
Published by D. W. Ensign & Co.,
1879

CHAPTER LXXII

CHAGRIN FALLS *

Serenus Burnet - Two Dollars and a Half per Acre for Land - Other Early Settlers - A Log Gristmill - An Unfinished Bridge - Adamson Bentley - Bentleyville - Beginning at Chagrin Falls Village - Noah Graves and Dr. Handerson - Newcomers in 1837 - A Tavern in a Barn - The Old Deer Lick - Griffithsburg - Bentleyville's Prosperous Days - Dr. Vincent - A Primitive Bank - A College Chartered - Lively Times - Sidney Rigdon - A Primitive Bank - A College Chartered - Lively Times - Sidney Rigdon - The Financial Crisis - Early Mail Facilities - Asbury Seminary - The Tippecanoe Campaign - Whig Riflemen and Democratic Indians - First Paper Mill - Annexation of Nine Hundred Acres to Orange - Deacon White's Ax Factory - More about Bentleyville - Formation of Chagrin Falls Township - First Officers - enterprise of the People - Champion's Scheme - A Pleasant Village - The excitement at the Outbreak of the Rebellion - The Soldiers' Aid Society - Since the War - Business Interests - Chagrin FAlls Paper Company - Adams & Co.'s Planing Machine - Other Manufactures - Congregational Church - Methodist Church - Disciple Church - Free Will Baptist church - Bible Christian Church - Golden Gate Lodge - Chagrin Falls Lodge - Township Officers - Sketch of H. W. Curtiss.

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     In the month of May, 1815, immediately after the war of 1812, Serenus Burnet brought his wife and little son, Stephen, and located himself on the west side of Chagrin river, about two miles north of the present village of Chagrin Falls.  There he built a rude log-house, and became the first resident of the present township of Chagrin Falls.  The nearest neighbors were in the Covert neighborhood, near Willson's Mills, inthe present township of Mayfield.  For six months after their arrival Mrs. Burnet did not see the face of a white woman.
     Mr. Burnet paid two dollars and a half per acre for the best river-bottom land, and the proprietors were willing enough to sell even at this rate, for Burnet's was for a long time about the end of settlement in the Chagrin valley.  During the next ten years the lower part of the valley slowly settled up, and between 1820 and 1825 Jacob Gillett, Caleb Alson and James Fisher became residents of what is now the township of Chagrin Falls, in the immediate vicinity of Serenus Burnet.
     But it was not until the year 1826 or 1827 that any settlement was made in the vicinity of the present village of Chagrin Falls.  At that time John Woodward and Benjamin Carpenter built a dam across the Chagrin river, below Williams' foundry at Chagrin Falls, and at the north end of it erected a small log gristmill.  The stones were drawn by eight yoke of cattle from a still older mill, situated near where Edmund Burnet now lives, in Orange.
     About the same time Gen. Edward Paine, who owned the land west of the present Franklin street, undertook to build a bridge across the river at the falls, and put four stringers across as a beginning. The work was not completed at that time, however, and till stringers remained, affording a precarious passage to the few footmen who occasionally appeared in the vicinity. Mr. W. T. Upbam men-

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 * Many fanciful stories have been told about the origin of the name "Chagrin," applied first to the river, and then to the falls, the township and the village; it being often supposed that it comes from the "chagrin" felt by somebody, about something, on its banks.  It is, however, undoubtedly derived from the old Indian word "Shaguin," which is to be found applied to it on maps issued before the Revolution.  "Shaguin" is supposed to mean "clear," but this is not so certain.

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look and wall-paper store, one: Jewelry, two; photographer, one; furniture stores, two; shoe stores, three; bakeries, two; millinery stores, four; fancy goods stores, two; tin shops, two; wagon shops, two; shoe shops, two; blacksmith shops, five; harness shops, two; margle shop, one.
     We subjoin brief sketches of some of the principal manufacturing establishments.

THE CHAGRIN FALLS PAPER COMPANY.

     This establishment had its origin in 1840, when ............

 

 

 

ADAMS & CO'S PAPER MILL.

 

 

 

BULLARD & MARCH'S WOODEN WARE FACTORY.

 

 

 

WILLIAMS' FOUNDRY AND THIMBLE SKEIN FACTORY.

 

 

 

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GAUNTT'S MACHINE SHOP.

     Adin Gauntt started the first machine shop in the
place in 1844, in a part of Rowe's carriage shop.  After nine years of steadily increasing business, he bought the Maple Grange woolen factory in 1853, where for two years he made machinery for working wool and flax.  After four years' absence he returned in 1859, and has since been constantly engaged in the manufacture of various kinds of machinery.  He now has a large shop in the lower part of the village, where he manufactures planers, matchers, small steam engines, horse powers, etc., as well as all kinds of especially intricate machinery.

OBER BROTHERS' PLANING MACHINE, ETC.

     This establishment was built by the present proprietors in 1873, being a sawmill, together with machines for planing and matching lumber, making mouldings, sash and blinds, and similar articles.  A valuable lathe for irregular work has been patented by George Ober, and the whole establishment is in a highly flourishing condition.

OTHER MANUFACTURES

 

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

 

THE METHODIST CHURCH.

 

THE DISCIPLE CHURCH.

     Rev. Adamson Bentley was unquestionably the principal person engaged in founding the Disciple

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THE FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH.

 

 

 

THE BIBLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

 

 

 

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ing condition, with sixty-two members, and with a Sunday school of about ninety members.

GOLDEN GATE LODGE NO. 245, F. AND A. M.

 

CHAGRIN FALLS LODGE NO. 290, I. O. O. F.

 

PRINCIPAL TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.

 

 

HARVEY W. CURTISS.

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