On the twenty-fourth of July,
1873, a family gathering was held in the shade of the
woods on the fair
grounds, being the grove on the farm of Co. H. H.
Ford on the old homestead. In response to
invitations to two hundred and fifty relatives and
descendants of John and Easter Ford, one hundred
and seventy-two were present. At the suggestion of
W. J. Ford then of New Castle, Pennsylvania, the
reunion had been called, and he was made president of
the day. The stories of pioneer times were told by
the boys, now old and gray-haired, reminding that not
long would any remain to tell of early days.
General Garfield was with the company, and in his
talk spoke of something being done to save the history
of the pioneers.
At the close of the enjoyable day, Homer Goodwin,
esq., of Sandusky, offered a resolution, which was
adopted, that W. J. Ford, George H. Ford and
Peter Hitchcock be a committee who shall consider,
and, if they deem it fitting to do so, to report to a
meeting to be called for the purpose, a plan for a
Historical Society for the county of Geauga.
For years, Judge Taylor had been interesting the
people on the subject. Goodwin thought the
time had come. A meeting fair was called and
General Garfield engaged to make the address, and
the time set September 16, 1873. The people came
early and in large numbers on that day. The sand
had been erected in front of the permanent rows of seats
on the fair grounds,
to which, as the post of honor, as many of the pioneers
as could be seated, were appropriately invited.
The meeting was called to order at half past eleven
A.M., by W. J. Ford, esq., chairman of the local
committee, and a temporary organization effected by the
appointment of Hon. Peter Hitchcock as chairman,
and O. S. Farr, esq., as secretary.
The Hon. Peter Hitchcock, from the committee on
"plan of organization," reported the order of the day
and a draft of a constitution. The report was
adopted, as follows:
ORDER OF THE
DAY
1st.
Permanent Organization
2d. Exhibition of Relics. Hon. P.
Hitchcock.
3d. Dinner.
4th. Toasts and Responses and Stories by Old Folks.
5th. Address by General Garfield.
CONSTITUTION.
The name of
this society shall be the Historical Society of Geauga
county. Its object the gathering up and preserving
in permanent form the names of early settlers, with date
of their arrival in this county, facts, incidents and
reminiscences connected with the early settlement,
together with such relics as may be of interest and
value.
The officers of the society shall be a president, one
vice-president from each township in the county, a
recording secretary, a corresponding secretary, who
shall also discharge the duties of treasurer, and an
executive committee of three, who, with the president
and corresponding secretary, shall constitute the board
of managers of the society, and a majority of whom shall
be a quorum for business.
Officers shall be elected annually, and their duties be
the same as those of similar officers in other like
organizations. Vice-presidents shall be advisory
members of the board of managers, charged with looking
up historical data and relics in their respective
townships.
The society will meet annually, on the fair grounds in
Burton, on the tenth day of September, except, when the
tenth comes on Sunday, it will meet on the Saturday
preceding. Will also hold other meetings on call
of the president, at request of the board of managers.
Any person may may become a member of the society by
subscribing to the constitution and paying an admittance
fee of _____.
The society will keep open rooms, fitted up for
reception and preservation of objects and articles of
interest which may be furnished to the society, where
the same can be visited by all interested.
The officers elected for the year, were:
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PRESIDENT. |
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Hon. Lester
Taylor, Claridon. |
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VICE-PRESIDENTS. |
S. B.
Philbrick, Chester
Samuel Robinson, Russell
H. H. Benjamin, Bainbridge
Hiram Canfield, Auburn,
John Sanborn, Newbury.
O. Miner, Munson.
Austin Canfield, Chardon.
L. G. Maynard, Hambden.
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Noah
Pomeroy, Claridon.
D. Witter, Burton
Osman Beals, Troy.
Alonzo Hosmer (deceased), Parkman,
E. R. Thompson, Middlefield
H. S. Pomeroy, Huntsburgh.
Anson Shaw, Montville
F. M. Leonard, Thompson |
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RECORDING SECRETARY. |
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S. E. Clapp,
Huntsburg |
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CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
AND TREASURER |
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R. N. Ford,
Burton |
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BOARD OF MANAGERS. |
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The president and corresponding secretary,
Henry Rice, Hon. Peter Hitchcock,
Burton, and Eli Dayton, Troy. |
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MEMBERS. |
J. W. Beals,
Troy
J. Button, Burton
S. S. Bates, Mesopotamia
W. H. Chapman, Troy
William Crafts (deceased), Auburn
William Cay, Burton
Col. Stephen Ford, Burton
G. H. Ford, Burton
Col. H. H. Ford, Burton
W. J. Ford, Burton
Horace Ford, Parkman
William Howard, Bainbridge
A. Hale, Munson.
Elijah Hayes, Burton
C. G. Hayes, Burton
Henry Hotchkiss, Burton
J. C. Hinkston, Burton
D. C. Hollis Chardon
Jonathan Houghton, Newbury.
Ahira Messenger, Auburn
J. M. Moore, Burton |
Lyman
Millard (deceased), Huntsburgh
W. W. Morse (deceased), Huntsburgh
Dr. A. McGraw, Burton
Joseph Nash, Troy
Orman Newcomb, Parkman
John Punderson, Burton
O. H. Parsons, Newbury
Rev. Wm. Potter, Hambden
Edward Rice, Burton
Ashbel Spencer, Claridon
Deacon Gervase Spring (deceased),
Burton
Philip Silvernail, Burton
J. N. Skinner, Montville
H. S. Tolles, Burton
Rev. E. D. Taylor (deceased), Auburn.
Martin Truman, Huntsburgh
Mr. Woods (deceased), Auburn
O. W. Weeks, Burton
Delos Williams, Burton
James Wintersteen, Montville
J. C. Wells, Claridon. |
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The same officers have been continued to the
present, except the vice-presidents who are: |
William
Howard, Bainbridge
Ahira Messenger, Auburn
J. C. Wells, secretary, Claridon
W. J. Ford, corresponding secretary
and treasurer. |
W. H.
Chapman, Troy
Horace Ford, Parkman |
The society was a fixed fact - organized and
ready for work. Ample provision for
dinner was made, and it was enjoyed by the
"old folks," at tables prepared for them.
Sons were sung, and stories told. The
address was made - full of historic lore,
commanded by a great intellect, and, uttered
from the breast of so able an orator, it was
the magic repeat of lives that are gone, and
a grand close of the day. Many quaint
things were brought, looked upon, and noted
down at the time, by the secretary, Mr.
Farr, which adds to the record.
Mrs. B. Hosmer, Troy, spinning-wheel (little
wheel), 80 years; hetchel, 200 years old.
Hiram Canfield, Auburn, a horn from the last
deer killed in Geauga county. The deer
was killed by Mr. Canfield, in the
fall of 1845.
Stirrups and saddle-frame, found while clearing on the
farm of Mr. Canfield, in 1846,
supposed to have been lost by one of
General Wayne's men.
William Crafts, Auburn, tin lantern 58 years
old; iron wedge 58 years old.
Mrs. McKay Brown, Burton, a plate 200 years old.
Mrs. Brown, a set of chest-hangings made by her
father, Freeman Hyde, in 1807.
Have been in use till three years ago.
Mrs. Sarah White, Auburn, a hair wreath, 129
years old; a creamer 60 years old; and a
piece of table linen spun by her mother at
the age of 65, thirty-five years old.
Charles Woods, Auburn, powder-horn carried in
the war of the Revolution, on which is
carved a ship, and "Benjamin Woods'
powder-horn. "Dun by his brother
Samuel, at Ticonderoga, October ye 24."
Jeremiah White, Auburn, pod augur, over 100
years old; a rumlet carried by a Mr.
Gregory in the war of 1812; a
powder-horn 70 years old.
Mrs. S. Gould, Troy, a kettle, two-gallon stone
crock and a plate, 100 years old.
Mrs. V. A. Florence, wooden box 125 years old.
L. Norton, Chester, powder-horn made and carried
in the war of the Revolution by his father
90 years old.
Alonzo Hosmer, hay-fork, 100 years old.
J. W. Fox, Troy, history of New Ipswich, from
its first grant in 1736, to date, 1852;
formerly belonged ot Josiah P. Wilder.
W. A. Jenks, Newbury, silver snuff-box, made in
1750; powder-horn, made in 1800; gold-headed
cane, made in 1800.
L. G. Maynard, Hambden, a copy of the City
Gazette and Daily Advertiser,
published at Charleston, South Carolina, and
bearing date November 24, 1797. Among
the advertisements, were some for runaway
slaves.
Mrs. Burt, Parkman, old papers, Warren
Chronicle of 1826, and The Supporter,
published at Jefferson, in1809, and later.
Mrs. J. R. Bartholomew, string of gold beads,
130 years old or more. Formerly
belonged to Jedith Towne.
G. W. Fox, Troy, cane, made in 1740.
Mrs. C. Nash, pocket worn by ladies 100 years
age; large back comb 50 years old.
Simeon Hayes, fire-tongs, 70 or 80 years old.
A. A. Snow, Indian ax, made of stone, found in
Auburn.
Mrs. Maria Burt, Parkman, candle-stick, 69 years
old; some linen thread, 50 years old.
Mrs. C. B. Hosmer, bed-curtain 125 years old.
J. W. Fox, Troy, looking-glass, 100 years old;
home-made pocket-book, 100 years old.
Luther Russell, Burton, tomahawk. In one
side is set a silver diamond, in the other a
silver strip on which is engraven "Techumse."
John Ford, Esq., Broad-ax of 1780
Bell Palmer, watch carried in the Revolution by
Major Crafts, great-great-grandfather
of the owner.
Mrs. P. Parmele, an account-book, bought by
Merriman Cook, Jan. 7, 1795. Price
$1.37½.
Several evangelical magazines, published in
Connecticut, in 1814 and 1815. Sheet
and towel 200 years old. The sheet was
made and kept for a winding sheet. Set
of silver teaspoons made of the knee-buckles
and shoe-buckles of the great-grandfather of
Mrs. Parmele. The first set of
communion cups used in the Congregation
society of Burton. Part of the small
clothes and buttons worn by the
great-grandfather of Mrs. Parmele.
A copy of Watt's Hymns, published in
1809.
Probably the oldest relics exhibited were two earthen
plates, formerly the property of Governor
Bradford, the second governor of
Plymouth colony. They were brought by
him from England, in the pilgrim ship
"Mayflower," in 1620. They are now in
the possession of Mrs. Rebecca Crane,
of Burton, who is a lineal descendant of
Governor Bradford.
Chief engineer Sharpless, of the Painesville and
Youngstown railroad, sent from Youngstown a
deed from William Penn to James
Wallis, of five hundred acres of land,
on Brandywine creek, Chester county,
Pennsylvania, dated 1st day 12 mo., in 1st
year of Queen Anne, A. D. 1702.
Witnessed by Edward Shippon, Griffith
Owen, Thomas Story, James Logan.
The seal is of wax, inclosed in a tin box,
and was attached to the deed by a string.
It is four inches in diameter, and
three-fourths of an inch thick.
"Recorded in the Rolls Office at Philadelphia, in
Patent book, vol. 2, page 449, the 8th, 12th
mo., 1702. Tho. Story." "Seal 6s.
Record 4s. 7d. Box is. 6d."
To the following the names of the owners were not
attached:
Cradle blanket of Robert B. Parkman, the first
settler of Parkman township. He was
born in Leicester, Massachusetts, in 1771.
A sand box which R. B. Parkman brought into the
county>
Bills for change issued by Parkman & Paine, in
1815, fifty cents, twenty-five cents, twelve
and one-half cents, and six and one-quarter
cents.
Connecticut Courant and Hartford Weekly
Intelligencer, dated Monday, Dec. 5,
1874, containing the "Freshest advices, both
foreign and domestic."
A copy of the Cleveland Herald, dated Friday,
Mar. 24, 1826, being number twenty-two of
volume seven, of that paper.
A spinning-wheel, belonging to the Cook family,
over one hundred years old.
SENTIMENTS
OFFERED.
The Press - Let her advance
boldly in all her field, under a high moral
standard, and she becomes a giant power of
our country and the world.
Response by J. O. Converse, of Chardon.
By Hon. P. Hitchcock:
The
Pioneers.
Response by William Crafts, of Auburn.
Early Settlers. - Through their earnest
and faithful toil. we inherit the land
and enjoy the blessings of to-day.
Response by Noah Pomeroy, of Claridon.
By W. J. Ford:
The Temperance of the Fathers. - Their log
cabins and hard cider better than the big
houses and "benzine" of this generation.
Response by Rev. William Potter, of Hambden.
The Geauga County Historical Society - May the
success of this first day be but the
beginning of a continued success in the
future.
Response by L. G. Maynard, esq., of Hambden. |
From the
first, the annual meetings have been largely
attended. Many articles of historic value are
given the society, or brought for exhibition on
these occasions. Clocks, spinning-wheels,
shoe-brushes, razors, pincers, pitchforks, Indian
tools, arrows, books, maps, newspapers, and a great
number of things, accounting upwards of one hundred
on the list of relics, have been placed with the
society in the office room of the town hall.
So much of peculiar interest attaches to these
"olden time mementos," that a portion of the address
of the corresponding secretary before the society,
September 30, 1875, relative to them, is here given.
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