ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIP.

     This territory, having now a sufficient number of inhabitants, the commissioners of Geauga county, in February, 1820, formally set it off as an independent township. Mr. Welsh proposed to cede to the township fifty acres of land on which to build churches, a parsonage, and to locate a cemetery, etc., and also to furnish glass and nails for building a church, in consideration of the township being christened "Welsh field."  The proposal was accepted and the above name affixed.  The first election was held at the house of Jacob Welsh, on Monday, the third of April, following. Jacob Burroughs was elected clerk; Jacob Welsh, John Nash, and John Dayton, trustees; Alpheus Pierce and John Beals, overseers of the poor; John Colson and Hiram Dayton, fence viewers; Benjamin Hale and Harvey Pratt, appraisers, Harvey Pratt, lister; Amos Burroughs, Elijah Weston, Hiram Dayton, and Israel Whitcomb, supervisors; Simon Burroughs, treasurer, and Simon Burroughs, jr., constable.  It is not difficult to imagine that third day of April to have been a proud one to the full fledged voters of this new-born township.  Perhaps it will be proper to state, in this connection, that, at that time, the office of township treasurer was no sinecure.  Tradition tells us that, for a long time, the only funds in the vaults of our treasury, consisted of two "bung-town" coppers, which the treasure* was wont to loan to persons who might need them, in order to properly close the eyes of a recently deceased friend; But tradition does not tell us whether, or no, security for the loan was required.
     Important accssions to the population of Welshfield were made in 1821, by the advent of William Mumford, and also the family of Captain Fox.  Mumford settled on a part of section four, where he remained until his death; a faithful, thorough, loyal citizen.  Rheumatism, brought on by undue exposure, rendered the closing years of his life very unenjoyable to himself.
     Up to this time, the Cuyahoga could be crossed in no place between Burton and the Rapids, except by fording, swimming, or by means of canoes, and the increasing population on the west side of the river, made a bridge a stern necessity.  Arrangements were therefore made with John Nash, esq., to build one across the river immediately west from the center of the township.  The work of framing was pushed with all possible rapidity, and was soon accomplished.  The number of men in town being far too few to raise this structure, requisitions were made on all the adjoining townships, to lend a helping hand,

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which were promptly responded to, every man who could do so, bringing the women folks along to enjoy a holiday.  The spectators (all of them females except Dr. Scott, of Parkman,) were arranged in groups on either shore, the gallant doctor playing the agreeable to those on the eastern bank.  When everything was in readiness, the work of raising commenced, under the supervision of the architect, Esquire Nash.  As each "bent" was raised, it was connected with the last preceding one, by means of stringers, and without taking the precaution to securely fasten any of them.  While raising the middle bent, which was by far the heaviest one, a portion of the men were detailed to do duty on the part already up, and the remainder were stationed on a raft below.  After almost superhuman exertion, the bent had nearly reached the desired perpendicular, when the whole structure gave way, submerging every man engaged in its erection.  As each man went under, his hat would part company with his head, on reaching the water, the effect of which is described as being ludicrous in the extreme.  Great was the consternation among the women for a moment, but soon every man made his appearance on the surface, seized his hat and floundered ashore.  Being too wet and unwieldly to repeat the experiment, the raising was adjourned till another day, when, having learned wisdom from the things they before suffered, proper precautions were taken, and the two shores of the sluggish Cuyahoga were connected by a genuine bridge.
     In 1821, a marriage contract was consummated between John Dayton and Phebe, youngest daughter of Caleb Fowler, of Burton, whom he at once transferred to his then lonely home.  But she proved herself worthy to be the wife of a daring pioneer, as one or two incidents will clearly show.  At that time wolves infested the woods in great numbers, obliging settlers who owned sheep to build strong sheep folds near the house, in which to secure the flock at night.  Mr. Dayton kept a few sheep and had provided the needed safeguard.
    On one occasion, when he was in Middlefield at work, having left home matters in charge of his wife, she forgot to pay the sheep proper attention as night came on, and was reminded of her neglect by the sight of a wolf's nose, which he had unceremoniously poked in at the cat-hole.  Without waiting to take a second thought, she seized a firebrand from off the blazing hearth, and dashed into the darkness.  Arriving at the pen, she found one of the-sheep was missing, but made good time in securing the rest of the flock.  On another occasion, when Mr. Dayton was from home at work, an older sister, wife of Jacob Burroughs, living at the Sugar-loaf, came to spend a few days with Phebe.  Folks in those days were called by their christian names.  Matches were then unknown, the tinder-box being the only resource in case fire should go out, which it was not often allowed to do.  During this visit Mrs. Dayton's fire went out, and what was worse, the tinder-box was found to be entirely empty.  Here was a dilemma.  Only one thing remained to be done.  Fire must be obtained at the cabin of a neighboring settler, the nearest being Jacob Welsh, at the center.  She was equal to this emergency.  Catching a horse, she resolutely mounted him, and taking a small dinner pot, perhaps the only cooking utensil her cabin could boast of, in which to transport the fire, started through the unbroken forest toward Mr. Welsh's domicile.  Arriving there just at break of day, he had not yet risen, but she promptly roused him, and was greeted with the usual "Who's there?" "Phebe," was the response. "Fire and brimstone!* Phebe, what do you want?"  "Not any brimstone, Uncle Jacob," was returned; "only fire."  Mr. Welsh was prompt in providing the desired element, when
she hastened home to find the sister buried under the bed clothes, trembling with fear.  Such dauntless courage is well worthy of mention.

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     * "Fire and brimstone" was Mr. Welsh's  "swear word."

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     In the winter of 1821-2 the musical element of the community organized an association for the promotion of that peculiar science, which culminated in a concert, the first in town.  That was a great day in Welshfield, preparation for which had been fully made.  The old slab benches at the town house were over hauled, and provided with backs for the convenience of the spectators, the room was decorated with evergreens, and everything else which could be, was done, to make the enterprise a success.  Mr. Welsh was so well pleased with the entertainment, that he at once sent to Boston for new singing books, in consideration of being himself taught to sing three favorite tunes, which were therein contained.  The, books came, he was taught to sing the tunes as he desired, and which were first sung in public at his funeral, which occurred the following year.
     In December, 1821, the first fire occurred, in the burning of the dwelling of Jacob Burroughs.  The fire occurred in the night, and when discovered Mrs. Burroughs gathered up the bed, containing her two children - Olive and Lewis - in her arms, carried them to the pig-pen and laid them on the snow beside it.  When the household effects were secured Mrs. Burroughs found, on repairing to her children, that Lewis, then a babe of five months, was nearly frozen. 
     The only arrival in 1822, of which there is any record, was that of Thomas R., brother of William Mumford, who located on the lot next south of William Mumford's where he has since remained - a respected citizen - till within a few years.
     The death of Jacob Welsh was one of the events of the year, as above stated, he dying April 19th, a victim of consumption, aged sixty-seven years.
     In 1823, the first military company was organized.  The commissioned officers were: Captain, Amos Burroughs;* lieutenant, Noah Packard; ensign, John Dayton; sergeants, Thomas R. Mumford, Horace R. Peck, Elijah Weston, and John Brandt; corporals, Rufus Lamb, Peter Beals, Erastus Parkman, and W. W. Beals; musicians, Galen Lamb, John Nash, jr., John Hitchcock, and Charles Hodkins; private, Jacob Burroughs, Osman Beals, Daniel Corliss, Eri Conant, Gardner Conant, Truman Ferry, Benjamin Kingsbury, William Mumford, John Pierce, Alpheus Pierce, jr., Oliver Sawyer, Orson Sawyer, Samuel Scovill, Nathan Tibbitts, Samuel Lewis, Roland Lewis, James Jones, jr., John Welsh, Israel Whitcomb, Jeremiah White, Jonathan Moore, Benjamin Pettis, Caleb Dickson, Hiram Dayton, Olney Percival, James Stewart, Russell Smith, Edward Waldon, and Simon Burroughs, jr.  The uniform was a white frock coat and pants, trimmed with deep blue fringe, a red belt, a blue ornament with gold eagle on front of the hat, and white plume, tipped with red.  The first public military duty which this company was called on to perform, was May 15th, same year, at the execution of Benjamin Wright, who was hung in Chardon.  On this occasion the sheriff summoned all the militia of the county to protect him from threatened interference in the discharge of his official duty, and which the result showed he was wise in doing.
     The first Fourth of July celebration was also held this year, under the auspices of the company.  A liberty pole was raised, and a flag floated from its top, beneath which an oration was delivered by Rev. Luther Humphrey.
     John Welsh, a sea captain, son of Jacob Welsh, learning of the death of his father, and the need of his presence here, abandoned his occupation, and with

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     * The above statement, by an old inhabitant, is evidently incorrect, as commissions, now in existence, will show.  Mr. Burroughs was first commissioned a lieutenant, on the sixteenth day of Jan, 1823, by Governor Morrow.  On the 19th of July, 1824, he received a captain's commission, at the hands of the same governor.  He was again commissioned first lieutenant, Apr. 13 1827, by Governor Trimble.  It appears that Alvord Beals was the first captain, and that in 1817 Elijah Ford commanded the company, which had then assumed the dignity of a title company.  Conflicting statements are annoying.

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his family took up his abode on the homestead, which he occupied till his decease, in 1846.
    

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     * *NOTE - The above statement, concerning the purchase of the Welsh land, by Horace Lamson, at auction, is held by L. E. Durfee, esq., now of Chardon, to be incorrect, and who substantiates his assertion by an appeal to the court records.  It appears, from the records, that the courts made a partition in full, or in part, of the Welsh estate, and that the northeast quarter of section thirteen, and so much of the east half of section twelve, as to comprise about four hundred acres of land, was set apart to Jacob Welsh, jr., then residing in Coshocton, Coshocton county, Ohio.  The above mentioned L. E. Durfee, then a youth, urged upon his father, Joseph Durfee, the feasibility of investing his means in the purchase of this tract of land.  Mr. Durfee thought favorably of this proposition, and placing his funds in the hands of Horace Lamson, instructed him to go to Coshocton, and negotiate with Mr. Welsh for its ownership.  Mr. Lamson was successful in this undertaking, securing the entire tract, at seven dollars and fifty cents per acre.  The  investment, however, did not prove a fortunate one for Mr. Durfee.  The financial crash, in 1837, caused a stagnation of business enterprise, and Mr. Durfee was among the victims; realizing, by dint of bargain and sale, barely enough to secure, as a homestead, the fifty acres of land where he afterwards lived and died, and which is now occupied by the widow and youngests on, Joseph G. Durfee.

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the above named land, including the mill-site, and proceeded at once to erect another dam across the stream.  The following spring (1834) he built a saw mill on the site which had been occupied by the former one.  This was soon a "bone of contention."  Settlers in Troy shook with redoubled severity, and charged that the dam, and consequent inundation of low land along the river, was the great first cause thereof.  Our citizens clubbed together and commenced legal proceedings against Mr. Canfield, but the court decided "no cause of action."  Another suit in 1835 resulted as did the former.  In the winter of 1835 Jason Burnell attempted to take soundings just above the dam, and to this end began to cut a hole through the ice, when Charles G., son of Henry Canfield, promptly fired upon him from the mill, the ball striking the ice uncomfortably near, when Mr. Burnell incontinently fled. Later, a party from here made a night-attack, intending to burn the mill, but again Charles Canfield confronted them with a mill-bar, and the assaulting force retired in good order.
     In July, 1836, war was openly declared.  The besieged, who then lived in the old Quimby house, procured a cannon at Garrettsville, planted it in his dooryard, loaded it with odds and ends, of chains, and trained the "piece" on the apparently doomed saw-mill, while skirmishers, with loaded rifles, took their station among the saw-logs and elsewhere, in readiness for a charge from the "light brigade."  The looked-for day at length arrived, when a company of determined men - under whose leadership, the writer is not informd - was formed on the western bank of the classic Cuyahoga, bent on victory or _____.
     Among others of this devoted band was Richard Mathews, armed with a Continental musket, to which was attached a good and sufficient bayonet, and carried across his shoulder in such manner that the latter weapon was on a level with the arm-pits.  Close in his rear followed Daniel Doolittle, armed, we know not how.  At last the stern order to "advance" was given, and our "for lorn hope" was in motion.  The line of march was interruped by innumerable obstacles, and none but brave, determined men, would have attempted its execution.  The advance had come in sight of the field of operation, and victory seemed almost within its grasp.  It was doomed to sore disappointment.  Among other impediments was a small rivulet - Black brook - the which, as the command had no pontoon, must be crossed by jumping.  Mathews, who was near the rear, had successfully crossed, and Doolittle, in essaying to follow, made the spring quite too soon, and received "Dick's" bayonet full in the cheek.  His outcry brought the command to a halt.  A council of war was held, an ambulance was improvised, a retreat was agreed upon, and the entire command returned sorrowfully homeward.
     Mr. Canfield, deeming "discretion the better part of valor," soon conveyed the title of his property to Quimby & Garrett, when the controversy died out.  It is said that the only engagement in which the "Trojans" were victorious was in a night sortie, when they succeeded in spiking the above-mentioned piece of artillery.
     In January, 1833, Deacon Alba Tinkham, also from Crown Point, and one Henry Lewis, came here, and built each the usual log house.  Tinkham 's was located directly across from the present Methodist parsonage, and Lewis a short distance north from Maple Grove.  Both were raised without the aid of whiskey and, in consequence, both were demolished, the "rules" not allowing them to stand, unless they were duly moistened with spirits. Later, the same season, Deacon Tinkham put up a small blacksmith-shop, the first at the center, at the intersection of the diagonal with the center road. In this instance, he outflanked the votaries of the jug, by building his shop so small, and of logs so small, that he could do it all himself.  This shop could barely accommodate a span of horses while being shod, while wagons were brought, a wheel at a time,

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and, when ironed, taken away.  A sort of excrescence was added to one end of this shop to shelter the bellows and a few bushels of charcoal.  Years later, he built a more commodious shop.  In those days whiskey formed a prominent part of the "circulating medium," money being a cash article.  In the old account book left by Amos Burroughs, can be seen frequent entries, where whiskey was the article placed to the debit and credit column of some customer, and his book was a fair sample of business
transactions.
     In 1834, Dr. Jacob Thrasher, from Crown Point, settled on section five, buying the claim and improvements of Orrin Lamb, another of the Lamb family before-mentioned, and on which he lived until his death, in 1858.  Also Edward B. Turner took up his abode . here the same year, settling on the land where he now lives, being a part of section six.  The deacon* claims the credit of raising the first house in town, that was allowed to stand, without the aid of whiskey.  Threats were uttered that it would be torn down, but they were not carried into effect.  At this date, whiskey was considered one of the essentials at a raising, and an innovation of this character was not easily overlooked.
     After a six year's residence, Parson Barrett resigned his pastorate, and removed to Bloomfield, Trumbull county.

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