PHYSICAL FEATURES.

     In the western part of the township the surface is level.  In the central and eastern portions it is undulating, but nowhere rough and broken.
     The soil is generally a clay loam, varied in some places by gravel.  It is one of the best watered townships in the county.  Rocky river flows northward through the township, gathering up in its course many tributaries.  Plum creek flows in a nearly parallel direction through the western part of the town.  The timber native to its soil was beech, maple, hickory, black and white oak, black and white ash, basswood, elm, sycamore, buckeye, walnut and butternut.

PURCHASE.

     Prior to the apportionment by draft of that part of the Reserve lying west of the Cuyahoga river, Levi Bronson, Jared Pritchard, and some fifteen others, formed an association called the "Waterbury Land Company."  This company, together with William Law, Benjamin Doolittle, Jr., and Samuel Doolittle, drew at the fourth draft, Apr. 4, 1807 this township as number five, range fifteen, with two thousand six hundred and fifty acres in the townships of Boston and Richfield, in Summit county, annexed to equalize it.  The draft was in the following proportions to the Waterbury Land Company, twenty one thousand six hundred dollars; William Law, two thousand eight hundred and fifteen dollars; Benjamin Doolittle, Jr., one thousand five hundred and ninety-two dollars; Samuel Doolittle eight dollars.  The deed was executed on the 28th day of May, 1807, by John Caldwell, John Morgan, and Jonathan Brace, for the Connecticut Land Company, to Levi Bronson, Calvin Bronson, in trust for the Waterbury Land Company.  Pending the negotiation for the extinguishment of the Indian claim to the lands west of the Cuyahoga, the company bought of William Edwards a thousand acres of land in tract two, town eight, range eleven, Euclid, (now East Cleveland), and a number settled there the summer previous to the draft.

SURVEY

     In the summer of 1807 the township was surveyed.  A surveyor by the name of Lacey was first employed, but his chain was found to be of an incorrect length and he was discharged.  In August of the same year Robert Worden, a surveyor from Columbiana county, was engaged, who with Levi Bronson, Daniel Bronson, Benoni Adams, and Elias Frost of Euclid, as ax and chain men, set out from Cleveland taking a southwest course until the northeast corner of the town was reached.  From this point they proceeded west two and a half miles, thence south a like distance to the center of the township.  The party made their encampment here, on the west bank of Rocky river.  A daughter of Levi Bronson, afterwards Mrs. Oliver Terrell accompanied the party to do their cooking, to whom must be accorded the honor of being the first white woman that ever set foot on the soil of Columbia.

SETTLEMENT.

     In September, 1807, a company numbering thirty-three persons, left Waterbury, Connecticut, for this township.  They were, Bela Bronson, his wife and one child; Calvin Hoadley, wife and five children; John Williams, wife and five children; Lemuel Hoadley, wife and three children, his father and his wife's mother; Lathrop Seymour and wife; Mrs. Parker and four children; Silas Hoadley and Chauncey Warner.  Two months afterwards the company reached Buffalo, west of which place there was then no road, and they were compelled to choose between the dangers, at that time of year, of lake navigation and those attending a journey along the beach.  The company divided, four families embarking on the

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     *Our thanks are due Ransom Bronson for information furnished in the preparation of this history.  He has kept a record of early events, for the past twenty years, access to which has been of much service to us.

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lake, while the remainder preferred the land route.  The little party set sail under a bright sky and with a favoring breeze, but not long afterward encountered one of those sudden gales common at that time of year, which carried them back a distance of several miles, where the vessel went ashore.  A week was spent before another start could be made.  Arriving in sight of Presque Isle the vessel was again struck by a contrary wind and driven back to a point on the Canada shore under which the voyager took shelter.  They remained here two weeks for a favorable wind, when the journey was resumed.
     They proceeded without further reverses until within sight of Cleveland, then a pretentious place of three log cabins, when a violent wind struck their craft, and they were forced to retreat until near the site of the present city of Erie, where they went ashore.  They were now thoroughly discouraged with their experience by lake.  The season was growing late, and whether to make another attempt by water or undertake the long journey by land on foot was not a pleasant alternative.  Calvin Hoadley determined to make another trial, and, with his family, arrived at Cleveland after encountering many experiences similar to those we have mentioned.  The most of them, however, determined upon the land route.  Bela Bronson, wife and child, were of this party; Mrs. Bronson carrying the child in her arms for a distance of fifty miles west of Erie, where they were met by teams with which friends had gone back from Cleveland in search of them.  Arriving at Cleveland, the company made a location there, with the exception of Bela Bronson and family, who, with ox-team and sled, pushed on towards Columbia.  They were accompanied by Levi Bronson, Jared Pritchard, John Williams, Silas Hoadley, Calvin Hoadley, and five or six others who went ahead and cut a road for them.  The family brought along in the sled cooking utensils - with which Mrs. Bronson prepared the food for the company - and camp equipage.  Their progress was, of course, slow, eight days being consumed in reaching Columbia.  Two days subsequently - on the 7th day of December, 1807 - they arrived on lot twenty-seven, where Bronson and family made a location.
     The company divided into three sections, commencing simultaneously the erection of three cabins, one for Bela Bronson on lot twenty-seven; one for John Wiliams, on sub-ot three; and one for Calvin Hoadley, on lot thirty-four.  During the erection of Bronson's house, the box of the sled was turned up against a tree, and under this the family took shelter until their cabin was built.  The house was ready for occupancy by Christmas.
     In 1810, Mr. Bronson changed his location to the Center, where the cellar of the house in which he resided can yet be seen.  He died here in October, 1811.  He was one of the ten sons of Seba Bronson.  His wife's maiden name was Sally Twitchell.  Mrs. Bronson subsequently married Benoni Admas.  Two children of this pioneer family are now living - Rev.

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ness to New Lisbon, Columbiana county, a distance of about one hundred miles, to obtain his material, which, having paid for in labor, he then lugged home on his back.  His untiring industry was eventuallyrewarded by a handsome competency.
     B. Pritchard came into the town in 1813.
     Reuben Lewis moved in from New York State in 1814.  He established in that year the first tannery worthy of the name of the county.  It stood on lot thirty-four, on which also the first mill in the county, the grist mill of Captain Hoadley, was built.
     Adna Warner bought out Benoni Adams, on lot fifty, and became a settler in 1814.
     Ephraim Bigelow became an inhabitant of Columbia in 1816, settling on lot twenty-eight, and Amos Richmond, the same year, on lot twenty-nine.
    Julius and Albert Bronson settled on lot twenty-three, on the north and south parts respectively, in 1817, and Thomas G. Bronson on lot eighteen the same year.  Gideon Richmond located in 1818, and Sylvanus, the following year, on lot fifty.
     Simeon Nichols arrived with his family in about the year 1820.  He was also a Waterbury man.  He started in the winter, and, when he got into the State of New York, the snow was so deep as to make traveling with a wagon difficult.  He therefore bought a sled, placed his wagon on the top of it, and thus resumed the journey.  all went well until he arrived at what was then called the "Holland purchase," in that State.  This was a newly cleared piece of land, and he could not pass among the thick stumps with his wagon; he therefore cut off the axles.  He traveled without further impediment until he arrived in the eastern part of Ohio, when the snow left and he was obliged to provide himself with new axles.  He arrived in Columbia in early spring and settled on lot forty-seven.
     Nichols was an industrious and respected citizen.  He held the office of justice of the peace for a number of years, and was a leading member of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
     Merritt Warner came in the same year, and located on the same lot. 
     We can but but briefly mention subsequent settlers.  Heman Terrell on lot twenty-eight; Miles Seymour  rented the farm of Timothy Doan, in 1821; William Adams on lot four hundred and ninety-one; Abner Martin (and his distillery) on of forty-seven.  Solomon Hancock on lot twenty-seven, in 1822; Manly Hitchcock on lot forty-four; Hiram Richmond on lot twenty-six; Asa Jewett on lot sixty-four, in 1823; Sterling Goddard on lot seventy-six; James Mattison on the same lot; William Brown on lot seventy-four, in 1829; Amos Curtis on lot seventy-seven; Samuel Hoadley on lot twenty-one; Elihu Morgan on lot forty-seven; Ransom Bronson on lot thirty-nine, in 1825; Anson A. Goddard on lot sixty-three, in 1826; John Cole on lot eighty-eight; Simon and John Crockers on lot ninety, in 1828; S. H. Frink on lot twenty-two, in 1831; David Chamberlain on lot seventy-nine; John McCreery on lot forty; Wakeman Beers on lot sixty; John Chamberlain on lot sixty; Seth and Bina Wood on lot sixty-one; Stephen Sabin on lot forty; Ezekiel Olcott on lot fifty-nine, in 1832; Samuel Gaylord in 1835.
    Among the later settlers are:  Abel Goodwin, from New London county, Connecticut, who arrived in 1828, and located on lot eighty-eight.  He died in June, 1841.  Elisha and Richard Harrington, originally from Vermont, came to Ohio in 1815, settling in Cuyahoga Falls.  They came to Columbia, Elisha in 1834, and located on lot eight-six, and the latter in 1837, on lot fifty-seven.  Elisha now lives on lot seventy-five, and Richard on his original purchase.  Norman T. Beers, from the State of New York, located in 1832, where the widow of Marcus Nichols now resides.  He died April, 1878, and his widow now lives on lot fifty-nine.  Joseph Osborn became a settler in 1831 on ot fifty-seven.  He now resides with his son Andrew, on the old homestead, and is eighty-four years of age - the oldest man in the township.  William Brown located on Plum creek, in 1827.

CHURCHES.

     In regard to pioneer christianity in Columbia, Rev. Dr. Bronson says:
    "The Bronsons were Episcopalians, and when they came to Ohio, they brought their prayer books with them.  When they reached here they used those books, though they had no minister.  My father gathered around him, as soon as he had neighbors, as many as he could and read the service and a sermon.  When the grave closed over him, my grandfather took it up.  When he passed away, Levi Bronson continued it; and after his death, it, for a while, devolved on me."

     The first organized church society was of the Episcopal faith, same time in the year 1809, Bishop Chase officiating in its organization.  The following named were the constituent members:  Seba Bronson and wife, Bela Bronson, Levi Bronson and wife, and John Williams and wife.  A meeting  house was built on the east side of the river, on sub-lot three, as late as 1835-'36.

METHODISM.

     The first Methodist services held in town were at the house of the widow of Joseph Burke, in about the year 1818.  They were conducted by Rev's Messrs. Goddard and Booth.  The following year a society was formed, by Rev. Mr. Goddard, of the following members:  Calvin Hoadley, Julius Bronson and wife, Mrs. Joseph Burke and her two sons, Allen and Orrin, and Mrs. McConkey.  Julius Bronson was appointed leader of the class.  The church building at the Center was erected in 1830, and was the first house of worship in Columbia.  This society is at present under the charge of Rev. J. W. Thompson.  It has a membership of sixty.  The Sabbath school has a membership of some seventy scholars.  Frank Snell is superintendent.
     There is also a Methodist Episcopal society at West View, the church having been erected in 1814.  Services are held every alternate Sabbath by Rev. J. W. Thompson.

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     THE WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH OF WEST VIEW. -

CONGREGATIONALISTS.

BAPTISTS.

SCHOOLS.

EARLY EVENTS.

     The first white child born in Columbia and Sally Hoadley, daughter of Lemuel Hoadley, Jr.  This interesting event occurred Sept. 26, 1808.  She became the wife of Albert Terrel, who now lives in Ridgeville.  On the 17th of October following Calvin Geer, son of James Geer, was born, and his was the second birth in town.  Mr. Geer is yet living, and resides in Olmsted.  In the spring of 1809, Marcus Terrell married Dillie Doan. - Esquire Nathaniel Doan, the bride's father, performing the ceremony.  This was the first marriage.  The next was that of Horrace Gunn to Anna Pritchard, in June of the same year.  The first death was that of a child of Lathrop Seymour, in 1809.  It was buried on Nathaniel Doan's farm, east of the center.   The first adult death was that of Mrs. Chloe Tyler, mother of Mrs. Lemuel Hoadley, in August, 1810.  She was buried in Benoni Adams' orchard.  The old burying ground was laid out in 1811.  The first interment was that of Azor Bronson; the next that of Bela Bronson.
     The first post office in town was established about the year 1817.  The first post master was Thomas G. Bronson, who kept the office in his house.  The name selected was the Indian name for Rocky river, "Copokah."  In the papers sent from Washington the word was mis-written Capopo, and the error was never corrected.  The postal route extended from Cleveland to Liverpool, a man by the name of Mallett being the first mail carrier.  He received fifty dollars per year, making the trip on foot once a week.
     Harmon Bronson, in the fall of 1816, built the first frame house in Columbia, on sub-lot four.  The first frame barn was built by Timothy Doan, in 1826.  The first brick house was that of Simeon Nichols, on lot forty-seven.  Harmon Bronson brought the first mercantile goods into town in 1816.  He kept his "store" in his house on the hill, half a mile

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THE MILITIA.

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THE BLOCK HOUSE.

CIVIL ORGANIZATION.

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James Geer,, John Williams, Bela Bronson, Seba Bronson, Sr., Seba Bronson, Jr., Daniel Bronson, James Strong and Walter Strong.
     The officers of the township in 1878, were as follows:  B. B. Adams, clerk; R. J. Bastard, Jr.,. and C. E. Perkins, justice of the peace.

GRIST MILL.

SAW MILL.

THE COLUMBIA CHEESE FACTORY.

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RANSOM BRONSON

MRS. RANSOM BRONSON.

JESSE EDDY

PHOTO OF CENTER CEMETERY

PHOTO OF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, Ridgeville, Lorain Co., O.