ORIGINAL OWNERS

     Town number seven, in range seventeen, in the original partition by draft, was drawn by William Hart, of Saybrook, Conn.  Tract fourteen in Henrietta township was annexed to Sheffield to equalize it.  In January, 1815, Mr. Hart sold the entire township to Capt. Jabez Burrell and Capt. John Day, of Sheffield, Berkshire county, Mass.  After the purchase Obadiah Deland, of Sheffield, Capt. Joshua Smith, Col. Joseph Fitch and Solomon Fitch, of New Marlborough, Berkshire county, Isaac Burrell, of Salisbury, Herkimer county, State of New York, and Henry Austin, of Owasco, Cayuga county, same State, became partners.

SETTLEMENT

     Previous to Hart's disposition of the lands now comprised within the boundary liens of Sheffield township, and in about 1812, he agreed with Timothy Wallace to give him his choice in lots, if sold by lot, if he would settle and occupy the same.  Wallace accepted.  He selected lot sixty-five, now owned by Edward P. Burrell, improved a few acres, and finally abandoned it.  This was the first attempt at settlement in Sheffield township.
     "The two Burrells, Day, and Smith, explored the township in June, 1815, and selected lots for themselves and friends.  About the first of October following, Captain Smith, and his oldest son Douglas, then a lad seventeen years of age, left Massachusetts with a yoke of oxen and one horse, and the necessary tools for clearing and cultivating a new farm."  The boy made the greater part of the tedious journey alone.  Hi-fours father left him soon after starting, to visit friends at Sackett's Harbor, New York, and did not rejoin him until he had nearly reached the "Mecca" of their toilsome pilgrimage, Ohio.  On the 11th day of November, they arrived at the hospitable dwelling of Wilbur Cahoon, in Avon township.  This being Saturday, they remained here over the Sabbath, and on Monday morning, November thirteenth, 1815, they followed down French creek, without a trail, and commenced on lot sixty-four, the first permanent settlement in the township.  This farm is now owned by Frederic Kreble.  Captain Smith's nearest neighbors were John S. Reid and Daniel Perry, at the mouth of Black river, some four miles distant, Wilbur Cahoon, of Avon township, five miles away, and Captain Moses Eldred, seven miles distant, at Ridgeville.  "In a

Residence of L. F. Prks, Esq., Sheffield Tkp., Lorain Co., Ohio
(includes Portraits of L. F. and M. E. Parks)

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few days after the arrival of Captain Smith and son, they were joined by two young men from New Mariborough, Samuel B. Fitch and Ashar Chapman.  These four men soon built a rude cabin, where they spent the winter of 1815-16, shut out from the outer world, and dependent upon their own resources for amusement and enjoyment.  Captain Smith was a humorous, jovial man; enjoyed a joke and was fond of a good story.  He was well calculated to amuse himself and companions in their seclusion."
     In February, 1816, Freeman Richmond arrived in the township, and settled on lot two, now owned by Joseph Townshend.  Mrs. Richmond was the first white female who became a permanent settler in Sheffield township.  This family afterwards removed from the township, and we believe, reside at present in Amherst, this county.
     Henry and Mary (Day) Root, and family were the next settlers.  They left their native town, Sheffield, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, on the 15th day of February, 1816, and came, at least a greater part of the way by teams, both oxen and horses, arriving at the mouth of Black river on the 1st day of the subsequent April.  For perhaps three weeks they remained in the Smith cabin; in the interval preparing a habitation upon lot seventeen where they permanently located.  This was near where now stands the Catholic church, in the eastern part of the township.  Of this family, a son, William H. Root, Esq., says:  "This proved to be an unfortunate location, so far as lands about it were concerned; and, for long years, was one of hte most isolated spots in all that part of the county, no neighbor nearer than three-fourths of a mile, for eighteen years."  Following are the children of this couple: Aaron, who was a sailor, and generally known as Capt. Root.  He married Esther Buck

MORE TO COME......

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FIRST EVENTS.

Residence of the late George B. Crehore, Sheffield Tp., Lorain Co., O.
(with portraits of George Crehore and Mrs. Keziah Crehore)

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SCHOOLS

ORGANIZATION*

CHURCHES.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

ST. THERESA CHURCH (CATHOLIC)

INCIDENT.

Erastus Hecock and Eunice Hecock

ERASTUS HECOCK

Zopher and Mrs. Ann Irish