This township is known as town
number four in range one, and is bounded on the north by
Hartford, east by the Pennsylvania State line, with Hubbard,
east by the Pennsylvania State line, with Hubbard on the
south and Vienna on the west Save the coal interest which in
recent years has been one of considerable importance and a
source of great profit to many land owners, Brookfield is
purely an agricultural community. It was first settled
by a class of people, mainly New Englanders, who were noted
for their intelligence and morality. The settlement
first began at or near the center of the township, and as
families collected at that point a nucleus was formed for
the growth of the little village, the largest in the
township, known as Brookfield center.
The main water-course is Big Yankee creek, which takes
its rise a short distance north of the central part of the
north boundary, in Hartford township, and flowing from this
point in a southeast direction empties into the Shenango
river in the southeast corner of the township. This
creek with its tributaries drains the northwest the west,
and central parts of the township. Little Yankee creek
enters the township at the northwest, and flows
southeasterly across the southwest corner, where at a point
west of the center it enters Hubbard township, but after
reaching Hubbard center it turns northeast, and again enters
Brookfield at the southeast corner and flows into the
Shenango. The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad
extends across the southwest corner, following in this
township the general course of Little Yankee creek, and has
its main station at the crossing of the main east and west
center road, about two miles west of Brookfield village, and
near Payne's corners.
The New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio railroad barely
enters the township across the southeast corner.
Various coal-road branches are extended to the coal banks in
the different localities.
The surface of the township is generally rolling; the
soil generally clay, but in the northwest part somewhat more
gravelly soil is found. The Yankee creek bottom lands,
consisting of a black loam, are especially productive.
The southern part of the township is somewhat broken, and in
this part are situated the coal mines.
ORGANIZATION.
The township from
POPULATION
[Page 347]
manufactured plows, stoves and hollow-ware. The ore
VILLAGES
PROPRIETORSHIP
EARLY SETTLEMENT
[Page 348]
trading, and it is supposed that the facilities of Jones'
store were amply sufficient to meet all the demands of the
settlement at that time. Mr. Jones was a
minister of the Baptist denomination, and he sometimes held
religious services at the houses of the settlers; but at
this time the general services were held over the line in
Pennsylvania. To him, therefore, must be accorded the
honor of first introducing the gospel into Brookfield.
JOHN
BRIGGS settled on the north road two miles
north of the center about 1806. In the latter year, or
previous, several of the prominent settlers arrived.
Anthony Patrick lived on the farm now owned by
Benjamin McMullen. Benjamin Bentley settled on the
present farm of his son James, and built his cabin
home about one half mile north of the present farm
residence. The first frame barn built in the township
was erected by Mr. Bentley on this farm in 1808.
This seems to have been considered at the time a great step
in the way of building improvements, and called together
quite a number of men from distant neighborhoods. It
took two or three days to raise the building that two or
three men could now soon put in position. To
accommodate the many persons who came to his assistants on
this occasion, Mr. Bentley killed several sheep an a
large ox, and generously supplied the many other wants of
his friends.
JOHNSON
PATRICK lived adjoining Mr. Bentley
on the west, and William Chatfield south of the
latter on the south part of lot sixty-seven.
JACOB ULP
lived southeast of Chatfield,
and Ethan Newcomb joined Mr. Beltley on the
north.
THOMAS
THOMPSON settled north of the center on
the west side of the road, lot number forty, and Thomas
Patten lived north of Mr. Thompson. Samuel
Patrick lived on the north part of lot number fifty-one.
JUDGE
ROBERT HUGHES settled off the center road
south on lot number twenty-five; Henry Gandy south of
the center near the coal bank on lot number forty-seven.
The first death in the township of which there is any
record, was that of Mrs. Henry Gandy. The body
was interred in the woods, a short distance south of the
present Whitacre coal bank.
MATTHEW
THOMPSON settled on lot number
forty-four, south of Brookfield, and Samuel Clark
south of him on Lot number forty-five.
DR.
THOMAS HARTFORD lived in Constant Lake,
previous to 1806, on lot number forty, one mile north of the
center, and was the first physician in the township.
Dr. Upson settled at the center soon after, and
became a well-known practitioner.
ROBERT MONTGOMERY
settled on
lot number twenty-six, south of Judge Hughes.
Isaac Flower on the northeast corner at the center,
where he opened the first store at the center.
Jacob Hummason settled on the southwest corner at the
center.
In 1811 the road districts were designated and the
supervisor elected received the names of the persons whom he
had under his charge, and the following assignments are
appended to show the extent of the Brookfield settlement in
that year. The district assigned to Jacob Ulp
included the road running east on the center line from
Yankee run to the Pennsylvania line, and embraced the
following persons with him self: Thomas G. Jones,
Benjamin Jones, James McMullen, Nathan Birge, Geo.
Middleton, John Tribby, John Patterson, Philip Yarnell,
and Daniel Groscost.
James Wilson was assigned to the road leading west
from the center to Simeon Wheeler's and from thence
south on the township line to the Liberty township line, and
included the following persons, with himself: William
White, Philip Quigley, David Wheeler, Samuel Munson,
Jonathan Kerr, James and Robert Montgomery,
James Haw, James Kerney, John D. Smith, Robert Hughes,
Timothy Alderman, A. Alderman and
Daniel Williams.
Henry H. Gandy
was assigned to the road leading
from the center south through the township; also the road
leading east from the center to Yankee run, embracing the
following persons, with himself: Walter Clark,
Collins Youngs, Henry Reidsilly, Jacob Harris, Amos and
Charles Bradford, John Woods, John Patrick, Jacob Hummason,
Isaac Flower, Jr., and Ebenezer W. Comes.
WILLIAM
CUNNINGHAM'S
district included the road
leading from the center north to Brockway's mill and from
thence on the triangle road leading to Simeon Wheeler's,
and included the following persons: David Bacon,
Constant Lake,
[Page 349]
Clark Rathbun, Samuel Patrick, Benjamin Bentley, Ethan
Nathan, John Briggs, Reuben Campbell, James Thompson, Henry
and John Hull, James Russell, Jacob Reeder, Richard
Creamer, Thomas Patterns, Joseph R. Porter, Jonathan
Alderman.
SCHOOLS
INDIANS
THE BROOKFIELD AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
[Page 350]
THE PRESBYTERIAN (OLD SCHOOL) CHURCH
[Page 351]
THE METHODISTS
THE DISCIPLES CHURCH
NOTES OF SETTLEMENT
DR.. ELIJAH FLOWER
was one of the most widely known and popular of the early
physicians of Trumbull county. He was born in
Burlington, Hartford county, Connecticut, in 1782, and
removed to Ohio in the fall of 1813 with his family,
consisting of his wife and one child, Mrs. E. D. King,
then not quite two years old. His father, Horace
Flower, had moved out previously and settled in Vienna,
and his daughter Lavinia is said to have been the
first white child born in that township. Dr. Fowler
settled in the center of Brookfield, and resided there until
his death. He had practiced his profession in
Connecticut, having studied medicine with Dr. Everett,
of Burlington. His professional life was one of great
activity. He enjoyed an extensive practice in Trumbull
and Mercer counties, and was deservedly popular, not only on
account of his professional skill, but also for his
eminently genial disposition and social qualities. He
died Feb. 2, 1839. His wife was Sylvia Hart,
daughter of Bliss Hart, of Connecticut, of whom and
family a sketch may be found on another page of this work.
Sylvia Hart was born in Burlington, Connecticut, Apr.
1, 1790, and was
[Page 352]
married to Dr. Flower Nov. 8, 1810. They were
the parents of eight children, of whom only two survive -
Mrs. E. D. King, living in Warren, and Mrs. A. Chew,
living in Mercer county, Pennsylvania. The deceased
children were Amanda (first wife of Dr. T. Garlick),
Lucy (wife of Pierce Wallahan), Sylvia
(second wife of Dr. Garlick), Orland, Emeline M.,
and Peter Allen.
E. D. KING
was born in Montgomery county, Maryland, Nov. 20, 1804.
His father, Edward King, was a natiave of the same
place, and removed with his family to Youngstown, Ohio,
in 1806. He resided in Youngstown until his death
which occurred at about the age of forty-five years.
His occupation was principally that of a butcher. He
married in Maryland, Catharine Pool, and reared a
family of five boys and five girls; four are now living.
His wife survived him a number of years and died in
Youngstown. E. D. King came to Ohio with his
parents in 1806, being then the youngest of five children.
He was brought up to farming twenty years old, then engaged
in the boot and shoe business in Youngstown as an employee
of George Hardman. He remained with him some
four years, then commencing the same business for himself in
which he continued for over twenty years. In 1847 he
engaged in the dry goods business at Brookfield with his
brother-in-law, A. Chew, in which he continued for
three years. For the subsequent three years he kept
the hotel at Brookfield center, and afterwards, until 1872,
was engaged in farming in Brookfield and Vienna. In
that year he removed to Warren and has since that time led a
comparatively retired life. Mr. King was a
justice of the peace in Brookfield for six years and was
elected to the same office in Vienna, but did not serve.
In 1855 he was elected county commissioner, serving three
years. He married in 1827, Maria, daughter of
Dr. Elijah Flower of Brookfield, born in Connecticut
in 1811.
JACOB ULP
came from New Jersey to Brookfield in 1804 and settled on
the farm where his sons now live. He married
Elizabeth Scheiner and raised three sons and two
daughters. All are living except one daughter, viz.:
William and Amos, Brookfield; Enoch,
Hickory township, Mercer county, Pennsylvania; Enoch,
Hickory township, Mercer county, Pennsylvania; Eliza
(Clark) Girard, Pennsylvania. Susan is
dead. Jacob Ulp died in 1860 aged eighty-three;
Mrs. Ulp died in 1836 aged about sixty-two.
William Ulp was born in Brookfield on the farm where he
now lives in 1810. He married, first, Elizabeth
Carkuff, a native of New Jersey. She bore
four children, all now living: Timothy Dwight,
Enoch, William, and Adelaide. Mrs. Ulp died
in 1845 aged thirty-two. Mr. Ulp married for
his second wife Nancy Wright, a native of
Massachusetts. Five children, Eliza, Jane,
Leonidas, Ella, and Ida.. Amos Ulp was
born in Brookfield in 1813, and is still a resident of the
township. He married Rachel Conover and has
three children - Robert, Charles, and
Alfred.
ROBERT MONTGOMERY,
from Washington county, Pennsylvania, settled in Brookfield
in 1804. He raised a family of seven children, who
arrived at maturity: Robert, James, William, Hugh,
Morgan, Eliza Jane, and Mrs. John Kearney
All are now living except William and Mrs.
Kearney. Eliza Jane married Wyatt McKay, of
Mercer county, Pennsylvania. Mr. McKay died in
1874, aged about fifty-four. He was the father of six
children, four of whom are living: Myrtilla Jane,
S. A., F. B. and F. M. (twins), Nannie, James.
The daughters of both dead. The sons are living,
located as follows: S. A. married Maggie
McMichael first, and second, Mary Clark. He
is now in Sharon in the book and news business. F.
B. married Mary Gillmer and resides in
Brookfield; F. M. married Arie Long and
resides in Brookfield; James in attending school in
Valparaiso, Indiana, fitting for the legal profession;
Wyatt McKay settled on the old Montgomery farm,
where his widow still resides. Mr. McKay
was an active business man and a prominent citizen of
Brookfield.
JAMES BENTLEY
was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, in 1798. In 1806 he
came to Brookfield with his parents, Benjamin and Mary
Bentley, who settled north of the center road.
They raised eight sons and two daughters. All are dead
but James and Aholiab. The latter lives
in Portsmouth, Ohio, where he has been engaged in the iron
business. Benjamin Bentley, the father, died in
October, 1818, aged sixty-two. His widow died about
1867, aged eighty-six. James Bentley lives on
the old farm. He married Temperance Buttles, a
native of Connecticut, in 1823. She moved from
Connecticut to Brookfield in 1817 with her parents,
Benoni and
[Page 353]
Mary Buttles. Mr. and Mrs. James Bentley
have five children living, two deceased: Amos B.,
Missouri; Anson G., Niles; Martin V. died, in
Iowa; Benjamin F., Brookfield; Joel B.,
Missouri; Caroline (Woodbridge), Iowa; Eveline (Devol)
dead. Mr. Bentley served as justice of the
peace two terms. In 1840 he took the census of
the south half of Trumbull county before Mahoning county was
formed. Mr. Bentley is in the enjoyment of
vigorous health and has a vivid recollection of pioneer
times.
WILLIAM SQUIRES
was born in Burlington, Connecticut, in 1810, and came to
Ohio with his parents, Jason and Elizabeth
(Wilmot) Squires, when eight years old. They
settled in Vienna, on the farm where William lived.
William Squires in 1834 married Sarepta Woodford,
who survives him. They had six children:
Jason, Willard, Sidney, Docia, Lucia, and
Nellie. Mr. Squires died Aug. 22, 1879.
Mrs. Squires is the daughter of Isaac and Statira
(Cowles) Woodford, who settled in this township among
the first arrivals. Only four of their children are
living, viz.: Isaac, Emeline (Truesdell), Laura
(Smith), and Mrs. Squires.
ABIEL BARTHOLOMEW
came to Vienna from Waterbury, Connecticut, arriving in
October, 1804. His son Ira came with him.
Ira married Boadicea Church. They raised five
children: Abiel, Mary, Eli, Rachel, Erastus.
Abiel resides in Vienna, Eli in Indiana, Mary
(Fuller) in Vienna. Rachel and Erastus
are dead. Abiel was born Sept. 14, 1805.
He married Lorinda Maria Tyrell in 1830. They
have seven children: Rebecca, Mary Antoinette, Epenetus
R., Boadicea, Ira, Celesta and Austin. All
are married and have families. Mr. Bartholomew
is the oldest native of the township now living in Vienna.
JAMES STEWART
settled in Coitsville in 1802, coming from Pennsylvania.
He was twice married. By his first wife he had four
children, all of whom are dead. For his second wife he
married Jane Buchman. Eight children were born
to them, five of whom are living: Polly, James,
Joseph, Alelxander, and David. David Stewart
was born in Coitsville in 1828. In 1849 he married
Aurilla Gray, of Coitsville. They have three
children living - John M., George H., and Luella.
Mr. Stewart first settled in Liberty township, moved
thence to Hubbard, and in 1867 moved to his present location
in Brookfield. Mr. Stewart is a member of the
United Presbyterian church. Mrs. Stewart died
in August, 1878, aged forty-nine. She was a member of
the same church. Both the sons are married.
John resides in Brookfield. George is
in the hardware business in Hubbard.
PHINEAS WHEELER
was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, in 1826, and came
with hi parents, William and Margaret Wheeler,
to Brookfield when young. Of William Wheeler's
children eight are yet living, five sons and three
daughters. Phineas, the fourth child, married
Emily Jones in 1859. She is a daughter of
John E. Jones, of Brookfield. Mr. and Mrs.
Wheeler have but one child, Earl. Mrs.
Wheeler belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Wheeler is a Republican in politics.
JAMES CHRISTY,
a native of Sussex county, New Jersey, settled in Brookfield
in 1816. His wife was Elizabeth Struble.
They had nine children, six of whom are living,
Robert, Emeline, David, Seth, Willilam, and John.
James Christy died in 1861 in his seventy-third year.
Mrs. Christy died about seven years later.
Robert Christy was born in New Jersey in 1811, and has
lived in Brookfield since 1816. He married Amanda
Reno in 1837. They have six children - Albina,
Minerva, J. N., Elizabeth E., Charles R., and J. P.
Mr. Christy is a member of the Presbyterian church.
His wife is a Methodist.
DR. ROBERT P. HAYS
was born in Venango county, Pennsylvania, in 1840. He
studied medicine with Dr. Robert Crawford, at
Cooperstown, Pennsylvania. He attended medical
lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,
and graduated in March, 1866. In May of the same year
Dr. Hays settled in Vienna, where he now enjoys a
large practice. He is a member of the Masons and of
the Temple of Honor, and in politics a Prohibitionist.
Dr. Hays was married in 1876 to Miss Lavinia C.
Bacon, of Vienna. They have one child, a daughter
- Frank - three years old.
Among the Welsh residents
of Brookfield DAVID S. JONES, who lives on a farm in
the southwest of the township, is one of the most prominent.
At the time of our visit he was absent, visiting his native
land, therefore we are unable to give the personal history
of him.
JOHN and LUCY BENTLEY
were among the early settlers of Mercer county,
Pennsylvania, adjoining Brookfield. Their son Elam
Bentley was born in 1811. He married first
Rachel Dilley, and after residing two years in Hubbard
moved to Brookfield and there spent the remainder of his
days. By his first wife he had six children, three of
whom are living, James Lauriston, John Emery, and
Cornelius. In 1860 he married Elizabeth Thomas,
a native of Hartford, who survives him. One child,
Mary Louie, is living; Lucy Anna died in1881 aged
ten years. Mr. Bentley died in 1873.
He was a member of the Baptist church. Mrs. Bentley
is a member of the Methodist church.
[Page 354]
SAMUEL D. GETTIS
came to Ohio from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and settled with
his parents, James and Margaret Gettis, in Liberty
township, at an early date. S. D. Gettis
married, first, Eliza Tully, by whom he had three
children, two of whom are living - Lucinda, Emeline,
and Mary Jane (dead). Mr. Gettis married
for his second wife Ellen Branning.
Three children by this marriage are living - John, Eliza
M., and Lina. Lorinda Gettis first married
Austin Alderman. One child by this marriage -
Lyman G., dead. Mr. Alderman died in
1857. His widow married Joseph Hart, and by him
had one child - Mary Elizabeth. Mr. Hart died
in 1860. Mr. Hart still resides upon the
homestead in Vienna.
ISAAC
D. PRICE,
son of Isaac and Christiana (Hibler) Price, was born
in Hubbard in 1836. His father was a native of Hubbard
and his mother came to that township from New Jersey when
young. Mrs. Price is still living. Mr.
Price died in1867. Six of their children are
living, three sons and three daughters. I. D. Price
in 1867 married Nancy Hall, daughter of Jesse and
Jane Hall, old residents of Hubbard. In 1873
Mr. Price settled in Brookfield. He is the father
of three children - Isaac, Clara J., and Mary F.
Mr. and Mrs. Price are members of the Disciples church.
In August, 1862, Mr. Price enlisted in the
Ninety-fourth Ohio volunteen infantry, and served two
years. He was taken prisoner in September, 1862, near
Lexington, Kentucky, but was released on parole after two
days. He was in the battles of Richmond, Chickamauga,
Lookout Mountain, etc.
R. R. MINER,
son of Julius and Lucy (Rowe) Miner, was born in
Hartford, Trumbull county, in 1822. His father, from
Hartland, Connecticut, came to Ohio in 1820; settled in
Vernon; lived there several years, removing to Hartford, and
died there at the age of seventy-seven. Mrs. Miner
was a daughter of Titus Rowe, who settled in Hartford
in 1820, and there lived and died. R. R. Miner
is the third son of a family of nine children, of whom two
sons and four daughters are living. He was married in
1850 to Paulina L. Lewis, daughter of Levi Lewis,
of Vienna. They have three children living:
Eugenia (Groves), Sharon; Cornelia (Sanburn), Brookfield,
and Clara, at home. Mr. Miner has
lived in Brookfield about twenty-seven years.
PETER COOK
was born in the province of Bavaria, Germany, in 1830.
In 1852 he came to America, and remained in New York one
year; settled at Sharon, Pennsylvania, in 1853, and on his
present farm in Brookfield in 1865. He married
Margaret Dininger, also a native of Germany, in 1855.
They have nine children living: Leonard J., Sophia
R.., Martgha L., Theodore H., Godlove G., Alfred C.,
Jonathan S., Martha, Selina. Mr. and Mrs. Cook
belong to the Lutheran church.
JAMES LAFFERTY
was an early settler of Brookfield. He was a native of
Ireland. His sons were James and William;
his daughters, Jane, Rebecca, Martha, Margaret,
Orpha, and Lettie. Of this family only
three are living - Martha, Orpha, and Lettie.
William Lafferty lived in Brookfield on the home place.
He married Mary Arthurholt for his first wife, and
for his second Fannie Eacrett. By the first
marriage there were six children, three of whom are living -
Orpha, Drusilla and William Andrew. The
children of the second marriage are Ella and
Edward, both living. Mr. Lafferty died in
1875 aged fifty-eight. He was a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church and a respected citizen.
J. G. TREAT, son of J.
H. Treat, was born in 1855 in Weathersfield township.
He is now engaged in keeping a livery stable at Cortland.
He followed the same business two yeas in Vienna, and moved
from that place to his present location in the spring of
1882.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
BLISS HART AND FAMILY
END OF CHAPTER VII - BROOKFIELD TOWNSHIP
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