This is the extreme southwest township of the county, town three north, and range five.  It lies immediately south of Braceville, with Lordstown on the east, Mahoning county south, and Portage county on the west; and contains fourteen thousand nine hundred and forty-six acres of land.  The east branch of the Mahoning river (locally known as East river) extends from south to north across the township west of the central line.  Kale creek, a tributary of the East river, flows from the southwest corner.  The west branch of the Mahoning, called West river, flows across the northwest corner.  Duck creek extends from south to north across the township along the western part.  The township being thus well watered, and having much bottom land with rolling surface between the streams, the
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agricultural advantages are superior, and it may be classed above the average township in the county.  The usual products are found in abundance here, while great quantities of white oak ship-timber are exported from this locality for ship-building and other manufacturing purposes.

POPULATION

ORGANIZATION AND PROPRIETORSHIP

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

THE RIVER SETTLEMENT.

     Perhaps a short time prior to the Duck creek settlement, a settlement was made on the Mahoning river in the present vicinity of Pricetown - now Callender's mills.

     Jesse Halliday, Robert Caldwell, William and Nathaniel Stanley, David Carlile, Daniel Dull, Mr. Allen, and Benjamin Davison with their families composed this little colony.
     JESSE HALLIDAY paddled a canoe from Warren in about 1805, as far as the south line of Newton township, and finding rapids here, concluded he could build a mill which was in operation in 1807, and stood on the site of the present Callender mills (at Pricetown).  This mill, however, being necessarily an imperfect structure, was often incapable of supplying the wants of the settlers, thus subjecting them to great inconvenience, as Garrettsville was the nearest mill, fifteen miles away.  This, in the absence of any road except a blazed route, was something of a journey for a boy with his grist on horseback.
     The Indians, owing to the trouble with the whites, were at this time fast leaving the country.
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Their place of general rendezvous, salt springs, was readily reached from this settlement by the Indian trail, thus affording an important accommodation to the settles in the way of procuring salt, as supplies had to be imported from Cleveland, or New Lisbon, twenty-five miles south.
     The first marriage in this locality was Thomas McCoy to Polly Moore, and the first death was a child of Peter Decoursey.
     In 1805 ISAAC HUTSON, from Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, settled on Kale creek with a family of five sons and six daughters, and in 1811 John Hutson settled in the Lane neighborhood.  Both had a large family of boys and girls.  The boys were all good marksmen and "full-hands" at a hunt or shooting-match, and most of the names are found as contestants in a shooting-match on Christmas at Newton Falls, where Bildad Hine took this methods of closing out his stock of goods - the first brought to the falls.

CHURCH AT "RIVER" SETTLEMENT.

     The first Presbyterian church was organized in 1808 with a membership of seven - William Stanley and wife, John Sutherland and wife, Polly Wilson, Mrs. Davison, and Mrs. Gilmer.
     After the death of Rev. Boyd, Rev. Hughes, from Beaver, preached occasionally ,and Rev. Joshua Beer followed as next regular pastor.  In 1809 the two settlements (Duck Creek and "River") united and built the frame church, which was removed a few years ago over into Milton township.

DUCK CREEK SETTLEMENT.

     ALEX SUTHERLAND settled at Duck Creek in 1802, and the only meat the family had the first year as deer and bear meat, furnished by the Indians in exchange for bread.  The cabin in which he moved was made by setting posts in the ground, covered with bark on the sides and roof and quilts hung up for doors.
     There were five or six Indian caps near this cabin, and at one time an Indian chief named Kiogg came into the Sutherland cabin drunk and made threats of shooting some of them, but Ezekiel Hover broke a chair over his head, and another chief named Nickshaw afterwards settled the difficulty.

     ALEX. SUTHERLAND and EZEKIEL HOVER marked the first path from Duck Creek settlement to Youngstown, to reach the nearest mill, a distance of almost twenty miles.  Their nearest postoffice was Warren - eight miles.  Bears and wolves were very plenty, and the settlers were compelled to carry torches and keep their sugar camp fires burning to keep them away.

     Mr. SUTHERLAND was elected county recorder soon after his arrival here.  His son James carried the mail from Warren to Canton when there was no house from Duck Creek to Warren, or Quinby hill as it was then called.  His son John, while mowing on the farm of E. Hover, cut off the head of a yellow rattlesnake seven and a half feet long.  He skinned the reptile and made a cap of part of the hide, and Mr. Hover took a part for a shot pouch.  The colors of the skin were very brilliant, being a light green and pale yellow, and glittered in the sunshine.

     EZEKIEL HOVER built the first saw-mill where George Johnston's mill now stands.

     JAMES GILMER and family settled in this locality Apr. 30, 1807.  The cabin home, which occupied the site of the present barn of John R. Johnson on the east bank of Duck creek, had been erected and roofed the previous autumn, and had served as shelter to a quad of Indians during the winter.
     The settlement consisted of the following families:  Thomas Reed, Peter Decoursey, Alexander Sutherland and his father, John, George Sheffelton, John Mashman and son, Alexander Mashman, Jacob Custard.  Ezekiel Hover was then a young man holding the office of county surveyor.

SCHOOLS AT DUCK CREEK.

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RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.

DISTILLERY.

INCIDENTS.

INDIANS.

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WILD GAME.

SETTLEMENT AT NEWTON FALLS.

     The proprietor of the lands in the locality of Newton Falls as Judson Canfield, of New Haven, Connecticut, who early contemplated the building of a rural city near the falls on the Mahoning river, in order to utilize the immense water-power which the two branches of the Mahoning river here afforded.  For the purpose of inducing settlement the land was surveyed into lots of ten acres each, in the year 1807, and immigration was earnestly invited.
     In the autumn of this year John Lane built his log-cabin residence in the new city, on the bank of the West river, on what is now Marti's grocery lot.  On the 16th June Bildad Hine and family arrived and were welcomed with true pioneer hospitality into the mansion of Mr. Lane.  For this emergency the house seemed to have been especially planned, as it was one story high, 16x18 feet in size, and contained ample accommodation for a family of thirteen.  The milk-house belonging to this house is now in good condition, except the door, it being a cave in the rock, projecting over the river, at the rear of Stocking's wagon factory.
     In the summer of 1808 a Mr. Canfield, with Mr. Ruggles, built a saw-mill where Allen Hoyle's woolen factory now stands, and, according to the recollection of Barney C. Allen, in Feb., 1811, started the first grist-ill, and ground the first grist of wheat for Joseph Allen, the flour being afterwards bolted at home through a hair sieve.
     The mill-stones were quarried in what was then called "Redding hill," in Hiram township.  A part of one of these stones now lies at the door of Porter & Son's flour-mill.
     The first mill was burned down in December,
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1817, by a drunken man who had taken lodging in it for the night, who was obliged to wade the frozen river to escape the fire.  The mill was not rebuilt, but, in 1829, Horace and Augustus Stephens erected the old Eagle mills, on the opposite side of the river.
     JAMES F. PORTER & Sons afterward erected the present flouring-mill adjoining the old one; the drawings of which were made by William H. Porter, son of J. F., who sent the drawings to Wilcox, Shinkle & Miller, who from these drawings alone made the works ready to be put in place; sent them on and erected the mill.
     From the ledger of Benjamin B. Yale it is shown that he came to Newton in 1808 from Canfield, to the house of Samuel Oviatt, and was engaged as mill-wright at one dollar per day; was at the erection of the first mill, and afterwards was engaged as miller for Canfield & Ruggles, then for Canfield & Gilson in 1812; and in 1813 and 1815 he charges John Lane for work done on the grist- and saw-mill.
     In 1814 he worked for Jesse Halliday in his mill, now owned by J. M. Callender, on the south line of the township, and from December, 1816, to July, 1817, operated the Falls mill for one Hopkins.  The latter had purchased the mill from Cornelius Duboise of New York, who had came into possession from a Mr. Fluellen, who had become indebted to him (Duboise) for customed to pioneer life or was very economical, for, as it was the custom as well as the necessity, to cut down the trees to furnish browse for the cattle, he could not quietly see the timber-wasted, and he had it cut and carried home on the backs of his sons.
     In 1813 the first bridge was built over the west branch by subscription, and about ten years after a second was built in the same way at the "narrows," above the Indian grave.  In 1832 C. Duboise sent from New York the drawings  of a lattice bridge, of which William North and Solon Trescott made a model of lathes, and Barney C. Allen took the contract for the stone and timber work and completed the bridge - one hundred and twenty-five feet long - for $440; and $300 of this money was raised by subscription, the balance was paid by the county.  This is said to be the first bridge of the kind in the county.
   In these times wages as well as prices of all kinds were low, except salt, which, as will be seen, was very high.  Mr. Yale in his ledger charges a customer $5.50 per bushel, and $16 per barrel.  As late as 1823 the trustees resolved to allow fifty cents per day for a team of horses or oxen on the road, and the same for a wagon.
     In addition to those already named as early settlers were Levi Jacobs, Jacob Storey, Ira Trescott, and Russell Trescott, who lived on the west side of the river.  Henry Harsh, William Johnson, and John Bridges, soon after the above, arrived in the settlement.  Of those who took part in the election of October, 1833, only four, William N. Hine, Joseph Nichols, and John Miller, are now living in the township.  

NEWTON FALLS VILLAGE

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SURVEY OF VILLAGE.

CHURCHES AT NEWTON FALLS.

     THE PRESBYTERIAN AND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH ORGANIZATION

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THE DISCIPLES CHURCH, NEWTON FALLS.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

THE LUTHERAN AND GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH.

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CEMETERY.

     The original burial ground was donated by Bildad Hine and Jonathan Jacobs, each giving one-fourth of an acre.  The first interment was that of Captain Reuben Bostwick, brother in-law of Mr. Hine, who died July 16, 1813, aged seventy-eight years.  With the later additions made to the grounds, in all about three acres, and many other improvements, they now present a very beautiful country, and will soon be incorporated under the jurisdiction of the township trustees.

SCHOOLS.

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THE WOOLEN MILLS.

NEWTON FALLS FOUNDRY.

NEWTON FALLS LODGE, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS, NO. 462.

NEWTON FALLS LODGE, I. O. O. F., NO. 255.

THE MAHONING VALLEY AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.

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THE MAHONING VALLEY GRANGE, NO. 1272.

PHYSICIANS.

SETTLEMENT NOTES.

     HARVEY ALLEN, a well known resident of Newton Township, was born June 28, 1807, in Berkshire county, Massachusetts.  His father, Joseph Al-
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len, was a native of Massachusetts, who came to Ohio and settled in Braceville township, Trumbull county, in 1810.  He reared a family of nine children, five of whom are now living, four sons and a daughter.  All are now well advanced in years.  Mr. Harvey Allen is the youngest son.  The names of the children were, Sarah, born Dec. 14, 1791; James, Oct. 31, 1793; Amanda, Sept. 29, 1795; Barney C., Sept. 8, 1797; Amos, Feb. 6, 1800; Barsha, Jan. 3, 1802; Avery, Aug. 21, 1804; Harvey, June 28, 1807; Eunice M., Mar. 22, 1809.  Joseph Allen was a shoemaker by trade; he also carried on a tannery several years.  He died Feb. 16, 1842.  Mrs. Allen died Oct. 12, 1853.  Mr. Harvey Allen resided in Braceville township until 1875, then moved to Newton Falls.  He has always been engaged in farming principally.  He was married July 15, 1834, to Miss Mehitabel Frank.  By this marriage he had one child.  Mr. Allen died Dec. 15, 1840.  He was again married Nov. 15, 1843, to Miss Emeline Stanley.  She died Nov. 7, 1848.  They hand one child.  He was married again Nov. 8, 1849, to Mrs. Jane L. Tilley.  She had four children by a former marriage.  Mr. and Mrs. Allen belong to the Disciple church.

     B. C. ALLEN, son of Joseph and Mary (Jacobs) Allen, was born in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, Sept. 8, 1797.  He came with his parents to Trumbull county in 1810.  Joseph Allen left Massachusetts with his family on the 20th day of May, and arrived in Braceville, where they settled, on the 3d day of July.  Of the twenty-two persons who came with Mr. Allen only five are now living.  He settled in the southwest part of Braceville, where he spent the balance of his life.  He died in February, 1842.  His wife died in October, 1853.  They had a family of nine children.  Four sons and one daughter are still living, viz.:  B. C. Harvey, and Mrs. Eunice Minerva Sherman at Newton Falls; Amos in Eaton county, Michigan; and Avery in Portage county.  B. C. Allen was married first in 1822 to Ursula Newton, of Braceville, who died in February, 1850.  He had ten children by that marriage, eight of whom are living.  He married his present wife in 1868, Mrs. Martha M. Sherman, whose first husband, Dr. B. Sherman died in the army in December, 1862.  Mr. Allen resided on the old homestead in Braceville until the spring of 1872, when he removed to Newton Falls, where he now lives nearly eighty-five years of age.

     JOHN HENRY HEWIT, a native of Maryland, moved with his family from Washington county, Pennsylvania, to Boardman township, now Mahoning county, in the spring of 1815.  He was a minister of the Lutheran church, and the second clergyman of that denomination in this region.  His work extended over a large extent of country and his life was an active one and fruitful of good results.  He died in Boardman, where he first settled, in 1854, his wife, Esther (Simon) dying two years after.  They had a family of fourteen children.  Five are still living - Mrs. Margaret Fiester; Samuel, in Newton; Catharine (Kale), in Milton, Mahoning county; Elizabeth, unmarried, in Newton; Lydia (Moyer), in Michigan.  Samuel Hewit was born in Canton township. Washington county, Pennsylvania, Dec. 21, 1800.  He came to Trumbull county with his parents in 1815.  He married in 1822 Sophia Berger, of Boardman, and in 1824 settled in Ellsworth township, and resided there until 1850, when he moved to Newton, locating where he now lives.  His wife died Feb. 19, 1876, in the seventy fifth year of her age.  They have had a family of nine children, six of whom are living - John Henry, Hannah (widow of Daniel Bailey), Elias, Esther (Bailey), George, and Lewis all living in Newton township, and all but one in the same neighbor hood.

     WILLIAM BRONSON, youngest son of Dr. Tracy and Mary (Freeman) Bronson, was born in Newton township, Trumbull county, June 23, 1832.  Dr. Tracy Bronson was born in Connecticut in 1791. He was a graduate of Yale college.  In 1814 he came to Ohio, and settled in Newton township, where he practiced his profession until 1850.  He was the first physician in that township, and had an extensive practice.  He married in 1815, Mary, daughter of Robert Freeman, one of the pioneers of Braceville township.  He raised a family of four children, two of whom are living, viz.: Henry W., a resident of Newton, and the subject of this sketch.  Dr. Bronson died in October, 1859, and his wife in 1833.  William was brought up on a farm, and during the construction of the Mahoning railroad he was engaged in some four years in civil engineering.  In

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1854 he married Emeline E. Blair.  They hae had five children, viz.: Mary Eugenia, who was the wife of L. N. Patterson, and who died in 1880, leaving two children; Hattie R., wife of George Patterson, residing in Titusville, Pennsylvania; Freeman, born Nov. 18, 1865, died in August, 1867; Elizabeth M. and Tracy James are still at home.  William Bronson was justice of the peace some fifteen years.  In 1877 he was elected county commissioner for Trumbull county, and re-elected in the fall of 1880.

     HENRY WILDERSON

     DAVID CARLISLE, a well known resident of Newton, was born in Newton township upon the place where he now lives.  His father, David, was a native of Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio in 1806, and located in Newton township, and was one of the earliest settlers of the township.  Beginning in a small clearing made by the Indians when the country was wild, he built up a nice farm, and lived here till his death, which occurred Mar. 7, 1860. Mrs. Carlisle died in December, 1856.  The family consisted of eight children, all of whom are living.  Mr. David Carlisle, the subject of this sketch, is the youngest of the family.  He has always lived upon the old home place.  He was married Dec. 3, 1857, to Miss Martha Linn, daughter of William Linn, of Guernsey county, Ohio.  They have had four children, three of whom are living - Frank L., William A., Charles, and one died in infancy.  Mrs. Carlisle is a member of the Congregational church.  Mr. Carlisle is a Republican, and is highly respected.

     JOHN LEWIS, an early pioneer of Trumbull county, was born in 1801, in Washington county, Maryland.  His father, Morris Lewis, was born in December, 1777.  He was a farmer by occupation and died Sept, 9, 1807, in Poland township, Trumbull county, now known as Mahoning county.  Morris Lewis, Sr., father of Morris Lewis, was drowned in the Susquehanna river, when Morris Lewis was a boy.  Mr. John Lewis, the subject of this sketch, had one brother and two sisters: William Lewis, born Apr. 29, 1803, in Allegheny county, Maryland; Rachel, born Feb. 18, 1806, died Nov. 27, 1806; Rachel L. was born Oct. 29, 1808, in Trumbull county, Ohio; she died Apr. 21, 1880, in Kent county, Michigan.  Mr. John Lewis came to Newton in 1843 from Portage county, Ohio, and lived upon the farm where his sons now live and was engaged in general farming until his death.  He had a family of seven children, five of whom are living - Morris, William, Mary A., Isaiah,
Andrew, Jonathan, and David.  Isaiah and William are deceased.  Mrs. Lewis died July 29, 1876.  Mr. and Mrs. Lewis were members of the Lutheran church.

     SAMUEL KING was born in 1804, Nov. 14th, in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania.  His father, Jacob King, was a native of Pennsylvania, and spent his days in this State.  He was a farmer by occupation, and died in 1829, leaving a wife and five children.  Mrs. King died in 1837.  Mr. Samuel King came to Ohio in 1837, and settled upon the farm where he now resides.  He was married in 1824 to Miss Elizabeth Faulk, daughter of Daniel Faulk, of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania.  They have had ten children, all of whom are living.   Mrs. King died in 1850.  She was a devoted member of the Lutheran church.  Mr. King and family are also members of the same church, and are good citizens.

     WILLIAM KING, one of the enterprising men of Newton township, was born July 24, 1827, in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio with his father, Samuel King, in 1837, and has since lived in the county.  He learned the shoe-

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making trade when a young man, and served a little over a year as an apprentice.  He began work for himself in 1847, and continued in the boot and shoe business for twenty-eight years, employing several hands at home.  He had an extensive trade, extending over the southern part of Trumbull county, and was well known as an upright business man.  His health failing he went to gardening, and has been engaged in horticulture for the past few years.  He was married March 28, 1850, to Miss Esther Stroup, daughter of John Stroup, of Warren, Ohio.  By this union there have been six children - Maria E., William H., John F., Harriet L., Clara S., and George N.   Mrs. King is a member of the Lutheran church.  Mr. King was formerly a member, though at the present time is very liberal in his views.  In politics he is a conservative, voting for men rather than for party, and is one of the esteemed citizens of the township.

     JOHN N. PEARCE

     JOSEPH NICHOLS

     ANDREW J. CARLISLE was born in 1827 in Lisbon, Columbiana county, Ohio.  His father, Henry, came from New Jersey to Ohio in an early day and located in Columbiana county, where he lived until 1832, when he came to Newton Falls where he kept tavern for nineteen years.  He died Apr. 27, 1864.  In the family there are four children.  Mr. Andrew Carlisle has been engaged in farming chiefly.  He was married Jan. 8, 1858, to Miss Caroline De Forrest, daughter of Curtis De Forrest, of Portage county.  They have two children, Curtis and Isabel.  In politics Mr. Carlisle is a Democrat.

     JOSEPH STROCK was born September 25, 1831, in Austintown township, Trumbull county.  His father, Samuel Strock, was a native of Pennsylvania, Cumberland county, and came to Ohio in 1814 with his father, Joseph, who first settled in Tuscarawas county for one season, then came to Trumbull county and settled in Austintown, where he lived till his death, which occurred in 1832, leaving a family of twelve children.  Mrs. Strock died in a few weeks after the death of her husband.  Mr. Samuel Strock came to Newton in 1840 and lived upon the farm where his son Joseph now resides, till 1878, and died in this this year.  Mrs. Strock died in 1868.  Mr. Strock, the subject of this sketch, has always lived in what was old Trumbull.  He has an excellent farm of two hundred and one acres.  He was married in 1853, to Miss Susan Kistler, daughter of Michael Kistler, of Newton township.  There were nine children by this marriage.  Mrs. Strock died in 1868.  His second marriage was in the fall of 1868 to Miss Almira Powers, daughter of Williams Powers, of Ohltown, Ohio.  There were five children by this marriage.  Mrs. Strock died in 1876.  Mr. Strock is an enterprising man.

     JOSEPH WILSON

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     FERDINAND GRABER

     CHARLES P. WOOD

     HENRY TAYLOR, was born Mar. 8, 1820, in Warren township, Trumbull county, Ohio.  His father, Samuel, was a native of Maryland, and came to Ohio in an early day and was one of the pioneers of the Western Reserve.  He was a shoemaker by trade, which occupation he followed many years in Warren township, then went to Bazetta township, Trumbull county, where he pursued farming till his death, which occurred in 1835.  There were seven children in the family—four boys and three girls.  Mrs. Taylor died in 1829.  Mr. Henry Taylor has always lived in Trumbull county.  He learned the blacksmith trade when a young man, and has followed it as a vocation.  He came to Newton Falls Mar. 7, 1837.  He was married in 1845 to Miss Margaret Cole, daughter of Peter Cole, of Newton Falls.  They have had four children - William H., Charles, Mary, Addison S.  Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are members of the Christian church.  He is a staunch Democrat, and has held several of the township offices.  He is esteemed and respected by all.

     WILLIAM HERBERT

     ALFRED L. F. ALBERTSON, M. D., a successful physician of Newton Falls, was born July 7, 1848, in Winslow, New Jersey.  His father, Samuel Albertson, was a native of Pennsylvania, and for a long time was engaged in mercantile business.  Dr. Albertson was raised in Philadelphia.  He commenced to study medicine in 1868 with Dr. Kerr, of Philadelphia, and attended a course of lectures at the Jefferson Medical college; also a course in Cincinnati, and

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graduated in Cleveland in 1875, and has since practiced at Newton Falls, though he practiced here two or three yeas before going to Cleveland.  He gives particular attention to the eye, and has been very successful in his practice thus far.  He is a Free Mason, also an Odd Fellow.  In politics a Republics.

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     H. M. REESER was born in 1848 in Austintown, Mahoning county.  His father, Andrew Reeser, was a native of Liberty township, Trumbull county.  His grandfather, Daniel, was an early pioneer.  Mr. H. M. Reeser lived in Pennsylvania several years, and came to Milton township in 1865, where he lived till 1873, when he was married to Miss Eunice A. Baldwin, daughter of J. P. Baldwin, of Newton township.  They have one child - Llucius E.  Mr. Reeser is engaged in teaching in connection with his farming, and is a wide-awake, enterprising man.  He is an Odd Fellow.

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