The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-03-20

emigrants to this country, to wit: the late
David Hudson, Esq, Of Hudson, Hon. Ben
jamin TaPpsn. now Of Steube nviIle, then on
his way to commence the settlement Of Ra'
VIENNA, and the late Deacon lothian Atwater,
of Msntua, then on hiS way to Euclid. He
did not settle 10 Mantua until the year 1900.
The late Judge Amzi Atwater, was at the
embarkation, but I believe, stayed that sea.
son to survey for the Holland land Company,
on the Holland purchase, so called.
Their passage 10 Niagara Falls, was not
very pleasant, and occupied FIVE days. They
found Niagara River fulr Of ice, May goth,
but worked up il to Queenstown. They pass
ed Niagara Falls by land-on the Canada
side, May 29d-their boat on wheels--and
embarked again at Chippewa, the 2sth, and
on May 25th they were waiting at Buffalo,
for the removal Of the ice.
They embarked on Lake Erie May 26th,
but were obliged to beach their boat at
three miles from Buffalo. The weather and
navigation was SO bad, thnt they only cross
ed the West line of Pennsylvania on the
first day of June June I'd, they had their
boat stove, on the beach Of Lake Erir, as
he says in 'Harperstown,' twenty miles from
the mouth Of Grand River. But nothing
dounted, they repaired their wrecked vessel ;
and the next day sailed into the mouth of
Grand River, and on the fourth, went up the
river to the landing, (about two miles up the
river). The boat then went on, with Tap
pan, Hudson and Atwater to Cleveland, and
Harmon on the 7th-his team having arrived
BY land-'started,' as he says, for Aurora
where he expected to commence settle
ment and reside until be was ready to settle
on his own farm. On the way, June 9th,
was joined by Capt. Sheldon. Afterwards
known as Esq. Sheldon, of Aurora. On the
10th, he had their goods at the Cuyahoga,
near the Centre OF Burton, ready to enbark
by canoe for Mantua, as there was then NJ
land road open through TO Mlntua His
journal then goes on to say -''llth. Went
down the river to the Rapids. l2lh. Came
to Mr. lloney's in No. 5, Sth Range" The
name Man;ua had not, it seems, been as
sumed Tor the township then, and the name
does not appear in his journal until on the
18th Of August following.
They continued to reside at Honey from
the l2th to the 28th of June, during which
time Mr.. Harmon planted some potatoes and
peas, on the Peter French opening, then oc.
cupicd by Mr.. Crooks. He also explored
and opened rond to Aurora, explored Au.
rora, then dense wilderness, and al led his
employer, Capt. Ebenczar Sheldon, to find
good loration for farm. The place they
selected, was on lot 40, in Aurora, and there
they soon commenced to open the iarm, and
build house for Mr.. Sheldon's residence,
into which Mr.. Sheldon was 10 remove his
la'nIy the next season. He accordingly re-
moved there, from Sufiield Connecticut, in
the Spring Of the year 1900, and resided
there until his death, twenty. five years
thereafter. There also his son, Gershom,
and Grand son, fAlbert r, Sheldon, have
drawn their last breath 1.-The last but re.
Gently.
Mr.. Harmon and his wife, spent that sum.
mea, (l799) in Aurora, opening the farm
with aud for Capt. Sheldon. The late Asa
Trucsdale, of Nelson, also worked on the
farm with them. They built house, and
sowed good field Of wheat-the first sown
in the township, and on the 30th Of Scptem.
Der following, Mr.. Harmon and wife moved
on their own farm, the North half Of lot lS,
in Mantua, BOW occupied by Mr.. Washburn.
There he persevered and opened large
farm, and raised family-and there he died
on September Is, 1857, at the advanced age
of 78. Mrs. II. had preceded him few
months. She died May oath, 1851. They
left but four children, and one has followed
them since.
Their eldest daughter Eunice, the first
born of the township, married Mr.. Simeon
Sheldon, sed II respectable family in Man
lua, and died before her parents. Two 9TH
ers, Mrs. Joel Chapman, and Mrs. w. C.
Baker reside in Mantua, and Orrin Harmon,
resides in Rayenna. By his kindness have
been permitted to copy his Iather's Diary
before spoken of and he has aded me to
some items respecting the original proprie.
tors of Mantua.
*The Mahoning River, was then supposed by them
to bo the Big Beaver.
To BE CONTINUED.