The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-03-13
The Early History Of Freedom,
NJ JOHN HARMON.
[conunusd.l

except Hinkley and the ToTiRgiord Lano
Company, joined in contract with the same
Surveyor. (by their agent james Root, Esq
to survey the township into lots, as near as
might be half mile squares; conditioned how
ever, that the road lines bfore mentioned
should be established as lot lines, where, on
the easi part of the township, they were run
nearly on the direction Of with either Of the
four car dinal points Of the compass. The
survey occupied nearly the whole months Of
September and October, and few days in
November, for we had to take course and
distance to bearing trees at each corner Of
each lot, and return field Book and maps,*
and had but one assistant at time.
The assistants, as chain bearers and mark
iers, were Rodney Leonard. a kinsman Of
Mrs. John Blair Of Mantua, Gorham King,
of Charlestown, and Simeon Sheldon, Of
Mantua. We camped out in the woods, hav-
ing enc camp in the east part of The town. at
the crossing of the first little brook east Of
the corners, where is now Drakesburgh,a and
the other in the west part, on spring run
brook, about half mile north, and half a
mile west of the Centre.
At these camps we had comfortable quar-
ters, ond enjoyed them well, except when
annoyed by wild beasts, which was not Of
ten. We frequently saw them in day time
running from us, and one dark night one
that we took by his tread to be Bear, came
poking about our camp, east Of the Centre,
and awakened my companion, young Mr..
King, who shouted loudly, and awakened me
in time to hear the intruder gallop clumSily
off. Hickory nuts were very plenty that
year in the east and south parts, and chest
nuts in the west and north parts of the town.
Myslef and Mr.: Sheldon carried off two
horse loads of them to Mantua after the Sur
vsy was completed.
The circumstance of game being so plen-
ty there, we communicated to others, and
plan of hunt was made up, meeting was
held, the regulations agreed upon, and Off
GERS appointed, Of which Capt Delaun Mills,
of Nelson, was commander-in.c chief, and
Capt. Rufus Edwards, of Mantua, com.
mandant of one line. The lines were form
ed on the outside lines of the town, at an
hour agreed upon, in the morning, some
time early in December, 1918. There was
a thin coat of snow, but the weather was not
extremely cold. The ground appointed and
msrked for the closing battle ground was
the west part of lot 81, the south line half
mile northwest of the Centre, just where
our camp had been. 1t was an exciting
time that, when the trumpets sounded the
march, beginning at Capt Mills post, at the
northeast corner and passing around the
town twice; and it continued quite interest
ing all the wsy to the battle ground But
It was the most intensely so, when we met,
and the game-the Deer and Bears, were
seen constantly on the jump, accommodating
the lines. to find gap by which to escupe,
while the hunters cracked away at them,
some at random, ,and some to kill. l had the
extreme satisfaction then, of killing one
bear, and the only one I ever pointed gun ut.
AS Gen. Bierce says truly, 'tW Wenty.three
Bears, and thirty.sx Deer, were the trophies
OF that day. besides small game. I saw
them in two stacks as we proceeded to a
distribution. The poor innocent Deer, ex-
cited my sympathy; but / gloried in the
death Of the Bears. The Wolves we did
not find: end it was there reported that the
corner toward Ravenna had not been kept
closed, and that there, the Wolves and much
ether game escaped; which no doubt was
the case.
There was no settlement on the township
when we made the Survey But Harry
Paine and family, (not Charles II. Paine as
Gen. B. has it,) was at the house Of his ia
ther.in.law, Mr.. Elijah Mason, in Hiram,
preparing to make a settlement in North
Rootstown; and think he removed his fam.
lily on to lot Al in the spring of lSl9-cer.
tainly not in the spring of 1918.
Town 1, Range 7, in state Of nature,
appeared like all excellent township Of land,
both for soil and timber. There was pleas.
ing diversity of BOTH Every variety of tim
Der that grew anywhere in this region, and
both wet and dry, stoney and clayey land.
and every grade between.
The limestone had not then been found
but stone cool were believed to exist under
the chestnut ridges, in the north, and Mr..
Dyson, Of Hiram, or Gainesville, had open.
ed q thin vein Of coal on the north line ol
the town, near the north outlet of Centre
swamp.
Capt. Harry Paine, the first settler, d son
Sf Gen. Edward Paine, of Painesville, was
. most indefatigably Industrious and perse-
yering man. Gen. Paine was originally
from Tolland County, II believe from Tol
land) Connecticut, where probably, Harry
xss born. He removed to Painesville, di
rect from Cayuga County. New York, abou
1899. From Freedom, Harry removed te
Southern Michigan.
Thomas Johnston, the second settler, wal
xiso u man Of indomi.able industry and en-
ergy. By Birth. Irish, settled early In War
ren--removed thence to Hiram, before tn,
war Of lSl2-opened two farms in Hiram
and a large cae il FreedosA.
II. y I. r il IT, .ss.E & s Is