The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-03-06
..The Early nI.lory Of Freedom.
By JOHN HARMON.

lished history Of the Western Reserve" by
Gen. L. v. BERcE, ,und as the Gen. had pre-
viously sent me printed circular, request
ing aid in collecting materials for au authen-
tic history Of the Reserve, am induced to
offer my mite of aid through the medium of
your paper, hopeng thereby to interest or a.
muse some of your readers. The chapter
alluded to is headed FREEDOM, and purports
TO give a history of Freedom township, in
this county, to which, trust, / can add few
authentic particulars, and correct one or two
errors of that chapter.
FREEDoM TowKsH1P, PORTAGE COUNTY,
ONO, was not settled until after the settle
rnent in every adjoining township had con-
siderably advanced. The wild animals had
almost undisputed, undsturbed possession Of
it, until the year 1918. The proprietors of
the township held the land in common until
1917, which accounts for the lack of settle
tlement. In the spring uf 1877, James
Root, Esq, then Of Rootstown, in Portage
County, Agent, and son of Ephraim Root,
about one half Of the township, and Elipha-
let Austin, of Austinburgh, ,Ashtnbula Coun-
ty, as part owner, and Agent for sever al pro.
prietors, who were styled the Torringford
Land Company, Samuel Hinkley, of Mass,
and Thomas Bull, Of Connecticut, agreed to
petition the Court Of Common Pleas of Port
age County, for partition of all the land in
Township No. 4, Range Z. The proprie.
tors, by their agents, wishing to accomplish
the business amicaby, and in as short time
sas possible, agreed on a committee to make
the partition, consulted them personally and
engaged them to make exploration and de-
termine on the best manner of making divis-
ion of the township, previous to the session
ofthe Court at which the appointment would
be made. TX
The Committee agreed upon, were, Gen.
John Campbell, and Lucretius Bissell, Esq,
Of Charlestown, and John Harmon, of Man
tua, the last to be the Surveyor. According
ly, the Surveyor was directed to re-measure
the outlines Of the township, and set half
mile posts, marked and numbered, which he
proceeded to doom the first day Of May 1917.
There was then no settlement in the
township, nor within distance of abont one
mile Of it,on either side. There was indeed
about thirty thousand acres of dense unbro-
. hen wilderness then, in one body, in which
The bears, wolves, deer. and much other
game roamed almost unmolested. The Sur
yeyor took TO assist him, Alfred Blair, and
Russell Blair, young men, sons Of the late
Mr.. John Blaircf Mantua, andlef the set
t.ement at Judge Atwltcrs, in South east
art Of Muntua, from which it was one and
ahaH miles to the N. w. corner of what
was sometimes called North Rootstown. 1t
was q beautiful sunny day. We found the
corner post, on an eminencc overlooking the
t'uyahoga valley, an oak and chestnut ridge,
which, as we measured east, we found some
what stoney but rich soil. About three
iJurths OF mile east Of the corner, the
Surveyor, as he emerged from thicket on
u, small space too stony to bear bushes,
came suddenly into gang Of about fifty
snakes, whose noisy rattles warned him of
his danger. He beat quick retreat to- his
tssistante, and all were soon prepared with
supple poles, or long clubs, to make war on
The enemy. We soon succeeded in disabling
twenty-one, large yellow Rattle Snakes,and
cne common Black Snake, which we found
intheir company; but the rest escaped into
their holes among the rocks. The dead and
wounded were soon drawn up to a conven.
lent log, and beheaded with our hatchets.---
The circumstance was afterwards communi.
Gated to the brothers, Messrs. Reddens, who
lived then on the South road, from Mantua
10 CARROTS Mills, on, the West part of lot
s3, in Hiram, some two miles OF more from
the den; and they informed me at different
Times afterwards, of their feats in killing
, suakes at the same place, where they went
every spring, on the first warm sunny wea-
ther for that purpose. They told me of kill
ling at one time thirty seven snakes there;
nd in all, at several different yearly visits,
t'iat they killed more than one hundred Of
hem. They had a little spite tthe vermin,
|, suppose, for one Of Them, Mr.. Richard
iedden, had been bitten, and come nearby
ing with the bite, some years before @
After this feat Of snake killing 1--WE pushed
on, finish our work of measuring and ex-
ploration, and in three days got around the
township, to the corner we started from
having carefully re-measured the lines, and
erected posts at each half mile, without any
other remarkable occurrence. We put up
the first night at Mrs. Eleanor Garretts', the
nearest house 70 our work, where we were
we'll entertained for those times, by an intel
ligent host and family. There now islhe
village OF Garrettsyille. The second day,
we measured seven miles, and found ouf-
selves at night, not quite at the middle ofithe
south line. and had to grope our way QUITO
the neasest house by dim moonlight Capt.
Thaddeas Cdrtises, one milesintoS Charles
& town, where we found hospitable fare, IN a
good and kind family, all Of whom are, 4
beliegefnow deceased. ssss
y The committee soon after commenced
20. n