Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-07-16


In the year 1853, was published in the TrH
Democrat and Ohio Farmer, an article entitle,
"The First Settlement of ROckport, byJ. D
Taylor" The writer will take the liberty o
making extracts from that article, as he ha
neither time nor inclination to write an entir
history of Rockport at the present time.
I At the commencement Of the first seitlemen
Of Roekport, that part of the Western Reserv
Iying vest of the CuyahOga river Ras only sur
vevc1 ;n,,o mile squares Cleveland Township
held iurisd ;etion as Car as Black River, and tn
whole region from Cha "rIn River to Sandus
Ky was under the jurisdie, ION oil Ouyahogi
County.
In the year 1909 or 10, the Ohio = egislaturI
made an appropriation of money to open road
from Cleveland to the mouth of Huron Ri. -er
and appointed EbeneEer Merry, of Huron, Ma
thaniel DOan, of Euclid, and Lorenzo Carter,
of Cleveland, to superintend the opening of
said road. Until 1907 there were no white in
habitants residing between Cleveland and Huron
River, consequently the road ran through an
unbrOken wilderness, with the exception of one
family at the mouth of Rocky River, one at the
mouth of Black River, John S. Reid,) and one
at the mouth of Vermillion River.
This was the only road west from Cleveland
until 1914 or Is.
John Harberson, an Irish refugee, with Lis
family. were doubtless the first white inhabit-
ants of Rockport-he having settled on the
" in the year 1907, remained till 1910, and
moved to Huron, where some of his family now
reside.
In 1906, PhilO Taylor, the writer's father, re-
moved from the State Of New York and settled
in Cleveland In 1907, Harmon Garfield and
Elisha WhittIesey, Us agents and owners of land
in RockPort, entered into verbal agreement
with him to settle in RockpOrt, giving him his
choice in location On the 10th of April, lsOs,
my father, according to previous agreement with
Garfield and WhittIesey, landed with his family
from an open boat at the mouth of Rocky Riv-
er, and located on the east side, nearly opposite
where Silverthorn's tavern now stands.
In 1909, Harmon Caniield informed him that
he could not have the land whereOn he had To-
Gated, as he was going to lay out city there,
and must take some other lot. The consequence
was, that he sold out his improvements to Dan
iel Miner cursed the mouth Of Rocky River,
bought land on the Lake shore in Dover, and
kept tavern there during the last war with Eng
land.
In 1909, Daniel Miner, from Homel, in the
State of New York, settled in ROckport, bought
the " Mill Lot" commenced building a mill in
lsI2-died in February, 1918, before the mill
was completed.
George Peak, who was a soldier under Gene
raj Wolf at the taking Of Quebec, came to
Rockport with his family of mulattoes in 1903,
and settled on the farm now owned by John
Barnum, Esq.
In 1911, Datus Kelley, Dr. John Turner and
jeremiah Van Scooter settled in ROckport-Ds-
tus Kelley on the farm now owned by George
B Merwin, Doet. Turner on the farm now own
ed by Gov. Wood. Soon after DOct. Turner'S
settlement in the township, his log cabin, to-
gether with his children and all his effects, were
consumed by fire, while himself and wife were
absent in the woods gathering hickorynnts he
Immediately left, settled in Dover, where be was
for many years a successful practitioner, and is
now a resident Of Wisconsin. jeremiah Van
Scooter settled on "a Van Scooter Bottoms" now
owned by Heman Bamum. If living, he now
resides in Huron county.
In June, 1912, Nathan Alger, his sons, Henry
Alger, Nathan Alger, Jr., and Heman Alger, to-
gether with his sons-in-law, John Kidney and
Benjamin Robinson, settled in Rock port, from
Litchfield county, Connecticut, (BeDjamin Rob
inson from Vermont.) Nathan Alger Sr, died
Jan. 81, 1918, which was the first death in
the townships -
Samuel Dean, with his sons, Chester, Joseph
and Aaron W, settled in the township in 1914
Samuel Dean died April Goth, 1910, aged s5.
Among his numerous descendants and friends,
his memory will long be cherished for bis ma
ny Christian virtues Chester Dean died some
twenty years sgo-Iived an honest man, and
died without an enemy, aJoe " Dean resides
in Iowa. We may have occasion to say some
thing more about Joe in another place before
this sketch is finished. Aaron W. Dean is yet
a resident Of the township.
About the year 1915, Rufus Wright, John
James, Charles Miles, Josephus Sizer and Hen
~ Clark settled in ROckPort, on the west side
Of the river, near the Lake. From 1915 TO
1920, Rufus Wright, Henry Clark and John
James kept tavern sueeessiyely at the mouth Of
Rocky River, on the west side. For period
of forty-three years past, there never has been
day, Sundays not excepted, but loafer might
| get drunk at the mouth Of Rocky River. The
only change made has been for the worse, for
forty years ago he (the lOafer) could get good
whisky; now it is bad
The first township election was held at the
house of Rufus Wight, on tie first Monday in
April, 1919. Charles Miles being nominated,
was chosen chairman; Asahel Porter and Da-
tus Kelley, judges Of election. The slection
resulted in the election of Henry Alger, Rufus
Wright and Erastus Johnston for trustees !;
Henry J. Garfield eIerk James NioholEon and
Samuel Dean, for overseers Of poor; Benjamin
Robinson and Joseph Dean, fence viewers; Jo-
seph Dean, lister.
The first justice election was held at Rufus
Wnght's. on the cath day OF June. 1873, and
resulted in the election of Charles Miles
At the first State ELECTION, in 1919, thirteen