Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-07-13
History of Newburgh.

Your Committee appointed to gather statls-
tics of the early settlement of Newburgh town
ship. beg leave to report the following facts to
wit:
The first clearing in Newburgh township was
made by James Hamilton, in the summer oi
I7gs-he having came to this township IN 1880
as a chairman and marker to the first party oil
Surveyors sent to the Reserve by the Connecti-
Gu. Land Company. This clearing embraced
about Ten acres of land, and was made on the
north half of original Lot No. $50.
The first residents within the present limits
of the township were James Kingsbury from
New Hampshire, Elijah Guam from COnneeti-
cut, W. W. Williams and James Hamilton from
Massachusetts,, Ezekiel Hawley from Vermont,
John Craw and R. Edwards. These individuals,
with their families, became residents Of the
township in the year 1893. During the same
wear W. W. Williams erected at short distance
below the falls of Mil Greek, the first Touring
mill built within the township, which was also
the first on the Reserve. In the ensuing year
Williams also built a sawmill on the east bank
of Mill Creek, 4 few rods above the falls Of that
stream, which mill was also the iirst Of its kind
built on the Reserve.
As an in,ident worthy Of note in this connec-
ton, we mention the fact that one hundred
acres of land, being original Lot No. AGA, and
including these mill sites and that of the present
village of Newburgh, together with provisions
for himself and family for one year, and slOO
cash and all castings, DC, essential to the con-
structioa of these mills, were given to Williams
by the Connecticut Land Company, in cOnsid-
Grafton that he would Immediately construct
and put in operation these mills, thus forming
an inducement to emigrants TO become pur-
ehasers OF the lands Of the Company in the
vicinity Of these improvements. Among the
customers of the Newburgh Touring mill were
then numbered the inhabitants Of Cleveland,
Hudson, and towns adjacent.
The first white women residents Of the Re-
serve, were the wives of Elijah Gum and James
Eingsbury, who came TO Cleveland in 1887, and
removed within the present limits of Newburgh
in 1893; and from the circumstance Of being
the first lady residents of the Reserve, they each
received 4 grant from the Connecticut Land
Company Of one hundred acres of land, located
in the township Of Newburgh, being original
Lots Nos 457 and 433.
| The first school house within the present linn
It's of the township was built in 1901, on the
north half Of Lot No. 456, and few rods north
of the present residence Of AlonZo Carter.
The first store was kept by Erastus Miles
and was opened in 1910, in the building now
occupied as a store by E Miles and the frst
hotel was opened in 1909, by ETastus Miles, in
a small frame building standing upon the pre-
sent site Of the brick hotel now occupied by J.
Drum.
Prior to 1911, the settlements of Cleveland
Euclid and Newburgh constituted what was then
known as Cleveland township, and at every
township election a vote was had to determine
the place of holding elections for the ensuing
year In 1910 a very spirited contest arose IN
the township in regard to the place of holding
the elections for the coming year, whether al
Cleveland or Newburgh; the latter was the
place selected. We mention this circumstance
as an indication of the comparative population
Of the settlements at that time, and perhaps
also of the cause which accelerated the forma-
ton Of the settlement Of Newburgh into a
separate township in the year following.
The foregoing Is brief sketch from the his-
ltoIY OF the early settlement of our township,
which we have deemed autt4tt, Il tfR@ R@ st9 tE99EeGsfs
is respectfully submitted for your consideration
y.sT.s IgsTgs G.IlrToS' G,i4ET' Committee.
Newburgh, FEB. 10, 1858.