Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-03-13
Burgh-HIn Letter.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.

We send o the history Of our first set
Element as VIC got it from Thomas Giddings
g abort time before his death, and now get
it from Mrs. Coe daughter Of Gen.
Smith,, then about twelve years of age.
1t was in the spring Of 1898 that General
Martin Smith, of Connecticut, started for
the Western Reserve, having in his en-
ploy Aaron Brockway and his wife, and
Thomas Giddings. At the mouth of the
Beaver River, on the Ohio, he purchased
q canoe, two barrels of -four, and one of
pork, and assembled the Beaver, and so on
up the Pymateuning creek to near the
centre of Vernon. He put up q little cab
in not far from the present burylng-
ground, cleared off q little piece and sowed
it 10 wheat. Mr.. Giddings says that Mr..
Brockway and wife came with an OK team,
while Mrs. Coe 1.-THE best living authority
says "Mrs. Brockway came with her faith
er in the canoe-") Mr.. Giddings says
''the canoe was taken out OF the Creek a
number of times, in order to get around
the food wood" In 1893 Mr.. Smith came
with his family in a two horse wagon.
His goods were in an OK wagon. At
Youngstown they stopped with Mr.. Young,
and at Vienna with Capt. Flowers. Mr..
Smith, Joseph DeWolf, and two others
cut the road for the first team that ever
came through from Vienna to Vernon
1t t-ok then two DAYS. Mr.. Smiths boz,
who drove the cows, got lost, but by fol-
lowing the COWS they led him back TO
Capt. Flowers. The boy said that he
would have lived on milk, bad he not
have found his way out. Mrs. Smith was
10 doubt glad to find q stopping place;
and Mrs. Brockway must have been over
joyed, not having seen q white woman for
nearly one year. Mr.. Smith with his
lady to aid him in his judgment, and his
compass 10 keep him from getting lost,
went through the woods in search of a
home, which they made just about where
their son Havilah now lives. In 1900
Joseph DeWolf and Thomas Giddings
came with their families, also Ambrose
and Warren Palmer, AbDer Moses and
Obed Crosby. In 1901 Obed Crosby came
with his family, also Timothy Crosby,
Aaron Bates and Thomas Ford. Mrs.
Moses died on the way at Sliding Hill
Obed Crosby lost an OK, and made q COW
take its place in the yoke. May not this
have given rise to all the stories about
these men working cows on their way
from old Connecticut to this place? Mr..
OANhAnk says O4d4u Hhb al o hAA0CA
ness. In and about Youngstown were
Mr.. Tidd, Hillman and two others. MIR.
Young was there but not with his family.
After the date QS0I) the settlement was
more rapid" The present generation can
hardly conceive the amount of toll and
~privation endured by these first settlers
1t took them six or seven weeks to make
the journey. Then to get goods OF pro-
visions they must go all the way to Beaver,
without bridges, or seeing many cabins,
following much of the way meIe marks
made on the trees with an axe. Some
boiled wheat for food, but it made q poor
dish. Most families made 8 mortar in the
top OF g stump, and with a pestle and
spring pole, pounded their grain into m
thing of which they made food. The woods
were full of wild beasts and poisonous
reptiles, which were sometimes disposed to
be troublesome and fight. Mr.. Giddings
says: 81 had two combats with the bears,
fighting them with clubs. In one of these
l got three cubs for pets" A wounded
deer made at Mr.. DeWolf, of which Mr.
Giddings says: she got away from the
with torn clothes and skin too, bleed
ing profusely." The rattle. snakes were
and to be feared. Many were Bit
ten by them. MI. Yetman was killed by
that bit him, while getting cucumbers
from the vines. Seventy of these large,
u~gly-looking things were killed in
day. Mrs. Obed Crosby run onto one
the path at night, while on the way for
q bucket of water, and would no doubt
have been bitten had it not been for the
skirt of her dress. The wolves would
make the woods resound with their hide
howl at night. Neighbors were few
and far between, but much appreciated.
The first frame building in Vernon was a
barn for General Smith. Seven men, FIVE
boys and three women put 1t up. Samuel
WAS present from Vienna. All
he men In Vernon went once to Gustavus
help at q raising. When Mr.. John
.insman, in 1902, was building a saw.
mill, not far from the present Kinsmsn
having twenty man at work. he
anne to Mrs. Smith to get his bread baked.
Mrs. Coe says that her mother undertook
he task, and that al was done in a COM
non cast iron bake-kettle, and that Mr..
Kinsman came after 1t, once at least, with
IN OF, and that the bread was carried on
he back of the OK. Mr.. Alvan Hayes
who is pretty good authority says 'as he
las sometimes heard the story told, Mr..
Kinsman rode on the OK too" As 1 write
bout these things 1 am led to ask the
Will We, their sons, let the
lanes of these worthy men and women,
Tho have done so much for US, perish for
he want of q little interest in writing
heir history? L hope not. D. K.