Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-04-01

OOUnLV.
retained the name d Greene, until
March, 1870, when Kirsman was set of.
and in the following simmer, GustaYus
was organized into township by itself.
which left this township remaining by
its original name-Gre,ne whereupon
the County Commissioners ordered an
election for township officers, to be
held on the 4ih dal of September,
1920. At this election. Ephraim Kee,
John Harrington and Roswell Bartlett,
were chosen Trustees, and Ebenezer
Kee, Township Clerk. This town meet
ing was held at VIM. Harrington's
house. Roswell Bartlett was elected
the first Justice of the Peace. His
commission bore date Msy Goth, 1922.
The second Justice was Noah Coleman.
His commission was htel June 2Sth,
1923. He served six or seven terms
in all. Others were elected as circum.
stances required.
MILLS.
One Of the most serious difficulties in
settling all new countries,is the want
Of Mills and Stores. The after can be
dispensed with better thar the former.
But people cannot do l0g without
either. The nearest nils were at
Kinsman, Johnston and Bristol-all
upon small streams, which entirely
failed in dry seasons, and hen we had
to go to Pennsylvania, Mrren, Park
man, aud sometimes to tie Falls west
of Parkman. At this esly day, our
roads were only blazed tres, with the
logs cut off and turned arand, and the
mud up to the horses knes.
Our nearest store was in Kinsman,
kept by John Andrews. Salt sold the
first year or two, at Sl4 o15 per barrel,
and corn at 25c per buskl, and wheat
at 40(G50e per bushel, ad they would
not take it at the store,even at that.
Upon this subject, Captin John Har-
rington remarks as follrs: "Some of
the first settlers. this yer (1S20), had
considerable grain to pare, but it
could not be sold for cash ct any price.
Wheat would only feto, three York
shillings a bushel, at anyof the stores
in dry goods. Not an uDce Of tea
could be got for anything but cash.
Our roads, at this time, ysre in terri
BILE condition. They nd been trod
enough to make them mddy, and we
thought it cost US much more to get
our grain ground than was worth.
We often had to go to Warren, with
oxen and cart, through md and rough
r6ads." In order to reredy this evil
(the want Of mills), Dsid Rice and
Nosh Bowen, with the ID of the in
habitants, determined t,build a grist
mill upon the Musquil creek. Ac-
cordingly, they commaced one in
1921, and succeeded thenext year in
getting it to running. he same year,
Samuel Hsyford built a iw mill upon
the lot south of where i. P. Higgins
now lives, and in 1924, n. David Rice
and Noah Bowen put p saw mill,
near their grist mill. a 1926, John
II. Justin and E. Perks built a saw
mill in the north part othe township.
In 1880, l. Merritt anc Ephrsim Kee
put up { saw mill uponiheir farm. In
1910, J. G.. Evens an S. Forward
erected a saw mill and rist mill also,
about the same time, Jim Pettis built
a saw mill upon the hsquito Creek,
in the south part ofthe township.
These mills were all I a temporary
character, but suppliedhe inhabitants
until others of q more urable and bet
ter quality were built. We now have
one grist mill and thr. saw mills run
ming by steam.
POST ROADS, AND lsT OFFICE.
When this townshipegan to be set
tied, the country waigenerslly new,
and post routes were Nv and far be-
tween. There was no ost Office acces-
sable nearer than sKiIman and War
rem; consequently, allur mail matter
had to be transmitted through these
Offices.
In 1898, the only mil route in the
north half of this count, left Jefferson,
then passed by Austipurgh, Morgan,
Rome, Windsor, Mesoptamia, Bloom
field to Warren; from hence to Vien-
na, Hartford, Vernon, ,Ainsman, And
over and Pierpont, to efferson. This
circuitous route was piformed once
week, and upon HORSEBACK, thus leay-
ing the second and bird ranges of
townships totally unsnplied.
In 1924. through thinhuence of NJ.
Churchill and others,a petition was
sent to the Post Office Department.. re-
questing a post route,t be established.
commencing at WarrIn, and passing
through Bazetts, Meca, Greene, Cole
brook (then called Phlpstownl, New
Lyme (Lebanonl, Lenk, to Jefferson,
and returning by Milford lnoE Dor
setl, Cherry Valley, Wyne, Gustavus,
Johnston and Fowler, Warren, once
a week. This petitionwas granted in
1925, and the route Eer into operation
January. 1926. This township then
contained about thirtyeven families;
now it has about two hndred aud ten.
Caleb Leonard, of hzetta, was the
first contractor, and carried this mail,
once a week, on foot, fr two years, at
seventy-fve dollars perTear. Captain
Harrington, informs US, that itproved
too hard for him. Tb fatigue, and
hard colds, brought on consumption,
of which he died" his office was
named Greensburgh, and Major
Churchill appointed Pot Master, who
retained the Office eighteen years, to
January lst, 1874. TIen George P.
I Curtis received tae appointment, and
held the Office a few yeas, when Daniel
G. Andrews was appointed, and held
the Office three years, al which time G.
P. Curtis was re-sppoilted, and held
the Office up to 1861, being, in all, four
teen years. During all this time, thir-
ty-fve years, the Office was kept on the
east side of MusquIto Creek. In 1861,
the Office was removed west of the
creek, and R. R. Bsscom appointed
Post Master. In 1866, the Office was
removed back to the east side of the
Creek, and G.. W. Harrington received d
the appointment of Post Master.
In 1882 this route was divided; ours
to pass from Warren to Jefferson and
back, once a week, and the other
through the second range, and back
In 1882, our mail was ordered to be
carried three times week, each way.
| At the time the route was established,
the postage on single letters was 6, 10,
l23, lSa and 25 cents. varying accord.
ing to distance. In 1852, the postage
was reduced to and 10 cents; and
July 1st, 1858 the present uniform rate
of three cents, for less than 5000 miles,
was adopted. During the first year,
1926, only Sc letters were received at
this Office. Four 'yesrs later, 1880, 102
letters, and l6 newspapers. In 1910,
the letters received were 391. In 1860
the letters received, hsd increased,
under the new postage law, to 3,l54.
The number now, (lS67l ranges be-
tween 5000 and 5000.
The receipts' of the Office, after de-
Quoting the Post Masters fees. were