Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-04-16
History Of Ashtabula Township.
Written IN 1S56-.tTua tile Times.
by the Late Rev. JOHN HALL.
ASHTABULA HARBOR.

| tiAkBOh.
General Gideon Granger, proprietor of
the northeastern section of this town
ship, and Matthew Hubbard, Esq, agent
of Nehemiah Hubbard, ESQ.,, proprietor
of the lands about the Ashtabula, gave
early attention to the subject OF con-
structing harbor and town, to promote
the general interests of commerce, as
well as to enhance the value of their
lands lying along the lake and in the
back country.
General Granger's plan was to build q
| fine commercial town and harbor on
his land at the south shore of the lake,
below the present harbor, and connect
them with his township and contemplated
county town, of Jefferson, by a good
road. After considerable expense in
making examinations, surveys, measuring
Of distances, sonndings, attitudes, &c,
this plan was abandoned.
MIR. Hubbard, Mr.. Hall Smith, Mr..
Amos Fisk, MIR. IL. j. Rees, Capt. H..
Wilcox, Thomas Smith, Esq, and many
other business men and their fellow citi-
zens, realizing the disadvantages to COM
merce, interposed by the impertection OF
the natural harbor, at the mouth of the
Ashtabula, after suspension of the sub
ject for twenty years, resolved on renew
ed efforts for the construction of an arti-
fetal -harbor.
1t is no disparagement to others to say
| that, from his prominent and advanta-
geous position as a business man, with
his innate public spirit, Col. Nj. Hub
bard Was enabled and disposed to be a
distinguished patron and promoter of
this important enterprise. He was the
earliest permanent settler in Ashtabula,
and the first man OF business. His
thoughts were first turned to this sub
ject, while the thoughts and energies of
his fellow pioneers were necessarily en-
gagged i'll the acquisition of sustenance
for themselves and families, and could
not, if disposed, bestow attention or ex-
pense upon such an enterprise. Hence
he was foremost in the incipient meas
ures necessary eventually to enlist the
minds of individuals and of the public,
and finally to engage the government, in
favor of this important object. In the
preliminary measures which are SO well
detailed by Col Hubbard himself, as to
preclude the necessity of repetition or
enlargement here, be subjected himself
to the labors and expenses, without,
the valuable result realizedina harbor
which has proved so extensively useful
in promoting the commercial interests
of Ashtabula aud the back country,
from A. ID. 1928 to the present time, 4. e.,
for twenty-eight years, couldnot have
been realized.
Col. Hubbard should not be forgotten
in connection with this and many other
benefactions bestowed on the citizens of
Ashtabula, the fruits of his benefcence
and public spirit, although in his old age
he is Withdrawn from public life into the
shades of retirement. Let the heartfelt
gratitude of the present and succeeding
generations follow him and his coadju-
tors.
There have been greater quantities of
lumber and other country productions
shipped from this port, it is believed,
than from any of the intermediate ports
between the cities, in the north of Ohio.
There is still much of this business done
and considerable amounts OF merchandise
from the east, and country produce from
the west to supply the dairy districts at
the south, are received at this port.
The railroad, however, diminishes the