Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-06-18
History of Ashtabula Township.
Written in 1S5G-trom tile Times.
Ely the Late Rev. JOIFN HALL.


Samuel Beckwith, brother Of George
Beckwith, whom Col. Hubbard found
with the widow, in May, 1904, about
four months after Georges death settled
on the opposite side of the creek, where
he resided from 1904 to 1911. In the
latter part of his life, his constitution
was broken with hardships, and he suf
fered with vertigo, which would whrl
his head and wheel round his body, some
times, when he walked. He became al
so insane About the middle of October,
1918, while the leaves were still fresh
and green, there fell deep, damp, and
heavy snow, which loaded and broke the
tree tops and bent young trees of con-
siderable size to the ground, holding
them down until the snow rIelted.
While the saplings were thus bent,
Beck with took his axe and rope in his
hand and went into the woods, a short
distance east OF his house, tied one end
of the rope around his neck with hang
mans knot, and the other end fast to one
OF the bent saplings. He then struck be-
fore HIM and cut off the sapling with his
axe. The tree sprung up torcibly and
hanged HIM. When found, the staddle
was bent back again by his weight, and
his body was suspended with his knees
almost resting on the ground. Thus
these two strong, laborious pioneer broth
ers had their lives terminated by unnatu-
raj deaths.
Other persons, from time to time, have
perished by casualties and suicides, the
| record of whose tates will be interesting
to relatives and acquaintances surviving
still, who may live to read the torthcOm-
ing history OF this county, if not to gen
raj readers and strangers.
Next after the death of George Beck
with, was that of man by the name OF
Staudish, in the fall OF lS66. His death
was occasioned by his climbing tree in
pursuit Of a raccoon, upon the east bank
OF the creek, and falling from its top 10
the ground, at the bend OF the stream
once used tor boat landing, but now oc'
cupied by the ship yards. Hence it was
called "Standish Landing"
The disaster of the rocking over of the
superior" in 1916, merits more special
notice than it has in the section of navi
CATION. The launching, simply, was sue
cesstul, and was cheered with shouts ol
exultation and rejoicing, which were
soon to be turned TO wailings and heart
rending cries of distress. From among
the great multitude on the shore, collect
ed from several townships, large mum
Der of men, women, and children, and
even mothers with infants in their arms
were excited to rush on board the vessel
They were moved to run across the deck
back and forth from side to side, to rock
it violently. The vessel being without
ballast, and several sailors being aloft
high up the masts, the empty hull could
not balance the swinging and rocking
weight above. One rock too many
proved fatal The vessel was overset
and the tall masts came over and beat
the creek shore.
The mixed multitude OH board were
all precipitated into the water at once
Men and women were struggling, sink
ing, and gasping, presenting an appall
ing scene to the men on shore, who plung
ed in and drew the drowning ones ashore
and fastening back again and again te
rescue more, were well nigh drowned