The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-08-03
nsHzsToRY. OF RAvHNNAs As"aJ 3
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From the Unpublished History or the
Western ResefVesy by Cen. L.. ".
BleEce, of. Akron. sess.:ssa ed .sgsff I'm

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The first grist mill in the tewnships aad the sec-
ond in the county, was small lone horse con-
cern," on a branch of the Mahoning, two miles
east of Rayenna; known in later years, as ..Stod-
dardss Miiis Thfs was Built BY Aiexander Waiker
in 1906 and Would grind the gain, but had bolt
sieye had to supply the place of q botipg chest
Two years previous grfst mill had been erected at
s'the Cuyahoga Rapids,n IN what is now Hiram
These two mills all there were In the territory
since called Portage county. On reHsctioneI think
there other small concern, put up by Ezra
Wyatt and Aaron Norton, 0Enker's creek, in
the northeast corner of Hudson, iu, 1s0l; but it
could not have been in operation in 1906, as the
people of Hudson came to Walkers Mill for flour
and meal. What remainedsef thssmill on Tinker's
creek, was burnt by the Indians in think lsll :.
as they thought the pale faces were encroaching
on their lands. William, Stoddard and Frederick
wadsworth, who owned the mill after Walker, are
both dead. sStoddard died in Grand Rapids, Mictf-
gan, and Wadsworth in California. Both were, in
some respects. .i,rcmafkabl menu Stodd6rd was,
or many ysaEs, Justice Of the Peace for Raxennas
which Office he held not for honor or profit bat to-
enable him to act as peace maker'' among his
neighbors. If person came in q passion and wan
ted writ, the Squire would tell him he could not
have one until ne got cool and good natured. and
he had seen his antagonist. Then he would com
mence mediation, Gstoi sJoiht High Commission-
frequently Spending a.whole day in bringing about
amIcable settlement. which he almost inyaria-
bly, did, and thus preserving the peace and harmo-
ny of the township. ss''''s Ee2s iti's Dig neoa
Mr.. Wadsworth was som of General Elijah
WadsYorth, of Ganfeld. Mahoning countY,f BE
cameto Rayenna in 1s08; was fine scholar. and.
in manners, gentleman. Being a splendid pen-
company of volunteers, In 1912. This threw him
into company where drinking was the rule, and
temperance. the exception He became very IN
tempelats-to an appearances hopelessly soluntfp
somewhere about 1880 he made firm resolve to
never again taste anything that wodld intoxicste.
To this resolution he adhered for thirty years.
to the time of his DEATH. He would not taste beer
cider or wine; and If he wanted drink Of water,
and the tumbler had any smell of liquor about it,
he would not drink ont of IT. He said he could not
conscisntiopsly Join church as long as they used
Sheriff of the county, and term as Mayor OF
Akron.
by the report that John Mchianus step-son ofJShf
Wards andswhe came 70 Rsvennawiih him I'M lsOa
had numbered his wife by beating her with boot
jack, and kicking her. At the October term Of the
Court o. Common Pleas, 1913 he was indicted By
of the value of ten Cents, called q boot jack"
The second count charged him with numbering
her "by beating and kicking herewith a certain
boot, made oflcather, which he wore on his right
foot, and leg.f 5es.t e.fa@HlE H4Y
his plea was ''Not gnilty and for good and for
evil he puts himself on God and the country"
1t was proven, on the trial, that he cruelty beat
her with aabeotijack. and kicked her; but it APP
pearing, ehewas yery sick with puerpsral
ievet. having been confined in child birth short
time before, doubt was raised whether she died
of the blows or the fever, and he was acquitted
On his acquittal, McManus enlisted in the North :
western army izhis subsequent history ,ts nncer-
tain. 1t is said that on his discharge he started
for home. taking a path for old Portage-but was
overtaken by some Indians, and killed in retalia-
tion for his murder of Spotted John, an Indian, in
1900, at the Salt works, In TruInbull county.
Col Campbell. in 1912. had moved into the vii
lage, and kept tavern on the southeast corner
of the public square, and Levi SutlR from Charles
town. had moved into the house vacated by Camp
there; The same year Col M. Mason started tavern
old 0loOe tavern stood. 4 he old building is get
standing south of the Town Hall, having been re-
moved several years since to make room for the
sPrentiss House.a' -9'E-