The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1871-11-09
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CANTON.+

territory then belonged, was bounded on,
the north by North street, on the east by
East Alley, on the southI by South street,
and on the west by West Alley. Subse-
quently there was contentious about the
metes and bounds1o of lots, when Mr..
Wells, in 1928, had the plat recorded IN
the clerks Office in Canton, and by way OF
explanation, appended note OF which
the following is an abstract: "said propn-
etor did furthur declare, that in laying out
the said lots, in order to cover any mac
curacies which might be. made in meas
urements, the chain used was few inches
longer than the exact length of q common
surveyors chain, by which itappears that
there is an excess in the size of the lots
when they came to be subjected to strict
measurements, and lastly, the said propri-
etor does declare and make known, that
he relinquished all claims to said excess of
ground, and desired that it may be con-
sidered as the property Of the present
owners Of said lots respectively, and such
was his original intention in lay ingout said
lots" The southwest block of lots, were
donated for grave yard" the last block
on Tuscarawas street, south side, "for q
house of worship" and the block opposite,
"for an academy or public school" Nei-
ther of these lots are numbered in the
original plat.
The first building in Canton was on
Market street, cant side, between Fourth
and Fifth. 1t was a log cabin, about
eighteen feet square, erected in the fall of
1906, by Garret Crusen, for tavern. 1t
contained but one room, and had two
small shed additions one used as bed
room, and the other as a cellar and store
house. The large room was appropriated
for bar, kitchen, dining and setting room.
The following summer, james F. Leon
ard, who came into the county two years
previous, and was the first white settler
erected the brick house yet standing on
the southwest corner of Market and
Seventh, which was the first building of
that material IN the county. VanMeter's
saw mill was N operation on the west
branch Of Rimishillen, and furnished the
lumber for several frame buildings erec-
ted during this season.
About this time, the subject OF new
county was agitated, Osnaburgh,, i've
miles east, had previously been laid out
and had considerable the start of Canton.
There were with many serious objections
to Canton, because Of its location in the
"Plains"-the supposed scarcity of build
ing material, and the imaginary severity
of the cold winds. The rivalry between
the two towns waxed warm. James
Leeper, the proprietor of Osnaburgh, was
man of dissolute habits and lacked In
tegrity, while Mr.. Wells, proprietor of
Canton. had an unexceptionable reputa-
ton, and having been member of the
Convention that framed the first constitu-
tion of Ohio, gave him more than ordina-
ry amount of influence The circum-
stance, in connection with the fact that
he proposed donating to the county 100
lots, influenced the commissioners to To-
cate the county seat at Canton. . From
the sale of these lots, the county realized
about $4,000. t
The first settlers are from Pennsylvsnia
Virginia and Maryland. Among them
may be mentioned, James F. Leonard
Garret Crusen, John Bower, Abraham
Kroft, Philip and Jacob Slusser, Samuel
Coulter, Andrew Rappee, John Shorb
Moses Andrews, Philip Dewalt, Andrew
Johnson, John Webb, Jacob Bueher
Christian Palmer, George Cribs, Georg,
Dunbar, Jacob Rex, John Reed, Jehr
Sterling, George Stidger, John Harris
Jacob Rapp, James Hazlett, Adam Kim
mel, William Reynolds, Eli Sewers, Johr
Saxton, Roswell Mason, William Fogl'
and others.
The first store was opened in 1907, by
Abraman Kroft, IN a small building cor
ner of Market and Fifth streets. TIL,
goods were kept in back room, and Gus
toners had to pass through the front room
which was used in common, as q kitchen
dining and bed room. The stock wa.
wagoned from Pittsburgh, and comprised
only such articles as would be likely
needed in q new country. John Shorb
started the second store the same year, il
the brick house built by Mr.. Leonard
The following spring Mr.. Shorb removed
his store to building he had erected OF
the lot now occupied by the Eagle Block
The prices of staple articles at that TIM
were as follows: Salt So 81 per bushel
nails, 25 cents per pound, window glass,
K 10, 123 cents per light, coffee, so cent
per pound, iron, 20 cents per pound, sol
leather so cents q pound.
There were Indians about at that time
whose lodges were west Of the Tuscarawa
river. They made frequent visits among
our early>settlers, but were entirely harm
less in their intercourse, On the break
ing out of the war of 1872, they movet
their quarters to Sandusky.
A. posteofice was established IN Cantor
in 1908, and Samuel Coulter was appoIn
ted postmaster. The only mail received
was from the East, on horseback, once
week. After the organization of tn
county, court was first held at the Eagl
Tavern, (or Eagle block, kept by Phil
Dewalt. Next at the tavern of Samue
ColterTsign of the green tree, (Oberley's
The cellar was used as q Jall. From thi
place it was removed to Patten's Taverr
st. Cloud lot, and here continued until th
completion Of double log structure, col
ner Third and Market, erected especiall
for a court house and jail The north ha
had two cells for the confinement Of pris
oners, and the south half was in one ROOF
appropriated to holding courts. 1t cor
tinued here until the completion of th
brick court house in 1916. The logs
ture was retained as Jail until the ereC
ton Of the present edifce in 1881.
In 1884, canal was projected frol
Canton to Sandyville, connecting at ths
place with the Sandy and Beaver Cana
which terminated at Bolivar 1t va
chartered under the name of "Nimishi
len & Sandy Slack water Navigation Con
pany," and was regarded st the time,
great enterprise, affording as it woul'
water communications with Pittsburg
and Cleveland. Real estate, especial
water lots, changed hands at exorbitaI
prices. The canal commenced at IL
north end of Walnut street, which wa
excavated through its whole length an
down to the south creek, where the slac
water part commenced. The head feedt
was to be the middle branch of the MINI
shillen, tapped near Reeds bridge Th
year following, a financial crisis ounrru
the country, and work on the Sandy
Beaver was suspended. Stockholders
the side cut began to lose confidence i
the enterprise, and refused TO pay up in
stallments due; as consequence, furths
progress ceased and was not again rC
sumed. All traces of the canal are mo-
obliterated.
The first addition to the original plat ,
Canton was made by Henry Slusser i
1886. The next was in 1851 by Frederic
Young. h. H. Myers and d. Rafenspel
ger. Since that time there have bee
ffty-seven new additions accepted by IL
city council, twenty-eight of which wei
within the last two years, in all 2094 lot
besides other additions not yet accepte
The population Of the place in l74O, ",
2,136; in 1850. 2.740; in 1860, 4, ,442 ar