The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-01-14
[PUBDIsHDD BY REQUEST.
Early History of Auburn.

y
A sketch of the early history OF the
Geauga, and State of Ohio. written by
WM. CRAFTS, giving sketch OF his
journey here from the State OF New
YOrk, his purchase. his return home
in October, 1915 also his journey and
arrival here with his family the fell
lowing spring, of the year 1916; also
something of his pioneer life after ar
irving here, which is as follows:
I, VIM. Crafts, started on foot, with
my pack OH my back, from the town
of Gorham, county of Ontario, and
State of New York. on Tuesday, the
first day of August, 1915, for the new
Connecticut Western Reserve, in the
State of Ohio. for the purpose of buy
ing a piece OF wild land to clear up
and make me home. Travelled west
to Buffalo. There l saw some of the
effects of the war of 1872, the enemy
having burnt the place. Some of the
chimneys of the houses yet remained
standing, and Buffalo looked small
and rather deso.ate; so l passed on,
more of less on the beach of Lake
Erie, for % miles then, done with the
Lake, came on to Erie, Pa. ;next came
to the town of Conneaut, Ashtabula
county, Ohio; from there came to
Esq. Jesse Ladd's in the town of Mad
ison, then Geauga County. now Lake.
Mr.. Ladd then kept tavern. I found
him and his family to be very good,
kind people, and, I, being rather un-
well, put up with him. Was there,
on and off for aboattwo weeks. Went
as far west as Chagrin, now Willough-
by; came back and looked up land in
Madison; did not get suited; wild
land was held, off of the Ridge Road
in Madison, at about four dollars per
acre, and, as had not much to buy
with, made up my mind to 60 south ;
consequently, as Mr.. Ladd was going
to Painesville, ten miles, he carried
me there with him. Then 1 took the
road for Chardon, our noble County
Seat. Found, think, not more than
two or three houses on the way after
l left the old Warren road. Arrived
at Chardon about four O'Clock in the
afternoon The dwelling houses and
Court house were all composed of logs
at that time. Captain Edward Paine
and others were there, standing about
tho well, and inquired how far it
was to the next house south, on the
newly cut out State road. They said
it was six miles to Judge Stones; that
1 could travel the new road through
Munson on foot, or ride through on
horseback, but teams did not pass.
Accordingly ] left and pursued my
journey, and reached Judge Stones a
little before sun-down, and glad was
l, for it seemed q long ways for me to
travel without passing house, and so
near night that did not know but
should have to stay in tho woods. l
stayed with Mr.. Stone over night ;
found him to be a really friendly, in
tslligent man, as he always has been
ever since. .. .......... .......l.
The next morning I left, and pur-
sued my journey south. The first
house came to was Samuel Barker's !;
the next was Lemuel Punderson's
grist mill aud mill house for the miller
to live in, that tended the mill the
next was Lemucl Punderson's dwell
ing house; the next was Joshua M.
Burnett's; the next was Mr.. Goes,
near certain brook. He was a cloth
dresser; had done q small business
there. but did not follow it. The next
was Benager Bradley's on the south
side OF said brook. He was a turner,
chair and wheel maker. The next was
Bildad Bradiey's. He had sold out to
Joshua M Burnett, and had gone
about 20 or 30 rods farther south on
the south line of Newberry, and had
built on the then new State Road in
the then new township No. 6, in the
eighth range of townships, now Au-
burn, and was the first settler in town.
Now we will date September the
first, 1915. The next was the body of
house raised by Mr.. John Jackson,
which stood little south of where
Gilbert Richards now lives, and on
the same side of the road. lie iJack-
son) and Zadock Reuwee had been in
and bought, and had gone back to
Massachusetts, for their families, and
were going TO move on that same fall.
The next house on the road was Priest
Jones, beyond Mantua Corners. There
was no building at the Corners at that
time. So it appears that in travelling
from Chardon to Mr.. Jones, in Man
tua, Portage county, distance of Is
or l9 miles, found but 8 houses on
the road, including Judge Stones, and
the distance from Bradley's to Jones'
was nearly eight miles without a
house.
Now, as l am through with this de-
scription OF this long streak of travel,
and so few houses, aud the distance
between them, l must go back aud
pursue my journey, in order to obtain
the object of my pursuit, which was
to buy land, and, as l travelled along
through this new town. by where
Jnckson had raised his house, as above
stated, | found myself in an extensive
windfall, in which grew solid mass
of blackberry briers, very high, and
so thick that it seemed as if a wild an
imal could not get through them, and
they hung very full of berries, SO that
it was fine picking, but l did not like
to buy in the windfall, so l went on
about one-third of the way across the
town, and came into timbered land l
travelled across the next, or middle
third of the town, in going south, and
liked the land all the way very much.
The nice little streams of living water,
the excellent and great amount of rail
and saw timber, and the handsome
face and laying OF the land, all COM
bined, pleased me very much. The
last third of the town liked tolerably y
we'll, but not so we'll as the middle on
all accounts. Sod passed on to Man
tua Corners, and took the Center road
and went east to Captain Bosworth's,
and put up for the night. l made in
quiry of the Captain who owned this
land had passed through in this new
town back in Geauga County, and
whether it was for sale, and he direct
ed me to go and see Judge Amzi At
water, of Mantua, for information
and, accordingly did the next morn
ing. He directed ME back to Lemuel
Punderson, in Newberry; thought he
could tell me all about it, and perhaps
| had the agency of it. So l returned
| back found such to be the fact. Mr.
| Punderson had the agency of selling
this very land that liked SO well. He
went and showed me the land, shove ed
me the bounds. This tract extended
from north to south, across the center