The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-01-12

LIN the History of the Early Days of Stark
County.
sNYDER's SCHOOL DISTRICT, LAKE TIP.
tContinued From Last Wfek)

SNl DEh = SUN bAol hANA3 LAM -
Joseph Smith, who died some years
ago, migrated from Pennsylvania aJan
early day and settled on the farm now
owned by his youngest son, AlIrtu; he
was WagOn-makeT by trade, and was
also the owner of a loom, and the noise
of the shuttle might have been heard
early and late, as the wOOlen and linen
warn spun by our mothers was woven
into cOVeTlets, blankets or the 'llnsey
goods, from which was made most OF the
clothing for old and young. MIR. Smith
was possessed of many sterling qualities
which made him valuable cltlzen, put
being man OF powerful build and
temper to suit, made him dangerous
man 10 attempt to impose upon, as at
least one of the "bullys" of the vicinity
found to his sorrow. of which more Will
be said i'll it's proper place. His children
were among the first to feel the necesSl-
ty of an education which cOmprehended
more than the simple rudiments.
Jacob Splitter, well known throughout
this section from his connection with
the EYerhard distillery has resided in
the neighbOrhOOd from an early date,
and was considered an expert in extract
ing from the mash-tub that seductive
finiu which gave To his employers estab-
lishment its great popularity. Mt, spit,
ler Was un several occasions elected
school director, and fully appreciated
the dignity and importance of the office,
frequently giving the school the beneht
of his personal supervision, and III con-
neetiOn with Jacob or commonly called
$40 Il" Fulmer, also a director at the
time, ruled out the new studies OF
S'krc mer'' and chugra"-grammar and
geOgraphy-jUst taken up by several of
the JdpilS as the most arrant nonsense
Having learned through the children
that the one study taught that the world
was round and propelled on the sides,
which heresy Mr.. Fulmer utterly eX-
tinguished by a speech in broken Eng
Iish, which was entirely conclusive and
exhausting, demonstrating with an APP
ple the absurdity of the theory and
showing to the satisfaction of all ~ that
if round the water would "all run off,
and ridiculing in language perfectly in
imitable the idea of people on the other
side were being with their heads down.
ward, asserting that the earth was fiat,
and as the cOlOred Rev. Jones. of ViT-
ginia, said that the "sun do move" The
result of it was that none of the valuable
time of the school was to be taken up
with such nonsense. So the teacher,
who failed to be convinced by Mr.. Full
mer's logic, was compelled to near the
reeltatiOns at such odd times as did not
interfere with his prescribed duties.
Notwithstanding the peculiar views held
by these men they were peacaDle cltl-
Zens and raised families, which certain
ly did no discTedit to their ancestors.
John, an eTratic son of Mr. Splitter, be-
came noted (D as lecvurer on his
fayOTite hobby "PhrenOlOgy."
The two Henry families, George and
StOfile, were also residents of the dis
triet. The former was an excellent
drummer and was very important per-
sOnage on mastering days. He married
a Mrs. CLAY, an English speaking lady,
She had several children by her first hus-
band, one of whOm-Leyi-served in
the Mexican war, and after returning
removed 10 Illinois. The family Of the
latter, StOtfle, inherited that dread dis
ease consumption, and thlrty-hye years
ago the writer beheld for the first time
with an awe indescribable, a corpse, that
of a daughter of Mr.. Henry who died of
that disease.
A few years ago the remains of another
daughter were disinteTTed from an old
graveyard i'll the neighbUrhOOd, and the
blaCn walnut coffin and the long silky
hair were found as perfect as at the time
of burial, nearly sixty years before.
The only other English speaking
families in the district were those Ot
JOhi. EssIg and David DOuds, both of
whom emigrated from Franklin county,
Pa, in 1885, settling and opening up
the land now owned by Jacob Carte and
upon which he now resides. Ihe log
houses built by them in the woods are
still standing; the one occupied as a
family residence. the old paint put on
the WainscOClng 40 years ago still re-
maiIing, and the other doing good SER
vice as a shop. -r
John Essig was German by birth, and
win mis- parents emlgrated to America
when a boy. lie did service in the war of
1S12;was mason by trade; hard work
Daie TlNr f.f
twelve healthy children, most Uf whom
are still livins. His wife was one of the
most estimable Christian women, 1t was
ever the good fortune of the writer to
know. She survived her husband many
years, retaining her faculties in re-
markable degree until the time OF her
death, which occurred at the age of
ninety three.
David DOuds was known as man of
great integrity of character. For many
years he followed school teaching dur
ing the winter, and wOOfcutting during
summer. Being unacquainted with the
GcrnIau, he was never employed as
teachei in the home district, but taught
repeatedly in the Kriechbaum, Moore,
HOII, Carper, Guinea Island, and at an
early day in the Wise district near
Middlebranch. 1t was while teaching
at the latter place that he had an eX-
perience with the scholars In the bar
ring out" which was then customary
about Christmas or New Years time.
There were attending school five sons of
a family by the name of Anderson, who
lived IN the log house subsequently Oc-
eupied by VIM. Smith, the tanner, for so
many years, great, strapping six-fOOters,
who were the Ting-leaders in most OF
the mischief in the neighbOrhOOd. These
fellows had planned "a barring out
and the securing of Christmas treat
On the arrival of the teacher, the door
and the windows, except one, through
which the scholars were admitted, ant
at which two of the oldest of the Ander
son boys stood guard, were found wei
secured. Taking in the situation, ant
hot liking the idea of being out
generated, he walked leisurely off int
the woods. This was new species o
tactics aud was watched with inteTes
from the windows. Having selected
billet of wood eight or ten inches il
diameter and six or eight feet long, II,
shOuldered it and started back tOwart
the school house, and when within abOu
thirty feet of the window guarded b.
the two AndersOns, he started on deat
run with the apparent intention o
m -