The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-08-23

AS this popular resort has changed
proprietorship, and the name is likely
to follow suit, its past history will fur
nish an interesting column.
This sheet Of water undoubtedly had
a name by which it was known among
the aboriginal settlers, as it was a place
they were in the habit of frequenting,
but this name has not been handed
down. BazaIeel Wells purchased the
property Of the General Government in
1905, when it took the name Of Weiss
Lake. This name it retained about
fifteen years, and it was during this
period that the only case of drowning
occurred in it's known history, notwitfr
standing the thousands that have
sported in its waters. The accident
occurred in this way. On a Sabbath
day in the summer of 1916 company
of boys and men from the neighbOr-
hood were collected on the promonitory
Immediately above where the stone
house now stands. Among them was
Robert Steward, a young man from
Pennsylvania, visiting relatives i'll Stark
county. There was canoe on the op-
posite shore of the lake which some of
the parties were anxious to obtain. 1t
was proposed that some one swim
across and bring it over. Steward
claimed to be an expert swimmer, and
proposed to swim across and return
with the canoe. With manifest conf
dence he plunged in and bore himself
along with apparent ease until more
chan halfway across, when he was Oh
served to struggle ana throw out his
arms, then sink and not again appear.
The opinion was that he was taken
with cramps. When the body was re-
covered it was buried upon the bluff.
which atterward took the name OF
Dead Mans Point" The property was
purchased Of Wells by Andrew Meyer,
ST.. in 1877, for $1,000 III snYer. Mr.
Meyer came from Germany when a
young mau, seJtled i'll Baltimore, and
was engaged in commercial business
when the second war with England
broke out. He was a man Of education
and of active habits, couI speak both
French and German as well as English
had business tact and succeeded in &C.
cumulutiug considerable wealth. He
came 10 Canton in 1916 with piles Of
coin, and as there Were no safes IN
those days he was much embarrassed
for places to conceal his bags Of money.
Immediately following the war society
became somewhat unsettled, and this
circumstance influenced him to invest
his money in the lake property. Soon
after the purchase he built dwelling
house where the brick now stands and
there he resided several years when he
removed 20 town and engaged III the
mercantile business.
The south side OF the lake, that near
est town now called Lake Park was
The only part frequented by pcnlckers
IN early days, There was gate near
the house which opened into a winding
road that leads to the lake shore near
where the roller coaster is located. At
this place conveyances were usually
left. ard the company with their bas-
kets of refreshments repaired 10 Dead
Mans Point" and enjoyed their several
hours of sport. A scOw large enough
to accommodate five or six couples was
always at hand, and to get possession
of this craft and fill it with lively com
pany afforded lots ofsport. The writer
has distinct recollection of several
gentlemen consplring together to start
the boat to rocking create a panic
among the girls-have them spring
from one side to the other until the
boat dipped and sank, when each gen
tleman eOjoyed the pleasure of rescu-
ing the girl he loved best-bearing her
in his arms to the shore. 1t seemed
dangerous, but there was pleasure in it.
4 couple who participated in that oc
casiOn celebrated their golden wedding
short time since. On the death of
Andrew Meyer, Sr., in 1S4S, a division
of the real estate followed. The lake
property fell to two of tile sODs-Joseph
and Francis. AS the lake had never
been source of revenue to the owner,
but rather ait annoyance and damage
by persons trespassing upon the
grounds, iDgress from the south was
debarred. As the north side was con
sidered too far from town, for num-
Der of years the lake seemed almost en-
tirely abandoned as place for picnics.
After the war, when pleasure as well
as business took a new impetus, Frank
opened a road through the woods on
tile north side, erected several build
ings when society began going there.
Wnen Frank, the grandson of The head
of the family, erected the building, now
leased by Bayliss, the patronage in
creased. Meanwhile a son of Joseph
Meyer opened and improved the south
side, and it soon became place of re-
sort. AT the present time both sides
are well patrODized, parties coming
from all the towns round, many stop,
ping for weeks. For an account of the
wonderful supply of fish caught by the
Isaac Waltons of early days, their size
and variety, we would refer the curious
to Jerry Lind, who is the best posted
man in the city in this department of
knowledge, as well as of the fowls kill
ed by the pioneer hunters, embracing
wild geese, ducks, cranes, pelicans,
swans and such like. Myers Lake-was
a favorite resting place for migrating
fowls in their passage from the upper
lakes to the gulf. To avoid the changes
incident to humanity, we would sug-
gest to the present owner of the lake
that in deciding upon a new name he
should select one that will not be chang
ed with the ownership of the property.
l.. 5.