The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-06-05
A Brief Sketch Of History and Growth
with Notes Of its Present Appear
ance and Prospective Develop
ment.
10 Social features shown sy III
( Churches, Societies md Schools
It's Trade Advantages illustrate
ed by Sketches Of some OF
it's Leading Business In
terests, and the men
who Control
Them.

las written by J. B. Phillips. Caldwell, O.l
In the year 1900, the United States con-
ceded the claims Of Connecticut to the
absolute ownership of what is known as
the Western Reserve, and in return, Con-
.necticut conceded to the United States,
the right of undisputed civil Jurisdiction,
which up TO that time she had stoutly de-
MED. The Connecticut Land Company,
had previously acquired by purchase. the
rights Of ownership claimed by the State,
which was now confirmed to them by the
general government and in 1906, that part
Of their purchase west Of the Cuyahoga
river, was surveyed into townships, and
the whole reserve erected into county,
called Trumbull, in honor Of Jonathan
Trumbull then Governor of Connecticut.
The first court to which the settlers Of the
Reserve conceded the right Of Jurisdiction,
convened at Warren, the county seat Of
this 4ammoth county, on the 25ih day Of
August 1900. This territory was subse-
quently divided into numerous counties,
and In 1918 that part Of the present county
OF Lorain in which Wellington is situated,
became Lart of Medina county, and 50
remained until the organization Of Lorain
county in 1924 isR
The frst.se,Ilement made iniwellIngton
township, occurred the same year, about
one half mile northwest of the present
town Of Wellington. The fret pioneers to
venture into the wilderness of Wellington
township, were Ephraham Wilcox, Chas.
Sweet, John Clifford and Joseph Wilson,
OF Massachusetts, and VIM. T. yelling OF
New York. These were followed by Eph-
riam & Theodore Wilcox, Daniel ]. Johns,
Frederick Hamlin and Austin Kingsbury,
five months later being the 4th Of July 1918.
This little colony located In the vicinity Of
Wellington formed the nucles around
which other adventurous spirits began TO
cluster at later date, and together they
endured all the hardships, and faithfully
performed the labors that fell 10 the lot Of
pioneer In the forests of Northern Ohio.
A dense growth Of timber everywhere
covered the face Of the country; deer,
wolves, wild cats, bears and prowling
Indians, inhabited the forests with them,
and rendered the solemn silence Of the
woods more frightful by their presence.
But these men and those who followed
them, were descendants OF that noble
New England stock that had acquired
homes among the natural difficulties OF
the eastern coast, and established and de-
Tended American rights on the battle
fields OF the Revolution, and from the mo-
ment that these men planted their colony
in this regioD,the future of the Western
Reserve as assured. Their industry soon
opened way for the warm sunshine to
the earth, and cultivated farms and plenty
took the place Of the savage wilderness
and destitution, which confronted them
on their first coming.
With the continued influx Of population
a few cabins began 10 spring up on the
present sight Of the town and by the year
1880. store and hotel were established,
and log school house bad been built on
the site Of j. s. Mallory & Co.'S. dry goods
store as early as 1920. With TIE growth
Of population In the surrounding country,
the town continued to increase 10 import
ance, but II was not until the advent OF
the @. G. & @. Railroad in 1849, that II
began to assume actual importance, rs a
town, merely furnishing trading
point for the sparcely settled region
In It's immediate vicinity. But now
new life was infused into the
place-numereus new enterprises were
established, and the town began a
healthy growth which has been steadily
maintained to this day In 1855 the
town had acquired sufficient Importance
to require a municipal government Of
It's own, and was accordingly incorpor-
ated, John NJ. Swift becoming It's first
Mayor, AT this date tho population was
about 800, and besides several quite Inn
portant merchantile houses, contained
three or four very respectable manufact-
uring enterprises The dairy interest was
first started at Wellington soon afier the
construction Of the Q. @. q G. railroad
and soon developed into the mos, import
ant interest Of the town. The business Of
buy'rrana -lppias c.iccse .vas ,ssua