NORTHFIELD.

Our Neighbor Township Celebrates her Centennial.

A crowd of 1,500 gathers on the Park, to do Honor to Those Who Settled There 100 Years Ago

Many Old Friends Some of Whom Had Not Met For Years, Gather Once More at the Old Home.

Historical Address by Miss Mary E. Darling, for Many Years a Faithful Correspondent of the Independent.

A very successful affair was Northfield's celebration Saturday of the coming to the place of the first settlers one hundred years ago. Many persons count it the greatest day the town has ever known. The weather was perfect favoring the coming of guests from all the surrounding towns. Fifteen hundred is a low estimate of the number of persons on the Square through the day. About 850 registered in the book kept by the reception committee. Many old persons were present. These were given an auto ride through the kindess of Messrs. Ranney, Bishop and Marshall, this pleasure having been arranged for by the reception committee. There was a picnic dinner at noon after which came the speaking postponed from the morning. L. R. Foster was president of the day. Rev. Smeallie served as chaplain. A historical sketch of the town prepared by Miss Marion McArthur was read by her aunt Miss Mary Darling. Speeches were read by Benjamin Waite of Columbus, George T. Bishop and Henry Peck of Cleveland and Rev. Crowe pastor of the Presbyterian church. Music was furnished by Bliss' Band. Following the speaking were races and a ball game. In the evening there was a banc concert and fireworks. A place of interest was the town hall in which was a good collection of relics, many of which wre connected with the early history of the town. The day seemed to be full of enjoyment for everyone. What united effort can do was plainly shown at this time for there had been less than a month in which to preapre for the celebration. Everybody worked with enthusiasm. Much of the success was due to L Dalrymple and his helpers who prepared the Square and afterward cleared it. But to name all who did faithful work would be impossible. There is no one however who does not feel fully rewarded for all efforts by the success of Northfield's big birthday party. The following is the historical sketch in full:

EARLY HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD

Following are the principal portions of the historical address read by Miss Mary Darling and prepared by Marion McArthur:

History is like a chain. No event stands by itself but is joined to something which has gone before. Next in interest and importance to the event itself is that upon which it depends. So in considering the early history of the town it is in place to look first at the link before. Research in this direction cannot be regretted for it will be found that this link is a most honorable one as it is nothing less than the great state of Massachusetts.

Northfield's first settlers were natives of Massachusetts, being, as it were, a twig from the sturdy old Bay State tree taken and planted in western soil, yet having all the bifor and habits of the parent stem.

The first comer to this town was Isaac Bacon, a native of Boston, who moved with his family from Genesee county, N. Y., where they had been living for several years, to the Ohio wilderness and built a cabin on what is still known as the Bacon place.

No store more interesting could be told here today than that of their western journey and the founding of the new home but this like many another bit of town history has been lost and only a few bare facts remain at the end of the century.

We can fancy the weariness of the long ride in the wagon behind the plodding oxen, the hardships that would go with house-building in April, in an unknown country, and the loneliness of those first three years without white neighbors nearer than Tinker's Creek.

The second year their baby daughter died. With no one to speak a word of sympathy to the parents or to stand with them beside the little grave this, the first death in the township was a most pathetic one. When they had been here three years, they were joined by Mrs. Bacon's brother, Jeremiah Cranmer, and his family, who settled on what is now known as the Chauncey Peck place. Three years later another brother, Abraham, and his family came and built a cabin near by. It is likely that before long they had a school here as there were a number of children in these families. There also came about the same time as the second Cranmer family, Henry Wood, a young single man, who was to distinguish himself by becoming Northfield's first bridegroom. His bride was Jeremiah Cranmer's daughter, Esther, at whose home the marriage took place in September, 1813.

Mr. Wood used to jokingly boast that he had married "the prettiest, the smartest and the richest girl in town," which was very true, for there was no other eligible woman. Mr. Bacon lived only five years in the new home until he sickened and died. His body was laid to rest somewhere near Tinker's Creek. The grave may be unmarked, yet a monument to his memory is not wanting. This is the curve in the Snatchpenny road. When men were cutting a road through the timber from Hudson to Cleveland they heard on day, to their great surprise the distant blows of an axe. Following the sound they presently found Mr. Bacon. To honor the brave pioneer they turned the road from the original line and made it go past his cabin door. No one knows, of course, but it is safe to say that this first road through the town was not a 60-foot road.

Everywhere was the forest primeval, the home of all the creatures of the wild. Many an antlered head has been reflected in the pools where horses and cattle now drink, bears hove promenaded where steel rails now form a shining path, and on the Sagamore where is now being constructed one of the greatest works of civilization, there was once many an Indian wigwam. The land was cleared as quickly as possible but for many years there was thick woods close to the road.

Nearly 50 years after the coming of the white man's axe, Bliss' woods still extended to the road where the car track is laid. Many changes can be accounted for by the cutting down of the timber. No one now seeing the slender thread of water in Brandywine creek and the old mill and the few houses at the falls could readily believe that it once supplied power to run a saw mill, a grist mill and a woolen factory, and that in the twenties the settlement here rivaled the little town of Cleveland. The creek was given its name in 1814 by Samuel Minough, who thought it worthy to be called after the stream of revolutionary fame. Its possibilities were seen by his son-in-law, George Wallace, who that same year built a saw mill and the next year the grist mill, which is still standing and is probably the oldest building in town.

A distillery was built about the same time, and six years after the woolen factory. The products of these last two formed the chief articles of exchange. The ministers who shepherded the 10 or12 families living there were paid in cloth and whiskey, the latter being generally known as Brandywine currency. There was also a store and a school and in1822 a postoffice was established, which was kept by George Wallace. Families continued to move into the township and groups of cabins to spring up here and there.

Abraham Cranmer moved from the place where he had settled in the beginning and built the first cabin in Macedonia in 1824, his daughter Esther being the first school teacher there. Others soon joined him, one of whom, Mr. Hutchins, unintentionally gave the place its name by writing to some friends in the east of the need of young ministers in the country and saying: "Come ever into Macedonia and help us". A saw mill built on the creek in 1825 by Henry Post was the beginning of Little York.

A log schoolhouse, built about 1852, was the first building in the Center. In 1832 the first house was built by Hezekia Palmer. This was the second time that he and his family had come west from Connecticut. Emeline, a daughterof this family, who afterward married Ambrose Bliss, was the first dressmaker and milliner here and one of the early teachers of the Center school. The next settlers were George Lillie and Lucien Bliss. These three men, with Col. Milton Arthur, owned the land at the crossroad, and about 1840 each one gave a half acre of land for a public square. In 1836 the postoffice was transferred from Brandywine to the Center. George Lillie being appointed postmaster. Until the Pennsylvania railroad was built, the mail was brought three times a week from Bedford by William Wallace who constructed what might be called a pioneer rural mail wagon. A packing box formed a cover for his sled protecting him from the cold and storms of winter. The town cannot of course boast of a postoffice building yet the house of the Bliss brothers has almost gained that name from having been the homeof the office for over thirty years. It was kept by their father, Dr. Hosea Bliss and by their brother Albert for that lenght of time. It was build in 1841 by Orrin Bishop for a tavern and used as such till the coming of the railroad. The first passenter train passed through Macedonia February 22, 1851. Dr. Hosea Bliss the first residenet physician and who practiced here for 40 years afterward bought the old tavern.

In telling of all these homes and their making, there must not be forgotten those other, the silent ones in the "city that lieth white and still." There was at a very early data a buring ground at Brandywine also one at the crossroads just west of the Center. There was also a cemetery in front of the M. E. Church. Some families laid their dead to rest on the home places. In later years most of these dead were removed to the present cemetery on Chustnut Hill. In death as well as in all their other trials many of the pioneers had the Christian faith to sustain them.

The first settlers were followers of Wesley, who had prayer meetings and preaching in their homes until their numbers had grown to 18, when a church was organized. This took place in 1831. After four years they built a meeting house which is still a place of worship. Several of the members who lived in Macedonia, organized a church there. One of these was Esther Cranmer a woman greatly gifted in prayer and in speaking. It is told of her that the evening after her marriage to Hiram Munn, she went wearing her white bride's dress to a prayer meeting in a school house and there forgetful of herdress she knelt upon the rough unswept floor and offered a most earnest prayer.

In 1833, 14 persons met and formed an Associate church, which later became the United Presbyterian. The first pastor was Rev. Joseph Banks. Rev. James W. Logue, the second pastor, by forty years service, is more closely connected with the history of the place than any other minister. It may be said that his parish was the town. Religious services from an early date were held in Brandywine conducted by ministers connected with the college in Hudson. A church of nine members was here organized along Congregational lines by Rev. Caleb Pitkin in 1833. From this came the Presbyterian church organized at the center in 1835.

The township received its name about 1819 when the neighbors had met to help build a cabin for a newcomer. Jeremiah Cranmer suggested the name "Northfield" probably in honor of the place of that name in his native state. A vote was taken and this name proved to be the most popular one. The first township election was held about this tiem with less than twenty votes. Its growth the next ten years was rapid so that by 1827 there were 47 families. Few of the names are to be found on the poll books now. Nothins is now known of some of them for this has been sort of a "half way house" where persons have stopped before going farther west.

They all lived the "simple life" of necessity in those days, a hard life it often was. One family after coming here until a crop of wheat could be raised, lived on potatoes.

Oxen were the farmers helpers and labor saving machinery scarce. In spite of what we would call many limitations they were not far behind the present time. Distance in particular did not trouble them greatly. Even in this day of fast trains going to Essec county N. E. New York, would be considered quite a little journey. Yet one pioneer drove there with a horse and buggy borrowed from Col. Arthr. Awaiting him was a bride who accompanied him on the drive back to Ohio. There were tow men here who thought nothing of walking to Cleveland and home again. ersons from all parts of the town would walk to Brandywine to attend prayer meeting. The children also had long walks to school there being only a few districts for a time.

There were merrymakings with the work. It seems some times as if people got more enjoyment out of life then than is done now. There were 4th of July picnics, donation parties for the minister, house raisings, bees of every kind and sleighing parties. One of the last in which Northfield had a part is still considered a big event. The following about it is copied from a book kept by Hooker Taylor. "March 1856. The Big Sleighride at Richfield, Summit, County Ohio. Summit, County, 4 hourse teams, 171, Cuyahoga, 151, Medina, 140. Horses in four horse teams 1848, beside a great many two horse and one horse teams not counted."

Life was never dull and colorless. Indians and wild animals afforded excitement at one time which few of us would enjoy. Later on there was politics and political feeling probably never ran higher than for a few years before and during the war. About the years 1856-7 the underground railroad passed through the town. One of the principal men connected with it was Lyman Foster, who at one time had 10 negroes concealed in his strawstack. His son, LeRoy, tells of how he took seven men hidden in his wagon to Cleveland the persons who were to meet them failing to appear before daylight he was obliged to tell them to scatter in different directions. Later it was learned that they all made their escape.

With the breaking out of the war Northfield proved herself to be a mother of soldiers for 136 of her sons enlisted. Some of these fought in the fiercest battles of the war, some found graves in a strange land, others learned the horrors of rebel prisons and two went down on the ill-starred Sultana. A war record which is an honor to any place!

With the war may be said to end the pioneer days. Changes came then bringing a new era. Our pioneer fathers and mothers are gone but they have left a emssage to their children in forest and highway and field which tell of courage, faith, industry, frugality and all the sister virtues which are the corenerstones of the palace of true greatness. They tell us also, to:

Among the Hudson people who attended the Centennial at Northfield were: Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Shields, Mrs. Maria Shields, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Curtiss, Miss E. E. Metcalt, Dr. and Mrs. G. L. Starr, Miss Cordelia A. Starr, Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Gott, Mrs. C. H. Ellsworth, Msis Caroline Ellsworth, Mr. and MRs. C. C. Hine, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Fillius, Mr. and Mrs. Grant Bliss and daughter, Helen.

The Hudson Independent, September 20, 1907²⁶⁷²