History of BERLIN TOWNSHIP [Erie County, Ohio]
by Hudson Tuttle
from HISTORY OF HURON AND ERIE COUNTIES, OHIO
1879 by W.W.Williams
pages 475-489

         
NAME.

 The original name of Berlin was Eldridge, from one
of its earliest proprietors.  He became unpopular, so
much so that in 1832 the people petitioned the com-
missioners of Huron county to change the name, sta-
ting as a reason that they did not desire to perpetuate
the name of an unworthy man.  It seems the people
were mistaken, for those intimately acquainted with
Mr. Eldridge remember him as a pleasant gentleman.
He purchased the eastern half of the township as a
speculation, and the taxes, imposed unequally, rested
so heavily on unimproved lands, improvements being
exempted, that he was unable to pay his taxes, and
was ruined by owning a half of one of the best town-
ships on the Fire-lands.  Rumors came from Con-
necticut that he had been guilty of forgery to redeem
his credit, and possibly the innate hatred the settler
felt toward the land speculator, was at the root of the
popular sentiment.  The petitioners suggested Lyme
as a desirable name, but as there was already a town
by the same name in the county, - it then being
a part of Huron county,- the commissioners objected.
It was at the time of the Milan-Berlin treaty.  Noah
Hill, who always was deeply interested in polities,
suggested that, as the county had Milan, it should
have Berlin, too, and thus the town was named.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

 The township, as first surveyed, was five miles
square, but received additions of territory extending
its boundaries to the shores of Lake Erie.  The sur-
face is level, except the valleys formed by the streams,
from the lake to the ridge, where it rises from fifty to
one hundred feet, and then extends southward nearly
as level as before.  This ridge was once undoubtedly
the ancient shore of the lake.  It extends through the
township from northeast to southwest, and at the
"pinnacle" the base of the bluff is sixty feet above the
level of the lake, and its slope presents three distinct
terraces, or shore lines, at the respective heights of
one hundred, one hundred and fifty and one hundred
and ninety-five feet above the level of the lake. These
indicate successive periods of subsidence.
 There are indications of salt in many places in the
township. There is, in fact, a line of so-called "licks"
parallel with the edge. The two most noted
among early hunters as the resort of deer, were
located on lands occupied by Nathan Tuttle and
Ezekiel Sayles.  Between these a deep path was worn
by the deer.  These licks present, during dry seasons,
a saline efflorescence crusting the surface.  That on
the Sayles land was in the valley of the Old Woman
creek, and the early settlers dug a pit, into which
they sank a section of a hollow tree, and the salt
water came in sufficient quantities to allow them to
make salt in a small way.  Salt then being difficult
to obtain, and costly, this was quite advantageous.
The belief in the value of this salt spring was so strong
in the mind of the early proprietor, Fosdick, that the
surrounding land was withheld from sale for many
years.  At a later day Prof. B. L. Hill, and others,
made explorations, but without results, the site of
the old spring being obliterated by floods, and they
were unable to find it.  However, they obtained salt
water.
 The surface formation is almost exclusively of the
drift, and in places boulders, often of large size, are
thickly scattered.
The soil of the portion south of the ridge is sandy,
mixed with fields of loam running almost into clay.
The western part, below the ridge, is also sandy,
either yellowish or black, and the north eastern portion
is clayey, as it is along the shore, which is unequaled.
for the production of wheat.  There is, thus, the
greatest variety of soil, and the farmer is enabled to
grow whatever crop he pleases, having soil adapted
for all.
  There are two streams or creeks in the township,
the Chapelle, running through the eastern portion,
and the Old Woman creek, which has two branches,
the east and west, arising in Townsend, and flowing
northward through the centre portion, uniting about
one and a half miles northwest of the heights, and
emptying into the lake.  From this union to the lake,
the stream is like a canal, with wide and marshy
borders.  The name of the latter stream is said to
have been given because an old squaw was drowned
at its mouth.
  There are four small marshes, two of which have
been reclaimed, and when land becomes more valuable,
no doubt but the others will be also.  The surface
was heavily timbered, and the forest presented almost
an herculean task to the pioneers.  Oak was the pre-
vailing growth, plentifully mixed with ash, elm,
hickory, basswood, walnut, whitewood, and, along
the streams, butternut and sycamore. 

VILLAGES.

  There are three small villages in the township.
Berlinville, on the old State road, in the old times
of stage coaches, was a busy little centre, with good
tavern, store, and the only post office in the township.
Berlin Heights is the largest, and is the natural centre,
towards which the people gravitate.  It has three
stores, an hotel, saloon, several manufactories, a saw
and grist mill, three churches and a fine graded
school.  It is noted for its intelligence and enterprise.
Directly north of the Heights, on the L. S. & M. S.
R. R., is Ceylon, a place that started up and grew
rapidly for a time.  It has two stores, two saloons,
an hotel, sawmill and post office,

MAIL FACILITIES.

  The mail is carried by hack from Ceylon, on the
northern division, via Berlin Heights, Berlinville,
East Norwalk, to Norwalk, on the southern Division,
giving all these places the advantage of morning and
evening mails.  The L. S. & M. S. R. R. passes
through the northern part of the township, and sends
a spur south to the quarries and gravel bed.  The
advantages of extending this spur to the Heights are
so apparent, that it certainly will be done at no
distant day.

CEMETERIES.

There are six burial grounds in the limits of the
township - two at the Heights, under the control of
the township; one at Berlinville; one in the southeast
part, known as the Chapel ground; one east of Har-
per's corners, known as the Peak ground; and one
at the mouth of the Chapelle creek, directly on the
lake shore, which is being rapidly washed away.

ABORIGINAL RACES.

  The Indians were not the aboriginal race.  They
were preceded by that mysterious people, the mound
builders.  Interesting fortifications, referable to this
pre-historic race, are found on the farm originally
owned by Curtis Benschooter, on the summit of the
high bank of the creek, and this earthwork has great
interest as having evidently been built to protect
against incursions of an enemy, who would come
by water from the lake, and traces of works lower
down show that at that time the water stood at a
much higher level, and the wide marsh was then a
bay, opening with a wide mouth into the lake.  There
were mounds on the farm of Jasen Thompson, with
graves, and the present site of the residence of Mr.
Henry Hoak seems to have been an ancient sepulcher.
He has, in making excavations, brought to light sev-
eral fragmentary skeletons, one of which has especial
interest from its remarkable state of preservation and
rare peculiarities.  It was buried deeper than the
others, so that it was enveloped in the clayey subsoil,
and hence had been better protected than those
enveloped in the loose sand.  The skull of this speci-
men measures but nineteen inches in circumference,
which would almost indicate it was idiotic, and is
remarkably low.  The arms are of unusual length,
the under jaw extremely massive, and the height less
than four feet.  Yet the individual eviidently was not
idiotic, as she had attained all extreme old age, which
the idiot savage cannot do.
  In 1852, Mr. H. L. Hill, in cutting an oak, discov-
ered three hacks, made by a small ax, and found that
there were two hundred and eighteen annual rings on
the outside of it.  This would carry the age of the
markings back to the earliest French voyageurs, in
fact, much earlier than has been supposed those hardy
adventurers penetrated this remote region.  Now, the
farmer, turning with his iron plowshare the mellow
fields, often finds the flint arrow head, the stone ax,
the spear point, alike of red man and mound builder,
and if of reflective mind may moralize over the decay
of races in that dim past, of which these mute
weapons only remain.

THE EARLIEST PIONEERS.

  A party of adventurers built and launched a rude
boat at the mouth of Walnut creek, Pennsylvania, in
1808.  They were John Hoak, John McLaughlin,
George Miller, Nathaniel Burdue, Benjamin Pratt,
Mr. Richie, and Howard.  They sailed up the lake
in the spring, bringing provisions, farming tools and
thirty barrels of whisky.  They encountered severe
weather and had to cast overboard their whisky, but
when the storm subsided, they cruised about - and
gathered it up again.  When they reached the mouth
of the Huron river, the sand-bar shut them out, so
they had to dig a canal to get their boat in.  They
selected a field on the Kline and Minus farm, and
planted eighteen acres of corn; after hoeing it, they
hired an Indian to guard it, while they went after
their families. They returned in the fall in their
boat, but their families came by land, under the es-
cort of Henry Hoak, father to John Hoak.  He was,
without doubt, the oldest of all the pioneers, having
been born in 1745.  He remained until his death, in.
1832, at the age of eighty-seven, with his son, and
was a most exemplary and pious man.  The majority
of this venturesome party settled finally in Berlin, in
181O-11, leaving the Huron bottom lands on account
of overflows.
  John Hoak, who settled on the Kline farm for two
years, moved to the farm now owned by his son
Henry; built one of the first houses, in 1810.  Only
four whites were present at the raising of the great
logs of which it was constructed, but Silas David, an
Indian chief, with his tribe, assisted.  They were
forbidden, by him, to taste of liquor until the work
was done, then they drank and held a pow-wow to
their heart's content.  One was so riotous they built
a pen of rails around him, covered it over and left
him till morning.
  John Hoak had ten children, only one of whom,
Henry, remains in the township. John Hoak, with
the remainder of his family living, removed to La-
grange county, Indiana, where he died in 1859, at
the age of seventy-three years.  He made a kiln of
brick, on his farm, in 1812, the first on the Fire-
lands.
  The first white settler within the limits of the
township was Mr. John Dunbar, unless a Mr.
Tillison, who owned the land, which afterwards was
the homestead of Curtis Benschoter, preceded him.
The Tillison family were very hospitable, and it is
said Mrs. Tillison once told a guest if he would not
stay to supper she would "knock him down." This
rude hospitality showed itself in ways that would
offend the more fastidious tastes of the present. One
night John Thompson was caught at the Tillisen
cabin by a terrible storm.  He, of course, did not
want to face the storm, and Tillison said they had
no spare bed.  Mrs. Tillison was adequate to the
emergency: "I 
say, Till," said she, "Tompk can
sleep with us," and he did. Another story told of
this family made many a hearty laugh around the
blazing hearths of the pioneers. The whole family,
with their guests, would sit in a circle, and above
their heads, suspended by a cord from the rafters,
was a jug of whisky.  This arrangement saved the
trouble of waiting on any one, for the jug was swung
round and round, from mouth to mouth, till all were
satisfied.
  John Dunbar came from the State of New York,
1809, and purchased the farm afterwards known as
the Weatherlow farm. His brother, Isaiah, came with
him. He soon after moved to the center, on the place
occupied by Dr. X. Phillips. The Dunbars disappeared
and left no trace.
  Perez and Thomas Starr came from Connecticut in
1810, and built a mill on the lands now owned by
H. L. Hill. In the autumn of that year, Thomas
Starr built a house on the farm now owned by J. S.
Lowry. The night before the raising, the snow fell
six inches deep, and he feared no one would come,
but his fears were vain. In those days the neighbor-
hood extended five miles in every direction, and early
in the morning, "old Mr. Burdue" made his appear-
ance, whooping like an Indian, with four gallons of
whisky, and soon after, the hands came from Florence
and Milan, and after the job was finished, enjoyed
the "old rye" in a way which would not be satisfactory
to the Good Templars.  The Starr brothers kept bach-
elor's hall for a time.  In 1812, Thomas was drafted
into the army; from which he returned, and in Feb-
ruary, 1814, married Clementina Clark, of Florence.
He moved to the centerpart of the township. Thomas
Starr was a blacksmith, and used to go to Huron and
Vermillion to work on vessels.  He did the iron work
on the first deck vessel built this side of Erie. When
he returned home at night, he carried torches, not
only to show him the way, but to keep off the wolves,
which howled around him.  His eldest son, William
Eldridge, born in January, 1815, was the first male
child born in the township.
  John McLaughlin, who came with the earliest ad-
venturers, settled on the western border of the town-
ship, on the lands adjoining McLaughlin's corners,
where he continued to reside until his death, in 1849,
at the age of seventy-seven years.  His wife died in
1838. The only survivor of his family, in the town-
ship, is Milton McLaughlin.
  Nathaniel Burdue, or "Old Mr. Burdue," as he
was called by everybody, settled near the spring now
used by the creamery.  While living on the Huron
river, he set out one Sunday, with a piece of soap in
his pocket, saying he should travel until he found a
spring of soft water, and there he should locate.  In
the afternoon he came to this beautiful spring, and
at once decided to make his home by its side.  His
orchard was the first to bear in this section.  Apples
were then scarce, and Mr. Burdue watched his orchard
with such vigilance that he became associated in the
minds of the boys with Cloven-foot himself.
  William Fitzgerald came from New York in 1810,
accompanied by Joel Simpson, and settled on the
farm now occupied by Henry Hine.  None of his
descendants remain.
  Hieronymus Mingus came from New York State in
i811, and Aaron Fox and his wife came at the same
time. The eldest son of Mr. Mingus was killed in 1813,
in the battle on the Peninsula. The second son,
Jacob, lived and died on the farm now occupied by
his son, Benjamin. The third son, James, married
Phebe Darley, and settled in Townsend, Huron county.
He was the Nimrod of those days. Aaron Fox and
wife reside in the northern part of the township, on
the farm they selected in the wilderness.
  John Thompson came from Pennsylvania at an
early day, and in 1813 married the widow Hubbard.
This marriage was, probably, the first in the town-
ship, although the honor is disputed, it being claimed
that Lazarus Young and Becky Laughlin have the
honor.
  In 1811, occurred the first birth and the first death.
Milan has claimed Mrs. Millerman as the first child,
but Berlin has that honor.  Her father, Lazarus
Young, was such a moving planet, that it is difficult
to decide, but there is little doubt that she was born
on Berlin soil.
 The [first] death was accompanied with
horrible circumstances.  The wife of John Dunbar,
while her husband was absent, in a state of insanity
threw herself into the fire, made of large logs, placed
against one side of the house.  Her screams brought
Mr. Dunbar to the house, and he quickly took her
from the flames and placed her on the bed while he
could go after assistance, but she wildly ran after
him. All that day he shouted for help, not daring
to leave her, but not until near night did any assist-
ance come to the terribly afflicted family in their re-
mote cabin.  She died that evening, and was buried
on the banks of the Old Woman creek, where now is
the township burying ground.  Mr. Dunbar then
lived on the place afterwards occupied by Dr. X.
Phillips, and the splendid spring which gushes out
from the hill was long known as the "Dunbar
spring."
  Jeremiah Benschooter was a native of Sempronius,
New York, as was his wife, Sally Weatherlow, whom
he married in 1808.  He came to Berlin in 1811; and
settled on lot twenty, fourth section.  They had
thirteen children: Harry, Milo, Ensign, William,
Curtis, Aaron, Weatherlow, Harriet, Delia, Betsey,
Jeremiah, Sarah and Mary Ann.  Curtis Benschooter
passed nearly his whole life on his farm, removing to
the Heights in his declining age.  He died in 1877,
at the age of seventy years.  His son, Moses M.,
resides at Stone's corners, and is one of the most
successful physicians in the vicinity.
  Othaniel Field came in 1810, and purchased section
nine, range six, of Samuel White, who had made
considerable improvements, by way of clearing. Field
was a Vermont man, and industriously devoted him-
self to corn raising, so much so that the destitute
new-comers gave his place the name of Egypt. For
a long time he kept bachelor's hall, and his eccentric
ways still linger in the memories of those who knew
him.  He, after many years, married, but had no
children. He died in 1850, at the age of seventy-
nine, his wife surviving until 1876.
  Stephen Meeker settled on lot ten, section four, in
1811, where he resided until his death, in 1849, having
been preceded by his wife by only a few weeks.  He
worked at blacksmithing, and kept a public house,
and for several years held the office of judge. He
married Polly Platt, in 1799. They had seven chil-
dren: Barney, Hezekiah, Edward, Hanford, Grissel,
Maria and George T.
  Daniel Butler came to Berlin in 1814, from Cleve-
land, to which place he came from Massachusetts, in
1811. Losing his wife, he returned to Massachusetts
in 1816, and married Jemima Bishop.  They had six
children, and he had two by his first wife.  The chil-
dren by the second marriage were: Amanda, Climena,
Lucinda, Daniel, Charles and Harriet, none of whom
are at present living in the township.  He was an
able man, and was the first who held the office of
justice of the peace, or, at least, the second. For
many years before his death, which occurred in 1854,
in his seventy-fifth year, he had been subject to
insanity, which had a religious aspect, and caused
him to take his own life.  He received a revelation
to build a house fifty by one hundred feet, for the
second coming of Christ, and not being able to build
the whole, built a quarter, and thus, for years,
his family lived in this most awkward tabernacle.
This building lately has fallen in ruins and been
destroyed.  His son Daniel inherited his father's.
tendencies, and at last put an end to his own life, in
the same manner, in 1861, at the age of thirty-four.
  Samuel Reed came in 1815.  He was five weeks on
the lake, from Buffalo to Huron.  He bought the
farm now owned by J. S. Lowry, where he lived till
spring, when he went to Milan to work on Merry's.
mill, his wife working for the workmen. In 1816,
he removed to Florence; in 1817, he purchased the
lot seven, range two of section two, and made the
first clearing on the farm of Juduthan Cobb, to whom
he sold it in 1820, and removed to Oxford in this
county.
  Nathan Harris was born in Berrytown, Connecticut,
where he married Betsey Moon, and moved to the
then far west, stopping at Perry, New York, and
reaching Berlin in 1815.  They had eleven children:
Thomas, Emma (Mrs. Sanders), Betsey (Mrs. John
Meeker), Hiram, Nathan, Anna (Mrs. Storrs).  Mrs.
Harris died in 1845, and in 1846, Mr. Harris removed
to Indiana where he died in 1858.
  The war having closed, and no danger to be appre-
hended from Indians, the tide of immigration poured
westward, and the unoccupied lands were rapidly ap-
propriated.
  Samuel Lewis came from New York, near Seneca
lake, in 1816. He married. Elizabeth Hine, and pur-
chased lot nineteen, section fourth, which remained
in his possession until his death, in 1851, at the age of
fifty-five.  He left a wife, now Mrs. Oliver Peak, and
six children: Lyman, Charles, Baldwin, Luther,
Clarinda, and Mary (Mrs. Raws), none of whom now
reside in the township.  They had lost four.
  Lewis Jones came from New York, Bushkill, in
1816, and purchased lot seven, range five, and after
a few years removed to lot twelve, range six; he, after
a time, removed to Wood county.  His wife, Hannah
Ewiliken, was a native of Ulster county, New York.
They had eight children: Levi, now living in this
township; Alvah J., Morris, Betsey (wife of Captain
Kelley, of Milan), Polly (Mrs. Green, now of Town-
isend), Gideon, Amos and Hannah.
  Aaron Benschoter and wife came from Neversink,
New York, in 1816, with their family, William,
Daniel, and a daughter who married Oliver Peak.
They were middle-aged when they came, and lived to
advanced age.  William purchased lot twenty-seven,
range four, when both he and his wife died, in 1833.
Their daughter, Esther, married Joel Fox, and is the
only member of the family remaining in the township.
Oliver, Alanson and Betsey D., moved to the West.
Daniel purchased lot twelve, range eight, and soon
after, losing his wife; married Rebecca, daughter of
Hezekiah Smith.  They had six children: Gardner,
Leander, Sheffield, Hoffman, Cordelia and Eliza.
Gardner and Hoffman, only, reside in the township,
the latter remaining on the old homestead.  Mrs.
Benschoter died in 1877.
  In 1816, Baswell Wood and James Kellogg came
from Tolland, Connecticut.  James Kellogg settled
on lot seven, range one.  He had three children:
James, Arlica (Mrs. Keeler), Lydia (Mrs. John An-
derson).  He died hi 1821, his wife, Nancy Wood,
several years later.  Baswell Wood settled on lot
eight, range third, where he resided until his
death, in 1851, at the age of eighty-one.  He had six
children: Andrew, Nancy, Sally (Mrs. Nehemiah
Smith), Margaret and Baswell.  Mrs. Wood and her
youngest child died in 1818.  Andrew Wood resided
in the township until his death, in 1874, at the age
of sixty-eight.
  Jared Hine came in 1816 from Litchfield, Connec-
ticut, and purchased lot eleven, range eight, which
he made his permanent home.  In 1815 he married
Betsey Miner, of his native town, and the next year
moved to the far-off wilderness of Ohio.  His land
was first settled by Fitzgerald, who sold to Anson
Fox, who sold to Hubbard, from whom it was pur-
chased by Mr. Hine.  These owners had each made
some improvements.  Yet the country was then wild
enough, and the first night the young couple stayed
in their new home they were disturbed by a prowling
bear.  One night, hearing a scream in the forest,
Mrs. Hine, thinking it was her brother was lost,
went to the door and blew a horn.  Every time she
stopped the scream answered nearer, until Mr. Hine,
whom she had awakened, thinking it no human
voice, told her that she had better come in.  It was
a panther; and, although they were secure, the night
was passed anything but pleasantly.  Mr. Hine was
an energetic man and upright citizen, and held the
office of justice of the peace for fifteen years.  He
was the third chosen to that office. He died in 1844,
at the age of fifty-six.  They had but one child,
Henry W., who still resides on the old homestead.
In 1817, Jared was joined by his brothers Sheldon,
Nathaniel and Charles, and, the next year, Sheldon
returned to Connecticut and married Sally Osborne,
returning with his brother Amos.
  The journey from Connecticut in those days was a
greater undertaking than a voyage to Japan would be
at present, and consumed almost as much time. They
were forty days on the road, driving ox teams. When
Sheldon arrived with his bride he found the log house
he had left, with all the stores for the coming year,
had been burned.  This, united with ague by which
he was prostrated, was enough to discourage any or-
dinary man, but these pioneers were heroic in their
endurance, and by sheer pluck and perseverance con-
quered the wilderness.
  Sheldon Hine purchased lot eight, range eight, of
Joshua Poyer, and resided there until his death in
1854, at the early age of forty-six.  He suffered from
malarial disease of the new country, and his untiring
industry exposed him recklessly to all kinds of weather.
He built a saw mill on the Old Woman creek, where
he worked night and day, and also a cider mill. The
saw mill was not only a great accommodation to the
people but of profit to him.  He soon became pos-
sessed of large tracts of land in various parts of the
township.  Mrs. Hine still survives, enjoying a green
old age.  She had seven children: Lucius A., who
devoted his life to reform; Horatio S.; Daniel N.;
Theodore B., now in Toledo, but still owning the old
homestead; Lenian G., now practicing law in Washing-
ton, D. C.; Julia (Mrs. S. T. Burnham), now living
in Saginaw; Laura F. (Mrs. Powers), now living in
Kansas.
  Amos Hines purchased lot nine, range eight, where
he lived until his death in 1854, at the age of sixty-
four years.  He built a saw mill on the Old Woman
creek, which was a great convenience to the people.
Before leaving Connecticut lie married Polly Allen.
They had three children: Lorenzo, Allen, and Mary
(Mrs. Simms), who only survives.  Mrs. Hine still
resides in the old homestead, which she keeps in ex-
cellent repair.  It is an old fashioned Connecticut
farm house, the first brick house erected in the town-
ship except Judge Meeker's, on the lake shore, which
was built first, but before that section became a part
of Berlin.
  Nathaniel Hine staid only for a short time in Ber-
lin, removing to Florence where lie was drowned in
1826, leaving a wife and three children.
  Charles Hine purchased lot eight, range eleven, the
farm now owned by L. S. Chapin.  He was twice
married, but was childless.  He died in 1855, aged
fifty-six years.  His second wife, a few years since,
married Mr. George Butler, of Milan.
  Oliver Peak was born in Starksburg, Vermont, in
1797, and came to Berlin in 1817.  He had previously
married Mary Benschoter, daughter of Aaron Ben-
schoter.  He purchased lot eighteen, section four,
which he always retained.  They had five children:
Daniel, George, Mary J. (Mrs. George Douglas, now
of Toledo), and Amy. George is the only one now
residing in the township, being one of the most in-
fluential and enterprising farmers.
  Oliver Peak came into the wilderness with little
means, but by industry and economy amassed con-
siderable wealth, and had the satisfaction of seeing
all his familv more than usually prosperous.  His first
wife died, and he married the widow of the late
Samuel Lewis with whom he lived till his death.  He,
for many years, was justice of the peace, and was an
upright, honorable and patriotic citizen.
  Reuben Brooks came with Mr. Peak from New
York, and for a time both held the same lot of land.
He afterwards purchased lot seventeen where he re-
sided until his death, about 1860.  Only one son,
Absalom, is now a resident of the town.
  Hezekiah Smith was born in Waterford, Connecti-
cut, in 1776, and married Rebecca Miner, of that
place.  Their son, Paul C., came to Berlin, and set
tied on lot seven, range two, in 1817, and the next
year Mr. Smith with his family came and settled on
lot ten, range one.  He built a frame house which
was one of the first.  He resided on this farm until
his death in 1829, at the age of sixty-three, and his
wife died in 1834, aged sixty-three.  They had eleven
children: Paul C., Turner M., Nancy, Rebecca, Maria,
Nehemiah, Patty (Mrs. Benjamin Smith), Hezekiah,
Theodore, Henry and Emeline.  Turner M. pur-
chased lot ten, range two, where lie resided until his
death.  Before removing from Connecticut, he mar-
ried Anne Whiteman.  They had three children:
Gurdon, and Lucas, now residing in Minnesota, and
Horace who is a progressive farmer, still holds the
homestead, which he has brought to a high state of
cultivation, and where he says he shall remain until
he dies.  He has made a speciality of Herefords, and
has a splendid herd.
  Daniel Reynolds came from New York in 1817, and
settled first on lot nine, range eleven, and then on 
lot twelve, range eight, where he remained until the
death of his wife, Phoebe Thorn, in 1846, at the age
of sixty-one years.  He had four children: Isaac T.,
Rachel (Mrs. Hiram Judson), Jane, and Polly (Joseph
Tucker).  He died in Milan in 1876, at the advanced
age of ninety-one years.
  David Walker came from Connecticut in 1817, and
located on section five, range two.  They were indus-
trious, as they were obliged to be to support their
family of eleven children.  As he was located on one
of the main thoroughfares he opened a hotel, and
soon after became postmaster.
  Norman Walker, his brother, came two years later
and bought a farm near David's, but it seems he
could not withstand the climate and died.  His
daughter married Elsworth Burnham, and her mother
resided, until her death, with them.
  Joshua Phillips came from Lima, New York, in
1817 with his wife (Rebecca Smith), whom he mar-
ried in Roxbury, Massachusetts.  He was an elder in
the Baptist church, and added preaching to his clear-
mg away the wilderness, farming, and working at
masonry.  He purchased lots ten and eleven, range
six, and opened the first quarry.  They had seven
children: Zalumna, Zebah, Joshua, Rebecca (Mrs. J.
S. Lowry), Xenophon, Solomon, and Eliza (Mrs. T.
C. Chapman).  Zalumna was thoroughly identified
with the business interests of an early day, having a
store at the heights, and for a time held the office of
judge and sheriff, and was once sent to the legislature.
This store was built on the site now occupied by
the town hall.  It was then a dense forest, and Mr.
Phillips paid Prentice K. Loomis seventy-five cents
to cut down the trees where he intended to build. 
J. S. Lowry was the builder, and for many years was
regarded as highest authority in architecture.  
Xenophon, for many years, practiced medicine with
marked success, and acquired quite a wide fame for
his treatment of climatic diseases.  In after years,
throwing up the practice, he became a voracious read-
er and enthusiastic disciple of Parker and Emerson.
It is to his industry that we owe many of the personal
facts of this portion of the history of our township.
  The story of the trials of the Phillips family illus-
trate the hardships endured by all early settlers.
They moved from the log house on the Chapelle creek
where they stopped a short time, to the house Mr.
Phillips was preparing.  It was not yet finished.  It
was ten by twelve feet square, made of chestnut logs,
split in two through the middle, and notched together
at the corners.  The floor was made of split logs, and
at one end a wide space was left to build a fire.  On
one side a doorway was cut through, but windows
there were none, and at that time none were needed,
for the roof had not yet been laid on.  The first day
of January, 1818, a warm sunny day like May, the
family moved into the new house.  The tall tree tops
of the interminable wilderness closed over its roofless
walls, and in the interstices the stars shone down on
their slumbers.  Before morning a storm came up, a
cold sleety rain, and the weary father broke his wagon
box in pieces to make a temporary roof in one corner
under which his household huddled together till the
storm had passed.
  Mr. Phillips brought three horses and a cow with
him, but two of the horses soon died, not being able
to bear the exposure and coarse food; all they had was
a coarse grass which grew on the wettish lands in
branches, and this kept green all winter, and the snow
rarely ever was deep enough to prevent grazing.
Sometimes elm and basswood were cut down to allow
the cattle to feed on the tender branches.  After the
death of the horses, the one left and the cow mated,
and it seemed that they were so lonesome in the wilds
that their affection for each other was affecting to be-
hold.
  One day when Mr. Phillips was on the prairie
working at masonry to earn the wheat to feed his fam-
ily, the mother sent Zalumna and Zebah for game.
They were gone until late in the afternoon, returning
without the least success.  The former says he never
can forget the disappointment of his dear mother, for
they had nothing but potatoes, and she baked some
for their supper and they ate them with salt.
  In 1817, Noah Hill came and purchased lot seven,
range seven, of Nathan Smith, a Methodist preacher.
He returned to Tioga, Pennsylvania, for his family,
and the next year came and made a permanent settle-
ment.  He was of Connecticut birth, as was his wife,
Sukey Butler.  They have had eleven children:
Horace L., Edwin I., Elihu P., Benjamin L., Mary
Aim, Rachel, Henrietta, Hester C., George S., Noah,
Sarah C. and Sterling U.  It can be said that this
widely connected family, by their sturdy New England
ways, industrious habits and liberal ideas, have made
a deep impress on the character of the township.
Noah died early, and Sterling was killed at the age of
twelve years by the falling of the old Parmenter
bridge.  Edwin and Horace are farmers, and Elihu
has retired from his farm and is living at his ease.
He served one term as State senator, in 1852-3.
Benjamin was an eminent physician, a professor in
the Cincinnati Eclectic College, and author of stan-
dard works on surgery.  He was State representative
for one term, and died in California, where he had
gone for his health.  George is a successful physician.
Noah Hill, for many years, was justice, and was
well known for his integrity of character.  Before
coming here, he worked at ship building, and helped
build the brig "Commerce," which the famous Cap-
tain Riley lost on the coast of Africa.  He early saw
the evils of intemperance, and for the last thirty years
never tasted a drop of any alcoholic drink, not even
indulging in lemonade, which, he used to say, he
refused out of spite.  When the old Congregational
church was sold, he purchased it by subscription, and
refitted it, making of it a "Free Discussion Hall,"
and by that noble act making the future character of
the towns-people.  This hall was destroyed by fire,
but not before the people saw the necessity of a free
place of meeting, and the town hall, in 1867, took its
place.  He died in 1864, at the age of eighty years.
His wife still survives, at the age of ninety-five.
 Timothy Tennant came from Auburn, New York,
in 1818, and settled on lot three, range seven, where
his son-in-law had began improvements the year pre-
vious.  His wife was Temperance Pomeroy, of
Connecticut, and he was born in Lyme, in the same
State.  They have had twelve children: Sophia (Mrs.
Soper), Charles P., Daniel, Sterling, Henry, Lucy
Ann (first wife of Edwin I. Hill), Fanny J. (wife of
H. L. Hill), Caroline (wife of R. M. Ransom), Cla-
rissa (Mrs. Glenn), and Eliza.
  Daniel Tennant came into Berlin, in 1816, when
fifteen years of age.  He carried the mail, soon after,
from Berlin to Fremont, weekly, - Wolverton, the con-
tractor, bringing it from Cleveland.  He married, in
1833, Caroline Bennett, by whom he had two children.
Charles, the only one living, resides on the old home-
stead, which is one of the premium farms.  His wife
dying, he married, in 1858, Mary Ann Blain, of New
York, and in 1873 retired from the farm to the
Heights. Mr. Tennant was a blacksmith, and brought
his anvil with him.  His rule of business was never
to disappoint a customer.  He died in 1845, at the
age of seventy-five, and Mrs. Tennant, who survived
him eight years, died while on a visit to her daughter,
Mrs. Glenn, in Tiffin.
  Thomas Stephens settled, in 1818, on lot eight,
range four, where he resided until his death, in 1835.
He was the second justice of the peace, and a good
teacher.  He taught in the old log school house at
the Heights.  He left a wife and two children: Lu-
cinda (Mrs. Steen), and Polly, the first wife of Wil-
liam Poyer.  Out of school he was the premium
swearer of the town, but in school, nothing would
bring swifter or severer punishment than an oath.
  Nathaniel Thorp came from Hebron, Connecticut,
in 1818, with Moses B. Burnham, and in 1822, pur-
chased lot eight and nine, range one.  He has been
twice married, by his first wife having four children,
only Jeremiah is now living, residing on the old
homestead.  Mr. Thorp had the reputation of being
the hardest working man in the township.  He died
in 1854, aged sixty-two years.  Moses and Elsworth
Burnham purchased lot three, range six.
  John Wetherlow and George Whitney came, in 1819,
from Seneca county, New York, and purchased lot
ten, range seven.  This was the lot on which the
first improvement in the township was made, by John
Dunbar.  Mr. Weatherlow died in 1837, leaving a
wife and five children: Lucy (Mrs. A. Halbite), Car-
oline (first wife of Captain L. Case), Samuel, William
and John.
  Jonathan Cobb came in 1819, from Tolland, Con-
necticut, and bought of S. Reed, lot seven, range
two, where he resided until his death, in 1837, at the
age of thirty-six years,  He made, for the time he
lived, great improvements; built the first framed house
- yet standing,- a mill, and was an energetic business
man.  He left a wife and three children: Ahira,
Ralph L., and Sally (Mrs. Elihu P. Hill).
  Oliver Pearl came from Connecticut in 1819, and
settled on lot two, range two, and resided there until
his death in 1835, where his widow, now in her
eighty-sixth year, still resides with their son Addison.
They have had ten children, five of whom are now
living: Oliver, Ancil H., William, Emeline, Albert,
Marilla, Addison, Harriet, and Jerome.
  Thomas and Titus Daniels came from Chenango
county in 1819, the former settling on lot three, range
two, and the latter on lot three, range three, on
which they remained.
  Cyrus Call came in 1819 as a pioneer Baptist mis-
sionary, and contracting to settle as resident pastor,
retained that position for ten years.  In 1820, he
moved his family from Lake county, and purchased
lot seven, range five, where he resided until his death
in his eighty-eighth year.  His wife was Sally Cross,
whom he married in New York State.  They had
nine children: Polly (Mrs. Middleton), Essex, Sally
(Mrs. Hanes), Jo, Carlo, Harriet, and Dana C.
  David Butler came to Delaware county from Len-
nox, Massachusetts, in 1805, and in 1820 to Berlin.
His wife was Abigail Barr, of Massachusetts.  He
purchased lot five, range twelve, where he resided
until an advanced age.
  Hiram Judson came from Woodhury, Connecticut,
and purchased lot seven, range eleven; in 1821, a val-
uable tract reserved on account of the supposed salt
spring.  In 1825 be married Rachel Reynolds, and
has since remained on this farm.  They had three
children: Elizabeth, Mary, and William.  The latter
remains on the old homestead.  Mrs. Judson died in
1861.  Mr. Judson is well preserved at seventy-nine
years.
  David Butler settled on the western limits of the
township in 1822.  He had a family of twelve chil-
dren, none of whom now reside in the township.
George, for many years, was a farmer, and well known
as a farrier. He now resides in Milan, - his daughter,
Mrs. William E. Squire, remaining on the homestead.
  Cromwell Tillinghast and wife came to Berlin in
1827, purchasing the tract of land on which they
have since remained.  They have four children
Mary (Mrs. Leman Hine, of Washington, D. C.);
____(Mrs. Fred. Otis, of Chicago); Oliver C., who
married Miss Lizzie Reynolds, and remains on the
old homestead, and Charles, residing on the Otis
place.  Two other brothers came from Connecticut
at nearly the same time, George and William, and
the Otis family came the same year.  Joseph Otis
purchased the farm of John Thompson, built a saw
mill above the Parmenter bridge, and added greatly
to the business of the section.  Of his family, the
three sons, James, Frederick and Edwin, after farm-
ing for some years, removed to Chicago, where they
have become identified with the business interests of
that city, and the daughter, ______ (Mrs. Sherman),
resides in Norwalk.
  Eliphalet Harris may be ranked with the pioneers
of Berlin, although he first settled near Portland,
now known as Sandusky.  He was born in 1795, at
Flushing, Long Island.  He came, with his wife, a
native of Glastenburg, Connecticut, in 1816, to the
present site of Sandusky, then a marsh, covered with
ducks and geese.  He established the first tannery in
the county of Huron; taught the first public school
and singing school in the county, and assisted in set-
ting up the first press, from which the Clarion was
printed for many years, and as deputy sheriff, assisted
in the first public execution - that of three Indians.
He was a hard-working man, as the clearing of two
farms testify, and the story of his struggles with
privations and hardships, would make a volume
stranger than fiction.  On his first farm, near the
city, he was one day briskly chopping.  His large
family were destitute and hungry.  There was no
meat, and little bread.  He could do nothing for
them, and chopped away with harder blows to over-
come his feelings.  Suddenly, he saw a large bear
mount a log in the clearing and look at him.  It
was but the work of a moment to seize his ready gun,
and a lucky shot laid bruin dead.  Bear steak was
the first meat the Harris family ate in Ohio.  Mr.
Harris had a family of twelve children, only two of
whom are residents of the township, William and
Daniel.  He died at Berlinville, 1857, aged sixty-two.
Mrs. Harris died at Norwalk, Ohio, 1876, aged
seventy-six.
  Nathan Tuttle came from Sempronius, New York,
in 1832.  He married some ten years previously,
Moriah Monroe from Massachusetts.  He purchased
a portion of the "fraction" and of portions of contigu-
ous lots, about a mile directly west of the Heights.
They are still living at the ages of seventy-nine and
eighty years, well preserved after the hardships they
have endured.  Of their four children, J. M. is at
Norwalk, having an elevator there; Lucy is the wife
of Henry Hoak; David is in Wakeman, and Hudson
resides on the homestead.  He married in 1858, Miss
Emma D. Rood.  They have three children: Rosa,
Carl and Clair.
  Robert Douglass came from Scotland to Canada,
where after residing eighteen years, he removed to
New York, and after three years, in 1833, he came to
Berlin, purchasing a tract of land on the shore,
where he resided until his death.  His family con-
sisted of eight children: Agnes, Margaret, George,
Mary, Isabella, James, Betsey and Letitia.  George
became an active business man, and for some years
before his removal to Toledo, where he now resides,
handled a large amonnt of real estate in this adjoining
townships.  James is now the only member of the
family in the town.  He married Cornelia King in
1857, and resides on a farm adjoining the old home-
stead, a part of which he also owns, and is a leading
farmer and fruit grower.  In 1874, he ran for state
representative on the democratic ticket, and although
the ticket was lost by two hundred and forty majority,
he was elected by thirty-three votes, and re-elected
against about similar odds in 1876.
  L. B. Chapin came from Connecticut in 1841, and
purchased a part of the Mulinick lot.  He was a man
of culture, and had practiced law.  He set a good
example by his thorough farming, and well kept farm.
He died in ____.  Leonard resides with Mrs. Chapin
on the old homestead, and L. S. on the farm once
owned by Charles Hine.  Leonodus, the only other
surviving child, resides in the west, and is actively
engaged in railroad building.

T0WNSHIP GOVERNMENT.

  On the first day of April, 1817, the first town
meeting was held in Thompson's mill.  A strange
assembly of only thirteen rough men in grotesque
costume, patched and mended until the fabric could
not be distinguished, or of enduring buckskin, with
coon skin caps and fawn skin vests.  They had con-
cluded that the township needed a government, and
they did not wait for the State to supply them, but
felt fully competent to make such a government
themselves.  The judges were not troubled to count
the votes, as every voter was elected to office; and
some had two.  The following is the list of township
officers: John Laughlin, Samuel Reed and John
Thompson, trustees; Henry Brady, clerk; John Hoak,
treasurer; Daniel Butler, constable; Lybeus Storrs,
lister and appraiser; Chnstopher Brubaker and Thos.
Starr, path masters; John Hoak and S. S. Reed,
fence viewers; Heironymus Mingus and Christopher
Brubaker, poor masters.
  The new government was afraid of the poor tax,
and at once proceeded to "warn Rachel Taylor to de-
part the township of Eldridge."  Who Rachel was,
or when she was expected to go in the wilderness, is
not stated, nor whether the officers were satisfied with
a show of authority and allowed her to remain.
  The population rapidly increased, so that, when in
1826, the trustees first divided the town into school
districts according to the law passed the preceding
year, there were eighty-nine families then in the farm
districts.

FIRST EVENTS.

  The first postmaster was Jeduthan Cobb, in 1820.
The mail was then carried on horseback from Cleve-
land to Lower Sandusky, now Fremont, by Robert
Wolverton.  He afterwards ran a sort of coach or
hack, carrying the mail and passengers.
  After Walker built his hotel, or tavern, as it was
then called, Mr. Beebe secured the contract for carry-
mg the mail.  He ran a line of stages through on the
telegraph road, and the coming and going of these
ponderous vehicles was quite an event in the monot-
ony of the life of those days.
  The wide territory to the north of Berlinville,
which has now two post offices, then had none, and it
was a great convenience when an office was granted at
the center.  This office gave the present name to the
place, for, as there were so many Berlins, some other
name had to be given to avoid confusion, and Berlin
Heights was suggested by the high lands, overlooking
the lake, on which it was situated.
  Elihu P. Hill was the first postmaster, succeeded
by William Pearl, and by Jesse S. Davis, who has
retained the position for the last twelve years.
  The first hotel was built by David Walker, on the
old Walker farm.  The second was erected at Berlin-
ville, on the site of the present one, by David Coulter.
It was built of hewn logs.  He sold to Geo. Roberts,
father of George Roberts of Milan, who sold it to
Harry Walker.  Each owner added improvements.
  The next was built near, or on, the site of Mr.
Grumman's house and store, of logs, by Calvin Hig-
gins, who started a tannery, the first in the township
and the last.
  The first hotel at the Heights was the present
House, erected by Mr. Jesse I. Davis in 1855, and
occupied, except for a short interval, by him since
that time.
 The first school in the township was taught by
John Leland, in the winter of 1811-12, in a house on
the Fitzgerald farm, now Henry Hine's.  It would
probably be a great curiosity at the present time.
This school was soon suspended on account of the
war, the people leaving with their families for places
of safety - Cleveland or Pennsylvania.  It is said that
the panic was so great, that in January 1814, only
four families resided in the township.  And yet the
Indians were always friendly, and no instance of their
depredation is recorded in the township.
  The second school house was built of logs, covered
with "shakes," on the farm of Daniel Butler, in 1815,
and the school was first kept by Sophia Case, and
afterwards by Mr. Brady and Mr. Dunn.
  The third school house was built near the Burdue
spring, east of the Heights, in 1818. This house would
now be a great curiosity. It was sixteen feet by twenty,
and the logs of which it was built were of all lengths,
some running out many feet beyond others.  The roof
was shakes held down by heavy poles.  The floor was
made of logs split through the middle.  The seats
were made of the same, without backs, and the writing
desks were of the split slabs, supported by pins driven
into the log wall.  There were three windows, but as
there was no glass, strips were placed across the open-
ings and greased newspapers placed over them.  The
fire place occupied the whole end of the building, and
the only limit to the size of the sticks was the
strength of the boys to bring them in.  There was
not a board or a nail in the house.  This school was
opened by Thomas Stevens, who received ten dollars
a month, paid in work on his farm or produce, and
by way of gratuity, an occasional "bee" of chopping,
hoeing, husking, etc.  From this small beginning,
the township has made great advance in the interven-
ing sixty years.  The central district, in 1874, erect-
ed a school building at a cost of thirteen thousand
dollars.  This school is graded, and the higher grade
has been taught from the beginning by Mr. Job Fish,
whose popularity has never waned, but constantly in-
creased.  There are now ten school houses in the
township, valued at twenty-six thousand four hun-
dred dollars, and the annual expenditure for school
purposes is three thousand six hundred and eighty
dollars.  The central district supports, besides the
main school, one at the "East End," at a cost of one
hundred and seventy dollars per year, in a building
costing five hundred dollars.

CHURCHES.

THE FIRST CHURCH.
 The Methodists held class meetings even earlier
than 1812, in private residences, and had occasional
preaching from Nathan Smith, Mr. Westhich, Dennis
Goddard, ___ Walker, and later, William Pattee.
At one of these meetings the following resolution,
which is a most excellent article of faith, was
adopted:
 "WREREAS, Our lots, by Divine Providence, are east
in this wilderness land where we are destitute of the
preached word, destitute of an able shepherd to take
us by the band, and believing it is our duty, as pro-
fessed followers of Christ; and also; feeling it to be
our desire, and esteeming it to be our highest privi-
lege on earth to do all we can to the declarative glory
of God, the advancement of the Redeemer's cause in
the world, and the good of souls; and believing that
it will most conduce to this glorious end to form our-
selves into a conference state, in brotherly compact,
and thereby mutually strive to maintain the glory of
God, keep the Christian Sabbath, watch over one an-
other in love, and be helps to each other in our pil-
grimage journey, and finding ourselves to be in union
in sentiments; we, therefore, the: undersigned, do
hereby this day agree to unite in brotherly compact,
in the best of bonds, for the purpose above named.
March 4, 1818."
  This document is in the handwriting of Joshua
Phillips, and is signed by him, Robert Wolverton, P.
G. Smith, Levi Fuller, Fanny Smith, Rebecca Smith
and Luther Harris.
  In the following October, some of these met at the
residence of Perez Starr, in Florence, with others
from that township, and were organized by Elder
Warner Goodale into the Baptist Church of Berlin.
This organization held its meetings at private resi-
dences in Berlin and Florence.  Elders French, Hart-
well, Hanks, Tucker, Abbott, Rigdon, and Call,
preached occasionally.
  The first settled minister of the gospel in the town-
ship, and in fact between Cleveland and the "Indian
Land," was elder Call.  He settled on the farm where
he always resided, lot seven, range five, in 1820.  He
married, before moving from New York State; Miss
Sally Cross.  Their family consisted of nine children
and, including great grandchildren, his descendants
number one hundred.  He died in 1861 at the age of
eighty-eight, and his death was soon followed by that
of his wife at the age of eighty.
  The Congregational Church was organized by Rev.
A. H. Betts and S. B. Sullivan in 1823, with nine
members.  A. H. Betts preached occasionally until
1829, when Everton Judson preached one-third of the
time for two years; then F. Barber preached for one
year, Joseph Crawford for two years, and in 1840 was
succeeded by J. C. Sherwin, who remained until 1851.
He was very active and successful, and was dearly be-
loved by all the community.  He was succeeded for a
short time by James Scott, who was followed in 1852
by G. C. Judson, who remained about one year. John
Parlin followed until 1854, when F. A. Demming was
installed and remained until 1857.  He was then suc-
ceeded by F. M. Cravath, who remained until 1863,
when he entered the army as a chaplain.  T. B. Pen-
field occupied the desk for 1864, and George Candee
from 1865 to 1869.  Sidney Bryant remained but a
few months, and J. C. Thompson took his place and
remained one year, and was succeeded by Henry
Brown, whose ministry was very short.  In 1871 Levi
Loring accepted of the call and remained until 1874.
A. D. Hail followed, remaining until 1878, when he
departed to Japan as a missionary.  N. S. Wright is
the present stated supply.  Nathan Chapman was the
first clerk of the church.  Francis West retained that
office for thirty years.  This church, from its forma-
tion, was congregational, but for reasons which, in its
infancy, were thought best for union and success, it
became united with the presbytery and remained in
such union until 1865, when it withdrew and united
with the Ohio N. C. Association.  Since its first or-
ganization, about three hundred have united with the
church, but death and removals have reduced the
number to about sixty.  The first deacons were John
Fuller and Jonas Matthews, elected in 1835.  The
present edifice was erected in 1845.
  The Baptist Church was really founded and sus-
tained until 1833, by Elder Joshua Phillips, when at
his own request he was dismissed.  In 1833, Elder
Algood was secured to preach one-half the time; in
1837, Elder Wood preached one-half the time, and in
1838, Elder P. Latimer was secured.  In 1839, he
became a settled minister.  Under him the first great
revival occurred.  In 1840, H. C. Sylvester took
Latimer's place, and was succeeded in 1842 by Elder
Warren, under whose ministry aided by Elder Weaver,
a celebrated evangelist, the most wonderful revival,
ever witnessed in the township, took place.  It was
not only the greatest but the rest, and all efforts ap-
pear to have no appreciable effect in producing like
results.  In 1844, Elder Blake was called by the
church.  In that year the first Sabbath school was
organized.  Blake was succeeded in 1845, by Elders
Storrs and Bloomer; followed in 1847, by Henderson;
1848, by Wilder; 1851, by Willoughby.  During his
yearly ministry the church struck on the rock of
slavery.  By a vote of seventeen to two, it declared
that it withheld the hand of fellowship from all slave
holders.  Since that time it has not wielded the in-
fluence of its early years.
  The Methodists built a chapel in the eastern part
of the township in 1837, and in 1850 one in the
western.  This division was a great inconvenience,
and the western was sold for a school house, and, in
1870, a brick edifice erected at the Heights.  On ac-
count of the itinerant system adopted by that church,
it would be difficult to give a list of preachers who
have occupied the pulpits of that sect.

PHYSICIANS.

  The first physician was Dr. George G. Baker, who
came from Connecticut in 1822.  He remained but a
short time, removing to Florence, and from there
to Norwalk, where he remained and became identified
with the interests of that important town.  He was
very successful in treating the malarial fevers, which
were not well understood by the early practitioners,
and his ride extended over a wide territory.  The
early settlers still speak of him in terms of heartfelt
gratitude, and perhaps no physician has since attained
as strong hold on the confidence of the community.
  Physicians from neighboring towns came at the
early call of suffering, and as it ever is, in new 
countries, the quack flourished apace. Among the names
of the early doctors of medicine, a fuller notice of
whom belongs to the history of other townships, are:
Drs. Guthry, Harkness and Fay.  Daniel Butler also
practiced, and David Butler dealt in roots and herbs.
Xenophon Phillips began practice in _____, and for
many of years held almost a monopoly.  He was a
gentle, unassuming man, and had remarkable success
in malarial fevers.  His methods were not orthodox,
a combination of electrician, botanic, Thompsonian,
and common sense.
  Berlin is noted for its healthfulness, and physicians
have a proverbial hard time within its limits.  After
Dr. X. Phillips retired, Prof. B. L. Hill and Dr.
Geo. S. Hill gained a wide practice.  At present
there are three physicians in the township: M. M.
Benschoter, at Stone's corners, began practice in 1862,
and recently, Dr. Eldridge, Allopath, Dr. Collier, Ho-
meopath, have established themselves at the Heights,
  Lawyers never received a fat living in Berlin.  T.
C. Chapman has, for many years, transacted the legal
business of the community.

THE FIRST GRIST MILL.

  The sufferings for the want of mills to grind the
corn and wheat were not the least the pioneers were
called upon to endure.  The nearest mill was at River
Raisin, and thither, in boats, they carried their grain.
It is related that in one of their expeditions they
stopped for the night at one of the Sister Islands.
The wind was very high, and the boat broke from its
moorings and drifted far out into the lake.  It was
a terrible prospect for those hardy men, left alone on
desert island, and the entire yearly supply for their
families irretrievably lost.  Some of them sat down
and wept like children.  The wind changed, and in
the morning the boat drifted back, and they went on
their way rejoicing, but they always referred their
deliverance to the hand of a merciful providence.
Such long journeys were not often undertaken.  The
primitive Indian method of pounding grain in a mor-
tar, was adopted, or, at best, hand mills used.  This
was followed, in Milan, by a horse-power mill, and at
length the proprietors of Berlin, - Eldridge, Fosdick
and Miner,- through their agent in Cleveland, J.
Walworth, to improve their property; built a mill, in
1810, just above the Parmenter bridge on the Old
Woman creek.  It was the first grist mill on the Fire-
lands.  This mill was twenty by twenty-five, built of
logs, and had one run of stone. To the pioneers, who
had so long beaten their grain in mortars, or ground
it in hand mills, no mill could make better flour. The
Starr Brothers and Mr. Seymour built it, and soon
after its completion, John Thompson, who built the
old Parmenter house, the second frame house in the
township, purchased it, and was patronized by a wide
territory.  The stream, dammed in its forest fast-
nesses, then ran the mill nine months in the year.
The rain-fall was no greater than at present, but now
the forests are removed, ditches opened, and the
stream sweeps down in almost irresistible floods, and
scarcely for a single moment in the year is there
water sufficient to turn the mill wheel.
  This John Thompson was a character.  He was a
giant in stature; had been a wild youth, but had re-
formed.  His fingers were drawn up and he could not
straighten them.  When the boys came into the mill,
to wonderingly gaze on the strange wheels while their
bags of corn were being ground, they would ask him
how his hands came so fashioned.  He would say to
grab toll, and illustrate it by taking out of the hopper.
"Old Man Burdue" and his family were very super-
stitious, and Thompson delighted to make them be-
lieve he was a wizard.  The mill was locked with an
old padlock that needed a key, for the trouble was to
make it keep together, but in his hands it became bur-
glar proof, for he had made believe it was bewitched.
The Burdues and many others were often half ter-
rified when Thompson would walk up to the mill
door, make three waves of his hand, muttering to
himself, then shout "open," as he struck the door
with his fist, and the lock would fly apart.  Burdue
had bought a new scythe, and one day while using
it Thompson came along.  He wanted to buy it,
for a new scythe was difficult to obtain.  The old
man would not sell.  "Very well," said Thompson,
"it shall never do you any good."  Soon Burdue laid
down his scythe and went to another part of the field.
Thompson seized the opportunity, and with his knife
cut the edge completely off.  The old man returned
and resumed his mowing.  The scythe would not cut.
He used the whetstone over and over again, but it
would not cut the grass.  Then, in despair, he threw
it down, crying, "just as I knew it would be. Thomp-
son's spell'd it!"
 The difference between the millers of our day and
this pioneer, is as great as between the steam mills
they run and the old log mill with its rude wooden
water wheel.
 If Burdue was superstitious, he was a strong and
determined man. A good story is told of him and Mr.
Eldridge.  He had purchased a lot of land, where now
the creamery stands, of the latter, made a partial pay-
ment, and bound him to give a deed when he received
one hundred bushels of wheat, then worth two dol-
lars per bushel.  The next year when Eldridge came
to look after his lands, Burdue was ready with his
wheat, worth thirty-seven cents per bushel, and eager
for his deed.  Eldridge explained that it would be
ruinous, and endeavored to put him off. But the "old
man" was not to be thwarted.  He told Eldridge that
he "must make up his mind to give him the deed, or
he would never leave town alive."  Those who knew
him were sure that he would keep his word, and El-
dridge became so fully assured that he made the deed
and left the almost worthless wheat.

BERLIN INDUSTRIES AND PRODUCTS, ETC.

 The first quarry was opened by Joshua Phillips on
the land now owned by J. M. Stahl.  He had sold
the land to Eldridge, reserving the use of the quarry
for one year, in order to get out stone for himself a
house.  Elder Phillips made that year a busy one,
for he quarried stone, and had teams haul them out,
and for many years, had stone to supply the demand-
It was not, however, known that the ledge of sandstone
which crops out northeast of the Heights, and forms
a grand escarpment, was one of the most valuable in
the State.  It remained for George A. Baillie to de-
velop this fact.  The enterprise was a great one for
one man to undertake, as the strata dip from the es-
carpment, and over twenty feet of strippings had to
be cleared from a wide area before the desirable qual-
ity of stone could be obtained.  The wonderful
gravel-bed contiguous, tempted the Lake Shore Rail-
road to extend a branch from a point east of Ceylon,
overcoming the heavy grade by skillful engineering,
into the very heart of the quarry.
  The stone has been found everything to be desired.
It is practically inexhaustible, and the strata are from
six inches to eight feet in thickness.  By General
Gilmore's tests it will bear a crushing force of 14.250
per square inch, and E. E. Myers, the well known
architect, says: "He regards it as one of the best sand-
stones he has ever seen or used.  It withstands the
strongest acids; heat and cold, and grows harder, and
of finer tone by age and exposure.  Mr. Baillie ship-
ped in 1878, four hundred car loads, mostly to New
York.
  Mr. J. S. Lowry began a few years since, working
anew the quarry on the farm originally of H. Ham-
mond, and with sufficient outlay this, too, will furnish
an inexhaustible supply.
  In an early day grindstones were manufactured to
a considerable extent, and a wide local demand sup-
plied, but although the grit is good, the business has
long been discontinued.

DAIRY PRODUCTS.

  Berlin has not been devoted to dairying, and little
attention was given to the factory system established
in townships on the eastern portion of the Reserve.
Under the influence of Melvin Stone, the Berlin
creamery was established in 1877, with a patronage of
two hundred and fifty cows.  It had the advantage
of an abundant spring of water which flowed from
the earth at a temperature of ___.  This factory
brought the art of butter making up to a higher
standard than possible to be obtained even by experts,
with the conveniences which a farm house supplies,
and of course a higher price is obtained for the article,
ranging from seven to fifteen cents per pound.  This
increase in price more than covers the entire cost of
manufacture and sale.  The patronage of the cream-
ery for 1878 was three hundred and forty cows, an
increase of ninety, and notwithstanding low prices,
the business was entirely satisfactory.
  The Berlin fruit box manufactory was established
in 1863, and has been a leading interest.  It was first
run in connection with the sorghum business, began
the year previous, and which was continued until
1866.  In the year 1864 ten thousand gallons of sor-
ghum syrup were made.  The manufacture of apple
barrels was also a part of the business.  In 1866, six
thousand were made.  In 1868, the box business had
so largely increased that all other interests were closed
out.  Additions and improvements in buildings and
materials have been constantly made and the product
increased until now eighty thousand feet of timber are
annually required, and employment given to twenty-
five persons.  Samuel Patterson has been connected
as leading partner and business agent with the firm
from the beginning, and its success is due mainly to
his enterprise and inventive genius.

FRUIT GROWING.

  The pioneers at an early day were determined to
have orchards, and began to plant trees before the
ground was cleared of the forest.  Canada was the
nearest place where apple trees could be obtained,
and, in 1812, John Hoak and Mr. Fleming, of Huron,
crossed the lake and returned with a boat load of
trees.  Some of these are still growing in the orchard
of Henry Hoak and the old Burdue farm.  Three
pear trees on the farm of Mr. Hoak from this ship-
ment are of monstrous growth and still vigorous,
being quite unlike the weakly stock we now endeavor
to keep alive by constant doctoring.  One of them is
seventy feet in highth, and measures eighteen inches
above the ground, eight feet seven inches in circum-
ference; another, somewhat less tall, measures over
seven feet.  They rarely fail to bear, and yield from
thirty to fifty bushels of pears each.  Some of the
old apple trees are still vigorous, and one of these
measures over nine feet in circumference.  From this
small beginning, Berlin has become famous for the
perfection of its various fruits, and the skill of its
horticulturists.  The proximity of the lake prevents
damaging frosts, and the soil is well adapted for the
apple, peach and grape.

COMMUNISM.

  Berlin Heights, it one time, became widely known
on account of a socialistic or Free Love society Organ-
ized there.  Only a single citizen of the township be-
came identified with this movement, this agitation
being drawn from widely remote States. They added
to their restlessness and impatience with existing cus-
toms and usages, more than ordinary intelligence.
  It was some time after the first gathering that a
community was established.  The first, called Point
Hope Community, was commenced in 1860, had
about twenty members, and lasted less than a year.
The second, called the Industrial Fraternity, com-
menced, in 1860, with twenty members, lived about
six months.  The third, the Berlin Community, or
Christian Republic, commenced in 1865, had twelve
adult members and six children and lived about one
year.
  So far as testing communism was concerned, the
attempt was an utter failure.  The drifting to this
section of so many individuals, who, to use their own
phrase, were "intensely individualized," and who re-
mained after the complete failure of their schemes,
has had an influence on the character of the town.
They engaged in fruit growing, have multiplied the
small farms, and added to the prosperity and intel-
iectual life of the people.  From the beginning their
honesty never was questioned, however mistaken
their ideas.
  Johnson's Cyclopedia makes a strange blunder,
when it says that a flourishing community of Spiritu-
alists is located at Berlin Heights.  It refers, of
course to the socialistic society, which was not spirit-
ualistic in any sense of the word.  Spiritualism does
not teach communism in any form, and some of the
most zealous opposers of the socialists were among
the spiritualists.  It is true that some of the social-
ists claimed to be spiritualists, and others claimed to
believe in various church doctrines, and some were
atheists.
  The Berlin people are noted for tolerance, but it
may be presumed that the socialists, with their
strange ideas, did not always find their paths strewn
with roses, and the citizens still retain fresh in 
their memories, how, when Francis Barry attempted to
mail a number of the obnoxious "Age of Freedom",
twenty Berlin women seized the mail-sack in which
he had brought it on his shoulder to the office, and
made a bonfire in the street.  The following jour-
nals were successively started by the socialists and
ran brief careers: "Social Revolutionist", conducted by
J. S. Patterson, 1857; "Age of Freedom", commenced
in 1858, Frank and Cordelia Barry and C. M. Over-
ton, editors; "Good Time Coming", 1859, edited by J.
P. Lesley 
and C. M. Overton; the "New Republic",
1862, edited by Francis Barry; "The Optimist" and
"Kingdom of Heaven", 1869, Thomas Cook, editor;
"The Principia", or Personality", 1868, N. A. Brown,
editor; the "New Campaign", 1871, C. M. Overton,
editor; "The Toledo Sun", moved from Toledo to Ber-
lin Heights in 1875, by John A. Laut.
  Besides these, two local newspapers were published
for some time: "The Bulletin", by W. B. Harrison,
commenced in 1870; and the "Index" by F. J. Miles,
commenced in 1875.
  In 1851, the Ark of Temperance was established in
Berlin, and perhaps nothing excited a greater and
more permanent influence over the morals and intel-
lectual culture of the people.  The Sons of Temper-
ance excluded women, and hence failed.  Mr. S. 0.
Kellogg conceived the happy idea of establishing an
order wherein the sexes should be equal.  The result
of his thinking was the "Ark," of which the Good
Templars is a faint imitation.  The movement was a
great success.  The organization at one time num-
bered over eight hundred members.  The grand ark
began establishing subordinate arks, and had the mat-
ter been pushed there was no reason why it had not
become as wide as the country.  For many years the
ark at the Heights was maintained, and to the attrac-
tions of the impressive ritual was added not only
social, but a high order of intellectual life.

SOLDIERS OF BERLIN.

  The following is a complete list of the soldiers who
are dead, furnished by Berlin in the defence of the
country, and from it something may be learned of the
sacrifice of life and money made in the holy cause of
hberty by this township:
  Revolution - Orley Benschoter, Hieronomus Mingus, 
Aaron Van Benschoter.
  War of 1812 - Russell Ransom, Nathaniel Griffin,
Ephraim Hardy, Prosper Carey, George Whitney,
Joshua Phillips, P. T. Barber, Jacob Mingus, 
Nathaniel Burdue, H. Dunbar, T. Miller.
  War of the Rebellion - Wm. Lowry, Sam. McGurkin, 
Richard Mulleneaux, Curtis Mullenaux, Myron
Rice, George Burgess, L. L. Hardy, D. D. Stage, 
W. A. Keith, Spafford Penny, J. Woodward, Osro J.
Lowell, J. Hall, J. Daniels, Elisha Jenkins, W.
Swartz, Diodot Ransom, George Johnson, S. Seeley,
C. A. Graves, E. Huffman, E. Hardy, Fred Huntley,
James Smith, P. K. Loomis, Geo. L. Fowler, Horace
Hill, John Laughlin, J. Smith, H. Smith, Darius
Smith, Charles Elwood, Henry Elwood, Aaron Hall,
Lucius Smith, Dan'l Weatherslow; Oliver Benschoter,
Frank Bemis, William Bellamy.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

[note: a portrait of Almon Ruggles was included with 
the following bio.]
HON. ALMON RUGGLES.
  Few, if any, of the early pioneers of this country,
are more deserving a place in history, and none filled
more prominent and important positions, or had more
varied and interesting experiences, than did the subject
of this sketch.  He came to this country from Dan-
bury, Connecticut, to survey the "Sufferer's Lands,"
so-called, in 1805.  His first surveys were made under
orders of his principal, and proved unsatisfactory to
the committee, and he was then chosen by the com-
mittee as chief, and the survey was made the second
time, to the satisfaction of all concerned.  In this
survey he called to his aid Judge Wright, of New
York, who had charge of one branch of the work. In
addition to his salary, he was permitted to select one
mile square any where on the lake shore, within the
limits of the Fire-lands, at one dollar per acre.  He
selected the land, - a portion of which is now owned
by his only surviving son, Richard Ruggles, - on the
lake shore, in the township of Berlin.  The beautiful
grove, known as "Ruggles' Grove," was spared by his
order, and is now a fit monument to his memory, and
in sight of which his ashes repose.
  He was an expert swimmer.  When it became
necessary to cross a stream he could not ford, he
would tie his wardrobe into as small a bundle as pos-
sible, cross the stream with them, and return for his
compass.
  His father was Ashbel Ruggles, a descendant of one
of three brothers who came from Scotland, but just
what year is not known.  His mother was a Bostwick.
Almon was a twin. His brother Alfred died in infancy.
  His father was in indigent circumstances when he
was a boy, and he went to live with an uncle, who
was a Presbyterian deacon, and very parsimonious.
He refused to give young Ruggles an education, or to
even give him an opportunity to acquire one.  He
obtained his first book by catching wood chucks,
tanning the skins, and braiding them into whip-lashes
for the market.  As Providence helps the man who
helps himself, so this young man was prospered.  Six
months was the sum of his school days, yet by appli-
cation, he fitted himself for teaching, and taught in
an academy for some time.  The very obstacles to be
overcome, gave him that energy and strength of
character which ever after characterized his public
and private life.  He was a self-made man in the best
sense of the word.  His own early struggles with
poverty, gave him active sympathies with the poor
pioneers of this country.  All regarded him as a
friend, and many of them depended on him for sup-
port in all emergencies  He had a store of general
merchandise, and trusted all those who could not pay.
It is said of him that he might have been very rich,
had he been disposed to grind the face of poverty.
He preferred to live more unselfishly, and merit the
confidence and respect of his fellows.  He not only
encouraged the early settlers with material aid, but
with cheerful looks and kind words.  He was always
jolly, and enjoyed fun, and all enjoyed his society.
He represented this senatorial district in the State
legislature in 1816-17-19, when the district consisted
of the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga, Portage,
Cuyahoga and Huron, and in 1820, when it consisted
of Cuyahoga and Huron.  He was associate judge for
several years, under the old constitution.  His ability,
his integrity, his knowledge of the country and people,
eminently qualified him for the places he filled, and it
is said of him, that in all his public life, no official
misconduct stained his record, or cast a shadow on his.
character.  He was an earnest worker in the whig
party, and a personal friend of General Harrison.
  He was twice married.  His second wife was a wid-
ow, Mrs. Rhoda Buck nee Sprague.  He has two
living children: Mrs. Dr. Phillips, of Berlin Heights,
and Richard, who married Miss Eleanor E. Post, of
Berlin. He lives on the homestead.  Charles married
Miss Mary Douglass for his first wife, and Miss Julia.
Mallory for his second.  He was a member of no
church, but was equally liberal with all, opening his
dwelling for meetings and for the entertainment of
the ministers.  He was too large a man for wrong-
doing, and too liberal and kind to treat any with
incivility.  Such a life never ends, so long as grate-
ful children and grandchildren walk in its echoes
Such men can walk fearlessly and confidingly down
into the great future to meet whatever awaits them
there.  He passed in to the "Beyond," July 17, 1840,
in the sixty-ninth year of his age. 

[note: a portrait of MR. and MRS. P.B. 
BARBER was included with the following bio.]
REV. PHINEAS BARKER BARBER
was born in Greenwich, Washington county, New
York, June 22, 1793.  At the age of nineteen, he en-
listed as a soldier in the war of 1812 with Captain
Cook, in the New York militia, and was honorably
discharged.  The command of Captain Cook did effi-
cient service, and suffered much.  At the time of his
decease he was drawing a pension for service rendered
during that war.
  In 1815, at the age of twenty-two, he purchased
his first farm in Lock, Cayuga county, New York.
June 3, 1819, he was united in marriage with Orpha
Morse, daughter of Judge Morse, of the same county,
by whom he had seven children, five of whom are
living.
  In 1830, he came to Ohio with his family, and set-
tled in Berlin, where he lived until his decease. June
26, 1836, his wife died, and, on the 20th of June,
1837, he married Roxana S. Heath, who survives him.
He was converted to christianity at the age of twenty-
three, and entered 'the ministry of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, at the age of twenty-six, and from
that time until his death was a zealous worker in the
vineyard of the church.
  His ministry commenced in Ohio, at a time when
he could stand in his own door and shoot deer and
other game, which he frequently did. In those days,
he traveled through the woods on foot to fill his ap-
pointments, and preached in churches, school houses
and private dwellings.  He preached in nearly every
township in Erie and Huron counties, and had two
or more preaching places in each township.
  To the fulfillment of his duties as a minister, he
brought a cultured and cheerful. mind, rare energy of
character, industry, economy and hospitality.  His
liberality knew no bounds but an empty purse.
These traits of character were crowned with love for
God and humanity.  His piety and courage, as well
as his faith and hope, are conspicuous at every stage
of his history.  During the fifty-eight years of his
ministry, he never received a dollar for preaching,
and he supported his family by hard labor on his
farm. He was unflagging in his energies and untiring
in his labor of love.  No embassador of Jesus Christ
ever sounded forth his messages with more faithful-
ness or fervor.
  His endurance was wonderful:  He preached every
Sunday, and his appointments were from five to
twenty miles apart. He also attended, on an average,
three funerals each week, and uniformly suffered with
the sick headache after preaching.  He pressed for-
ward, sowing the seed for future harvest, in obedi-
ence to what he conceived to be his duty. He planted
in the morning, and in the evening withheld not his
hand - exerting a wide influence.
  It is said of him, that he married more couples and
administered spiritual consolation to more of the sick,
and preached more funeral sermons than any other
man who ever lived in his field of labor.  He lived in
the affection and confidence of his people and neigh-
bors.  He held various offices of trust, and, at one
time, lacked but ten votes of being elected representa-
tive of his county in the State legislature; and, on
one occasion, was nominated for State senator.  He
improved and beautified his home with his own hands,
built his own house and barns, and assisted in build-
ing the old Berlin Chapel, in 1835, and various other
churches.
  He was a Christian gentleman, never trifling, yet
always cheerful, and fond of relating pleasant anec-
dotes.  He was a great reader, and had few equals as
such in the general literature of his time.  His doc-
trinal habits and modes of thought followed him to
the end. The character of this war-worn pioneer was
one of the purest and brightest history records.  In
short, his life presents an instance of self-sacrificing
devotion to his conviction of right and duty, of which
history has but few parallels.  His long and useful
life was full of labor and adorned with love.
  On the 2d day of May, 1877, at the age of eighty-
four, he escaped the thraldom of his earthly body,
and entered upon the spiritual inheritance provided
for all the redeemed. 
  ROXANA S. BARBER 
was born in March, 1810, in Kingwood, New Jersey,
on the Atlantic coast.  Her father was Richard
Heath, light horseman.  In those days of military
ambition, the New Jersey militia powdered their wigs
and presented a gay appearance.  She came to Gene-
seo, New York, in 1827, and to Florence, Ohio, in
1835.  The family landed at Huron in November of
that year.  There being no mode of conveyance in the
country at that time, they walked from Huron to
Florence, where they purchased a farm.  June 27,
1837, she was united in marriage to Rev. Phineas B.
Barber, with whom she lived until his decease, a
period of forty years, enduring the hardships of a
pioneer life, and doing double duty, while her hus-
band was from home, in the work of the ministry.
The wives and mothers who suffered the hardships of
pioneer life, who faced danger, want and suffering
with such unfaltering trust and Christian fortitude,
will never, can never, be appreciated, not even by
grateful children, until they put on the glorious robe
of immortality, and their reward will not come until
they enter the glories of the upper sanctuary.  Two
children were the fruit of this union.  Carrie C. mar-
ried Newton Andress in 1863; lives at Berlin Heights.
Phineas B. deceased in 1869.  Mrs. Barber resides
with her daughter, Mrs. Andress.


BENJAMIN SUMMERS. [note: this bio appeared opposite 
page 479. Also included were portraits of Benj. and 
Julia B. Summers.]
  Benjamin Summers was of Revolutionary ancestry. His 
parents were from Newtown, Fairfield Co., Conn., where 
his ancestors had lived for three generations. His 
grandfather, Benjamin Summers, was the son of Samuel 
Summers, and was one of a family of nine sons and three 
daughters. His ancestor, Benjamin, served with 
distinction in the old French war. He was too old for 
general service during the Revolution, but was active in 
getting recruits; was in command of a company of Silver 
Gray Minute-Men, and was out in the service at the time 
the British were chased to their shipping after the 
burning of Fairfield, Danbury, and Norwalk.
  Mark Summers, the father of Benjamin, was born May 21, 
1765, at Newtown, Conn., and in 179_ fixed his home 
among the rough hills of Middletown, Delaware Co., N. Y. 
Here his son Benjamin was born, May 21, 1801. In his 
ninth year he was sent beck to the old family home at 
Newtown, that he might attend school; thither, also, his 
parents soon after removed, in order to educate their 
children. They remained there seven or eight years. In 
the mean time Benjamin had acquired "a good common-
school education, and a couple of years in Latin, 
mathematics, and surveying."
  In the fall of 1817, Mark Summers and his family 
removed to the West, arriving at their home on the Fire-
Lands, Nov.17, 1817, after a journey of forty days in 
the wilderness, pitching their tent in Vermillion 
township. The land which he had purchased, three hundred 
and forty acres, lay in Jessup (now Florence) township. 
It was a little too far in the woods, and to be nearer 
to neighbors they bought a half-lot in Vermillion, which 
spot became the permanent home of the family. One 
inducement to buy the half-lot was that there was a 
clearing of two or three acres and a dwelling-house 
thereon. The house was a log hut of one story and one 
room, and they "moved in with the family already 
occupying, making in all fifteen in one room, and most 
of the time two hired men in addition."
  Benjamin taught the district school part of the winter 
of 1819, and occasionally afterward. In the winter of 
1824-25 he clerked in a store in Milan, and was married 
to Miss Olive Stevens, of that place, recently from 
Sheffield, Mass. She lived but a short time after their 
marriage. Mr. Summers married his second wife, Miss 
Julia Burr, April 4, 1827. She, also, like his former 
wife, had had the advantages of a New England education.
  Mr. Summers' health was never very firm, he being 
afflicted with rheumatism, which partially disabled him 
for years. He succeeded, however, very well in business, 
and soon became a leading man in his community; filled 
various offices, was justice of the peace three terms, 
and in the winter of 1837 was, by the State Legislature; 
elected associate judge of Huron County. Mr. Summers was 
a Whig, and the Legislature by which he was elected was 
Democratic. The office was unsolicited and unexpected by 
him. Judge Summers took his seat at the March term, 
1837. At the Legislative session of 1838-39, the 
Democrats, being in power, set off to Erie County what 
is now its eastern portion, and thus Judge Summers was, 
as claimed by the Democrats, legislated out of office, 
he, by the change in county lines, being no longer a 
resident of Huron County. Various legal questions were 
raised; but Judge Summers and Judge Choate, of Milan, 
whose case was similar, continued to act as associate 
judges of Huron County. The case was taken to the 
Supreme Court, where a difference of opinion existed. 
After some two years a political change gave the 
Democrats a majority in the Supreme Court, and Summers 
and Choate were ousted. At the solicitation of his party 
friends, Judge Summers consented to be the Whig 
candidate of his district for representative in the 
Legislature. He was elected in 1844, and reelected in 
1845, and was by his friends asked to be a candidate for 
State Senator in 1846, but declined the nomination. It 
"did not pay" in any sense, and he very touch disliked 
the cabaling, intrigue, and "tin-pan" which seemed most 
inseparable from, or, at least, too much practiced in, 
political life. From this period Mr. Summers was a 
prominent man (to whom the "widow and the orphan" came 
for advice and counsel), but preferred private life, was 
successful as a farmer, keeping up with the times in his 
reading and observation of men and things. His health 
seemed firmer, and he realized the ease of competence 
and the happiness of home. Realizing the benefits of an 
education, he gave to his children such advantages as 
were in his power. He was among the early members of the 
Fire-Lands Historical Society, filled various offices in 
the same from time to time, was one of its efficient 
supporters, and furnished various contributions for its 
magazine.
  His temperament was nervous-bilious, and he suffered 
much from nervous headaches, which interfered with his 
labors and literary pursuits. He had a great thirst for 
knowledge, and read everything within his reach; had a 
general knowledge on most subjects, without confining 
himself to any one line of thought. His farming was 
after the style of his reading. He delighted in 
improvements, was fond of introducing new and superior 
fruits, grains, vegetables, ornamental trees, etc. He 
did not confine himself to one production. When his 
curiosity and ambition were satisfied with producing the 
finest and greatest variety of peaches, he turned his 
attention to the culture of grapes, and so on. The money 
value of a thing was not its chief value to him. He was 
not visionary, however, or reckless, but cautious, and 
commonly succeeded in whatever he undertook. Though not 
a read lawyer, he had a pretty good knowledge of legal 
principles, and his views on legal questions were much 
respected and sought after by his neighbors and friends. 
He was just, punctual, and forbearing in his dealings 
and intercourse, firm where duty required, but yielding 
where no principle would be sacrificed; hence he was the 
uncompromising enemy of slavery and every pretext for 
oppression, a reliable friend, a rather "inconvenient 
enemy," an accommodating neighbor, and kind and 
indulgent in his domestic relations. For many years he 
was a consistent and active member of a Christian 
church, but was naturally somewhat skeptical on some 
points of orthodoxy, and for a time seemed to delight in 
controversy on these points. In later years he disliked 
this controversy, and earnestly sought to return to the 
faith of his earlier manhood. Advancing years enfeebled 
the health of himself and wife. They sold the old 
homestead and removed to Berlin Heights, where they 
resided two or three years until the decease of his 
faithful wife, who had been a true helpmeet for forty-
seven years, on Nov.19, 1874. By this event his home was 
broken up; his health also gave way, and for ten months 
he was an intense sufferer. These last months were spent 
with his children, "far away' from the Fire-Lands," and 
they learned to know him better and reverence his 
character more and more as the days of his pilgrimage 
drew to a close He departed this life, in the full vigor 
of his intellectual faculties, at the residence of his 
daughter, wife of Rev. G. H. Hartupee, D.D., at 
Mansfield, Ohio, Aug.11, 1878, in the seventy-fifth year 
of his age.


MILTON MCLAUGHLIN. [note: this bio appeared opposite 
page 482. Also included were portraits of Mr. and Mrs. 
Milton McLaughlin.]
  The grandparents of Mr. McLaughlin came from Ireland, 
with their family of eleven sons, and settled in 
Georgetown. Pa. The date of their immigration is 
uncertain, but it must have been over a century ago. 
John, one of the oldest of this large family, married 
Elizabeth Hoak, sister of John Hoak, and after a few 
years joined the party of adventurers who left Walnut 
Creek, Pa., for the Huron River. He removed from the 
bottom-lands of the river to Milan, then an Indian 
village, and remained there two years. He became greatly 
attached to the Indians, and they to him. He was an 
excellent hunter, and they admired his dexterity. His 
children played and were one with the Indian children. 
When his little son, Benjamin, was taken sick he was 
doctored by the Indian medicine-man, and, when he died, 
was buried by the Indians after their custom.
  Mr. McLaughlin was fortunate in maintaining the most 
friendly relation with the Indians, and never but once 
broke with them. Once, while hunting, he shot one of 
their dogs for a wolf, and narrowly escaped the 
vengeance of its owner.
  In 1810 he built a small log house on Lot 8, which has 
since been known as the McLaughlin place, and moved 
there with his family. It was a desperate struggle for 
existence; want and disease were continually near at 
hand. The children, unacclimated, were the greatest 
sufferers.
  Henry, one of the oldest, succumbed to fever, and was 
buried on the high bank of Huron River. While here, news 
came of Hull's surrender, and the settlers fled for 
their lives, expecting the Indians would rush down upon 
them. Mr. McLaughlin and family started for the old home 
in Pennsylvania, with such provisions as they could 
carry, and on horsebock or on foot pursued their way 
through the interminable forest to Mansfield. His rifle 
was his dependence for support, and they camped wherever 
night overtook them. Soon after they reached their 
destination, on Christmas-day, 1813, the weary mother 
gave birth to a son, who is the subject of this sketch. 
After two years the family returned.
  In 1814 they built a hewed log house, near the 
Corners, on the same farm, where he resided until his 
death. He was passionately fond of hunting, and very 
pious; a quiet, taciturn man, who shrank not from labor. 
There was no fruit except wild crab-apples and frost-
grapes; turnips were used for fruit, and sometimes the 
children would go into the woods and search for ground-
nuts or wild potatoes for their dinner.
  Their sugar was made from the maple, and queer tastes 
were established by familiarity with Indian diet. They 
cooked their meat in the syrup.
  This section was heavily timbered. Oaks which made 
seventy-five rails to the cut, and four hundred years of 
age, were common. Vermin abounded. In one fall Mr. 
Milton McLaughlin killed seventy-five opossums, several 
hundred squirrels, and twelve deer, besides wild turkeys 
and 'coons which he did not count. Where the schoolhouse 
now stands, his father killed a bear. The children in 
this interesting family were as follows, - Katie, Henry, 
John, Nancy, Benjamin, Annie, Betsey, Milton, and 
Belinda. As corn was pounded into meal in a mortar made 
in a stump hollowed out by fire, the feeding of such a 
family was no ordinary task.
  Milton McLaughlin was cradled and bred under such 
conditions and surroundings. He became a hard-working, 
persevering, determined man, with a good bit of the 
silent, undemonstrative habit, as would be expected from 
such conditions. He married, Nov.28, 1837, Mary B. Krom, 
of Ulster Co., Pa., formerly of New York City. In 
consideration of paying certain debts, his father gave 
him a part of the old farm. These debts amounted to more 
than the land was worth, but he struggled through. When 
he moved from his father's house he carried his 
household goods on a wheelbarrow. He worked on his farm 
during the summer, and in the ship-yard at Milan during 
the winter. He was a sawyer, and helped to saw the 
timber for the locks on the canal. He often made $4.40 
per day, while the average wages were but $1.50 per day. 
His efforts were admirably seconded by his wife, and, by 
perseverance, industry, and attention to business, he 
has gained the title of West Berlin banker, though he 
says he never had a dollar given him.
  The fruit of this marriage are Ransom, born June 9, 
1839, married Sarah Springer, Aug. 8, 1860, resides in 
Milan township; Nancy T., born June 16, 1842, married, 
April 14, 1868, to Wm. Squire, of Milan, died April 
10,1875; Jane, born Jan.23, 1843, married George Hooper, 
and resides in Michigan; William F., born Feb. 5, 1849, 
died a soldier, in South Carolina, March 2, 1865; 
Willis, born June 29, 1859; and Bertha E., born March 
14, 1868.
  Of his father's family, he is the only surviving son. 
It is said of his sister Nancy, now Mrs. Sands, when a 
small girl she went after the cows, and while gathering 
wild grapes, too tempting to pass, became lost. She was 
so completely turned around that, when she was told the 
right way by a man she met near Old Woman Creek, she 
would not believe him, and kept on her own way. The 
neighbors hunted for her all night without success, but 
the next day Henry discovered her track on the bank of 
the creek, and followed it, finding her in Florence, 
eight miles away, where she found shelter in a rude 
cabin.
  Mr. McLaughlin was reared a Methodist, but is now 
eclectic in religion, and from remarkable phenomena in 
his own house became a believer in Spiritualism.
 In 1858 he built a large brick residence, and is now 
prepared to enjoy the fruits of his long and patient 
toil. He has been an eye-witness of the numberless 
changes of sixty years, which have converted the 
trackless wild into fields laden with harvest; 
instead of deer and bear, the horse, ox, and sheep; 
instead of blazed trees to mark the line of travel, 
good, broad highways; streams have been bridged; towns, 
villages, and beautiful homes have been built. In short, 
the "desert has been made to blossom as the rose."
  Some faint idea of this change may be seen from this 
fact: in 1827, John McLaughlin paid $270 for his one 
hundred acres of land, and paid a tax on the same that 
year of $8.10. The same land is now valued at $10,000, 
and in 1876 the taxes were $85.96.

 
HUDSON TUTTLE. [note: a portrait of MR. and MRS. HUDSON 
TUTTLE was included with the following bio.]  
  The city which decorates a park with fine statuary 
does mere to elevate the standard of public morals and 
correct taste than does the erection of a score of 
costly churches. The life of one sincerely honest, pure, 
and consistent man in a community, who is not an 
idolater to mammon, and who has a heart to feel and an 
intellect to work for public weal, with the moral 
courage to combat error on all occasions and under all 
circumstances, does more to educate mankind up to higher 
planes of thought, and modes of life and culture, than 
does the endowment of a public school. Such a man is the 
subject of this sketch. He was born in 1836, in a log 
cabin on the farm where he now resides, and where he has 
always lived. His parents came to Ohio in 1830, 
purchased a tract of woodland, and from the forest 
carved out the home now owned by Mr. Tuttle.
  His opportunities for acquiring an education were 
exceedingly meagre. His entire school-days did not reach 
quite fourteen months, and his school attendance was 
interrupted by sickness and long vacations incident to 
country schools. At the age of sixteen he became a 
medium. His mediumship began with moving of tables and 
other objects, but rapidly culminated in a highly 
sensitive and impressional state, in which he always 
writes and usually speaks. He was a frail, sensitive, 
and reticent boy, and even now shrinks from notoriety or 
prominence. Brief as were his school-days, frail as was 
his boyhood, sensitive and reticent as was his youth, 
modest and retiring as is his mature manhood, few men of 
his age and opportunities are so widely and favorably 
known in this country, and among the scholars in Europe. 
His first work, "Life in the Spheres," was written and 
published while he was yet in his teens.
  While the public was wondering over this strange story 
of the "Beyond," he was preparing the first volume of 
the "Arcana of Nature." We are told that the manuscript 
for this volume was three times written and indexed 
before it was acceptable to the intelligences dictating 
it; and each time he was instructed to burn it and try 
again, be unhesitatingly obeyed.
  Though weary with physical toil, when his guides came 
he was at once refreshed, elastic, happy, and wrote far 
into the night. The first volume of the "Arcana of 
Nature" was published in 1860. Two editions were soon 
exhausted. It was at once translated into German, and 
the advanced minds of that country saw in this work a 
solution of the problem for which the thinking world had 
been so long looking. In the preface of this work, Mr. 
Tuttle says, with characteristic modesty:
  "For years I have been led through the paths of 
science by invisible guides, who have manifested the 
earnest zeal of a father for a feeble and truant child.
  From these invisible authors I draw the concealing 
veil, and to them dedicate this volume."
  The writer well remembers how the world stood aghast 
when this work appeared. All who knew or had seen this 
country boy were amazed. Some praised, but more 
ridiculed and condemned. A farmer boy, without books, 
education, apparatus, and with none of the appliances of 
the schools, nor even cultivated surroundings, launches 
upon the world a work at once philosophical and 
profound, commencing with the construction of the atom, 
and ending with the laws of spirit life.
  The ideas it contained of evolution antedated Darwin 
by two years, and his ideas of force were greatly in 
advance of the science of the time. The second volume of 
the "Arcana" soon followed, and in 1866 he published 
"Origin and Antiquity of Man," said to be a work of 
great merit.
  About the same time, in conjunction with his wife, he 
published "Blossoms of our Spring," a poetical work 
containing, as its title implies, their early poems.
  His next works were "The Career Of the Christ Idea in 
History," "Career of the God Idea In History," and 
"Career of Religious Ideas; Their Ultimates the Religion 
of Science," which followed each other in quick 
succession. Next came the "Arcana of Spiritualism," a 
manual of spiritual science and philosophy, wherein he 
condensed the study and best communications of fifteen 
years of mediumship.
  In 1874, Mr. Tuttle and wife published a volume of 
"Stories for our Children," supplying them with mental 
food free from theological dogmatism.
  Among the many tracts he has written, the most notable 
are, perhaps, "Revivals, their Cause and Cure," and 
"Origin of the Cross and Steeple."
  To all this literary labor must be added his editorial 
duties and continuous contributions to the press, both 
reform and secular. For years he has written, on an 
average, one review each week. He has never entered the 
field as an itinerant lecturer, yet calls from the 
various societies fully occupy his leisure time. All 
this literary work has been accomplished outside of the 
ordinary routine of business.
  He has a productive farm of between two and three 
hundred acres, with orchards and vineyards, which 
receives his personal supervision. Few men in this 
country raise better crops, or have a better knowledge 
of soils, and the best methods of culture. The farm, of 
course, must receive his attention during the day, and 
his literary labor is mostly performed at night.
  In 1857 he was united in marriage to Miss Emma D. 
Rood, a lady of rare poetic and artistic talent. They 
are bound together by the ties of a common belief, and, 
in the highest and best sense of the word, are helpmeets 
to each other. Their home is a centre of reformatory 
influence in Northern Ohio. Their generous and cordial 
hospitality seems unbounded.
  Mr. Tuttle is yet a young man, comparatively, and only 
the initial chapter of his biography can be written. His 
has been a strange education, and one of special 
significance to those who accept Spiritualism.
  The writer of this biography has quoted largely from a 
sketch of the life of Mr. Tuttle in the "World's Sages, 
Infidels, and Thinkers," and he regrets that the space 
allotted in this history will not justify a more 
extended one. 
  MRS. EMMA TUTTLE, the subject of this sketch, was the 
daughter of John Rood, Jr., and Jane A. Miller. She was 
born in Braceville, Trumbull Co., Ohio, in 1839, on the 
farm where her mother passed her childhood.
  Her father was a native of East Canaan, Conn., and 
came to Ohio in 1836. Her mother was a native of Ohio. 
She was educated at the Western Reserve Seminary, at 
Farmington, Ohio, - a Methodist institution. She was 
reared in that religious faith, and was a member of the 
church in her native town until just previous to her 
marriage, when she withdrew her connection with that 
body, having embraced the doctrines of Spiritualism.
  The public literary labors of Mrs. Tuttle commenced in 
the cause of her new faith, but in later years have 
widened and become more general, as the versatility of 
her powers developed, and her dramatic work has been 
entirely of a literary character.
  She is the author of two volumes of poems, "Blossoms 
of our Spring," an early production, as the title 
implies, and "Gazelle," a story of the Rebellion, 
published anonymously. "The Lyceum Guide," a book for 
the use of Sunday-schools organized after the plan of 
Andrew Jackson Davis, was edited by her, and she was the 
principal contributor. It was a work of great merit, and 
has been universally praised by critics who comprehended 
his system taught. It had a wide sale. The plates of 
this work were destroyed in his Boston fire, but the 
demand for the book is such that it will soon be 
republished.  The demand for a work of this kind, for 
the use of lyceums, is, we are informed, about as staple 
as the machinery for an ordinary Sunday-school.
  Mrs. Tuttle is deeply interested in children's 
progressive lyceums, and says that a working 
organization of this kind is one of the most charming 
places for instruction for both old and young. With its 
orchestra, banners, marching, calisthenics, recitations, 
discussions, and lectures, it is never monotonous, and 
cannot fail to interests and instruct. She has been a 
faithful and zealous worker in this field of labor, and 
says she has received great benefit personally.
  Mrs. Tuttle is, perhaps, better known to the general 
public in Ohio through her songs and her dramatic 
readings. Her lyric compositions have been set to music 
by eminent composers, among whom are James G. Clark, of 
New York; Prof. Bailey, of Michigan; Felix Schilling, of 
Philadelphia; H. M. Higgins, E. T. Blackmer, Miss Emily 
B. Talmage, of Chicago; and Dr. E. L. Perry, of Milan, 
Ohio. Among the more popular of these compositions are 
"My Lost Darling," "The Unseen City," and "Beautiful 
Claribell."
  She has rare poetic genius, and is a constant 
contributor to all the leading reformatory journals, and 
frequently to the secular press. She has had a thorough 
education as an actress and dramatic reader, having 
finished her course under the renowned Prof. T. F. 
Leonard, in Boston. Critics say of her: "She has no 
superior in her rendition of 'The Maniac,' by Lewis; nor 
In the heroic compositions of Macaulay, as 'Horatius at 
the Bridge,' and the tragic story of 'Virginia,' which 
she gives in Roman dress. Comic and serio-comic she 
renders with equal credit, but she does not fully relish 
them.
  Her intensely, morbidly, sympathetic nature is, 
undoubtedly, the secret of her versatility and complete 
adaptability to the characters she represents. With the 
necessary study for presentation, she so completely 
enters into the subject as to become in spirit the 
person she represents.
  Desirable as is this quality, it is not without its 
tortures, -in her case, at least, for she informs us 
that it attends her in every-day life as well as on the 
stage. The suffering or abuse of either human beings or 
animals is often the cause of serious illness, because 
of her sympathy, which she cannot quiet or put away. She 
is a zealous advocate of kindness to animals, as all who 
have ever shared the hospitality of this family well 
know, and she says she will never submit to any abuse of 
them on the Tuttle farm. No servant can remain with them 
who will ignore their needs and rights. It is a part of 
her religion to regard the wants and needs of animals, 
and, aside from the real pleasure it gives, she says "it 
pays well." With her own hands she often cares for the 
needs of her dumb friends, and takes solid pleasure in 
their grateful friendship.
  Her life is one of continuous activity and usefulness 
Her charities like her sympathies, are on a generous 
scale, and her hospitalities are measured only by her 
physical strength. It would be our pleasure to write a 
more extended biography of this cultivated and gifted 
lady if our space would justify.
  Three bright and promising children crown the union of 
Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle, -- Rose, Carl, and little Clare; and 
the more sacred duties of mother are not neglected by 
Mrs. Tuttle, amid all her literary and domestic cares.

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