ERIE COUNTY OHIO - And Then They Went West (published 1897) [Part 4] *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 April 22, 1999 *********************************************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio The Kelley Family Book compiled by Hermon Alfred Kelley 1897 And Then They Went West by D. Kelley 1998 (Part 4) *********************************************** Irad Kelley visited the island in February, 1834, on his return from Detroit, where he had gone to make a sale of stone, and to buy up some claims against the island. He also obtained a relinquishment of a contract made by Mr. John W. Allen with someone in Detroit. He remained on the island but a short time, and then returned to his home in Cleveland. I quote from an account by Addison Kelley, which was published in the "Islander . " " As it become necessary to have a vessel to carry stone and cedar from the island, they ( Datus and Irad Kelley) concluded to build a schooner for the purpose. I was detailed to keep the accounts and superintend building her. The vessel was built at Rocky River, one hundred and six tons burthen, and called the Ben Franklin. She was launched in June and ready for service by the middle of July, 1834. I continued on board the vessel through summer. The vessel was caught in Buffalo late in the fall by cold weather and laid up there and sold in the spring. I returned to Rockport and stayed till after January 1st, 1835. I then started for Cunningham's Island. I was delayed on the peninsula for over two weeks before anybody could cross. Father was there, building the steamboat dock. I went to work on the dock, which was completed as far as the first part of the warehouse that winter, but only forty feet front. There were only four families on the island then, I think, Henry Ellithrop, Elisha Ellis, Benjamin Napier and the company boarding house." At the time of Addison Kelley's arrival the boarding house was being run by a Mrs. Knowlton, who perhaps had a family of her own, besides several boarders, single men like E. T. Smith and others, who were working for the company chopping wood, hewing timbers and assisting Mrs. Datus Kelley and subsequently Addison in building the dock. There is an old account book in which are recorded payments made to E. T. Smith for hauling timbers with his ox team. The boarding house had been operated first by Mr. Luther Dodge and family, who sailed from Rockport in the fall of 1833 with Datus Kelley. The Dodge family was succeeded in 1834 by the Chadwick family, who sailed from Rockport to the island. Mrs. Knowlton had succeeded the Chadwicks by fall of 1834, for she was the landlady in January, 1835, as stated above. Datus Kelley returned to Rockport after Addison's arrival and left the latter in charge as the agent for the firm. There were many details to be looked after by both Datus and Irad, as will be seen from a letter from Datus to his brother Irad, sent from Norwalk, dated Nov.2, 1835. " Dear Brother-- I arrived at this place this afternoon from Detroit via mouth of Huron by steamboat. I received the heretofore audited account of stone sent the Arsenal--$314.02-- and $93.33 of Widge and Peters, with which I paid the bank debt of $400.70. Between two or three thousand feet of stone are wanted this fall, which I engaged after hearing that the schooner Franklin had been got off and gone to Cleveland. On my way down I learned by Capt. Whitaker that Blackler had received the insurance and gone east; that the insurance company had soldthe vessel for $2,000.00 and authorized the buyer to take the vessel wherever she could be found-- as the above transactions concerning the vessel are illegal, and perhaps fraudulent, I hope you have secured the vessel, if not council should be immediately had and proceedings had as soon as possible to recover her Inasmuch as Addison Kelley stated in his account of her that she was sold in Buffalo in the winter of 1834-5, it must be assumed that the buyer was none other than Blackler, who was reported to have gone east with the insurance money with out paying the firm whatever was unpaid of the purchase price. The sheriff's deputy, Tour, moved the Napier family off the island week before last. An assault and battery was committed on Tour at the time Napier's family were landed at Sandusky by Napier and Capt. West (throwing Tour into the water.) They were turned over to the Norwalk court. Napier's family have gone to North Bass. The cedar contract is all out (cut) and notice given of it to Smith and Macy. One or two vessels are at the island loading. Our teams are now busy in hauling stone. The Franklin or some other vessel will be wanted in about 8 to 10 days to take the load to Detroit. Esquire Bill is elected Justice of the Peace. He has quarried about 7 or 800 feet of stone for six cents per foot. Says he will quarry all we want. Don't neglect the vessel. From your brother----" "Datus Kelley. " The stone that was shipped from the island in 1834 was valued at $800.00 and the cedar posts and the pork at $400.00. Stone monuments for the Ohio-Indiana State line were gotten out that year. Stone was probably shipped to Cleveland for mantletrees, door jambs, and building purposes as ordered by Irad Kelley. The cedar posts and pork went to Cleveland, Buffalo or Detroit. During the year of 1835, a home was built by Addison, for the use of Datus's family. It was a large log house, and was located on the west side of Divison Street, about fifteen hundred feet from the south shore of the lake. He also kept a store in this house for a time. This property was afterward sold to George Kelley, who enlarged it. A school house was also built that year, and it was said to be the first framed building constructed on the island. It was on Division Street, not far from Datus Kelle's home. In 1836 there were twelve families on the island, besides some unmarried men. In 1836 the first sale of island real estate was made to Addison Kelley. He stated in his accounts, " I had become a land owner, obtaining the first deed from the proprietors granted, being dated October 27th,1836, for 233 2-100 acres, valued at one thousand seven hunded and eighty-five dollars. ( eight dollars per acre). Uncle Irad was opposed to selling any part of the land, would only part with it at a high price. This sale made or induced others to buy, and land advanced with every sale." In the summer of 1837, Addison commnced the erection of a dwelling house on the bank of the lake, east of Divison Street, overlooking the dock, where he was employed most of the time. The men employed in its construction were J.E. Woodford, boss carpenter, and Joseph Willet, stone Mason. This house was the first framed dwelling house on the island ; but was the second framed building. The first being the school house already mentioned. This house was years later sold to Adam Schardt. It was destroyed by fire in about 1900.