TRUMBULL COUNTY OHIO - HISTORY: Part 3 (published 1874) *************************************************************************** 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 Linda R. & Henry L. LIPPS, Kinsman, OH LRLBugsy@aol.com Researching ancestors & descendants of Daniel LIPPS/1792/Greenbriar Co., WV February 20, 1999 *************************************************************************** The following sketch is taken from COMBINATION ATLAS MAP OF TRUMBULL COUNTY, OHIO Compiled, Drawn and Published From Personal Examinations and Surveys By L. H. Everts Chicago, Ill. 1874 This Reprint sponsored by the Trumbull County Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society Reprinted 1974, Second Reprint 1996, by The Bookmark, P. O. Box 90, Knightstown, Ind. HISTORY OF TRUMBULL COUNTY, OHIO (Part 3) The inconveniences attending TRADE IN EARLY TIMES were great. Goods were brought to some extent by dealers, who would go among the farmers and purchase cheese, butter, and other produce; take it to Pittsburg and exchange it for dry goods and groceries, school books, and almanacs, or anything their customers saw fit to order. About two weeks were required to make the round trip. Money was very scarce and prices of provisions very low. Barter was the common method of exchange. Property was frequently sold to raise means to pay taxes. Almost every family made their own cloth, while buckskin garments were common. "School marms" received but seventy-five cents per week, or less, often being paid in store orders, also called white-backs, exchangeable for calicoes at fifty cents per year. Orchards were common, and fruit so plenty that apples could be had for the picking. Peaches were a drug at a shilling per bushel, and were often made into peach brandy. Cider sold at fifty cents per barrel. Apple-jack was made in abundance, and used on all occasions, at parties, weddings, huskings, paring-bees, etc. Butter sold at six cents per pound. Cheese, pork, and beef at from three to four cents, and eggs at the same price per dozen. Raisings were common, men coming from adjoining Townships to assist, and even women and boys occasionally finding it necessary to add their help. THE FIRST FOURTH The first celebration of the Fourth of July was had in 1800, on the place of Ephraim Quinby. The twin brothers, Elam and Eli Blair, the one of a fifer and the other a drummer, made their own instruments; the fife from an elder and the drum from a block of pepperidge, having heads of deerskins, the snares being made from a set of plow-lines belonging to Meshach Case. It does not appear that any oration was delivered, though an excellent dinner was served up in an arbor, at which toasts were honored with the usual stimulus and firing of guns. John Leavitt acted as Militia Captain. A number of guests were present from abroad, among whom were John Young and Calvin Austin, of Youngstown, General Paine and Judge Eliphalet Austin, from the Lake Shore, with others from other points. THE PIONEER CHEESE-FACTORY of the State, and probably of the country, was started in Hartford Township, in 1846 or '47, by Samuel Cone. He died during the second season of the new enterprise. The business was carried on for several years by others. From this have grown many or all of the modifications that have been made in the dairy system since that time. THE FIRST TRIAL The first trial tribunal was composed of a self-organized body of men, who tried and convicted a man for stealing from a fellow-boarder. He was convicted and sentenced to be divested of his apparel, tied to a tree, and subjected to the bites of mosquitoes for the period of an hour. It was soon discovered, however, that the man would probably have little or no blood left at the expiration of his term of punishment, and he was released at the end of the first half-hour. He was never known to steal again. THE FIRST GRIST-MILL The first grist-mill on the Reserve for custom grinding was built in Newburg, Cuyahoga County, by W. W. Williams, in the summer or fall of 1799. The next was built on Mill Creek, in Boardman, Mahoning County. The first grist-mill within the present limits of Trumbull County was put into operation in Warren, upon the Mahoning, by Henry Lane, Jr., and Charles Dailey, in June, 1802. This mill was an appurtenance joined to a saw-mill. THE FIRST MERCHANT The first supply of merchandise brought into the County was under the control of James E. Caldwell, who, with an assistant, in the year 1801, poled a canoe up the Mahoning about once in two weeks. When he came in sight of a settler, he blew a horn, and those who wanted goods resorted to the canoe for a supply. INDIAN TROUBLES During this year the first and only serious trouble was had with the Indians, who encamped about July 20, 1800, near the Salt Spring, having a drunken spree, in which McMahon the salt-boiler and other whites joined. The whisky being soon exhausted, the whites sent to Warren and secretly got more, not without exciting the suspicious of the Indians, who charged them with it, receiving a denial from the whites. McMahon leaving the next morning to cultivate his corn on the place of Richard Storer, the Indians vented their spite by annoying and threatening his wife. In a couple of days she followed him and made complaint. He returned, had a talk with the Indians, and supposed the matter settled. The next Saturday his wife again joined him, renewing her complaints. The next day he got together fifteen recruits. Arriving at the Springs, Ephraim Quinby went forward, and, as he supposed, had made an amicable adjustment. Returning, he called a halt, but McMahon, not hearing the order, kept on. Soon meeting Captain George, a Tuscarawa of unusual size, he said, "Are you for peace or war? Yesterday you had your men; now I have mine." At this Captain George seized a tomahawk, and was about to strike him, when McMahon jumped back, shooting the Indian in the breast, and calling out to the men in full view a few rods in the rear, "Shoot, shoot!" Both parties instinctively sought the shelter of the trees. Storer, seeing an Indian named Spotted John aiming at him, fired at the latter's hips, the only portion of his body visible; the bullet passed through, also breaking a boy's arm, passing under the cords of his girl's neck, and grazing the neck of his squaw, raising a blister. The whites immediately returned to Warren. The Indian hastily buried their two comrades, and went on to Newton Falls, where they again pitched camp. The squaw and her wounded children at once made for the place of James Hillman, an Indian trader living near Youngstown. Though nine miles distant, she is estimated to have traveled the space in one hour and a half. Both sides for a few days were in fear of attack; the whites keeping a vigorous watch, and the Indians not venturing to hunt. Hillman at once tendered his services as peacemaker, and succeeded in making a temporary truce. Afterwards McMahon was arrested and sent to Pittsburg. On his subsequent trial at Youngstown he was acquitted, as having acted in self- defense. Storer at once fled to escape arrest. His wife with her children, putting what goods she could upon two horses, returned to her friends in Washington County, Pa., the next day. The settlers were greatly annoyed by the savages of wolves and bears. They were bold as to come within a couple of rods of the cabins for their prey. Bears seized and carried off hogs weighing one hundred and fifty pounds. For six or seven years the raising of sheep was impossible. Smaller animals which prey upon poultry were so numerous as to render the raising of fowls impracticable. (End of Part 3) ==== Maggie_Ohio Mailing List ====