1802

Carter built a frame house on the hill west of Water street and north of Superior Lane, which was burned almost as soon as finished. Amos Spafford put up the second frame house, near the west end of Superior street, on the south side. In the latter part of July Mr. Badger again took Cleveland in his circuit. He does not give a very favorable report of the morals of the place.

“Mr. Burke’s family in Euclid, had been in this lone situation over three years. The woman had been obliged to spin and weave cattle’s hair, to make covering for her children’s bed. From thence I went to Cleveland, visited the only two families, and went on to Newburg, where I preached on the Sabbath. There were five families here, but no apparent piety. They seemed to glory in their infidelity. On the way from Cleveland here, I fell in company with a man from Hudson, who wanted to know if I was going to form a church there. I replied, if I found suitable characters I should. ‘Well.’ said he, ‘if you admit old Deacon Thompson, (and some others,) it shall not stand, I will break it down and have an Episcopal church.'”

In 1802 the Territorial Legislature had so far prevailed over the old system, that citizens of the townships were allowed to elect trustees, appraisers, supervisors of highways, fence viewers, overseers of the poor, and constables, viva voce. They had not yet attained to the election of justices of the peace and militia officers. At the February term of the Quarter Sessions, it was ordered that the house of James Kingsbury be the place for holding the first town meeting in Cleveland. Here is the result of the first election held in “Cleveland, Trumbull county, Ohio.”

“Agreeably to order of the Court of Genera Quarter Sessions, the inhabitants of the town of Cleaveland met at the house of James Kingsbury, Esq., the 5th day of April, AD 1802, for a town meeting, and chose

Chairman,                               Town Clerk,

Rodolphus Edwards.                       Nathaniel Doan.

Trustees,

Amos Spafford, Esq., Timothy Doan, Wm. W. Williams.

Appraisers of Houses,

Samuel Hamilton, Elijah Gun.

Lister,

Ebenezer Ayrs.

Supervisors of Highways,

Sam’l Huntington, Esq., Nath’l Doan, Sam’l Hamilton.

Overseers of the Poor,

William W. Williams, Samuel Huntington, Esq.

Fence Viewers,

Lorenzo Carter, Nathan Chapman.

Constables,

Ezekiel Hawley, Richard Craw.

A true copy of the proceedings of the inhabitants of Cleaveland at their town meeting, examined per me,

Nathaniel Doan, Town Clerk.”

According to a widely circulated tradition, Mr. Huntington, about this time, came near being devoured by wolves, not far from the Euclid street station. He was coming in from Painesville, on horseback, alone, and after dark, floundering through a swamp, which occupied what is now the corner of Willson avenue and Euclid street. A gang of hungry wolves had taken up their nights lodging in this swamp, who made a combined attack upon the judge and his horse. His only defensive weapon was an umbrella, with which he charged them right and left. The horse, in a terrible fright, performed his part nobly, by a rapid movement along the trail towards town, outstripping the ferocious animals, and brought up, with his rider, at the door of the double log house south of Superior street.

At the August term of the Quarter Sessions, Lorenzo Carter and Amos Spafford were each licensed to keep a tavern at Cleveland on paying four dollars. George Tod, (afterwards of Judge Tod) of Youngstown, was appointed appraiser of taxable property.

The sale of the six reserved townships, and of the city lots in Cleveland, did not come up to the expectations of the Company. City lots had receded from fifty dollars cash in hand, to twenty-five dollars on time. The treasury of the associations, instead of being filled by the proceeds of sales, had to be replenished by the disagreeable process of assessments. By individual exertion, the private owners under the previous drafts, had disposed of limited amounts of lands, on terms which did not create very brilliant expectations of the speculation. In truth, the most fortunate of the adventures realized a very meagre profit, and more of them were losers than gainers.

Those who were able to make their payments and keep the property for their children, made a fair and safe investment. It was not until the next generation came to maturity, that lands on the Reserve began to command good prices. Taxes, trouble and interest, had been long accumulating. Such of the proprietors as became settlers, secured an excellent home at a cheap rate, and left as a legacy to their heirs, a cheerful future.

At this time, however, it was considered better for the property to be wholly in private hands, and on the 28th of December, 1802, another draft was made of the six townships, which had been divided into ninety parcels. This included all of the lands east of the Cuyahoga, except a few city lots in Cleveland. Some had been sold, but most of them were assorted to the stockholders as part of the draft.

The names of the original owners are here given.

ORIGINAL OWNERS OF LOTS IN CLEVELAND

BY DRAFT, OR FIRST PURCHASE.

NUMBER OF CITY LOTS, 220

Samuel Huntington               1 to 6,61,5,76,78,80 to 84, 190 to 194, 206, 210

Caleb Atwater——————————————————-7 to 24, 31 to 36

Lorenzo Carter———————————————–25 to 30,54,197 to 205

Ephram Root——————————————————————37 to 47

Elijah Boardman and others——————————————————–48

Ezekial Hawley—————————————————————49 to 51

David Clark —————————————————————–52 and 53

Joseph Howland———————————————————–55 to 57,62

Charles Dutton———————————————————————–58

James Kingsbury————————————————————59 and 60

Samuel W. Phelps ——————————————————————63

Joseph Perkins and others—————————————————64 to 72

Austin & Huntington——————————————————-73 and 74

Wyles and others——————————————————————–77

Judson Canfield and others———————————————————79

Samuel P. Lord, Jr.——————————-85 to 87, 97, to 99, 211 and 212

William Shaw—————————————————88 to 96,100 to 133

Samuel Parkman———————————————————–134 to 138

John Bolls and others—————————————————–139 to 144

Asher Miller ————————————————–145 to 153,156 to 160

Ephram Stow and others ————————————————154 to 155

Martin Sheldon and others—————————————161 and 162, 212

Amos Spafford———————————————–179 to 182,187, to 190

Oliver Phelps——————–170 to 177, 182 to 190, 213 to 215, 217 to 220

Richard W. Hart and others——————————————–195 and 196