History of Ashtabula County, Ohio
Moina W. Large

CHAPTER XVIII.


CONNEAUT TOWNSHIP.

PREHISTORIC RACE�"SOUTH RIDGE"AMBOY�CONNEAUT�EARLY CHURCHES�CONNEAUT HARBOR�GREAT BRIDGE�ADVENTURE OF A PIONEER--CHANGED THEIR PLANS�FIRST FAMILY TO WINTER HERE�CAR FERRY DISASTERS � PULLMAN'S CONTRACT � FIRST WHITE SETTLER � STAGE COACH TRAGEDY�PLANS OF STEEL COMPANY�PUBLIC LIBRARY�COUNTRY CLUB�EAST CONNEAUT AS "LITTLE HOPE".

It was near the mouth of Conneaut Creek, a stream not then navigable, but now one of the deepest and most important harbors on the south shore of Lake Erie, that Moses Cleaveland and his party of surveyors first touched Ohio, in their journey to this section for purpose of making a survey of the Western Reserve, the new possession of the Connecticut Land Company, of Connecticut.

While this party was given credit for being the first company of white persons to establish themselves in the county, developments of later years disclosed indisputable evidence that at some time in the far-gone centuries this section had been inhabited by a race of people of gigantic stature who were not Indians. Delving into great mounds of earth that were not of natural formation brought forth bones of this prehistoric people, as "well as pottery, crude weapons and other belongings that had been buried with the dead.

Yet, with all this evidence, there has never yet been found a manuscript or writing of any nature that would give the slightest hint as to the personality of those early residents. Where they came from, how long they were here, or where they eventually departed for is a mystery that will probably never be solved.

The first intimation of these people was uncovered in and about where is now the city of Conneaut, and as the settlements became more numerous and extensive many other sections of the county reported similar finds, indicating that this vicinity was well populated.

Conneaut, however, seemed to have been the metropolis of these people, as indicated by a large burying ground on the bank of the river west of the originally settled town, and another in the sugar-loaf like prominence across the river to the south. A writer says "When first discovered the spot was covered with trees not distinguishable from the surrounding forest, except an opening near the center containing a single butternut. The graves were distinguished by slight depressions in the surface of the earth, disposed in straight rows, which, with intervening spaces, or valleys, covered the entire area. The number of these graves has been estimated to be between two and three thousand. The ancient burying-grounds occupy an area of about four acres and appear to have been accurately surveyed into lots running from north to south and when first seen presented the appearance of neat and orderly arrangement."

Aaron Wright, Esq., in 1800, made a careful examination of these depressions and found them invariably to contain human bones blackened with time, which, upon exposure to the air, soon crumbled to dust. Some of these bones were of unusual size and evidently belonged to a race allied with giants. Skulls were taken from these mounds, the cavities of which were of sufficient capacity to admit the head of an ordinary man, and jaw-bones that might be fitted over the face with equal facility. The bones of the upper and lower extremities were of corresponding size.

The first tragedy involving a white man that occurred after the arrival of the Cleaveland party was the murder, in the following year, of a man named Williams, who was passing through en route from Detroit to Erie (then Presque Isle). While sojourning temporarily here, Williams sold a gun to an Indian of the settlement that still remained near where the whites were located. It was agreed that the Indian was to pay pelts, which Williams calculated to take on to Erie and sell, and proceeds buy a new gun.

The chief of this tribe was one �Bear�s Oil,� a wily old Redskin, who, however, had shown no great antipathy because of the invasion of the whites. Old Bear�s Oil told Williams that the brave to whom he had sold the rifle was no good and would not pay him, whereupon Williams compelled the Indian to give him back his shooting-iron.

A short time later Williams resumed his journey, with but a few miles farther to go. But he never reached his destination. The Indian with whom he had had the gun transaction had held his peace and apparently nursed no grudge against the white man, but it developed that he watched the stranger with untiring vigil, and when Williams had gone the buck took his trail, overtook him on the beach of the lake a few miles east of Conneaut and murdered him in cold blood, recovering the gun, which he took back to the village with him.

When the commander of the military post at Presque Isle learned of the tragedy, he sent messengers to the Indian village, who demanded that the chief give the murderer into their custody. Bear's Oil, apparently, was submissive, but exacted conditions. He agreed that if an officer and a suitable number as guard were sent forward to take charge of the prisoner, he would give him up. Pursuant to this arrangement the guard and officer were sent and when they arrived Bear's Oil invited them to remain over night. This they did, and when morning came they were informed by Bear's Oil that he had changed his mind and would not turn his man over. To back his position nearly 50 Indians in paint and well armed stood about conveniently. The officer and his men, realizing that it would be folly to attempt to force their issue in the face of such a demonstration, withdrew to their boat and returned to the barracks without their prisoner.

The return of the men, empty handed, was a signal for action and immediately the entire garrison, strengthened by such settlers as cared to indulge in what might be a strenuous adventure, started by boat for Conneaut, under instructions to bring back the murderer and to impose such chastisement on old Bear's Oil and his braves as seemed expedient.

The old chief had anticipated just such action, and speedily assembled his people and decamped for parts unknown. When the soldiers arrived at the village site it was bare. It was learned that this band of Indians continued their flight toward the west, by canoes, till they reached Toledo, and thence cut across country and was last heard from as having located on the banks of the Wabash River.

Thus departed from the settlement the last of the resident Indians, and the white settlers were not sorry to see them go, notwithstanding their relations with the aborigines had never been other than friendly. However, it was very much of a relief to feel that the town was now their own.

Probably the first white men that ever gazed upon the waters of Lake Erie from the Ohio shore were two men who had been captured and were held by Indians. In 1790 and 1791 General Harmon and Governor St. Clair conducted a campaign by white settlers of Ohio against certain tribes of Indians who had been troublesome. The Indians proved the victors and among the spoils of the war the two white men figured. Their captors brought them to the shore of the lake in the vicinity of Conneaut.

The bringing of these white prisoners to the village was a cause for great rejoicing and they were subjected to many tortures and hardships before the question of their final disposition came up for settlement, it was finally decided to let one of them live and witness the death of the other through burning at the stake. The program was carried out almost to the point of realization when an unexpected interruption occurred. A fair young squaw of the tribe, like Pocahontas interceded for (Capt. John Smith, rushed to the rescue and begged that the young white man's life be saved. There was a lot of pow-wowing, pro and con, but the young woman was evidently a favorite with the band, and her prayer was granted and the man was released. He soon became a great favorite with all the tribe and his influence grew until he became the recognized representative of the Indians in their dealings with the white men. The other prisoner also remained with the Indians for a long time, but, eventually, both men were allowed to withdraw to their own people and they became settlers and spent the rest of their lives in this vicinity.

"South Ridge."�The gradual moving back from the lake of some of the settlers had the result of establishing small settlements within the territory constituting townships that had been laid out and named. Conneaut had, for instance, a four-corned sub-village called South Ridge, situated in the road of that name in the southern part of the township.

This was a flourishing little settlement for many years, boasting the usual essentials of such a colony, general store, blacksmith shop, church, school and sometimes some thriving little commercial industry. South Ridge had, for some years, a post office all its own and a flourishing cheese factory.

The church-going people of that immediate vicinity formed themselves into a general church society, in which capacity they worshiped until 1837 when the Free-Will Baptist element, which had organized in 1826 but continued to join in the union services, withdrew and built a church edifice of its own, under the ministry of the Rev. Samuel Wise.

Amboy.�Another settlement within the township of Conneaut was, and still is, Amboy. That colony started about four miles west of the river on the North Ridge, and also had its palmy days, and was larger than South Ridge village. In addition to the advantages named for the neighbor on the south, Amboy had a tavern, one more church, a flouring mill, a cabinet shop, a cobbler's shop, several cigar factories and a platform station on the line of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad.

There are plenty still living- who well remember when "Pumpkin Hook" meant the same as Amboy. Our grandfathers used to tell a story to effect that some weary travelers once came to Amboy as daylight waned and, thinking the tavern there was a good place for a rest, they engaged quarters for the night. Their wagon and its load were put in a barn, for safe shelter, but when they were ready to hitch up for another start they discovered that someone had "hooked" several pumpkins that had been in the wagon. From that incident the town became possessed of the strange nickname "Pumpkin Hook".

Conneaut.�The following is taken from the News-Herald:
"The name Conneaut was given to the stream bordering our city by a tribe of Seneca Indians and signifies "River of Many Fish."

"Arriving at the mouth of Conneaut River, July 4, 1796, a group of 50 surveyors under Moses Cleaveland named the point of land on which they touched "Fort Independence".

"In the fall of the" same year came the first settlers, James Kingsbury and family. He had one child, the first to be born on Western Reserve territory, which included what is now Ohio.

"The year 1799 saw the first permanent settlement. These pioneers consisted of Thomas Montgomery and wife and Aaron Wright.�

"The following year found several other settlements started along the creek and in the closely succeeding years many other families arrived.�

"Conneaut Township was organized in 1804 and bore the name of "Salem" until 1832, when the name was changed to "Conneaut".

"The year 1832 saw the publication of the first journal in Conneaut, called the "Ashtabula County Gazette".

"The first real estate boom started in 1833 and continued until 1836. The cause of the boom was a railroad to be built from Conneaut to Beaver Falls, Pa. Much land was purchased on account of this and was platted into streets and building lots. The proposed railroad plans, however, failed to materialize. The principal streets at the time were: Liberty, Main State, Broad, Washington and Harbor; these were laid out by blazing trees, this explaining why our streets today do not run parallel or straight.�

"The nineteenth century marked the beginning of activities at Conneaut Harbor. Ship building, shipping of grain, lumber, etc., became one of the most important industries. The first appropriation received from the government was $7,500, used in construction work at the harbor.�

"The year 1834 witnessed the incorporation of Conneaut village. The mayor and council plan of government was adopted, and Dr. Samuel L. Fenton was made its first mayor. A census in 1835 showed Conneaut to have had 450 Males over 21 years of age.�

"During the next few years a tannery was opened and the weekly journal was sold to new managers, who named it the "Conneaut Reporter". A company was formed to lay a plank road from Conneaut to Youngstown. A plank road was also laid at this time between the village and the harbor with a toll gate at the harbor.�

"In 1852 Milo Osborn laid a plank road from the foot of Main street to Amboy. A Mr. Blakeslee was first toll gate keeper, the gate being near the A. B. Crittenden home west of the city, the spot now being marked by a bronze tablet.�

"At this time stage coaches ran regularly from Painesville to Erie. Taverns lined the route, among them being the Tremont House at Conneaut, which gained much fame. This hotel was located where the Dorman block now stands.�

"The year 1852 marked the completion of the Cleveland-Painesville-Ashtabula Railroad to Conneaut, later being continued to Erie, and the name changed to Lake Shore & Michigan Southern.�

"The old fair grounds just west of the old city limits were opened in 1853. One of the exhibit buildings still stands.�

"At this time considerable trade was carried on through the harbor. Exports were farm products and imports consisted of manufactured goods.�

"Conneaut began to grow at this time, gas was discovered, two flour mills and a paper mill were put in operation and David Cummins started (1863) canning "Lake Shore" tomatoes. On Main street there was but one big structure, the Cleveland block. Stage coaches made regular trips between Conneaut and Pierpont and the Lake Shore Railroad brought the mail from the east and west.�



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