CUYAHOGA FALLS

      This township is an exception to all others on the Reserve, in having neither Range, nor Number, and contains but four and one-eighth square miles. Instead of being five miles square, as are all the other Townships, this is only one and a fourth miles square, being the whole of Tract one, and forty rods wide on the North side of Tract five, originally in Tallmadge, and one eighth of a mile square from lots one, two, eleven, and twelve, in Stow ; half a mile east and west, and one mile north and south, from lots eight and nine in Northampton, and one and a half miles east and west from the west part of Tract two in Portage. The Township is composed of the corners of four Townships, and was organized into a Township in April, 1851, for the purpose of ac­commodating the large and increasing business of the village of —Cuyahoga Falls. Being thus taken from the corners of four Townships it possesses no distinct range, nor number of its own, but lies in ranges ten and eleven, and townships two and three.

     As its name imports, it is on the falls of the Cuyahoga. river, which here commence and continue for over two miles.—In this distance are three perpendicular falls—the upper one, near the village, is about twelve feet; the second, sixteen feet; the lower, or "Big Falls," twenty-two feet. Besides these there are continuous rapids the whole distance, forming some of the best water-power in the world. The river has cut a channel through the rocks from eighty to one hundred feet in depth, through which it rushes, among the fragments of rocks that have fallen from above, forming the most sublime scenery in Northern Ohio. The railroad runs on the very verge of this precipice, of­fering to a traveler a view of the wilderness of Nature in her wildest freaks, combined with the greatest improvements of mod­ern art.

     The extent of this water-power may be estimated by the busi­ness now carried on, which occupies but a small part of it.—There are three paper mills in operation, and another in process of erection. These consume 675 tons of the raw material, making 525 tons of paper annually; in them are employed 80 persons. These will consume $9,000 worth of chemicals and colors, annually. There are two oil mills, consuming 16,000 bushels of seed annually, making 30,000 gallons of oil. One forge for manufacturing car axles, consuming from six to seven hundred tons of pig metal, and making about five hundred and fifty tons of axles annually. This establishment employs from 20 to 25 men. There are three foundaries and machine shops. One of them, carried on by Bills & Chamberlain, consumes from 300 to 400 tons of stock, manufacturing about $75,000 worth of machinery annually, and affording constant employment to about 30 men. Their manufactures have acquired so deserved a ce­lebrity, that orders have been frequently filled from distant parts of the Union. A steam engine was ordered from here, by Gen. Taylor, while President, for his sugar plantation in Louisiana.—As to the other foundries I have no data.

     There is a steel fork manufactory, which turns out on an aver­age 100,000 forks annually, consuming 20 tons of cast steel, and employing from 15 to 20 hands; and one shovel factory which manufactures six dozen shovels daily, and gives employment to from eight to ten persons. There is also one flouring mill, one tool factory, two tanneries, one ashery, two flax mills, two wag­on shops, seven dry goods stores, four groceries, one tavern, and three churches. But, as if Providence did not intend that one place should have all prosperity, without a draw-back, there is also a bank and a distillery—the former owning the latter, which is capital stock paid in. This distillery consumes about 75,000 bushels of grain annually, making 30,000 gallons of high-wines; furnishing food for 3,000 hogs, and drink for ten times that number.

     The upper dam, called Wetmore's, has twelve feet fall; on which is a paper mill, forge, car-axle factory, and an oil mill.

     The next is Newberry's dam, on which is an old paper mill, saw-mill, tool factory, engine factory, and grist-mill. This has a fall of eighteen feet.

     The next dam is eighteen feet, and also owned by Mr. New­berry. On this is a paper mill, and an old grist-mill, which is now being converted into a paper mill.

     The next, belonging to Cyrus Prentiss, has a fall of twenty feet. On it is an oil mill, and a machine for cleaning flax; and other materials for paper.

     The next is the dam erected by the "Portage Canal and Manufacturing Company," better known as the "Chuckery Company." This was built, and a canal constructed for the purpose of conveying the Cuyahoga to Akron, and erecting an immense water-power.

     The dam and canal were constructed, but the finances of the company were most miserably squandered; the bubble burst, and. the Chuckery Company became a matter of history. This water-power has been sold, by a decree of Court, and will soon be put to practical uses. Its value in future can scarcely be es­timated. The dam. is from 16 to 20 feet, affording at that point an immense power, a small part of which only is occupied by a shovel, spade and fork manufactory.

     This town, (village,) was originally laid out by Elkanah Richardson, (more commonly known as Judge. Richardson,) in 1825. It was subsequently re-surveyed, and plotted by Birdseye Booth and recorded. That part of it lying in Stow township belonged to Joshua Stow and William Wetmore, of Middletown, Connecti­cut. That portion lying in Tallmadge belonged to Roger Newberry, of Windsor, Ct. He was not only one of the Connecticut Land Company, but one of its directors, and for many years a member of " The Governor's Council," in Connecticut. He was a descendant of the "Messrs. Newberrys," who settled in Wind­sor, Connecticut, in 1640. He died in 1813. His Ohio land he gave to his son, Henry Newberry, Esq., who now resides at the Falls. Henry Newberry was born in Windsor, Connecticut, in January, 1783. In 1814, soon after the death of his father, he came to Ohio to look at his land, and was so well pleased with it that he resolved to abandon the luxuries of the east, and make his home in the western wilds. In 1824 he removed his family to Ohio, and settled on what is known as "the Thorndike farm," near Stow Lake. Here he remained for two years, until a clear­ing could be made, and a "beginning begun" at the Falls, when he removed there, having seen a flourishing village, partly of his own planting, spring, almost full grown, out of an unbroken forest.

     William Wetmore, the other proprietor, was born at Middle­town, Connecticut, Sept. 15, 1771. He was a descendant of Thomas Wetmore, one of the proprietors of Middletown, who purchased that town of the Indians, in 1662. He removed to Ohio in July, 1804, and built the second house that was erected in Stow township, which stood about 20 rods eastwardly of the N. W. corner of-lot 36, on which Gen. Gross tavern stands. In 1808 Stow township was organized, and he was elected the first Justice of the Peace. In August of that year, the county of Portage being organized, he was appointed clerk of the Court at Ravenna—but finding it inconvenient and not much profit to be clerk of the Court in a new county, where there was little busi­ness, he resigned the office, moved back to Stow and settled on the farm east of Stow Pond.

     The Records show a singular mode of doing business in those days. They do not show the appointment of any one as Clerk, nor are they signed; but they are in the handwriting of Mr. Wetmore, who was also one of the Judges of the Court. He died at his residence on the East bank of Stow Lake, on the 27th of October, 1827.

     The first manufacturing improvement made at Cuyahoga Falls was by Henry Wetmore and his brother, William Wetmore, Jr., on the 1st day of April, 1825, in the commencement of a dam, (called Wetmore's dam); but the first dwelling-house was erect­ed by Judge Elkanah Richardson, during the year 1822. It is the red house, standing on the north side of the street, a little north of the "Big Spring."

     In 1826, Henry Newberry built an oil mill, and residence, and in 1827-8 surveyed and laid out that part of the village lying in Tallmadge. The same year, Joshua Stow, William Wetmore, William Wetmore, jr. and Henry Wetmore, erected an oil mill and flouring mill, at the upper dam, and several dwelling-houses, the first of which is the one now occupied and known as the American, or Cook's tavern, in 1830, the same Company erect­ed the first paper mill, known as Stowe & Wetmore's.

     The first white child born in the township, was Edward Wet­more, son of William Wetmore jr., who was born in 1827.

     The first person that died in the township was also a son of William Wetmore, jr. He died in the fall of 1826, aged about one year; but the first adult person that died was Mrs. Sill, wife of E. N. Sill, Esq., and daughter of Henry Newberry, Esq. She died in —, 1827. On the organization of this township, in April, 1851, Henry Newberry, Horace A. Miller, and P. G. Somers, were elected Trustees ; Grant B. Turner, Clerk ; Charles W. Wetmore and Josiah Wetmore, Justices.

     A branch of the Indian trail from Fort McIntosh, on the Ohio to Sandusky, passes through this township. On arriving near Fish Creek, in Franklin, Portage county, it branched; one branch of the trail passing north through the Indian towns in, North­ampton and Bath; the other turning south to "the Great Falls," called by the Indians " Coppacaw." This was a celebrated trail for the Indians in their war excursions, as with the "Rangers," in their pursuit of them. It was on these two trails that Brady's men were divided, at the time of his defeat near the towns on the Cuyahoga, and on which a part made their retreat. Several years ago, a rifle barrel was found in the Big Spring, in this vil­lage; a remnant probably of that hasty flight.

     The trail passes nearly in front of Mr. Newberry's house; and near where the canal bridge now is, was a plateau, of some twenty-five feet square, raised about a foot, where probably had been a Council-house. In his garden, as well as on the rise of ground north of the Big Spring, are remains of Indian wigwams. But poor "Logan, the friend of the white man," with his Braves, who so often traversed these grounds, has gone to the Spirit Land, where it is to be hoped his fidelity will receive a better re­ward than it did on Earth—if not, justice is unknown in Earth or Heaven.

     On the north bank of the Cuyahoga, below the village, is a remarkable cavern. I discovered it in 1826, when the country around there was a wilderness. It is on the very brink of the chasm cut by the river, and the small opening, but just large enough to admit a person's body, was on a level with the ground. A few leaves or a rotten log will easily conceal it. In company with Charles B. Thompson, Orville B. Skinner and Jabez Gilbert, formerly mail contractor from Pittsburgh to Cleveland, I entered it, and found it about ten feet in height, and divided into two rooms with a small passage between, barely sufficient for a person to pass. There was no open except at the place where I entered, from which I was let down by my companions. It being totally dark in the cavern, I could make but few examina­tions, and, fearing some chasm in the bottom, I did not let my curiosity tempt me far in my explorations. Mr. Gilbert and myself are alone survivors of that company.

     From the length of time intervening, and change of appear­ances from clearing up the country, I cannot now find it,—but some future explorer will bring it again to light.