First published in theAshtabula County Historical Society Quarterly Bulletin,Vol. 6, No. 4 December 15, 1959.
First published in theAshtabula County Historical Society Quarterly Bulletin,Vol. 6, No. 4 December 15, 1959.
Kathryn H. Talcott, editor.
Kathryn H. Talcott, editor.
The Township of Cherry Valley became the property of Samuel Mather, Jr., upon his acquiring title from The Connecticut Land Company on November 8, 1798. Like Trumbull Township, it was originally surveyed into three sections, running east and west and with the southern one being No. 1.
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The Pymatuning Creek, in the eastern portion of the township, is the main stream, its waters starting at the divide in Dorset and flowing southerly. Giddings Creek and Patch Creek both flow into the Pymatuning, the former rising in the southwest quarter of the Township and flowing easterly, and the latter having its beginning in the central portion and flowing northeasterly.
Henry Patch, accompanied by Zebulon Congdon, settled about 1817 in the northeast part of the north section along what became known as Patch creek. They built a cabin before leaving shortly for New Lyme Township. During December of the following year Nathaniel Hubbard, of New York State, arrived with his family and moved into the cabin abandoned by Mr. Patch. Within a few months Nathaniel Johnson and John Fenn came with their families and settled in the middle section near the east boundary.
The name "Cherry Valley" was suggested by Josiah Creery, who came from Richfield, Otsego, N. Y. He purchased land in the township in 1823, but stopped first in Andover and did not move his family into the log cabin he built in Cherry Valley. His family had many descendants in Ashtabula County, many of whom were mill men and expert mechanics.
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The first settlements on the Hayes Road were made by Benoni, William and Eli Andrews. Noah Sweet purchased 1423 acres in the north section in 1830, and about the same time James Cornwell bought 383 acres in the same section. Both men have descendants in the county today and, in fact, Mrs. Roy Palmer and two sons, descendants of the Sweet family,still live in Cherry Valley. Noah Sweet moved his family of eleven children there from Clarendon, N. Y., in 1831, an undertaking which took eleven days to accomplish with ox teams.
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Other settlers were John Woodsworth, Francis Webster and Noah Rawley. Henry Krum, who came in the spring of 1826, welcomed his bother Abel who came three years later. Lockwood Lobdell settled near Jesse Steele. John Williams and Elkanah Crosby came from Orleans County, N. Y., and Conrad Petrie, from Herkimer County, located nearby the following year. Henry Tuttle, who was originally from Litchfield County,Conn., and a County Commissioner from 1829 to 1832, settled in the township in 1834.
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The Hayes Road, running north and south (the first one east of Route 90), was the first road in the township and was named in honor of Col. Richard Hayes, of Wayne, who was instrumental in its establishment. Early, there was a road from the southeast corner of the township to the Hayes Road. Two center roads, one east and west and the other north and south, were traveled a lot, while the Dodgeville and Mill Roads accommodated the farms of many thrifty settlers.
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John Fenn built both the first frame barn and the first frame house, the former in 1818 and the latter 7 years later. Both were situated on the Creek Road, on the farm which later became that of Horace Lindsley. Lindsley was born in Paris, Oneida County, N. Y., on July 7, 1811. His father died shortly after and his mother married John Fenn in 1818 just before they came west. On December 26, 1842, Horace Lindsley married Elizabeth Warren, daughter of Joseph and Esther Giddings Warren, of Williamsfield. The family was interested in the anti-slavery movement and helped many fleeing slaves. John Brown and his sons were their close friends and the Lindsley place was at one time the home of Aaron D.Stevens, one of those captured at the Harper's Ferry raid who was executed at Charleston, Va. John Brown often used the farm as a hiding place and much correspondence passed through the hands of Horace Lindsley for him, usually addressed to I. Smith & Son. During one winter prior to the Harper's Ferry raid, Brown secreted about 200 Sharpe's rifles in the King Brothers Cabinet Shop in Cherry Valley. Later these weapons and other war material were moved to Wayne, and in 1859 taken in four wagon loads to Hartstown, Pa., and shipped by canal to Chambersburg,Pa., as fence castings.
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The Township of Cherry Valley became the property of Samuel Mather, Jr., upon his acquiring title from The Connecticut Land Company on November 8, 1798. Like Trumbull Township, it was originally surveyed into three sections, running east and west and with the southern one being No. 1.
​
The Pymatuning Creek, in the eastern portion of the township, is the main stream, its waters starting at the divide in Dorset and flowing southerly. Giddings Creek and Patch Creek both flow into the Pymatuning, the former rising in the southwest quarter of the Township and flowing easterly, and the latter having its beginning in the central portion and flowing northeasterly.
Henry Patch, accompanied by Zebulon Congdon, settled about 1817 in the northeast part of the north section along what became known as Patch creek. They built a cabin before leaving shortly for New Lyme Township. During December of the following year Nathaniel Hubbard, of New York State, arrived with his family and moved into the cabin abandoned by Mr. Patch. Within a few months Nathaniel Johnson and John Fenn came with their families and settled in the middle section near the east boundary.
The name "Cherry Valley" was suggested by Josiah Creery, who came from Richfield, Otsego, N. Y. He purchased land in the township in 1823, but stopped first in Andover and did not move his family into the log cabin he built in Cherry Valley. His family had many descendants in Ashtabula County, many of whom were mill men and expert mechanics.
​
The first settlements on the Hayes Road were made by Benoni, William and Eli Andrews. Noah Sweet purchased 1423 acres in the north section in 1830, and about the same time James Cornwell bought 383 acres in the same section. Both men have descendants in the county today and, in fact, Mrs. Roy Palmer and two sons, descendants of the Sweet family,still live in Cherry Valley. Noah Sweet moved his family of eleven children there from Clarendon, N. Y., in 1831, an undertaking which took eleven days to accomplish with ox teams.
​
Other settlers were John Woodsworth, Francis Webster and Noah Rawley. Henry Krum, who came in the spring of 1826, welcomed his bother Abel who came three years later. Lockwood Lobdell settled near Jesse Steele. John Williams and Elkanah Crosby came from Orleans County, N. Y., and Conrad Petrie, from Herkimer County, located nearby the following year. Henry Tuttle, who was originally from Litchfield County,Conn., and a County Commissioner from 1829 to 1832, settled in the township in 1834.
​
The Hayes Road, running north and south (the first one east of Route 90), was the first road in the township and was named in honor of Col. Richard Hayes, of Wayne, who was instrumental in its establishment. Early, there was a road from the southeast corner of the township to the Hayes Road. Two center roads, one east and west and the other north and south, were traveled a lot, while the Dodgeville and Mill Roads accommodated the farms of many thrifty settlers.
​
John Fenn built both the first frame barn and the first frame house, the former in 1818 and the latter 7 years later. Both were situated on the Creek Road, on the farm which later became that of Horace Lindsley. Lindsley was born in Paris, Oneida County, N. Y., on July 7, 1811. His father died shortly after and his mother married John Fenn in 1818 just before they came west. On December 26, 1842, Horace Lindsley married Elizabeth Warren, daughter of Joseph and Esther Giddings Warren, of Williamsfield. The family was interested in the anti-slavery movement and helped many fleeing slaves. John Brown and his sons were their close friends and the Lindsley place was at one time the home of Aaron D.Stevens, one of those captured at the Harper's Ferry raid who was executed at Charleston, Va. John Brown often used the farm as a hiding place and much correspondence passed through the hands of Horace Lindsley for him, usually addressed to I. Smith & Son. During one winter prior to the Harper's Ferry raid, Brown secreted about 200 Sharpe's rifles in the King Brothers Cabinet Shop in Cherry Valley. Later these weapons and other war material were moved to Wayne, and in 1859 taken in four wagon loads to Hartstown, Pa., and shipped by canal to Chambersburg,Pa., as fence castings.
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