Schools, Churches Settlers -- Important to Orwell Area's Growth

Schools, Churches Settlers -- Important to Orwell Area's Growth

On September 5, 1798, a group of men, including Moses Cleveland, bought Orwell Township from the Connecticut Land Company for $12,903.23.

Daniel Coit and Christopher Leffingwell purchased the township from this group and then held the land at $5 per acre, which probably accounted for the delay in its settlement.

Leffingwell had the township surveyed into lots one mile square and gave it his name, being called Leffingwell thereafter until it was organized in 1826.

The first white settler was A.R. Paine, who came from Stillwater, Saratoga County, N.Y., in October 1815.

After visiting other parts of the reserve, he settled in Orwell on the first day of April 1817 and built a log cabin in the southwest portion of the township. This cabin was considered a superior, well-built one in those days for it had a floor of sawed boards and a roof of split shingles.

To the Paines, on February 6, 1820, was born the first white child in the township, a girl. They named her Lucinda. Other children born to the family were Hannah, Charity, Salmon and Emerson, the latter the grand-father of funeral director, Clarence E. Paine.

The second settler in Orwell was Solomon Chandler, Mrs. Paine's brother. The Chandlers were the parents of the first white boy born in Orwell, Gates Chandler.

In 1820, Alanson Spaulding and his wife settled on land now called "The Old Brick Farm." He built a log house near the intersection of the first traveled roads - a pioneer route from Judge Griswold's in Windsor to Judge Hayes in Wayne and the "Woods Road" from Austinburg to Warren.

Spaulding operated the first public house in Leffingwell. According to the Williams family history "Much was spoken in praise of the comforts and attentions received at this first tavern." Mr. Spaulding became a leader among the pioneers and was appointed the first postmaster and first justice of the peace. He later built a block house, but not content with this, in 1828, built the first brick house in Orwell, with bricks made on the farm.

Daniel Wolcott, great-grandfather of Jerome and Wayne Wolcott, came from Bristol, Conn., in April 1822 and purchased 476.5 acres that comprise the present townsite of Orwell. He built the first frame house in Leffingwell and though he operated a tavern, he did not sell intoxicants, which was somewhat notable in those days.

The first school, started in 1822, was built of logs and was located across the road from where the Stone House now stands. There were 12 pupils from seven families and Miss Lidia Charlotte Wolcott, then 17 years old, was the first teacher.

First marriage The first marriage in Leffingwell was on November 20, 1822, when Lidia Charlotte Wolcott became the bride of John Babcock. Fourteen children were born to them, 12 of whom grew to maturity. After the death of John, she married Freeman Chaffee, a widower with 10 boys and two girls. Four of Lidia's boys served in the Civil War and four of the Chaffee boys also served.

One of them was Gen. Adna R. Chaffee, who followed a military career after the war. He served in the Spanish-American War and the Boxer Rebellion and in 1904, he was made lieutenant general and chief of staff, the highest honor in the U.S. military service.

This information is from the quarterly bulletin of the Ashtabula County Historical Society dated December 15, 1958 and was printed as a supplement to Gazette Newspapers in January 1999.

On September 5, 1798, a group of men, including Moses Cleveland, bought Orwell Township from the Connecticut Land Company for $12,903.23.

Daniel Coit and Christopher Leffingwell purchased the township from this group and then held the land at $5 per acre, which probably accounted for the delay in its settlement.

Leffingwell had the township surveyed into lots one mile square and gave it his name, being called Leffingwell thereafter until it was organized in 1826.

The first white settler was A.R. Paine, who came from Stillwater, Saratoga County, N.Y., in October 1815.

After visiting other parts of the reserve, he settled in Orwell on the first day of April 1817 and built a log cabin in the southwest portion of the township. This cabin was considered a superior, well-built one in those days for it had a floor of sawed boards and a roof of split shingles.

To the Paines, on February 6, 1820, was born the first white child in the township, a girl. They named her Lucinda. Other children born to the family were Hannah, Charity, Salmon and Emerson, the latter the grand-father of funeral director, Clarence E. Paine.

The second settler in Orwell was Solomon Chandler, Mrs. Paine's brother. The Chandlers were the parents of the first white boy born in Orwell, Gates Chandler.

In 1820, Alanson Spaulding and his wife settled on land now called "The Old Brick Farm." He built a log house near the intersection of the first traveled roads - a pioneer route from Judge Griswold's in Windsor to Judge Hayes in Wayne and the "Woods Road" from Austinburg to Warren.

Spaulding operated the first public house in Leffingwell. According to the Williams family history "Much was spoken in praise of the comforts and attentions received at this first tavern." Mr. Spaulding became a leader among the pioneers and was appointed the first postmaster and first justice of the peace. He later built a block house, but not content with this, in 1828, built the first brick house in Orwell, with bricks made on the farm.

Daniel Wolcott, great-grandfather of Jerome and Wayne Wolcott, came from Bristol, Conn., in April 1822 and purchased 476.5 acres that comprise the present townsite of Orwell. He built the first frame house in Leffingwell and though he operated a tavern, he did not sell intoxicants, which was somewhat notable in those days.

The first school, started in 1822, was built of logs and was located across the road from where the Stone House now stands. There were 12 pupils from seven families and Miss Lidia Charlotte Wolcott, then 17 years old, was the first teacher.

First marriage The first marriage in Leffingwell was on November 20, 1822, when Lidia Charlotte Wolcott became the bride of John Babcock. Fourteen children were born to them, 12 of whom grew to maturity. After the death of John, she married Freeman Chaffee, a widower with 10 boys and two girls. Four of Lidia's boys served in the Civil War and four of the Chaffee boys also served.

One of them was Gen. Adna R. Chaffee, who followed a military career after the war. He served in the Spanish-American War and the Boxer Rebellion and in 1904, he was made lieutenant general and chief of staff, the highest honor in the U.S. military service.

This information is from the quarterly bulletin of the Ashtabula County Historical Society dated December 15, 1958 and was printed as a supplement to Gazette Newspapers in January 1999.

By Lucille Donley (1976)

By Lucille Donley (1976)

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