| Notes |
- Ashtabula Star Beacon- July 9,1915.
_ROSS MONTGOMERY TELLS OF TRIALS OF EALY SETTLERSR Geneva, July 8.--Among the many Ashtabula county citizins who were born in log
houses is Ross Montgomery, of North Geneva, a veteran of the Civil War, who
relates many an interesting anecdote of the early days in this locality. Mr.
Montgomery comes from a patriotis family. Not only was he in the Civil War, but
his son, Fred, was in the Spsnish- American conflict , and his grandfather (Ora
Evans, Jr) and his great- grandfather (Ora Evans,Sr.) were both minute men in
the revolution. Ora Evans,Jr. was at that time only 15 years of age.
The two
Evan's were both with Washington at Valley Forge- that terrible winter when men
starved and froze to death at camp.Early days in Conneaut and Geneva were fraught with numerous adventures of
Indians, bears and wolves. Lewis Montgomery, father of Ross, carried the
mail from Conneaut into Western Pennsylvania on horse back when he was only 12
or 13 years old. He had to pass through long stretches of woods infested with
wolves.
One night he was unusually late- he sought refuge in an unoccupuied cabin,
thinking of climbing in the joist overhead, but finding wild hogs had takin
refuge in the cabin, he decided to take a chance with the wolves. He mounted
his horse and drove home unmolested.
A fiddler who traaversed the country for dancing - fine people would come for
20 miles around, was treed by wolves all in one night. Early next morning
some passing hunters frightened away the wolves and rescued him.
During the time that Lewis Montgomery lived in Conneaut there occured the troubles with the British and Indians,just proceeding - just before the War
of 1812. One day a messenger brought word to Conneaut that the Indians were
coming from Canada- and would probably cross at Detroit. Grandfather James
Montgomery said- the North Geneva Veteran and other settlers took what arms
they had and went on foot through unbroken wilderness toward Detroit to head off
th Indians. When they reached the Maumee River near the present cith
of Toledo,
there was found to be a false report.
Old Indians scared children, and while the families were left unguarded an old
Indian frequently came into the cabins, seized the children by the hair and
would say-"by and by we'll come and take your scalps off". Later someone shot
him and his body was found floating in the Conneaut Creek.
The Montgomery's and the Harpers composed the majority of settlers in Connaut.
Another old Indian, Armstrong,entered the little store at the settlement one
evening, carrying an ax halve with which he shoved the children back from the
fire," Me Armstrong" he exclaimed, where upon a settler replied," my name is
Allstrong". "Ugh," said the Indian,"maybe you Nostrong".
GRANDFATHER GRADEDD HARMON HILL
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Grandfather Montgomery graded the hill by Harmon Distillery in Ashtabula-near
the present Children's Home. This is the first road put across the flats there.
Later Grandfather's family moved to Mechanicsville, and Grandfather built the first grist mill and the first dam across the Grand
River in Ashtabula County. He cut the road through from Mechanicsville to
Windsor, felling the trees and logging them off in preparation of the road to
follow. While they lived there, wolves used to howl every night. One Sunday the
wolves came across the river and killed some sheep while the families were at
church at Austinburg, east of their home, following the river bank.
That was the first church in the County. The people went by foot and by horseback folowing the bridal path. Father started on Sunday for church on
foot. He heard scratching and saw two bear cubs coming down a tree, then he
saw the mother bear at the foot of the tree. It was a big hollow tree and she
was waiting for the cubs to come down. Father threw his hat at then and gave
chase, but they outran him..
My father, Lewis Montgomery afterward moved to Geneva. He and his wife lived on
the farm where John Anderson now resides - suburban E. Main St.
One, day a neighboring farmer undertook to cut some wood in the forest. His dog
returned with his tail briskling, six wolves in pursuit. Backing up against the
tree- he fought them off with an axe, finally driving them off but not until
his clothing was nearly torn from his body, and he was crying from exhaustion
and fright.
Grandfather James Montgomery boated provisions from Buffalo to Conneaut and
also as far west as Toledo. He was near enough to the scene of Perry's Victory
on Lake Erie (1812) to hear the firing of the guns. After father had lived in
Geneva for a while he cleared the farm where Merritt Mans now lives, west of
the North Center of the township. Later he sold the farm and moved to the lake,
where Pearl Beach is now located, buying a tract of Government land. He and
Uncle James Montgomery, Jr. built a log house. While building it they slept in
a hollow sycamore log for three weeks. Some of those trees were five feet
through the butt; people used to use them for small houses. One night their
little dog made a fuss but they did not stir out. The next morning they found
bear tracks near the log.
The log house they built was the one I was born in. Afterwards father got stone
out of the lake and built an upright part for a new stone house. I was about
three years old when they commenced to build the stone house in April 1845.
At the beginning of the Civil War the Lake used to cut in there and caused the
bank to slide off. Frequently during storms the spray would hit the bank and
fly over the house. I would lie in bed nights and hear the water striking the
bank.
Lewis Montgomery sold his place to the late J.F, Goodrich ( father of J.W.
Goodrich) in 1864, while I was in the war. After the war Mr.
Goodrich tore down
the old house, which the old inhabitant's wife remembers. Part of the stone is
now in the foundation of Bert Gages barn on Wheeler Creek Road.
Just before the war, boats were built on the lake shore near here.
Alanson
Bailey who recintly died in Madison at the age of 94 years, and Daniel Bailey
built a number of boats at Madison Dock, at the end of Dock Road.
The " Red,
White and Blue" and" Moses Gage" were the largest on the lake then.
Captain
Butler built another, a three master schooner. Frank Goodrich built a scow in
1865, right by our old place. Just west of us the Hemingway boys, Mack and
Alanda built the largest scow on the lakes. It was called the "Forest Chief".
It was built near where Mr. Webbers cottage is, east of McLaughlins.
Before the war (about 1855) still further past, and just west of the marsh- at
the end of the Padenarum, a scow of good size was built by Parker & Wyman.It
used to carry all kinds of freight along the shore. Lots of oak staves were
shipped from there to Cleveland, Buffalo and Erie.
"There was lots of oak timber in this region. They would put a gang of men in
the woods cutting trees- two men would use whip-saws. They would first chop the
trees down with the axe, hew them into square timbers sometimes 3 feet square;
fasten them up on tripods and line them;, then two men would take a rip saw,
one man above and one below, and "whip-saw" the plank. Several yoke of oxen
would be used to drag the planks to where they built the ships.
There they would
be fitted, planed and sawed smooth. Often one end of the plank would drag in
the mud and the oxen would be up to their bellies in the mire. Boys were
employed to burro holes and drive spikes. First the keel and then the ribs of
the boats would be built. Three planks would be used for the sides.
It was all
white oak in those days. Cords and cords of this timber were wasted.
"ENTERED ARMY WHEN 18"
I volunteered and entered the Civil War when a boy of 18. In the last year of
the war I was on Sherman's March to the Sea. My son, Fred, was also in the
service in The Spanish American War and came home with Typhoid Fever. He was
in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky, whence I brought him home.
"My uncle, James Montgomery, went to Kentucky and taught school there for
several years. He married a Kentucky girl and moved to Kansas. They were trying
for a number of years to make Kansas a slave state.
The "Free-State" men determined
that this should not be done. James Montgomery, John Brown, (The Famous
John Brown), and Jim Lane commanded quite a force of Kansas "Free-State" Men.
There was fighting in Kansas and Missouri before the war, andit was through
their efforts that Kansas was made a Free-State.
About 1858, ( the time John Brown was captured at Harper's Ferry, after a
battle there and sentenced to be hung) James Montgomery came east to see what
the sentiment was, James thought he would save Brown's life. James Montgomery
lectured here at the town hall. He then went through the Eastern states on the
same mission, but he had to give it up and let the law take its course. Janes
Montgomery died shortly after the Civil War, at Mound City, Kansas. He commanded a Brigade of Negro Troops.
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