Historic Hamlet Greensburg Green Historical Society
|
Greensburg
|
Establishment of GreensburghAccording to Historical Reminiscences of Summit County by Lucius Verus Bierce, 1854, page 79:
"Greensburgh, at which the business of the township is transacted, was laid out by Abraham Wilhelm in the S. W. part of the NE quarter of sect on 27. It was surveyed out by David Baer, August 27, 1828, and is now a thriving village of considerable wealth and enterprise. It lies considerably south, and a little east of the center of the township." |
|
Why was it Greensburgh? Why is it Greensburg?
A ruling by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names in 1890 dictated that municipalities should drop the 'h' in burgh to burg. For more information, click here.
Courtesy Summit Memory Online Map Room - Educational Use Only
Courtesy Summit Memory Online Map Room - Educational Use Only
Courtesy Summit Memory Online Map Room - Educational Use Only
Greensburg Today on Google Maps:
Greensburg as described in the
History of Summit County, Perrin, 1892
Since the settlement of Green Township, three villages have been laid out within its borders; these are Greensburg, East Liberty and Myersville. Greensburg, the oldest of these, was surveyed August 27, 1828, by David Baer, on land belonging to Abraham Wilhelm. This village is located on the southwest part of the
northeast quarter of Section 27 ; it lies considerably south and a little east of the township's center. A short time after the village plat was first made and recorded, Wilhelm decided not to establish a town on his land, but, after several years, the village was permanently located. The place contained only six or eight houses for many years. The tax duplicate of 1846 shows that it then had only ten frame houses, although the plat contained at that time thirty-three lots. When Greensburg Seminary was established, it received a " boom," and a movement was made to have the place incorporated, but it is said objection was raised to
this by some who were afraid their cows would not then be permitted to graze on the streets, and the movement was squelched. Among the early business of the burg and vicinity were the following establishments : Wilhelm kept an inn a short distance south previous to 1820 ; he also had a stopping-place for the old stage line which ran from Massillon to Middlebury, but this four-horse stage was only run a short time over this route and then changed to a road running through Manchester and Canal Fulton.
One of the Wilhelms had a distillery just south of the village, previous to 1820, and, after it was discontinued, a Mr. Moulton ran a chair factory in the same building. John Shick started the first store, about 1836, and also kept the first hotel ; he ran this latter establishment five or six years, and it was finally destroyed by fire ; another was built on the same site, which was run by Benjamin Seiss for about ten years ; it passed through several hands and is now owned bj' Peter Thornton and run by Jerry
Garmon. The present landlord enlisted in 1861 in the Union army, and served faithfully during the war ; he then joined the regular army for several years. Jacob Garmon, his father, put up a hotel on the northwest corner, previous to 1840, and this building was also destroyed by fire. John Hunsberger started his mercantile establishment in the village about 1838 ; he was appointed first Postmaster of the place under
Van Buren's administration ; when he settled in the village, there were only six houses ; these were two hotels, one pump-factory, Hunsberger's residence, and a wagon-shop, which was run by George E. Smith for many years. The pump-maker, Peter Weidman, remained about ten years. About 1840, the first schoolhouse was built in the village ; previous to this the scholars went to school about one mile south.
Harry Raefsnider started a tanyard south of the village previous to 1838, but quit after a few years ; then another was established nearer Greensburg by Jacob Kauffman ; this was afterward sold to John Hunsberger, who transferred it to I. W. France. The first blacksmithshop was owned by Lewis Denious, and John Wetzel built the first saw-mill. Some thirty years since, a brickyard was established Adam
Leopard. Daniel Bender commenced manufacturing and repairing harness as early as 1843.
Many other industries have been carried on for a time in the village and then discontinued. The first physician to locate there was Dr. John Thomas, who remained about two years. Among those who practiced there in later years were A. H. Mann, H. Peters. Jacob Musser, Wesley Boden, Garber, C. A. Perdue, Da-
vid Joseph, B. F. Sampsell, Levi Markam, A. M. Weidler, 0. E. Brownell, Parmlee, Howland, Reynolds and others. An addition was added to the village by Elias Herring, which was surveyed by Henry Beard ;
John Switzer afterward added another.
The most important enterprise ever established at Greensburg was the seminary. This educational institution was for a few years in a very flourishing condition. It was, to a great extent, under the control of the Evangelical Association, and, at one time, two conferences of this sect desired to control the seminary,
and much bad feeling was occasioned. It was finally re-organized with twenty-six stockholders, at $50 per share, and at another period of its history was conducted in the interest of the Disciples' Church. It was originally started in 1855, with Prof J. W. Raubalt as Principal, and Miss Jennie Wells as x\ssistant. The di-
rectors at that time were Revs. Abraham Leonard, P. W. Hahn and E. Stavei-, Alex Johnston and D. Cramer. Prof Raubalt remained two years, and was succeeded for three years by Prof Barnes, who had assisted Rau- bault one year ; then Prof Idgins was Principal for one year, and he followed by Profs. A. A. Smith and J. W. Hahn. Under the Disciples' Church management, Prof Williams had charge and G. F. Burgetts was assistant.
Prof Davis ran the institute for a short time in his own interest. During the time the seminary was conducted, many of the young folks of Green Township attended ; these acquired a higher and more complete education than the children of those settlers who did not appreciate the value of the institution. During the Know-Nothing movement, quite an influential order of this political secret society was estab-
lished at Greensburg, and for a time flourished like a " green bay tree," and then gave way before the " irrepressible conflict "' which resulted in the rebellion of 1861. The farmer opposed the " middlemen " for a short time by organizing a grange which continued for several years, but the onlv secret society of Green
Township at the present time is Hadassah Lodge, No. 450, of the I. 0. O. F.; this was instituted July 9. 1870, by Horace Y. Beebe, with seven charter members, as follows : D. F. Hunsberger, O. E. Brownell, J. P. Snyder, W. P. Hoff'ert, J. H. Anderson, Stephen Zembrot and C. Intermela. The lodge met for some
eight years in a small room back of Hunsberber's store. At the present time they have one of the finest lodge-rooms in Ohio for a village the size of Greeusburg."
northeast quarter of Section 27 ; it lies considerably south and a little east of the township's center. A short time after the village plat was first made and recorded, Wilhelm decided not to establish a town on his land, but, after several years, the village was permanently located. The place contained only six or eight houses for many years. The tax duplicate of 1846 shows that it then had only ten frame houses, although the plat contained at that time thirty-three lots. When Greensburg Seminary was established, it received a " boom," and a movement was made to have the place incorporated, but it is said objection was raised to
this by some who were afraid their cows would not then be permitted to graze on the streets, and the movement was squelched. Among the early business of the burg and vicinity were the following establishments : Wilhelm kept an inn a short distance south previous to 1820 ; he also had a stopping-place for the old stage line which ran from Massillon to Middlebury, but this four-horse stage was only run a short time over this route and then changed to a road running through Manchester and Canal Fulton.
One of the Wilhelms had a distillery just south of the village, previous to 1820, and, after it was discontinued, a Mr. Moulton ran a chair factory in the same building. John Shick started the first store, about 1836, and also kept the first hotel ; he ran this latter establishment five or six years, and it was finally destroyed by fire ; another was built on the same site, which was run by Benjamin Seiss for about ten years ; it passed through several hands and is now owned bj' Peter Thornton and run by Jerry
Garmon. The present landlord enlisted in 1861 in the Union army, and served faithfully during the war ; he then joined the regular army for several years. Jacob Garmon, his father, put up a hotel on the northwest corner, previous to 1840, and this building was also destroyed by fire. John Hunsberger started his mercantile establishment in the village about 1838 ; he was appointed first Postmaster of the place under
Van Buren's administration ; when he settled in the village, there were only six houses ; these were two hotels, one pump-factory, Hunsberger's residence, and a wagon-shop, which was run by George E. Smith for many years. The pump-maker, Peter Weidman, remained about ten years. About 1840, the first schoolhouse was built in the village ; previous to this the scholars went to school about one mile south.
Harry Raefsnider started a tanyard south of the village previous to 1838, but quit after a few years ; then another was established nearer Greensburg by Jacob Kauffman ; this was afterward sold to John Hunsberger, who transferred it to I. W. France. The first blacksmithshop was owned by Lewis Denious, and John Wetzel built the first saw-mill. Some thirty years since, a brickyard was established Adam
Leopard. Daniel Bender commenced manufacturing and repairing harness as early as 1843.
Many other industries have been carried on for a time in the village and then discontinued. The first physician to locate there was Dr. John Thomas, who remained about two years. Among those who practiced there in later years were A. H. Mann, H. Peters. Jacob Musser, Wesley Boden, Garber, C. A. Perdue, Da-
vid Joseph, B. F. Sampsell, Levi Markam, A. M. Weidler, 0. E. Brownell, Parmlee, Howland, Reynolds and others. An addition was added to the village by Elias Herring, which was surveyed by Henry Beard ;
John Switzer afterward added another.
The most important enterprise ever established at Greensburg was the seminary. This educational institution was for a few years in a very flourishing condition. It was, to a great extent, under the control of the Evangelical Association, and, at one time, two conferences of this sect desired to control the seminary,
and much bad feeling was occasioned. It was finally re-organized with twenty-six stockholders, at $50 per share, and at another period of its history was conducted in the interest of the Disciples' Church. It was originally started in 1855, with Prof J. W. Raubalt as Principal, and Miss Jennie Wells as x\ssistant. The di-
rectors at that time were Revs. Abraham Leonard, P. W. Hahn and E. Stavei-, Alex Johnston and D. Cramer. Prof Raubalt remained two years, and was succeeded for three years by Prof Barnes, who had assisted Rau- bault one year ; then Prof Idgins was Principal for one year, and he followed by Profs. A. A. Smith and J. W. Hahn. Under the Disciples' Church management, Prof Williams had charge and G. F. Burgetts was assistant.
Prof Davis ran the institute for a short time in his own interest. During the time the seminary was conducted, many of the young folks of Green Township attended ; these acquired a higher and more complete education than the children of those settlers who did not appreciate the value of the institution. During the Know-Nothing movement, quite an influential order of this political secret society was estab-
lished at Greensburg, and for a time flourished like a " green bay tree," and then gave way before the " irrepressible conflict "' which resulted in the rebellion of 1861. The farmer opposed the " middlemen " for a short time by organizing a grange which continued for several years, but the onlv secret society of Green
Township at the present time is Hadassah Lodge, No. 450, of the I. 0. O. F.; this was instituted July 9. 1870, by Horace Y. Beebe, with seven charter members, as follows : D. F. Hunsberger, O. E. Brownell, J. P. Snyder, W. P. Hoff'ert, J. H. Anderson, Stephen Zembrot and C. Intermela. The lodge met for some
eight years in a small room back of Hunsberber's store. At the present time they have one of the finest lodge-rooms in Ohio for a village the size of Greeusburg."