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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY 77
J. Smith, II. Smith, Darius Smith, Charles Elwood, Henry Elwood,
Aaron Hall, Lucius Smith, Daniel WeathersloAv, Oliver Benschoter, Frank
Bemis, William Bellamy.
Berlin ToAvnship has three villages Avithin its boundaries. Berlinville,
on the state road, was at one time a busy little place, but when
stage coaches Avere superseded by railroads it fell into the background
and remained the same little village, but without the life and bustle
of the early days.
Berlin Heights has had a wide reputation, but its growth has been
hampered by not having railroad facilities. It has several stores, several
factories, a saAvmill, a grist mill, a fine school building with graded school,
three churches and a hotel.
Ceylon, on the Lake Shore Railroad, is directly north of Berlin
Heights, and greAV to be a considerable village in a very short time.
There are six cemeteries in the township, one of AA'hich is being washed
away by the united force of Chapelle Creek and the lake. The others
are at Berlinville, Berlin Heights and Ilarpen's Corners.
Many interesting stories of the pioneer days might be told in connection
AA'ith the history of this township, but perhaps nothing is more
typical of the conditions of those early days than the hardships which
the family of the Baptist elder, Joshua Phillips, had to overcome. Mr.
Phillips added preaching to his other labors of clearing, farming and
mason Avork. He came, bringing his family, from New 'York in 1818,
and built a log house 10 by 12 feet in the Avoods on Chapelle Creek.
When they moved into the house it Avas not yet finished. There AA'as
a door, but no AvindoAVs; and it did not yet need any as the roof was
not on. It Avas the 1st of January and a Avarm, sunny day; but that
night, a sleet storm came up and Mr. Phillips had to break up his wagon
box to make a slight shelter in one corner of the cabin, where his family
huddled together until the storm had passed. He brought three horses
and a COAV AA'ith him, and the first Avinter tAvo horses died from exposure
and poor food; their only fodder being marsh grass, which kept green
all winter. One of Mr. Phillips'-sons practiced medicine for many
years and attained to quite a reputation for his success in treating climatic
diseases. Later he gaA'c up his practice. lie became a disciple of
Emerson and Parker, reading constantly, and collecting interesting
historical facts connected with the township.
Hudson Tuttle, another son of one of the early settlers, also deserves
mention. He became Avidely knoAvn as an author and exponent of
Spiritualism, in spite of the handicap of