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94 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
and his schooner, the KeAvaune, of 150 tons, arrived on the 4th of July,
1839, he AVIIS met by a procession of 500 people with music and banners,
and presented with an American flag by Miss Maria Butinan, acting
for the patriotic ladies of Milan.
With'the opening of the canal Milan at once became an important
lake port. In the matters of securing the grain of the interior, and
lumber for ship building, there AVIIS a considerable advantage in lying
some eight or nine miles from the lake.
A scheme to connect Milan with Columbus by a railroad from the
bead of the canal through NorAvalk and other villages AVIIS inaugurated at
about the time the old Mad River Railroad AVIIS built, but for some
unknown reason the project fell through.
Soon after the canal AVIIS finished the enterprising ciiizens of Milan
began active steps in the direction of permanent improvements and substantial
business projects. Warehouses Avere erected along the upper
canal basin and the buyers of grain Avere reAvarded Avifh a trade that
covered a .section reaching in a southerly direction for more than a
hundred miles. Great covered Avagons. draAvn by four or more horses,
came in trains to town, and Milan held the greater part of their trade,
though at times considerable numbers of the farmers passed on (IOAVII
the river to Huron in anticipation of a higher price for their grain.
The canal gave quite an impetus 1o ship building as well as commerce.
The fine Avhite oak timber in the vicinity AVIIS utilized for this purpose
by numerous builders at Ibeir yards on either side of the basin. heloAv
the hill on Avhich the village stands. J. P. Gay AVIIS among the first,
prominent builders, constructing a number of government sailing boats
previous to the Civil Avar. E. Merry AVIIS at one time connected with
this firm under the tille of Merry & Gay, but they were unfortunate in
their contracts and the business AVIIS suspended. Henry Kelley, for many
years a prominent and public-spirited citizen of Milan, owned a shipyard
at the foot of the ridge on AA'hich the residence of J. C. LockAvood
AVIIS built. Captain Kelley afterAvards erected a fine brick business block
in Milan, and improved several farms in the vicinity, besides beautifying
bis house and grounds in the village. For many years he AVIIS a member
of the council, and AVIIS once a commissioner of Erie County.
Among the first and last of the ship builders AVIIS A'alentine Fries, a
self-made man. who came to Milan about the year 1849 and begun the
grocery business in a small Avay. Careful attention to business and
steady, bard Avork. together witli the strictest integrity, gave Air. Fries
the necessary means to enlarge his business, and to invest a limited
amount of money in vessel property. The time Avas opportune, and he
soon increased his murine imestments. In the '70s and '80s he built, at
Fries' Landing (formerly called Wards and Abbotts), several of the
largest and finest sailing vessels on the lakes, including the Marion Page,
the Golden Age and others. He also built the steam barge Charles
Foster. As a trustee of the township he AVIIS very active in bringing about
the graveling of the flals north of Aldan, an improvement that has been
a very great benefit to farmers on that side of the toAvn because .the roads