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118 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
crossing of the trail is about ten feet high, and the action of the
horse's, feet in passing up and down the banks had formed a ditch
on each side, a number of feet deep. Although there had been quite
a village there since 1811, it had not been laid out in lots nor had the
honor of a name until 1817. These Avere done by Abiather Shirley and
Abner Young. It was here that the first postoffice was established in
1810, with Aaron Bigsby as postmaster. The first store was opened the
year following by Nathan Wood. The first hotel was started in 1812
by Abiather Shirley.
The first store kept there was by Nathan Wood, in 1811, and afterwards
successively by Peter Vanness, Faley & Johnson, and in 1818
Samuel B. Caldwell, and a young man by the name of Owens brought
on a large .stock of goods. Owens soon became dissatisfied with the
country and retired from the firm and returned to the East, and Charles
F. Drake became associated with Caldwell, and the business was afterwards
carried on in the name of Caldwell & Drake. The residence of
the widow, Mrs. Simeon B. Carpenter, they rebuilt and occupied as a
store.
The first schoolhouse in the township was erected in 1810, about half
way between Pipe Creek and Joseph Brownell's tavern, in Bloomingville,
in which school was kept in the winter of 1811 by Joseph Alby.
The building was still standing in 1815, and for a literary institution,
I must say, it looked decidedly hard.
The first justice of the peace was Israel Harrington. He was elected
in 1811, and lived west of Pipe Creek, in what is now within the limits
of Groton Township.
A BANK—ALMOST
A person residing on the Firelands at this day, when all kinds of
produce has a cash value and can be converted into money at a fair
price, can form no idea of the vexations and inconveniences that were
suffered by the early settlers of this country for the want of some kind
of a circulating medium. Previous to the opening of the Erie Canal,
and the establishment of commercial relations through that channel with
the eastern cities, there was no cash market for any kind of produce. A
bushel of corn would not buy a yard of muslin coarse enough to sift
corn meal through. A man might own a hundred head of cattle, and
an unlimited number of hogs and territory large enough for a German
principality, and not be able to raise money enough to pay his taxes
without great effort. I recollect the circumstance of a number of
gentlemen stopping at my father's on their Avay to Norwalk to attend
court, and among the number Avas a large land OAvner who Avas reported
rich, and was so. I heard the individual referred to ask one of his companions
for the loan of 50 cents, stating he Avas not able to raise that
amount before leaving home. The person applied to, happening to be
flush and liberal, told him he should have the 50 cents or even $1 if he
needed so much.