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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY 133
Amos McLouth came to Groton in 1817, with three other families,
from the beautiful Berkshire hills of Massachusetts. Mr. McLouth,
with his family, remained. He died here in 1870 at the age of seventysix.
He was at one time clerk of the Common Pleas Court, and has
also held several other prominent positions in the county.
Samuel Bemiss came from Buffalo by water, on the steamer Superior,
the only vessel on the lake, she having taken the place of the Walk-onthe-Water,
which had foundered a short time before.
Charles Rash found his way to the Firelands in 1815, from Ontario
County, New York. He made the journey on horseback, and was followed
by his brother in the same way in 1819. The journey occupied
nine days, and the brothers settled on the farm since owned by Libey
Rash. Charles became justice of the peace in 1820, and served in that
capacity for eighteen years consecutively. He died in 1853, aged
sixty-one.
Worthington Nims came from Massachusetts in 1826, and selected his
home, then went back to marry his wife, and came to reside here.
Religious meetings were held first in the dwellings of the settlers by
Reverend Mr. Gurley and others. The pioneer church was Methodist
and met in the northeast corner of the township, where a church building
was afterwards built. Another church is located on lot No. 35 in
section 3. Sand Hill Church is a union of all denominations.
Early in the settlement a grist mill was built on Pipe Creek, by Eli
and Edward Ford, and a distillery just above it on the same stream. A
tannery was also built on Pipe Creek by Truman Bonney; and there
was at one time a cabinet shop of large capacity that carried on a good
business. There is no village in this township. The Seven-Mile House
is the first and only hotel. The first store was opened at Pipe Creek,
at one time quite a village, by John Wheeler, of Sandusky, in about 1830.