GOLDEN JUBILEE
HISTORY AND TI ME LI NE
1655 WHEN KING CHARLES OF ENGLAND ESTABLISHED THE
CONNECTICUT BECAME TOWN 5, RANGE 11. NORTHFIELD WAS
NAMED BY JEREMIAH CRAMNER FOR HIS HOME TOWN OF
NORTHFIELD, CONN.
1786 AFTER ACHIEVING STATEHOOD, CONNECTICUT
SIGNED OVER MOST OF ITS LAND HOLDINGS TO THE
US GOVERNMENT. THE SECTION CONTAINING THE
NORTHFIELD AREA WAS RESERVED, AND LATER SOLD
TO THE CONNECTICUT LAND CO. FOR $1.2 MILLION.
1797 AREA SURVEYED INTO TOWNSHIP AREAS OF 5 SQUARE
MILES EACH. NORTHFIELD, AN EQUALIZING TOWNSHIP,
WAS DIVIDED INTO 160-ACRE TRACTS. IT WAS RATED BY
OFFICIALS OF THE CONNECTICUT LAND GRANT COMPANY AS ONE
OF THE BEST IN THE RESERVE DUE TO ITS WELL DRAINED,
FERTILE SOIL AND THE FACT THAT THE CUYAHOGA RIVER
WHICH BORDERED IT ON THE WEST WAS NAVIGABLE FOR
SHALLOW DRAUGHT BOATS. "THE BOOK OF DRAFTS LISTS" 400
SHARES SOLD AT $3,000 EACH.
1807 APRIL. ISAAC BACON, FROM BOSTON, MOVED HIS FAMILY TO A TRACT
IN THE TOWNSHIP. "MRS. BACON SAID ... THE ONLY WHITE WOMAN SHE
IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS WAS THE ONE REFLECTED TO HER EYE WHEN SHE LOOKED IN SOME CLEAR POOL OF WATER." 1.
1810 JEREMIAH CRAMNER, MRS. BACON'S BROTHER, SETTLED A HALF MILE
AWAY IN JUNE. CRAMNER'S THE OLDEST GRAVE AT NORTHFIELD-MACEDONIA
CEMETERY (CHESTNUT HILL). INDIANS AND SLAVES ARE BURIED IN THE SECTION BY THE OLD DRIVE OF THE CEMETERY.
1814 GEORGE WALLACE ERECTED A SAWMILL, AND PLACED IT IN THE HANDS OF JOHN MENOUGH TO OPERATE. "MENOUGH IS CREDITED WITH HAVING NAMED THE STREAM BRANDYWINE AFTER THE HISTORIC
STREAM IN THE EAST WHERE. GEORGE WASHINGTON FOUGHT A HARD BATTLE DURING THE REVOLUTION" 2
1815 WALLACE BUILT A THREE-STORY GRIST MILL AT THE SAME LOCATION
AND ALLEN BURRIS BUILT A DISTILLERY.
1817 BRANDYWINE "... WAS SAID TO BE A MORE LIVELY TOWN THAN CLEVELAND, AND WITH BETTER PROSPECTS." 3. FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE BUILT.
1819 ANNEXATION OF THE PART OF BOSTON TOWNSHIP AROUND BRANDYWINE FALLS INTO NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP.
1849 BY ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE ON MARCH 3, 1840, SUMMIT COUNTY WAS ERECTED. THE NAME OF SUMMIT WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE THE AREA WAS THE HIGHEST OHIO CANAL. SUMMIT COUNTY WAS FORMERLY A PART OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
1843 GREAT FLOOD IN BRANDYWINE CREEK DEVASTATED BRANDYWINE SETTLEMENT AND LITTLE YORK.
1849. CHESTNUT HILL (NORTHFIELD-MACEDONIA CEMETERY) BECAME A MUNICIPAL CEMETERY. IT IS NOW A UNION CEMETERY: OWNED BY MORE THAN ONE MUNICIPALITY. THE MUNICIPALITIES WHICH SUPPORT THE CEMETERY ARE THE CITY OF MACEDONIA, NORTHFIELD CENTER TOWNSHIP, NORTHFIELD VILLAGE, AND SAGAMORE HILLS. IF ONE ENTERS THE CEMETERY THROUGH ONE ENTRANCE, THE MARKER READS :NORTHFIELD-MACEDONIA CEMETERY". ENTER FROM THE OTHER, AND THE MARKER READS "MACEDONIA-NORTHFIELD CEMETERY'."
1854 NORTH SCHOOL WAS BUILT AT ROUTE 8 AND LEDGE, AND RECORDED ITS LAST TERM IN 1903. SOLD TO RAY OSBORNE IN 1916 FOR $400, IT WAS RAZED WHEN PICK-N-PAY WAS BUILT.
STORY: SNATCHPENNY SCHOOL. ORIGIN OF THE NAME "SNATCHPENNY: THE SIZE OF THE OLD PENNY WAS ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE PRESENT QUARTER, JUST LARGE ENOUGH TO HOLD THE EYES OF A PERSON WHO HAS JUST DIED, CLOSED. "A TRAVELLING PACK PEDDLAR, WHO DID NOT SELL A THING, SAID, "THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY ARE SO TIGHT WITH THEIR MONEY THAT THEY WOULD SNATCH THE PENNIES FROM A DEAD MAN'S EYE." 4.
1895 NOVEMBER 18, SAW THE FIRST TRIP OF THE INTERURBAN ABC-AKRON/ BEDFORD / CLEVELAND. THE INTERURBAN MADE NORTHFIELD THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING. ONE COULD GET TO AKRON OR CLEVELAND IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES.
1889 OR 1898 BUILDING ERECTED AT THE CEMETERY.
1905 SEPTEMBER 22 - INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE OF MACEDONIA.
1911 THE HARTWIG PROPERTY WAS DIVIDED INTO AN ALLOTMENT. STREETS WERE SURVEYED WITH STONE MARKERS.
1912 AUGUST 12 AN ELECTION CHANGED THE STATUS OF NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP TO NORTHFIELD VILLAGE.
1926 FIRST MOTORIZED FIRE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, ORIGINALLY,
AN OLD OIL TANKER HAD BEEN CONVERTED INTO A WATER TANKER, TO
FIGHT FIRES.
1930 OCTOBER 21. SEPARATION OF SAGAMORE HILLS VILLAGE.
1932 APRIL 1. INTERURBAN ABC DISCONTINUED.
1933 MAY 15. SUBMISSION TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE STATE OF OHIO, THE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE SMALL HOME AND LANDOWNERS FEDERATION OF OHIO. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORGANIZATION ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF WHICH WAS MRS.. HORSFALL, WAS TO STOP THE FORECLOSURE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST HOMEOWNERS DURING THE DEPRESSION.
1934 OCTOBER 22. GRAND JURY OPENS PROBE OF NORTHFIELD D0G
RACES.
l935 APRIL 2. ELECTION FOR SEPARATION OF NORTHFIELD
CENTER TOWNSHIP. MAX KLEIN, LISTED IN
THE HISTORY OF OLDE NORTHFIELD AS A TAILOR, BECAME MAYOR.
1936 JUNE 10, "AKRON BEACON JOURNAL": 5 DAYS TO SETTLE CASE. FIRE
ENGINE AND FIRE HOSE HAD TO BE RETURNED TO THE TOWNSHIP. EAST OHIO
GAS MAPS SHOWING OLD WELLS AND PROPERTY LINES
1950 GREAT SNOW. JOHNNIE AND LAURA NIEUZETEK EMPTIED OUT THEIR
STORE BY GIVING AWAY ALL THEIR MILK AND OTHER FOOD THEY HAD FREE OF COST.
1953 ANNEXATION OF ELECTRIC BLVD. AREA FROM SAGAMORE HILLS. FIRE STATION ERECTED: CORNERSTONE 8/21/53
1970 REMAINS OF THE OLD BRANDY WINE FALLS CEMETERY MOVED TO NORTHFIELD-MACEDONIA CEMETERY DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF I-271.
1984 GIFT OF PITLUCK PROPERTY TO THE VILLAGE FOR RECREATION PROJECTS.
1985 PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF DINDA PROPERTY FROM SAGAMORE HILLS.
POPULATION FIGURES (NORTHFIELD VILLAGE)
1910 560 ABJ 4/25/30 P 27 COL 7
1920 861
1930 1752 (1524 IF RESIDENTS OF THE
ASYLUM ARE EXCLUDED)
1940 575
1950 780
1960 1055
1970 4283
1980 3913
ENDNOTES
1Grismer, Karl H. Akron and Summit County
Summit County Historical Society, Akron, undated. p. 570.
2 Op. cit, p 571
3Loc cit, p 571
4Goosman, Mrs. Bessie. History of Olde Northfield Township Historical Society of Olde Northfield, Northfield, Ohio, 1970, p. 18.
5Cherry, P. P. The Western Reserve and Early/Ohio, R. L. Fouse, Firestone Park, Akron, Ohio, 1920, p. 102
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Butler, Margaret Manor. A Pictorial History of the Western
Reserve 1796 - 1860 , published jointly by The Early Settlers
Association of the Western Reserve and The Western Reserve
Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio, 1963.
Cherry, P. P. The Western Reserve and Early Ohio,
R. L. Fouse, Firestone Park, Akron, Ohio, 1920.
Gossman, Mrs. Bessie. History of Olde Northfield Township
Historical Society of Olde Northfield, Northfield, Ohio, 1970.
Grismer, Karl H. Akron and Summit County, Summit County
Historical Society, Akron, Ohio, undated.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Akron Public Library, Microfilm Department.
Summit County Recorder's Office
Miss Hilda Horsfall
Mrs. Pearl Ramsay Blanoch
Mr. Thomas Boslaugh
Mr. Hank Smith
Mrs. Laura Nieuzytek
Mr. Homer Hanks
Mrs. Stella Biros
James Burger
Terri Embry
Mrs. Diane Moore
Mr. N. Arch Milani
Mrs. Kim Milani Masseria
Mr. Curt Pavlick and the Village of Northfield Fire
Mr. Donald Burger
Mrs. Dorothy Campbell