Norwich Township, Huron County, Ohio
Township #2 in Range 24
Early Beginnings
On 9 Nov 1808, Norwich Township was named for its Connecticut namesake. As early as 1815, Daniel L. Coit had become, by heirship and purchase, the owner of the township of Norwich, except for a part of the first section. In 1815, Coit sold sections 2 and 3 to Judge Canfield of Connecticut, who soon after sold the same to James Williams, Phillip R. Hopkins, and David W. Hinman. In the spring of 1816, these three surveyed the two sections into one hundred acre lots. They also laid out a village named Barbadoes. Norwich was attached to Greenfield Township in 1818. In 1819, Naum Gilson was elected supervisor for the township. Then, in 1820, the township of Sherman was organized with Norwich attached. In 1820, Russell Woodruff of Norwich was elected justice of the peace. In 1827, Norwich was detached from Sherman and organized as a separate township.
On 9 Nov 1808, Norwich Township was named for its Connecticut namesake. As early as 1815, Daniel L. Coit had become, by heirship and purchase, the owner of the township of Norwich, except for a part of the first section. In 1815, Coit sold sections 2 and 3 to Judge Canfield of Connecticut, who soon after sold the same to James Williams, Phillip R. Hopkins, and David W. Hinman. In the spring of 1816, these three surveyed the two sections into one hundred acre lots. They also laid out a village named Barbadoes. Norwich was attached to Greenfield Township in 1818. In 1819, Naum Gilson was elected supervisor for the township. Then, in 1820, the township of Sherman was organized with Norwich attached. In 1820, Russell Woodruff of Norwich was elected justice of the peace. In 1827, Norwich was detached from Sherman and organized as a separate township.
Early Settlers
On 10 Feb 1817 Chauncey Woodruff and Wilder Lawrence arrived in Norwich with their families. There they stayed at a rudely-constructed, previously built "village house" until they had cleared and planted a field of corn and erected for themselves log houses.
Subsequently, other settlers arrived in Norwich. They, and their dates of arrival, were:
Subsequently, other settlers arrived in Norwich. They, and their dates of arrival, were:
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Jesse Woodruff c.1817
Naum Gilson 1817 Hosea Harnden 1817 John Fletcher 1818 Bartolomew Rossman 1818 Benjamin Moore 1818 Elisha Ellis 1818 Augustus Cook 1818 Beckwith Cook 1818 Asa Gilson 1819 |
Jonas Gilson 1819
Jabez F. Ivory 1819 Daniel Farman 1819 James Loomis 1819 Loab Lindsey 1819 Alvin Blodgett 1819 Dr. Hurlbert 1819 Joel Gilson 1820 John Gilson 1820 |
Some First Events
- The first birth was that of twins, to Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson, on 24 Oct 1817. Only one twin survived its birth, and that for only a few hours.
- The first child born in the township to survive its birth was Owen Fletcher, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Fletcher, on 22 Feb 1818.
- The marriage of Augustus Cook to Martha Fletcher on 3 Mar 1819 was the first in Norwich. The wedding was attended by nearly all of the settlers in the township.
- An infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilder Lawrence was the first to die on 19 Feb 1817. The first adult to die in the township was Richard Moon in the fall of 1819.
- The first frame building to be built in Norwich was a barn, built in 1832.
- The first frame residence was built by Cyrus Niles in 1835, but it burned the following year. John Bowen, Sr. built the first brick house.
- The first post office was established in North Norwich in 1827, with Naum Gilson serving as postmaster for about twenty years.
- Messrs. Lawrence and Woodruff planted the first corn in the spring of 1817.
- Naum Gilson also sowed the first wheat in the fall of 1817.
- Asa Gilson, Naum Gilson, Jonas Gilson, George H. Woodruff, and Joseph Read planted, or set out, orchards in 1827.
- In March 1817, Rev. Alvin Coe preached the first sermon in the township.
- The first school house was built in the spring of 1819 on the east bank of Slate Run. This cabin was quite primitive, built of logs, and covered with elm bark. It measured twelve by sixteen feet in size. It had neither floor, windows or desks. A row of split oak benches served for seating, and the unchinked spaces between the logs served as windows. Miss Aurilla Lindsey taught the first term of school in the summer of 1819. Her pupils were: Phoebe Chapman; Mrs. Martha Cook (the new bride); her two sisters, Eleanor and Betsey Fletcher; Sabin Kellogg; Louisa Ellis; Mansfield and Brazilda Cook; and Hosea and Drazilla Harnden. The school was supported by subscription and proved so expensive that no attempt was made to build another until 1824.
- The first physician who settled in Norwich was Dr. Hurlburt. He established residency in 1825 and practiced in the township until his death in 1828.
- In 1830, Benjamin Moore built a saw mill on Slate Run. Peter Brown began the first grist mill in 1834.
- The first road opened to the township was that made by General Beall and his army in 1812, leading from Wooster to Fremont, through New Haven and Norwich.
- Adam Hance carried the mail on the first post route established in 1827, from Tiffin to Fitchville.
Early Population Indicators
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Cemetery Locations in Norwich Township
The numbers of the cemeteries below, correspond
with the circled numbers on the map above.
with the circled numbers on the map above.
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Information compiled by Ken Shute.
Maps by Bob Kerner.
Transcribed from the old Huron County OHGenWeb site
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