One hundred years ago, and the American colonies were in struggle with the mother country for their freedom; and all the continent, where now busy multitudes are pursuing their daily avocations, the native forests lay in all their gloomy grandeur, untouched by the woodman’s axe.

The whole population, when the first census was taken in 1790, was only 3,929,328, and of these 697,696 were slaves. Now we have over 40,000,000, and not a slave. This population was scattered along the eastern part of the original colonies on the Atlantic coast, while the western part of them was still the abode of the Indians, whose incursions made many a settler's heart, tremble for fear of their depredations. Even New England was mostly a wilder ness, and central New York was the hunting ground of savage tribes. Pittsburgh was a military post, and when the sun shone upon this broad state, which is now the third in the Union, it lighted only the trackless woods. It required nearly two months to make the journey from Connecticut to Ohio and was a severe trial of the strength of the hardy veterans who, with their wives, first broke their way into its solitudes. When they got to their journey's end, they had first to build a rude cabin to shelter them, and deadening the timber around it, sow the seed which should furnish them with bread, when the scanty supply was gone which they had brought from their eastern homes.

Hardships were experienced of which we can form little conception; and tears must have wet many a pillow, as they thought of the homes and friends they had left behind them.

When we think that it is but fifty-one years since the site of this village was an unbroken forest, and but twenty years before that, not a white man had found his way into this vicinity, we are amazed at the change. And as we traverse these peaceful scenes over which the hand of the husbandman has spread such evidences of prosperity, we can hardly realize how greatly it has been changed since its first settlement. It seems impossible that so short a time has elapsed since this whole region lay in the state of nature, and not a mark of its present civilization had been made.

There are still living some who were among the first that came, and what we present of this history, we have had from their lips ; and because the number is so small of those who participated in these events, we have thought it best to record it now, that we may let our children know something of the labors and privations of those who prepared the way for their enjoyment of the advantages which they have inherited. Though much has been forgotten, what we now record is given as it was told us by those who knew the facts, and were participators in much that they related.

When the present century came in, the whole region known as the Western Reserve was an un broken wilderness. Its forests were untouched, and nature had received no embellishment from the hand of man. Everything was as it came from the Creator's hand. The aborigines were scattered through its dense forests; and game of all the kinds common to this latitude was abundant. Bears, wolves, deer, turkeys, and all the smaller varieties, were found in great numbers; and the lakes which beautified this region abounded with water fowl, and many varieties of excellent fish. The swamps and ledges furnished cover for deer and turkeys long after they had disappeared from regions more recently settled.

The timber was heavy, and for variety and excellence for all economic purposes, was not excelled by any part of the United States. A soil of great fertility lay under it, and its latent riches needed but the hand of the tiller to be developed, to reward the laborer for his toil.

The Western Reserve had been sold by the State of Connecticut to the Connecticut Land Company, who had it surveyed in 1797. It was laid off in townships five miles square, and was designated by ranges and numbers. These lands were drawn by lot, by members of the company, valued at forty cents per acre; the quantity being in proportion to the amount which each one paid toward the gross amount as compared to the whole. Number 3, of range 10, was drawn by Judge Joshua Stow, of Middletown, Connecticut and was named after him.

The township of Tallmadge fell to two companies, called the Brace Company and the Rockwell Company, and was named after Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge, of Litchfield, Connecticut. Roger Newbury was a member of the Brace Company, as also of the Connecticut Land Company, and for many years one of the governor's council of Connecticut. His share was one thousand acres, which lay in the northwest part of the township, which now forms the southeast part of the village of Cuyahoga Falls. This made these two men the owners of what afterward constituted the eastern half of this township and village.

Northampton was designated as an equalizing township, to be divided between such townships as were adjudged of inferior quality on account of swamps; and thus was disposed of in smaller quantities and fell into the hands of numerous owners. That part of Portage township which lay next west of Tallmadge was in the hands of small proprietors, so that the west half of the new town was under different influences from the eastern half.

These several townships held jurisdiction over what was within their own limits; and the people at Cuyahoga Falls, belonging to four townships, were dependent upon them for the administration of their affairs. This was a great inconvenience, as their interests were united here; and the concert of action necessary to their relation to one another was impossible. They endured it till 1851, when a town ship two and a quarter miles north and south, and one and three quarter miles east and west, was taken from the four townships, and incorporated into a separate township, with all the powers necessary to a complete organization and government. This new township also became a village, with its rights and privileges, the same as other villages of its class.

Our name and history, however, goes back to earlier days. The village was first laid out by Judge Elkanah Richardson ; but afterward resurveyed and plotted by Birdsey Booth, whose map was recorded in the county records, and remains in force for all legal purposes to the present day.

The name first given to the village was Manchester; but as there were many towns of that name in different states, and the falls of the Cuyahoga were seen to be of great value and importance, it was changed to the name it now bears.

The falls extend for about two miles, making a descent of two hundred and twenty feet. There are three several falls of considerable height; but the descent for the whole distance is so rapid that it forms continuous water power, being unequaled in the state. The river has made for itself a deep channel with precipitous banks of great height, which are clothed with evergreen and other trees, presenting the most picturesque scenery to be seen in the western states. The effect of these natural embellishments in beautifying the landscape, has been to cause it to be a favorite resort for parties of pleasure from all the surrounding country. This scenery extends through the town from north to south; and the power is available for its whole extent, for manufacturing purposes, at a comparatively small expense; and offers to capitalists the highest inducements for investment, since the height of its banks precludes all danger from floods, and the solid rocks form an immovable foundation upon which to build.

The village is over four hundred feet above Lake Erie, and is underlaid by sand rock, in which is an abundant supply of pure water. The slope of the land is such as to render perfect drainage an easy matter, furnishing special reasons for its healthiness in a sanitary point of view.

Coal of the best quality was discovered upon Mr. Newbury's land at an early day, and has been ever since mined with profit. The first coal carried to Cleveland was from these mines.

All these advantages, concentrated upon this vicinity, have made it a desirable place of residence from the first; and the townships of Stow and Tallmadge have been among the most thrifty and prosperous of rural towns.

Indian trail from Fort McIntosh upon the Ohio river, near Beaver, to Sandusky, passed through Stow. Near Fish creek, in the east part of the township of Stow, it parted; one trail going west through Northampton, and the other passing down through what is now the village upon the east bank of the river to the Great Falls, and thence to Old Portage, where it intersected the portage between the Cuyahoga and Muskingum rivers, at the ,junction of the Great and Little Cuyahoga.

The portage was an important point even after the country was occupied by the whites. Here there was a military post, and what was called a "Navy aid," and supplies were gathered from the interior state for their maintenance. These were drawn from as far south as Chillicothe, being brought up to the head waters of the Muskingum, and conveyed overland to the Cuyahoga. William Wetmore was appointed commissary for this post, and all the lumber necessary to supply the wants of the government at the station, was supplied by the saw mill at the “old village." Old Portage did not lose its importance till the opening of the Ohio & Erie Canal, at a later date.

In the spring of 1804, a company of emigrants started from Middletown, Connecticut, for Ohio, having made arrangements with Judge Stow for settlement upon his land. They took their course through northern Pennsylvania till they reached the Alleghany river, which they followed down to Pitts burgh ; and thence west to Warren; and in fifty days arrived in Stow. Their names were William Wetmore, Capt. Gregory Powers, Josiah Starr, Capt. Rice, Titus Wetmore and John Campbell. William Wetmore immediately put up a log cabin half a mile north of “Stow Corners," and the others settled in different parts of the township. Previous to and during the war of 1812, several other families followed them; but as we do not propose to give more than the history of Cuyahoga Falls, we shall mention only such things and persons as were connected with its settlement, as were some of those whom I have mentioned.