It may be interesting to the present inhabitants to know that when the whites first came to Stow, the rattlesnakes were so numerous that it was seriously questioned whether the settlers would be able to remain. But they finally determined upon a war of extermination, and after five or six years of vigorous effort they had so far reduced these enemies as to feel safe in going about their work. There was a den in the ravine below Gen. Gross' tavern, from which the snakes issued in great numbers every spring. Here the men laid in wait for them, and slew them by hundreds. On one Sunday while the people were all at meeting, it was announced by the blacksmith's son that his father had killed a great pile of them ; and all went to see the sight and count the game, when it was found that he had slain sixty-five large snakes.

In 1812 Messrs. Kelsey & Wilcox built a dam upon the river at the place where the railroad bridge now crosses it. Upon this they erected a flour mill, an oil mill and a saw mill, which was the first in this vicinity. This led to the erection of a number of houses at what we call the old village. But it was found that the power was much better at a point lower down, and in 1825 Stow & Wetmore bought out the mills and proceeded to make improvements the new point.

1814 Henry Newbury, the son of Roger New bury, came to Ohio to see the lands which had been given him by his father, who died the year before. He was so well pleased with them that he resolved to make this his future home; but did not remove here till 1824. He lived for two years upon the farm at Silver Lake, known as the Thorndike farm, now owned by Hiram Gaylord. During this time he was making improvements upon his property here. He erected a log house for his workmen upon the spot where Geo. Dyre's house stands, and cleared about in acre between that and the river. This was the first structure upon his part of the town. His own House was begun for a store, and is the one now owned by Mrs. Clarkson; but he bought the building and finished it for a house. He removed into it in 1826, and occupied it till the completion of the stone house, which is now the residence of Mr. Jas. H. Cooke. This was in 1840, and he made this his residence till his death in 1854. Mrs. Newbury out lived him till November, 1858.

In 1822 Judge Richardson came from Stow and built the house long known as the "Red House," which stands a little north of the "Big Spring," on the west side of Main street. This house was the first frame house erected south of the old village.

Judge Stow had reserved in the southwest corner of his township two hundred and ten acres, which embraces the northeast quarter of the village. Of this he sold an undivided half to Wm. Wetmore, and they together began their improvement of it in 1825. A cabin was put up upon the ground where the brown house stands, north of the livery stable, directly west of the dam. In April, 1825, William Wetmore, Jr., had gathered thirty men from the surrounding country, who were set to work to construct a dam where the upper dam now stands. This was finished in June following. Here they erected a flour mill, a saw mill and an oil mill. As this flooded the dam at the old village, the mills there were taken down, and the glory of that infant town departed; its interests being all removed to the new locality. Mr. Wetmore, the father of Henry, Ogden, William, Jr., and Edwin, who had to do with the subsequent history of the town, died, after a long sickness, in 1827, and was buried at Stow Corners.

In 1830 Stow & Wetmore built a paper mill upon the east side of the river, where the remains of its foundations may be seen from the stone bridge. This was called Stow & Wetmore's mill. The first sheet of paper was run off on the 8th of December of that year, which is also memorable as being the day when our esteemed friends, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wetmore, were married in Franklin, now Kent.

This paper was the first which was made by the process now in use in Ohio. There were several small mills in other parts of the state, but they continued to use the old method of making it by hand.

The first frame building put up on Stow & Wetmore's land was intended for a dwelling house and store. It was built by William Wetmore, Jr., in 1826, and is now known as the “Perry House."

In 1828 the store now occupied by Giles L'Hommedieu was built, and the goods removed into it, leaving the first to be used for a dwelling only. It was not long before it became a place of entertainment for strangers, and finally a regular hotel. It was first kept by Benjamin F. Hopkins. He was succeeded by E. B. Morgan, and he by Ira Loomis. It was known as the American House. It has passed through several hands since then, but has been little changed.

The same year Jabez Hamlin came, and built the house next south of the big spring, and soon after the tannery now owned by Mr. Kittleberger.

In 1829 Judge Richardson built a log house in the southeast corner of what is now George Sackett's yard, and afterward the third house south of Falls street, on Front street, in which he spent the rest of his life, dying in 1836.

Not long after Jabez Hamlin, John Wells came, and built the house now owned by the widow of the late John Tift. In 1829 John Rumrill came, as the foreman of Stow & Wetmore's paper mill, and built the house near the depot, known as the Jones House.

Rowland Clapp came from Vermont, and took up his residence here in 1828, and has made it his home ever since.

Mr. E. N. Sill came in 1829, and in 1834 and 1835 built the center part of his house, the wings having been added at a later date. The builder was Mr. Lodge, who is still among us.

Mr. Grant B. Turner came with his father in 1828, soon went to Ravenna, but returned in 1835, and has resided here since that time.

Major C. W. and Mr. S. D. Wetmore came in 1832, and built their houses soon after; John Eadie, George Daily and Israel James, in 1830; and 0. B. Beebe, in 1831.

During the time that these improvements were made by Stow & Wetmore, Mr. Newbury was pushing his work in the lower part of the town. What is now Turner, Parks & Co.'s dam was built by him in 1825, and the next year he erected upon the west side a saw mill, and on the east side an oil mill. The oil mill was carried away by a flood in 1832, but a new mill was immediately put up, and was used by E. N. Sill and Ogden Wetmore as an oil mill. It was afterward sold to John Rumrill, who resold it to Prentiss Dow, who converted it into a paper mill, and ran it in company with Rumrill, under the firm of Dow, Rumrill & Co. This partnership was closed after a time, and the mill was run by P. & G. Dow. It, was afterward closed and the mill removed.

The little shop, upon the place where Turner, Co.'s shops stand, was used by a man by the name of Kelley, as a chair factory. Mr. Lawson also used it for the same purpose for some time afterward. This was replaced by one built by Vaughn, Hunt & Co., which was removed when the present buildings were put up. When it came into the hands of the present firm they made important changes, extending it toward the river and building the foundry; and lately have greatly enlarged it by the addition of the north part.

There was also a small woolen factory between the saw mill and Turner, Parks & Co.'s shops, which was burned by spontaneous combustion. A temporary building was afterward built upon the same ground, for sawing stone, and all the facing stones in Mr. Newbury's house were sawed in it.

There was an oil mill which was run by Penfield & Starr, adjoining the woolen factory at the time it was burned, which was saved, but has not been replaced by any other, and has gone to decay.

In 1834 a foundry and trip-hammer shop was built by Mr. Vaughn on the south side of the stone bridge, where the saw mill stands, but this was burned and never rebuilt.

Just south of this was a carriage shop, which was carried on by Mr. Isaac Lewis. The building was afterward changed to a paper mill, which was run by George E. Clarke, in company with his nephew, Seymour, but like many others it has passed away.

In 1834 Ogden Wetmore and B. R. Manchester built a foundry and machine shop near where the brick paper mill stands. They ran the foundry for about two years, when Manchester removed, and L. W. Butler took his place as partner of Ogden Wet more. In 1835 the machine shop was leased by Messrs. Bill; who afterward purchased the property, and used it till 1843, when it was consumed by fire.

In 1845 Messrs. Bill put up a brick building for a foundry and machine ship, but in order to rent it to J. M. Smith & Co. for a paper mill, they built a small shop on the other side of the street for their own use. J. M. Smith & Co.'s lease was for ten years, but before its expiration they were succeeded by Harrison & Hanford, who purchased the property, and added to it till it became what was known as the Empire mill. This came into the hands of Hanford Bros., who ran it until 1872, when it was destroyed by fire.

The Messrs. Bill took into copartnership James Chamberlain, and the shops were run for several years under the firm name of Bill & Chamberlain. To accommodate their increasing business they re moved the shops first built, and put up the large buildings which stood opposite to the Empire mill. There were some changes in the proprietors from time to time, but the shops were kept running till the fire of 1872, when they were consumed with all their contents. Snyder & Blood's planing mill now occupies its place; and the machine shop, which had sent out so much good machinery, passed out of existence.