It's not everyday a community turns 200 years old.As the July 16 Munson Township Bicentennial Celebration draws near, decendents of early settlers regale with stories…
It’s not everyday a community turns 200 years old.
As the July 16 Munson Township Bicentennial Celebration draws near, decendents of early settlers regale with stories of hardworking ancestors who helped paint a tapestry rich in history and community on one of the last settlements in Geauga County.
The Early Days
According to historical records, Munson Township was one of the last areas to be settled in Geauga County due to hilly terrain and large wooded areas.
After the Battle of Lake Champlain (War of 1812), three veterans of that battle purchased 7,000 acres in the eighth range of the Connecticut Western Reserve. These men named the land after U.S. Navy ship Cmdr. Thomas McDonough, the hero of the Champlain battle.
The land, called McDon-ough, was originally part of Trumbull County, before being annexed to Geauga County.
In 1816, the land was surveyed and designated into lots. By 1817, McDonough and former Canton (now Claridon Township) were consolidated by Geauga County Commis-sioners. The land was called Burlington.
A pioneer woman named Mrs. Elijah Hovey — women’s first names at that time were not always listed — conveyed her love of her former home in Monson, Mass. The Hoveys owned a large farm on Mulberry Road. When the name change occurred in 1820, the spelling from Monson to Munson was due to phonetics.
The land has been named Munson ever since.
“The first permanent settlement was a log cabin located near the corner of Rockhaven and Wye Roads by Samuel Hopson in 1816,”said Munson Township Trustee Andy Bushman. “There are some older structures still in the area, including a home built in 1819 on Mulberry Road. In fact, barns were built first before the home with the land (was) cleared and crops (were) put into the ground. A place had to be built to house the food and animals, for it was a matter of survival.”
Descendents Recall Their Roots
“Some early settlers’ descendants still live in, or near, the Munson area, like the Babcock family; Dave Jevnikar, from the Lemuel Rider Family line, who was the second settler of Munson Township in 1816; the Hazen family — which the wagon that brought their ancestors to Munson, in 1820, will be on display at the bicentennial — plus there are some others,” Bushman said.
The trustees conveyed their gratitude for the loan of the Hazen Family historic pioneer wagon, housed at Century Village Museum in Burton.
“I just recently found out about my connection to the Rider family, the second settler of Munson Township,” Jevnikar said. “For I knew about my Chardon side, but not my Munson side. So, I have a double whammy of connecting to early Geauga County history along with my sisters, Laura and Beth. I will be at the Munson Township Bicentennial covering the day with GTV (Geauga Local Access Cable).”
Ed Babcock, owner of Junction Auto Sales, is also a descendant of early Munson stock, the Fowler family, who started Fowler’s Mill.
“My grandfather had a country store at what is now currently at the building of Payne and Payne Builders,” he said. “My great-grandfather was on the committee for the first zoning of Munson Township, which was the first zoning committee in the entire state of Ohio. The other side of my family, the Spencers settled in Claridon Township. My roots run very deep here in Geauga County.”
Bushman said his family has been in Munson Township since the 1920s, utilizing a summer cottage in the Bass Lake community for vacation.
“Now these same homes have been converted to four season dwellings,” he said. “My family permanently became Munson residents in the 1950s. My mother, the late Jane Bushman, was also a Munson trustee.”
There is a ball field dedicated to Jane Bushman, at the Munson Park, adjacent to Munson Elementary School on Bass Lake Road.
The Evolution of Manufacturing & Business
Early manufacturing history in Munson was logging; maple sugaring; wild American Ginseng gathering (which is now on the endangered species list of Wild Flora and Fauna); open-pit gravel digging; various apple orchards; family farms; and the first cheese factory in Ohio, which opened in 1859 by the Bartlett family near present day Maple Hill Cemetery. Then, of course, came the Fowler’s Milling Company.
Hiram and Milo Fowler, who settled in Munson Township in 1831, founded the mill. The 11th owners, Rick and Billie Erickson, are running the mill today.
“I thought we would open it as a bakery, but we decided to keep it as a grist mill, except we went back to whole flour milling instead of white flour,” said Billie.
Being a small company selling a wholesome, quality product, they pride themselves in providing a variety of baking mixes, some are Billie’s own grandmother’s recipes.
“We sell product all across the country that can be purchased besides here, mostly at farmer’s markets. Apple Crisp Mix is one of our most popular baking mixes, added with only a few ingredients at home, makes a delicious apple crisp,” she said. “Fresh ground corn meal is also a customer favorite.”
Bushman said dirt roads were “the norm”?for transportation back then.
“A plank road (wooden covered street) was on part of Mayfield Road,”?he said. “Manufacturing, especially for Munson farmers to get fresh product to market, was a huge challenge. In 1900, the Interurban changed the landscape literally for Munson Township. It was the main artery to Cleveland. Population grew, housing was built, neighborhoods started, goods were exchanged. Today, the roads are paved. That is a huge difference from growing up here in Munson Township, for many township roads were still dirt roads, even in the 1970s.”
He added, “Stores like you would find on old Chardon Square were not here.”
It was Farley’s General Store, which is still at the same location on the corner of Ravenna and Mayfield roads and is now called Farley’s Country Store. A third generation Farley, Carol (Farley) Yapel and her husband, Tim Yapel, own and operate the store.
“We are celebrating our 91st year in Munson with an open house the same day as the (bicentennial) on July 16th to thank our Munson customers,” Carol said. “We used to be a true general store, carrying everything from tools to household goods, to food. Basically we were the precursor to today’s convenience stores.”
She added, “On this site was another general store built around 1880. My grandparents bought the property in 1923 and by 1925, it became the building it is today using wood that came from the water-powered saw mill that used to be on the lower lot on Ravenna Road.”
Carol recalled how when her grandparents retired and her parents took over in the 1950s, her grandparents had goats.
“My dad said if we could come up with a good recipe, we could sell the product. That product was goat milk fudge.” she reminisced. “We don’t carry that anymore, but from time to time, people will still come in and ask for it.”
Carol said the store is no longer a general store because “went with my heart to make folk art, which is primitive, early Americana-styled items we sell here.”
“Many are actually my own original items. I have 120 varieties of scented candles I make called ‘AmeriPRIMicana.’ I also design and make ‘Butternut Creek Folk Art Dolls,’ which is named after the Butternut Creek behind my home,” she said. “It is an honor to keep the business going and quite a nostalgic setting in the store. Munson Township has been very good to our family and I am so grateful we are still in business in Munson Township.”
To sum up Munson Township as a whole, it is a typical “bedroom community,” Bushman said.
“A place to come home from work, have a quiet place to relax and enjoy the outdoors,” he said. “Munson has four township parks, plus there are two Geauga Park District sites. Alpine Valley Ski Resort (is available) in the winter. Mayfield Drive-In and four challenging golf courses (are available) during warmer months to enjoy as well. Munson is a great place to celebrate and a great place to live.”
