Early History of the Preserved Harris Farm in Mentor, Ohio

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Early history of the Preserved Harris Farm on a homesite now known as 8900 Johnnycake Ridge Road in Mentor Ohio has been of interest to Harris Family historians over the years.

The 75 acres parcel was purchased by Preserved Harris on 7 October 1831 for $425. The Old Chillicothe Road ran through the lower portion of the property and the Harris family home was built on the high ground by 1832. The recorded deed shows the seller Timothy Chittenden was from Salisbury, Connecticut.  See Reference: #2

The Chittenden’s had acquired this land around 1800 as compensation in the grand Connecticut State program known as the Firelands. See Reference: #7

Earlier that same year Preserved had bought a 50 acre parcel of land nearby. Search of the records of Geauga County Deeds produced the deed for 9 June 1831, Carter Foote selling to Preserved Harris. See Reference: #3

Eventually the 75 acre location was identified as Tract 2 - Lot 3 in the Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1887, beginning in 1832. There is found a listing for Preserved Harris owning  75 acres on Range 9, Township 10, Tract 2, Lot 3 with a house and another 50 acre parcel listed as Lot 7. See Reference: #4

By the 1860 Census, John H. Sweet, who had married Harriet Harris, the oldest daughter of Preserved, had moved from their Kirtland farm and resided with Preserved and Nancy at their farm in Mentor. A local historian records they moved in with Harriet’s parents to take care of them during their declining years. John was likely farming on his father in law’s farm as there is reference to an official “Life Lease” to the land granted by Preserved who was 72 years old in 1857. References:  #5, #6, #9, #10

However John Sweet died in March of 1863 having just returned from Kentucky visiting his son Benjamin who was sick in the hospital there. Harriet died 2 months later in May of 1863. John was 63 and Harriet was only 57.

It is not known who cared for the Harris parents or where they lived following 1863. Preserved died in 1867 and Nancy died in 1872 and both are buried at the City of Mentor Cemetery.

Ownership of the Preserved Harris Farm was transferred to John Warren on 31 Aug 1863. John was Nancy's brother and the purchase coincides with the death of both John and Harriet Sweet earlier in 1863.  The purchase for $1250 included 103 acres. See Reference #1

There was also a Probate Court Case concerning this sale. Reference: #9

Later Transfers of the Home site are found on Reference #1:

• Benjamin P. Warren from John Warren, 8-20-1881, Volume 11, page 243 eight acres for £500.
• Walter Woolston from Benjamin Warren, 6-17-1904, Volume 38, page 269, six acres for $1200
• Etta Bothwell from Walter Woolston, 3-25-1911, Volume 49, page 283 six acres for $1400
• Louise C. King  from Etta Bothwell, January, 1940, Volume 175, page 188 six acres for $5900
• George Bowman from Louise C. King, 1945, Volume 211, page 276 six acres for $10 and other valuable considerations.
• James E. Black from George Bowman, July, 1971, five acres

Sources

Reference #1

Several years ago an individual posted a summary on Familysearch on the profile page for Preserved Harris. At the time efforts were unsuccessful in finding the records of purchases made by Preserved which occurred in 1831.

Furthermore the information showing 31 Aug 1831 sale of the Preserved Harris Land (103 acres) to John Warren, brother to Nancy Warren Harris has not been researched for this report.  

Note that Benjamin Warren purchased the land on 20 August 1881 from John Warren who was his grandfather but the parcel with the home had been reduced to 8 acres from the original 75 acres.

See Image of this summary Below

Reference #2

The recorded deed shows the seller Timothy Chittenden to Preserved Harris

The original document image can be found at:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997N-HSRK?view=fullText&keywords=Harris%2CTimothy+Chittenden%2CChittenden%2CGeauga%2COhio&lang=en&groupId=

Reference #3

The record states that Preserved Harris purchased 50 acres "being a part of Great Tract No. 3 in Mentor”,  9 June 1831 from Carter & Emily Foote. There is no Lot No. listed. But later appears as Tract 2 - Lot 7

The original document image can be found at:

Carter Foote also had sold land found in another deed in August 1830 of 50 acres to Lemuel Forbes in Tract 3 in Mentor.  

Reference #4

Geauga Tax Records 1832 Page 8

The original document image can be found at:

Reference #5

John H. Sweet and wife Harriet had arrived in Geauga County in 1831 and their home was built after they purchased land  24 June 1831 on the corner of Booth and Kirtland-Chardon Roads. Link to this purchase 24 June 1831:

The original document image can be found at:

 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97N-ZWCR?view=fullText&keywords=Abigail%2CAbigail%20Deming%2CDeming%2CSweet%2CH%2CJ%2CKirtland%2CGeauga%2COhio&lang=en&groupId=

Reference #6

1857 Map of Mentor shows John H. Sweet on the “Old Harris Farm” in Mentor and not Preserved Harris. (Note that Johnnycake Ridge Road was not built until later after 1857)

See Image below

For a view of the full map: https://cityofmentor.com/wp-content/uploads/Mentor-1857.jpg

Reference #7

First Owners of the Mentor Land

1831 Timothy Chittenden sold 75 acres on the east side of tract 4 lot 2 in Mentor Township. He was born in 1792 and lived in Salisbury, Connecticut. He likely inherited the land from his father Timothy Chittenden who was born in New Haven, CT in 1732 and was given land in the Connecticut Western Reserve as compensation for losses incurred during the Revolutionary War. The deed was signed and recorded in Salisbury, Connecticut where Timothy lived and likely used a land agent to negotiate the sale of this Mentor property.

Carter Foote born 1804 in Colchester, New London, Connecticut, inherited his land in Geauga Ohio from his father/Grandfather who was given land in the Connecticut Western Reserve as compensation for losses incurred during the Revolutionary War. This land was part of the “Firelands” region of Ohio. Carter and his wife Emily were married in Painesville in 1828 and lived in Painesville. He sold 50 acres of his land to Lemuel Forbes in 1830 and another 50 acres to Preserved Harris in 1831.

The Firelands, a 500,000-acre tract in Huron and Erie Counties (plus parts of Ashland and Ottawa Counties) in Ohio, were created by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1792 who had claim to the "Western Reserve" that stretched westward through modern New York, Ohio and beyond. These lands were specifically set aside to compensate "fire sufferers"—residents of Connecticut towns (Danbury, Fairfield, Norwalk, New Haven, and New London) whose homes and property were burned by British forces during the Revolutionary War. The land was surveyed and divided into townships starting in 1796–1797, although widespread settlement by the "sufferers" did not begin until after 1805–1808

Reference #8

1860 Census shows Preserved and Nancy Harris and includes John and Harriet Sweet and several of their children living at the Mentor Farm location.

Reference #9

Real Estate Records 1861-1868 #005430923 Item 1 mentions "Life Lease" arrangement made with Preserved Harris and eventual sale of his farm land.

The original document image can be found at:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9MG-TK4N?view=fullText&keywords=John+Warren%2CHarris%2CJohn%2Cpreserved%2CMentor%2COhio%2CLake&lang=en&groupId=M9FD-691

Reference #10

History of the Western Reserve 1910 Vol 2 Harriet Taylor Upton

The original document image can be found at:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-Z3GF-8?view=fullText&keywords=Harris%2CPreserved%2CGeauga%2COhio%2CJob&lang=en&groupId=

FamilySearch Personal Information Numbers (#)  for persons mentioned in this article:

Preserved Harris K2JL-32M

Nancy Ann Warren KFYX-MNG

John H. Sweet LHHC-8WB

Harriet Harris LHR9-TDR

John Warren KNQP-3VK

Benjamin P. Warren 9WQG-CW4

Timothy Chittenden K64X-SRS

Carter Foote KGC4-Q39