Note - The inscription in Photos is for Jonathan's infant son. The marker is in a cellar in Guilford. CT.
Jonathan was the second son of Andrew and Martha Stone Fowler of Guilford, Connecticut. His siblings were Rev. Andrew, James, Bela, and Russell.Source: Families of Early Guilford by Alvan Talcott - in the Guilford Public Library.
"Later, in May of 1799, Jonathan Fowler and family from Guilford, Connecticut, became the first permanent settlers of Poland Township. With Fowler was his wife and infant daughter. Mrs. Fowler was a sister of Turhand Kirtland. The Fowlers traveled overland to Pittsburgh, and then traveled by canoe to Youngstown. They were met by Kirtland, who brought them to the present site of Poland Village. They spent that night under an Oak tree on a spot a few yards west of Yellow Creek. On February 16, 1800, a daughter, Rachel Fowler, was born, the first white child born in Poland Township."
In 1801, Jonathan Fowler built the first sawmill and grist mill within what is now the Village.
In 1804, Jonathan Fowler erected a stone tavern building in the settlement. In fact, the settlement was known as "Fowler's" for some time. For many years it was the
historic "Sparrow Tavern," with a frame front of recent vintage, and was the home of Charles Austin. It was on the porch of this tavern that William McKinley enlisted in the
Union Army in 1861. In 1804, Jared Kirtland also erected a tavern in the same area.
A story titled "The Dean Rafts" explains that in December 1804 a Mr. Dean contracted with early settlers of Poland Township to build three large rafts and staves to be used for wine casks to be taken to the Madeira Islands. When the rafts were completed they were launched in the Mahoning river in Coitsville Township during heavy spring flooding. Dean's nephew, James, supervised the launching but soon after drowned when he apparently fell from a canoe escorting the rafts to the Ohio River. The rafts were broken apart at the falls of Beaver, Pa. but most of the staves were gathered and shipped to New Orleans.
The last paragraph of the story reads, " Jonathan Fowler, the first settler of Poland Township, was drowned at that time at Hardscrabble in the Beaver River. He was accompanying the party that was running the rafts.While passing the rapids at that place, the canoe in which he was riding struck a rock and upset, and he was lost.The others that were in the canoe at that time were rescued."
The story goes on to explain that there was some speculation that Aaron Burr had actually intended to use these rafts in his treasonable actions against the governernment but there was never any proof of this version.
The story was contributed by Mrs. Elizabeth McFarland, daughter of Amos Loveland who helped build the rafts.
Source: Mahoning Valley Historical Society, Historical Collections of the Mahoning Valley, Youngstown, Oh, 1876, pp. 510-512
Jonathan was the second son of Andrew and Martha Stone Fowler of Guilford, Connecticut. His siblings were Rev. Andrew, James, Bela, and Russell.Source: Families of Early Guilford by Alvan Talcott - in the Guilford Public Library.
"Later, in May of 1799, Jonathan Fowler and family from Guilford, Connecticut, became the first permanent settlers of Poland Township. With Fowler was his wife and infant daughter. Mrs. Fowler was a sister of Turhand Kirtland. The Fowlers traveled overland to Pittsburgh, and then traveled by canoe to Youngstown. They were met by Kirtland, who brought them to the present site of Poland Village. They spent that night under an Oak tree on a spot a few yards west of Yellow Creek. On February 16, 1800, a daughter, Rachel Fowler, was born, the first white child born in Poland Township."
In 1801, Jonathan Fowler built the first sawmill and grist mill within what is now the Village.
In 1804, Jonathan Fowler erected a stone tavern building in the settlement. In fact, the settlement was known as "Fowler's" for some time. For many years it was the
historic "Sparrow Tavern," with a frame front of recent vintage, and was the home of Charles Austin. It was on the porch of this tavern that William McKinley enlisted in the
Union Army in 1861. In 1804, Jared Kirtland also erected a tavern in the same area.
A story titled "The Dean Rafts" explains that in December 1804 a Mr. Dean contracted with early settlers of Poland Township to build three large rafts and staves to be used for wine casks to be taken to the Madeira Islands. When the rafts were completed they were launched in the Mahoning river in Coitsville Township during heavy spring flooding. Dean's nephew, James, supervised the launching but soon after drowned when he apparently fell from a canoe escorting the rafts to the Ohio River. The rafts were broken apart at the falls of Beaver, Pa. but most of the staves were gathered and shipped to New Orleans.
The last paragraph of the story reads, " Jonathan Fowler, the first settler of Poland Township, was drowned at that time at Hardscrabble in the Beaver River. He was accompanying the party that was running the rafts.While passing the rapids at that place, the canoe in which he was riding struck a rock and upset, and he was lost.The others that were in the canoe at that time were rescued."
The story goes on to explain that there was some speculation that Aaron Burr had actually intended to use these rafts in his treasonable actions against the governernment but there was never any proof of this version.
The story was contributed by Mrs. Elizabeth McFarland, daughter of Amos Loveland who helped build the rafts.
Source: Mahoning Valley Historical Society, Historical Collections of the Mahoning Valley, Youngstown, Oh, 1876, pp. 510-512
Note - The inscription in Photos is for Jonathan's infant son. The marker is in a cellar in Guilford. CT.
Jonathan was the second son of Andrew and Martha Stone Fowler of Guilford, Connecticut. His siblings were Rev. Andrew, James, Bela, and Russell.Source: Families of Early Guilford by Alvan Talcott - in the Guilford Public Library.
"Later, in May of 1799, Jonathan Fowler and family from Guilford, Connecticut, became the first permanent settlers of Poland Township. With Fowler was his wife and infant daughter. Mrs. Fowler was a sister of Turhand Kirtland. The Fowlers traveled overland to Pittsburgh, and then traveled by canoe to Youngstown. They were met by Kirtland, who brought them to the present site of Poland Village. They spent that night under an Oak tree on a spot a few yards west of Yellow Creek. On February 16, 1800, a daughter, Rachel Fowler, was born, the first white child born in Poland Township."
In 1801, Jonathan Fowler built the first sawmill and grist mill within what is now the Village.
In 1804, Jonathan Fowler erected a stone tavern building in the settlement. In fact, the settlement was known as "Fowler's" for some time. For many years it was the
historic "Sparrow Tavern," with a frame front of recent vintage, and was the home of Charles Austin. It was on the porch of this tavern that William McKinley enlisted in the
Union Army in 1861. In 1804, Jared Kirtland also erected a tavern in the same area.
A story titled "The Dean Rafts" explains that in December 1804 a Mr. Dean contracted with early settlers of Poland Township to build three large rafts and staves to be used for wine casks to be taken to the Madeira Islands. When the rafts were completed they were launched in the Mahoning river in Coitsville Township during heavy spring flooding. Dean's nephew, James, supervised the launching but soon after drowned when he apparently fell from a canoe escorting the rafts to the Ohio River. The rafts were broken apart at the falls of Beaver, Pa. but most of the staves were gathered and shipped to New Orleans.
The last paragraph of the story reads, " Jonathan Fowler, the first settler of Poland Township, was drowned at that time at Hardscrabble in the Beaver River. He was accompanying the party that was running the rafts.While passing the rapids at that place, the canoe in which he was riding struck a rock and upset, and he was lost.The others that were in the canoe at that time were rescued."
The story goes on to explain that there was some speculation that Aaron Burr had actually intended to use these rafts in his treasonable actions against the governernment but there was never any proof of this version.
The story was contributed by Mrs. Elizabeth McFarland, daughter of Amos Loveland who helped build the rafts.
Source: Mahoning Valley Historical Society, Historical Collections of the Mahoning Valley, Youngstown, Oh, 1876, pp. 510-512
Jonathan was the second son of Andrew and Martha Stone Fowler of Guilford, Connecticut. His siblings were Rev. Andrew, James, Bela, and Russell.Source: Families of Early Guilford by Alvan Talcott - in the Guilford Public Library.
"Later, in May of 1799, Jonathan Fowler and family from Guilford, Connecticut, became the first permanent settlers of Poland Township. With Fowler was his wife and infant daughter. Mrs. Fowler was a sister of Turhand Kirtland. The Fowlers traveled overland to Pittsburgh, and then traveled by canoe to Youngstown. They were met by Kirtland, who brought them to the present site of Poland Village. They spent that night under an Oak tree on a spot a few yards west of Yellow Creek. On February 16, 1800, a daughter, Rachel Fowler, was born, the first white child born in Poland Township."
In 1801, Jonathan Fowler built the first sawmill and grist mill within what is now the Village.
In 1804, Jonathan Fowler erected a stone tavern building in the settlement. In fact, the settlement was known as "Fowler's" for some time. For many years it was the
historic "Sparrow Tavern," with a frame front of recent vintage, and was the home of Charles Austin. It was on the porch of this tavern that William McKinley enlisted in the
Union Army in 1861. In 1804, Jared Kirtland also erected a tavern in the same area.
A story titled "The Dean Rafts" explains that in December 1804 a Mr. Dean contracted with early settlers of Poland Township to build three large rafts and staves to be used for wine casks to be taken to the Madeira Islands. When the rafts were completed they were launched in the Mahoning river in Coitsville Township during heavy spring flooding. Dean's nephew, James, supervised the launching but soon after drowned when he apparently fell from a canoe escorting the rafts to the Ohio River. The rafts were broken apart at the falls of Beaver, Pa. but most of the staves were gathered and shipped to New Orleans.
The last paragraph of the story reads, " Jonathan Fowler, the first settler of Poland Township, was drowned at that time at Hardscrabble in the Beaver River. He was accompanying the party that was running the rafts.While passing the rapids at that place, the canoe in which he was riding struck a rock and upset, and he was lost.The others that were in the canoe at that time were rescued."
The story goes on to explain that there was some speculation that Aaron Burr had actually intended to use these rafts in his treasonable actions against the governernment but there was never any proof of this version.
The story was contributed by Mrs. Elizabeth McFarland, daughter of Amos Loveland who helped build the rafts.
Source: Mahoning Valley Historical Society, Historical Collections of the Mahoning Valley, Youngstown, Oh, 1876, pp. 510-512
Inscription
"In Memory of Jonathan Fowler Here Interred/ Born at Guilford, Connecticut Feb 21,1764/
Drowned in Big Beaver April 12 1806/Aged 42 years. In him the tender husband, affectionate parent and friendly companion were eminently displayed."
This marker and all others in this graveyard transcribed in 1983 and 1984 by Carol Bell and Margaret Simon, published in the O.G.S. Report Winter 1984
