Akron Flashback: That Springfield mill is older than we think

Fairlawn resident Randy Waite, a direct descendant of the founder of Tritts Mill in Springfield Township, offers some grist for thought.

It might be time to change the 1836 date on the sign outside the local landmark.

This month, we told the story of Alanna Barker Overholt and her husband, Scott Overholt, who bought the wood-frame building at 2475 Massillon Road in March 2021 and have opened an antiques store.

Waite, who has done extensive research on the property, pointed out that some of the details in local history books aren’t quite correct.

In August 2015, he began working with Tritt Family Research in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to produce Volume IV of the “Tritt Family History.” Published in 2021, the volume pertains to his ancestor Joseph Tritt Sr., the founder and namesake of the mill. A copy is available in the Special Collections Division at Akron-Summit County Public Library.

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“All the property records for the area around the mill were maintained in Portage County,” Waite explained. “After Summit County was formed, these records were transcribed to Summit County records, and the original transcribed records are kept in the Summit County (Fiscal Office). I spent a lot of time at the recorder’s office going through these records, my eyes complaining all the while.”

This is what he learned.

James Brewster did, indeed, begin operating the mill in 1836. However, the mill was active before Brewster got involved, and he never actually owned the building.

Between November 1828 and December 1833, Joseph Tritt Sr. bought land on both sides of the Tuscarawas River. During that time, he must have built the mill, Waite said, because deeds were recorded Jan. 21, 1831, giving him water rights for the mill (“… and near the Tuscarawas River with water from the dam and mill now owned and occupied by the said Joseph Tritt.”).

In 1844, he sold the land on the north side of the river to his son George who, along with brother Joseph Jr., operated a sawmill there.

Per the property records, Brewster began operating the mill in 1836. However, Joseph Tritt Sr. retained ownership of the mill and the property. Sometime between 1836 and 1855, the land on the south side of the river was sold to George and Joseph Tritt Jr.

“I could not determine the actual date of the sale, but a lease was recorded in 1855 whereby John B. Woods leased the mill from George and Joseph Jr.,” he noted.

OK, you might want to diagram this next part.

In 1860, Woods moved to Akron and Joseph Jr. took over the mill's operation. He bought George's interest in the south land and sold his interest in the north land to George. Joseph Jr. operated the mill until 1881. He sold it to Abram Brumbaugh, who sold it to Harry Elderkin, who sold it to Louis Schott, who sold it to the Higy family, operators of a hardware store and cider mill.

The land on the north side of the river included a large farm north and west of the sawmill. The farmhouse sat on what is now the northwest corner of Killian and Massillon roads. The sawmill was on the southeast corner. George and his descendants lived in the farmhouse for over 120 years.

“As a side note, Joseph Tritt Sr. also built a sawmill in Comet [in Green Township], but unfortunately, nothing remains of that mill,” Waite said.

In short, the bicentennial anniversary of Tritts Mill is coming sooner than most people think.

From mills to dollar bills

We also heard from Coventry Township resident Jack Harig, the great-great-grandson of former Tritts Mill operator John B. Woods.

Harig shared copies of his ancestor’s newspaper obituaries from August 1896. One article states that the Springfield Township native sold his milling interests in 1860 because of failing health.

Woods moved to Akron and established the Exchange Bank in 1864, the City Bank in 1867 and the City National Bank in 1883. He lived on East Market Street along Millionaires Row, home to such prominent families as the Barbers, Buchtels, Bierces, Firestones, Seiberlings and Schumachers.

In the early 1860s, he built the three-story Woods Block at Market and Main streets, which the Summit Beacon hailed as “one of the most beautiful and substantial improvements in the town.”

Decades later, it served as the first location of the M. O'Neil Co. The city tore it down during urban renewal in the 1960s. The John F. Seiberling Federal Building stands there today.

Mark J. Price can be reached at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com.

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Springfield mill is older than we think