Generation V-3 Storer-Fleming-Young
"Along with the whole West Side, our neighborhood remained Indian Territory until 1805, when the treaty of Fort Industry secured the large area west of the Cuyahoga for the Western Reserve. TheWest Side was promptly surveyed into the standard 160 acre lots and incorporated into Brooklyn township, with the future Stockyard Area becoming Lots 33,34,35,46,47 and 48. Families from Brooklyn Centre, Cleveland or Ohio City bought lotments for farms or speculation during the 1820s, '30s and 40s. James Sears, another Brooklyn Centre founder, bought Lot 35 just west of the Storers, and Diodate Clark, the village's first schoolteacher, who became a wealthy merchant, owned property just to the north; he gave his name to Clark.
"Among the area's first white settlers were the Storer family, who came to Brooklyn Centre in 1827 and took land for farming in what is now the Saint Boniface area. The farms owned by Joseph and George Storer included all the land south of today's Storer Ave. (once their back lot line) between today's West 46th and West 56th Streets, extending a few acres south of Denison. When they arrived, their land was wilderness a mile west of town, and George Storer had to cut the road that became Denison Avenue in order to travel to Brooklyn Centre. The Joseph Storer farmhouse was probably located on the hill by Saint Boniface, later known as 33 Greenwood St., Brooklyn, Ohio. The Storers were a "founding family" of Brooklyn Centre who helped start the Methodist Church and other institutions, and they're buried in the old cemetery on Garden Ave."
*(from History of a Working Neighborhood, Part 1: From Wilderness to Urban Neighborhood 1805-1920 --Bill Callahan)
The Storers are listed in Ohio records as early settlers coming from Falmouth, Maine in 1817 to Zanesville. We have little information about their time there except that George Storer in 1826, now 23, married Sarah Fleming. The following year the Storers moved to Cuyahoga County; settling in Brooklyn Village. When George met and married Sarah Fleming, he might have been considered a "Johnny-Come-Lately" as we learned that she was born in Zanesville in 1801. We don't have a record of their activities in Ohio until they arrived in Brooklyn Village, Cuyahoga, County. From the records we know that George and Sarah came with the other Storers and commenced farming near the Joseph Storers. By one account, Joseph and George erected the first frame church building for the Methodist Church. Joseph, and presumably George by now, were housewrights how much farming they were engaged in isn't known.
Fortunately newspaper clippings pasted in the back of the J.D. Johnson Bible (no date) give us a glimpse of life as the Storers found it upon their arrival in Brooklyn Village. Shortly after arriving George and brother Samuel are said to have cleared land and built a log house, which we understand, was added onto more than once. Most likely they raised several log houses to
accomodate all of the Storer families" George was a farmer for a number of years; for how long isn't known, but we do know that he had acquired many acres for that purpose which in later years were subdivided and sold as residential lots.The Cleveland area with its industries attracted immigrants who continued to pour into the state; new wealth created a demand for larger and finer homes. Some called this the beginning of the"Gilded Age". An interesting insight into George Storer's life is revealed by the small leather-bound daybook, four by six inches, of twenty ragged pages with notations about the work he was doing. There is no order to it, just small snatches of everyday information that give us a little idea of what his work was like. The book itself had been used for another purpose, so there is some over-writing and scribbling that makes no sense to me; what it does is name the jobs he was working on, the workmen and their time and materials used. It reveals to us that George Store was a specialist: a marbler and a grainer. (He used a painting technique to imitate the grain of wood or stone.) Wooden mantles and pillars became marble and quite elegant.
Grandmother Lydia Storer Hatcher passed on to me several of George Storer's personal papers which William Christie Storer, her father, had passed on to her. Among them were his will, real estate subdivion plats and the Day Book.
Excerpts from the Day Book
The first page is dated 1847:
Apri1 20, to oven graining in W. Blake house on corner of Superior $0.50
May 27th 1845, to graining two front doors for Mr. Johnson near Baptist Church $12.50
Lelands's houses (8 houses) doors and mantle $64.00
May 21,1845- to one door and marbling cortett $1.75
to graining Tailor's house & marbling 2 mantlepieces $10.92
to two books gold leaf, grained one door for Hopkins $1.00It was also a time book;
* * *Apri1 26,1847 to one day man $1.50
27, Richard one day $1.50
27, JDJ 1/4 day $0.38
29, JDJ oneday $1.50
Materials3 Gals. Oil $ 2.63
1 gal. B 0il $ 1.00
8 Whiting. . 24
2 Kegs Lead $4.00
1/2 gals. Boil . .50
2 kegs white lead $4.00
1 qt. turps. .19
2 pap.L. Black .12
John Dennis Johnson, a painter, often mentioned in this little book, had numerous dealings with George. Their children would unite these families in a marriage a few years hence.* * * * *
George Storer appears on the 1830 Cleveland census for Brooklyn twp.with one female under 5 years of age and one of twenty and under thirty.(the census taker failed to enumerate George
however.)George N. Storer appears on the 1850 US Census for Cuyahoga County. This census gives more information than in previous censuses: he has a middle initial., N. the name, age, marital status, literacy and school attendance. of those living in this household. His children are listed as:Lydia 22, Sarah J. 20, Wm. C.18, Charlotte 14, George N. 12, and Emma L. 5. The value of his Real Estate is listed at $3000.
Excerpts from George Storer's Will
The will, dated 1892, signed by the probate judge is a copy of the original which outlines his wishes. The first item -the house its contents and the lot on Greewood Street where they resided, was devised to his widow, Maria F. Storer. ( It is my understanding that this is the original farmhouse built by his father, Joseph Storer and is described as a part of the original Lot No.65 of Brooklyn Township and containing 1 and 112/160 acres of land.
3rd item -the trustee to sell suficient land to cover his debts and to satisfy his bequest of $1000 to Maria if need be.
4th Item -open Dupont St. (see Map ).
5th item -devised the strip of land to Grandson George Storer Gardner extending along Milford Street.
6th Item -to Grandson, Arthur Storer, that strip of land extending along the west side of Dupont Street
7th Item -to my grandson William Storer the two acres.
8th Item -to my son, William Christie, all that land on the south side of Ridge Rd., now Newburgh on which the old Homestead
is located, conveyed to George Storer April 1834 by Stephen Brainard. and additional lands.9th item -devised to daughter, Emma Wirth, that strip of land on the East side of Dupont Street.
The "Old Homestead", as mentioned in George's will, was conveyed by Stephen Brainard and wife by deed to George Storer
April 21 st 1834.A typewritten note on the sketch on page 9 of the will reads as follows:
I have examined and hereby approve the above diagram or sketch as showing substantially the division and
distribution of my lands as provided for in my will and codicil and therein duly devised and bequeathed by my said will
and codicil..Geo. Storer
Attest: Emma Broeckel, 114 Loise St. Clevd. O.
Lizzie Hodges, 33 Greenwood St. Brooklyn, O.