Pictures of Erie County Ohio (Both past and present.)!

About Berlin Heights of Yesterday

Berlin Township, originally known as Eldridge was settled around 1808. At that time Erie County was a part of Huron County.

The first white settler was a man by the name of John Dunbar, who came from New York and settled in the eastern part of the township.

In 1808, seven men set sail from the mouth, of Walnut Creek in Pennsylvania. There were John Hoak, John McLaughlin, George Miller, Nathanial Burdue, Benjamin Pratt, Richie and Howard. They launched a large but crude boat loaded with provisions, farming tools, and thirty barrels of whiskey. During the trip on the lake, they encountered rough weather and had to throw the whiskey overboard to save the boat. When the storm subsided, they again loaded the whiskey on the boat and continued on their way.

They landed at the mouth of the Huron River and after digging out a sand bar came up into what is now Milan township and settled there for the summer. They planted a field of corn and hoed it. They left an Indian to guard it and returned to Pennsylvania to get their families. When they returned they decided to come east to this township because of the flooding conditions along the Huron River.

John Haok's family and the McLaughlin family settled along the western edge of the township. The McLaughlin (now Laughlin) family is still located there and the Hoak farm was still in that family until the 1960's.

In 1812, John Hoak went to Canada where he found fruit trees, pears, cherry, and apple which he brought back and planted on his farm. This was the beginning of the fruit industry in this area. As late as 1950, one of the pear trees, which he had planted, was still alive.

Mrs. John Hoak was a true pioneer woman and an excellent horsewoman. She would ride from her home to Perrysburg, a distance of 75 miles, alone through the wilderness in one day and return the next.

Berlin Heights School 1913

 

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