I knew the village of Oakfield has been around for a long time, but I never really thought about what might have happened before everybody living there was born.
While looking at some history sites I came across one called GenDisasters, which posted a story from an Ohio Newspaper called The Mansfield News from 5-12-1895.
Buffalo, May 11. -- The little village of Oakfield was entirely destroyed by fire this morning. Not a house is left standing. The fields about the burning village are occupied by the refugees who have saved nothing from the flames. Shortly after 3 o'clock this morning a telegram was received here asking for assistance but none could be sent. The telegraph, telephone and railway dispatch offices are all burned out and no wire communication can be had with the village. The fire started in the rear of HARRIS & CHAPIN'S hardware store about 1:30 a.m. and burned till 3:30 o'clock. Among the buildings destroyed are:
CHAMBERLAIN'S block, dry goods and grocery store.
HARRIS & CHAPIN'S hardware store.
WEAVER'S furniture and undertaking establishment.
B. C. MARTIN'S dry goods and grocery store.
The ARNOLD Hotel.
The BARNES House.
Odd Fellows Hall.
DR. TUGTUIS' drug store, and a number of dwellings. The loss will be about $75,000.
Oakfield - which was originally known as Cary or Caryville - had a population of over 1,000 when the first recorded store opened in 1833 by Colonel Alfred Cary.
The village's name was changed to Plain Brook in 1837 and was soon after changed to Oakfield. The first village meeting was held in August of 1887.
There is a fascinating piece written on the history of Oakfield here.
Good story. They sure had to
Good story. They sure had to endure some really rough times back then. It makes some of todays problems seem not so bad. If I did my math correctly that would have made Mr. Owens about 2yrs old at that time (teehee).