By Lucille Donley (1976)

A log schoolhouse was built in 1818 near the Jacob Tisch house built by Ira French. Asaneth Waters taught in the summer of 1818 and the winter term was taught by N.A. Atkins. On the west side of the Center Road on Ira French's premises in 1821, the first frame school house was built. It was also used as a meetinghouse. French's was also the site of the first sawmill built in 1819. Atkins started the first gristmill.

The township was organized by the county commissioners on December 13, 1819. The first election slated for December 27 wasn't held until January 17.

As in other Ashtabula townships, cheese making was an early industry. The first year John Chapin's factory was in existence, six tons of cheese was made. It sold for eight cents per pound. Fifteen years later, in 1876, the factory was averaging sixteen tons per year.

A store was opened in 1835 by Wing and Carpenter of New York. In 1878 the local store was owned by Cook & Waton. It had sales of $30,000-$35,000 per year.

The Lenox Grange was chartered on January 18, 1877. Charter members included J.M. Ray, Delos Smith, T.B. Wire, J.A. McNutt, T.A. Thatcher, William Ashley, H.B. Woodruff, J.0. Holmes, John Forrest, Jacob Tisch and their wives.

Lenox Federated Church was built in 1850 for the Congregational Church. The Federated Church was organized in April, 1922, from congregations of the Congregational, Baptist and Methodist Episcopal. There is a website for the church at:

Lenox Federated Church


Bandwagon used by the King's Coronet Band
was built in the John Fox Carriage Shop for $450.