St. Teresa of Avila Parish

In the fall of 1815, Captain Joshua Smith and his son set out for their new life in Sheffield with a wagon load of essential tools for clearing the forest land and building a cabin. For the next nine years many other English families followed them, and the thud of axes hitting green timber could be heard at every waking hour.

Log cabins were built to protect the settlers from the elements and large plots of land were cleared to plant crops to feed the ever increasing population. By no means was this an easy life, for flies and mosquitoes constantly harassed and stung the settlers. Many became ill from the affects of the insect bites, and many died as a result of the accompanying fever. Bears were always a danger as they prowled through the forests in their constant search for food. However, the hearty settlers pressed on and continued to build their community.