As the traveler would come from the east through the town of Paris, the first known stop would have been the Shull Tavern on the southeast corner of Rt. 172 and Neiman’s Rd. The structure is still standing and has been transformed into a duplex. It is constructed of brick with a sandstone foundation. There was no basement under it originally. It had 5 fireplaces. There is now a small area dug out for a heating system. This was done after John Metzger bought the property in 1918.
The first record of property owners according to the abstract was in 1820 when Henry Shull (Scholl) bought the land, the NW quarter of Sec. 11 in Osnaburg Twp., for $800.00. There seems to have been earlier transactions but they were not made clear. According to tax records, Henry Shull built the tavern in about 1830.
Henry Shull and his brothers John Adam and Leonard came to Osnaburg Twp. and settled in the spring of 1806. Henry took up that section of land containing 80 acres cleared it and later built and constructed a hotel known as the “Old Shull Tavern”. His wife Catherine Reid (Reed) Shull was an invalid for 40 years.
In 1897, the Canton Repository carried the following article about the old homestead:
A party of Massillon and Canton People spent Thursday with Mr. & Mrs. Charles Nettleton at the old Shull Tavern near Osnaburg- a landmark well known in this part of the country. One of the party has kindly contributed the following account of the visit:
Halfway between Paris and Osnaburg, or about 8 miles east of Canton, stands the famous old Shull farm. Here in 1806 or 92 years ago, Henry Shull cleared the woods for a homestead, building his own sawmill to saw the timber and burned his own brick to use in the construction of this home, which has always been occupied by some member of the Shull family. There it stands now, and as staunch as ever with it’s large rooms and wide halls and two verandas, one above and one below the entire length of the front of the house, the verandas ornamented with an old climbing rose; it’s chimneys and sides are almost hidden by a wild grape vine. Coming upon it as it stands upon the hillside almost hidden by trees, modernized only by it’s beautifully kept lawns and flower beds and with the rolling hills and valleys surrounding it, it’s a picture never to be forgotten.
The property stayed in the Shull family until 1918 when it sold to Mr. Metzger. He stuccoed the exterior of the home and it remains today. It was then sold to Mr. & Mrs. Herbert and Ruth Kiko in 1956 the present owners. (Based on the 1976 when this was written.)
This story of the Shull Tavern is lengthy one, so if you have the Osnaburg History, please look it up and get the full description of this fine old building.
Osnaburg Twp. History: 1804-1976