In 1802, Royal Pease came to the Western Reserve from Suffield, Connecticut. He built a crude cabin and began the arduous task of clearing land and planting crops.
He was joined by others, many of whom came from New England and Pennsylvania. The area was called Peasetown, but on April 6, 1818, the settlers met and formed a township and changed the name to Suffield. Three men were elected as trustees, Martin Kent, James Van Gorder and Ebenezer Cutler and Thomas Hale was elected the first township clerk. This form of local government has pretty much stayed the same since.
Soon schools, churches, and a number of small businesses came to the area. By the turn of the century downtown Suffield was a thriving community. Farming grew in importance. Fritch's Pond, known today as Wingfoot Lake, was the center of much industry. Today it is best known for the State Park that bears its name and the home of the Goodyear Blimp operations.
The Suffield community has grown and developed over the decades, but it still values the spirit of independence and hard work that has been passed down through many generations.