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LIBRARY Brigham Young University
YOUNG UNI
....
MIVERBIT
TY
OVO, UTAN
GIFT OF
Utah Valley Branch Genealogical Library
10
:
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Brigham Young University
https://archive.org/details/historyofsandusk00ever
977.1214 H 629
1812.
HISTORY
OF
SANDUSKY COUNTY OHIO,
WITH PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES
OF
PROMINENT CITIZENS ÀND PIONEERS.
THE world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto and every man a word. Its strains have been pealing along down the centuries, and, though there have been mingled the discords of warring cannon and dying men, yet to the Christian philosopher and historian-the humble listener-there has been a divine melody running through the song which speaks of hope and halcyon days to come .- JAMES A. GARFIELD.
CLEVELAND, OHIO : H. Z. WILLIAMS & BRO.
1882:
The reproduction of this book has been made possible through the sponsorship of The Sandusky County Historical Society of Fremont, Ohio.
A Reproduction by U'NIGRAPHIC, INC. 4400 Jackson Avenue Evansville, Indiana 47715
Nineteen Hundred Seventy Two
Binding by MODERN PRE-BINDING CORPORATION Portland, Indiana
THE LIBRARY BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY PROVO, UTAH
PREFACE.
THE publishers place this volume be- : fore the public believing that they have fulfilled every promise made at the begin- ning of the enterprise and every reason- able expectation. That there are faults of omission they are aware, but this has arisen from inability to obtain the required in- formation. That a volume of upwards of eight hundred quarto pages, containing ten thousand names, should be free from error, no one will expect.
A large part of the writing has been done by a citizen of the county -- Homer Everett, Esq.,-whose personal knowl- edge of leading events reaches back almost to the first white settlement. This important service could have been en- trusted to no better hands. The first five chapters and those relating to the Moral and Material Development of the county, and Civil History, have been prepared by a writer in the employ of
the publishers. With these exceptions all of the general history is from the pen of Mr. Everett. The same gentleman also prepared the church history of Fremont and several biographical sketches. One biography and the commercial history of Fremont are the contributions of Wilbur G. Zeigler.
It is impossible to make special ac- knowledgments to all to whom we are in- debted for assistance. The people of the county have received the writers and col- lectors of information with uniform court- esy, and given them every facility for the prosecution of their work.
Instead of being bound in cloth with leather backs, as were the samples shown to subscribers, the volume is bound in full leather, while the form of the book renders it much more convenient for use, and better adapted to the shelves of a library.
CONTENTS.
HISTORICAL,
GENERAL HISTORY.
CHAPTER.
PAGE.
I .- Aboriginal Occupation 9
II. -- Ownership of the Northwest 19
III .- Advent of the White Man
24
IV .- Lower Sandusky before Fort
Stephenson 37
V .-- Early Ohio
53
VI .- Pre-historic Races
66
VII .- The Indians
72
XXVIII .- Improvements 463
VIII .- County Organization
94
XXIX .- Public Schools 473
VIII (a). - Fort Stephenson 98
IX .- Civil History
I21
XXXI. -- Social Societies .
507
X .- Development, Material, Moral,
TOWNSHIPS.
Social 125
Sandusky 559
XI .- Improvements . ¥39
Rice 568
XII .- The Ohio Railroad
I54
Ballville 578
XIII .- Plank Road
I59
XIV .- Railroad
164
York 653
Townsend 703
Riley 726
Jackson
741
XVII .- County Buildings and Institutions 18I
Washington
761
XVIII .- Topography and Geology 194
Woodville
780
XIX .- Iron Bridges and Drainage
200
Madison 793
XX .- Sandusky County Agricultural
Scott 807
Society
208
Appendix
833
ILLUSTRATIONS,
PAGE.
Map of Sandusky county
Portrait of J. S. Van Ness, with biog-
raphy
facing 553
" Mrs. H. Seager facing 584
" Rev. M. Long facing 601
Portrait of General C. G. Eaton
facing 348
" Mrs. Cynthia McPherson
facing 033
" Major General James B.
McPherson
facing 359
Portrait of Dr. L. Q. Rawson
facing 446
4
' James Cleveland
facing 641
" Mrs. Dr. L. Q. Rawson
facing 449
Rutherford B. Hayes .
facing 513
". Mrs. Lucy W. Hayes
facing 521
" S. W. Chapin .
facing 647
·· General R. P. Buckland
facing 522
" J. L. Brown facing 649
" Mrs. R. P. Buckland
facing 524
Sardis Birchard
facing 528
Clapp
facing 650
Homer Everett
facing 544
CHAPTER. PAGE.
XXI .- The Press . 228
XXII .- Military History 241
XXIII .- Court and Bar
of
Sandusky
County 368
XXIV .- Fremont 397
XXV. -- Fremont Continued 413
XXVI. - Business Progress 419
XXVII .- Medical 440
XXX .- Religious History 485
Green Creek 604
XV .- The Fremont and Indiana Rail- road . 172
XVI .- County Roads 177
facing 9 Fort Stephenson facing 101
Portrait of Colonel Croghan .
facing 105
McPherson Monument
facing 241
" Alfred Hutchinson facing 639
" Hon. O. McIntyre facing 640
" Rev. N. Young facing 643
" S. Baker facing 646
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Portrait of Nathan Birdseye between 684 and 685
PAGE.
6
CONTENTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Portrait of Mrs. Nathan Birdseye
between 684 and 685 " T. G. Amsden facing 686
Portraits of Frederick Smith and wife
facing 688
" Gurdon Woodward ..
facing 701
" Mrs. Mary Woodward facing 702
" C. G. Sanford between 714 and 715
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. John Rife
" Mr. and Mrs. James Chapman facing 692
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Seneca D. Hitt .
facing 693
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. John S. Gardner
facing 694
Portrait of Jeremiah Smith
between 694 and 695
" Mrs. DeLora Smith between 694 and 695
" Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ro-
" Mrs. Amanda Birds-
zell
facing 759
eye .
between 696 and 697
Portrait of Samuel Skinner
facing 776
BIOGRAPHICAL,
PAGE.
PAGE.
Aunesly, William
39I
Chapin Family 647
Ainger, William W.
391
Clapp, Charles and family 650
Amsden, Thomas G.
686
Chapman, James 692
Adams, H. R. 697
Carver, Amos R. 829
Adams, Amy R. 699
Curtis, T. V. 830
Buckland, Chester Averill
350
Drake, Benjamin F. 378
Buckland, Ralph P.
380-522
Dickinson, Rodolphus,
379
Baldwin, Marcus D.
387
Dewey, Thomas P.
388
Buckland, Horace S.
393
Dudrow, Byron R.
388
Bell, Charles F. 395
Dickinson, Edward F.
392
Bartlett, Joseph R. 395
Deal, David
5.58
Bartlett. Brice J.
396
Eaton, General Charles Grant
348
Brainard, Dr. Daniel
444
Eddy, Nathaniel B. 384
Beaugrand, Dr. Peter
451
Ecki, Dr. S. P. 462
540
Brinkerhoff, Dr. David H.
461
Everett, Homer 544
Baker, Dr. H. F.
461
Finefrock, Henry R. 385
387
Birchard, Sardis 528
Finefrock, Thomas P.
389
Bell, General John
532
Fowler, James H. 390
Bushnell, Ebenezer, D.D.
534
Failing, Dr. J. W. 459
Bauer, Seraphine 536
Fabing. John 538
Burgner, Jacob
555
Fuller, William
717
Buckland, Stephen and family
557
Graves, Increase
379
Brown, Dr. J. L.
640
Greene, John L., Sr.
382
Birdseye, Nathan P. and Mary A
684
Carver, John T.
390
Birdseye, Joseph and Amanda B.
696
Glick, George W. and (. S.
391
Beaugrand, Captain John B.
328
Garver, Samuel C. 395
('anfield, Lieutenant ( clonel Herman
354
Greene, John I .. , Jr.
396
Cummings, J. W.
384
Gjessner, Dr. Louis
452
Corev, Dr. John M.
459
Gessner Dr. L. S. J. 458
461
Caldwell, William
537
Gallagher. David
547
Creager, Frank
539
Giebel, Francis J. W. . 548
('leveland, James
641
Gardner, John S, and Ann 644
PAGE. Portrait of Joseph Birdseye between 696 and 697
" H. R. Adams facing 697
" Amy R. Adams facing 699
" Mr. and Mrs. John Mc- Cauley facing 690 facing 691
" Lydia Sanford . between 714 and 715
" William Fuller facing 717
" J. L. Levisee . facing 719
Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. F. Richards facing 722 facing 724
Portrait of Alonzo Thorp " C. Schultz facing 737 " J. Zeigler . facing 739
Portraits of Casper Hirt and wife facing 740
Brown & Anderson, Drs.
451
Everett, Jeremiah and family
Beinis, Dr. J. D.
461
Fronizer, F. R. .
Caldwell, Dr. W.
462
Groat, John W.
PAGE.
7
CONTENTS
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PAGE.
PAGE.
Griswold, Stephen
830
Pettibone, Hiram R.
380
Goodin, Dr. 443
Putnam, Alpheus P. 392
Harmon, Harvey J.
378
Rawson, Major Eugene Allen 354
Heffner, D. A.
390
Rhodes, John H. 385
Haynes, George R.
391
Richards, S. S.
390
Hord, John K.
392
Remsburg, Hezekiah 394
Hastings, Dr.
444
Rawson, Dr. L. Q. 446
Holloway, Dr.
444
Rice, Dr. Robert S. 450
Hammer, Dr. A. J.
462
Rice, Dr. John B. 4.58
Hayes, Rutherford B.
513
Rice, Dr. Robert H.
459
Hayes, Lucy Webb)
521
Rife family
691
Howland, Elisha W.
551
Richards, Franklin
722
Hutchinson, Alfred
639
Rozell, Charles, and family
759
Hitt, Seneca D. and Mahala E.
693
Rice, Alfred H.
825
Hirt, Casper 740
Snyder, Merritt L.
394
Johnson, John A.
383
Stilwell, Dr. Thomas
454
Justice, James and family
552
Smith, Dr. George E.
460
Johnson, J. C. 831
Sharp, Isaac B.
538
Kessler and Belding
358
Smith, Frederick, and family
688
Keeler, Isaac M.
536
Smith, Jeremiah
695
Kridler, W. B.
539
Sanford, Carmi G., and Lydia
715
Lemon, M. B.
386
Schultz, Christian
737
Loveland, John B.
Skinner, Samuel
776
Lemon, John M.
392
Tyler, Morris E.
393
Lee, Dr. George
461
Taylor, Dr. Sardis B.
460
Long, Rev. Michael
601
Tyler, John S.
535
Levisee family
Taylor, Austin B.
535
McPherson, Major General James B.
359
Thorp, Alonzo
724
Meek, Basil
389
Wegstein, Michael
353
Moore, John P.
547
Watson, Cooper K. 383
Millious, Jacob
552
Williams, Ernest B. 391
McIntyre, Hon. O.
640
Winslow, Hiram W.
392
McCauley family
690
Williams, Dr. B. F. -45'
McCulloch, C. R.
827
Wilson, Dr. James W. 452
Norton, Faulkner I.
535
White, Dr. C. B. 162
Newman, John
538
Woodward, Gurdon 701
Nyce, Jacob
825
Wood, Bourdett, and family between 702 and 703
Otis, Lucius B.
38 1
Young, Noah -
O'Farrell, P.
387
Zeigler, Wilbur G. 386
Olmsted, Jesse S.
549
Zeigler. John 739
.
388
719
OUTLINE MAPO. SANDUSKY GO.
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HISTORY OF
SANDUSKY COUNTY, OHIO.
CHAPTER I. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION.
The Sandusky Valley in Aboriginal History-The Ancient Eries-General Indian War -- The Wyandots Driven from their Ancient Seats-The Eries Perish-Extent of the Conquest of the Six Nations- The Neutral Nation-Two Forts at Lower Sandusky-Origin and Destruction of the Neutral Nation- Ohio Indians-Return of the Wyandots-Character of the Wyandots-Brant Visits Lower Sandusky, and Forms a Confederacy-Upper Sandusky Becomes their Seat of Government-The Wyandots are Given a Reservation in 1817-Their Final Removal from Ohio in 1842-Other Tribes and Reservations.
THE Sandusky country, in aboriginal history, possesses a peculiar charm and fascinating interest. During that period of years which fills western annals with the story of intrigue and bloody conflict, the plains and prairies of the lower Sandusky valley were the home of the most power- ful and most generous of the savage na- tions. The border country of Pennsyl- vania, Virginia, and Kentucky, and the first settlements of Ohio, saw the Indian at war, and too often his character has been estimated by his conduct when in- spired to cruelty by a natural desire for revenge. Here we see him at home, far removed from his enemy, and perceive the softer side of his untamed nature. The field brings us to a nation's capital, ac- quaints us with the manners and customs of primitive life, and by affording a more accurate knowledge of the treatment of white prisoners, softens harsh prejudices. Less than a century ago these plains, now covered by a thriving city, presented all that interesting variety of scenes of Indian life, -- primitive agriculture, rude cabins, ( ano -- building, amusements, and the coun-
2
cil fire, around which painted warriors planned campaigns and expeditions having for their ultimate object the pre- servation of the vast, beautiful forest, and the beloved hunting grounds-the return and welcome of war parties and the terri- fying and not always harmless treatment of prisoners.
Tradition goes back a century farther, and makes the locality of this city the seat of a still more interesting people, a people who for a time preserved existence by neutrality, while war, which raged with shocking ferocity, effected the extinction of the neighboring tribes.
It will be necessary in these preliminary chapters, in which are traced the occupa- tion and ownership of the territory included in Sandusky county, in order to an under- standing of historical events common to a wide range of country, to frequently go beyond the small field of which this volume, by its title, professes to treat. At the risk of being tedious, we begin with the primitive events of Western history.
Nothing is known of the aboriginal oc- cupation of Ohio previous to 1650, and
9
IO
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
many statements of events during the succeeding century rest upon traditional authority. At the opening of the his- torical era, the territory now constituting the State was a forest wilderness, inhabited mainly by the powerful but doomed Eries. Most of their villages were located along the south shore of the Lake which bears their name. Good Indian authority sup- ports the theory that one of the strongholds of the tribe was the archipelago lying north of Sandusky Bay .* Brant, the dis- tininguished Mohawk chief, speaks of them as a powerful nation. But the doors of extermination awaited them.
The Indians of Northeastern North America have been classed in two generic divisions, the Iroquois and the Algonquin. The Iroquois family, consist- ing of the Wyandots, Eries, Andastes and the five Confederate tribes, were confined to the region south of Lakes Erie and Ontario and the peninsula east of Lake Huron. They formed as it were an island in the vast expanse of Algonquin popula- tion extending from Hudson's Bay on the north to the Carolinas on the south ; from the Atlantic on the east to the Mississippi on the west. The Delawares were the leading tribe, and, according to tradition, the parent stem of the Algonquinst. The Wyandots lived on the eastern shore of Lake Huron and were in consequence named by the early French explorers, "Hurons." The western tribes of the Iro- quois family were more powerful than the eastern until the great Confederacy of Five Nations, afterwards Six by the addi- tion of the Tuscarawas, was formed earl in the seventeenth century The Six Na- tions had the rude elements of a confeder ated republic, and were the only power in this part of the continent. deserving the
name of Government .* About the middle of the seventeenth century began a war which desolated the western forest of its inhabitants and changed the whole face of aboriginal geography. The confederated tribes, grown arrogant by fifty years of power, made war upon their western neighbors. The country of the Wyandots was first invaded. This war had already commenced where Champlain entered the St. Lawrence, and that enterprising officer accompanied one of the hostile parties against their enemies.t The Wyandots suffered disastrously in that war. Driven from their ancient home, they were pursued by the victorious Iroquois to the northern shores of Lake Huron. Distance was no security against the relentless fury of their foes, who were encouraged by victory and maddened by resistance. Famine and disease assisted war's devastation. The account of the suffering, told by mission- aries, who witnessed and shared their fate, excites our pity. Driven from their hiding places, they fled farther westward until at last a feeble remnant found protection in the dominion of the Sioux. This helpless remnant of the most proud and haughty of the Indian tribes in little more than a century, again became the most power- ful of the Indian nations.
During this fearful war the Eries re- mained neutral, or, rather, were at the head of a confederation of neutral tribes, whose dominion extended into Canada, and was crossed by the Iroquois confed- eracy in their campaign against the Wyan- dots.# The proud Iroquois next began that cruel war which resulted in the ex tinction of the whole Neutral Nation. The Canada tribe fell first. and then the Eries of Ohio became victims of savage butch- ery Using their canoes as scaling ladders,
*Jame - Alixal In ils +North Am mon Review 1827. Schoolerat
*Schoolcraft.
+Parkm Conspiracy & Pant
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
the warriors of the eastern confederacy stormed the Erie strongholds, leaped down like tigers upon the defenders, and mur- dered them without mercy. This general massacre was carried to the entire extinc- tion of the powerful nation which once held dominion over the whole southern . shore of Lake Erie. The Andastes next perished. The date of this event is placed, upon good authority, at 1672. About the same time the Shawnees were driven from their ancient home far into the South. The proud Iroquois now pretentiously claimed to be the conquerors of the whole country from sea to sea, and indeed they may have been masters of the vast expanse between the lakes and the Ohio as far west as the Mississippi. The Miamis, however, have no tradition of ever having suffered defeat. Well accredited Indian writers think, therefore, that the Miami River was the western boundary of the Iroquois con- quest.
The territory now embraced in the State of Ohio, in consequence of this fatal war, became a land sparsely inhabited. The upper Ohio Valley was without human habitation when explored by the early French navigators. The western post of the Six Nations on the lake was a Seneca village on the Sandusky River, at the loca- tion of the present village bearing the same name.
But in the general narrative an item of local interest has been passed over. Gen- eral Lewis Cass has preserved the tradi- tion of the Wyandots that, during the long and bloody wars between the eastern and western tribes, there lived upon the San- dusky a neutral tribe of Wyandots called the Neutral Nation. They occupied two villages which were cities of refuge, where those who sought safety never failed to find it. These villages stood near the lower rapids. "During the long and dis- astrous contests which preceded and fol-
lowed the arrival of the Europeans, in which the Iroquois contended for victory, and their enemies for existence," says General Cass, "this little band preserved the integrity of their tribe and the sacred character of peacemakers. All who met upon their threshold met as friends, for the ground on which they stood was holy. It was a beautiful institution, a calm and peaceful island, looking out upon the world of waves and tempests." Father Segard says this Neutral Nation was in ex- istence when the French missionaries first reached the Upper Lakes. The details of their history and of their character and privileges are meagre and unsatisfactory. "And this," continues General Cass, "is the more to be regretted, as such a sanc -. tuary among the barbarous tribes is not only a singular institution, but altogether at variance with the reckless spirit of cru- elty with which their wars are usually pros- ecuted. The Wyandot tradition repre- sents them as having separated from the parent stock during the bloody wars with their own tribe and the Iroquois, and hav- ing fled to the Sandusky River for safety." The tradition runs, that at the lower rap- ids two forts were erected, one for the Iro- quois or Six Nations, the other for their enemies. In these, war parties might find security and hospitality when they entered the country. Tradition does not tell why so unusual a proposition should be made or acceded to. General Cass thinks it probable that superstition lent its aid to the institution, and that it may have been indebted for its origin to the feasts and charms and juggling ceremonies which constituted the religion of the natives. "No other motive was sufficient to restrain the hand of violence and to counteract the threat of vengeance."
Major B. F. Stickney, for many years an Indian Agent in this part of Ohio, said in a lecture delivered in Toledo in 1845 :
J 2
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
The remains of extensive works of defence are now to be seen near Lower Sandusky. The Wyandots have given me this account of them: At a period of two centuries and a-half ago * all the Indians west of this point were at war with those east. Two walled towns were built near each other and each were in- habited by those of Wyandot origin. They assumed a neutral character and all the Indians at war recog- nized that character. They might be called two neutral cities. All of the west might enter the west- ern city and all of the east the eastern. The inhabit- ants of one city might inform those of the other that war parties were there or had been there; but who they were, or whence they came, or anything more must not be mentioned. The war parties might remain there in security, taking their own timne for departure. At the western town they suffered warriors to burn their prisoners near it, but the east- ern would not. (An old Wyandot informed me that he recollected seeing, when a boy, the remains of a cedar post or stake at which they used to burn prisoners). The French historians tell us that when they first came here these neutral cities were in- habited and their neutral character preserved. At length a quarrel arose between these two cities and one destroyed the inhabitants of the other. This put an end to neutrality.
These traditions, handed down along the generations for nearly two centuries, are probably inaccurate in detail, but the general fact of the existence of two such cities, located near the headwaters of navigation on the Sandusky River, is entitled to as much consideration as any other fact of early Indian history. In view of the general historical events of the period the tradition is reasonable. A fierce and relentless attack was made upon the Wyandot Nation by the Confederated Iroquois. In the bloody contest which followed, the Wyandots were defeated and driven from their native soil. While the. body of the defeated nation sought refuge in the high latitudes above Lake Huron, it is not improbable that a tribe or com- pany crossed Lake Erie towards the south, found their way into Sandusky Bay and thence ascended the river to where rapids and shallow water prevented further pro- gress. Here, at the head of navigation,
would be a natural place to settle, and ex- perience would dictate the propriety of building works of defence. Experience, too, would dictate the propriety of nutral- ity, when the Eries, among whom they had settled, were compelled, at a later period, to take up the weapons of war in defence of their country. These refugee Wyandots, if we suppose the tradition to be true, had seen the Neutral Nation of the northern side of the lake escape the cruel invaders, on account of neutrality. A similar policy of neutrality shielded them during the equally savage contest which resulted in the extinction of the Eries. History and tradition authorize the belief that a neutral tribe once dwelt near the present city of Fremont, and also that they were de- stroyed; either in an internal dissension or by the hand of the invading warriors of the Iroquois Confederacy. Gist found, in 1750, on White-woman creek, a Wyandot vil- lage containing about one hundred fami- lies, named "Muskingum." This is sup- posed to have been an isolated govern- ment. There can be no doubt but that the Wyandot Nation was greatly scattered by the general war of 1655.
We have now given the most trust- worthy information, so far as our knowl- edge of aboriginal history goes, of the Indian occupation of the region in which Sandusky county is included, prior to the period which historians have termed the second Indian occupation of Ohio. Pre- vious to 1650, nothing is known. The succeeding century may be called the first period of Indian history. At the opening of this period the Eries were un- doubtedly masters of the Sandusky River region. Accepting tradition as authority, a detached band of refugee Wyandots established themselves at the lower rapids, and probably became masters of the soil. Then followed the conquest of the Six Nation». and a half century of quiet, per-
"This tradition places the time too early by more than half a century.
13
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
haps undisturbed, preceded the second Wyandot occupation.
The first authentic and accurate knowl- edge of Ohio Indians may be said to have had its beginning about 1750. About that time French and English traders sought out the denizens of the Ohio for- ests, and from their accounts some knowl- edge of the strength and character of the Indian tribes and their location, can be gleaned. The most trustworthy and valuable accounts are to be found in the narrative of the captivity of Colonel James Smith, who, as a prisoner, tramped the forest from the lakes to the river, having been a captive from 1755 to 1759, and in the reports made in 1764 by Colonel Boquet, as the result of his observations while making a military expedition west of the Ohio.
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