USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > Fremont > A guide to the local history of Fremont, Ohio, prior to 1860 > Part 3
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What stage routes passed through Lower Sandusky ?
In the spring of 1813. Calvin Pease ran the express mail twice a week from Pittsburg to the headquarters of the Northwestern army. . At times this route led through Lower Sandusky; and some passengers were doubtless accommodated. The main chan- nel of passenger travel, however, was the Sandusky river. Be- fore 1830 the Conestoga wagons of pioneers, boat shaped, with curved bottom. began working their way along the turnpike. In the '30s. stages were running through Lower Sandusky with. con- siderable regularity, in spite of the awful roads. The Lower Sandusky Whig, of June, 1839, says that Otho Hinton. proprietor of the stage line between Lower Sandusky and Detroit, had put on a supply of new two-horse coaches. Artemus Beebe, propri- etor of the connecting line east of Cleveland then ran coaches only as far west as Bellevue, and stage wagons from that place to Lower Sandusky, "on account of the unevenness of the roads and night travel." That sort of transportation would seem slow enough now, but it was generally satisfactory then. "even when the passengers paid six cents a mile for the privilege of walking and carrying a rail with which to help pry the stage out of mud holes." General Hinton astonished his acquaintances by turning out robber of the mails transported on his own coaches.
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In the '40s. the stages east and west, as well as a line south to Columbus were operated by Neil, Moore & Co. Their coaches were great comfortable affairs, with a railed-in top for light lug- gage, and a big leather boot behind capable of holding five or six trunks. The stages made from four to fifteen miles an hour according to the weather and condition of the road. There were four horses, with relays at every station. At Lower Sandusky. the stage office was at the historic corner tavern where the Wheel- ing station now stands. The drivers were imposing, sententious, intelligent men, very skillful with their twelve-foot lashes, "able to pick a fly off the leader's car without touching him." They sounded huge horns as they approached the village. Each driver carried a wallet containing a way bill, on which was inscribed the name and destination of each passenger, with amount of lug- gage : as well as all manner of local news. Thus reports of fires, accidents, deaths, elections, passed from place to place. In this way word came to Lower Sandusky of the death of President Harrison who had so long served as military head of this region. (Consult "Stage Coach Days," by Mrs. Earle, for the general subject. )
What, and where were the Plank Roads ?
A Plank Road, like a turnpike, was well graded and ditched. The road bed was made like a wooden sidewalk, 2-inch oak planks, 8 feet long, laid on stringers firmly embedded in the earth. Be- ginning in 1850. over fifty iniles of Plank Roads were laid out of Fremont, extending to Tiffin. Fostoria and Green Spring. Citizens of Fremont spent over $40,000 in building such roads.
Did the Plank Roads facilitate transportation ?
Greatly. On the old road, forty bushels of wheat constituted an average load for a span of horses. On the plank roads the same team could readily haul Tto bushels.
What was the first railway projected through Lower Sandusky?
The Ohio Railway, with a projected route along the shore of Lake Erie from the Pennsylvania line to the Maumee river. The tracks were to cross the Sandusky river at Lower Sandusky. about forty rods north of the present State street bridge.
Sketch the history and construction of this road on stilts.
Construction was begun in 1838. The track was laid on a foun- dation of piles driven by a pile driver. the tops cut off to grade by a buzz saw. The pile driver, sawing machine, traction engine and a peripatetic boarding house for the workmen were trundled along over the track as fast as it was laid. The first pile within the limits of Lower Sandusky was driven June 19, 1839. at a spot near the present L. S. & M. S. R. R. station. It was wit- nessed by a large assemblage. AA superb trestle crossed the river from hill to hill, but the Ohio Railway bubble burst before tracks
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were laid in this vicinity, and the people had their worthless Ohio Railway money in their pockets.
(For description of this unique railway, its financing, construc- tion, etc .. see Everett, King, etc.)
When was the first railway operated through Fremont ?
The present Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, then called the Toledo, Norwalk and Cleveland Railway, sent its first passenger train through Fremont February 7, 1853.
What was the second railway through Fremont?
An organization called the Fremont and Indiana Railway, now the Lake Erie and Western, was incorporated by citizens of Fre- mont. with Dr. L. Q. Rawson as president. The first train left Fremont, running as far as Fostoria, February 1, 1859.
What was the third railway to enter Fremont ?
The Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway, now a part of the Wa- bashi system, tan its first passenger train August 4, 1882.
(A study of the importance of steam transportation, what it meant to a new country, and details of financing, construction and operating of roads in this locality, should here be made. Consult Everett, pp. 164-172.)
H. Miscellaneous.
How was Fremont represented in the War with Mexico?
Company C of the 4th Ohio Vol. Inf. was recruited here, by Capt. Samuel Thompson. The company traveled by wagon to Perrysburg, thence to Cincinnati by the Miami Canal, thence down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. It visited Vera Cruz. Santa Fe, and was in action at the Natural Bridge of Mex- ico and Pueblo. Company C was mustered out at the close of the war. Captains A. C. Bradley and J. A. Jones also recruited a number of men from this county. Over two hundred Sandusky county pioneers volunteered for the Mexican War.
Note some of the incidents in the Harrison Campaign, and why did Lower Sandusky take especial interest in it?
General Harrison. as commander of the Western Army through the War of 1812 had traversed this region again and again, and this county. hitherto invariably Democratic, cast a majority of two votes for him as President. At the convention in Columbus, February 21, 1840. "The Whigs of Northwestern Ohio got in about one o'clock in a procession half a mile long, with a fac- simile of Fort Meigs at their head. This was built at Perrysburg under the supervision of Mr. Spink and Elder Badger - the lat- ter gentleman, mow eighty years old, was Chaplain in Harrison's army. He, together with Thos. L. Hawkins, who acted as Com- miissary during the war, rode upon the Fort.
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"The rain fell in torrents, but gaily we tramped the mud through,
To show the white stock gentry how we stick to Old Tippecanoe."
(For further incidents of Fremont in the Harrison campaign, see "The Sandusky River.")
Give some instances of social life in Fremont in early times ?
The Freeman, January 19, 1852, describes the 8th of January (Jackson's Day ) ball at Social Hall, now Masonic Hall, in the old Buckland Block :
"The largest party that ever assembled in Fremont on an occa- ion of this kind was at Social Hall on Thursday evening last. Kessler prepared a supper that must have satisfied the most fas- tidious. A bear was served up in the best possible style ; venison, turkeys, chickens and other game in great profusion; and the other accompaniments of a feast."
What was the first crop sown and harvested in this locality ?
Indian corn, little patches of which were common all along the river lowlands. It sold in early times for ten cents a bushel.
What sugar was used?
Maple sugar, home made. Not less than one hundred tons of maple sugar were made here in the spring of 1839.
Who was the first man to pay cash for crops ?
R. H. Heywood, of the Castalia mills. In 1825 the Erie canal was completed and he sent out a circular that he wanted 5,000 bushels of wheat and would pay cash for it. People hurried to him from forty miles around, fearing his money would give out before they arrived. He was the first man in this section to start money. Hitherto "store pay" reigned.
What price was paid for butter and eggs in early times ?
Six cents a pound. and six cents a dozen, was the average price. When did the Asiatic Cholera visit Fremont?
The first and worst scourge was in 1834. It was brought by one of a boat load of German emigrants from Buffalo. The emigrants' camp by the landing place was a place of indescribable suffering. Persons merely passing the spot caught the infection and died by the roadsides. The living could scarcely bury the dead. Many of the citizens fled the town. The scourge lasted a month. There were a few deaths from the cholera in 1839, 1854, and in 1866.
What Parks has Fremont ?
Birchard Park. the handsome native grove in the west end of town was given by Sardis Birchard, as was also the little Dia- mond Park southeast of it.
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Fort Stephenson Park belongs jointly to the city and the trus- tees of Birchard Library, who purchased it from its former owners.
The Park east of the Court House was set apart for that pur- pose in 1840 by Platt Brush, Sr., and his three sons.
The whole square surrounding the court house and jail belong to the county.
Give the origin and significance of some of the names of local streets.
Front street in early times fronted the river.
State street is the old Western Reserve and Maumee road, ma- cadamized by the State of Ohio.
Birchard avenue, formerly Market street, was named for the generous donor of two city parks and the public library.
Croghan street commemorates the hero of Fort Stephenson, and Garrison street. its gallant garrison.
Haves avenue honors the President, Fremont's most distin- guished citizen, whose residence opens from it. This street long bore the name of John, after John R. Pease, one of the largest property owners of the village, and who opened a large part of the street.
Bidwell avenue, long Water Street, was named for one of the early residents who owned the village water power, and had a Hour mill. a saw mill and a flaxseed oil mill along the river, north and south of Birchard avenue. Older residents will recall Es- quire Bidwell as he delivered his own flour, driving an ox team with a twelve-foot whip, and usually barefooted.
Justice street was opened by Mr. James Justice.
Ohio and Sandusky and other avenues on Croghansville hill were laid out and named by the government surveyor in 1816. There are no other streets in the city to compare with them in width and beauty of location.
Two streets on the east side, near the river, were named for William C. Elliot, of Brattleboro, Vermont, who surveyed the street while on a visit here; and Judge Howland, one of the in- corporators of the village.
Dickinson street, along the west corporation line of the city, was opened from the Maumee pike, northerly, and was named for the first two U. S. Congressmen from this locality, the Hon. Rudolphus Dickinson and his son, Edward Dickinson.
Bibliography.
History of Sandusky County, by Homer Everett. Historical Collections of Ohio, by Henry Howe.
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History of the Late War (1812), by McAfee.
Ohio, by James W. Taylor.
Ohio, by Rufus King.
Col. Smith's Captivity with the Indians.
Crawford's Campaign Against the Sandusky Indians, by C. Butterfield.
Bouquet's Expedition Against the Ohio Indians, by. C. But- terfield.
Life Among the Indians, by James Finley.
The Indian Nations, by Heckewelder.
The Ice Age in America, by G. Frederick Wright.
Proceedings of the Sandusky County Pioneer Association.
Fremont Journal, 1840-1905.
Unveiling of the Soldiers' Monument at Fort Stephenson.
Ohio Archeological and Historical Publications.
Western Reserve Historical Tracts.
Courts and Bar of Pioneer Days in Sandusky County, by Basil Meek ; Fremont Daily News, September 9, 1904.
Seats of Justice and Court House of Sandusky County, by Basil Meek; Fremont Daily News, August 16, 1905.
The Sandusky River, by Lucy Elliot Keeler.
Thanks are herewith tendered to Col. Webb C. Hayes for valu- able MMS., maps and early Americana from the Library of Presi- dent Hayes, for proof-reading, and invaluable suggestions ; to Prof. Seth Hayes for notes on the Geology of Sandusky County ; and to the compilers of the "Guide to the Local History of Brook- line, Mass .. " for the outline of the arrangements of these queries and notes.
"OLD BEESY."
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