USA > Ohio > Fulton County > A standard history of Fulton County, Ohio, an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and county, Vol. I > Part 25
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
214
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
tenants were Auxter and Nachtrieb, and in 1887 the firm of Nachtrieb and Guilford. They purchased the corner in the late 'eighties, or early 'ninetics, "and also one-half of the building occupied by Lorenzo- Lyon, paying $8,000." The old frame building was sold for $75, and in its place was erected a substantial two-story brick building. So, the pioneers, as is usually the case, found "Father Time" working for theni.
How WAUSEON WAS SO NAMED
Wauseon might have gone into permanent record as Litchfield, Hayesville, or some such ordinary appellation; and how it happened by its distinctive, unique, and poetic name is worthy of space in this record. In the before-referred-to letter of General Hayes, he wrote: "The proprietors of the town proposed to name the town Litchfield. I protested, as there was already a town of that name in the state. Several names were presented, when Mr. Leggett said to my eldest daughter, Hortensia: 'Can't you suggest a name?' She replied: 'A Mr. Howard, while dining with us a few days since, said: "On that hill (pointing to the hill in the west part of the town) was where the Maumee Indians held their last treaty (council) with the United States, by which (treaty) they conveyed all their lands in the North- west Territory to the United States. The name of the chief was Wauscon,"' and she asked, 'why not adopt that name?' They talked the matter over for a few minutes. When they came again into the store, and said they had decided to give the town the name she had suggested, and thanked her for it."
It might not be inappropriate here to give some information re- garding the Indian chief whose name is perpetuated in that of the county seat of Fulton county. And the most authentic data would be that given by Colonel D. W. H. Howard, who lived so much of his early life among the Ottawas and Pottawattamies. Writing to the Wauseon "Republican," on March 4, 1874, he stated : "A's I have been requested many times by friends to give to the public my recollections of the history and character of the two men whose names have been given to our former and present county seats-Ottokee and Wauseon- I will endeavor to give a slight sketch of the men.
"Both, were noble red men, for finer and more perfect specimens of the human physique, or of natural mental ability, are seldom found anywhere. Ottokee, the older of the two brothers (or half brothers, as they were) was a man six feet high, weighing about two hundred, with as fine a form as could be met with in a day's travel, and, when speaking upon the floor of the Council Lodge, was as dignified and as noble in demeanor as a Clay or a Webster, speaking with as much force and eloquence as their limited language would permit.
"Wa-se-on, which signified 'far off', was somewhat larger, not so fleshy, but had a heavy frame, and was quite as large a man as his brother, Ottokee, yet not so great an orator, but a very intelligent man, and a good speaker, and in 1838 (I think) when the last of the tribe were removed from this country, was about forty years of age .... I was always an attentive listener to the words that fell from the lips of these men. while portraying in eloquent language the misfortunes of their race, while being driven step by step from the great salt lake, 'at the rising Sun' to the 'setting sun', beyond the Mississippi. I have sat unwearicd, hour after hour, listening to a speech delivered by Wa-
215
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
se-on. in the most energetic and persuasive language, urging his peo- ple to go to their new homes west of the Mississippi, and begging the young men to go with him beyond the reach of the pale-face, and the accursed whisky-seller, or 'bad spirit', Mi-ji-min-a-to. The very last speech made by an Indian in the county was made by Ottokee, at a treaty, or council, with the U. S. Government agents and commission- ers, for the purpose of their removal west. Their lands had all been sold, and the time had expired that they were allowed to remain on them. Ottokee told the Commissioner that his people did not want to go; they could not leave the graves of their fathers and of their child- ren, and their council fires, although the fires had nearly gone out, they could not leave the ashes, and it was with a great effort that they were induced to go. They were shown the necessity of removal and the advantages of a home on their own lands in the west, over a wan- dering life among white men, who had no sympathy or feeling for them. The Che-mo-ke-man, 'long-knife', had got all their lands here, and were ploughing up the graves of their dead, and to stay here and witness it was worse than death on the plains (in their new homes) from the bloody hands of the Comanches, Kaws, or Apaches. ..... I assisted in collecting them together for removal west ...... Many did not come into the council and consent to be removed, but remained in the deep forests of the Maumee and Auglaize valley for a few years . Ottokee and Wa-se-on ...... were among the last to remove from this country, having gone west in 1838 (spring), when the last remnant of this tribe took their final departure from this once cher- ished home. These chiefs lived but a few years in their new homes, and died when yet comparatively young, Wa-se-on being not over forty-five years old."
Another glimpse of the personality of Wa-se-on is seen in the reminiscences of Mr. Y. Rakestraw, a pioneer of Lucas county. He settled in Toledo in 1832, and:
He knew the famous Indian chief, Wa-se-on, and Chief Ottokee.
. He had a clear recollection of the time when the Indians were corraled on Buttonwood Island, near Maumee, preparatory to being sent to Missouri on the reservation. Wa-se-on, Ottokee, and Dresden Howard went to Missouri on horseback, to look after the interests of the Indians. Before the Indians left for their new home in the spring they had a hilarious time. Two oxen were prepared for the feast, and whisky was drunk in great quantity. At Wauseon village, four miles above Waterville, the squaws raised pota- toes, corn, beans, and other vegetables, while the Indians hunted for game. On section 11, on which J. L. Pray owns a farm, the squaws cultivated one patch of eleven acres and another of three acres. . Mr. Rakestraw says that Wa-se-on was a tall well-built man, intelligent, dignified, and a gentleman in every way. He was one of the most honorable men Mr. Rakestraw ever met. The Indians lived in harmony, but they had their love affairs, like the whites. Two young Indians fell in love with a comely Indian maiden. The rivalry became so keen that one killed the other. The slayer .
. . ran into the woods, but returned in a few days, and was tried for murder by an Indian court. He was adjudged guilty, and, as chief, Wa-se-on was executioner. Wa-se-on took a keen-edged hunting knife and plunged it into the Indian's heart, killing him instantly.
216
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
The "History of Henry and Fulton Counties" (Aldrieh, 1888), makes the following statement regarding the naming of the new town:
"The first plat of the village of Wauseon was ealled Litehfield, it being the intention to name all the stations along the line of the new railroad each for some one of its direetors. There were two Liteh- fields, residing in New York City, who were direetors and this name was given for them H. L. Hosmer of Toledo was applied to when the projectors of the new town eame to reeonsider the name by which it should be known, and among other names, he sug- gested that of Wauseon Its spelling is said to be ineor- rect, and the pronunciation is slightly different from what it was in its aboriginal purity."
THE INCORPORATION OF WAUSEON
It has been supposed-but why, is not elear-by the authors of previous historieal works of Fulton county that the official records of the incorporated village of Wauseon were consumed in the fire which destroyed the county records with the court house, at Ottokee, in 1864. Fortunately such a supposition was not well based, and the official records of the village have been available for the purposes of the present compilation. The first entry in the council reeords is a copy of the petition for incorporation. It reads :
To the Commissioners of Fulton County, Ohio:
The undersigned citizens of Wauseon, in said eounty, not em- braeed within the limits of any eity, or incorporated village, hereby petition your Honorable body, and pray that they may be organized into an incorporated village, by the name of Wauseon, by virtue of the provisions of statutes in such eases made and provided passed May 3, 1852. Section 2. Your Petitioners pray that the following terri- tory be embraced in said village, to wit: the east or south west of see- tion 23, in town 7 north, of range 6 east, together with so mueh of the east south east of said seetion 23 as would lie on the west side of a line drawn parallel with Fulton street, in said town of Wauseon, 1081 feet east of the east edge of said Fulton street, according to the plat thereof, herewith submitted, and marked (A) ; and we further hereby authorize N. W. Jewell and Nathaniel Leggett to aet in our behalf, in prosecuting this petition before your Honorable Body :
NAMES OF PETITIONERS.
N. Leggett,
Daniel Kesler, HI. M. Dudley,
E. L. Barber,
Wm. C. Comstoek, A. Parsons,
Wm. G. A. Altman,
Thomas Seott,
J. R. Deming,
Chas. R. Wilson,
John Areher,
C. Miller,
John B. Somers,
Perry H. Waffle,
Daniel Morse,
Edward Holey,
H. B. Bayes,
Ralph Cornell,
C. W. Cornell,
J. R. Robinson, M. D. Munn,
D. W. Hollister,
B. Hogeboom, Martin Areher,
A. Huntington, Rollin Ford,
J. C. Hoffmire,
J. J. Barnes,
C. P. Howe, A. S. Russell,
Charles Bruner,
F. A. Hunt,
Wm. Chamberlin,
A. M. Guthrie,
N. W. Jewell,
George Beal,
Rufus Briggs,
J. F. Hunt,
C. N. Clark,
Henry Cone.
Wm. R. Huntington. E. W. Fuller,
F. Baumgartner,
E. L. Hayes,
217
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
At the foot of the petition is the county official's notation, "Received and filed, Aprl 11, 1857."
The next entry in the Council Records reads as follows:
"We, the undersigned Commissioners of Fulton county, having had the written petition under advisement, and being fully satisfied in the Premises, do agree that said Village of Wauseon be incorpor- ated, as named and described in said petition, and that Record be made of the same, and that the same may be organized.
Ottokee, June 13, 1857. Stephen Houghton) Joseph Ely )Commissioners." George Taft )
COUNCIL RECORDS
The first meeting of the Wauseon Council was held on September 28, 1857, "pursuant to verbal notice from the mayor". Present at the meeting were: Nathaniel Leggett, mayor; Messrs. Barber, Cornell Hayes, Munn, and Scott. E. L. Barber was the "recorder". At a meeting of the council a week later, N. W. Jewell was elected treasurer, and J. J. Robinson, sheriff.
The first resolution of consequence passed by the new council was that of October 5, 1857, restricting the use of firearms, and stipulation "that no person shall fire any cannon, gun, rifle, pistol or fire arms of any kind within the incorporated village," excepting "in the lawful defense of the family, or property of any person, or to the killing of any mad dog." Permission to discharge firearms, or fire- works, on the Fourth of July "may be given through any public paper."
Much grading and street improvements were done in 1857. "An ordinance to level and improve Depot street, between Fulton and Brunel street," October 12, A. D., 1857, assessed owners of lots and lands in that section one and one-half cents a foot front. Elm and Clinton street lot owners were assessed two cents, and those on Com- mercial street three cents. The councilmen seem to have contracted to do the work, or perhaps to see that the work was done, for on Novem- ber 16, 1857, the Council passed claims, as follows, for "labor and work performed, and money expended" for such improvements of streets :
James Cornell, for improvement of Depot street .. $37.80 Anson Huntington, for Clinton and part of Elm .. 45.00 E. L. Hayes, for improvements to Commercial St. 67.00
N. W. Jewell, for improvements to Fulton St ...... 84.76
The members of the Council were by no means "swivel-chair art- ists", and had no intention to extravagantly use public funds en- trusted to them. Their first mectings were apparently held in the store of Mr. Hayes, but evidently the Council Room was not adequately furnished, for on November 30, 1857, James Cornell "was appointed a committee to provide chairs for the use of the Council". Council adjourned for two weeks, and at meeting of December 28, 1857, the meeting of December 14th, having been also adjourned, James Cornell reported "that he had procured one dozen chairs the cost of which was seven dollars."
218
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
That there were sincere advocates of temperate use of liquors if not of total abstinence in Wauseon in those early days may be in- ferred from the petition of N. W. Jewell, and thirty other citizens of Wauscon, presented at Council meeting of February 15, 1858, said petition "praying for the suppression of all drinking establishments within the corporation". The petition might have had in view the coming election, and that certainly was well in view of the Council when, on March 1st, it passed an ordinance "To prevent the sale of Intoxicating liquors, on Sundays, and Election Days". At the same meeting an order was issued to the marshal "to give notice for an election for the election of Municipal officers of the Incorporated Vil- lage of Wauseon".
Election over, the new council met on April 12, 1858. Present were: N. W. Jewell, mayor; M. D. Munn, treasurer; J. J. Robinson, marshal: Anson Huntington, James Cornell, E. L. Barber, Thomas Scott, and E. L. Hayes, trustees; with E. W. Fuller, recorder. The Financial Statement of the Incorporated Village of Wauseon, for the first year, 1857-58, was presented, and was copied in full upon the minutes. It reads :
Treasurer's Report. Wauseon, April 12, 1858.
I hereby certify that the following is the amount of money col- lected by me during my official term as Treasurer of the incorporated Village of Wauseon; also the disbursements of the same, and the amount remaining in the treasury; and the amount yet unpaid.
The whole levy amounts to. $248.42 Collected, in money, work, &c. 248.42
Disbursed, as follows, by ordinance :
E. L. Haycs. $59.10
James Cornell
37.80
N. W. Jewell 87.62
Anson Huntington
45.00
A. Parsons
7.00
N. Leggett
4.50
E. W. Fuller
4.90
$245.82
Balance
N. W. Jewell. $ 2.60
Treasurer.
(Of interest is it to compare this initial annual statement with the Treasurer's Statement for the year 1919, in which year the receipts were $72,403.06, and the expenditures $72,269.55. Some prosperity has obviously come to Wauseon during the period).
The "Marshal's Report" for the first year was also presented at that meeting. It showed that there had been one arrest, opposite which statistic was the notation "no fees yet." The report also re- corded a "Notice to George Matheny to remove dead hog and dog- no fees."
The levy, for all purposes, in 1858 was three mills; and at a June meeting of Council consideration was given to the report of a "Special Committee on Street Supervision." the report stating that N. W. Jewell (the mayor, and also a physician) "would oversee the work for 10 per cent on all expenditures," and that Anson Huntington would
219
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
do it for $1.00 per day." Mr. Huntington was given that responsibility.
Wauseon, in early state, has been described by many pioneers as "a mud hole," James Hogeboom recollecting that "in front of the Clinton House was a big swamp, where the boys on the Fourth, of July used to catch bull heads," and another pioneer stating that often "a frog would be seen hopping out of a pail of drinking water." Mrs. Greenleaf remembers the time, in Wauseon, when people, out walking, were wont to carry under their arm "a bit of board," for use in bridg- ing any more than usually treacherous mud-holes encountered. The Council seems to have determined, in 1858, to improve matters. On December 20, 1858, a motion was made and adopted, authorizing the Street Committee to "solicit subscriptions to aid in constructing a side walk," on the west side of the principal street, Fulton street, "com- mencing at the railroad, and extending equal distances north and south, as far as the money will provide." James Cornell was ap- pointed a committee "to contract for plank and timbers necessary for the sidewalk and crossings."
Possibly with thoughts of approaching Christmas, with the festivities and increased expenses, the Council, on December 22, 1858, issued to villagers who had claims against the corporation, for improvement work done, sixty-eight orders, in various small amounts, the sixty- eight totalling to $270.95. However, owing to the limited funds of the corporation it was decided that "should there be no money in the treasury" when the orders were presented for payment: "The Treasurer shall write on the back of said order: 'not paid for want of funds,' " but it was decided that "in no case shall these orders draw interest if not paid."
An inventory of the property of the corporation could not have entailed much time in taking, in those early years. Mr. Huntington, as "a Committee on Village Property," on March 28, 1859, reported that the corporation owned, on that date; one large plow, $11.00; one small plow, $6.00; one scraper, $5.00; one grub hoe, 75 cents; and twelve chairs, $7.50.
Nathaniel Leggett became mayor again, in 1859, the first meeting of the new council being on April 11, 1859, when, to them the "busi- ness of the incorporated Village of Wauseon was transferred . for its future prosperity." Spread upon the minutes of that meeting was a resolution expressing to the outgoing mayor "the approbation of the Council for his courtesy, promptitude, discipline, and parliamentary dignity, in presiding over this body." Finan- cial statement for the year just ended showed $1.47 as in the treasury, and that there was an indebtedness of $17.28, while overdue levies totalled to $87.98. A four mill levy was made in 1859.
The rental of council room was not a subject of discussion or rather of record, until April 30, 1860, when the proposition made by Mr. E. L. Hayes "that this council have the use of room now occupied by them for one year, and light the same, for twelve dollars per year" was accepted. But before the end of that year, the Council appears to have decided that the rent was exorbitant. On April 3, 1861 "a com- mittee of two" waited on Mr. Hayes, "to ask reduction of rent, for various reasons." The rent was reduced to $10 a year, but apparently the Council thought it advisable to further economize. The matter was the subject of further discussion at council meeting of May 20.
220
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
1861, when a "Committee on finding a room" reported that "a room could be obtained of Mr. Greenough for eight dollars a year." It was moved and carried "that the council accept Mr. Greenoughi's proposi- tion, provided he furnish wood and lights." It was "moved and carried to close the bargain, also to procure a table with a drawer, and lock with two keys, with all stationery necessary, also to move the chairs, which belong to the Council, to said room."
The council meetings were held in Mr. Greenough's law office for several years thereafter, but for only one year did the corporation pay a rental of eight dollars. On June 2, 1862, it was recommended "that the Council accept offer of Mr. Greenough for the use of his office, as Couneil Room, for the ensuing year at five dollars per year, lights and wood being furnished by the said Greenough."
Sidewalks progress was reported in 1863, when the Council decided to assess owners of lots nine dollars a lot, for cost of sidewalks to be laid, the sidewalks to be according to specification, which provided for "good sound oak planks, not less than one and one-half inches thiek, and not less than six inches wide, laid on three stringers, eross- wise."
The first reference made to a suggested bonded issue was in 1866, when the eouneil decided to borrow six hundred dollars, "for purchase of hose and fixtures for fire engine," at a rate of interest not in excess of six per centum per annum.
An important transaction of the next year, 1867, was that whereby the cemetery came under the joint trusteeship of the village and the township. The history of the Wauseon Cemetery will have place some pages further on in this chapter.
It is somewhat surprising, having regard to the momentous times through which the village and the county, in common with the country in general, were passing during the years 1861-65, that with one exception no reference was made to the Civil War on the minutes of the council of Wauseon, notwithstanding that it must at times have been the thought uppermost in the minds of most of the members of the council, and of the people in general. The single reference was made necessary by the resignation of Gilbert Oldfield, (grand- father of the redoubtable Barney, of automobile racing fame,) from village office as marshal, so that he might "enlist in the service of the United States." Mr. E. L. (subsequently General) Hayes was a coun- cilman at that time, and in a letter to his friend Joel Brigham, under date of February 12, 1903, he deseribes local conditions and thought at that trying time. He wrote:
"How well I remember all the ineidents of how you, Barber, Leg- gett, Hunt, Livermore, and others, with myself, consulted together as to what was our duty under the pressing necessities of the times. I hardly need refer to those anxious times so vivid still in your recol- lection, the deep interest we all took in the future welfare of our country. It is still remembered by those still living. Fulton county responded nobly to the call of the government for men to suppress the great rebellion. How well I remember receiving a letter from the Adjutant General, by direction of Governor Dennison, asking if a company of one hundred men could be raised in Fulton county. This message was received about 11 A. M., and before 9 o'clock that night over one hundred men had signed the enlistment rolls. In less
221
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
than a week Col. E. L. Barber left our little town with as brave a lot of men as ever shouldered muskets. In June following, I issued a call for one hundred more men, and in less than a week I had 151. good and true men enrolled for the Northwestern Rifle Regiment. As I could only receive one hundred men, the remaining men enlisted in other regiments being raised at the time. Well you did your duty in looking after the welfare of the families of the soldiers in the field; how well I remember your visiting us in the winter of '61 and '62. while we were encamped at Rolla, Missouri, and the letters with many other good things for the soldiers, sent from loved ones at home."
The Civil War record of Fulton county is extensively reveiwed in a special chapter of this current work, and much is there written regarding home conditions during the period, but it is certainly singu- lar that the great events of the time found no expression in the official minutes of the largest community of Fulton county.
An indirect reflection of the times through which the country had passed, and of its effect upon the young men of Fulton county, a great number of whom were war-hardened veterans at that time, is seen in the disposition made by the Wauseon Council, in anticipa- tion of "big doings" on the Fourth of July, 1867. On July 1, 1867, fifteen additional persons were selected to act as constables, or deputy marshals, "on the forthcoming Fourth of July celebra- tions." Perhaps the Council thought that the boys who had slept with the rifle within reach for four years, and had seen so much of "fire- works ---- of the real kind," would be apt to give the villagers too real- istic a display on the Fourth. It is gratifying to be able to record, however, that the marshal did not record any arrests made on that day.
The question of annexing certain adjoining and contiguous lands, parts of the additions of Newcomer, Barber, and Merrill, to the bounds of the incorporated village of Wauseon, was put to public vote on October 8, 1867. One hundred and nine votes were cast for annexa- tion, and two against.
With the continued growth of the village, it was thought in 1870 that the time had come for the establishment of a police force of more than one person. On July 16, 1870, an ordinance "for the appoint- ment of a police for the village" was read for the first time, and at that meeting the following resolution was unanimously passed: "Resolved : By the Council of the Incorporated Village of Wauseon, Ohio, that the resignation of Orrin Buzzell, as marshal of said village, will be accepted by said Council, if tendered." The ordinance provided for a police force, "not to exceed three in number, one of whom shall be desig- nated to act as Chief of Police." The measure was passed, but sub- sequently repealed, and Orrin Buzzell continued to constitute the police force of Wauseon. His duties were probably light, and the office was almost an honorary one, as the following account, rendered by Marshal Buzzell, covering his services for one year ending March, 1871, shows. The account reads :
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.