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 49
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
"Next in line is the G. A. R., instituted soon after the war. No. 108 in the roster, old but tried and true. The charter membership con- sists now of just three of the original boys, C. L. Allen, G. W. Heck- man, and H. B. Donaldson. Death removes our comrades, and we may not recruit from non-soldiers. The total membership is now
424
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
twenty-two, and they are, as a rule, white-haired, and wear a cane. The W. R. C. are their right hand supporters, and having the ad- vantage of recruiting from the ranks of all loyal women, old and young, they are the backbone of the G. A. R.
"The Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen, the Maccabees, the Eagles, are grand and helpful institutions, having flourishing lodges in Fayette, and add their influence to the pleasures of living in a live, up-to-date town.
"In conclusion, it may be well to say that there are among the old timers still living, a feeling of reverence for the Old Tavern. You live over again the years of change that have intervencd, and in your mind you conjure up the structure as a marvel of architecture; a something that seemed a revelation of the 'good times coming.' And so it was, for it is safe to say that the 'Old Tavern' was, in the hearts of the people of Fayette and vicinity, a 'joy forever." They date its advent, in their book of memories, as the opening day for Fayette supremacy ; and is it not a fact that now, fifty years after, Fayette adopts, as her slogan, the proud ensign: 'Best Yet-Fayette.' And so make it be."
Regarding early times in Fayette, Captain Allen recently added to his reminiscent writings. He said that Frank Ford "who was more of a hunter than a chopper, used to keep the community well supplied with venison, turkey, and other game, which at that time was plentiful." Regarding the hotel, he said that "people came from far and near, to trip the light fantastic, and sample Uncle Bill's wet goods; sometime there would be from 150 to 200 couples; and upon such occasions 'straight goods' would be dealt out until 1 o'clock, but that from that time forward the well furnished a large portion of the wet, so that very few arrived at their homes showing indications of over-indulgence." But, he adds, "the country was new, the whisky pure, and the imbibers strong and poison-proof." He says that "the early merchants of Fayette were Caldwell and Thompson, who succeeded Boyd, Wightman, Jared Parker and Son, and Allen Bros., all of whom kept what is known as 'General Stores' -- that is, they kept everything from cambric needles to plows, drags and cultivators, with a fine line of dry goods, notions, clothing and boots, drugs and medicines included."
GORHAM AND FAYETTE'S CIVIL WAR RECORD
Captain Allen lists the volunteers who went into military service from among the residents of Gorham Township and Fayette, his list being as follows : B. F. Mattern, J. L. Brink, G. W. Hickman, Henry Donaldson, J. P. Mattern, Martin Kuney, Hiram Tator, William West- fall, Ansel B. Ford, Austin F. Ford, Jos. G. Rice, Lorenzo Gamber, J. P. Emerick, A. B. Ely, J. C. Snow, L. P. DuBois, L. B. Coss, M. O. Ford, J. A. Austin, J. L. Wise, Wm. Wright, J. K. Severance, Frank Woollace, H. M. Rice, Seymour Rice, C. L. Allen, Boyd Piper, Jacob Mattern, Emmet Emerson, Frank Hickman, John Hickman, B. Noth- naugle, W. H. Griffin, W. H. Sayer, G. P. Cottrell, C. H. Keith, John Eddy, Josiah D. Emerick. H. Fellows, James F. King, D. Looker, J. H. Looker, F. D. Mathias, J. W. Osterhout, David Palmer, Hiram Pike, S. D. Snow, S. Smith, Henry Snow, M. L. Wise, Otis J. Wing, Alva Mallory, Orison Dee-"fifty-three all told, and perhaps some
425
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
omitted" commented Captain Allen, "a grand showing for the sparcely settled Gorham." Only eight of these patriots are now living.
Fayette has always been whole-heartely patriotic. During the Spanish-American war, it had its representatives in service, and dur- ing the recent world war its young men went forth in numbers that compare with those of the 'sixties. And those at home supported the boys in service and the nation at war with a full one-hundred-per-cent patriotism. Gorham Township was the first to go "over the top" in the war chest drive; and Fayette was the first of Fulton county towns to win an honor flag in at least two of the campaigns for the subscrib- ing of the Liberty loans-in the fourth and fifth. And Fayette showed its true feeling on the night of April 13, 1918, when noteworthy in- cidents attended its Honor Flag raising. It is said that "thousands attended the celebrations," and on that night "all the German text- books were gathered from the public schools and burned on the public square" to signify that "henceforth America must be for Americans."
According to Verity, Fayette was known by that name as early
West M ..
Street, Fiveute, Ohn
as 1852, although Captain Allen, writing of Fayette of some years later, refers to it as Gorham Center. Mikesell writing in 1916 stated that the first postoffice-that located in the home of Erastus Cottrell, near Fayette, was named Forham, although Verity writes of it as Gorham Post-Office, stating that its name was changed to Fayette, when it was removed to that place. Fayette was incorporated in 1872. July 4th of that year was a memorable day for Fayette, for it was on that day that the Chicago and Canada Southern Railway Company completed the construction of its line to Fayette, and ran the first train over it. The Toledo and Western electric system also passes through Fayette, and within a mile and a half, north, of the village is North Fayette Station, and the Wabash system; consequently, in railroad facilities, Fayette is fairly-well served. In 1887, its business establishments included the general stores of A. P. Grisier, Howard and Company, Huffman and Company ; groceries of John F. Shaw, F. Vernier; clothing stores of L. A. Purcell and Acker and Sons; drug stores of Rorick and Cawley
426
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
and Andrew L. Kendall; hardware store, Perry and Allen's; one bank, the Bank of Fayette; the flour and saw mills; three blacksmithing and wagon-making shops; a good newspaper; a higher grade school, and several churches, and many fine residences made Fayette a well-bal- anced self-contained community center.
The Fayette "Review," sunnnarizing the town in 1908, stated that it then had "three churches, a superior public school, an opera house, three banks, two hotels, a flouring mill, two saw mills, stave mill. can- ning factory, creamery, elevator, handle factory, planing mill, lumber yard, telephone systeni, a good bank, two good orchestras and a strong and well edited newspaper." There are now only two banks reference to which has been made in an earlier chapter, but, substantially, Fayette is the same as in 1908. It is a pretty village, and an ideal home center.
LODGES
There are many strong fraternal organizations in Fayette. The Gor- ham Lodge, No. 381, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized on March 5, 1867, with eighteen charter members. The first worshipful master was William Sutton; the present is C. W. Westmore. Its present strength is ninety-two members. The Fayette Chapter, No. 77, Order of Eastern Star, was organized on October 13, 1897, with Stella Amsburgh, worthy matron. It now has ninety members, with Mary Gunsaulus as chief officer. The Fayette Lodge, No. 431, of the Independent Order of Oddfellows, was organized on May 14, 1869, with fifty-eight members, the first Noble Grand being G. D. Snow. It has ninety-five members, Chair Ford being Noble Grand. The sister organization of Oddfellows, Rebecca, No. 322, was organized on May . 22, 1891, with fifty-two members, J. Keller being the supreme of the first officers. The Knights of Pythias order is represented in Fayette strongly, having ninety-four members, with N. M. Owens, chief officer. The lodge was formed on May 24, 1895, with forty-eight charter members. W. J. Connell led the first officers. The Pythian Sisters, of Fayette, has been established for thirteen years, the Charter being dated April 15, 1907. There were thirty-eight charter mem- bers. The local Woodman Lodge, No. 1035, is also strong. It was formed on January 17, 1902, with forty-nine members. M. Sebring is the present chief officer. The G. A. R. and the W. R. C. bodies are referred to elsewhere. The above lodge statistics were contributed by Captain C. L. Allen, who has ever been ready to undertake any work of public interest, or import, to the place of his adoption.
SCHOOLS
Former county historians have stated that the first organized school district in the township of Gorham was in the Cottrell settlement, in the year 1836. The first school may have been in that settlement; it probably was; but family records of the Coffin and Cottrell families show that it was not until 1838 that the first schoolhouse in that dis- trict was built. From these old records, a descendant some years ago wrote a historical article, which was published in the Fayette "Record." The article stated that "in the spring of 1838, the first schoolhouse in the township was completed. It was built of hewn logs,
1
4:27
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
and located on the northeast corner one mile east of Fayette, on Obadiah Coffin's farm, now the Landis Ford. The first teacher was Lucinda Rodgers, afterwards Mrs. Alanson Briggs, of Chesterfield. The teacher for next and several successive terms was Marie Lloyd, after- wards Mrs. Joseph Cottrell, who came here from her father's home, near Bryan, some forty miles through the woods, on horseback. Among the scholars were the children of Ephraim Sergeant, George Sayles, Aaron Price, and Elijah Snow." Incidental to those early school days, the record states "that after Erastus Cottrell was appointed post- master of Gorham, or Forham, Post-office, in 1839, that office was situated a few rods south of the schoolhouse, on the farm now owned by Elbert Cottrell. The mail route extended from Defiance to Adrian, and the mail was brought every Thursday by a man on horseback (young John S. Butler of Chesterfield, a boy of thirteen, was the mail carrier over the route in 1838 and for many years thereafter) who blew a horn as he came near the post-office, greatly to the delight of the little people in the schoolhouse. There were no postage stamps in those days, and each and every one who received a letter must pay twenty-five cents postage upon it before he could get it from the office." The Cottrell Settlement schoolhouse was used for about fifteen years, for both school and church purposes, and was standing as late as 1862. It was, however, not used for church purposes after 1850, for in that year the Methodists built a frame structure "across the road from the corner opposite the schoolhouse", on the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 20, town 9 south, range 1 east." It was the first church building in the township.
The first frame schoolhouse to be built in Gorham Township was erected by Renssalaer S. Humphrey in what was called the Snow Settlement, in 1842. Soon afterwards, another district was organized in the eastern part of the township, and a log house raised. In that school, in 1844-45, Oliver B. Verity taught for fourteen dollars a month.
A log schoolhouse was built, in 1842, or earlier, in the south- eastern corner of section 26, and was known as the Severance school- house. It had no legal organization, and was supported by subscription. Elizabeth Freeman, who later married Waldron Severance, was the teacher of the summer school of 1842. In 1845, a frame schoolhouse was built on the northwestern corner of section 35. It was truly a "little red schoolhouse", being thus distinctively painted. Minerva Cottrell, daughter of Asa Cottrell, was the first teacher. Its location was later changed to the south side of section twenty-six.
As to the schools of Fayette, which is sometimes called "The Old Normal Town", the Hon. Chas. L. Allen writes :
"Fayette grew and prospered, and soon the villagers began to think it would be a good place to start a school, with better facilities for the education of the colony of youngsters, who were accumulating very rapidly. Our district school was overcrowded, and another build- ing was erected. Mr. E. P. Ewers came here, and with Mr. John Ogden began the work of soliciting funds for the erection of a com- modious building-with boarding-house attachments-to be known as the Fayette Normal, Music, and Business College. This enterprise continued for several years, with a fair degree of prosperity, when the management, for a reason never ascertained, transferred their interests
7
FAYETTE PUBLIC SCHOOL. (Formerly the Fayette Normal University.)
429
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
to Wauseon. The Normal College building was vacated, and re- mained so for a few years. Finally, it was separated from its founda- tions and sold for junk. This roused the citizens of Fayette from their long sleep, and soon a fine building, now known as the Fayette High School, was erected. This, under the management of the Dodds Bros., was from its inception a success, and at this writing the school is sus- taining its reputation of being among the very best of its class in the county."
The Normal College was first opened in 1881, and in 1888 was closed, and eventually demolished. Regarding this phase of Fayette school history, Thomas Mikesell wrote, in 1905:
"Appreciating the value of such an educational institution, the people of Fayette immediately set about securing another school of like nature; and, in September, 1888, the Fayette Normal University was opened to students. The school flourished exceedingly for a number of years but, finally, the citizens of Fayette became convinced that its presence in their midst militated against the complete success of their graded schools. Consequently, they withdrew the necessary support from the institution, and ...... in 1905 the Fayette Normal University closed its doors, and went out of existence."
Professor C. D. Perry, the present superintendent of schools of Fulton county, states that "the second Normal first opened in the old Normal Building, which for a few years after the construction of the brick schoolhouse was used as a commercial college." Whether the commercial college was a private and separate enterprise is not clear; it is known that all the departments of the Normal University were eventually, and without much delay, housed in the new building; and it therefore seems that the business college of that time had no connection with the commercial department of the University. J. E. Dodds was the first president of the Normal University. He was succeeded by P. C. Palmer; and for the last two sessions George Tripp was president. The university closed its doors in 1905, and a high school, maintained by public funds, took its place, and building. The first superintendent of the Fayette High School was Prof. C. D. Perry, who in 1915 was appointed county school superintendent. The present superintendent at Fayette is T. P. Charles.
In addition to the higher Fayette school, there are at present ten district rural schools in Gorham Township, the ten being valued at $14,300, with the requisite appurtenances of such establishments. The registers of the ten schools show that 215 scholars attended for the school year of 1919.
CHURCH HISTORY
Probably the most prominent members of the Methodist Church Society in early Gorham belonged to the little settlement near Fayette. The Coffin family early sought a place for worship, and in the absence of other facilities permitted their log house to be used for devotional purposes, being sufficiently broad-minded to allow it to be used by settlers of the United Brethren sect, and also to participate in their services. However, the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Society in Gorham Township may be considered to have had its beginning in the work of the Rev. David Grey, an itinerant minister of a Lucas
430
IHISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
county circuit of the Michigan Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Soon after the building of the first log schoolhouse in the Cottrell Settlement, the Rev. David Grey was invited to visit the settle- ment. and hold religious services in the schoolhouse; and, it appears that, in 1838, or 1839, he came, and organized a Methodist society, which consisted, at first, of four members, namely, Freeman and Hannah Coffin, and Shubael and Ann Worden. "This was the begin- ning of the church organization now located at Fayette," stated a family record. Miss Ellen Coffin published "Reminiseences," in the Favette "Review," of August 26, 1909, issue and, regarding Methodist Church history, stated: "In the winter of 1850, probably in December, our new church at Gorham, now Fayette, was ready for dedication. It was dedieated by the Rev. J. V. Watson." That, obviously, was the building referred to in the Coffin family records, which read: "The first (church) building in the township was a plain white frame building, across the road from the corner, opposite the schoolhouse, and was erected by the Methodists in the year 1850." And, undoubtedly, it was the one of which Verity wrote in 1888, when compiling Gorham Township history. He stated: "In 1853 was built the first church of the township, and dedicated by the Methodist Episcopal denomination ; it was originally located in the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of seetion 20, town 9 south, range 1 east, at what has been called 'Cottrell's Corners,' and stood there for a number of years, when the center of the Methodist population shifted to Fayette, to which place the church was removed. The building was destroyed by fire in 1859, or 1860, and a substantial brick structure was erected in the place of the old one." George W. Griffin, of Fayette, who has been a promi- nent church worker, identified with the Methodist body, for many years, states that it was in 1880 that the frame church building was destroyed. The brick building was demolished in 1905, and the beautiful new structure now standing on same site was erected, and dedicated by Bishop Moore. The Fayette M. E. Church Society is a strong one, drawing its members from a wide area. The present pastor is Rev. Sheridan T. Walker. The Sunday school is particularly active, under superintendents W. A. Britseh and Harry Baldwin.
The United Brethren Church Society dates back to the beginning of settlement in Gorham; in faet, that church was in all probability the first to hold devotional services, other than family, in the township. The Coffin records state: "Soon after the early settlers arrived (in 1835) religious serviees were instituted, and the first sermon was preached in Freeman Coffin's house, by Mr. Lillibridge, of the United Brethren Church, from the text: 'I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.' " Mr. Coffin, however, as has been previously noted, was not a member of the U. B. Church.
The U. B. Society is active throughout the township; and at present the Rev. C. L. Snyder has two charges, i. e., the Fayette church and the Fountain church. There are strong Sunday schools at each place, Elmer Lester being superintendent of the former and G. M. Ziegler of the latter. Then there is the United Brethren Church at Munson, the present pastor of which is Rev. H. Stimmel. Mr. Ben Allion has, for many years, been one of the most earnest workers for the U. B. Church at Fayette.
431
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
There was at one time a local society of the Christian Union denomination, and Verity states that that organization was the next, after the Methodists, to erect a church edifice, in Fayette, building near the schoolhouse building, on Gorham Street, in about 1874.
The Church of Christ, at Fayette, is a strong organization, and owns a beautifully decorated church building. According to Frank Gray (of the firm of Gray and Gray, implement dealers and express agents at Fayette) the church society was organized in about 1880. Mr. Gray has been a member of the church for a longer period than any member now living, but he was not one of the pioneer members. The organizers of the local body were, he says, Mervin Burns, E. P. Ewers, Talcott Bates, and Euclid Hubbard, who were the first elders. At the outset the society met for devotional services in the chapel of the old Normal Building. About a year later they acquired the church building which had been erected in 1874, on Gorham Street, by the Christian Union. The first pastor was Mr. Atwater, and there were probably about fifty charter members. In 1886, states Verity (in 1882, states Mr. Gray), "the denomination of Disciples, or Church of Christ, having become quite strong in numbers ...... and feeling the need of a place of worship, erected a fine brick edifice on Cemetery Street." It was dedicated by the Rev. L. L. Carpenter, and was used until 1898, when it was burned to the ground, a very serious loss to the Fayette society, it having cost $10,000, and the insurance only making good the material loss to the extent of $3,300. However, a supreme effort was soon afterwards made to raise the necessary funds for the building of another church, adequate for their purposes, and in that work the strength of the society soon became evident, as did also the broadmindedness of the people of Fayette in general, for people of all denominations subscribed to the building fund, a Presbyterian minister even contributing a substantial amount, so that when the beautiful new church building was ready for dedication, it was possible to announce that the church was even then clear of debt, notwithstanding that its construction had entailed an outlay of more than $14,000. The dedicatory services were under the direction of Minor Lee Bates, then president of Hiram College. The church is spacious, having seating capacity for five hundred people, and it is exquisitely decorated. Since the year of its building the Church of Christ Society at Fayette has grown somewhat, the present membership numbering about 140 people. The Rev. Edwin Coller has been pastor for three years, but has recently resigned.
CEMETERIES
The first cemetery in the township was in the Snow Settlement District. Its exact location, in 1848, when it was first used, was on the northeast corner of section 17, town 9 south, range 1 east. Some years later, a cemetery was laid out on the land of the Coffin family. And, probably, in the late '50s or in the '60s, a cemetery was laid out in Fayette itself, and is still the principal cemetery of the township.
432
IIISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
POPULATION
The population of Gorham Township, as recorded by the Federal Census-takers, can be given for the five decades from 1870. Prior to that, the records are not available. In 1870 the population was 1055 (including that of Fayette) : in 1880. 2029; in 1890, 2144; in 1900, 2218; in 1910, 2174; and in 1920, 2076. The population of Fulton county is slowly increasing, but many of the purely agricultural sections have begun a retrograde movement, attributable, probably, to the modern "drift" of young people to the cities and industrial centers. Fayette of course cannot, properly, he classed as an industrial center. and it has a lesser population today than it had thirty years ago. In 1887, Verity estimated the population of Fayette to be about one thousands persons; in 1920, its population, according to the pre- liminary announcement of population made by the Bureau of Census, is 936. Statistics can be given for four periods, the population of Fayette in 1890 being, by official figures, 890; in 1900, 886; in 1910, 915; in 1920, 936.
However, if Fayette is not a thriving industrial center, it undoubt- edly has charm as a home center; and it has some energetic and capable residents, who, if opportunity presents itself, will not be found wanting, in capability or desire, to send Fayette forward to greater importance.
Many of the leading families of Gorham and Fayette have been given biographical and genealogical review in the second volume of this work.
CHAPTER XX
HISTORY OF FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP
Franklin Township, as now constituted, includes territory which formerly was in German and Gorham Townships of Lucas county, and Mill Creek and Brady Townships of Williams county. It was organized on March 1, 1841, at a commissioners' meeting held at Mau- mee, Lucas county, and was erected by taking "all of town ten south, range one east, excepting one mile off of the west end of town ten south, range one east" from Gorham Township, and "all of towns. eight north, range five east, and one tier of sections off of the north side of town seven north, range five east" from German Township. So constituted, the township remained until February 28, 1850, when, the Legislature of Ohio, in erecting the new county of Fulton, caused Williams county to cede to it a portion of its eastern territory. That part of Williams county territory so ceded, which came within the boundaries of Franklin Township was formerly in the townships of Brady and Mill Creek. Specifically, Franklin Township took from Brady "sections one and two of town seven north, range four east ;" and from Mill Creek, "sections thirty-five and thirty-six, town eight north, range four east, and the west tier of fractional sections one mile wide off of town ten south, range one east, and two tiers of sections, to-wit : One and two, and fractional sections eleven and twelve, off of the west side of town ten south, range one west." So that the area of Franklin township became 18,213 acres. A study of the maps and of the gen- eral chapters on early jurisdiction and settlement and organization, and also of the chapters regarding contiguous townships will probably supply the seeker with all of the Franklin Township organization and boundary data that it has been deemed unnecessary to embody in this chapter.
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.