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 55
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of early York, most of the surrounding country for many miles being so wet as to be impossible locations for burial purposes. As the years passed and a church building was erected (that known as the Raker Union Church) near the cemetery, the subscribers to that church were in great measure drawn from the descendants of those pioneers buried in the Raker Cemetery, the people of the neighborhood of all denomi- nations contributing to the cost of building.
Martin Raker, Sr., from his early years in Swan Creek was some- what crippled, having a maimed left hand. How is became so maimed was narrated by Mr. Holmes Smith. It appears that one winter day he noticed the track of a bear. He called his sons, and his dogs, and they routed the bear out of its lair onto the ice. The dogs worried the bear, but Bruin locked his powerful arms around the best of Martin's dogs, and it seemed that it would crush the dog to death. It was more than Martin, Sr., could stand, and he rushed with his son, John, to the rescue. The father was badly mauled by the bear, and John
THRESHING MACHINERY IS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES OF SWANTON.
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slipped on the ice and broke his leg. Fortunately, Jake shot the bear, but the father's hand was more or less useless for the rest of his life, and John to the end of his days walked with a cane. Presumably, doctors were inaccessible in those early pioneer days, and John had to permit the leg to mend itself. The bone set crookedly, as was to be expected. Such were some of the handicaps of pioneer life.
John was a man of sterling qualities ; progressive and hardworking. He eventually owned several hundred acres of rich farm land, and built a huge house-quite a mansion-having an almost baronial hall, and a massive black walnut staircase. The house was burned a few years ago. He was four times married, his third wife being Rachel Watkins of worthy pioneer stock. When she came with her parents into Fulton County they lived for forty days under the spreading branches of a giant oak, while a little land was being cleared and a log cabin built. John F., son of Martin, Jr., had a fine record in his home township.
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He was one of the pioneer teachers of the township, and met his death suddenly a few years ago. He had that day gone into Delta to ar- range for the drawing of a pension, as a Civil War veteran. He drove home in his car, and as he stepped out of it in his barnyard, he fell dead. Jacob, son of Martin, Jr., died last year, on part of the original Raker farm. He was a veteran of the Civil War also. Two of the boys of Jacob, Sr., son of Martin, Sr., were of Civil War record, as also were two of the sons of Martin, Jr. One died in service, the other was John F.
Mention must also be made of Uncle John Waggoner, who also was one of the good old pioneers of Swan Creek. The family still live in the vicinity in which their ancestor settled, and have taken stalwart part in the development of that part of the township. They have held to the soil, and been content to just go on working and building. So, has the present wealth of the county been slowly but surely builded. Simon, who is still alive, was a veteran of the Civil War, and has been one of the substantial citizens of the township. He was a member of the Board of Education for very many years, and still is justice of the peace. He also has been one of the strong basic pillars of the Shiloh Church since its establishment.
TOWNSHIP RECORDS
Unfortunately, the trustee records for the earliest years are not available. All those of Swan Creek Township when it was part of Lucas County have either been destroyed, or mislaid; and the records have been preserved for only a few years of the early administration of Swan Creek of Fulton County. It is known that William Meeker was town clerk in 1839, and probably he held that office from the date of organization, in 1836. Nathaniel Leggett was town clerk in 1840. From that time to 1852, there is not information presently available.
At the annual election, which was held at the schoolhouse in District No. 10, on April 5, 1852, those elected to township office were: John W. Harter, Myron Williams, James T. Stall, trustees; S. H. Cately, assessor; Charles Cullen, treasurer; Samuel Johnson, clerk; John Browning and Charles Mead, constables; Alpheus Coss, Wells Watkins, Joshua Fassett, Jacob Roos (maybe Koos), Isaac Fewless, Harvey Mead, William Meeker, H. E. Waldron, and N. R. Wyman, supervisors.
The township taxation in 1852 was one mill, and the treasurer's statement for that year showed expenditures, for township purposes, of $68.68; also a Poor Fund of $60.57, with no expenditures. Another account, entitled "School Fund for the year 1852," showed appro- priation of $219.83 6 mills for six school districts, that sum pre- sumably being appropriation from county funds for school purposes.
Township order No. 1, dated April 16, 1852, was drawn in favor of Myron Williams. The amount was one dollar, "it being for services as trustee." Twp. Order No. 10 was for seventy-five cents, in favor of Joshua Fassett, "for services as supervisor," evidently the yearly stipend.
On March 6, 1854, the trustees ordered that the accounts of C. C. Allman ($1.88) and A. M. Carpenter ($6.00) for shroud and coffin
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
for Robert Trailor, be allowed and paid, the entry stating that "said Trailor is a person that came from the Juction (junction) into this town on a visit, and was taken sick, and died sudden."
An interesting entry in the trustces' minute book is that of April 3, 1854, recording an "Indenture of Apprenticeship, whereby Hiw (Huglı) Reighard, son of Jonathan Reighard, then recently deceased, was bound to Cyrus N. Earl, from November 18, 1854 until that date in 1867, when the boy would become of age, "to learn farming" at the end of which thirteen years of faithful service, Cyrus N. Earl bound himself to furnish "Hiw" with "a Bible and Hymn Book, and two common suits of clothes." Jonathan Reighard had had a hard struggle and had succumbed while still in the early pioneer effort, leaving his widow with her young children practically destitute. Other branches of the Reighard family were likewise poor, finding it hard to make headway, in their swampy surroundings. As a matter of fact, Hugh Reighard did not complete his apprenticeship. He was either released, or he went without permission when the outbreak of Civil War stirred his heart. He had a good record as a soldier of the Union ; and the early poverty of the family was not such that any of the present generation might be ashamed. All the pioneers were poor; comparatively so, that is in currency. They were rich only in loved. ones, in neighborly interest, and in determination to withstand pri- vations in a desolate region until they had conquered the wilderness and the swamp.
Another entry in the trustees record states that, in June of 1858, "Mr. Libeys three children were sold to Mrs. Abigail Teachman, to board and cloth for one year, from the 16th day of June, 1858, for one hundred dollars."
On one of the last pages of the last of the early trustees' minute books still available is "A list of the Subscriptions to the Bounty Fund of Swan Creek Township Fund, 1864-65. John Mclaughlin, Jona- than Houge, and Jacob Koos each contributed $200; M. P. Barber gave $100; Lorenzo Lewis, John Horton, Chas. Hoyt, A. J. Allman, and S. H. Cately, $50 each. Subscriptions in the amount of $25 came from John De La Mare, John Westbrook, George Westbrook, Thomas Waffle, Geo. H. Richardson, William Sheffield, Richard Terwilliger, Wm. L. Stall, E. Geer, Wm. Mack, Jr., David Woodring, H. E. Wald- ron, James Brice, Charles Blake, M. S. Pray, N. B. Harrison, David Geer, L. A. Bassett, and David Williams; while smaller amounts, $20, $15, $10, and in some cases less, were contributed by A. Cass (or Coss) , Eccles Nay, R. Whitmore, John Hall, A. Warren, S. Immel, John Reid, Thomas Elton, C. Fox, Wm. Phare, Wm. Farren, Hiram Ran- som, C. M. Keith, S. S. Barr, H. H. Reighard, James Watkins, Geo. Raker, A. Raker, B. Bixler, J. Hunt, O. H. P. Brailey, E. Moyer, David Swartz. Peter Jay, Ora Blake, G. W. Montgomery, Cain Woodring, and Wm. Templeton.
Covering the period, 1852-67, which are the only years for which township records of Swan Creek have been preserved, apart from the recent years, from 1913, the township officials were:
TRUSTEES: J. W. Harter, in 1852; Myron Williams, 1852 and 1853; James T. Stall, 1852-53; Alex. Spaulding, 1853-57; Joel S. Richardson, 1854-57; Joshua Fassett, 1854, 1857; Nathan W. Pray, 1857; P. R. Lewis, 1855-56, and 1864; Oliver Brailey, 1858; L. A.
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
Bassett, 1858-59; Wm. Meeker, 1858; Wells Watkins, 1859, 1863, 1865 and 1866; M. B. Viers, 1859-60; S. L. Spencer, 1860-61; D. H. Bassett, 1860-61; Wm. Fullerton, 1861; Jacob Koos, 1862; Truman L. Curtis, 1862 and 1863; John De La Mare, 1862-63 and 1865-66; O. W. Parrish, 1864; George Richardson, 1864; Wm. Lewis, 1865-66; and in 1867 the trustees were James Cornell, Amos S. Cooper, and Wm. J. Lutz.
TREASURERS: Chas. Cullen, 1852; Andrew J. Allman, 1863-65; Jonathan Houge (or Hoag), 1865-67.
CLERKS: Samuel Johnson, 1852; L. Harter, 1853; S. H. Cately, 1853-55, and 1861-62, also 1866; 1856-60, J. Brewster; 1863, C. Fox; 1864, C. M. Keith; and 1867, J. W. Horton.
That is all the information that can be recorded from official records of township administration, apart from the seven years, from 1913, the records for which are now in the possession of the present township clerk, C. M. Stine, of Brailey. The present trustees of Swan Creek Township are Wilt Lemmon, George Haynes, and Dell Gill. L. C. Winzeler is treasurer.
Two of the first justices of the peace, elected after the establishment of Fulton county were Clayton Chamberlin, and William Meeker.
CIVIL WAR RECORD
The Civil War record of Swan Creek Township is a very creditable chapter in its history. Verity states that Swan Creek contributed one- third of its men to the Union Army, and added :
"Enlistment to most of them, especially those who had families, was peculiarly trying; for in the years of the Rebellion but few parts of Ohio could be found inhabited by poorer people. The Swan Creek volunteer went from a poor and often uninviting home, except for the loved ones left there, and from neighbors as poor as himself, and scarcely able, except by sorc privation to themselves, to provide aid of any kind to those whom they would most gladly have helped and whom they often did assist, but out of no store of abundance."
The percentage of Swan Creek soldiers who became veterans was unusually high; and, alas, many did not live to see the war through to the final emancipation of the slave. As the result of their rigorous and sanguinary experiences, many of the boys who went away from Swan Creek homes strong and active returned to spend the remainder of their lives in a more or less physically maimed condition.
THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF SWANTON
The village of Swanton, which is partly in Fulton and partly in Swan Creek Township, is one of the promising incorporated places of Fulton county. It has some healthily growing manufacturing industries, and it would not be surprising if it developed much more rapidly than other villages of Fulton county. It is asserted that Swan- ton gained more in population during the decadal period, 1890-1900 than the whole of the other villages of the county, and in the last period, 1910-20, its increase was greater than any other place, except- ing Wauseon, the county seat.
To review the history of Swanton is somewhat perplexing, for the reason that the location of the town has been changed more than once,
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Theodore W. Knight, who writes the following historical sketch, of "Swanton, Ohio, in its Earlier Years," states in this connection that "Swanton was like the paddy flea; when you had your finger on it, it was not therc, but moved." His article reads :
"Swanton of today is not the Swanton of the year of 1845, when it was almost a dense forest, with only here and there a lonc white settler in his log cabin.
"This Swanton was like the paddy flea; when you had your finger on it, it was not there, but moved.
"At the time referred to, Swanton was located in Wayne Town- ship, Lucas county, about three-quarters of a mile from the Fulton county line, with only a very few inhabitants. A log hotel, owned by a Mr. Kirkland, stood there. It was afterwards sold to B. T. Geer. Mr. David Mills built a double log building, and used it as a hotel. He was one of the earliest settlers, and held several offices in the township.
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STREET SCENE, SWANTON.
"The inhabitants would go to Maumee, the nearest trading point. on horseback, with a sack or two of corn thrown across the saddle, to make the food supply.
"Swanton village was completed and so designated when it was given a postoffice; and as far as I can ascertain, Mr. Kirkland was the first postmaster.
"In about 1850, the building of the Plank Road was begun. It started from Maumee, and ran through Lucas county, into Fulton county, about eleven miles, stopping in the woods, about half-way between what is known as the towns of Delta and Wauscon.
"About that time a village began to grow, about a quarter-mile across the Fulton county line. It was called Centerville, and went by that name until it had outgrown the Swanton in Lucas county, and wanted a postoffice. Then, the name was changed, from Centerville to Swanton; and, to distinguish the two Swantons, the one in Lucas
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY,
county was called East Swanton, and that in Fulton county, West Swanton. Under the new change, James S. Showers, who was justice of the peace, had added to his name the dignity of postmaster. The mails at that time were carried by stage.
"This new Swanton (formerly Centerville) was situated on a four corners; on the northwest corner was a large frame hotel. I think Horatio Witt was connected with it, or built it. It contained a large dance hall, the largest in the county at that time; on the southeast corner was a blacksmith's shop, that of Alexander Spaulding; on the northeast corner, in later years A. J. Allman built a large dwelling; and at this time people continued to do the trading at Maumee, thir- teen miles away, and at Toledo, then only a small town.
"In addition to the hotel at West Swanton, there were two hotels in East Swanton, in 1853, one owned by B. T. Geer, and the other by Wm. D. Herrick.
"A tollgate was situated about one and a half miles east of East Swanton, near the forks in the road from Maumee and Toledo. Abe Kaby, as we all called him, took the fees.
"During the period of 1852-55, the three hotels, within one and a half miles, did a thriving business, and sometimes would be unable to care for all the customers, without sending some to the neighbors. You could look east, or west, along the road, and see long strings of covered wagons, either going or coming, either emigrants going west- ward, or farmers from Williams county, hauling their grain, or sweet potatoes to Toledo. They would make the trip, or aimed to do so, in three days, and Swanton would be one of the nightly stops.
"Referring again to East Swanton early history. Among its early settlers were Erastus Brown, Dr. W. A. Scott. In, or about, 1865, W. D. Herrick gave up hotelkeeping, and built a store, stocking it with groceries and dry goods; and B. T. Geer left his hotel business to take up the practice of law. John Wales also had a blacksmith's shop there early.
"Today there is nothing left of the old town. Where its first log hotel stood, there is now a fine two-story brick school building, which is quite a conspicuous ornament, to mark the spot where once stood the first Swanton.
"Returning again to the history of West Swanton. It was thought, in 1853, that West Swanton might make a town of some business importance, as a railroad was laid out, graded, ties were strewn along the track, bridges were partly built, abutments across the Maumee River, between Perrysburg and Maumee; and it was expected that the railroad would be running, as far as Swanton, within six months; but at the same time the Lake Shore Railway was being built, and its construction was nearly as far advanced. In the early part of 1854, the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company bought the controlling stock in the other road, stopped the work on the other road, upon which nothing was ever afterwards done. But the Lake Shore road was pushed through to completion."
The abandoned railroad project, of which Mr. Knight writes, was probably that which was started in 1846-47, seeking to carry through the construction of a railway from Cleveland, or Norwalk, running westward through Fulton county, and crossing the Maumee River at
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
the foot of the Rapids, and eventually establishing a connection with Chicago. It was known locally as the Junction Railroad, and some of its stoek was purchased by Fulton county people. Further refer- enee to this railway projeet will be found in Chapter IV, of this work.
Continuing Mr. Knight's sketch, he writes:
"In those early days, the country was settled, mostly, by a class of people who had little means, and very little after they had paid from three to five dollars an acre for a small piece of land. But game of all kinds was plentiful; there were plenty of fishies in the streams; and whisky was almost as plentiful as water.
"The Opening of the Temperance Hotel. Although no town would be without one hotel, there came a time when a town of the size of Swanton would not support more than one. In 1853, Wesley Knight bought the hotel at West Swanton. He bought it near the holidays, and word had gone out that he was to run a temperance hotel from the first of the year. Therefore, the laboring class then working on the railroad thought that they had better make the most of their last chance. So they celebrated Christmas Day riotously in the hotel. The Knight family arrived on Christmas Night, and found conditions in the hotel deplorable. The landlord and his wife both lay in a drunken stupor on the bed; the bar-room floor was covered with whisky, to a depth of one and a half inches, the barrel-bungs or taps having in some way come loose; and the stove was broken into many pieces. The Knight family made their beds on the floor of the sitting room, which was the only place that was anywhere near being deeent; and their supper was made from the remains of their luneh. Next morning, Wesley Knight opened for business, and had with them that morning for breakfast, A. J. Allman, who for many years thereafter continued to board with them.
"Wesley Knight's temperance hotel gained a wide reputation; his open door was for very many years the stopping place for the weary traveler. He conducted the business for forty years.
"About 1856, J. B. Carr opened a dry goods store, but thic town was not large enough for two stores, and Mr. Carr moved away. In 1863, Mr. A. J. Allman continuing in the dry goods business, was appointed postmaster, which office he held for a number of years. I can remem- ber when the mails arrived, during the years of the Civil war. He would hold a handful of letters, and read aloud the names of those for whom there were letters; and many in those days were anxious waiters, hoping for news from their soldier boys.
"Many interesting incidents come back to the recollection, when recalling the names of some of the early citizens of this place. There were John Dixon. Horace Young, Wm. Stair, Harvey McCoy, David Mills, Richard Marsh, Ezra Willcox, and George Curtis. The last- named was not only one of the first settlers, but the most prosperous, having entered a half-section of land. He was the only moneyed man of the place; he would lend money to anyone who would be willing to pay his rate of interest. I own the safe he once had-the first safe that was ever brought to this place. He lost a good deal of money in the failure of Krouse's Bank, at Toledo. How much he lost, he did not even tell his family, and nobody ever knew.
"The First Mail Carrier. For some years after the Lake Shore
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Railroad was put into operation, the mail was brought from the sta- tion to Swanton by Alpheus Seaton, who would stand on a frame built for the purpose, would hold the mail in both hands, and the route agent would catch the mail on his arm. No Twentieth Century trains in those days. You could ride on any train that came along. Dr. L. A. Bassett was postmaster at that time.
"The Village Church. The village church, the only church, was the Methodist Episcopal. It was built in about 1863, and situated just west of the village.
"Swanton School. The school building was located just west of the church, a one-story frame structure. Miss Betsey Ann Geer was the teacher for a number of terms.
"In the year 1857, or near that time, James Cornell moved into the place from the state of Texas. He was a good church-worker, and was the first to establish a Sunday school in the village. Mr. Wells Watkins was also a live-wire in Sunday school and church work. He was quite a hunter, a good marksman, and used to the forest, being an early settler. He was president of the pioneer's picnic, and was very popular.
"Grandpa John Templeton. I must not forget Grandpa John Templeton, as we always called him. He raised a large family of boys and girls who were stout and hardy, but never could equal him. John Templeton at one time weighed about four hundred pounds, and was president of the Fat Men's Convention for several years.
"Industrial History. In the history of the business of West Swanton, A. J. Allman was the principal business man in merchan- dise, and was connected with Cullen and Clark, in the business of making Potash. The ashery was cared for by Israel Gamble, and netted them a good income.
"John Dixon and McGarvey were dealers in lumber. Later, Mc- Garvey dealt in wool, owning a carding machine.
"There was no other industry, excepting the brick and tile factory of Thomas Farthing, and one run by Newton Curtis. Much of the brick they made is still in Swanton buildings.
"In the year 1870, or thereabouts, Mr. Allman moved his store to Delta, and lived there for several years, later going into business in Toledo. There being no store left in Swanton, Knight and Grandy opened a grocery store, and finally branched out into dry goods. After a term of successful business, Mr. Ed. Brailey bought Mr. Knight's interest, the latter becoming a school teacher, and continuing as such for seventeen years.
"Swanton's Last Move. The time came when Swanton must move. This time, if Paddy got his finger on it, it was there. From now on, all that is written of Swanton is of that place in its present location. There is nothing now left of West Swanton but a few resi- dences, and a small grocery and oil station.
"Origin of Swanton. This new Swanton is sometimes termed : "The Center of the Universe,' having grown from a railway station, or woodhouse. The woodhouse was about one hundred feet long, with a water tank in the centre, and a room about twelve feet square under it for the Ladies' and Gents' Waiting Room, with a board bench. ready for cushion seats. When passengers were too thick, there was plenty of room out-of-doors.
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"After several years, the railway company built a one-room Depot, and moved the old woodshed across the traek for a freight house. However, the depot beeame too small before many years had passed, and the depot building now used was erccted. Mr. J. H. Miller was the first agent. Following him came Mr. Beard; then Mr. Brady. Some years later, Jacob Gehring beeame agent. He was killed at his post. Mr. John Eva, the present agent, succeeded him.
"Growthi Checked. This Swanton remained a dead town for sev- eral years. Mr. J. H. Miller owned all the land on one side of the rail- road, and George Curtis on the other. They would not sell a lot, and the place grew only so fast as they saw fit to put up a building. Mr. Miller built a residence with a store-room in front, but times de- manded more than that. At that time Mr. Miller would buy wood ties and stave bolts; at his own priee, the seller taking goods from the store in exchange. Miller would sell the wood ties to the railway company, and would ship the bolts, thus making a round profit.
"Petersburgh. Peter Miller, a well-to-do farmer, and as fine a man as I ever met, was then living about half a mile from the depot. He saw the need of the town, and laid out several acres, selling the lots at a reasonable price. Soon, he had brought into being quite a fast- growing little town, in which was a large store. They called the place Petersburgh.
"Swanton Spurts. The threat that the landowners of Swanton saw in the development of Petersburgh soon caused them to adopt a new policy. Both Miller and Curtis began to sell lots, and the boom developed at the natural place, which was Swanton, because of its railroad facilities. Petersburgh then began to deeline.
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