Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc. V. 1, Part 49

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) cn; J.H. Beers & Co. cn
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1060

USA > Ohio > Wood County > Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc. V. 1 > Part 49

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Bowling Green's Pioncer Railroad. - The Bowling Green Railroad Co. was organized June 6, 1874, with S. L. Boughton, president and gen- eral manager; A. J. Manville, vice-president: A. A. Thurstin, secretary: F. Beverstock, treasurer; and they, with S. W. St. John, Henry Lundy and J. R. Rndulph, were directors. This association was the outcome of a meeting held at Reed's Hall, at which Mr. Boughton showed. the neces- sity for a branch railroad to Tontogany. Com- mittees were appointed to visit the nearest towns on the main line, then called the D. & M. R. R. J. B. Newton favored Roachton; John H. Reid, Perrysburg: S. L. Boughton, Tontogany, while others preferred Haskins and Weston. The men named were appointed to report on the points of junction favored by them; but S. L. Boglion's logic in favor of Tontogany prevailed, and the route surveyed by David Donaldson to that point was adopted. Capt. Black, S. W. Whitmore. Martin Warner, Judge Tuller, and other old set- tlers of that town being friendly to the enterprise. The right-of-way was obtained at a cost of $2,248 from eighteen land owners, and on lu- gust 18. 18;4. the pioneer railroad bhibbr, en- tored upon work. For the year ensuing, Mr. Boughton left his store every day to work on that

road, and gave half his time during the second year; S. W. St. John worked and " bossed" the grading from beginning to end, and A. A. Thar- stin drove his horses in breaking the first furrows on Addison Fay's farm. Henry Lundy was not often called to work, nor did J. R. Radulph ex- haust his physical strength; but cach gave moral and material support to the enterprise. as did the other local stockholders and the majority of the citizens. The grading and the team work cost $1.447.60; ties cost $3.366.92: timber, logs and lumber, $2,027.25 ; one hundred and one citizens received $4,627.92 for labor; $115. 18 were paid for tools; S. L. Boughton received for traveling expenses to Carrollton, Ohio, Pittsburg. Penn .. Toledo, Cincinnati, Lima and Dayton. $171.40. while the expenses of other agents amounted to $101.93: fuel cost $625. 76; iron and rolling stock. $9.576. 52: freight and express charges amounted to $1. 384.45: books and printing to $73.79; in- terest and discount, $1. 743.46; the " Y " at Ton- togany. $802.38. and miscellaneous expenses. $1,703.98, or $30,076.94 in all. Of this sum sixty-two men at Bowling Green gave $13,630.78 and a few at Toledo $2.445.00, or $16,075.78 cash subscription. Bonds would not sell. but a all the stockholders, save one, being bound sev- erally and individually to pay the note with in- terest. In addition, an assessment of zo per cent. on stock was levied. The comparatively heavy debt urged the owners to lease the road to M. T. Wiggins for ninety-nine years for $10, 000. but the sum of $750 or $800 was vet necessary to pay up all debts. When the Wiggins broth- ers desired to sell their road to the C. H. & D. Co., they asked Mr. Boughton what he would de- mand for a majority of the stock. He replied. " $1,000." The sam was paid within six months. the last debt was paid with interest, and the okl Bowling Green Railroad Co. was disbanded.

The Carroll County railroad (including 210 tons of strap-rail, spikes and switch fixtures. purchased at $33 a ton; the "Old Hullah." a seven-ton locomotive of twenty-horse power. two coaches, a box car and two flat cars,, became the property of the Bowling Green Railroad Co .. in 1874. At the beginning of May. 1875. a few days before the connection was made with the C. H. & D. at Tontogany, the receipts from passenger traffic were double the operating ex- penses. During the first week in May. the " >" was placed, and combination trains len Bowling Green at 7 A. M., 1, and 5:30 P. M. nl Font- gany at 8:10 A. M., 2:40 and 6.10 r. W. The total earnings for the month ending July !".

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1875, amounted to $394.26, and the operating expenses to $182. The road, as managed by Mr. Boughton until July or August, 1876, met all operating expenses and produced $1,000 to be applied on the indebtedness.

Charles N. Culver, the first engineer, found he had a very fickle machine to deal with; but with care, he made regular trips and kept very close to schedule time. Henry A. Lease acted as attorney, conductor, passenger and freight agent, and man of all work. The engineer and brake- man were the only employes in the mechanical department. The road was built with the object of developing the interests of Bowling Green, and the stockholders and subscribers paid their moneys directly with this object, rather than with the hope of any financial returns; but the little iron way met all its expenses, and doubtless would have yielded profits, had its founders car- ried their enterprise a little farther toward mak- ing it a modern road. On the death of Treasurer Beverstock, Dr. Manville was elected to that position.

In 1878, Mark T. Wiggins leased the road for a period of ninety-nine years, the sole con- sideration being $10, 000. Under this lease, Mr. Wiggins operated the road, and substituted the "T" for the strap-rail. The locomotive . William Hood," superceded the " Old Huldah, " and the road bed was improved. Greater changes were yet in store. A board of directors was one of them. F. Holderman was appointed superin- tendent, and Patrick Faha, roadmaster; the capital stock was increased from $18,000 to $40,000, of which Mr. Wiggins received $20,000 stock for his interest; the rolling stock was in- creased to three locomotives, two coaches and four freight cars, the road bed was further im- proved, and the little iron way was in fair con- dition, when, in 1886, it was consolidated with the C. H. & D. railroad. In 1890-91. the North Baltimore extension was built by the latter company, and the Slippery Elm railroad of 1874- 75 lost its identity in the greater system.

CHURCHES.

Methodism at Bowling Green may be said to date back to 1836, when Rev. Austin Coleman. of the Waterville circuit, preached in the log school house, south of the village, later, in what was afterward known as the . Bell school house." and in other cabins along the route to Water- ville. James Wood is said to have been the first leader of this Bowling Green class, though John A. Sargent was leader of the older class at his house. Every sixth Sunday, the preacher ap-

peared here before his little congregation, at Henry Shively's house, which then embraced Peter Klop- fenstein, W. C. Hunter, John A. Sargent, Alfred Thurstin, Robert Barr and James Wood, with their wives, together with the following named single members: Erastus, Zelpha and Diannab Hunter, Margaret Shively, Margaret Linsey, Eliza Hixon, Nancy Sargent, Susannah Groves and Isaac Tracy. A Sunday-school was organized the same year with Henry Lundy, superintendent. Among the early preachers, other than Mr. Cole- man, may be named Wesley Broek, who was here in 1837. John Janes, Shortis and Fleming in 1838, Leonard Parker. 1838, Adam Menear, 1839, Rolla H. Chubb, 1840, Leonard Hill. 1841. Ezra C. Norton, 1843, I. J. Killum. 1844, W. W. Winters, 1845, and Thomas J. Pope. 1846. Thomas Barkdull and W. W. Winters organized a protracted meeting in 1846. which resulted in bringing many of the settlers into Methodism, among the number being Ambrose Hollington, now a preacher of Delaware county. Rev. F. W. Vertican came as preacher-in-charge in 1852; N. B. Wilson in 1853, and Ambrose Hollington in 1854. Mr. Hollington is still a citizen of Ohio, and was present at Bowling Green in July and August, 1895, when the beginnings of the church and school at Bowling Green were discussed.

The first mention of the Bowling Green cir- cuit appears when David Gray was presiding elder of the Maumee district, and H. L. Nicker- son, preacher-in-charge, in 1854 or 1855. J. . 1. Shannon came in 1856, and Martin Perkey in 1857. In 1859, S. L. Roberts and Josiah Adams were here: J. A. Shannon and Jason Wilcox in 1860, and G. Lease and I. N. Kalb in 1861. The Conference of 1862 divided the circuit into two parts, and again the Bowling Green part into four appointments. The eastern part retained the name . Bowling Green. " while the western was given the name " Gilead," with Rev. J. Good, preacher in the first and G. Mather in the second. The appointments originally set off were Bowling Green, Portageville, Carrs and Tontogany. On November 14. 1863. Hull Prairie, or Haskins, class, was added, and the five appointments constituted Bowling Green circuit, of which Rev. J. Good was preacher-in. charge down to July 25, 1865. In September of that year, Rev. F. L. Harper succeeded him, and served until his death, January 22, 1805. In 1868, john S. Kalb was appointed, while, il 1869. Thomas N. Barkdall who was here in 1860 and 1861, when john A. Shannon hal charge) succeeded him. At that time the Moth-

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odists held meetings in the old house of 1847. which stood on the site of the present Disciples church, and which was then (1869) owned by the Congregationalists. When that body secured a preacher, Mr. Barkdull was denied the use of the building, and had to seek elsewhere. Some time after, the Methodists found shelter in the Presbyterian meeting-house, but that body also found a preacher soon after. The society then rented Reed's Hall, in which services were car- ried on until the new or present building was completed, August 25, 1872. Rev. D. R. Cook succeeded Mr. Barkdull in 1872; L. M. Albright came in 1873, and was reappointed in 1875. That year, Bowling Green appears to have been attached to the Weston and Tontogany circuit, which was served by Adam D. Barnes and Joseph D. Sims until September, 1876, when Rev. I. N. Smith was appointed. Mr. Smith revived the society at Bowling Green, and succeeded in having it advanced to a station again. He sold the par- sonage, and applied the $700 received for that property toward the liquidation of the church debt. In 1879 he purchased a bell, and, on Sep- tember 26, that year, ended his services as pas- tor, leaving to his successors a class of 157 mem- bers and eiglit probationers. Rev. R. Wallace was preacher-in-charge in 1879, and Rev. N. B. C. Love, from 1881 to 1883. The progress of this society during the last decade has been very marked. To the activity of the preachers and revivalists, as well as of the enthusiastic Sabbath- school workers, must be credited much if not all of this progress. They go a long way to arrest the advance of infidelity, and, unknowingly, per- haps, in working for themselves, do general good. The pastors of the Church since 1883 have been as follows: Rev. L. E. Prentice, one year, from fall of 1883 to fall of 1884: Rev. G. H. Priddy, one year, from fall of 1884 to fall of 1885; Rev. C. W. Taneyhill, three years, from fall of 1885 to fall of 1888: Rev. W. H. Scoles, four years, from fall of 1888 to fall of 1892; Rev. J. W. Hol- land (present incumbent , four years, from fall of 1892 to fall of 1896. The present membership is upward of 500.

The First Presbyterian Church was organized October 13. 1855, by Rev. Perry C. Baldwin, with the following named members: Tobias and Louisa C. Rudesill, Addison and Matilda Fay. John and Mary Evers, Nathan Noble, Sidney L. Brewster, Phoebe M. Moore, George Underwood, Mrs. Underwood, and Aziel B. Bradley and wife. The election for elders, which took place the same day, resulted in the choice of Messrs. Runde- sill, Fay and Bradley, who were at once ordained

and who organized with Tobias Rudesill, clerk of session. S. L. Boughton was ordained an elder April 7, 1860, chosen clerk of session in October following; in April, 1860, he was appointed superin- tendent of the Sunday-school. Ambrose S. Nims. wife and son joined this Church in 1869, and of it the senior Nims became a ruling elder, a posi- tion he was holding in the fall of 1895, though not on the list of active elders. John Coen. I. A. Noble, Fred VanFleet, D. E. Prosser. W. T. Reese and F. H. Boughton were elected elders from time to time, and were members of the session in 1895. In September of that year. S. L. Boughton, E. A. Barton, Frank W. Thurs- tin, D. A. Haylor, J. S. McClelland and Luther Black were elected elders. Mr. Baldwin, who organized the society, resigned the office of pas- tor, July 30, 1865. A year after, Rev. Robert Herenden was called, and until April 15, 1867. preached to the Presbyterians of Bowling Green as well as to the Congregationalists of Plain. In July, 1867, Rev. R. G. McCarthy came, and preached here until 1868. Rev. J. E. Vance ac- cepted a call in the spring of 1869, and remained until April 17, 1870. Shortly after, a call was extended to Rev. William McElwee, of Phila- delphia, who was installed pastor, June 3, 1870. Mr. Boughton, in his sketch of the Church, tells of his deposition by the Maumee Presbytery, Sep- tember 19, 1871. His successor, Rev. J. B. Hub- bard, came in the spring of 1872, and remained until March, 1879. A few months later, Rev. W. R. Higgins was installed, and preached here until October 7. 1883. Rev. Henry Cooper came in December following, and was pastor until July 1, 1885. Rev J. R. Boyd supplied the pulpit until October 1, when he accepted a call as pastor, and attended to the duties of that office until his death, February 15, 1886. On June 20, that year, Rev. George S. J. Brown was called, and he preached here until the close of November, 1894. On March 1, 1895, Rev. R. M. Dillon, the pres- ent pastor, was installed to preside over the 351 members forming the society. The first house of worship, on the site of the present building. was erected in 1859, and dedicated February S. 1860. The present $15,000 structure, known as the Presbyterian church. was built in 1888, and dedicated March 31. ISSO.

The Presbyterian Sabbath-school was organ- ized April 8, 1860, with S. L. Boughton as superintendent, Mrs. Boughton, treasurer. Tobias Rudesill, A. Fav. J. VanGorder, Mesdames Wm Hood, Lee Moore, P. C. Baldwin, Rogers, and J. VanGorder, teachers. At that time the Church society embraced fifty members, and the

WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.

school, including teachers, had about forty schol- ars. Down to May, 1880, no less than ninety- six teachers were enrolled. During the last twenty years, numbers of teachers, correspond- ing with the increase in scholars, have been em- ployed, the first superintendent being still as active in Sunday-school matters as in Church affairs.

The Catholic Church of Bowling Green, dates back, as a congregation, to 1883, when forty children made their first communion in the new church building. Prior to that time, the few Catholic families of the central townships were considered parts of the Custar congregation. Sometimes Rev. Louis J. Filliere, of Providence, who for years attended eighteen stations in Wood and Lucas counties, came to visit the people. Father Hyacinthe Kollop succeeded him, but Dr. Leeming was the pastor, who, in 1883, prepared the children referred to above. It was Father Kollop who built part of the present chapel. In later years, the now celebrated young Paulist, Father Kress, was resident pastor, preceding Father Schriener, the present priest of Bowling Green and Cygnet. The development of the oil field, and the general advance toward modernism, brought to Bowling Green a number of Catholics, so that with the exception of a few old families who adhered to the faith, the congregation is made up of new citizens of the town and neigh- boring country. The pastoral residence. the ad- dition to the church building, and improvement of the grounds are all the works of the present congregation. while the library was mainly col- lected by Father Kress.

The Baptist Church at Bowling Green, was organized March 27, 1858, at the house of S. L. Boughton, D. A. Avery being moderator, and S. L. Boughton, clerk. On March 31. W. Legally, Z. F. Williston, M. D. L. Buell, S. L. Boughton, Mrs. Webb and Mrs. Boughton signed articles of association. William Legally was the clerk in 1860. That organization disbanded, and little if anything, is known of it by the moderns of the town. The record, however, is at Haskins, and from it the above minute of the society's begin- ning was made.

The present society, known as the First Bap- tist Church, was organized September 29, 1878, with the following named members: Rev. James Abbott and Caroline Abbott. Rev. E. B. and Mrs. C. A. Turner. Mrs. J. H. Sands, George and Mrs. A. O. Kimberlin, Thomas W. Knight, Sr., and Thomas W. Knight, Jr., Amy and Ellen Knight, David Holbrook, W. S. Haskell. I. W. Clayton and Mrs. Theodosia Wade. The articles

of incorporation were filed April 15, 1880, when I. W. Clayton. B L. Abbott and George Kim- berlin were elected trustees, I. W. Clayton, clerk. and James Adams, president. The work of church building was then entered upon, the cor- ner stone placed July 20, 1880, by Rev. James Adams (who was the pastor from December. 1878, to February, 1882), and the house com- pleted in the fall, at a cost of $3.500. M. W. Homes was pastor from April, 1883, to June, 1886; J. H. Palmer, from August, 1886. to Oc- tober, 1890; and Rev. Herbert Agate from July. 1891, to the present time. There were 122 members belonging to this society in January, 1896, as reported by Mrs. J. H. Sands, the church clerk.

The United Brethren Church was organized in 1874, with a few members. For forty years prior to that time itinerant preachers of this de- nomination visited Bowling Green. Rev. John Crom being the pioneer in the work. Societies were organized east, west and south of the village, as related in the sketches of the United Brethren in Christ of Beaver Creek, Center and Portage. and to these societies the modern Moravians of this town belonged. In 1880, the local class was sufficiently strong to build a house of wor- ship: the trustees selected a lot on the northeast corner of Court and Suminit streets, and by the close of the year a brick house, 60x42 feet in area, was completed at a cost of $5. 000 for house and lot. Rev. J. M. Crim was the active spirit in beginning this enterprise, but Rev. J. P. Lea was the pastor during the finishing period and at time of dedication. In 1893. the house was Ic- modelled and enlarged at a cost of $4,000. In 1890, Rev. J. W. Hicks suggested the building of a parsonage, and the present house resulted. the cost being $1, Soo. The growth of the so- ciety was slow for many years, but. since isgo. it has been rapid, the membership, at the close of 1895, being 450, while G. A. Smith presides over a large and flourishing Sunday-school. The pastors who have served this Church from IS;4 to the present time, are named as follows: Rev. J. Long, 1874; E. B. Mower, 1875: O. E. Ran- sey. 1876: L. Martain, 1878; J. M. Crir. IS;S; J. P. Lea, 1879; J. W. Eastman, ISS2; H. Doty, 1883: J. E. Hill, 1884; A. B. Leonard. 1885; J. W. Hicks, 1888; H. Doty, 1891. an l ]. H. Arnold. 1895.

The Church of Christ, though little over it teen years old, is one of the prosperous religiais societies of the town. There were 225 members enrolled on January 1. 1896, who subscribed $1. 868. 19 for the sidereal year :895. Nineteen

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. of the number paid more than their assessment, 102 paid the assessment, forty-eight paid a por- tion of their dues, and fifty-eight took no notice of the financial part of their duty as members. The figures are taken from Secretary Horn's report made January 1, 1896. While the title given above is the legal one, though in the Eastern States the followers of Alexander Campbell are generally known as " Disciples " and in the West- ern States as "Christians." The society was organized in 1882, by J. V. Updike, with fourteen members. The lot fronting on Main street, and the old Methodist building of 1847, which stood thereon, were purchased from the Congregation- alists in 1882, and the house was used for pur- poses of worship until 1890, when Daniel Mercer bought and removed it to his property. The present commodious building was erected on its site in 1890.

The First Congregational Church of Bowling Green elected trustees, January 13, 1868, and filed articles of association. N. A. Noble, Philander Raymond and N. L. Badger were the trustees; William Irons, at whose house the meeting was held, presided. In 1869 the trustees purchased the old Methodist building, and secured the serv- ices of Charles Irons as preacher; but within thirteen years they sold the building to the Dis- ciples, and disbanded in 1882 or ISS3.

The Seventh Day Adventists of Bowling Green signed articles of association March 6, 1879, and elected J. B. Craw, R. A. Boardman and H. H. Van Camp, trustees. The society struggled along for a short period, but left the field to the older organization, a few miles north- ward. The Free Methodist, Free-Will Baptist, Church of God, and a few other earnest sects also appeared here.

CEMETERIES.

The old cemetery of Bowling Green, which now may be called its own caretaker, was donated to the settlement by Robert Barr. Prior to its establishment, two children of Presley Walker were buried on the dune or ridge. After being set apart for burial purposes, the wife of Robert Barr was interred in the sand, and next, Robert Barr, himself. Margaret Arbuckle was the third person buried there. In 1891, while the transfer of the remains of the dead was in progress, her skel- eton was found intact, with a part of the long hair well preserved. --

The headstones now standing in the old cem- etery tell the following tales of those who were interred there prior to 1850: Elisha Morse, 1834; Mary Wilson, 1837; Rev. I. Van Tassel, March 2,

1849; Mary Gatehouse, 1848: Joseph Hollington, 1847: Anna Sage, Roswell Sage and Mary C. Powell, 1848; Van R. Smith, 1849; James Smith and C. O. Stacy, 1846; T. Osgood, 1848: Lydia Wood, Julia Fay and Maranda Fay, 1849.

In 1872, the newspapers agitated the question of a new cemetery, and the agitation was success- ful. Prior to April 23, 1888, a report to the council shows that nine bodies were removed from the old cemetery down to that date. The new burial ground is modern in its landscape gardening and its monuments, Many of the stone and bronze reminders of the dead are art works of which many an older and more populous community in Ohio might well be proud.

MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES.

Bowling Green of the "Forties " and " Fif- ties " had its quiet social as well as its quiet busi- ness character. The Masonic lodge, the Know- nothing council, the churches, the Lyceum. the Sunday-school and band were really social organi- zations, designed to gratify the social demands of the inhabitants. The first brass band organized was that of which Edward Gossett, the tavern- keeper, was leader and instructor, until Guido Marx, of the Neiblung settlement, was employed as instructor, late in the " forties." Nathan Moore, now of Toledo; J. D. Smith, Miles Deshler, E. Winchester and S. W. St. John were the first and principal musicians. In later years W. R. Peck was known as leader. Smith was the collector of airs, who would whistle what he heard for Ed Gossett. Gossett would write it out, and give each performer his part. In 1855, when the cornetist, Nathan Moore, moved away, the organization fell to pieces. Since that time various brass bands have come and gone: orchestras, too, with singing societies, literary societies, choirs, etc., have appeared and dis- appeared; but amid all the changes, the progress of such associations has been like that of the city, so that to-day it is difficult to pick out an adult atom of the population who does not belong to a religions, secret, benevolent, musical or literary society.

Wood County Lodge, No. 112, F. & A. M .. may be said to date back to 1842, when Morris Brown, a teacher. farmer and man-of-al !- work, called the Masous of this county to ineet at the Mission farm. in Middleton township, for the purpose of organizing a lo ige of Masoons. . 1 year later, on June 7, 1843, the lodge was organ- ized under dispensation, granted April 20 In October following the charter was granted to Martin Warner, David Maginnis, Sr., Sylvanus

....

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Hatch, Emilius Wood, Morris McMillen, Jairus Curtis, Morris Brown and Leonard Pierce, and the place of meeting fixed at Wood's log cabin, near the present village of Tontogany. In 1849, the lodge was moved to Selkirk's Corners, near the Klopfenstein residence in the S. E. corner of Bowling Green; but in 1854, a room was rented in the George H. Thomas, or old hotel building. on Main and Wooster streets, at $10 a year. A few years later, meetings were held in the J. V. Owen building, where is now the Boston store, and in 1870 in the Rogers & Manville brick building. The membership in August, 1894, was 131. The worshipful masters of No. 112, from 1843 to 1895. are named as follows: Jairus Curtis, 1843; Emi- lius Wood, 1847, 1848, and 1855: Morrison Mc- Millen, 1849; William R. Peck, 1850 to close of 1854; J. Ralston, 1856; M. B. Tracy, 1858; L. F. Dubbs, 1860 to December, 1862, and 1864 to December, 1866, and in 1871; James M. Lamb, 1863; S. L. Boughton, 1867 to December, 1873, and 1877 to December, 1878, and 1884 to Decem- ber, 1885; John H. LeGalley, 1874 to Decem- ber, 1876, and IS& I to December, 1882, and ISSS;

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Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc. V. 1, Part 49

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) cn; J.H. Beers & Co. cn Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1060

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) cn; J.H. Beers & Co. cn
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1060