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 50

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 50

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).

J. D. Bolles, 1879 to December, 18So, and 1886 to December, 1887: Guy C. Nearing, 1883; F. M. Young, 1891, and D. E. Niver, 1889 to December, 1890, and 1895; James M. Cunning, IS92-93; M. Munn, 1894. The secretaries were Sylvanus Hatch. IS43; Samuel Clark, Jr., IS48; A. J. Lamb, 1849; J. Bloom, 1851 to Decem- ber, 1853, 1863, 1865 to December, 1870, and IS73; H. Shively, 1854; Isaiah W. Norton, 1856; S. L. Boughton, 1857; J. Taylor, 1858; W. R. Peck, 1859; William Carothers, 1861: G. Z. Avery, 1862; M. D. L. Buell, 1864; W. M. Leaming, 1871-72, and 1874-75 and '76; J. C. Lincoln, 1877; G. C. Nearing, 1878-79; A. D. Stewart, ISSO; John R. Hankey, 1881; George W. Hill, 1882 to December, 1884; J. W. Sleppy, 1885 to July 15; C. Erskine, 1885 to December, 1887; B. F. James, 1888; A. M. Russell, 1889; W. R. Noyes, IS90; J. H. Watson, 1891 to De- cember, 1894, and Alexander Williamson, 1895.

Crystal Chapter, No. 157, R. A. M., was chartered September 12, 1889, with the following named members: J. W. Canary, A. M. Russell, Geo. M. Brown, 33d degree; J. M. Cnnning, S. L. Boughton, B. R. Taber, N. R. Harrington, Thomas N. Bierly and Frank Powell. J. W. Canary, the first high-priest, was succeeded in January, 1891, by A. M. Russell, and he in Jan- uary, 1892, by J. D. Bolles. I. M. Cunning, the first secretary, was succeeded in January, 1891, by Guy C. Nearing, who retired in January, 1892. when the present incumbent, Thomas F. Conley,

was installed. Dr. Taber, who died in 1891, was a 33d degree Mason; the other member of that degree received it at Columbus the night before he was to officiate at the hanging of a criminal from this county. The membership of the chap- ter, at the close of August, 1895, was sixty-six. The older chapter, referred to in the history of Perrysburg, was removed to Toledo in 1846. so that for about forty-three years the R. A. M. had no organization in this county, though it claimed a few members.

Centennial Lodge, No. 626. I. O. O. F., was chartered June 6, 1876, with the following named members: George J. White (1), P. M. Ford (2 . Geo :- H. Houck (8 and A); William Goit 3 .. (treasurer, D. H. Richards, not a charter mem :- ber), H. H. Callin, A. W. Rudulph (4 and B ; (O. G. Samuel Slocum not a charter memberi. Chris. Lehman (13), R. S. Lease, A. E. Royce. C. P. Fox, M. (L .- S .- V .- G., J. D. Pike, not a charter member), W. J. Campbell, W. R. Noyes (5) and R. M. Culver (C), officers in lodge rank from N. G. to chaplain, with E. H. Selkirk. S. P. Harrison, J. W. English. Joseph Buttneff. Fred. Wittmer, Charles Noyes, B. A. Williams, George Wolf and Edson Goit, Sr. The past grands in the order of election and in good standing are those after whose names the numerals stand above, with J. C. Lincoln (6); F. B. Roath ; and D); Guy C. Nearing (9 and F): A. H. Boardman (10 and E.); J. R. Hankey ( 11 and J); J. S. McClelland (12 and K); F. A. Bald- win (14 and N); H. G. Hixon (15 and L : R. S. Parker (16 and P); D. J. Cargo (17 and R : Jay Simons (18 and S); J. P. Marshall (19 and T); Wilbur Simons (20 and U); M. L. Case '2I and V); G. S. J. Brown (22 and W); J. W. Underwood (23 and \); Ira C. Taber (24 ; C. G. McCauley (25 and Z): W. H. Smith (26): Geo. W. Fearnside (27); J. B. Miller (28): J. B. New- ton (29 and G. ); H. H. Reid (30): W. W. Hart- man (31); R. B. Moore (32): C. T. Wallace : 33 : S. S. Hopkins (34); and J. G. Ralston (35 . The past grands admitted by card are T. C. Reid, I. R. Lundy, George Cessna, E. W. Poe. D. E. Prosser, J. C. Monks, E. A. Bernard and M. A. McKendree. There have been thirty-five incum- bents of the secretary's office down to September. 1895. The members named above, after whose names letters are placed. served in alphabetical order, J. P. Latsliaw being the 8th, S. A. Brown the 9th, S. P. Harrison the 15th, J. A. Noble the 17th, and A. O. Saylor the 25th incumbent. Since the close of C. G. McCauley's term. as the 26th secretary, G. W. Fearnside. J. B. Miller. H. H. Reid, J. J. Devlin, R. B. Moore. J. W.

230

WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.

Underwood, C. T. Pope and W. B. Thomas have filled the office. In January, 1896, D. Pugh was installed as noble grand, and William Lehman, recording secretary. Robert Minear, W. B. Thomas, J. Simons and J. Underwood were elected officers of the lodge at that time.

Green Encampment, I. O. O. F., instituted June 14, 1877, was named in honor of the spot so called by General Hull in his march toward Detroit. R. W. McMahan was C. P .; A. W. Rudulph, H. P .; A. J. Orme, S. W .; J. C. Lincoln, J. W .; T. C. Reid, scribe; and G. M. Brown, treasurer. The encampment, known in the charter as No. 210, is a powerful organiza- tion, recruited from Centennial Lodge.

Rebekah Lodge, No. 382, was chartered August 11, 1893, the following ladies being among the members: Sattie Hankey, Mary Hopkins, Allie Hartman, Anna Marshall, Flora Hopkins, Marie Wittmer and Hattie Parmenter. There were six male members. The office of noble grand was held by Sattie Hankey from August, 1893, to July, 1894; Hattie Parmenter to Jan- uary, 1895; Altie De Riar, to July, 1895; and Hattie Cargo to January, 1896. The secretary- ship was held by R. B. Moore, from organization to September 27, 1893. Altie De Riar, Hattie Cargo, Cora Avery, and Kate Bever, followed in the order given, Mrs. Bever being the secretary at the close of 1895. The financial secretaries have been Marie Wittmer and Mrs. G. C. Nearing. There were ninety-six members enrolled on Sep- tember 18, 1896, and the lodge was altogether flourishing.

Washington Camp, No. 19, P. O. S. of A., is in a measure a revival of the Council of 1854, with the same patriotic and personal motives, but wanting in the political influence of the old Council. It was organized April 11, 1892, and chartered June 13, that year. M. S. Davenport was the first president, W. M. Coller, the second, followed by Abel Comstock, C. C. Potter, N. R. Harrington, L. W. Coy and Henry I. Deel, the councillor-in-chief at the close of 1895; re-elected in January, 1896, and now presiding. H. B. Brooks, the financial secretary, and N. R. Bar- rackman, the recording secretary, were also re- elected, with A. M. Neifer, treasurer; W. . A. Keys, vice president; H. A. Stacy. M. of F .; W. A. Moore, conductor; E. L. Kitchen, inspector; F. Beebe, guard; Otis Mollencup, Geo. Hannon, Ray Ketchum and Leroy Chase, sentinels. They, with about sixty-seven other patriots, were mem- bers on September 14, 1895.

Royal Arcanum, Wood Council, No. 204, was chartered November 13. 1879, with the following 1

named members: J. R. Swiggert (1, F. B. Roath. A. E. Royce, R. W. McMahan @. R. S. Parker (7), F. H. Boughton (4), E. W. Merry. George W. Hill (6), H. C. Frederick, R. C. Kin- ney, George W. Gaghan, B. R. Taber, George J. White, Irvin A. Noble, I. L. Hankey, Jolin R. Hankey (5), J. D. Bolles (3), W. Curry, Frank A. Baldwin, F. Von Kanel, G. H. Hanck and M. A. Faws. The members who served as re- gents are denoted by the numerals in the order of election, the regent in September, 1895, being John W. Canary. The office of secretary was held first by M. A. Faws, next by F. A. Bald- win, then by Nos. 7, 4, 5, I and 3, as given above, as well as by Ira C. Taber, C. E. Hunter and J. M. Cunning. F. B. Roath, the secretary in 1895, reported forty-two members on Septem- ber 1, 1895. The deaths reported are J. R. Swig- gert, 1890; F. Von Kanel, 1893; and Robert C. Kinney, 1895. To the heirs of each $3,000 were paid, in all $9,000 since 1879.

Kress Commandery, No. 204, Knights of St. John, is, as the title implies, a uniformed asso- ciation. While giving it a place here, among secret societies, its work is not secret in any particular. The uniform resembles that of the Knights Templar, while its governing principle or constitution is based on that of the Portugal or- der, founded after the interdict on the older chiv- alrous orders of the Church.

Wiley Post, No. 46, G. A. R., was named in honor of Enoch B. Wiley, a Pennsylvanian, who settled at Perrysburg in 1852, moved to Bowling Green in 1857, enlisted in Company C, 2Ist O. V. I., August 29, 1861. was wonnded at Stone River, December 31, 1862, and died January 5. 1863. The charter was issued to this Post April 8, 1881. The members named in the charter of April 8, 1881, are: W. R. Noyes, J. D. Bolles (1). J. A. Shannon, E. W. Merry, J. R. Hankey, C. W. Evers, A. Comstock (2), R. C. Kinney, M. S. Davenport, Oliver Goodman. H. C. Old- royd (6), George W. Callin (8), Daniel Coller, Milton Zimmerman, George W. Vail, F. E. Hammond, G. C. Nearing (+), T. J. Avery. W. Miller, A. K. Vail, A. T. Lathrop, J. Y. Pettys, D. L. Hixon, Henry G. Hixon, Lewis Wilbur, James Hughes, W. H. Wood, W. Cal- lahan, John H. Reid, H. Goodenough, A. J. Orme, Reason Bates, E. G. Wetmore, John Parker, E. Constable, Charles Decker, John Russell, James Russell, T. P. Howard, D. W. H. Day (3, R. Wallace, J. B. Newton (s . H. Terry, J .. C. Courtney, R. Van Tassel. Jantes W. English and William Wakefield. There were only fifty-three members in December, 1884 the

-4

... .....

231

WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.

post having lost three of its members by death and many by resignation of membership. Again, several soldiers whose names were on the peti- tion were not mustered in, so that the majority of the fifty-three comrades of 1884, were really new members. The commanders elected from the charter members are denoted by numbers in the above list, except J. N. Baker, the seventh, and J. W. Canary, the ninth in order of service. The position of adjutant has been held by A. Comstock, I. A. Noble, Theo. Alexander, A. S. Rush, C. T. Pope, G. C. Nearing, C. Finkbeiner, John Mclaughlin and James M. Cunning. There are seventy-two members.

Camp Ordway, No. 3, S. of I'., named after Hiram Ordway, of Company C, 2Ist O. V. I., who was killed at Jonesboro, Ga., August 31, 1864, was chartered November 19, 1882. The original members were E. W. Poe, E. E. Vail, C. W. Vail, John L. Yonker, L. L. Yonker, George Swigart, F. W. Strong, E. Barber, I. N. Burket, H. McCarty, William Bates, F. P. An- drews, D. Whetstone and George Rogers. E. W. Poe was captain until January, 1885, when L. L. Yonker was installed. There were thirty-five members at the close of December, 1884.

The Wood County Soldiers' and Sailors' As- sociation was presided over in 1884 by F. M. Young, with L. Black, secretary; J. R. Hankey, treasurer; and J. W. Thompson, chaplain.

The Ohio Division, Sons of Veterans, though organized at Toledo, January 8, 1883, may be considered a Wood county institution, because, on July 9, 1884, the headquarters were trans- ferred to Bowling Green, and a number of Wood county men elected State officers, E. W. Poe, W. B. Ayres, L. L. Yonker, I. N. Burket, H. L. Davis, G. A. Repass, C. E. Gregg and A. S. Muir, being among the number.

The Woman's Relief Corps, known as Wiley Relief Corps, No. 85, was organized May 26, 1885, and chartered two days later, with Malona Wiley ( 1), president; Josephine Wood and Rosa Comstock (4), vice-presidents; Georgia Black (A ). secretary; Emma Hankey, treasurer; Harriet Rush ( 5), chaplain; Asenith Hixson, conductor; and Stella Vail, guard. The unofficial members were Margaret Vail, Cora Potter, Julia M. Has- kins, Carcline Poe, Sarah C. Evers, Mary Case, Alice Gaghan, Martha Terry, Celestia Russeli, Mary Leet, Alice L. Noble, Caroline W. Merry, Mary Kramer ( D ), Mary McCarty ( 2 and 7 ). Jennie Cramer, Letitia Sullivan, Fannie Biggs, Clara Clough, Rebecca Hughs, Eliza Boughton. Hattie B. Young ( 8 and B ), Carrie Noyes, Alice Simons, Cleantha Walker, Mary Bordner, Rebecca

Alexander, Ada Thurstin, Emma Phelps, Jane Dapoy, Elsie Thomas, Martha Bates and Han- nah McCarty. Of the eight presidents the names of six are denoted in the list of charter members by the number after the name. Lucinda Lathrop, the third president, and Elvira Sears, the sixth, were not charter members. The secretaries have been Georgia Black, Hattie B. Young, Mary E. Hopkins, Mary Kramer and Sattie Hankey, while the present secretary is Hattie N. Lenhart. The membership, on September 13, 1895, was forty- three.

Kenneth Lodge. No. 158, K. of P., elected the following named officers in December, IS95: Master of work, C. C. Potter; chancellor, George Monroe; vice-chancellor, A. V. Powell; prelate, Milt L. Nelson; master at arms, W. B. Beach; master of finance, C. D. Yonker; master of ex- chequer, C. S. Rex; keeper of records and seals. Harry Fleishman; outside guard. Joe Strubbie: trustees, C. J. Finney, C. S. Rex and E. G. Doane; and representative, J. G. Starn.

Wood Camp, No. 16, Woodmen of the World, was presided over in 1895 by M. A. Ireland as C. C., with C. M. Foster, secretary. While the Camp is the senior of the K. O. T. M., as an organization, the membership is much smaller.

Tent No. 89, K. O. T. M., installed the fol- lowing named officers in January, 1895: H. B. Brooks, W. W. Mann, C. M. Foster, D. C Van- Voorhis, Owen Krum, H. Martindale, M. A. Mc- Kendree, William Nailor, William Dennis, E. C. Bailey and E. Levine. The charter was issued March 2, 1893, to twenty-seven members, among whom were R. F. Morrison, P. C .; M. A. Mc- Kendree. C .; H. C. Brown, R. K., and John Crane, F. K.

The Uniformed Rank, K. O. T. J., was or- ganized October 11, 1895, as Lincoln Division No. 7, and took at once a leading place among the uniformed societies of the county. The original members were S. W. Bolles, L. J. Bow- ers, W. P. Cobley, L. W. Coy, W. B. Eastwood. C. M. Foster, Jolin Gentelmen, E. J. Greenfield, A. Hill Lee, Ellis Levine, W. W. Mann, H. Neinan, S. Magill, Sam Reiss, N. A. McComb. H. M. Stacy, Paul Schneblin. . Tibbits, W. Vanbuskirk, Jacob Wolf, P. Kendall, F. B. Mc- Clung. D. D. Binkley and Sam Epstein. C. M. Foster was elected captain.

Hive, No. 10. I. O. T. M., was organized October 31, 1894, with the following named men .- bers: Cora E. Caldwell, Sarah Hankey, Florenc : Foster, Harriet Parmenter, Josephine R. Wood Alice M. Crom, Lydia McKendree, Eva Martin- dale, Maggie Cramer, Minnie M. Degg and Lo-

232

WOOD COUNTY, OIIIO.

rena Nailor, who were elected officers. The names are given in Hive rank from past com- mander to picket. The unofficial members were Cora Bailey, Almeda Beebe, Hattie Cargo, Alma Clark, W. Diffenbaugh, Marcia Dair, Almina Foster, Adele S. Hill, Rosa Klearer, Ida E. Lit- tle, Emma Mineer, Cora Monroe, Nettie Nieman, Fannie Reiss, Martha and Sarah Terry. Belle Biggs, Carrie Hughes, and one or two others. The present secretary, Josephine R. Wood, re- ported fifty-four members in September, 1895.

Crystal Chapter, No. 140, National Union, was chartered August 24, 1889, with the follow- ing named members: B. L. Abbott, C. E. Abbott, W. S. Catterman, A. M. Chapman, E. G. Doane, C. E. Hunter, A. B. Leonard, J. W. LeGalley, H. S. McBride, Charles Miller, J. P. Marshall, C. C. Potter, M. A. Repass. C. R. Cook and L. T. VanTassel. R. B. Moore, the first president, was succeeded by B. L. Abbott, who was serving in September, 1895. J. W. LeGalley, the first secretary, was succeeded by E. G. Doane. There were thirty-eight members reported in September, 1895.

The Women's Christian Temperance Union was organized May 7, 1881, by Josephine Mar- lett. Mrs. Mary McFarland, was elected presi- dent, and Mrs. Jennie Cramer, first secretary,

while the first members included the officers named, with Mesdames Austin Taft. A. Van Tas- sel, D. D. Ames, Lucy Shannon, Adeliza Kim- berlin, Rebecca Kane, Julia Hogkins, M. Wig- gins, Josephine R. Wood, and a few others. The recruits have been numerous, but to name all is out of the question. The union has worked with zeal in the temperance cause. At one time these women drove the council to adopt the local option clause of the Dow law. They labored well in the interest of the Clark School Suffrage bill. sending to the House a petition signed by 600 per- sons. A like number was signed to the petition for the Haskell bill. There are now fifty mem- bers who prosecute the work of the union vig- orously. Mrs. A. M. Housel, the late secretary, was succeeded in 1896 by Mrs. M. George; Mrs. Rose Carothers was elected president, and Mrs. J. Y. Housel, treasurer.

Bowling Green Division, No. 554, Sons of Temperance, was organized January 22, 1849. with W. H. Seely, Thomas Jolly, L. C. Lock, James R. Tracy, Peter Klopfenstein, Lee Moore, James Lamb, Nathan Moore, H. L. Burr and E. D. Winchester, officers in divison rank.

Other secret and benevolent societies were organized here, but, owing to their multiplicity, all could not survive.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

BLOOM TOWNSHIP.

INTRODUCTORY-TOPOGRAPHY-POPULATION-PIONEERS AND FIRST SETTLERS-THE STRAY CHILD -- FIRST LAND BUYERS - MALE RESIDENTS, 1839 - AN OLD CEMETERY - ORGANIZATION. NAMING OF TOWNSHIP, AND FIRST ELECTION-TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS-EARLY SCHOOLS-MILLS. ETC .- BLOOM TOWNSHIP THIRTY YEARS AGO-VILLAGES ; BLOOMDALE-BAIRDSTOWN-CYG. NET-JERRY CITY.

T HE history of this township begins in 1831, | when the first lands were purchased by Henry Copus and James Archer, while yet it formed a part of the Indian hunting- ground. Within two years the pioneers came into the wilderness, cleared a few small tracts in the forest, and made the nucleus round which Civilization made her rude beginnings here. The exterior lines were surveyed in 1819, by Alex. and Samuel Holmes, and the sections, in 1821. by S. Bourne.

The Portage river claims two, at least, of its

principal feeders in the western half of Bloom, while a third feeder flows north through Perry township, close to and almost parallel with the east township line. The ridge which crosses the southern half of the township, from east to west. though decidedly sandy in composition, forms a most pleasant feature in the landscape, and is to-day selected by many of the leading agri- culturists as the site for their modern homes.

The population, in 1840, was 437. increased to 1, 394 by: 1870, and to 3, 334 by 1890.

Bloom was among the last of the townships

-------

233

WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.

of Wood county to receive its first contingent of pioneers. To-day it ranks among the first in agricultural wealth. The pioneers found it almost as uninviting as any portion of the Black Swamp, but many of them lived to see it one of the fairest parts of Ohio. Within the last forty years the drainage system has been extended to all its sections, the wild land has been tamed, and a township rich in predial wealth, and richer still in the industrial character of its inhabitants, has grown up to reward the laborers.

The story of the first settlers was written, in 186; or 1868, by W. S. Richard, and from it the following- paragraph is taken, with which to begin the township's history:

In the winter of the year 1833, Jacob Leathers, in com- pany with his brother John, jonathan Hay, John Kiser and George Swayne, left Wayne county, Ohio, to visit Bloom township for the purpose of selecting a location for future homes. They had one horse, which served as pack-horse for the conveyance of food for themselves and feed for the ani- mal. They traveled west until they succeeded in reaching Fostoria, then called and known as Rome and Risdon, where they employed Dr. Gossage's father as a guide to conduct them on their way. They passed through Perry township, west into Bloom. On the first night after they left Rome and Risdon, they encamped on the east side of a stream in Perry township, near where Samuel Spitler resided, in 1868. They built up a large fire, preparatory to eating their supper, which consisted of corn bread, a little pork and some raw turnip. After the meal for the evening was dispatched, preparation for lodging was commenced. Their bed con- sisted of a large number of brush thrown down upon the ground, which served as their "chaff-tick." They continued prospecting for land until they reached Sections 32 and 33, Bloom, where they concluded to locate. The sun again ap- proached the meridian, and their appetites again craved something to eat. Each now rifled his pockets for the cooked or roasted potatoes, when, to their astonishment, they found them so completely frozen as to render them unfit for use. They were now compelled to do without food until they again emerged from the thick forest into which they had wound themselves. The company now started for Rome, en route to Bucyrus, where the land office was then located, to enter the land which they had selected. They now began to arrange their matters to move to the township in the spring of 1833. They stored some wheat at the Sandusky mills, which was to supply their wants until the forest could be made to yield a crop. On April 3, 1833, Jacob Leathers and his wife, in company with his brother John and his wife and one child, landed on Section 23. They unloaded their goods under a large oak tree, which was standing in 1868, their teams consisting of three Horses and two yoke of oxen, all attached to one wagon. They were the only white in- habitants in the township. Indians then infested the woods, who were in pursuit of game. Leathers and brother occu- pied a small shanty, built by the Indians, for several days, and until a hut could be constructed, similar in shape to the common sugar house, built in this country. William, son of Jacob and Polly Leathers, born March 6, 1834, is said to have been the first Caucasian child born here. On April 9, 1-90, Jonathan Have arrived and settled on the farm now owned by George Black, formerly John Baird's farm.

Soon after the arrival of these settlers, Leathers was considerably alarmed by a number of Indians calling on him one day to accompany them into the woods. The Indians were accus- tomed to pass through this section of country in

traveling from Upper Sandosky to the Maumee river, and on this occasion had lost the trail. They requested Leathers to assist them in again finding the path, but keeping him entirely ignor- ant of their design. The affair created consid- erable suspicion, and no small degree of uneasi- ness, in the mind of Mrs. Leathers. . Yet she said nothing against her husband accompanying the red faces. Finally they succeeded in finding the path or trail, when a loud "whoop" from one of the number was given, which was answered by a general yell. They now began to collect together, until some fifty or more were grouped. They bade adieu to Leathers, thanking him, and again. proceeded on their journey.

In October, 1833, Daniel and Matthias Rob- bins, with their families, appeared in the forest, and the advance guard of Bloom's pioneers began their work.

On May 4. 1834, when Mahlon Whitacre arrived, he found Henry Smart living one and one-half miles west of Bairdstown. Henry Copus. who bought on Sec. 31, and James Archer, who bought his land on Sec. 30. in 1831, settled here in January, 1834, together with the pioneers al- ready named, and Samuel Heller, whose cabin was on Sec. 19. Swayne, it is said, selected land in Perry township, not coming here until about 1836. Shortly after that, Swayne was caught under a falling tree, and his leg so crushed that amputation was necessary. [Vide History of Montgomery township. ] Kiser also settled in Perry, and one or two others who came into the township selected lands in other parts of the county.

On May 25, 1834, Frederick Frankfather. wife and seven children set out from Columbiana county to seek a home here. On June rx the party arrived at Jonathan Hay's house, and the day after the male members began to cut a road from that point to Bloom Center. On the 13th the party moved forward two miles, where a hovel, fourteen feet square, was erected. On the 23d rain set iu, and continued for fifteen days. converting the district into a lake.

Ora Baird, wife and two children arrived. in September, 1834, at a point one mile south of Eagleville. There he got out logs for a cabin. which, with the help of the Leathers and others. he raised shortly after

The Stray Child .- The story of the loss of the Frankfather child is one which has retaine i its interest for over sixty years. On October 25. 1835, Frederick Frankfather and the older met :- bers of the family walked to Jonathan Hay'- house to hear preaching. leaving the younge:

231

WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.

children engaged in gathering and cracking hick- ory nuts near the cabin. One of the children, Mary, then four and a half years old, wandered to a shell-bark hickory in the woods. Toward evening her brother Jaines, then fifteen years old, called the name of the little one, but an older sister answered. A search was at once in- stituted, which was continued throughout the night, and on the 26th. On the 27th thirty men from Van Buren joined the searchers. The hem of the child's dress was found a mile northwest of Bloom Center. On the eighth day between 500 and 600 searchers were out, marching in regular order. They camped six miles north of the center of Bloom, but the father returned to his home, to seek rest that night and prepare for the morrow. At 9 o'clock, the same evening, Samuel Heller brought the news of a child's track being discovered near Hull's encampment, by a man who was going into Hancock county. The searchers turned next morning in that direc- tion, found the track, but dispersed that night. On the eleventh day a new company of search- ers met the father at Ross' tavern, where he learned that Clark and two other men found the child in the woods of Milton Center. They thought she was a little Indian, gave her some cake and told her to go to camp; but she fol- lowed the men until she came to a trail, leading to John Dubbs' cabin. Following it she came to a clearing where an employe of Dubbs was chop- ping, and thinking it was her brother, Jacob, ad- vanced toward him cautiously. Seeing that it was not her brother, she was about returning, when two little girls who were with the chopper perceived the stranger. The workman had heard of the lost child that morning, and told the finders not to give her much food. At 5 o'clock the same evening her father, with Mahlon and Edward Whitacre, arrived at the Dubbs cabin, found the child, and returned that night to Mahlon Whit- acre's. On the morning of the twelfth day Frankfather brought the child home. "Tip, the dog which accompanied her, is supposed to have been killed by wolves on the night of the tenth day, when the child reinembers seeing a burning log fall and the dog running away. Mary married George Hiser, of San- dusky county, with whom she moved to Texas, where she died in 1861, leaving five female children and her husband to tell the details of her life.

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.

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 50

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