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 70
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TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS
Trustees .-- The trustees' journal, fromn i835 to recent times, is gone, like the records of many of the townships. From documents in Auditor Gaghan's office, and other authentic sources, the following names were obtained:
1835 -Michael Mogle, Abraham Logan, Guy Morgan and John A. Kelley, rice Logan.
1836 -- John G. Willard, Theodore G. Frisbie, Guy Morgan. 1837 -- Michael Walters, Jacob Kinnaman, Guy Morgan.
1838-1844 (inclusive, no record or document.)
1845-Buckley Spink, Asa Adams, Michael Waiters. 1846-48 (inclusive, no record or document.)
1849 -- Buckley Spink, Wilson Holcomb, John Vosburg.
1850-Thomas S. Carman, Wilson Holcomb. John Vosburg.
1851- - Michael Walters, Hiram Brakeman (no record). 1852 -- Henry Buchtel, William Chapman (no record).
1853-54 -Henry Buchtel, A. Bair, John Adams.
1855 --- P. W. Hathaway, W. Huffman, Henry Buchtel.
1856-57 -- Henry Buchtel, G. W. Adams, P. W. Hathaway.
1858-G. B. Hedge, G. W. Adams, J. B. Lockhart.
1859 -G. B. Hedge, G. W. Adams, J. B. Lockhart.
1860 -Hiram Brakeman, G. W. Adams, J. B. Lockhart.
1861 -- P. W. Hathaway, G. W. Adams, J. B. Lockhart. 1862 -- John Bair. John Long. F. Ormsby.
1863-William McCormick, A. Hyter, C. L. Hoiles.
1864 -- F. Ormsby. A. Hyter, C. 1 .. Hoiles.
1865-W. R. Van Voorhis, J. W. Lawhead, Thomas Brown. 1867 -- Michael Bordner, Jacob Stahl, John Reed.
1869-James Caskie, William Chier. S. Morgan.
1870- James Caskie, G. H. Feasel, William Chler.
1871- - James Caskie, G. H. Feasel. Thomas Brown.
1872 - H. C. Bacon, G. Bierly, Andrew Peebles. 1873 -- Ezekiel Rice, G. Bierly. A. J. Foster.
1874- Charles Jacobs, A. J. Bates, Stanley Morgan.
1875 Conrad Sheffer, W. Brown. Stanley Morgan.
1876- Conrad Sheffer, W. Brown, Stanley Morgan
1877 -Conrad Sheffer, W. H. Kiger, Nelson Wolcott.
1878 -- Stanley Morgan, B. B. Hoiles, Abraham Shoe.
1879 -- R. W. Kelly, D. Knisely, Conrad Shefler.
1880 -- D. Knisely. W. Peterson, C. Shefler. 1881- B. B. Hoiles, O. Diver, D. Knisely.
1882-J. W. Carter, H. N. Van Voorhis, D. Knisely.
1883 -T. W. Carter, A. Hyter, O. A. Diver.
1884 -- J. R. Vaneise, H. N. Van Voorhis, A. Hyter.
1885-J. R. Vaneise, H. N. Van Voorhis. W. W. Long.
1886-James Caskie, Conrad Shefler, W. W. Long.
In 1887 A. A. Stump was elected: in 1888. Frank M. Heminger: and in 1889, William H. Bates. The three trustees named served until April, 1893, when F. Fairbank was elected, vics Stump. G. M. Palmer was elected in 1894, and C. F. Wollam in 1895. The trustees in 1896 were George M. Palmer, F. Fairbank and C. F. Wollam.
Justices .- The justices elected were Guy Morgan and John A. Kelly, who qualified in De- cember, 1835: Guy Morgan, 1838-41; Michael Brackley, 1858; Wilson Holcomb, 1839: T. G. Frisbie, 1842 to 1848; John A. Kelly, 1842 to 1858; W. R. Bryant, 1850 53; Samuel Bacon. 1856 to 1862; Ezra Morgan, 1857: J. S. Stan- ton, 1859-62; Jonathan Stanton, 1859; James F. Chilcote, 1865. Edwin R. Sage, 1865 to 1874:
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Frederick Bowers, 1868; G. B. Hedge, 1868; Thomas Brown, 1871; Elisha Biggerstaff, 1874; S. A. Angus, 1877; John W. Blessing, 1877, re- signed in 1878; M. C. Mowen, 1878; Charles J. Sage, 1880-83; J. Haskel, 1881 ; John Edmonds, 1884-87; W. S. Sutliff, 1885-88; Stephen A. Angus, 1886 and 1895; O. A. Diver, 1889; George C. Shefler, 1891; Jonathan E. Ladd, IS90-93: Joseph Goudy, 1890, resigned in 1891; Osman A. Diver, 1892; M. C. Mowen, 1894; S. A. Angus, 1895; A. A. Stump, 1896.
Clerks .- The office of township clerk has been filled by the following-named citizens: Michael Brackley, 1835; T. G. Frisbie, 1839-48: Arnold A. Moon, 1848; A. Lansdale, 1851; S. Yant, 1856; T. G. Frisbie, 1857; C. W. Marvin, 1858; A. Lansdale, 1859; E. R. Sage, 1860; A. A. Jellison, 1862; J. B. Lockhart, 1863; James Lin- coln, 1864; L. F. Chilcote, 1865; James T. Yant, 1867; T. G. Frisbie, 1869: J. B. Lock- Hart, 1870, S. A. Angus, 1874; L. Edgar, 1876, WV. Hamilton, 1877; L. Edgar. 1878; J. B. Lockhart, 1879; C. J. Sage, 1880: C. Yost, 1883; George M. Palmer, 1884; O. N. Bryant, 1887; Eugene West, 1890; and A. F. Basey, appointed September, 1892; Charles S. Sage, elected in 1894, was re-elected in 1896.
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Treasurers .-- The treasurer's office was first held by John Shuman, elected in 1835. He was followed by Michael Walters, 1836: Henry Buch- tel, 1837; A. Adams, in 1840; John D. Bailey held the office down to 1845; W. Holcomb, 1845; and E. R. Sage, 1849-59. The records are wanting from 1860 to 1874. Since 1875 the fol- lowing named have filled the office: S. E. Til- ton, 1875; Milton Asliley, 1876; S. A. Angus, 1877; W. Hamilton, 1880; H. L. Hathaway, 1882; S. J. Dern, 1887; O. A. Diver, 1894; H. L .. Hathaway, 1895-96.
Assessors .-- Among the first assessors were Thomas J. Carman, elected in 1842, and John Stephens, in 1844. In 1895, J. W. Coy. J. W. Huffman and Charles Sheffler were elected asses- sors. In 1896, John Harman, Daniel Stahl and Adam Klotz were elected to that office.
Constables .- In 1896, the constables were Robert Edgar, H. B. Bierly and William Black- man.
School Directors. - In 1896, the school direct- ors were George K. Daily, Henry Wensel, Will- iam H. Kiger, Daniel Knisely, Noah Rinebolt, and George H. Feasel.
Pioneers .- John A. Kelly was the first settler of Montgomery. He landed on his homestead
on the 19th day of June, 1832. Mrs. Emily P. Carter, writing in 1886 on this subject, said:
He brought with him a man named Henry Sapp, tohelp, dig a well and cut timber for the house- a double round-log cabin with a fire place in each end made of clay mud and sticks --- mud stuck together or held together with grass. Sapp worked for him forty days, and Kelly deeded him forty acres of land in payment thereof --- an acre for each day's work. The same land Reason Kelly has since bought and paid $60 per acre for it. It is now the home of Cyrus Kelly, grand- son of John A. Kelly. The pioneer went eighteen miles, and got fourteen men to come and help him raise the logs for the cabin. They came in the morning of one day, and re- mained until the next afternoon. Almost the first thing they undertook to do was to dig a well. They dag fourteen feet and struck hard-pan; after that they could only dig six inches a day, but they persevered until the well was twenty- five feet deep, when they came to the rock, and in this wet, swampy country got only a meagre supply of water. The first meetings held in the township were held in Kelly's house by Revs. Dresser and Harlow Hill. Joseph Asbaugh. an early settler, found a bee tree, and, as was the custoni, proceeded to cat it down. When it fell he discovered it con- tained a swarm of bees, two coons and three bears-a prolific tree and verily " a happy family," which it seemed a great pity to disturb -- but he captured the honey. the coons and one bear. Game of all kinds was plenty, and fish so abund- ant that when Kelly was coming here, as he rode through the east branch of the Portage river, his horse stepped on and killed several large pickerel. The Indians would fre- quently come to eat, and would pay at the rate of a shilling a meal. One day several came and sat down to eat while Mrs. Kelly fried corn-fritters. They always ate hearty: but this day they seemed ravenous, for the cakes disappeared by the pan full. She mixed another mess, but still the Indians did not appear satisfied, and the mystery was only solved when she discovered by the grease dripping down onto the floor that one of the squaws had a large quantity stowed away in the folds of her blanket.
The marriage of John Shuman and Catharine Brackley is said to have been the first event of that kind in the town- ship.
In Harlow Hill's reminiscences of his coming here in 1832, he speaks of his three-montlis' stay in Seneca county; of Charles Foster's little store at Fostoria; of McCormick's cabin. and of his reception by John A. Kelly in October of that year. In January, 1833. he built his cabin; in March, Morgan located a mile and a half south: then came Michael Brackley, to a point a half mile northward: and then, Charles Smith, Abra- ham Shoe began work on his cabin April 21, 1835. About the same time, the Divers came, while, on the site of Bradner, Freeport, Rochester, Royal- ton and other villages, the pioneers, referred to in the history of such villages, made their homes.
A. McBurney, the first white man who died in this township, came from Ireland in 1775 to aid the Revolutionists, and served in the Conti- nental army to the close of the war. A. J. Brooks believes that the old soldier died in 1837.
Michael Mogle's wife, the first woman who died within the township lines, was buried near McBurney, on Chestnut Ridge.
Rodney Beets was the first Disciple preacher: but Moses Bonham was the first to organize a
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class of that denomination here. In 1840, the Methodists held their first quarterly meeting in Frisbie's gristmill, at Freeport.
First Resident Land Buyers .- The following names, descriptions and dates are taken from the transcript of original entries, to show the order in which the pioneers made their purchases from the United States:
David Hanline, E. N. E. K S. 1, April G, 1834. john Hamilton, S. W. S. E. S. 2, May 11, 1835. John Stephens, pt. of S. E. S. 2, Nov. 10, 1835. G. H. Hathaway, S. W. 14 S. 2, Dec. 19, 1835.
John Segel, S. S. W. S. 3, April 1, 1836.
+ Jesse Stone, N. W. S. 3, April 5, 1836. Alex. McConnell, S. W. N. E. S. 3, taxed in 1853. Guy Morgan, E. S. E. S. 5, Oct. 30, 1833. Francis Smith, E. N. W. S. 5, Nov. 6, 1833. Daniel Hemminger, S. W. N. W. S. 5, May 6, 1837. John P. Bradner, pt. S. E. K S. 6, Nov. 16, 1837. Reuben Bierly, S. W. of S. W. S. 6, Nov. 23, 1838. Philip Shroyer, N. E. { S. ? , taxed in 1854. Harlow Hill, W. S. E. S. 8, Oct. 12, 1833. Anthony Brackley, E. N. E. S. 8, Nov. 20, 1833. Philip Siffert, S. E. of S. 10, Sept. 16, 1833.
Michael Bordner, pts. of S. W. and N. W. 4 S. 10, Jan. 11, 1836. David Hanline, N. S. E. S. 11, Aug. 17, 1833.
Simeon and Dan. Edmonds, W. of N. E. and N. W. S. 12, Nov. 16, 1833.
Henry Myers, W. S. E. S. 12, July 5, 1834.
Henry Myers, N. E. S. 13, Sept. 13, 1833.
Michael Mogle, Jr., N. N. W. S. 14, June 27, 1833. Nathan Wightman, S. S. E. S. 14, Dec. 12. 1833. Seth B. Frisbie, pt. N. W. S. 14, June 8, 1835. David Mogle, N. E. S. 15, June 27, 1833. Henry Buchtel, pt. N. W. I S. 15, Sept. 16, 1833. John G. Willard, S. S. W. S. 17, June 20, 1833. Alex. McCurdy, E. N. E. S. 17, Aug. 8, 1836. Jonas Carter, S. E. S. 20, Sept. 2, 1834. John McGill, S. E. S. E. S. 21, Nov. 8, 1836.
John Graham, pt. S. W. S. 22, May 30, 1835 (died in 1848). George W. Dunn, E. N. E. S. 28, Nov. 17, 1835. Silas Hufford, N. W. S. 29, Sept. 10, 1832. John J. Bowman, S. E. N. E. S. 29, June 10, 1835. Henry Sapp, S. E. S. W. S. 30, May 6, 1833. Abraham Logan, pt. S. W. 4 S. 30, Sept. 6, 1833. Joseph Ansbaugh, E. S. E S. 30, April 19, 1833. John A. Kelly, S. E. S. 32, May 28, 1832.
Michael Reith, N. E. S. E. S. 34, Mar. 16, 1836. Abraham Shoe, pts. N. W. and S. W. S. 34, May 26, 1835. Jacob Baer, N. W. S. W. S. 36, April 11, 1836. Benjamin Wollam, N. N. W. S. 36, Oct. 25, 1833.
Men of 1839 .- There were 106 male inhabit- ants, aged twenty-one years or over, in the town- ship in 1839. They, with their relatives forined the first circle of pioneers, and for this reason their names are given here. John Ash, Joseph Ansbaugh, Asa Adams, George Adams, John Adams, David Adams (2d), Alexander Adams, David Adams, Thomas Adams, Peter Becker, Henry Buchtel, George Buchtel, Michael Bord- ner, Michael Brackley, Anthony Brackley, John D. Bailey, William Baker, Jacob Baker, Abraham Becker, Samuel Biggerstaff, John Brooks, Alva Burgess, William Burgess, Jacob Bonawittz. Jacob Burns, Reuben Bierly, David Bierly, George Craig, John Craig, Jonas Carter, Thomas
Carman, William Cox; William Cary, David Caldwell, Malhon Dunkel, Thomas Davis, David Earnest, Daniel Edmonds, Seth B. Frisbie, Theodore G. Frisbie, Robert Dake, John Gray- ham, John Donaldson, Jacob Harsh, Daniel Heminger, Harlow Hill, Elam Henry, David Hanline, Samuel Hanline, David Hanline, Jr., Tobias Hanline, Michael Hanline, Wilson Hol: comb, Henry Harsh, George Keefer, John Kyser, Samuel Matthews, Lyman Matthews, Guy Mor- gan, Griswold Morgan, David Mocktel, John Mc- Dowel, John Ostrander, Benjamin Ostrander, James Martin, Caleb Penn, Jacob Rickerprot, Abraham Shoe, Frederick Shoe, Jacob Shoe, David Stevenson. John Stevens, Justus Stearns, John Shaner, John Shuman, John Shuman, Jr., Charles Smith, George Smith, Buckley Spink, Christian Smith, Daniel Shwab, Godfrey Stahl, John Seymour, George Squires, Matthew Stump. Almiron Rollins, John Rombler, Loyd Rombler, Benjamin Scott, John Richards, Benjamin Woll- am, Archibald Wollam, John Vosburg, E. B. Gould, Jacob Kinnaman, Leonard Jackson, Ab- ner Smith, John Fritcher, Jacob Gilbert. Beng Keller, James Andrews, Adam Shroyer, Michael Walters, Joseph Walters, Emanuel Walters. and Osman Diver.
Early Postal Facilities .-- The first post office was at Montgomery Cross Roads, with Guy Mor- gan, postmaster. The route wasfrom Perrysburg to Bucyrus. Later a route was established from Fremont, connecting with the one at the Cross Roads, and having an office at Freeport. Ezra Morgan was postmaster in 1849, and G. B. Hedge in later years. John Baer carried the mail from 1835 until 1839. He was a boy of sixteen then. It usually required four days to go from Bucyrus to Perrysburg.
The Morgan School .- Mrs. Diver, when a girl, taught school in the Morgan school house, a little log cabin about twelve feet square. At one end a mud and stick fire place; around the other three sides pegs about two feet long were driven into a row of logs some three feet from the floor. On these pegs were fastened slabs, which formed the desks; in front of the desks stood benches. three in number, one for each side. The teach- er's home was seven miles south of Bucyrus, and when she came to teach she came on horseback. in one day. in company with the mail carrier. who also came on horseback. She afterward made the trip alone, and would ride for miles without seeing a human being.
First Orchard .-- The oldest apple orchard in the township is still standing on the farm owned by John Adams, adjoining the J. W. Carter farm,
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WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
and bears some apples yet, although its best days are over. Jonas Carter brought the seeds from Delaware county, when he moved in 1833 or IS34. He had the trees grafted when large enough, and for many years they bore very fine fruit. As soon as they began to bear so that Carter had plenty of apples, he made a cider-mill which would turn out two barrels of cider a day, and thus he made the first cider in the township.
Royalton, on Sections 30 and 32, Montgomery township, was surveyed in July, 1836, by Hiram Davis for Dr. Jacob Kinnaman. Dr. John Kinna- man, a graduate of a Philadelphia college, was the first physician. He was a young man, and a lover of his profession. His coming was hailed with delight by the settlers. He located about one-half mile west of two miles north of Mill- grove. A very large walnut stump served him for a laboratory, drug depository and general re- ception room. He laid out a town at this point and named it Royalton, but it died in its infancy shortly after the demise of its founder. Many times in riding he would cut down a tree, hitch his horse to one of its branches and let him browse until his patient was out of danger, often from eight to ten hours. The following is an instance of this man's nerve and ability in his profession. Swayn, a pioneer of Perry, then living in Bloom, was hurt by a falling tree. In a few days it was found necessary to amputate the leg. Dr. Kinna- man was sent for and arrived. Without any as- sistance, and with no surgical implements but a razor and an old saw, the doctor amputated the limb neatly and speedily, and the man got well. Dr. Kinnaman died in 1838, a victim of excessive attention to medical study and over work.
Township Churches .- Mt. Tabor Evangelical Church, in Section 28, was built in 1870, by An- drew Foster, Andrew Dieter and J. Christian Dieter. The building committee were Jacob Dieter, Adam Bowe and their wives, with Annie Hanline. Wm. Osborn, of West Millgrove, built the house at a cost of $2,000, on one-quarter of an acre donated by Andrew Dieter. Among the pastors were Rev. Samuel Rife, Thomas George, John Plantz, W. T. Strough, D. Strow- man, E. Wingard, Samuel Crocklen, Eli Shoe- maker, D. H Huddle, J. J. Bernhardt, and W. D. Ganertesfelder, the present pastor. He at- tends the Bradner, Salem (in Perry), Trinity (in Sandusky), and St. Johns (in Seneca county) congregations. J. C. Dieter has been an official of the Church since 1870. He is now trustee; also Levi Shoe, George Arnold, the clerk, John Bowers, and Jacob Dieter. There are about forty members in good standing.
The Union Church, of Chestnut Ridge, is no- ticed among the Churches of Bradner.
The German Baptist Church, on the west line of Montgomery township, was organized about fifteen years ago. Among the old members were Elder Jonathan Whitmore, George Amos, Andrew Whitmore, Elder J. Whitmore, Jr., Jacob Esterly, the Graybills, and a few others. The trustees are Henry Michael, George Amos, and John Lindower. . The membership is small.
The first United Brethren Church was organ- ized, in 1836, by Revs. Jeremiah Brown and Jacob Crom. Abraham Shoe stated some years ago his belief in the date given.
The Montgomery Church and school stood not far from Bower's mill. west of Risingsun. For years the two Longs preached there, as in other parts of the circuit.
Common Schools. - The conventional pioneer school was carried on down to the close of the " thirties," when the common-school sys- tem began to receive attention. The records, like those of the township, cannot be found. The journal of the board of education, in posses- sion of the clerk, dates back only to April 17. 1882, when W. C. Showalter. G. K. Daily, Thomas Adams, Jr., W. H. Kiger, Jacob Stahl, John Mervin, W. W. Long, Fred Bower and J. G. Heltman qualified as clerks of the nine dis- tricts. In May, a tax levy of 53 mills for school purposes was ordered, a brick school house was erected in District No. 6, by Adam Graber, for $787. 50. and a frame one in District No. I. A. L. Bordner, Henry Hill, H. N. Van Voorhis, Daniel Knisely, Jacob Bair, B. Inman, Aibert Faatz, E. F. Day, James Hoot, James Caskie, H. B. Bierly, George Amos, J. H. Lusk, G. L. McNutt, George Feasel, and others, have been members of the board at intervals since 1885. directing the modern improvements in buildings, equipments and systems of instruction. In 1882 there were 335 male and 262 female children of school age in the township. In September, 1886, there were only 239 male and 185 female pupils enumerated outside the special districts, while in July, 1895. there were 161 male and 132 female children in the six country districts, and six chil- dren in joint Sub-District No. 2, adjoining Freedom. The treasurer's record dates back to 1866, when Lucy Strong, H. B. Brown, Minnie F. Lampson, H. Canfield and Ellen Fay were teachers. Sarah Cock. A. E. Hurlbut, Sarah L. Curtis, E. F. Hase, Helen Adams, Lucy Henry, Jerusha Hays, C. W. Lenhart, Mary Sunth, Emma Gould, Emma Strong, Maggie Huffman, Nannie Morgan, Louisa Myers, Maggie Davidson,
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WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
Annette Rockwood, Jennie Adams, J. B. Jack- son, G. W. VanSickle, G. W. McPeck. E. T. Sherwood, Clara J. Lockhart, Albert Everett, Alice Anderson, Marion Muir, John Soule, Lizzie Angus, Ann E. McQuinn, Mary Winklepleck. Anna E. Poe, Jennie Faylor, Martha Colwell, I. N. Van Tassel, Lewis Edgar. Fannie Norris, Nancy Bierly, Kate Haynes, Charity Adams. Anna Forrest, H. H. A. Boyd, Ida Gould, Ari- enna Cowden, Austin Harrison, and Adie Lang- don were teachers here prior to the close of 1871. In 1871, there were 311 male and 382 female children of school age in the township, District No. 5 having 103 of the total for the ten districts.
Log-Mill. - Alog-mill, where corn was ground, was established at West Millgrove, but the first gristmill was built in 1835, on Section to, on what was called the Keller farm, north of Free- port. It was run by horse-power. The first saw- mill, a water-power, was on the Cox farm, on the out-let of the Freeport Prairie, Section 21. The power was not always sufficient, and a great deal of fun was had at its expense. There was abundance of water, but no fall, and people said the sawyers had to help turn the wheel, until it was called "elbow and water-power." The Adams gristmill, on the Mccutchenville road, west by south of Freeport, was built by David Adams, about the year 1838. He dammed the river at that point, and operated the mill until 1857 or 1858. It was a hewed-log structure. with inside frame-work; it had two pair of stones, one pair of French buhrs for grinding wheat and rye, and one pair of stones for grinding corn and buckwheat. This mill was torn down in about the year 1861 by a son, Asa Adams.
Mills. - The first sawmill in the vicinity was that built by Tift, on Section 31. in connection with a potash factory. He was also an itin- erant pump-maker. An old settler, referring to : the man, said wherever there was a pump wanted he would take his tools, then go to the woods and get a small sycamore log and bore it out for a pump-stock, and when finished it was quite cheap and durable. He sometimes suffered from ague. When in the woods he would lie down on a log and shake an hour or more, then go on his way again as if nothing had happened.
The Freeport inill was built by Tifft for T. G. Frisbie, where O. N. Bryant's dwelling now stands. In 1860 the frame and roof were stand- ing. A short distance southwest, on the East Branch, was the Adams' mill, which was running, down to the time of the war. The old Diver sawmill passed away before the war. The old
Hedge mill, now replaced by new buildings, and the Ensminger mill were established years before the war, while the Bower mill, on the Risingsun road, and many portable sawmills, have been useful industries. The Hedge saw and planing mill was established eight years ago on its pres- ent site, after the burning of the older mill, which stood a half-mile northwest.
FREEPORT, OR PRAIRIE DEPOT.
The ground, on which the village stands, was surveyed in March, 1836, by Hiram Davis, for John Bailey and Henry Buchte !. In the sun- mer of 1836. Michael Brackley and T. G. Frisbie built a log cabin ( where Mrs. Cook's new dwell- ing was erected in 1894), in which they placed a stock of general merchandise. About the same time, Michael Hanline erected a larger log-honse (east of Dr. Brooke's residence ), and established himself as a tavern-keeper. Rochester and Mont- gomery Cross Roads had postal facilities many years before the department took cognizance of the new village, but in time it was given a post office, and the new name-Prairie Depot.
The first merchants, not satisfied with the water and horse-power mills, referred to in the history of the township, constructed a large mill, introduced good machinery, and inaugurated it as the pioneer steam-gristmill. Michael Bordner had the contract for freighting the boiler from Perrysburg, a work he performed within a week, with two yoke of oxen.
Prior to May, 1852. the United States mail. for the residents of the village and vicinity, was carried from Montgomery Cross Roads, and left in care of E. R. Sage, until the Brookes, Carters. Spinks, Sheflers, Bordners, Shoes, Baileys, Dr. Gorsuch, Dr. Huffman, and others, would find it convenient to call for their letters. T. G. Fris- bie was appointed postmaster in 1852: Samuel Angus followed; Dr. Edwin R. Sage held the office in 1863: Mrs. James Lincoln, in 1864: Dr. Sage, in 1865, with Caroline Chapman, deputy and mail-carrier: Edward R. Sage. 18;6: Osman Diver. 1885; H. L. Hathaway, 1889; and O. N. Bryant, 1893.
Village Government .- The petition for the incorporation of Freeport, dated April 21, 1870, was presented by Edwin R. Sage and Lewis C. Edgar, representing the forty-five petitioners. June 8, 18;6, and wasgranted September ;, that year.
The mayors were W. R. Bryant, elected in 1876; E. R. Sage, 18;8; W. A. Pryor, 1879; W. R.
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WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
Bryant, 1881; W. A. Tew, 1883; W. R. Bryant, 1885; A. Lesher, 1886; Charles J. Sage, 1887: W. Hamilton, 1889; L. C. Edgar, appointed in December, 1889, vice Hamilton, resigned; L. C. Edgar, elected in April, 1890, and J. L. Will- iamson, 1893. The election of L. C. Edgar was recorded in 1895 and 1896.
Fire and carelessness have played havoc with the village records. After the expenditure of time and labor in research and interviews, a com- plete list of mayors was made, but the names of councilmen for 1876 and 1877 could not be given with anything approaching certainty. In 1878, W. R. Bryant, C. Bierly, C. Jacobs, M. Bord- ner, L. C. Edgar and C. J. Sage formed the council; while, in 1879, Aaron Lesher occupied M. Bordner's place. In 1880, E. R. Sage, W. V. Haines and R. N. Crouse were members, and they, with N. W. Goodrick, John Baer and J. W. Graham, formed the council in ISSI, while J. W. Hoiles was elected in 1882. The council- men for each year, from 1883 to 1894. are named in the following list, while those elected in 1895 are mentioned in the report of the election:
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