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 77

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 77


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).


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Old Reminders .- In 1848, during the con- struction of the hydraulic canal, a well was dis- covered at the upper end of Perrysburg. It was walled up with brick of superior quality, in sectoral lines, and no one, then living in the village, or Maumee, knew anything of its con- struction, or of the place where the brick were made. So common report said, and the news- papers echoed the saying. Mrs. Perrin, one of the few pioneers surviving, stated in June, 1895. that David W. Hawley excavated the well prior to 1822.


On the Eber Wilson farm, two miles front Perrysburg, are the remains of a fortification, of which nothing is known. In 1823, when the Wilsons settled there, the lines of the works were distinct, and, in plowing, blacksmith's cinders were found within the inclosure. The fortification can have no connection with the building of Fort Meigs, for it is a work which Harrison's men did not dream of constructing.


PERRYSBURG VILLAGE.


This good old town, dating back to the times when the echoes of Perry's guns, on Lake Eric. and Jackson's, on the field of Chalmette, rever- berated throughout the world, is the stage on which the drama of Wood county's settle- ment was enacted, and the conquest of the northwestern Indians effected. Surveyed for the United States in 1816, when British and Indian power was crippled in these parts, it is now in its eightieth year, and yet only in the infancy of its


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progress. The reader of the general history of the country is already acquainted with its mili- tary transactions of 1812-13, 1835, and 1861-65, as well as with its early hanters and traders; its commerce and navigation; its stage coaches, ferries and taverns; its newspaper men, lawyers, physicians, politicians and merchants; and with the thousand stirring incidents of its pioneer days.


In this article, an earnest effort has been made to gather the history of its inhabitants and their particular local institutions, so that a read- able record may exist, when the village casts off its swaddling clothes, to assume the dress and airs of a great city, to which enterprise will at- tach it in the future. In beginning the story of the township. the reminiscences of a few of the earliest immigrants, and the relations of other pioneers, are considered worthy, and to them first place is given.


The survey of the village was made in 1816. as related in the chapter on Land Titles. Josiah Meigs, formerly governor of Ohio, but then fill- ing the office of U. S. Land Commissioner, tak- ing cognizance of this National enterprise, ad- dressed the following letter to Major Spafford. under date April 12, 1816:


DEAR FRIEND: - As you will have a town on Miami of Erie, it will be well to think of the name it is to bear. The act does not give a name. Who is to christen it? { wish you would think on the subject, and let me have your wishes. For my part, I will barely suggest to you that, if it would be named Perryville, or Perrytown -- or in some other form, which may always remind us of the victory of Erie-it would be good policy. We ought to make the best profit we can of the blood of our countrymen, which has been shed for the confirmation of our independence. If it were left to me to name the town at Lower Sandusky, I should name it in honor of the gallant youth, Col. Croghan, and would say it should be Croghanville. I believe it is in your power to give the names.


The idea was adopted, but the Major, in at- tempting to be original, made the name Perrys- burg; while Governor Meig's "Croghanville" was cast aside, even though it would be a memorial of one of the most brilliant soldiers of the war of 1812.


Pioneers of the Village .-- The removal of the county seat from Maumee to Perrysburg, in 1823, was a serious set-back to Orleans of the North. David Hull, who opened a tavern on the flats under Fort Hill in 1816; Joseph Vance, who es- tablished a store: Jacob Wilkinson, whose boats and tavern were known there as early as 1816; Lovett, who surveyed the town: John Hollister, Joshua Chappel and others, who located there in 1817. a few of whom had moved to Maumee. re- directed their steps toward the newer county seat, a mile below the fort, and soon appeared to be more interested in Perrysburg than they ever


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were in Orleans. Samuel Spafford built the "Exchange Hotel" in 1823; two buildings, or three, were moved from Maumee: store rooms and dwellings sprung up here and there, and the United States town with its name. suggested by Governor Meigs, and its broad streets, suggested by United States smveyors, began to take shape. The first house-builder was David W. Hawley. who with his wife and step-daughter made their home in the wilderness from 1817, until Mrs Hawley's death in 1820. She was buried in the Spafford cemetery. Hawley sent her daughter to her people, and then abandoned the place himself.


John Webb, who died August 27, 1385, set- tled here in 1822, and established himself at once as a hat-maker. With him were his wife. Eliz- abeth (Charles). his son. John Charles, his brother, Thomas L. Webb, with Thomas R. McKnight, who went to Lower Sandusky to meet them. On arriving here, in November or De- cember, 1822, they found shelter in David W Hawley's abondoned frame cottage (at the head of the bayou, on West Boundary street or Green lane) --- the only building on the town site, though Thomas R. McKnight had Lot :44 cleared, and logs piled thereon for his proposed cabin. The Webbs may be said to have been the sole inhab- itants of the town until the county officers estab- lished themselves here in 1823, when McKnight's log house and Spafford's hotel were erected. During the ensuing decade and a half, great changes were effected. Such pioneers as John and B. F. Hollister, Jacob and David Wilkin- son, John C. and Shibnah Spink, John Shepler. who kept the hotel at the end of the Black Swamp road, John W. Smith, Willard V. Way, Thomas W. Powell, Judge Ladd, the real-estate agent, Plumb, the two Sam Skinners, David Hull, the McIlraths, Frank Parmalee, the Chi- cago omnibus man, E. D. Peck, Nathaniel Dus- tin, Elijah Huntington, all the Spaffords, the Reeds, Jessup W. Scott, Charles Dennison. S. C. Sloan, Peter Cranker, Henry Darling. Jona- than Perrin, Gilbert and Schuyler Beach, Will- iam Griffith (of Gibbs & Griffith), who died in 1828, Augustus Thompson, the Utleys, Halls. Wilsons, Ewings, McKnights, Wheelocks, Wet- mores, Doans, Blians, Cooks, Deacon Hall, who kept the tavern near John Hollister's house. Kei- logg, who lived above the "Exchange Hotel." the Ross family, Dr. Colton, and others whose names occur in the chapters of the general his- tory, were all established here. So precocious was the little town that it supported a newspaper in 1833, had its literary and debating societies,


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its religious and social meetings, its stage coaches and steamboats. and an opinion of itself much higher, even, than that entertained by the Chi- cago people of themselves at that time.


Prices of Goods and Labor .-- The manner of transacting business, from 1820 to 1824, por- trayed by an old account-book (now in the clerk of court's office), was crude. The old ledger pre- sents many pioneer names, and recounts the fol- lowing dealings: Thomas Willson, whose name appears on the first page, bought 7 pairs of men's shoes [written "shows " ] for $17.50; 7 pairs of linedand bound shoes for $18.75; 4 pairs of women's shoes, $6; 16 pairs of " pattens," $16; and 24 gallons of oil and an oil can, $2.81. Against John T. Baldwin several sums are charged, such as 75 cents for the entrance and clearance of the "Leopard," and 25 cents for a bushel of pota- toes. Against Francis Farrand appear, one pair of moccasins, 50 cents; a black silk handkerchief, $1. 50; 33 yards of pantaloon cotton, $2.37; 41 pounds of sugar. 71 cents; and 3 pound of to- bacco, 25 cents, He was credited with a day's labor, $1.85. George Marsh paid $6 for a bar- rel of flour; $1.50 for 12 heads of cabbage, and large sums for whiskey, which then sold for 373 cents a quart. Guy Nearing paid $3 for 3 gal- lons of whiskey, and 75 cents for a gallon of vinegar. Daniel O. Wilkinson was an exclusive customer, buying whiskey in small bottles from May until November, 1820, paying $3 for shoes and 25 cents for meals. Elijah Gunn bought 8 pounds of snuff at 50 cents a pound. Levi Omans mixed his dealings-whiskey, tobacco, flour, salt and shoes being charged against him. Joseph Spencer paid $20 for 20 bushels of corn, and paid on that account 123 pounds of sole leather, $4.78; one side upper leather, $3.50; and one calf skin, $3.50. Ambrose Rice paid 50 cents a day for use of a canoe, and $; for three weeks' board. James Carlin, who died in 1822, had his account settled by Hiram P. Bar- low. George Mayler bought whiskey only. D. W. Hawley, George Patterson. David Hull, Daniel C. Murry, Daniel Hubbell, who paid his bill of $113.02 by a barrel of whiskey (33 gallons at 30! cents), 200 pounds of salt, $7, and other credits; T. F. Smith, who was charged 62 cents for newspaper postage; Asa Sandford, who sold him 27 pairs of cow shoes at $2 a pair; Robert Martin, who paid 12 cents for an almanac; James Wyman, Thomas Leaming. Adamn Kiblinger, David Musselman, who sold him 357 pounds of tobacco for $53.55: Moses Everett, Benjamin F. Stickney, Almon Reed, Joseph Prentice, Joseph Martin and others were customers.


The account of David Wilkinson, merchant, with the late William Crook, tells of the prices paid for clothing and provisions in 1832 and 1833. and points out the small remuneration for labor. Crook was credited with $56.25 for 1 124 days' work; $1 75 for 33 days making ropes. and $10.87 for 144 nights' fishing, or, in all, $73.73. Against these credits, from October 15, 1832, to April 27, 1833, the following debts were en- tered: 183 pounds of beef, 74c .; 173 pounds of flour, $6.50; [ hog. $7; 63 bushels of corn, $3.38; 4} pounds of butter, 53c .; I bushel of potatoes, 50c. ; 2 pounds of butter, 25c. ; I quart of oil, 25c. ; 25 gallons of whiskey, $1.44; 1 narrow axe, $2.25; horse and cart, 38c .; I barrel of flour. $6; I barrel of flour, $3.60; 14 pounds of tallow. $1.75: 22 pounds of hog lard, $1.76; I keg to contain lard, 3Sc .; oxen, 3 day, 25c. ; I bushel of potatoes, 50c .; 1 bushel of turnips, 13c. ; 16] pounds of cheese, $1.32: 23 gallons of whiskey, 1.44; I peck of beans, Bic. : oxen, I day, 50c. : 23 quarts of molasses, 40c. ; 2 days' board, 50c. : 15 pounds of beef. 75c. ; oxen and man, I day, $1.50; I bushel of potatoes, 50c. ; 3 quarts of molasses, 47c .; cash, $15; 4 quarts of molasses, 63c .; I bushel of potatoes, 50c .; I pair of boots of O'Neil, $4; 163 pounds of hog's lard, $1. 32; 3 bushels of potatoes, $1.50; and i barrel of flour, $5.50.


The Settlement in 1827. -- In 1827, accord- ing to Jeremiah C. Crane, who located herc that year, heavy timber was abundant where the town hall now stands; grass-pike were caught in the creek and swale near the railroad depot; set- tlers had to go to Monroe, Mich., to mill, until the mill on the Island, near Miltonville, was con- structed; immigrants would arrive at intervals, who, in reply to queries where they hailed from, would respond, "In yon," not knowing the county or State in which they lived.


When Joseph Creps arrived at Perrysburg, in 1833, there were twenty-three houses and cabins. The first above Perrysburg was that of John T. Key, the second was Miller's, the third, on the flat north of Fort Meigs, which was used for washing fish, was cleaned and converted into a dwelling by the Creps; the fourth was untenanted. but subsequently the Chadwicks took possession of it; the fifth was the red farm house of Aurora Spafford: the sixth, opposite Buttonwood island, was tenanted by a negro named Williams; the seventh was occupied by Samuel Wilson; the eighth, a log cabin, by Decker; and the ninth, another log cabin, by Herrick. Above Milton- ville was a small burial ground, beyond it a dwelling, and next the Mission station occupied


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by the Rev. I. Van Tassel and family. Other houses were above the mission, the eighteenth from Perrysburg, one mile below Grand Rapids, being occupied by Joseph Keith. The one-story brick house, which stood on the lot next to what is known as the " Blue Property," on the river front, was tenanted by James La Farree, who moved into it in 1832, a year before his removal to Road Tracts 33 and 34, out on the Reserve road.


Post Office .- The notice of the Maumee, given in a previous chapter, tells of Major Spaf- ford, the port of entry, and other names and inci- dents of the time.


The commission of Amos Spafford as post- master of Miami, in Erie district, is dated June 9, ISIO. In 1814 the office was transferred to Fort Meigs, and in IS15 to Maumee, opposite, where the name " Fort Meigs " post office was obtained, until February, 1824, when it was changed to Maumee post office. The first post office in the village of Perrysburg was established January 28, 1823, with Thomas R. McKnight, master. Mrs. Perrin thinks that John Hollister was master after McKnight; but the record shows that Elisha Ward held the position February 14, 1827. It is said that the Democrats signed a secret paper, binding themselves to drive Hollis- ter from the town. How well they succeeded is best told by Hollister's removal to Buffalo. D.


M. Kellogg was appointed in April, 1836. P.


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Hills was master in 1839, succeeded by David Allen, who was the incumbent in 1840. J. Man- ning Hall held the office in 1842. David Ross served down to March, 1852, when Elijah Hunt- ington succeeded him. His accounts, from June 30 to September 30, 1852, show $32.76 for pos- age on unpaid letters from other offices; twenty- three cents for postage undercharged; $23.26 for postage on letters from this office; eighty-one cents for advertising letters; $56.59. amount of postage on papers and periodicals; $63 for stamps received from Department, and twenty-three cents from postage on drop letters. In 1853 there were 176 letter-boxes, all rented, except twenty-three, at sixty-nine cents a quarter. J. H. Reid and John Powers are said to have been postmasters prior to the war; Nelson Darling in 1862; W. T. Pomeroy, C. Finkbeiner and Ciem- ens Leaf in later years. In April, 1869, John G. Knoll retired, and T. J. Webb took his place. In January, 1871, Elbert D. Ross was appointed master. Christopher Finkbeiner, late recorder of the county, held the office down to 1885, when James Hayes was appointed. W. H. Hollenbeck succeeded him in 1889, and John


Cranker was commissioned July 20, 1893. In July, 1894, it was raised to a third-class office, but reduced in June, 1895.


Exchange Hotel .- " Spafford's Exchange," established in 1322-23 by Samuel Spafford. was carried on after his death on January 1, 1825, by his widow, and later by Aurora Spafford, and was the most prominent hotel between Buffalo and St. Louis, and the only frame public house be- tween Buffalo and St. Louis. Mr. Spafford con- tinued as landlord of this hotel to the time of his death, in 1854. C. W. Norton afterward pur- chased the property. The old register of .. Spaf- ford's Exchange" is filled with the names of many prominent people, but that of Gen. William H. Harrison, the candidate for the Presidency in IS40, was not recorded, as he was a guest of John Hollister. On June 11, IS40, no less than 473 guests registered in this house. The hotel register speaks of the Hollisters, Robys, Wilkin- sons, Spinks, Coffinberry, Keeler, Way, Hosmer and others of that day, who used to congregate here for a convivial time. In December, 1838, Gen. Scott was here. He sent for Joshua Chap- pel, who was with him on a British prison-ship during the war of 1812, and witnessed his battle on board that ship for the rights of naturalized citizens. It was here at some public doings that Guy Nearing, a prominent character on the river, and a man of giant frame and herculean strength, in one of his periodical sprees strode upon the whole length of the dining table, kicking all the dishes off as he went. It was here that James Bloom, of Liberty, shortly after his return from South America, and while on his wedding trip, gave a select party, offering bank bills to his guests to light their cigars with. The reputation of the liquors kept at the "Exchange" was better than that of most any other house. The building of the electric road from Toledo to Per- rysburg has had the effect of making the village a suburb, and of converting the old hotel into a suburban house of entertainment.


The Underground Railroad .- The village . was always a station on this road, and the dwell- ing place of many conductors. The basement of the Journal office was the hotel for the refugees; but barns throughout the village often sheltered the Africans in their flight from the land of their slavery. Many stories are told of the adventures of "conductors " and their " passengers," one of which is referred to in the chapter on Bench and Bar. On one occasion a Kentuckian arrived here and found his human chattel. Of course, lie had to resort to the law to prove his ownership before he could take the " darkey " away. Squire


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Huntington was appealed to; but the slave's law- yer found a flaw in the indictment, or informa- tion, and this necessitated the making of new papers. The "conductors," seeing a chance to save the slave, soon had a fleet horse at the door of the justice's office, upon which the negro mounted and rode off, Langford, the colored owner of the horse, exclaiming: " Here is a dead horse or a free nigger! " Marshall Key, Jr. , is cred- ited with being the suggestor of this adventure.


In October, 1820, an indictment was returned against James Thompson, Isaac Richardson and William Griffith for kidnapping a free negro, named Fatrick, with the intent of sending him out of the State. The trio failed to meet the punishment they merited on this charge; but were not so lucky in defeating the prosecution on another charge, which compassed the grievous offence of abusing a justice of the peace, in the person of Almon Gibbs, in the following words: " It is a damned, rascally court," and other ter- ribly abusive terms, all because the squire would protect a negro in his lawful rights.


First Execution .- The execution of George Porter, for the murder of Isaac Richardson, took place November 5, 1830, at the foot of Fort Meigs, near the southern end of the Perrysburg- Maumee bridge. John Webb, the sheriff, con- ducted the execution, while Joel Foote, now a very old citizen, who saw the murderer arres- ted, was present to see the law carried out.


German Pioncers. - To the German pioneers, who located here between 1840 and IS52, some notice must be given; for they were in before the era of improvement was introduced in 1854, and were among the very first to develop the rich lands of this and adjoining townships. Peter and Nicholas Wieck, and a few others, who migrated from Hesse Darmstadt in the " forties," may be considered the pioneers of the little colo- · nies from Hesse Darmstadt and Bavaria.


In 1847, John and Elizabeth Schwind, Mi- chael and Elizabeth Cornelius, with their two chil- dren; John Wolford and wife; Anthony Stranss. wife and three children; Daniel and Louisa Klingler, with two children: John Fink, wife and four children, and Valentine Fink, came from Hesse Darmstadt, while Jolin Yeager came from Alsace, then a part of French territory. Jolin Helsley, Geo. Knoll, Henry Bensman, the Kel- lers, Walters, Neiders, Osbergs, Peter Wetzler, Henry Buckhouse, Mrs. Julius Blinn, Mrs. Jacob Schlate, and Mrs. Lucas, may be named also.


In 1852, Valentine Schwind; Casper Horn, wife and two children; Joseph Hillabrand, wife and three children; and Matthias Harbaugh, wife


and four children, arrived also from Hesse Darm- stadt. The Finkbeiners were here at an early day. with two or three other families.


On April 13, 1852, a company of seventy-two persons left Bamberg, near Munich, Bavaria, and landed at Perrysburg, June 11, 1852. All settled here, Frederick Hoffman and George Shutz buying lots in the town, the others in the vicinity. The names of the immigrants are given as follows: George and Frederick Getz, and their father; Henry and Elizabeth Weil, and five children; George and Barbara Shutz, with four or five children; John Amon, Sr., Joseph Hoff- man, Frederick and Margaret Hoffman, and their seven children-George, John, John G., Bar- bara, Margaret, Mary and Elizabeth; George and Anna Ault, and their four children; Henry Schmidt: George and Barbara Spoerl, and their three children; George Hertel, wife and two children: John Hertel, wife and child: George Haas, wife and seven children; George and Mar- garet Sisler, and their four children; George and Elizabeth Munger, and their three children. All belonged to St. Bartholomew's Catholic congre- gation of Kircherenbaclı, Bavaria. In coming. they brought the old faith with them, built churches in the wilderness, and became the found- ers of the parishes of St. Rose of Lima, and of the Mother of Sorrows. In the sketch of the latter Church, given in the history of Middleton township, several names appear, which may be listed with the above names.


MISCELLANEOUS.


Traders of 1840 .- The business houses of Perrysburg, in 1840, included the " Exchange Hotel," by Jarvis Spafford; the " Franklin House," by L. Brigham; the . Temperance House," on Front street, by H. H. Hall; the " Farmer's Hotel," on Louisiana avenue, by David Ross; the "Eastern Hotel," on Indiana avenue, by John Shepler: the stores of James W. Hall, E. D. Peek & Co .. T. Rudesili, W. P. Reznor, H. H. Hall, Gilbert Beach, William Russell & Co., John Bates, John Chollette and Henry Mandell; the forwarding and produce store of J. W. Smith, on Water street: the organ factory of William M. Tappan; the boot and shoe stores of A. P. Goodrich and William Kelley, on Front street: C. G. Minkler's machine shop: H. T. Smith's job printing office: J. C. Spink's insurance office; A. L. Fowler, William Houston, B. J. Lewis and B. F. Sawver's tailor shops: A. Brown's cabinet shop; C. W. Skinner's harness shop, and Andrew Bloomfield's paint and win-


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dow glass shop. The lawyers and physicians of that time are named in other chapters.


The " Eagle Hotel." by Joseph Creps; E. N. Knight's grocery; William Ziegler's general store; B. R. Nicholl's harness shop; D. W. Christian's cabinet shop; C. Musser's chair fac- tory; Robert Reid's grocery; W. W. Wheelock's paint shop, and George Powers' general store, are named in 1839. Shortly after, as early as 1844, F. Hollenbeck carried on a forwarding and commission house, and a number of smaller traders and tradesinen came in.


A Heavy Fur Dealer .- The skins purchased by Julius Blinn, of Perrysburg, during the hunt- ing season, ending in April, 1859, cost $25,- 839.68. Among them were 36, 898 musk rat, 10, 861 coon, 4,629 skunk, 1, 375 inink, 679 deer, 478 house cat, 2 cross fox, 106 red fox, ISI gray fox, 525 opossum, 22 wild cat, 4 Sampson fox and six otter skins. While this invoice repre- sents the fur trade of the time, it must be con- sidered about 50 per centum of the total, for there were many other fur buyers throughout the county.


Manufacturers of Old. - The Perrysburg Steam Mill Association was organized June 26, 1835. Henry Matthews, Jonathan Perrin and D. C. Doan were chosen directors, with the last named, secretary, and John Hollister and Na- thaniel Dustin, trustees. In 1836 Elijah Hunt- ington and Horace Hall were elected trustees. There were twenty-eight stockholders, owning one one-hundred-dollar share each, and one stock- holder, Horace Hall, who owned two shares. From 1839 to 1851 transfers of stock were recorded; but the old record book does not deal clearly with accounts. The inill irons were supplied by the Cuyahoga Steam Furnace Co., on a cash pay- ment of $311.50, and a note for $228.50, ex- clusive of $15.32 for freight on these irons; the engine was furnished by P. B. Andrews, of Cleveland, for $450.


The manufacturing houses deriving power from the Perrysburg hydraulic canal, in January, 1862, were Crook's cabinet shop, established in 1852; Lindsey's planing-mill and sash factory; Tefft's sawmill (producing 250,000 feet of Inin- ber annually); Peter Witzler's cabinet shop, cider and sorghum-mill and carding-mill; Hirth's tan- nery; G. W. Brown & Co.'s foundry and machine shop; the Perrysburg flouring-mill, and the new paper-mill.


Subsidized Industries. - In April, 1891, B. B. Moore contracted with the village to locate a factory for patent medicines and medical appli- ances here, the condition being that the council


would deed to him the Stevens Stave Factory lots, after a $16.000 building would be erected thereon by him. In May the Sheridan Wheel Company arranged with Moore to surrender the site to them, and with a $19,000 bonus from the village, that company contracted with Gorman Bros., of Toledo, for a brick wheel-factory. 40X 134 feet, and sundry smaller buildings. On completion of the honses the Sheridan Company introduced machinery and began operations; but, owing to some disagreement with the village, closed down their works.




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