County of Williams, Ohio, Historical and Biographical, Part 43

Author: Weston A. Goodspeed, Charles Blanchard
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 885

USA > Ohio > Williams County > County of Williams, Ohio, Historical and Biographical > Part 43

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CHURCHES.

Perhaps the first religious meeting in the township was held at the house of Daniel Colgan, on Section 20. The writer read an article in the Chistian Advocate of 1874, in regard to the death of Christi Ann Colgan, wife of Daniel Colgan, deceased, stating that forty years ago last October (that is October, 1833), Rev. James B. Austin was invited

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HISTORY OF WILLIAMS COUNTY.

to preach in their log cabin. A society of five members was formed. " This was the first religious meeting within the present limits of Williams County." I have been reliably informed that those five members were Thomas J. Prettyman, Lydia Prettyman, Mary Prettyman, Daniel Col- gan and Christi Ann Colgan. Peter Knipe and wife, and Wallery Coon- rod and wife were also early church members. All of the above named were Methodists. David Carpenter, who settled in the "Thicket," was the first prominent United Brethren Church member in the township. The churches of the township have made rapid progress from these small be- ginnings of forty or forty-five years ago. There are at present three societies of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the township, with a total membership of 114. The largest society belonging to this circuit is at Evansport, just south of the township line. Of the societies in this township, the membership is as follows: Stryker, fifty ; Springfield, forty-two ; Oak Grove, twenty-two. There is a Sunday school connected with each of the above-named societies. The Stryker Sunday school con- tains about fifty members, with W. B. Kitzmiller as Superintendent. The Sunday school at Springfield Church contains about forty or forty- five members, with Clarence Betts as Superintendent, and at Oak Grove there are about twenty-five or thirty members. The ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Stryker since 1863, were as follows : 1863 to 1865, John R. Colgan : 1865 to 1867, S. H. Alderman ; 1867 to 1870, S. B. Maltbie; 1870 to 1872, John Farley ; 1872 to 1874, Richard Wallace ; 1874 to 1876, S. M. Boggs; 1876 to 1879, H. A. Brown; 1879 to 1880, J. M. Shultz; 1880 to 1882, W. S. Philpott. The Methodist Church at Stryker was built about 1862 or 1863. It has been repaired several times, and is a neat little frame building. The Springfield society built a small frame house about the year 1872. The Oak Grove society put up a small frame building in 1879.

Perhaps the first religious society of United Brethren in the town- ship, was organized in the "Thicket" about twenty-five or thirty years ago. David Carpenter, a leading member, contributed a great deal of time and money, and through his efforts a building was soon after put up- on his farm, on the southeast corner of Section 15. About 1873, that house was removed to Stryker and rebuilt. The only organization of United Brethren in the township at present is at Stryker. There is a church membership of sixty-eight. There is a Sunday school connected with the church, which contains sixty or sixty-five members, with Levi Durler as Superintendent. Rev. W. O. Butler has been the minister for the past three years.

The Universalist Church at Stryker was organized April 13, 1877, by Rev. J. F. Rice, with seventeen members. The following were

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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.

the first officers : W. E. Kintigh, Moderator ; Philip Werum, Chester Blinn and William C. Miller, Trustees ; C. C. Douglass, Clerk ; Mrs. A. Silvernail, Treasurer; S. P. Cameron and Chester Blinn, Stewards. This church organization is one of the most active in the township. By the efforts of their excellent minister, Rev. J. F. Rice, and by the energy of their members, they have increased their membership from seventeen of five years ago to forty-six, the present number. They fitted up the sec- ond story of the "Town Hall," and have been using it as a place of wor- ship. They have made arrangements to build a " veneered brick " house the present summer and fall. It will cost them about $3,000, and will be one of the finest public buildings in the township. There is a Sun- day school connected with the church. It was organized June 20, 1877. W. E. Kintigh was chosen Superintendent, and has held the position ever since. The average membership is fifty-two. The present officers of the Sunday school are : W. E. Kintigh, Superintendent ; Mrs. T. H. Moore, Assistant Superintendent; Philip Werum, Treasurer ; Walter Stubbs, Secretary ; Miss Alice M. Kintigh, Librarian. The church officers are as follows : J. T. Heater, Moderator ; Mrs. T. H. Moore, Clerk ; Philip Werum, A. Silvernail and W. E. Kintigh, Trustees ; Mrs. N. B. Stubbs, Treasurer.

The Catholics have a church organization at Stryker, consisting of about thirty families. Their church building, which is the oldest in the township, was built about 1860. They have services once every month ; Rev. Nunnen is their minister.

The Baptists have a society at Stryker, consisting of forty-three mem- bers. They have no regular minister, but F. Louys preaches for them every Sunday. As they have no place of worship, the Methodists allow them to use their house.

There are a few Presbyterians and German Methodists at Stryker. They have preaching occasionally.

The total value of all church property is about $8,000, distributed as follows : Methodist, $4,500; United Brethren, $2,000, and Catholic, $1,500.

The total membership of all denominations in the township is about 550.

SPRINGFIELD GRANGE, NO. 499.

This grange was organized February 3, 1874, with twenty-six charter members. The following were the first officers: C. M. Clark, Master; D. S. Clark, Overseer ; F. A. Smith, Lecturer ; Chester Clark, Steward; A. J. Witt, Assistant Steward; Austin Knipe, Chaplain; J. C. Sanford, Treasurer; C. L. Gates, Secretary ; Simon Johnson, Gate-keeper; Mrs. C. M. Clark, Ceres; Mrs. J. C. Sanford, Pomona; Mrs. F. A. Smith,

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Flora ; Miss Alice Clark, Lady Assistant Steward. The officers of the grange were energetic and wide-awake, and did their utmost to make it a success. The grange numbers 105 members at present, and is, per- haps, the best in the county, if not in the Northwest. The members of the grange have built a neat two-story building on Coy's farm, in Section 16. It has a wareroom below and a good lodge room above, in which they hold their meetings. C. M. Clark has been Master, and J. C. Sanford, Treasurer, ever since the grange was organized. The officers for the year 1882 are as follows : C. M. Clark, Master; S. L. Clark, Overseer; J. Maltby, Lecturer ; John Robinson, Steward; G. G. Bloom, Assistant Steward; H. T. Betts, Chaplain; J. C. Sanford, Treasurer; O. C. Rob- inson, Secretary ; John Chappins, Jr., Gate-keeper ; Miss Altie Schaeffer, Ceres ; Miss Mary Schaeffer, Pomona; Miss Elenor Sanford, Flora ; Dana Bloom, Lady Assistant Steward ; Mrs. Levitt, Organist.

THE OIL WELL COMPANY.

A company known as the Stryker Oil Well Company was organized in Boston, Mass., in 1865. In the spring of that year, the company be- gan boring a well in search of oil at Stryker, under the management of William Sheridan, Jr. The work was continued until 1867, and then it was abandoned, as no oil of any consequence was found, although the well had reached the depth of 860 feet. At the depth of 230 feet, a vein of heavily-charged mineral water was met with, which used to flow from the well at regular intervals, but for the last few years the well has ceased to flow. In February, 1870, Prof. Silas H. Douglass, of the University of Michigan, made an analysis of the water, with the following result, as shown by the Geological Survey of Ohio, Vol. I, page 564 : Grains per gallon (231 cubic inches) of water,

Chloride of magnesium 118.96

Chloride of sodium 281.86

Sulphate of potassa. 185.84

Carbonate of lime 68.84

Carbonate of iron

9.98

Silica

2.63

Sulphydrio acid 4.49

Total 621.55

Several attempts have been made to induce parties to build a large hotel at Stryker, with bath-rooms, so that the water might be utilized for medicinal purposes, but they have all proved unsuccessful, and, no doubt, there will never be anything done in regard to the matter.

STATISTICS.

The vote of Springfield Township for President in 1880 : James A.

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Thomas

Hudson

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Garfield, 251; Winfield S. Hancock, 225 ; James B. Weaver, 10; total, 486. At the October election of 1880, there was a larger vote cast, which was as follows : Townsend, for Secretary of State, had 255 votes; Lang had 229 votes, Lloyd 8 and Doan 1 vote; total, 493. That was the largest vote ever cast in the township. The vote for Governor in 1881 was as follows : Foster, 230; Bookwalter, 206; Ludlow, 14; Seitz, 22; total, 472.

The present township officers are William Sheridan, Jr., and W. B. Kitzmiller, Justices of the Peace; C. Arnsberger, A. Silvernail and John G. Rumsey, Trustees ; F. Snear, Treasurer ; J. M. Carens, Clerk ; J. T. Heater, Assessor ; John Winter and Esquire Umstead, Constables. The population of Springfield Township, including Stryker, was 1,981 in the year 1870, and 2,117 in 1880. There were 4,466 tons of freight shipped from Stryker in 1870, against 8,530 tons in 1880, and 670 tons received in 1870, against 2,042 tons in 1880. In the year 1881, C. Blinn & Co. shipped 51,895 pounds of oats and 2,577,575 pounds of wheat ; Peter Charpoit shipped 87,515 pounds of oats and 1,937,705 pounds of wheat, and U. A. Wynn shipped 1,276,720 pounds of wheat.

From the above, it will be seen that there were nearly one hundred thousand bushels of grain shipped from Stryker the past year.

The writer is indebted to Hon. William Sheridan, Jr., Lewis W. Prettyman, Lewis Clark, J. A. Miles and others for facts concerning the early settlement of the township, and to T. H. Moore and J. M. Carens for information regarding the freight business of Stryker Station.

FLORENCE TOWNSHIP.

BY WESTON A. GOODSPEED.

The method of attaching Congressional townships before they had been settled to those which had been organized, was a common procedure in early years, which anticipated the wants and rights of prospective pi- oneers, and which was especially true of the territory comprising the present county of Williams. The soil of the present Defiance County had been occupied long before that of the present Williams County, and set- tlers slowly appeared within the limits of the latter, pushing their way northward from Defiance, and southward from the older localities in Mich- igan. This rendered the settlement slow, but comparatively uniform, un- til, finally, when ten or more families had founded homes within the bor- ders of any Congressional township, an organization was ordered, and ef- fected by the election of officers and the establishment of Justices' courts.

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HISTORY OF WILLIAMS COUNTY.

At the time of the organization of old Williams County, in 1824, Dela- ware Township was created, to comprise all the territory in Ohio bounded north by Michigan, east by the line between Ranges 3 and 4 east, south by the line between Townships 3 and 4 north, and west by the Indians line. Prior to February, 1835, the Commissioners of Williams County had taken no special action regarding the northern boundary of the same ; but, at that date, the Ohio Legislature passed an act defining the north- ern boundary as the Harris line, after which the Commissioners claimed north to such line, and ordered the attachment of the disputed land to the various townships of the county that had civil organizations. From this it will appear that the northern boundary of Delaware Township, re- ferred to above, was thought to be the Fulton line (the present line be- tween Florence and Northwest), although the real northern line of Dela- ware was concealed under the (at that time) very indefinite expression, " the line between Ohio and Michigan." In December, 1833, St. Joseph Township was created, to comprise the present townships of Farmer and Milford, in Defiance County, and St. Joseph, Centre, Florence and Supe- rior, in Williams County. In March, 1835, St. Joseph Township was ex- tended north to include the present townships of Bridgewater and North- west. In March, 1836, Centre was created, to comprise, in Range 2, the present townships of Center, Superior and Bridgewater. This left St. Joseph Township to comprise the present St. Joseph, Florence and Northwest Townships, as Farmer and Milford had been stricken off previously. In March, 1837, Florence Township was created, to include the present town- ships of Florence, Superior, Bridgewater and Northwest, and an election of township officers was ordered held on the first Monday of April, 1837. In March, 1839, Bridgewater was organized to include the present Bridge- water and Northwest Townships, and at the same session, Superior, as it now is, was created, thus leaving Florence with its present limits. The names of the officers who were elected in the spring of 1837, to adminis- ter the civil affairs of old Florence Township, are no longer remembered ; neither can it be learned who first served after the township was cut down to its present limits.

APPEARANCE OF THE FIRST WHITE SETTLERS.

The Assessor, or Lister, for Florence Township (then including the present Townships of Florence and Superior), in 1837, returned the fol- lowing report : Wesley Burgoyne, four cattle ; John Cass, four cattle; Nelson Clark, four cattle ; Elias Depew, five cattle ; John D. Martin, three horses and three cattle; Robert Ogle, four horses ; Robert McDan- iel, two horses and two cattle ; David Singer, one horse and three cattle; Tunas Van Slike, four cattle; George Wisman, four cattle. The horses

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were valued at $40 each, and the cattle at $8 each, making the total value of horses $400, and the total value of cattle $264, and total value of both classes, 8664. Martin & Depew's saw-mill was valued at $50, and this amount, added to $664, gives $714-the total valuation of all taxable property, both real and personal, for both Florence and Superior Town- ships. The assessment was made in the spring of 1837. Of the above men, all lived in Superior Township, except John Cass, David Singer, Elias Depew and John D. Martin. These four men were, so far as known, the only residents of the present Florence Township in 1837, or before. William Van Fossen located in the township in about 1838. In 1840, the following men in Florence, as it now is, were assessed personal prop- erty : Benjamin S. Arnold, James Bark, George Costine, Levi Cunning- ham, Elias Depew, John Depew, Richard Porter, G. W. Perkey, David Singer, Asa R. Thomas, William Van Fossen, Edwid Wells and John J. Webb. At this time, there were but six horses and thirty-six cattle, all valued at $528, the total tax being $9.24. The following additional per- sons were assessed personal property in 1841: Jabez W. Arnold, James Arnold, John Allomong, Samuel Cain, Nathan Disbrow, Solomon W. Pal- mer, Moses Thomas, George White and Joseph Palmer. In 1840, Elias and John Depew, brothers, were assessed a tax of $10.447 on their property of West Buffalo, the same being valued at $597. At the same time, John D. Martin and Ambrose Rice, the former on Section 36, and the latter on Section 35, were assessed for house and land. In 1841, the following additional men were assessed houses and lands : Richard Baker, Levi Cunningham, Elias and John Depew, Daniel Farnham, Eli Farnham, Robert Mays, James McClellan, John J. Webb and J. Boyer, the latter owning four lots in West Buffalo. At this time, the Depew brothers owned the saw-mill, John having purchased the interest of John D. Mar- tin ; and they also owned the grist-mill, both mills being valued at $765. In 1844, the following men owned land in the township, the list being given that the names of as many old settlers as possible may be preserved. Of course, many of these men never resided in the township. The reader. is required to make the distinction : Demos Adams, Jacob Anspaugh, James Allman, Jonathan Andrew, James W. Austin, Jabez W. Arnold, James Arnold, B. L. Arnold, James Bark, Woodruff Beals, Richard Ba- ker, David Brady, D. D. Brady, Stephen Beach, Oliver Belknap, Orlan- do Brown, George B. Bash, David Brown, Levi Cunningham, E. Colwell, John H. Cass, Elizabeth Crissinger, Joseph Clum, Samuel Cain, James Criswell, Samuel Call, Thomas Burk, Elias Depew, John Depew, Benja- min Delin, Harvey Denton, Hiram Depuy, George Donutt, E. and J. Farnham, James Ferrell, Edwin Ferrell, Nelson Fisher, Robert Forgey, William Greer, F. F. Garey, William Grayburt, Andrew Gephart, Spen-

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cer Grinnell, James Gillis (his heirs), O. Hayden, B. H. Hornaman, To- bias Hoonstock, I. P. Hoag, H. W. Hicks, John Hontz, Joel Johnson, James Jones, David Kallen, Jacob Kimmell, Henry Kirtz, Samuel Kirtz, James A. Lee, Jacob Lawyer, David Leminger, James McClellan, James Mather, Dixon Milligan, Madison Morris, Christopher McManus, John Mclaughlin, W. and H. A. Martin, Simeon Martin, Jacob Neff, John Neil, Robert Ogle, Rockwell Pratt, James Patterson, Peter Backer, Nor- ton Russell, Jonathan Runkins, Edward Rex, Thomas Sinkey, H. H. Seeley, William Semans, W. B. Stickney, J. B. Snow, Jabez Snow, Charles Sleets, William Sleets, John Skelton, Christopher Singer, David Singer, Alexander Stephens, John Simon, Leonard Sellers, Daniel Tharp, Peter Tucker, William Van Fossen, John J. Webb, John Wenger, H. and O. Wilson, Joseph Whitehall, D. Worley and Philip Zeigler. Not more than twenty of the above men lived in Florence in 1844.

LIFE IN THE BACKWOODS.

Elias Depew and John D. Martin came to the township in the fall of 1885, and erected a saw-mill on Section 36, on the bank of St. Joseph's River. A dam was built across the stream, and a race, extending across a bend of the river, carried water to the wheel that propelled the saw. The mill being the first in all that section of country, was well patronized from the moment the saw began its slow but regular motion. Lumber from this mill was sold for miles around to the first settlers, and was a God-send to those who otherwise would have been compelled to go twice the distance or do without. When it is recollected that roads, at that time, were poor and without bottom, and teams were generally oxen, thin from constant use and insufficient food, and often so weak that they were scarcely able to draw their own weary limbs from the deep and tenacious mud, the great blessing attending the propinquity of stores and mills of all kinds, will be readily realized. Both Martin and Depew erected small residences, in which their families were domesticated. Improvements were slowly conducted on the farms, but the object of Martin and Depew was to found a village, & full account of which is found further along. In 1838, the grist-mill was built on the same dam by these men, and from the start had a fair patronage. The lumber which was used in its construction was sawed at the saw-mill, and of course consisted wholly of native wood. It has been stated that, before the erection of the grist-mill, a small run of buhrs had been placed in the old saw-mill, and used to crack corn for the few families who lived within five or six miles of the place. The facts could not be ascertained. As stated above, Martin sold out his interest in the mills in about 1840, to John Depew, a brother of Elias, but about four years later the brothers

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transferred their interests in the same to William Semans. After a few years the mills were again sold, and continued, from this onward, operat- ing under various ownerships, and doing, at times, excellent work, until about the time of the last war, when the dam was destroyed, and has not since been rebuilt. In early years the mills were widely known, more, perhaps, from the accommodation afforded settlers, than from any capital merit of the flour ground or lumber sawed. Great trouble was experi- enced in preserving the dam in times of high water, owing to the sandy nature of the soil used in its construction. The mills would not have been successful, solely on this account, had it not been for the excellent patron- age extended them.

INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE.

John Cass (or Case, as it appears on the tax duplicate) was in the township in 1837. Himself and family established themselves in a little log cabin on Section 1, where they resided a few months, and then left the township. This settler is said to have been a relative of Gov. Cass, of Michigan. David Singer, Sr., deserves more credit than per- haps any other man for the hardships himself and family endured, to create a home in the dense forests of Florence. Mr. Singer came to this part of the State in 1836, locating his farm on Section 9, and during the winter of 1836-37, erected a log cabin about forty rods north of where his son now lives. In the meantime, his family lived a short time at Denmark, and later with Robert McDaniel, who then lived on Section 30, Superior Township. In February, 1837, the family took up their residence in their new home, on Section 9. They were very poor. as almost everybody was then, but they had good health, and did not hesi- tate to face a reasonable amount of privation and toil. At that time there was not a neighbor residing any nearer them than five miles, and their little home was surrounded on all sides by an almost impassable wilder- ness, filled with wild and savage beasts, and with scarcely less savage Indians. It was all the family could do at first to live. At one time, for four weeks, they lived without any bread whatever, their only food consisting of rice soup and wild meat. They had a little money, and tried at one time to buy a small quantity of potatoes that had had the eyes cut out, but failed, as the man said, "I will not sell, as I can live on potatoes without eyes, but cannot on money." Finally, Mr. Singer started to mill with his grist on his back, going first to Denmark (the Martin & Depew Mill not having yet been erected), but failing there, he went on to Jacob Dillman's, who could not help him, and thence on to Brunersburgh. At the expiration of almost a week, he returned home, carrying seventy pounds on his back, and being completely worn out with bis load and with fasting. These extreme privations did not last long,

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fortunately, for if they had, the family would have gone back to their old home farther East. They soon were enabled to feed and clothe them- selves, and were then about as well situated as most of the earliest settlers. There was no such thing as caste in early times; the settlers were like brothers, for all were poor. Mr. Singer became belated in returning home one night from Denmark, and a heavy storm coming on, he became be- wildered and lost. In vain he endeavored to trace his way, as the thick darkness and heavy rain descended. The more he tried the more uncer- tain he became that he was moving in the right direction. At last he saw that the wisest course was to sit down on a log and wait, either until he was certain of his steps, or until morning had dawned. There he sat all night long, with the cold rain beating upon him, and the dreary winds sweeping by him in chilling gusts and eddies. When morning dawned, he was soon beside a roaring fire, something which every settler had, with no cost save labor. After a few years, the Singers were in better circum- stances. They, on one occasion, owned a fine sow, which had a large family of pigs, and these animals were permitted to sleep against the side of the cabin (on the outside), that they might be protected from wolves and bears. One dark night, when Mr. Singer was away, and no one was at home save Mrs. Singer and her little children, the wolves, ren- dered desperate by hunger, came up to the cabin to attack the sow and pigs. Mrs. Singer resolutely sallied forth with a large fire brand, and drove them away, but they returned, and were again driven away, and then the settler's wife saw that, if she saved her animals, she must guard them with fire all night. A fire was kindled near the cabin, close to the swine, and was kept replenished all night, but the sow and pigs were saved. Such incidents as this were common.

HUNTING EXPLOITS.

Mr. Singer, though not the best hunter in the world (as the expression goes), was quite skillful with his rifle, and generally kept his cabin sup- plied with wild meat. He killed many deer and a few bears. One day, while he wa's at work in the woods near his cabin, he was approached by Phillip Nihart, who hurriedly told him that he had treed a bear out in the woods about half a mile distant, and wanted his assistance in killing it. The two settlers, armed for the fight, went to the tree as fast as they could, and found the animal still in the branches. A couple of shots brought it to the ground, dead. On another occasion, not far from the year 1845, Mrs. Singer, who was standing outside ber cabin, saw some black animal, about as large as a small dog, walking on the top of a rail fence near by. She approached, and saw with surprise that it was a cub. Calling to her husband, and two or three other men who were chopping

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County of Williams, Ohio, Historical and Biographical, Part 43

Author: Weston A. Goodspeed, Charles Blanchard Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages: 885

Author: Weston A. Goodspeed, Charles Blanchard
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 885