USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part One > Part 19
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John F. Cole, who purchased his farm in section 36, German, in 1831 ; John P. Mitchell, who located lands in section 25, German, and section 26, Bath, in 1831-32; Henry Lippin- cott, who located his farm in section 32, Bath, in 1830; James S. Daniels and John Terry, who entered their lands in section 36, German,
in 1829; Joseph Lippincott, in section 5, Perry, in 1830; John Mark, a temporary resident, Dr. William Cunningham and John Bashore, who were here in 1831, may be classed as making up the vanguard of the pioneers of this district. In the Cole reminiscences, it is stated that John F. Cole in 1831 moved with his wife and four children and settled on an uncleared tract of land near Lima, which he had previously en- tered. The country around the town was in its primitive wildness, and very little timber removed. After the erection of a cabin Mr. Cole commenced to clear his land, and by the following spring had about four acres cleared and ready for planting corn. Such was the scarcity of hardware that he could not even obtain a pair of hinges or nails to make and
MAIN STREET, LIMA, IN 1887. Looking South from Wayne Street. From Howe's "Historical Collections of Ohio."
hang a door to guard his cabin during the cold, as well as to protect it against the visits of in- trusive persons. He was, therefore, compelled to make and hang a door by the use of an auger and an axe, using wooden pins in lieu of nails and hinges.
As one of the first three trustees of Ottawa township and as one who was intimately con- nected with the growth of Lima through his large real estate operations, a sketch of the late Hon. Thomas K. Jacobs may appropriate- ly be given here.
Mr. Jacobs was born January 31. 1812, in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, and was the
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second son of William and Sarah (Williams) Jacobs, who were early settlers in Pennsylva- nia. He was educated in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, and early in life learned the tailor's trade which he followed for a period of 10 years. He began his business career at Mifflin, Pennsylvania, and in 1832 moved to Ashland, Ohio. After a two years' residence there, he came to Lima, where for many years thereafter he continued active in real estate dealings, developing different parts of the city. He laid out and platted a large part of the land now included in the corporation limits of Lima, and continued until his death to be interested in the city's affairs. He also held considerable farm property and engaged in farming for a time.
Mr. Jacobs was married September 25, 1834, to Anna Elder, a daughter of David Elder, of Mifflin, Pennsylvania, and they reared four children of a family of nine born to them, namely : W. C., a practicing physician of Akron, Ohio; Thomas K., Jr., a physician of Lima, whose biography appears elsewhere in this work; Editha, wife of H. A. Moore; and Clara, wife of J. F. Brotherton, of Lima. Mrs. Jacobs died January 6, 1880, and in May, 1881, he formed a second union, with Mrs. Mary C. Jacobs.
In October, 1841, Mr. Jacobs was elected treasurer of Allen County, and served nearly years continuously except for the short time the office was filled by Alexander Beatty, upon whose death Mr. Jacobs was appointed to fill the unexpired term. He was thereafter very prominent in public affairs until he retired from active life a few years prior to his death. He was serving in the State Legislature of Ohio at the time Fort Sumter was fired upon, and was one of the first to vote for Ohio being placed on a war footing, the measure being carried after considerable delay and a hard fight. He served two years and then returned to Lima where he was appointed quartermaster of the 99th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., in which he served until he was discharged on account of disability, in March, 1865. Fraternally, our subject was prominent in Masonry and was a Knight Templar.
In the death of Mr. Jacobs, which occurred November 12, 1884, Allen County lost one of her most substantial and respected citizens and expressions of deep regret were heard on every hand. A broad-minded man, progressive and public-spirited, his influence was always on the side of right, and we can safely say that no man of his period did more toward the development of Lima than he.
The history of this township has been quite fully treated under the history of Lima, hence only a brief statement as to city officials is. needed here.
MAYORS OF LIMA.
H. D. V. Williams, April, 1842, to April, 1844. H. F. Hubbard, April, 1844, to April, 1845. John P. Fay, April, 1845, to April, 1846. Thomas Dalzell, April, 1846, to April, 1847. A. N. Smith, April, 1847, to April, 1848. James Cunningham, April, 1848, to April, 1849. Thomas Dalzell, April, 1849, to April, 1850. Thomas Milligan, April, 1850, to April, 1851. Samuel A. Baxter, Sr., April, 1851, to April, 1853- Thomas Milligan, April, 1853, to January 3, 1854- James E. Harriott, Jan. 3, 1854, to April, 1856. John Melhorn, April 1856, to April, 1857. James A. Newell, April, 1858, to April, 1859. John L. Hughes, April, 1859, to April, 1860. E. G. Hamilton, April, 1860, to April, 1861. John R. Hughes, April, 1861, to April, 1864. Isaac T. Hickman, April, 1864, to April, 1865. John Collett, April, 1865, to April, 1868. Thomas M. Robb, April, 1868, to Sept. 15, 1869. G. W. Overmyer, Sept. 15, 1869, to April, 1870 .. Richard Metheany, April, 1870, to April, 1874. John C. Dunlevy, April, 1874, to April, 1876.
James B. Townsend, April, 1876, to April, 1880. Frank E. Mead, April, 1880, to April, 1882. H. S. Prophet, April, 1882, to April, 1884. William McComb, Jr., April, 1884, to April, 1890. Ira Longsworth, April, 1890, to April, 1892. William McComb, Jr., April, 1892, to April, 1894. James V. Smiley, April, 1894, to April, 1896. Dr. Samuel A. Baxter, April, 1896, to April, 1898. H. S. Prophet, April, 1898, to April, 1900.
William McComb, Jr., April, 1900, to April, 1902 .. L. H. Rogers, April, 1902, to April, 1904. Theo. D. Robb, April, 1904 -.
CITY SOLICITORS OF LIMA.
J. E. Richie, April, 1870, to April, 1872. James Irvine, April, 1872, to April, 1874.
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
H. S. Prophet, April, 1874, to April, 1878. J. N. Hutchinson, April, 1878, to April, 1880. John F. Brotherton, April, 1880 to April, 1882. D. J. Cable, April, 1882, to April, 1884. William L. Mackenzie, April, 1884, to April, 1888. James O. Ohler, April, 1888, to April, 1890. James W. Halfhill, April, 1890, to April, 1894. Charles B. Adgate, April, 1894, to April, 1898. Don C. Henderson, April, 1898, to April, 1902. H. O. Bentley, April, 1902, to January, 1906 .* R. C. Eastman, January, 1906.
Following is a list of the officials of the city of Lima for 1906-07 :
Mayor-Theodore D. Robb; clerk, Fred Armstrong.
City auditor-Fred C. Beam.
City treasurer-Clem S. Baxter.
Deputy auditor and treasurer-Orah A. Hamer.
City solicitor-R. C. Eastman; clerk, Anna Buchanan.
Public Service Department-Board of Public Works: Wilbur Fisk (president), Lewis Koch ( vice-president) and William Wilson; clerk, L. L. Crumrine; Engineering Department : J. K. Brice (chief engineer ), H. G. Shenk (sewer inspector) and W. E. Grubb (sidewalk inspector) ; street superintendents : D. W. Linson and T. O'Brien; City Infirmary Directors : George P. McGuire (president ) and John H. Anderson (secretary) ; market mas- ter, A. Harrod; Water-Works Department : O. W. Regan (secretary ), H. E. Botkins (as- Sistant secretary ), Richard Stone (superintend- ent) and Ed. King (chief engineer ).
Public Safety Department-Board of Pub- lic Safety : S. M. Fletcher (president) and J. W. Shannahan; clerk, E. R. Foster; chief of Fire Department, Bert Coates; chief of Police Department, Walter S. Mills.
Public Health Department-Board of Health : Theo. D. Robb (president ex officio), Z. A. Crosson ( vice-president), J. F. Hauen- stein, C. F. Stolzenbach, F. C. Smith and E. WV. Mosier; clerk, O. J. Rose; health officer, Dr. A. L. Jones; sanitary police : G. R. Potter and Harry Frye.
*By the new Ohio Municipal Code spring elections are abolished; all elections are held in November an- nually.
Public Indebtedness Department-Sinking Fund Trustees : E. A. Dean, W. L. Mackenzie, Dr. T. K. Jacobs and Gus Kalb; secretary, Fred C. Beam.
City Council-Officers of Council: D. Cramer (president), Dr. M. S. Bowser (presi- dent pro tem) and O. J. Rose (clerk) ; mem- bers at large: O. H. Odell, Thomas Green- land and W. B. Craig; members from wards: S. R. Larimer (First), T. A. Collins (Sec- ond), Dr. M. S. Bowser (Third) and Charles Davison (Fourth).
PERRY TOWNSHIP
Was established by the Board of County Com- missioners in December, 1833, and was organ- ized at the house of Joseph Crossley in April, 1834. Hugh Skilling, Sr., John Ridenour and Joseph Crossley were elected trustees; Moses McDonald, justice of the peace, and James Chenoweth, clerk. At this time the northeast- ern sections of Jackson township as originally set off from congressional township 4 south, range 7 east, were detached and added to Perry, giving the new township her full area of 36 square miles.
The centers of settlement are Amherst, Warsaw and South Warsaw, all in the southern part of the township. There is no postoffice in the township now, though formerly there was one at South Warsaw. There is rural free delivery of mail throughout the township. There is no railway station in the township, though the Chicago & Erie and Detroit, To- ledo & Ironton roads traverse the township. The proposed southern extension of the Co- lumbus & Lake Michigan will pass through Perry.
The land of Perry township is quite level and originally was very wet. Having been well drained, the soil is rich and very produc- tive; in the production of corn and grass it is not surpassed by any township in the county. The roads are well piked and this is a great advantage for the farmers do all their shopping at Lima. One of Perry township's most enter- prising citizens is T. A. Crabb. Mr. Crabb is a large stock-raiser dairyman and market gardener. He is interested in education and
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> agriculture having been a director of the Allen County Agricultural Society for many years.
The oil industry is quite promising about Yoder a little town near the center of the township which sprang up after the discovery of oil and was named for the family of Con- gressman S. S. Yoder. At one time there was a promising grange in the township which met at Yoder in a hall specially built for that pur- pose but at present the grange has been dis- continued.
The property valuation in 1904 of Perry township outside of Perry Special School Dis- trict was $836,189, with a tax rate of 17.9 mills ; that of Perry Special School District in the same year was $265,177, with a tax rate of 14.9 mills.
Pioneers .- The early settlers of the town- ship were Samuel Bowman, Andrew Budd, Joseph Crossley, Augustus Curtis, Thomas Crooks, Nicholas Faze, Samuel Funk, Martin Funk, John Logan, Joseph Lippincott, Andrew Moore, George Moss, James McPheron, John McPheron, William McPheron, James F. Miller, John Ridenour, Jacob Ridenour, Hugh B. Stevenson, Hugh Skilling, George Severs, Daniel Schuler, J. L. Stevenson, John Steven- son, Samuel D. Voorhis, Cornelius Voorhis. James H. Daniels, Jacob Ice, George Haw- thorne and Thomas Franklin. The settlement of Perry may be said to date from 1830. When John Ridenour arrived in Perry township in 1830, he found the county almost a wilderness, occupied largely by the Shawnees along Hog Creek and in the village in Shawnee township, with here and there a white family. He suc- ceeded in erecting a cabin after traveling many miles to gather a few hands to assist at the raising. The Shawnee hunters often visited him and Chief Quilna was a frequent guest at his cabin. Pht and other friendly Indians paid him frequent visits. When the Shawnees left in 1832, Mr. Ridenour obtained a pony form- erly owned by the family of Pht, which had been given Andrew Russell for paling in the grave of the Chief, and which lived to be 28 years old. Mr. Ridenour had a family of three sons and four daughters.
In 1840 the township presented a very
primitive appearance. Nearly all of the lands were taken up, but the township was very heavily timbered and improvements were slow in being made. In 1840 James C. Hullinger built a cabin in Perry township, and at that time his nearest neighbors were a mile and a half distant. The first mill patronized by the early settlers was in Auglaize township, two and a half miles away -- and for grinding the pioneers usually went to Cherokee. Dr. Wil- liam Cunningham of Lima, and Dr. Knox, of Westminster, administered to the sick in this part of the county.
The taxpayers of Perry township, in 1834, were : James H. Daniels, Augustus Curtin, Thomas Crooks, Thomas Franklin, Jacob Ice, Samuel B. Lippincott, John C. Luce, John Lo- gan, Elya Maus, George Severs, John Ste- venson, Daniel Schuler and James McPheron. The value of the horses and cattle was esti- mated at $872, yielding a tax of $9.59.
Schools .- The first school in Perry town- ship was taught by Leonard Skilling in 1835. In 1844 John Terry was employed to teach in a schoolhouse built in section 25. In 1884 the number of pupils enrolled was 363; in 1904, 280. In Perry Special School District the en- rollment in 1884 was 96; in 1904, 59. The school buildings in the township in 1884 were valued at $2,800; in 1904, at $13,000. In Perry Special School District in 1884 the school buildings were valued at $2.600; in 1904, at $3,000.
The teachers in the schools of Perry town- ship in 1904-05 were as follows: Ida L. Diehl, Grace Hover, William Rines, O. M. Thomas, Robert Shade, A. M. Wonnell. J. F. Under- wood and Elsie Chapman. The teachers in Perry Special School District for the same period were as follows: Nelle G. Michael. Addie Mckinney, Orie McCoy and Viola Barton.
Churches .- The churches in the township are quite numerous and well attended: The Cherry Grove Church of Christ with Rev. Mc- Cloud as pastor ; the Fletcher, Olive and Perry Chapel Methodist Episcopal churches, all on a circuit with Rev. Parlette as pastor; and the Garfield Church of Christ.
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP
Was organized in 1835 under authority granted by the commissioners of Putnam County on the petition of David Miller and others. In February, 1848, on the organiza- tion of Auglaize, the southern tier of sections in township I, range 8, was taken from Riley township, Putnam County, and attached to Richland, thus giving it an area of 42 square miles. The first justices of the peace elected in the township were Henry Shank and Daniel Goble. The election was held at the cabin of Henry Carter in 1836.
The head waters of Sugar Creek are found in this township, and here the streams known as Riley and Little Riley have their sources. There are remains of beaver dams found here and there. The soil is very fertile and well adapted to all kinds of crops.
The Lake Erie & Western Railroad and the Lima & Findlay traction line pass through Richland township in a southwesterly direction and the Ohio Northern cuts across the extreme northeast corner of the township.
Stone Quarries .--- The stone quarries in the neighborhood of Bluffton are both numerous and valuable. The Bluffton Stone Company, which has important quarries where employ- ment is given to from 20 to 30 men, had its origin in the firm of Amstutz & Son, composed of John Amstutz and his son, Wilhelm Albert Amstutz. Some three years ago the firm pur- chased four and a quarter acres of land, began to clear the property of underbrush and other obstructions and also to remove the subsoil overlying what is expected to be one of the finest beds of blue limestone to be found in this section of Ohio. The blue limestone found in the quarries thus opened up by Amstutz & Son contains more iron and cement than any other kind of stone in the Sate; the stone is also of a much better quality and the strata have a total depth of over 400 feet. Thus it may be readily seen that it is practically inexhaustible, and is as hard as any limestone rock found anywhere. It will withstand a crushing strain of about 8,200 pounds per cubic inch. Mr. Amstutz' knowledge of the nature of the stone and its
resisting qualities for concrete and highway purposes, acquired while acting as township and county road commissioner, were of great bene- fit to him in selecting the location of these blue limestone quarries. In July, 1905, Wilhelm A. Amstutz and his associates purchased John Amstutz' interests in the quarries and the Bluff- ton Stone Company, a stock concern, was or- ganized, which is now operating the quarries.
John Amstutz, an extended sketch of whom appears in the biographical department of this. work, is one of Richland township's best known citizens. He lives on his farm located about a mile west of Bluton. He has held many im- portant offices of trust.
His father, also named John, was born in Alsace, France, now in Germany, in 1811 and came to Allen County in 1835, purchasing a tract of 10 acres, where he built what is said to have been the first wagon-shop in this section of Ohio. It is also related that he made the first school globe ever constructed in the State. He was a well-read man and accumulated a very large private library for his time. He assisted in the organization of Richland town- ship and was the first school director, there being only one district in the township at that time. His character was unimpeachable. He- served as township treasurer some 20 years and administered the law as a justice of the peace- for 27 years. He died at the age of 80 years. and II months. On his 80th birthday, with- out the aid of glasses, he wrote the whole of the Lord's Prayer on a bit of paper that a silver dime would cover.
The Mennonites are quite numerous in Richland township, having come from Holmes. County in 1848. John Thut was unanimously elected to the office of bishop of Richland town- ship, October 6, 1857.
Pioneers .- The early pioneers were: John Arnstott, Abraham Augsberger, Peter Bech- tel, Daniel Berry, J. S. Clarke, Peter Bixter, Orange Burtley, Peter Bixell, James Brannan, U. Basinger, George Basinger, Michael Bag- ley, O. H. Bliss, L. L. Barnum, Peter Bucher, Peter Cribley, George Craig, J. A. Combs, Jo- seph Cunningham. D. Clark, Michael Close, J. Carnahan, Henry Carter, Joseph Cope, J. E ..
E
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Creighton, John Charlton, John Cox, A. Camp- bell, W. G. Combs, Peter Close, Joseph De- ford, Caleb, Josiah and Samuel Gaskel, Charles Dally, H. V. Dally, D. Harn, Archibald Don- ald, Jacob Depler, Ephraim Davis, Peter Da- vault, Andrew Everhard, John Everhard, John Elliott, Elias Everett, Bejamin Freet, David Freet, Abraham Feitner, William Forgy, Dan- iel Goble, John Goble, Ebenezer Goble, G. W. Goble, Frederick Gratz, George Galloway, John Gringer, B. Gaskell, C. M. Godfrey, Peter Geiger, Adam Goil, George Hays. Frederick Hauenstein, Lewis Hoffman, William Huder, William Hidge, Samuel Hostetter, J. F. Hu- ber, Peter Hilty, George Hughs, Peter Hilty, Sr., Thomas Henderson, John Hand, Augus- tus Hoffman, Charles Huber, Christian Hilty, John Higerly, Peter Hartman, Abijah Ives, John James, C. Johnston, John Koebler, John Karns, Jacob Lyons, C. Lugibihl, John Lugi- bihl, John Luke, Moses Lee, Robert Meeks. Samuel Mattis, Jacob Moser, Robert Machan. J. H. Marshall, Warren Moser, John Musser, John Milligan, John McHenry. Green Mc- Henry, Isaac McHenry, Joseph Meyers. Thomas Murray, M. Meek, Jacob Musser, Ja- cob Neff, Michael Neiswander, Ulrich Neis- wander, Isaac Neiswander, Christian Neis- wander, James Owens, Abraham Overholt, W. B. Pengle, Peter Palmer, James Pier, T. Rear- man, B. Reed, William Roof, William Roberts. Theophilus Richards, F. H. Rothman, Chris- tian Steller, John Shefferly, Henry Shank, J. Shull, C. Smetz, John Sawhill, Christian Shu- maker, John Shinaberry, George Shipley. Daniel Strow, Frederick Shull, Adam Thomp- son, Elias Templeton, James Taylor, John Umphrey, M. Vannansinger, P. Welty, John Watson, John Waggoner, M. Waggoner, Wil- liam Young, Jacob Young and David Zercher.
The early settlers of Richland township came from a region cleared by their fathers so that they were little accustomed to the use of the ax. A tree was not then as now a mine of wealth but a nuisance to be rid of and these sturdy pioneers, with a will, set about their task of clearing the forest. David Miller, a shoemaker and a useful man, was very enthu- siastic for the organization of the new town- 8
ship, and through his zeal the township was named for his former county-Richland.
It was but a few years, till many of the com- forts of civilized life rewarded these earnest workers.
Schools .- The first schoolhouse was erected on Little Riley Creek. It was a log cabin and it is generally believed that the first teacher was Franklin Smith. At present the valuation of school property in Richland township out- side of the villages is $15,000; in the village of Beaver Dam, $4,500; and in Bluffton, $30,000, making a total of $49,500. Richland town- ship has a township superintendent of schools, F. S. Beard, who is assisted by the following corps of teachers : C. B. Lugibihl, E. M. Hoch- stetler, H. E. Huber, W. H. P. Huber, Bessie B. Begg, E. O. Lugibihl, D. J. Basinger, Katie Hager, W. E. Steiner, John Thut and Jacob Amstutz. This township is to be congratulated that its progressive spirit has enabled it to be one of the three townships in the county hav- ing an organized system of schools in the country with a township superintendent.
BEAVER DAM
1
Was laid out in 1853 by Frederick Shull. Ac- cording to Daniel Millikin, an old resident, the legend connected with the village is, that "orig- inally the beavers that were found there by the Indians had built two dams, one east and the other west of the present site of the town, so as to cause the waters to become accumulated to enable them to use the flood for a sort of dam." The town is located between the ancient dams. The Lake Erie & Western Railroad and the Lima & Findlay traction line pass through the village.
There are four teachers in the Beaver Dam schools, viz. : J. L. Steiner, superintendent and principal of the High School; E. A. Miller, in charge of the grammar department; Erna E. Conrad, in charge of the intermediate depart- ment; and Helen Huber, in charge of the pri- mary department. The schools have an enroll- ment of 181 pupils. C. Frank Troxel is pres- ident, and J. W. Manges is clerk of the Board of Education.
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
The village has two physicians : Drs. J. B. Haines and T. H. Goodwin, both of the regular school, the former locating here in January. 1896, and succeeding Dr. Jesse G. Honnell, deceased, and the latter taking up his practice here about 12 years ago. The village has three lodges, namely: I. O. O. F., organized in 1879; Daughters of Rebekah, organized in '1903; and Modern Woodmen of America, or- ganized in the fall of 1896. All are prosperous.
Beaver Dam has two churches. The Meth- odist Episcopal Church, which has a member- ship of 138, was organized over 40 years ago. The present brick church edifice was erected in the years 1869 and 1870. The church was in the Bluffton charge until September 29, `1905, when it was made into a separate charge 'with the Rockport congregation. The church 'now has a resident pastor, Rev. H. W. Hodge, 'a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan University. 'The Church of Christ has a membership of about 100. There has been no resident pastor 'during the past year; Rev. Frank Custer, of Lima, has had charge of the congregation. Both churches are active and progressive in their religious work and prosperous in their financial matters.
The Bell Telephone Company has recently erected a substantial brick building for their exchange, Beaver Dam being the crossing of .all the main telephone lines east and west and .north and south, in that part of the county.
The Farmers' & Merchants' Bank is taking ·care of the finances of the town ; of this insti- tution Allen Phillips is cashier.
BLUFFTON
Is and always has been the home of a class of .people who feel proud of the town in which they reside and have never had reason to feel otherwise. Situated in the northeast corner of Allen County, in Richland township, and ad- joining Hancock County, on the east half a mile to the nearest county line and one and one half miles to the county line of Putnam County on the north. it is what might be called a tri- county village. Situated between Riley and Little Riley creeks, Nature has gifted it with
as fine a location as could be wished for. Its industrial and commercial advantages are ex- cellent, its railway facilities are good, having a junction of two roads-the Lake Erie & Western and the Northern Ohio railways.
Bluffton is situated on what might almost be called an island. Riley Creek, which waters the northwestern corner of the county, has its main source on the north border of Hog Creek marsh, with tributary feeders between Beaver Dam and Bluffton, emptying into the Blanch- ard River. Riley Creek, like a silver thread woven into a fabric of green, evolved from summer's sun and dews, winds its way among fertile valleys, reflecting in its pellucid bosom the comfortable homes of a happy and con- tented people.
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