USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part One > Part 20
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The name "Bluffton" was first suggested by Jacob Mosier and others, who had moved here from Bluffton, Indiana. The postoffice was first called "Croghan," in honor of Col. George Croghan, who so ably and heroically defended Fort Stephenson, July 31, 1813, when he was yet in the 2Ist year of his age. The vil- lage was first called "Shannon" after Wilson Shannon, who was afterward Governor of Ohio, from 1842 to 1844.
The first settler was Joseph Deford, who built a log cabin here in 1833. He also built a log grist-mill on Riley Creek about the same date. On July 4th, of the same year, Joseph Jones purchased a tract of land from the gov- ernment, a part of which is now the High School ground. The first merchant and post- master of the place was D. L. Goble, who sold goods in a room in his dwelling located where the house of Mrs. J. H. Eaton now stands. It is said that the turn in the road by the cemetery was made in this early day for the purpose of leading directly to his store.
The town when first platted, in 1838. had 19 lots, and was laid out by Joseph Deford. At that time the place was named "Shannon." Maj. Edson Goit was the second merchant of the place. In 1841 he located in what is now the northeastern end of the town. on Main street. In 1850 Shannon was composed of 12 families. There being another place called "Shannon" in the State, the citizens decided by
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ballot, on August 17, 1861, to incorporate the place and call it "Bluffton." J. S. Powell was elected first mayor, and E. H. Edsal, the first clerk. In 1872 the Lake Erie & Louisville (now the Lake Erie & Western) was completed through the town, connecting it with the out- side world by rail, and built a station on Cherry street. Before this railroad was built to Bluff- ton, the exports and imports of the place had to be carted by wagon to and from neighboring towns. This new impetus to the already thriv- ing little village gave the citizens renewed energy.
In 1873 A. G. Kibler, Steiner Brothers, Lambert & Vernon and J. H. Eaton built the Commercial Block, which still stands. This movement marked the beginning of the change of business location from the lower end of the town to its present position.
Industries began to turn their attention to the southern end of Main street, where soon thereafter many of the present handsome busi- ness houses were built, notably the drug-store building of Andrew Hauenstein, the E. Jones furniture store block, built by E. Garau in 1878, and the Centennial Block, erected in 1876.
Realizing that another railroad, leading east and west, would be to the advantage of the town, the citizens very liberally contributed, and by so doing were enabled to secure in 1883 the Cleveland, Delphos & St. Louis Railway (now known as the Northern Ohio). An electric railway passes directly through Main street, starting from Toledo and ending in Cincinnati, thus making Bluffton a railroad center.
The census of the village in 1880 showed Bluffton to be a place of 1,290 inhabitants, while that of 1890 gave it 1,500 and in 1900 it was over 1,800. The town now claims a pop- ulation of about 2,500 inhabitants.
The Press .- The Bluffton Times was the first newspaper, making its appearance in July, 1872, with P. R. Bailey as its editor and pro- prietor. It did not continue long under this management, and in 1873 was published by Clark & Davis. Later Mr. Davis became sole owner and changed the name to Bluffton
Standard. The plant soon moved away, and Bluffton was six months without a paper, when N. W. Cunningham ( now cashier of the Com- mercial Bank) came here from Lima, and es- tablished the Bluffton Newes, which is still pub- lished under the same name. In 1900 B. F. Biery, the present proprietor, purchased the plant. The Bluffton News was always for Bluffton, first, last and at all times, and is an organ of which the town, whose interest it has done much to advance, is justly proud. In 1898 the Bluffton Leader was established by C. D. Amstutz, and is at present owned and edited by E. B. Betzner, who issues a very creditable and newsy paper.
Churches .- In religious sects, Bluffton might be termed a village of churches. It has, in all, eight church organizations.
The Methodist Episcopal Church has a membership of 180; Rev. R. J. Beard is the pastor. He has also a charge at Pleasant Hill, Richland township.
The German Reformed Church, of which Rev. F. Goetsch is pastor, has a membership of 150.
The Church of Christ, with a membership of 113, is served by Rev. Frank Custer, of Lima.
The Presbyterian Church, with a member- ship of 58, has as its pastor, Rev. John Todd.
St. Mary's Catholic Church has a member- ship of 50; Rev. H. Doerner, of Findlay, serves this charge.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church has 45 members. The pulpit is vacant at the present time.
The Mennonite Church of Bluffton is now without a pastor; the membership is 31.
The Swiss Mennonite Church, embracing St. John's and Ebenezer congregations as well as the one of Bluffton, has a total membership of 640 ; Rev. J. B. Baer is pastor. These latter congregations were presided over until very recently by the aged and highly respected Bishop John Moser.
Church work in the different churches is actively and zealously carried on in the var- ious departments. More especially is this true as it relates to woman's work. The mission-
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ary societies of the different church organiza- tions are unceasing in their efforts to promote the spread of the Gospel, while the efforts being made in other branches of Christian work are especially sincere. The Young Peo- ple's societies of Bluffton are strong numeri- cally, and exert a wholesome influence in the community.
Banks .- Bluffton has two good banks which furnish banking facilities of the very highest character. The older of the two, the Commercial & Savings Company, was founded in the year 1887 as a private bank by Frank Scott. In 1893 N. W. Cunningham purchased a half interest and the name, Commercial Bank, was continued until June 3, 1902, when the bank was incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio. It commenced business under its present name as a State bank on July 1, 1902, Mr. Scott at that time being president and Mr. Cunningham, cashier. The bank has a capital stock of $60,000, of which $30,000 has been paid. There are over 40 stockholders, all living in or near Bluffton.
The First National Bank was incorpor- ated as a national bank in November, 1900, with a capital stock of $25,000. The bank does a general business covering all branches pertaining to banking industry. It has a sav- ings department in which there are over 500 depositors. The Braceline Block was recently purchased and remodeled and equipped for banking purposes. It is a handsome two-story brick structure on Main street. Simon Herr is president, L. S. Dukes, vice-president and John Bixel, cashier. A great deal of the Bank's business is drawn from Putman and Hancock counties as well as Allen.
Public Improvements .- Perhaps the best feature of the town of Bluffton is its sub- stantial public improvements, such as excellent drainage, and sanitary conditions, good mac- adamized streets and stone sidewalks. It has a splendid system of water-works, and an electric light plant, which are fully equal to the demand.
Secret Societies .- There are quite a few secret and fraternal societies represented in Bluffton, of which the oldest established are :
Bluffton Lodge, No. 432, F. & A. M., and Bluffton Lodge, No. 371, I. O. O. F. The former lodge was chartered October 20, 1869, with the following members: E. W. Greene, S. S. Yoder, John Goble, John Meyer, Jacob Moser, J. J. Ferrall, Jesse G. Honnell, John Eaton and James J. Crawford. The first of- ficers were: E. W. Greene, W. M .; S. S. Yoder, S. W .; and John Goble, J. W. The officers for 1906 are as follows: H. O. Fred- erick, W. M .; J. L. Doty, S. W .; and C. G. Coburn, J. W. The number of members in 1884 was 35; now (1906) there are about 50 members. The lodge has an excellent lodge room. Bluffton Lodge, No. 371, I. O. O. F., was chartered May 18, 1863, the charter members being J. S. Powell, A. J. Conrad,. Jacob Moser, R. H. Cox and Joseph B. Hall. The officers for 1906 are as follows : Sheldon Dearth, N. G .; C. R. Swank, V. G .; Gid. Schaenblin, secretary; A. Hauenstein, finan- cial secretary; and Noah Basinger, treasurer. The lodge has had a steady growth. In 1884 there were about 28 members, now there are 124. In addition to the Masons and Odd Fel- lows there are also the following lodges; Modern Woodmen of America, A. L. Baum- gartner, secretary; Knights of Pythias, W. H. Fuller, secretary; Knights of the Maccabees, L. J. Miller, secretary ; Ladies of the Macca- bees, Mrs. Biery, secretary; Bluffton Lodge No. 193, Royal Arcanum, Noah Basinger, secretary ; Tribe of Ben Hur, Otis Goble, sec- retary ; Protected Home Circle, Dr. Hughson, secretary ; and Robert Hamilton Post, No. 262, G. A. R.
Business Interests .- In the line of manu- factures, the town is favored with a diversi- fied and substantial line of industry, which is both permanent and substantial. Their promoters are public-spirited and valuable citi- zens. Bluffton may also claim the proud dis- tinction of being the original home of the cream separator business of the United States, as the original patents were secured here. There are three companies in Bluffton engaged in the manufacture of cream separators, name- ly : the Sanitary, the Bluffton and the Arras cream separator companies. Another large
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industry is that of the Bluffton Turned Goods Company, which produces hardwood handles for all kinds of tools. There are 2 machine shops, 2 planing mills, I flouring mill, one fork company, two stone companies (the Buckeye and the Bluffton stone companies), the Triplett Meter Company and the Bluffton Cement Block Company. These are the lead- ing manufacturing establishments of the place. There are also I monument concern, 4 wagon and blacksmiths and I plumbing and steam-fitting establishment. In addition to the two hotels, Hotel Russell and the Ameri- can House, the town also has three restaurants. There are three dry goods stores, 2 clothing, boot and shoe stores, 2 notion stores, I ladies' furnishings establishment, 3 millinery estab- lishments, 5 groceries, 2 bakeries, 2 meat mar- kets, 2 drug-stores, 2 furniture stores, 2 hard- ware stores, 2 dealers in harness and buggies, 3 livery stables, I feed barn, 2 hay dealers, 2 horse dealers, 2 live-stock dealers, 2 poultry dealers, 2 grain dealers, 4 coal dealers, I auto- mobile dealer and I undertaker. The town has 2 telephone companies-the Bluffton Tele- phone Company and the Farmers' Mutual Telephone Company.
Schools .- Prior to 1844 the children of Shannon went to school in a round-log school- house situated a short distance east of the arch bridge on the cemetery road. The build- ing was burned to the ground in this same year. Soon after, a hewed-log schoolhouse was built upon the old site and stood there until 1852 when it also was destroyed by fire. Samuel Thompson and Dr. Silas Ewing, who still reside at Bluffton, were teachers in this school.
The district known as Richland Township Sub-Division No. I was now divided by vote of the people. The north half, Bluffton, erected a frame building at the intersection of what is now Riley street and Lawn avenue. It is believed that the first teacher of this school was Eleanor Young. She was followed by Mary Ann Young. Daniel Beardsley, Henry Shank, Abel F. Jennings and William Ander- son. For a period of nine or ten years school
was conducted in this building until the growth and enterprise of the village made a change necessary, not only for the accommo- dation of pupils, but in the character of the school to be maintained.
In 1861, or the year following, the Town- ship Board of Education, under the Akron school law, struck off Bluffton and its immed- iate vicinity into the "Bluffton Special School District." That ample opportunity might be given to the youth of the community to ob- tain an education, a two-story frame building now occupied as a business room on Main street, was erected in front of the present Jackson Street School. Among the teachers in this building were: Edward Ballard, Burr Shafer, Samuel Gaskell, J. D. Flenner, a Mr. Hogle and A. J. Owens, the last named still a resident of Bluffton.
In 1875 the qualified electors almost unan- imously bonded the district for $10,000, the result of which was the erection, but not the entire completion, of the Jackson Street School, at a cost of $10,225. No records of the Bluffton public schools prior to this year are in existence and, therefore, the facts that have already been set down in this article are the personal recollections of some of the long- est established citizens of the place. In October, 1877, a high school grade, consisting of three years, was established. To this course was added Latin in 1879. In 1898 it again became necessary to provide for the in- creased number of pupils and the Lawn Ave- nue School was erected at a cost of about $6,000. The high school course of study has been modified and strengthened from time to time; on April 7, 1904, the present course of four years was adopted.
"Bluffton Special School District," estab- lished more than 40 years ago, is no longer such in name. the legislative enactment of 1904 having changed it to "Bluffton Village School District."
The president of the Board of Education is John W. Mitchell, who has held the posi- tion since 1903. The superintendents since 1875 have been the following: E. L. E.
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Mumma, J. M. Staley, John P. Bailey, S. C. Patterson, W. V. Hutchins, H. M. Shappell, B. F. Biery and Edwin C. Akerman.
Edwin Clyde Akerman was born June 2, 1864, on a farm in Allen County, near Lafay- ette, his parents being William Henry and Mary Jane ( Ransbottom) Akerman. He be- gan to teach in his 17th year and in 1887 became principal of the Bluffton High School, resigning four years later to complete a col- lege course at the Ohio Normal University at Ada, where he was graduated with honors in 1892. The same year he received a high school life certificate and was elected to the superintendency of the Elida public schools. In 1897 he once more took charge of the Bluffton High School. Three years later he was elected superintendent of the Bluffton schools. On November 8, 1905, he was elected county auditor on the Democratic ticket. He will perform the duties of this of- fice with marked distinction. In the biograph- ical department of this book is given a fuller account of the life of Mr. Akerman than space allows here.
The number of pupils enrolled in the Bluffton Special School District in 1884 was 402; in 1904, 510. In 1884 seven teachers were employed; in 1904-05, 13 teachers con- stituted the teaching force, as follows: Ed- win C. Akerman, superintendent ; F. S. Beard, Genevieve Hanna, Metta Kohli, Irma Gobei, Lulu Steiner, James Allison, Clyde Waltz, Ida Basinger, Edith McPeak, Zoe Bentley, Mary Owens and Sibyl Cluse. F. S. Beard was elected township superintendent for the school year of 1905-06.
Central Mennonite College .- The Men- nonites have established in Bluffton a college which is an ornament to the town as well as being an institution of unusual advantage to the citizens. It was founded by the Middle District Conference of the Mennonites of North America. The corner-stone of the col- lege was laid June 19, 1900, and the building was dedicated in the following October. The school was formally opened in November of that year with an enrollment of 20 students. The management of the college is vested in a
board of nine trustees who are elected by the conference at its annual session for a period of three years, three being elected each year.
The college building, a view of which ap- pears elsewhere in this work, is situated on a Io-acre tract of land, located in a natural grove on the west side of the village near Blanchard avenue. The grounds are located on the highest point of land within the cor- poration. The structure is 97 by 71 feet in ground dimensions and consists of two stories and a basement.
The departments of work are: An acad- emy, a junior college (consisting of the first two years of college work), a Bible school, a commercial school and a school of music. The present faculty consists of Noah Calvin Hirschy, A. B., D. B., president of the col- lege and instructor in Greek and Biblical lan- guages and literatures; Daniel F. Jantzen, in- structor in German and English; Edmund J. Hirschler, A. B., instructor in mathematics and physics; Eva M. Hinman, A. B., instruc- tor in Latin and history ; Guy C. Latchaw, Ph. B., M. B., instructor in piano, voice and har- mony; Isaiah B. Beeshy, M. C. S., business manager and principal of the commercial school; and Adolph E. Mehl, teacher of com- mercial branches.
SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP.
The commissioners, in session December 1, 1834, granted the petition of the people of Shawnee to set off township 4, range 6, as a separate township from the Hog Creek Reser- vation, under the name "Shawnee"-the name of the tribe of Indians who lived in this local- ity on the advent of the whites.
The first meeting was held December 13, 1834. in the log house of Ezekiel Hover, when Griffith Breese, Joseph Hover and Benjamin Reed were elected trustees and Ezekiel Hover. clerk. The list of voters contained 12 names.
In 1848 the southern tier of sections was attached to Auglaize County and in May. 1857. the northeast quarter of section I was attached to the new township of Ottawa. Al- most the entire territory now embraced in
MCCULLOUGH LAKE, MCCULLOUGH PARK, LIMA
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TPRICE
NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE PUBLIC SQUARE, LIMA, SHOWING NORTH MAIN STREET ( The building to the right is the Lima House'.
BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF LIMA, LOOKING SOUTH FROM THE COURT HOUSE
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Shawnee township (excepting a half-mile strip of the western sections and a quarter- mile strip of the eastern sections) was in- cluded in the Indian reservation of 25 square miles named in the treaty of September 29, 1817, and was organized under Chief Pht or Fallen Timber and Onowaskemo or Resolute Man.
The following are the names of the Shaw- nees to whom the Hog Creek Reservation was assigned, many of whom resided at the vil- lage where the Council House was built, after- wards the Ezekiel Hover, farm. Each Indian owned about 500 acres of land. Pe-aitch-ta (Pht), Orero-i-mo or Little Fox, On-a-was- kine, Pama-thaw-wah or George Williams, Wapes-ke-ka-ho-thew, Pa-haw-e-ou, Shin-a- gaw-ma-she, Ne-qua-ka-buch-ka, Pe-lis-ka, Ke- tu-che-pa, La-wet-che-to, E-paun-nee, Ka-nak- hih, Joso or Joseph Parks, Law-noe-tu-chu or Billy Parks, Shaw-na-ha, Way-ma-tal-ha-way, Ke-to-aw-sa, She-she-co-pea, Le-cu-seh, Quil- na and Quedas-ka. These were the males resid- ing on Hog Creek in 1817 and numbered about 21 at the time of their removal in 1832.
There is only one village in the township- Hume, on the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. It is in the center of a rich agricultural dis- trict and splendid oil territory. The value of the oil production has raised the tax dupli- cate very materially. In 1904 the property valuation of Shawnee township was $2,778,- 705, with a tax rate of 14.9 mills. The rate of taxation is the lowest of any township in the county. This township has the finest roads in the county and as good as any in Ohio.
Pioneers .- The first settlers on the Indian reservation of Hog Creek were: Griffith Breese, who settled on section 10 in Novem- ber, 1832, with his family and resided there until his death in 1848; George Coon, Sr., who settled on section 11 in 1832 and died in 1877; William Denniston, who settled on section II in 1832, and Thomas Flynn, who settled on section 12 the same year. John Dowling, Joseph Hover. Ezekiel Hover and Emanuel Hover came in 1833. Joseph Hover settled on section 1. Ezekiel Hover took possession of the Indian farm and completed. for the
use of his family, the Council House on the plan which Fallen Timber had adopted in 1831 when the building was commenced. Charles Adgate Hover, great-grandson of Ezekiel Hover, was born in the old Council House. He is living on his farm in this township.
Ezekiel Hover's farm was often the head- quarters of the warriors during the campaigns of Harmar, St. Clair and Wayne. Here Blue Jacket and other chiefs often met Blackhoof in consultation. Many French met here dur- ing the campaign of General Wayne. The In- dians planted an orchard about the village and the trees grew to remarkable size. One which . was three feet in diameter, and 10 feet in cir- cumference was standing until very recently . on the property upon which the Children's : Home is now located. For years the Council House and the apple trees were the only relics . of the Shawnees and now they are gone.
Benjamin Reed, Samuel Sprague, the De- . corseys, Edwardses, Fritzes, Adgates, Roses, Hales, Daniels, Lowries and Boyers may also . be named among the pioneers of Shawnee . township.
One of the most distinguished families of . the township is that of the Ruslers. Hon. William Rusler, who so ably represented Allen County in the State Legislature, 1894-96, still resides on the old farm in Shawnee township. Many of the pioneers have passed away. Elihu Reed, who recently died ( 1906), was a son of Benjamin Reed, who came to this county in 1831.
Schools .- During the winter of 1834-35 the first school of Shawnee township, a sub- scription school, was taught by Maria Hover in a cabin formerly the home of Pht just north- west of the Shawnee Council House. In 1837 a schoolhouse was erected on section II and school was taught by Constant Southworth. In 1884 there was school property valued at $11,000 and 478 pupils enrolled. In 1904 the school property was worth $20,000 and there was an enrollment of 362. There is no special school district in the township. The teachers of the Shawnee township schools in 1904-05 were : S. R. Miller. Hazel Kephart. A. D. Staup. C. A. Rusler. Ethel Zurmehly. C. C.
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Hefner, Alma Madden, M. L. Mayer, B. J. Carleton, Cloyd Strawbridge, Frank Smith and Orpha Howard.
Churches .-- There are two Methodist Epis- copal churches in Shawnee township: One, Shawnee Chapel, part of the Cridersville cir- cuit, with Rev. W. R. Burton as pastor; and one at Hume in the Allentown circuit with Rev. H. E. Elliott as pastor. There is a Luth- eran Church called St. Matthew's in Shawnee township where Rev. C. H. Eckhardt, of Lima, has been pastor for. 27 years.
Removal of the Indians to Kansas .----- As the time for the removal of the tribe to Kansas came nearer and nearer, the Shawnees were observed to grow more dull and listless. With the arrival of David Robb and D. M. Work- man among them, they realized truly that they must leave their old hunting-grounds forever, and with this realization each lodge entered on a special method of making the occasion memorable. Many surrendered themselves to despair, and plunged into a course of dissipa- tion; others, with more regard to the legends of the tribe, collected their trophies, articles of the chase, domestic utensils, and even leveled the mounds of the burial grounds of the tribe. This accomplished, the sub-agents, Robb and Workman, gave the order to pro- ceed on that long Western journey, and 700 members of the Shawnee family, with half that number of Senecas, moved toward the West in September, 1832, and traveled until Christmas of that year, when they camped on their Kansas reservation. In 1833, 50 left for Kansas. A large number of the Indians visited among other tribes until 1833 and 1834, revisited their old home on the Auglaize and next followed the Western trail.
John McIlvain and James B. Gardner went with the Indians as far as the Mississippi, the former accompanying those of Lewistown and the latter those of Wapakoneta. The route was by way of Greenville, Richmond and Indianapolis. The Indians commenced to as- semble in September, 1832, and mounted their horses, and such as had wagons seated them- selves, while the government teams hauled their provisions and clothing. Many of them
bid a sad adieu to the hunting-grounds and graves of their, fathers. All things being ready, their high priest, bearing a large gourd and the bones of a deer's leg attached to his neck, led the advance. At the moment of starting on this journey, the high priest sounded the trumpet three times, repeated the signal when halting at night and followed this course until the tribe settled on their. Kansas reservation.
When the Indians arrived at Greenville, they encamped at Tecumseh's Point and re- mained a day or two to take a final farewell of that place, so dear to their memories as the home of their fathers and the scene of so many Indian assemblies and heroic exploits. They had before them a journey of over 800 miles across the open prairie, in an uninhabited country.
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