USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part One > Part 21
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
About one-fifth of the tribe remained at Wapakoneta and among the Wyandots at Up- per Sandusky until the spring of 1833. The Indians arrived at their new home about Christmas, 1832. Gardner accompanied them to the Mississippi and turned back, when Joseph Parks, a half-blood Quaker, who had the job of removing them, conducted them safely to their new home. They at once pro- ceeded to raise cabins, split rails and make fences, but were very short of provisions, and had to depend largely upon such game as they could find.
Col. George C. Johnson, of Piqua, writing in 1874, relates the following story of the burial of Blackhoof: "The Shawnees never, bury their dead until the sun is in the tree-tops, late in the afternoon. On such occasions they generally select six pall-bearers, who carry the corpse to the grave and place it therein, the grave being two and a half or three feet deep. When the Chief Blackhoof was buried in 1831, it was in the Indian manner : the corpse was wrapped in a clean, new Indian blanket, and a large quantity of new fine goods, con- sisting of calico, belts and ribbons. was placed about the deceased. who was laid upon a new, clean slab, prepared for the purpose. His gun. tomahawk, knife and pipe were by his side. All the Indians present were in deep distress,
153
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
having their clothes hanging loosely about them, their hair, down on their shoulders, and were painted after the ancient manner. The chiefs sat about smoking, looking in solemn silence upon the remains of the great chief who had led the tribe for nearly 100 years, had been their faithful counselor in peace and war, had been present at Braddock's defeat, 76 years before, and for nearly a century had been in all the expeditions against the 'Long Knives.'"
For some months before their final depart- ure, the young men of the Shawnees, and the middle-aged, who had not abandoned tlieir old customs, were engaged in a- round of dissipa- tion brought on by the mean tricks of wicked traders to cheat the Indians out of every dol- lar of property they could obtain. Whiskey, that bane of the Indians, was largely distri- buted among them by traders; in fact, all de- cency was violated by the wretches who dealt in fire-water. The better portion of the Shaw- nees were engaged for weeks in religious cere- monies, dances and amusements preparatory to their departure. They carefully leveled the graves of their dead, and removed all traces of the same.
Personal Reminiscences. - William D. Breese was born in Butler County, Ohio, April 30, 1823, came to Shawnee township with his father, Griffith Breese, in November, 1832, and settled on section 10, part of an old Indian farm, where he found two orchards containing about 40 apple trees each. There were at that time about seven Indian cabins scattered over the land, which had evidently been the site ·of a Shawnee village. His father purchased about 240 acres at about $4 per acre. The Indians had generally gone West some months before his father located on section 10.
The following pioneers, according to Mr. Breese's account, came to the township at an early day: Ezekiel Hover. Joseph Hover, Charles Rose, Benjamin Reed, Benjamin Davi- son and Mr. Sprague. At that time the people were occasionally visited by preachers, mostly of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and preaching was generally in the pioneer cabins. Rev. James B. Finley was one of the first
preachers, and is well remembered by many of the old people. The first church built in the township was by the Lutherans, on section 27, on the banks of Little Hog Creek. Griffith Breese, the father of William D. Breese, died in 1848, aged about 50 years, and his wife Mary died in 1852, aged about 62 years.
William U. Hover, son of Joseph Hover, was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, on the 20th day of June, 1825, and came with his father's family and settled on section I, Shaw- nee township, in the spring of 1833. The trip was made with ox teams and consumed 17 days. The Shawnees had removed from that . region about one year before his arrival, and before Mr. Hover had located his farm. There were, however, a few Indians who re- mained and hunted with the Wyandots until their removal in 1843. Many of the Shawnees came back in 1834 and visited the graves of their ancestors in and about the old village on section II, before their final departure to the West. Many years after they came back and dug in many places for hidden relics and the bones of their people. They seemed to regret their removal to the West, and often viewed the localities most dear to their younger days, finally bidding adieu to the Indian hunting- grounds. Joseph Hover, father of William U. Hover, died in 1844, aged about 54 years. He left four sons-Joshua, Cyrus, William U. and James A .- and a daughter, deceased.
The early settlers found it very difficult to obtain grinding, owing to the scarcity of and great distance to the mills. Their people were often compelled to go, on such occasions, to Sidney, a distance of about 32 miles. Daniel Hindel and Abel Tompkins owned the first mill on the north borders of the township. It was built in 1834-35. It was a great accom- modation to the sparse settlers, and was re- sorted to by many of the pioneers.
Of the three Hover brothers-Ezekiel. Joseph and Emanuel, who settled in Shawnee township-none survives. Descendants of Ezekiel Hover reside on the farm included in the old Indian village, where the remains of the chief Pht were buried, and where the old Council House stood until recently. The Hov-
154
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
ers originally all came from Washington County, Pennsylvania.
James A. Hover was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1828, and came to this county with his father, Joseph Hover, in 1833. When they arrived, they stopped a short time in a cabin near the Council House. His father soon put up a cabin of his own and moved into it, afterwards building the first frame house on the river in Shawnee township. After the father's death the old homestead was divided between James A. and William U. Hover, both of whom are now deceased. James A. Hover was married April 6, 1852, to Isabel Ferguson, who died May 1, 1862. Three children were born to them-Cyrus Adgate, Ida May and Alma A. In March, 1865, Mr. Hover, married Nancy Dobbins. They had one child-Clinton A.
George Coon, Sr., who was born in Penn- sylvania, came to Shawnee township from Belmont County, Ohio, in 1832, and located on section II. He was among the earliest set- tlers, and found a large number of Shawnee Indians still in the country. He came from Bellefontaine by the way of what is now West- minster and Lima, to section II in Shawnee township. It was all in woods at that time, and there were no roads except Indian trails. When he came, his neighbors-Isaac Boyer, Samuel Sprague and Dye Sunderland-were very much scattered. He was soon joined by William Denniston and family on the same section ; and, soon after, by Thomas Flynn, an Irishman, who settled near him on section 12. The first cabin had been occupied by a Shaw- nee Indian family. The forests seemed to have been often burned over by the Indians, and the young trees to have grown within the last 50 years. The first preachers spoke in the cabins of the settlers. The usual place for speaking was at the house of Mr. Coon. The earliest preacher remembered was Thomas Hicknell, a Winebrennerian. A congrega- tion was formed and a church built about 1840, in Allentown. Mr. Coon and many of the early settlers were compelled to attend the mills of Piqua and Cherokee to ob- tain grinding, over mere paths in the forests.
He often went to the government mill built by the Quakers at Wapakoneta, and sometimes changed to St. Marys, and finally to Lima. He died in 1877, aged about 93 years. His children were: Betsy, Wesley, George, Abi- gail, Margaret, Amy, Isaac and Tobias.
SPENCER TOWNSHIP.
This township is the smallest township in Allen County, containing only about 23 square miles. It is fractional, having been taken from Mercer and Van Wert counties. It is about 14 miles from the great reservoir in Mercer County which contains 25,000 acres of land. The Miami and Erie Canal forms. the eastern boundary of the township.
Jennings Creek is the principal stream and it enters Marion township in section 12, town- ship 3, range 4. In the northern part of the township the rocky conformation furnishes. good stone for burning, so the manufacture of lime has become an important industry. There are a few stone quarries. The princi- pal occupation is farming and the production of oil. Spencer township in 1905 led the townships of Allen County in oil production. It was the scene of the early production and the last few years have seen renewed opera- tions.
Under the organic act of 1848 the north- eastern quarter of Salem township in Mercer County and the eastern half of Jennings town- ship in Van Wert County were added to Allen County under the name of Spencer township. Sections 7 and 18 of Amanda were added to. the new township.
Jennings township as originally laid off June 2, 1834, comprised township 3. range 3, and township 3, range 4 east. Salem town- ship was established in December, 1836, and organized in January, 1837. The survey was made in 1819 by Captain Beardsley. govern- ment surveyor, and its settlement was begun in 1825. The new township was named "Spencer" after Col. William Spencer. of Newark, Ohio, who was a member of the State Board of Public Works in 1848 and who was an ardent supporter of canal build- ing. Charles C. Marshall was justice of the
155
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
peace at its organization, Abram Huff was clerk, and Solomon Wyatt, M. D., acted as treasurer.
In 1904 the total valuation of property in Spencer township was $369,601, with a tax rate of 19.9 mills.
Pioneers .- Previous to 1833 there were no permanent settlements in this part of the county. In 1834 the first land buyers came in. The first village was Hartford, but this place ceased to exist when Spencerville was founded. The two Fultons practiced medicine in Hartford as early as 1836. Drs. Price, Gray and Wyatt preceded Dr. Campbell at Spencerville. In 1856 Dr. Harbison arrived, but instead of practicing medicine he became one of the pioneer merchants.
The late Charles C. Marshall, having located in Salem township upon the erection of Spencer township, continued to reside there until 1846, and in 1847 was elected justice of the peace, his time of service extending until 1853, having filled the office two terms. In 1857 he was elected Representative from Al- len County to the Ohio Legislature, and hav- ing served two years declined a second nomi- nation by his party. In 1861 he was nomi- nated and elected to the State Senate, and again having served two years declined a re- nomination. After the expiration of his term as Senator, he removed to the growing town of Delphos, where in 1865 he was elected justice of the peace; thenceforward until his death he continued to serve, being reelected every three years. In the early history of this section of Ohio, his father, Samuel Marshall, and himself were the mail carriers between Piqua and Defiance. Letters for the first set- tlers were brought to Fort Amanda by them, and left there for distribution
The first settlers in the township, as shown by the original entries of land from 1834 to 1850. were as follows : 1834-Jacob Peter- baugh, T. B. Van Horn, Benjamin P. South- worth, George Young, Joseph Brown, Solo- mon K. Brown, James Mark and Samuel Forver: 1835-Henry S. Wykoff, Frederick Marquand. Dennis Davenport, Simon Per- kins and Isaac N. Skillman; 1836-E. W.
Schon; 1843-William Tyler; 1845-John Hockenberry, Guilford D. Coleman and Jacob Hittell: 1846-Casper Smith and John Mit- gen ; 1847-Lewen Davis, Andrew Coil and Peter Kephart; 1848-Joseph Osborne, Thomas Lockhead, James W. Jones, Alex- ander Counts, William H. Webb, John De- hart, Daniel Smith, Merritt Harvey and George W. Reese: 1849-Daniel W. Hall, David B. Mercer, Oswald Sheeter, James Oard, Joseph Walters, Henry Barnes, Samuel Purdy, James May, James May, Jr., Samuel L. Sweeney, David Carey, Jr., Conrad Nor- beck, Samuel D. Bush, William Bice, Philip Place, David C. Brown, Anthony Santo, Jesse Coil, William McCollister, Jacob Geckel, Joseph Moorehead, James Delaney, Martin Post, Jesse Bowers, Christian Brecht, Royal D. Hooker, Samuel Youkey, Edward Purdy, Robert Maxwell, Ozias W. Purdy, Ellis J. Bayman, John G. Vaughn, William Jones, Elizabeth Suman, Evan B. Jones, Thomas T. Jones, Madison L. Boyer, Philip Herring, Thomas Farmer, John Coil, Daniel O. Evans, John Pritchard, Berry Smith, John H. Duf- fey, Thomas J. Fair, Samuel Cook, Bowen Dunham, Calvin L. Starr, Peter Field, Fred- erick Gonkle, David Archer, Margaret Rench, Elias Harter, William Hummell, John Mc- Mullen, Martin Bope, Francis J. Lye, Char- les C. Marshall, Robert D. Hood, Robert Adams, Thomas McKenna, Timothy Shaffer, Rachel Archer, David Sheets, George Sheets, John Price, Sarah Brown, Phebe Smith, Eli- nor Peterson, Ezekiel Clark.
Churches .- In Spencer township there is one Methodist Episcopal Church in the Spen- cerville circuit-Olive Chapel, with Rev. W. S. Worthington as pastor-and Zion Chapel in the Elida circuit.
Schools .- The schools of Spencer town- ship were slow in being organized. At an ear- ly day there were schools along the borders of the township. both subscription and com- mon schools. The pupils enrolled in 1884 were 212; in 1904. 164. Following were the teachers in 1904-05: C. Z. Morey, Elmer Wilkins, M. V. Purdy. C. M. Moorman, Katie Cremean and Florence Thew.
156
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
SPENCERVILLE
Was platted in 1845-46 by Conover, McCon- nell & Tyler, of Dayton, who bought a tract of 350 acres of land and built their first mill at the lower lock. In 1880 the popula- tion was 532, and in 1884, 800; in 1890, 1100 and in 1905 more than 2,000, so the growth has been steady and substantial. In the last 15 years the oil industry has been constantly growing.
The act of incorporation was passed in 1867 and the first election was held that year, at which J. C. Campbell was elected mayor ; Merritt Harvey, recorder; Jacob Dehart, treasurer; W. H. Orcutt, marshal; William Moorman, Henry Staub, W. P. Dehart, J. M. Watts and A. C. Harter, councilmen.
The Miami and Erie Canal was the first means of communication Spencerville had with the surrounding country. In 1878 the narrow gauge Toledo, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad was built and in 1882 the Chicago & Erie, a trunk line, and now the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton, from Dayton to Delphos, runs through Spencerville.
The first brick block erected in Spencer- ville was the Town Hall, and the second the dry goods store of Lambert Y. Cochran.
In 1881-82, J. H. Dunathan, ex-commis- sioner of Auglaize County, moved his general store from Deep Cut to the present site of Tracy & Wolford's store opposite the Keeth House. John H. Taft, a leading merchant, bought Dunathan out and he now has the largest store in Spencerville with branches at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Parkersburg, West Virginia, all of them the outgrowth of the Dunathan store.
Spencerville has long had excellent schools. The buildings are well kept, and the people are much interested in the advancement of education. At commencement time the en- tire town is alive with enthusiasm, and every one seems ready to lend a helping hand to the cause.
In 1884 the valuation of school property in Spencerville was $8,000; in 1904, $30,000.
There were 289 pupils enrolled in 1884; in 1904 there were 501.
Following is a list of the teachers and the superintendent for 1904-05: C. A Graham, superintendent; Thomas J. Class, G. C. Scheetz, Dora B. Hover, Minona McDermott, Ella Williams, Flora Berryman, Mae Hover, Minnie Henderson, Bertha Carolus, Grace Schemp, Ella Bolton and Clara Nocka. Thomas J. Class became superintendent in 1905.
SPENCERVILLE AND ITS VARIED INTERESTS. By Dr. William Roush.
Spencerville is a thriving town of over 2,000 inhabitants, located in the southwestern part of Allen County in Spencer township on the Miami and Erie Canal. A trading post was first established here at the time the canal was being built (1843). It kept up a slow and steady growth with the establishment of schools and churches and other business enter- prises, such as the needs of the community demanded, until about 1890 when the popula- tion had reached about 1, 100. At about this time natural gas and oil were found in paying quantities and with the development of the oil field, which has been one of the best in Allen, or any adjoining county, the town has doubled in population and in business inter- ests.
Educational interests have been well looked after by those who have had the man- agement of the schools in charge. The school building (a view of which appears elsewhere in this work) is a large 14-room brick build- ing in which was installed recently a modern hot-water heating apparatus and much valu- able scientific equipment for up-to-date teach- ing. The following is a list of the superinten- dents since 1876, viz .: E. D. Haines, Gid- eon Ditto, H. F. Hooper, N. Coghlan, C. Z. Morey, Israel Williams, C. R. Carlo, D. C. Henderson, N. H. Stull, I. M. Cochrun, C. J. Foster. C. A. Graham, and at the present time (1906) Thomas J. Class, with the following corps of assistants, viz .: E. S. Holton, G. C.
157
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Sheetz, William Carolus, Charles Henderson, Ella Bolton, Minnie Henderson, Mae Hover, Bertha Carolus, Ida Diehl, Hazel Kephart, Grace Schemp and Jeannette Cochrun. A four-year course of study for the High School was adopted beginning with this year, also a nine-month term.
The following is a list of the churches with their present pastors, viz .: Methodist
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SPENCER- VILLE.
Episcopal Church, Rev. C. B. Cramer ; Chris- tian Church, Rev. C. C. Ryan; Baptist Church, Rev. W. H. Gallant; German Reformed Church, Rev. Philip Steinhage; German Methodist Church, Rev. Ernest Werner; St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Rev. J. J. Beucler, of Van Wert; and one mission, with J. Thomas, as pastor.
The business interests of the town at pres- ent are represented and conducted by the fol- lowing people :-
The financial concerns are the Citizens' Bank and the Farmers' Bank. Both are co- partnership concerns with a combined wealth back of each of at least $300,000. The Citi- zens' Bank is capitalized at $12,000 with de- posits of $200,000. The stockholders are I. B. Post, president; H. S. Smith, Dr. J. R. Welch, J. R. Cochrun, George Becker, Silas
Jacobs, W. A. Reynolds, Martin Monfort and Ira B. Post, cashier. The Farmers' Bank is- capitalized at $10,000 with deposits of $140,- 000. The stockholders are John N. Bailey, president and cashier; A. N. Bailey, assis- tant cashier; Michael Dietsch, A. D. Akin, John Lauer and William Bailey.
The dry goods merchants are Lambert Y. Cochrun, John H. Taft & Brother, and Tracy & Wolford. The clothiers are Philip Gold- berg and Carr Brothers, both of whom carry an exclusive line of up-to-date gents' furnish- ing goods.
There are seven groceries in all, owned and conducted by A. L. Gamble, E. L. Halter, P. F. Neidhart, Harter Brothers, John Why- man & Son, F. E. Dixon and Tracy & Wol- ford, who carry a line in connection with their dry goods department. In the hardware line the town has two of the finest and most com- plete stores in Northwestern Ohio, owned and run by Wolford & Berry and Hart & Henry. Charles Pohlman conducts a large tin-shop and carries a large stock of stoves. Theo. Eysenbach & Son carry a large stock of fur- niture, stoves, tinware and musical instru- ments of all kinds. The grain dealers are Robert Kolter, who runs a grist-mill and sells his product in all the adjoining towns and counties ; and Clutter, Long & Wetherill, who have a grain elevator at the junction of the. C. & E. and the C., H. & D. railroads, which is conducted by J. F. Wetherill, a member of the firm.
S. W. Kemp, the hay merchant, has large sheds here with a capacity of at least 200 car- loads and this only represents a small part of the business which is carried on in about 16 counties in Northwestern Ohio. He devotes his entire attention to the work and is the largest buyer and shipper direct from the farmer to be found in the State. We have two excellent boot and shoe stores that carry large and exclusive stocks. They are owned and run by Louth & Sisler and Wein & Weth- erill. J. M. Beard and H. C. Richardson each conduct fine drug-stores with extensive stocks of goods, including wall paper, books, etc. W. A. Reynolds, the lumber merchant, runs
158
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
a sawmill and has one of the largest and most extensive lumber sheds and yards in this sec- tion of the State. Messrs. J. F. Hosler and Sheets have recently located a sawmill here and are doing a large business in buying tim- ber and shipping lumber. They have already purchased timber enough for two years regu- lar work. James Cochrun and J. E. Wilson each handles coal, fuel, cement, etc. The Oil Well Supply Company and the National Supply Company both have good stores at this place. The combined sales of the two stores during the past year amounted to about $100,000.
F. C. Snow is the owner and editor of the Journal-News, a weekly newspaper of large circulation. He is also engaged in job print- ing.
In addition to the above we have two good hotels, three restaurants, four barber shops, two millinery stores, two good livery barns, one machine shop, three blacksmith's shops, two bicycle repair shops, two jewelry stores, two attorneys, J. N. Bailey and R. R. Ken- nedy; four doctors, J. R. Welch, William Roush, L. R. Pence and I. C. Stayner; and, last but not least, C. B. Miller, the under- taker, who has an excellent business.
I might add, as a matter of general inter- est to our town, that the tax duplicate of our corporation is about $325,000; that our total indebtedness is about $8,000, which is on bonds sold for school and electric light pur- poses. The town owns its own electric light plant and it is giving service equal to any other in the State, and at the lowest rate of any city or village in Ohio, so far as we know.
SUGAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.
This division of the county takes its name from the number and productiveness of the sugar-maple groves of early days. Here the Indians of Charloe and of Shawnee made their spring encampments, and from this district they obtained their year's supply of maple syrup and sugar.
The area of the township is 24 square miles.
The Ottawa River flows north through the western sections of the township. Sugar Creek waters the eastern part of the township, while the streams known as Pike Run, Rab- bit Run, Taway Run, Beaver Run, Dog Run, Toad Run, and Honey Run afford water to all parts of the township.
The township was set off in 1831 as a divi- sion of Putnam County. At that time it was known as congressional township 2 south, range 6 east. James Porter, Daniel Gray and William Turner were the first trustees; Abram Sarber, clerk; Benjamin Clevenger, treasurer, and Obed Martin, justice of the peace. Under the reorganization of 1848, the north tier of - sections belonging to original township 3 south, range 6 east, or German, were added to the south half of township 2 south, range 6 east, or Sugar Creek, and organized under the name "Sugar Creek."
Sections I to 18 inclusive, which formed the north half of the original township of Sugar Creek, still belong to the township of that name in Putnam County.
There was a little mill built on Su- gar Creek by Benjamin Clevenger about 1832, the second by Peter Rhodes on Hog Creek in 1837. Some of the early settlers went to Cherokee, some to Piqua and some to Wa- pakoneta for their milling. The first carding was done at the machine of John East, in Ger- man township. For leather and salt they went to Lower Sandusky or Fremont.
Until within a very few years there was no railroad in the township; now the Coluni- bus & Lake Michigan Railroad, the road built by B. C. Faurot, traverses the township and there is a railway station at Gomer. There is a postoffice there, though the rural route from Lima delivers mail to most parts of the town- ship.
The valuation of the property in Sugar Creek township in 1904 was $644.397, with a tax rate of 20.6 mills.
The Gomer Methodist Episcopal Church belongs to the West Cairo circuit and Rev. M. C. Wisely is the pastor.
Schools .- As early as 1833 a subscription school was opened by William Ramsey and
159
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
attended by 15 pupils. In 1884 the school property was valued at $4,000; in 1904, at $11,000. In 1884 there were enrolled 343 pu- pils ; in 1904, 233. The following is the list of teachers for the township for 1904-05: Oscar Holtzapple, Thomas G. Humphreys, Effie Sidner, Homer Nihiser, Roy Wilkerson, Clyde Ludwig, Adam Brenneman and George W. Craig.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.