USA > Ohio > Auglaize County > Wapakoneta > History of Auglaize County, Ohio : with the Indian history of Wapakoneta, and the first settlement of the county > Part 18
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Allen Gilmore was born in Allegheny County, Penna. He came to Auglaize County about 1833, and settled in the north- western corner of Wayne township. The family consisted of six children, five of whom are now living, viz., Mary J., Syl- vania, David, Livonia, and John A. James A. was killed in the army at Knoxville. Tenn. The old homestead is now owned by David and John. Allen Gilmore was one of the first justices of the peace, and held the office for a number of years. A laughable circumstance is told of the manner in
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which justice or law was meted out to offenders, or the striet- ness to which they adhered to the letter of the law. A man complained that an ox yoke had been stolen ; he complained to the squire, and wanted the offender arrested. The squire searched the statutes, but could not find ox yoke mentioned, so would give no warrant for the arrest of the offender.
Mrs. Ellen Gossard was born in Ross County, Ohio, in 1828, and came with her father, Moses Ross, to Auglaize County, Ohio, in 1834. She married Philip Gossard in 1851, and raised a family of four children. Her parents were among the first settlers in Wayne township. Her husband enlisted in the 183d regiment O. V. I., in 1864, was wounded, and died at Franklin. Since her husband's death Mrs. Gossard has con- trolled the home farm. When her husband died there was an indebtedness of $1200 on the land, which she has paid. Her boys were too young to be of much service on the farm. She did the work of a man, viz., ploughing, binding wheat, etc., until her boys were old enough to take charge of the farm.
David Myers was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1805 ; went from there to Licking County, where he married Susan Jordon, in 1841. He moved to Auglaize County the same year, and settled in Wayne township. His wife died in 1852. He married Elizabeth A. Stow in 1853, raising a family of nine children, five by the former, and four by the later mar- riage. Mr. Myers's farm consists of two hundred and forty acres, on which he first settled. He has retired from business, leaving the farm in charge of his children.
John Ridley was born in 1794, in Vermont. He married Sarah Myers in 1824, in Licking County, Ohio; moved to Auglaize County in 1837, with a family of seven children. He moved into the woods in the spring, and camped out all sum- mer, and in the fall built himself a cabin. They had neither bedstead nor table for several months. They peeled bark, laid it on the ground to answer the purpose of a bedstead, and laid clapboards across two logs for a table. Such were the accommodations they had to offer strangers ; nevertheless, they were quite happy. Mr. Ridley died in the year 1849. Mrs. Ridley, after remaining a widow some seven years, married Levi Mix, with whom she lived nearly twenty years. He died in 1875. She now resides with her daughter, Mrs. Winegard- ner, in Waynesfield, and is in her seventy-ninth year, but is quite active for a lady of her age.
Joseph Dawson, Sr., came from Trumbull County to Allen County in the spring of 1836. His family consisted of nine sons and one daughter, of whom John R., Joseph, Isaac, Jon- athan, Newton, and Lewis are still residents of Wayne town-
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ship. Their first neighbors in the new settlement were Daniel Ellsworth, Samuel McPherson, John Perry, Allen Gilmore, Samuel Felger, and Isaac Dawson. Mr. Dawson entered 1500 acres of land within Wayne township, and afterward entered 200 acres more. He died at the old home in 1865, at the ad- vanced age of 83 years.
Jos. H. Dawson, Jr., was born in Trumbull County in 1815, and came to Allen County in 1835, and lived with his uncle, Isaac Dawson, who had come to the county the preceding year. His first farm consisted of the northeast quarter of Sec. 6, now owned by Alex. Kerr. In 1843 he married Maria Moore. They raised a family of eight children, three of whom are still liv- ing, viz., Elisha F., Mary Ann, and Chas. H. Mrs. Dawson died in 1865, since which time Mr. Dawson has resided with his sons in the old home.
Jonathan Dawson came to this township with his father at the age of 13. He was deprived of early educational advan- tages, but by close application to study at home, he prepared himself for teaching, which he followed during ten succeeding years. He served as justice of the peace during a period of nine years. He still resides on the land originally entered in Wayne township.
Henry Whetstone was born in Huntington County, Pa., in 1809. He came with his father to Richland County, Ohio, in 1815, and married Mary Serrels in 1837, one child being born to them, Mathew. Mrs. Whetstone died in 1838. In 1841 Mr. Whetstone married Margaret Flemming, near Winsor, Rich- land County. They moved to Auglaize County in 1843 on the farm on which he now resides. Mr. Whetstone was elected township trustee the second year after he came; also filled the office of township treasurer for a number of years. He is a millwright by trade, having worked at that business for a number of years. He is now seventy years of age; has retired from the active duties of life.
Newton Dawson was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, Jan. 1st, 1825. He came to Wayne township in 1836, when eleven years of age. In March, 1852, he married Mary Kaufman, by whom he had six children, two still living. In the same year he moved to the farm on which he now lives. His wife died May, 1863. In 1865 he married Frances Landes, by whom he has also six children. Mr. Dawson, although young when he came to this county, has realized the hardships of pioneer life, having helped to clear his father's farm, afterward clearing his own. He owns two hundred acres of land under a good state of cultivation. Mr. Dawson taught district school several terms, but has devoted his life principally to farming and stock raising.
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OIIIO.
UNION TOWNSHIP.
HISTORICAL.
. Union township, situated in the eastern part of the county, and bordering on Allen County, was organized in 1836. It has a more undulating surface than any other township in the county. The soil is of a mixed character, consisting of gravel, sand, and clay, and is splendidly adapted to cereal culture. Springs abound, and the whole section is well watered by liv- ing streams. Across the northwest corner flows the Auglaize River, while numerous smaller streams, among which are Blackhoof, Wrestle, Huffman, Virginia, and Wolf creeks, tra- verse its limits. A sufficient quantity of good gravel is found for road purposes.
The township has now two gravel pikes, and contemplates the construction of others the approaching season. It has two villages, Uniopolis and St. Johns; the former an enter- prising little town near the west line, and the latter on the south line. It was settled principally by settlers from Vir- ginia and Southern Ohio, and the lands are still largely occu- pied by the original occupants and their immediate descend- ants. The first piece of land entered within the township was entered in Sec. 3, by Jacobs.
The elections for a number of years were held at the house of Joseph Lusk, at the first of which between twenty and thirty votes were cast. The first board of trustees consisted of John Schooler, John Corder, and John Balzell was clerk at this time. The first justice of the peace was John Morris. During the first fifteen years the officers received no compen- sation for their services. The township was first organized into four school districts, and a cabin was built in each for school purposes. This transpired about 1840. The first church was a log house, known as Wesley Chapel, erected about 1842, but which has been superseded by another building bearing the same name, and occupying the old site. James Lusk, at the age of twenty-one, accompanied his father, Charles Lusk, to this county in 1832, and is, perhaps, the oldest resident in the township. During the first year he occupied and cultivated a piece of land which is now a portion of the site of St. Johns. We would thus probably be correct in claiming him to be the first white settler of the soil in this township, as the land had been cleared about St. Johns by the Indians.
The first school was taught, about 1836, by R. C. Layton.
The following is a list of the first settlers with the year of their arrival appended :-
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
Wm. Richardson, Byrd Richardson, John Lusk, John Cor- der, Charles Lnsk, and James C. Lusk in 1832. Lemuel Bacome, Wm. Patterson, John Morris, Jolin Hoffinan, James Watt, and Wm. Graham in 1833. John A. Speece, Benj. Lusk, Allen Justice, John Carter, Aaron Howell, M. Hodges, John Jacobs, John Schooler, and Lewis Y. Perkins in 1834. Moses Porter, Jonathan Stiles, and Levi Harrod in 1835. Levi Mix, John McCormie, Adam Focht, Abner Copeland, H. F. Rinehart, John Harden, and John B. Walton in 1836.
Uniopolis is the only village wholly within the township, and is situated in Sec. 17, on the Wapakoneta and Waynesfield gravel road, six miles east of Wapakoneta. It is a pleasant little village of about two hundred inhabitants, and contains two stores of general merchandise, one school-house, one grocery store, one steam saw mill, one hotel, and two churches.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
John Morris was born in Virginia in 1798. He married Mary A. Clarkson in 1832, and came to Allen, now Auglaize, County in 1833. He entered one-quarter section of land in Union township, one and one-half mile from St. Johns, where he now lives.
When he came here there was not an acre of land cleared in the township, except what had been cleared by the Indians. The land having only come into the market the year before. The most of the Indians had been removed, but a part of theni were still here.
He lived in an Indian cabin until he built one for himself. At that time there was not a road laid out in the township. Where St. Johns is now situated there were about twelve or fifteen acres cleared, which had been done by the Indians. The only persons living there were William and Byrd Rich- ardson and their families. Mr. Morris was the first justice of the peace in the township. He served two terms.
The first white child born in the township was John Morris, a son of the above. All of the white settlers that Mr. Morris can remember are William and Byrd Richardson, Charles Lusk, and Bolzill.
Abner Copeland came with his family from Virginia to Union township in the spring of 1836.
His oldest son, Joseph, bought a piece of land in Clay town- ship, but sold this, and bought land in Union township. He has now over nine hundred acres. In 1849 he married Mary Ann English. They have raised five children, of which four still survive. The Copelands came to Union township when
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
it was new and wild, and encountered all the difficulties and inconveniences of pioneer life. Their first team was a yoke of bulls, and after the death of one of these the other was worked alone like a horse. Mr. Copeland relates the follow- ing incident touching this bovine. One of his neighbors, who then owned the bull, had him bridled and saddled to take a grist to mill. All went pleasantly enough until they met an- other bull, when both animals evinced such fury that the rider of the one soon saw fit to dismount. This he did, and removed his grist, saddle, and bridle, and permitted the beasts to settle their differences, after which he saddled and bridled his game horse, and proceeded on his way. For illustration, see Cope- land page.
Lemuel Bacome was born in Champaign County, Ohio, in 1809. In 1832, he came to this county, and secured a farm, after which he returned home. The next year he married Margaret Watt, and moved to the land already secured. At this time there were only six other white families in the town- ship. On reaching his new home, Mr. B.'s account book showed a credit of cash in hand to amount of 18 cents, and a debit of $1. His old cabin, built in 1832, is still standing.
Hugh T. Rinehart was born in Virginia in 1813. In 1833 he married Julia Godfrey, and came to Union township in 1836, and settled on the place where he still lives. The family numbered ten children, five of whom are still living. Mr. B. has cleared and improved his land by his own labor, for by his industry the land still held, and that given to his children, numbers 908 acres ; all the result of personal effort, except a capital of $800. He was one of the first commissioners of the county ; was a justice of the peace 12 years, and a member of the State Board of Equalization. He has now retired from active duty.
John Harden was born in Somerset County, Pa., and came to this county in 1836, and settled in Union township. His family consisted of eight children. Mr. Harden was married twice; his first wife died in 1833, and the second in 1845. Seven sons and one daughter are still living in the neighbor- hood, in the enjoyment of prosperity. Joseph, the third son, was noted as one of the best deer hunters in the country. He was also a famous bee hunter, as he and his brothers Mark and Jesse supplied the family with meat and honey.
Daniel Focht came to Union township in 1836. His family consisted of nine children, as follows : Samuel, Daniel, Lewis, Adam, Jolin, William, Jacob, Susan, and Mary. He located in Sec. 14, where he remained until his death, which occurred. in 1853. Daniel Focht now owns and resides in the old home-
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
stead. He married Maria Justice in 1855, and although not one of the very earliest settlers, he yet found the country com- paratively new.
Samuel Focht was born in Schuylkill County, Pa., 1812, where he lived till 1833. He came to Union township in 1838. He was the second justice of the peace in the township, in which capacity he served two terms. Was county commis- sioner two terms, and infirmary director a period of twelve years. Mr. Focht has been married twice, his first wife being Mary Beathers, and the second Louisa Justice. He has raised a family of eight children.
Among those who came to the county in 1836, was John MeCormic, who settled in Union township, built a cabin in the spring which was burned the following autumn. His wife died Feb. 1879. He now lives with his son-in-law, Robert Sproul. He is 73 years of age, and has retired from the active duties of life.
Jonathan Stiles was born in Vermont, and, after various changes in N. Y. and Ohio, finally settled in Union township, in this county, in 1835. He died in 1857. His sons George and Elias still reside in this county.
Jas. Watt came to Union township in the autumn of 1832, and secured a tract of land. In the following year he brought his family to his new home. His death occurred in 1840.
Moses Porter was born in Virginia in 1799, and after various changes, came to this county in 1834, and entered the piece of land on which he now lives. He married Allie Watt in 1825. They have raised a family of five children. When Mr. P. first came to the county he became discouraged, through disgust for pioneer life, as he was a saddler by trade, and not inured to the hardships of the frontier. On this account he left the farm and went to Sidney, where he remained about eighteen months. At the lapse of this period he returned to the land in this township, where he has since remained.
Benjamin Faler was born in Pa., in 1812. He married Mar- garet Hall in 1835, and came to this county in 1837. He first settled in Clay township, where he remained until 1871, when he moved to Union township, where he still resides.
Levi Mix moved his family from Knox County to this town- ship in February, 1836, and settled on a piece of land in Sec. 25. He died in 1875, at the age of 84 years. His son, Uri Mix, now occupies the old homestead. He was 21 years of age when his father came to the county. He married Margaret Bayliff. The Baylitt family came to the county in 1836.
Lewis Y. Perkins came to the township from Richland County, August, 1833, and settled on the farm where Elias Perkins now lives.
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
Andrew Spees came to the township with his father, Mat- thias Spees, in the spring of 1834. They came from Ross County, and settled on the land he now occupies in Sec. 18.
John Focht was born in 1824, and came with his father to this township when 12 years of age. He married Mary Mertz in 1847. They reside in Sec. 14. Their family consists of three sons and seven daughters.
Alex. Harrod was born in Knox County in 1824, and came to this township in 1845. He married Elizabeth Nauss in 1853. They have reared four children.
LOGAN TOWNSHIP-BUCKLAND.
The first white settlements within the present limits of this township were made along the Auglaize River. Andrew Rus- sel located within this territory on the Ft. Amanda farm about 1823. Here with his family, consisting of wife, four daughters, and one son, he lived some time with Indian associates alone. In 1825 William Berryman, with his wife and twelve children, settled on the present Russel Berryman farm. Here he resided until the time of his death, rendering his family the permanent resident pioneers of the township. Mrs. Eliza Noble is the only surviving member of this family. About the next acces- sion was Martin Hire, who located here with his wife and nine children. Then came Elder Simon Whetstone, Sr., who also located on the river. Of his sons only Jesse and Henry sur- vive, the last death being that of Elder Simon, Jr., which occurred Feb. 12, 1880. He had married Frances, daughter of Elder Richardson, and in his youth united with the church his father had been largely instrumental in establishing in the earlier days of the settlement. He soon after entered the min- istry, in which he labored until his death.
Then came James Crozier, who settled on the present Madi- son Bowsher farm. About this time came the old veteran and centenarian William Taylor, who located on the east bank of the river. He had served through the war of 1812, and suf- fered all the hardships of the northern frontier. He possessed a remarkable memory, a strong physical constitution, remem- bered the Revolutionary War, and was a living history of the war of 1812. He died at Spencerville at the advanced age of about one hundred and nine years. Afterward came Daniel Gregory, followed by Leonard Place, who still occupied his pio- neer farm. About the same time Abraham Whetstone located on the west bank of the river, on land now owned by James H. Gochenour. The next accession was Isaac Terwilliger, whose family consisted of two sons and one daughter. One of these
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY. OIIIO.
sons is an extensive farmer and grain dealer of Wapakoneta. Charles Pernell improved the Whitney farm, and Jacob Baker the land of the Whitefeather Indian camp. The old homestead is occupied by two of the sons, William A. and L. C. T. B., another son, is clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, while David is a practical printer. After 1848 the country settled very rapidly, but improvements had been retarded by the government land grant to the State for canal purposes. When this land was put in market it was rapidly occupied. Among the settlers of this period were the Richardson family, the Wheeler family, N. C. Edman, S. M. Dixon, G. Blackburn, John Daniel, the Bodkins, David Bigelow, A. J. Culp, C. Culp, J. and S. Barr, F. M. Bowsher, M. J. Bowsher, John H. and J. H. Gochenour, John Dingledine, and many others. These settlers were exposed to all the inconveniences usually incident to pioneer life.
They were compelled to go to Piqna to mill, as the old Mission Mill at Wapakoneta was now of little use. To Piqua they also went for a physician, and the charges for one of these visits to the Berryman family was $37.50. While the doctor was in the settlement one of the Berryman neighbors called him to visit a patient, and here the charge was $10.00. The first post-office within the township was established at Fort Amanda, and Samuel Washburn received the first ap- pointment as postmaster. The mail was then carried on horse- back between Pigna and Defiance. Reuben Treece became first agent on this line. At that time the country was swarm- ing with Indians, the old Ottowa towns being opposite Fort Amanda, and partly occupying the present Backus farm. They employed themselves generally in hunting, begging, and steal- ing. We relate an incident of the mail carrier and the Fort. During an absence of the postmaster, his wife invited Miss Eliza Berryman to stay with her during the husband's absence. The postmaster was in the habit of selling whiskey to the Indians, and soon after he left home three of these rode up and demanded " fire water." Mrs. Washburn refused to sell them whiskey, barred the door against them, but they prowled about the house all day. In the evening the mail carrier, Mr. Treece, arrived and ordered the Indians away, when one of them offered resistance. Treece carried a loaded whip, and before the Indian had time to carry out his threat, he received the full force of the loaded end of the whip, which knocked him down, when he was soundly scored with the lash. As soon as he could regain his feet he started for his horse, but his two companions had taken the three " ponies," and fled. Missing his horse, he made for the river, into which he plunged
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and swam across, glad to escape the terrible whip of the mail carrier.
" Father" J. B. Finley in his missionary labors in the North- west preached at Fort Amanda at a very early day. At that time the forest abounded in game of all kinds. Deer were plenty and the hunter had no inducement to waste ammunition with small game. It is related of Russel Berryman, that going to a deer erossing one morning, he shot seven deer on one spot before breakfast time, and even as late as 1838 Leonard Place and his brother, in a two days' hunt secured four barrels of nicely dressed and packed venison.
The river abounded with fish of many kinds, and at certain seasons sturgeon of enormous size would come up from the lakes. It is related that on one occasion Thomas Berryman was crossing the river on a foot log and saw a large sturgeon struggling up the ripple. The water was shallow and the fish was floundering under the log when Berryman sprang upon its back, and forcing both hands into its gills, attempted to steer it ashore. The struggle was long, both man and fish were up and down, and both in danger of being outdone, but finally Berryman reached the shore with his prize, which he found to be about eight feet in length. Later on when the lands liad been put on the market, and prior to 1952, immigration was constant, and new farms were occupied all over the township. The northwest part was rapidly settled by an industrious class of Germans, whose labors have placed their lands second to none in the township for material improvement. The de- velopment of the southwest part has been retarded by the ownership of large tracts of land by speculators. Among these are the Pratt, Moody, and Perkins tracts. Still some good farms are occupied in this section.
ORGANIZATION.
Prior to the organization of this county the territory now comprised in Logan township formed a part of Amanda and Moulton townships, Allen County. At the time of organization three tiers of sections were taken from the south side of Amanda, and one and a half'tier from the north side of Moulton township, which sections were erected into the present town- ship. It is thus four and a half miles north and south and six miles east and west, and contains twenty-seven square miles. It embraces what is still known as the " Logan Section," which was a grant of 640 acres by the government to the Indian Captain Logan, for his fidelity and brilliant services to the American canse. The organization of the township took place
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IIISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
in 1848, and it was considered appropriate to name it in honor of the same noble Indian, Captain Logan. (Sce sketch of Logan elsewhere in this volume.)
Again, this territory is associated with the great past of the Northwest, as it was on the route of many branches of the army during the war of 1812. In 1813 Fort Amanda was built on the Auglaize nearly opposite the Ottowa towns on the pre- sent Lathrop farm, by Col. Pogue, by the orders of General Harrison. It became something of a storehouse, being within the range of the base of supplies during the preparations pre- ceding the concentration against Canada. It was named by the regiment Fort Amanda in honor of the wife of Colonel Pogue. (See General History.)
OFFICIAL.
The first Board of Trustees was as follows : Leonard Place, Jacob Baker, and William Dennison ; W. B. Vance, clerk ; Abraham Whetstone, treasurer; Jacob Baker, justice of the peace. Since then the office of justice has been filled by David Bigelow, E. B. Springer, George D. Lathrop, George Daniel, Charles Adams, and the present incumbents, J. S. Butcher and Shem Neese.
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