History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 38

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 38

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Pietsel Sunday-school, organized in May, 1850, had the first summer an attendance of

fifty. Among the early superintendents were William Pietsel, G. Hall, William Taylor, and Newton Taylor.

The Grass Run Sunday school was organ- ized May, 1852, with fifty-five scholars. Its early superintendents were Abraham Kniseley, D. J. Heller, John Kerstetter and Almon Ames.

Other later Sunday schools were:

The Friend's Sunday school was organized in May, 1860, with fifty scholars. Lavina Benedict was superintendent, followed by James Jackson and others. The Spahr Sun- day school was organized in May, 1870, 115 enrolled, with William Mateer, superintendent. Wingert's Corners Sunday school in May, 1869, with an enrollment of 70, Daniel Fra- lick, superintendent. The Lutheran Sunday school, in May, 1870, with an enrollment of 118; G. W. Parks, superintendent. Mission Chapel was reorganized as Holmes Chapel in May, 1870, with 71 scholars, and James Moore superintendent. No. 3 Sunday school in May, 1870, with an enrollment of 60; Henry Dieffen- bacher, superintendent. From 60 pupils in 1860, with 12 teachers, the Sunday schools of the township now have an enrollment of over 500, with 50 officers and teachers.

All along the Brokensword is an abundance of stone, which the early pioneers found so useful that stone quarries were started, but the business developed to such an extent that capital was invested and the Brokensword Stone Company took over the business, and employed a large force of men, the quarries be- ing fitted with all the latest machinery, the T. & O. C. road having a spur which furnishes shipping facilities. The development of the quarries led to the establishment of a post office and a station on the railroad, called Spore, after Sidney L. Spore, one of the promi- nent men in that section. The first postmaster was F. D. Osborn, appointed May 22, 1888. Owing to the difficulty of securing a man to take the office it was discontinued Dec. 24, 1889, but was re-established April 9, 1892, with Rufus D. Spore as postmaster. He was succeeded July 17, 1897, by D. R. Diefen- bacher, and he by G. F. Cox, on July 31, 1900. No town was started, and when rural routes were established, the postoffice was discontin- ued on July 30, 1904.

CHAPTER XIV

JACKSON TOWNSHIP AND CRESTLINE

Jackson Township-Its Size and Location-Its Origin-Topographical Features-Produc- tions-First Settlers-An Early Tragedy-The First Road-Early Schools and Teach- ers-Trading Points in Early Days-Taverns-Livingston Laid Out.

CRESTLINE-Growth of the Town-Railroad Interests-First Passenger Train Through Crestline-An Early Description of the Town-First Merchants and Prominent Citizens -Destructive Fires-An Exciting Bear Story-Epidemic of Cholera-Manufacturing Interests-City Departments-Schools-Churches-Justices-Incorporation of Crestline and List of Mayors-Water Supply-Telephone Service-Banks-Societies-Post Office and Postmasters.

Who are they but the men of toil, Who cleave the forest down, And plant, amid the wilderness, The hamlet and the town. -STEWART.

This township, bearing the name of one of America's . most famous heroes and Presi- dents, is the smallest in Crawford county, and probably one of the smallest in the state of Ohio. It is a fractional township, being now ten sections, or about a fourth of a Congres- sional township. It lies in the eastern part of the county, somewhat south of a central line, and ·is bounded on the north by Vernon township, on the east by Richland county, on the south by Polk township and on the west by Jefferson township. According to document- ary evidence, up to 1845 it formed a part of Richland county, and from that date to 1873 it included the territory now known as Jefferson township. The twelve western sections of what is now Jefferson formed a part of Sandusky township. In 1835, three miles wide and six deep, was taken from the southern section of Sandusky township and named Jackson in honor of the hero of New Orleans. In 1845 a four-mile strip was added to Crawford from Richland county, and Jackson township was created seven miles wide and four deep, while south of it was Polk, seven wide and three

deep. The setting off of Jefferson was due to the fact that the people in the eastern part of the territory, after 1850, on account of the city of Crestline, appropriated to themselves most of the lucrative offices, as well as those conferring chiefly honor on the incumbents, the western end of the township being assigned only the leavings or crumbs of office. Ac- cordingly proceedings were taken by the latter to change this state of things, as will be seen by the following record of official action;

March II, 1873.

To the Board of Commissioners of Crawford County in the State of Ohio :

The undersigned householders, residing within the bounds of Jackson township in said county, respectfully represent that it is necessary and expedient that a new township be laid off and designated, embracing the fol- lowing portions of the territory of said township of Jackson, to wit :

Sections-1, 2, 3, IO, II, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24 in township 16 of range 21. Also sections-5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19 and 20 in township 16 of range 20.

The undersigned therefore pray your honorable body to lay off and designate such new township. Signed-D. O. CASTLE, BENJAMIN HECKART, WILLIAM MCKEAN and 414 others.

The commissioners considered the matter on Monday, March 10, 1873 and ordered the township divided; the new township, five miles from east to west and four miles deep, to

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be known as Jefferson; the remaining ter- ritory, two miles east and west and four miles deep to continue as Jackson. In 1900 by peti- tion of nearly all the tax payers of sections 27 and 34 in Vernon township these two sections were added to Jackson.

There is very little in the way of Indian tra- dition connected with the history of Jackson township, though this is not the case with Jef- ferson, as that territory can boast of numerous Indian legends, but through both the ill-fated Crawford marched to his terrible doom. There were also several Indian trails through the present Jackson township.

In its topography Jackson township resem- bles closely the surrounding country. In for- mer days it was heavily timbered, though in some places flat and swampy. The soil is nat- urally rich and in the last forty or fifty years, artificial or tile draining has largely reclaimed the swamps and rendered the soil suitable for cultivation, which has been brought to a high point of perfection. Its principal productions are corn, wheat and oats. The timber origin- ally consisted of several kinds of oak, hickory, poplar, sugar maple, beech, elm, ash and some walnut, together with various shrubs of the more common varieties. The only streams are a tributary of the Sandusky, passing through the northern part, Whetstone creek, and one or two little brooks, all of which are small streams, most of them not even being indicated on the map.

Jackson township may be said to play second fiddle to Jefferson, in the sense that in the lat- ter territory the first settlements were made and most of those events took place which con- stitute the early history of a township. The first settler in what is now Jackson is supposed to have been Joseph Russell, who arrived, it is thought as early as 1820. He came from the vicinity of Coshocton, this state, and settled about a mile south of Crestline. He subse- quently removed to Hancock county. Russell was soon followed by John Doyle, who settled near him, coming from the vicinity of Steu- benville in Jefferson county. After remaining here several years he sold out and went to In- diana. About the time of the advent of Doyle, the population was still further increased by the arrival of two families which settled in the same neighborhood, whose names are now

forgotten. Mr. Snyder, who some years ago was a resident of Crestline, and whose father settled in what is now Jefferson township, in 1816-17, tells a story of one of these families which reveals one of those pitiable tragedies not uncommon in pioneer history. It seems the pioneer having cleared a piece of ground, his neighbors came together and rolled his logs for him into heaps some distance from the cabin. He then fired them, together with the brush, and was in the habit of going out to attend to the fire at night, his wife some- times coming out to assist him. But one night she was too busy with household duties to come, and on that night the tragedy happened. As he failed to come home, in the morning she went out to look for him and found him burned to death at a log heap. It seems that in mending the fire, a heavy log had fallen on his feet, knocking him to the ground and holding him so fast that he was unable to extricate himself. In that helpless position he died by slow torture, doubtless shrieking for help so long as his voice lasted, and vainly hoping that his wife or some one might hear his cries. Of the wife we have no further record. Her feelings may be imagined.

Benjamin John and Benjamin Rush are spoken of as settlers who were in the town- ship prior to 1820. Samuel Rutan settled in the township in 1821, David Bryant in 1823, Elisha Allen and John Fate in 1824, William Minnerly in 1827, David Ogden and Edwin Manley in 1828, David Seltzer and Michael Magill in 1829, Edward Cooper, Isaac Dille and William Snodgrass in 1833, David Dewalt in 1835. Others were James Lowne, John Philip Bauer, John and Philip Eichorn and Harvey Aschbaugh.

The first settlers had to get their corn ground at Belleville, or the Heron Mill south of Mansfield, which were the nearest points. At a later date Christian Snyder put up his horse mill at Leesville, and Hibner and Hos- ford had their mills on the Whetstone near Galion, which were a great convenience to the people of Jackson township. There were no grist-mills ever in Jackson township until after 1850 when Crestline became a village. It was the Snyder family who cut the first road through Jackson township, when they originally came to Crawford county in 1817,

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and were endeavoring to find a short cut from Mansfield to their land near Leesville. The markings of this road can still be seen south of Crestline in the Russell neighborhood.

The first schools were taught in the vicinity of Leesville and Middletown, in what is now Jefferson township. Edwin Manley, a gentle- man of Scotch-Irish antecedents, was the first teacher within the present limits of Jackson, but having got into some trouble was soon obliged to leave. Another early school was taught by an old Irishman, Michael Magill, who before or afterwards taught school in va- rious places in the county. He was in the habit of indulging in weekly sprees, lasting from Friday night to Monday morning and often opened school on Monday in a somewhat fud- dled condition, at which times he was fre- quently made a butt of by the scholars, who indulged in many practical jokes at his ex- pense. The first schoolhouse in Jackson was built south of town, in the creek bottom, on land later owned by Jacob Sheffler.

The accumulation of wealth, or even of a reasonable competence, by the early settlers was a practical impossibility, owing to the dis- tance of the markets at which their surplus products could be sold, the difficulty of reach- ing them, and the small price offered for the produce when, after great toil and rough trav- eling over the worst roads, it had been trans- ported thither. The nearest trading points were Sandusky City, Zanesville, Mansfield and Mt. Vernon, the two former being the most important. For a load of wheat thus labor- iously carried to market, the farmer was fre- quently offered as low as 1212 cents a bushel, while 15 cents was considered a fair price, and even then he had to take his pay in merchan- dise. Under such conditions it is no wonder that they often found it difficult to get enough money to pay their taxes and postage, letters costing 25 cents in coin at the office of de- livery. If some of these early pioneers could but see the changes which have occurred, what would be their thoughts? However, al- though their descendants have done wonder- ful things in improving the conditions of life, it should not be forgotten that a heavy debt of gratitude is due to the early settlers for it was they who laid the foundation upon which their children builded so successfully;

it was they who endured the toil and danger, with little in the way of recompense save the knowledge that their children and their chil- dren's children, thanks to their labors, would be better off than themselves, though in their most sanguine moments they never dreamed to what an extent this would come true. Even as late as 1840 the site of Crestline was covered with big woods, which were filled with deer, wolves, wild turkeys and other species of game. The first cabin or house in the locality was erected just west of the stone arch bridge on the Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne & Chicago Railroad, and was there as early as 1833, but by whom it was built is not known. Aschbaugh's cabin was built some years later, where Crestline now stands. Aschbaugh was followed by a negro family, who built a cabin at what is now the west end of Main street. About the same time Samuel Rutan built an- other cabin on an adjoining eighty acre lot, at what is now the east end of Main street, having purchased the land from the Govern- ment. To the east of Rutan was Benjamin Ogden's place. The earliest tavern was kept by David Seltzer. It was a double log house situated at some distance to the east of Og- den's home, on the Leesville & Mansfield road, and here humble fare was provided for the weary traveler, consisting usually of "corn- pone" and venison, but as time passed, Selt- zer's tavern became the best known place west of Mansfield; it was headquarters of the stages from Wooster to Bucyrus, and after the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati road was built, and the Ohio and Indiana took out its charter, that charter read that the road was to commence on the C. C. & C. at a point near Seltzer's tavern, probably the only tavern in the United States which was distinguished by being made the terminal point for a great rail- road. The junction point of the two roads was made later half a mile south of the Selt- zer tavern, and soon after this his tavern was discontinued and he moved to Crestline, one of the principal streets in that city being named after him.

The smallness of Jackson township in ter- ritory, and the importance and growth of Crestline have today made the history of Jack- son and Crestline synonomous. The history of the one is the history of the other.

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The Sandusky river has its source about two miles north of Ontario, Richland county, and in its northwest course to Lake Erie passes through a country which was so thickly timbered and abundant in game that the pioneers were at first reluctant to undertake the hard, difficult task of clearing the land and despoiling such prolific hunting grounds. But, in the westward march of civilization, even this thickly-wooded tract on the upper waters of the Sandusky had to be supplanted in part by an enterprising town through which trunk lines of railroads pass, whose trains carry much of the interstate traffic of the north.

The Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad, now known as the Big Four-was chartered in 1833, but its construction was delayed for a number of years. Even after the work was begun, it progressed so slowly that the road was not opened for traffic until 1851. There was no town at that time be- tween Shelby and Galion, a distance of 13 miles. For the convenience of the people it was thought there should be a station between these towns, and the crossing of the Leesville road was selected as the proper place for its location. The station was established and called Vernon. Its location was where Main street crosses the Big Four, which is nearly a half mile north of the present station or junction of the Big Four and Pennsylvania lines. Soon after the erection of the station a town was founded there called Livingston, after its founder-Rensselaer Livingston.

In the summer of 1850 the Cleveland, Col- umbus and Cincinnati road was being built and was completed as far north as where Main street now crosses it in the town of Crestline and it was at this point the station was established and called Vernon Station, after Vernon township. Van Rensselaer Livingston, who was an early settler in that section, bought the land around the station and had Joseph Meer, the surveyor of Craw- ford county, lay out a town. Just east of where the station was, was Seltzer's tavern, a leading place for travelers on the road from Mansfield to Bucyrus, near where the Ohio and Indiana was to commence by legislative enactment, and go west through Bucyrus and Upper Sandusky to the Indiana line. Living-

ston therefore believed he had laid out a town at the junction of what is now the C. C. & C. and the Pennsylvania road. The plat was filed in the Recorder's office at Bucyrus, on Feb. 17, 1851, and the new town was called Livingston. The location given was "the west half of the southeast quarter of section No. 10, Jackson township." There were three east and west streets, the centre one to be the principal thoroughfare of the town and was called Main street. The one north of it was North street, and the one south, South street. The street through which the railroad passed was called Railroad street. It being a station on the railroad, several houses were immedi- ately erected, and Thomas C. Hall opened a general store in 1850. The government es- tablished a post office in the new town, and Livingston was appointed postmaster. The office was in Hall's store, and was run by him, he being the deputy, and later. the postmaster. The place was prospering and bid fair to become a thriving village, but when the Ohio and Indiana road was finally located in 1852, the crossing of the C. C. & C. was half a mile south of Livingston. Jesse R. Straughan, who was the civil engineer of the Ohio and Pennsylvania road, and his brother, C. J. Straughan, bought the farm of Harvey Aschcroft at the junction of the two roads, and laid out a town which they named Crest Line. They filed the plat of their new town in the Recorder's office on Dec. 21, 1852, and described the location as being on the "north half of section 15, Jackson township." There were three north and south streets, named Hall, Columbus and Thoman. Four east and west streets, named Bucyrus, Mansfield, Brown and Livingston. The one along the C. C. & C. road they named Seltzer, and the one along the Ohio and Pennsylvania road was Warehouse street. Both towns thrived from the beginning, but Crestline had the advantage of the junction with a union depot, and besides that, large railroad shops were established at the junction, and Crestline soon distanced Livingston in population and business. The post office was removed to the new town, and the name became one word instead of two. As time went on the two towns grew together and today there is no dividing line between the two, Livingston as

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a town having passed out of existence and of passengers. The people of that village is today the northern part of Crestline.

Prior to the laying out of Crestline, Liv- ingston enjoyed quite a boom. T. C. Hall opened a store there in 1850 and Newman and Thoman had a store there about the same time. John Adam Thoman had purchased the 80 acres just west of Livingston's eighty acre tract, paying $600 for the property, and part of this he laid out in town lots and commenced the erecting of houses. Michael Heffelfinger built a hotel at Livingston which he called the Ohio House. A number of residences were erected and little shops started. The Ohio and Pennsylvania was nearing Crestline from the east, and a syndicate, consisting of Jesse R. Straughan, chief engineer of the Ohio and Indiana road, Thomas W. Bartley of Mans- field, and John and Joseph Lardwill of Woos- ter, bought the 80-acre tract south of the Liv- ingston and Thoman tract, Joseph Larwill had been the financial promoter of the Ohio and Pennsylvania. Soon after this purchase it was found that the junction point of the roads would be on the tract owned by the syn- dicate, and the town of Crestline was laid out. Its growth was rapid. The plat was only filed Dec. 21, 1852. The first train of cars from the east arrived at Crestline on April II, 1853, and J. A. Crever of the Bu- cyrus Journal went over with Willis Merri- man, president of the Ohio and Indiana, and others to welcome the first train. Writing of the town Crever says :

"Visited Crestline April IIth; found many large and small houses where a few months ago it was all woods and cultivated fields. Crestline has two stores, five groceries, one tavern, two steam saw-mills, several boot and shoe shops, and numerous other mechanics' shops. The lots are being sold very fast and building timber is seen strewn on every hand. Mr. Straughan has a large eating-house nearly finished at the junction of the Ohio & Penn- sylvania and the Ohio & Indiana roads. When completed it will be a fine structure. The whole appearance of the place is business-like and the inhabitants are looking forward to the time when they will have a city in full blast. The first train of passenger cars on the Ohio & Pennsylvania entered Crestline Monday evening at 7.30, with a large number

greeted them with numerous hearty cheers and much rejoicing."

Two months later the editor made a second visit to the town which had leaped into ex- istence practically in a day, and on June 23, 1853, he wrote of it:

"Crestline and Livingston are located at the place where the Ohio & Indiana and the Ohio & Pennsylvania roads unite with the C. C. & C. road. The two places constitute one town, so recognized. Here can be seen that great feature of American enterprise, a city in the wilderness. Houses are erecting on all sides, and hundreds of laborers and mechanics are busily engaged in pushing the present improvements to completion. It will surprise many to learn what's doing in this clearing-for clearing it is, as, except what have been grubbed out, the stumps are still standing on all sides. The ticket office and building for the accommodation of the trav- elers is just finished. The building partakes somewhat of an oriental style of architecture, is 30 feet wide and 80 feet long. It contains a ticket office, a baggage-room, and a large salon for the accommodation of passengers waiting for the cars. The salon is abundantly supplied with lounges or settees, tables and chairs. It also contains a fine clock and a large water cooler.

"Another building for a similar purpose is constructing 30 feet wide and 100 feet long, and, including the basement, is three stories high. The basement is used as a kitchen. The second floor is occupied by the dining salon and refreshment hall; the third floor is divided into sleeping apartments. This building is not quite finished but is in full use. One hun- dred persons dine here daily and sometimes the number amounts to two hundred. At one corner of this building and with which it will be placed in connection, the foundation of an octagonal building is being laid, which, when finished, will be four stories high. The first floor of the octagonal building is to be used as a barber shop, the second floor as a reading- room and the third and fourth floors will be divided into sleeping apartments.

"The frame work of a wood house is com- pleted and ready for the roof. This building is 65 feet wide at one end, 20 at the other,

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and 300 feet long. In this building will be several wells and reservoirs to supply the lo- comotives with water. The balance of the building will be used for storing wood.

"An engine-house or stable is completed which is 30 feet wide and IIO feet long. Next season it is contemplated to build a circular stable of brick, large enough to stand fifteen locomotives. The plan of another building is decided upon, and as soon as the title to the ground can be secured, it will be commenced. It will be 40 feet wide and 260 feet long. The use to which it is to be applied we did not learn. We presume, however, it is intended for a warehouse. Near these improvements is a steam saw-mill, owned by Miller and Langham. This will be kept running day and night. In the old division of the settlement, of Livingston, town lots are selling at $300, and in the new division, or Crestline, they sell at $400.

"There is but one thing to be apprehended, and that is that the settlement will outgrow itself. At the present time money is abund- ant, but this results from the large number of hands now in the employ of the Ohio & Pennsylvania Railroad company, who get their money regularly and are in turn enabled to pay as they go. The present abundance will cease as soon as the railroad improve- ments are finished and the settlement will then have to depend upon the local and exchange trade, which, however, will always be large and abundant for a good sized town; but it has its limits."

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 38

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1302

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302