History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 41

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 41

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pride of the village, may be still their pride, but there are now rooms in it to spare.

The Lees, both Robert Sr. and Robert Jr. were men of education and ability and were deservedly held in high respect. The former was a son of Thomas Lee, born in Donegal, Ireland, in 1770. He emigrated to America in 1787, settling in Washington county, Pa. He studied for the ministry at Cannonsburg Seminary and became a member of the Erie Presbytery. After coming to Crawford county he assisted in the organization of many of the early churches and did much for the cause of religion and morality. He died in 1842. Robert Lee, Jr., was a prominent man in both state and county and efficiently served two terms as probate judge. He passed his last years in retirement at Bucyrus.

Newton Ashcroft, who settled south of Mid- dletown, came to Jefferson in 1828 with his father's family, the father being a native of England, and a man of good education, who was an early school teacher. Joseph Gledhill and family, also from England and settled south of Leesville, on the south side of the gravel ridge, where he began farming opera- tions and resided for many years, dying in the late seventies. His son Joseph became a pros- perous citizen of Middletown.

Abraham Littler in 1832 purchased and moved onto the Ridgely farm with his family. He was born in Hardy county, Va., in 1780 and died in Jefferson township, August 10, 1844. His son Lewis became one of the promi- nent citizens of Sandusky township, serving in various offices.

Leesville has had the largest number of postmasters of any office in the county :

Robert Lee, Jr., Dec. 14, 1839; Henry Davis, June 5, 1849; James Clements, May 18, 1850; J. M. Lewis, Dec. 28, 1850; S. P. Lee, July 29, 1853; James Clements, Dec. 14, 1853; John Newman, April 17, 1857; George W. Good, Jan. 29, 1859; Adam Billow, July 26, 1861 ; Isaac W. Smith, July 19, 1866; George Heis, Sept. 22, 1866; George. R. Schaeffer, April 15, 1869; John Schaeffer, April 17, 1871; John U. Shumaker, Aug. 2, 1872; Daniel O. Castle, Aug. 22, 1872; Henry Castle, Jan. 22, 1877; Peter Herr, Jr., Nov. 11, 1878; Wil-

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liam Dewalt, March 24, 1880, and Henry Berg, May 17, 1882.

On Oct. 10, 1882, the office was discontinued as no one could be induced to take the job. Finally they secured a man and in December it was reopened.

John P. Flick, Dec. 5, 1882; and O. P. Beck, April 5, 1883.

On Oct. 19 of that year it was again dis- continued, but reopened in April, 1884.

Peter Herr, April 4, 1884; Peter Bauer, Dec. 7, 1887; Rosa E. Kochinder fer, April 28, 1888; Charles E. Trimble, June, 4, 1889; Jacob Kelly, July 3, 1889; H. H. Bilsing, April 12, 1900; C. M. Kelly, Aug. 1, 1900; and Har- rison Rettig, July 19, 1901.

On May 13, 1904, the office was perma- nently discontinued the patrons of the office being supplied by rural carriers from Crestline.

The importance of Leesville in the early days was such that it was incorporated by the County Commissioners as a village. Among the Mayors elected was Samuel R. Carson in 1847, John M. Lewis, 1849; John C. Teel, 1851; David O. Castle, 1874; Enos Flick, 1879; John P. Flick, 1883; Jacob Kelly, 1889, Sherwood Mckean 1891, C. E. Schaad 1899. The little village had the same trou- ble over its officials as it did over postmas- ters, in getting people to serve, as witness the following letter written to A. A. Ruhl who, as County Clerk was endeavoring to find out to whom he should send the commission as Mayor of the village, and had addressed a letter to the "Township Clerk" for informa- tion :

Leesville X Roads, Aug. 11, 1883. Mr. Alex A. Ruhl,

"Bucyrus, Ohio :

"Yours not received until today on account of P. M. at this place not knowing who was Corporation Clerk, and I hardly know myself. We have had no election since April, 1881 ; at that time I was elected. I think my time ex- pires in two years from date of election. Some say that an officer holds office until his successor is elected or chosen and qualified, but I am not certain about it. I filled part of the certificate, but it is no good anyhow. B. Heckert had a talk with John P. Flick and he will not serve at

all, so I don't see any use in sending for com- mission.

"Resp'y Yours, "HENRY BERG."

In 1835, Henry Hershner was the leading promoter of a town that he with Christian Snyder and Adam Ashcroft, decided to lay out on the Columbus and Portland state road, about half way between Galion and Lees- ville. They engaged John Stewart of Rich- land county (the town being in that county) to lay out and plat the town. It had a public square and two diagonal streets. The one running from southwest to northeast was the Portland road and was called Columbus street. The other from northwest to southeast was the road from Bucyrus to Mansfield, and was called Bucyrus street. There were 30 lots, 18 of them on the public square and Bucyrus street, and 12 on Columbus street. It was named from the fact that it was about midway between the two towns of Galion and Leesville.

Henry Hershner opened a tavern and store ; the store he soon transferred to his son John, who ran it successfully for many years. Wash- ington Modie started a blacksmith and wagon shop. Jacob Hershner started a cabinet maker's shop. Michael and John Hershner built a saw-mill, and Christian Snyder a grist- mill, which was run by horse-power. It also had a church and graveyard, when it was first laid out, and later two other church buildings were erected. At first it seemed as if the new town would be a formidable rival of Galion and Leesville, but as the channels of travel be- came diverted from the old road by new and better, as well as shorter routes through the county, the business came to a standstill, and finally began to decline, and in 1852 when the Ohio and Indiana road passed it by to the north, its fate was sealed ; many of the build- ings were abandoned, and as time passed either fell or were torn down, so that nothing now remains, but one or two residences built in recent years in the site of the old village, that of William Gledhill being one of the handsome country residences in the county.

There still remains the old burying ground in which rest the remains of Henry Hershner, Christian Snyder and Adam Ashcroft, the

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original founders of the town and many more of its early inhabitants and their descendants. The oldest stone is that of Jacob Hershner, born March 25, 1769; died March 9, 1829. Henry Hershner, his brother, was born Feb. II, 1776; died June 24, 1850. Adam Ash- croft was born June 17, 1774; died Nov. 28, 1866. Christian Snyder was born May 6, 1765; died June 20, 1863, aged 98 years, and Mary, his wife, was born Dec. 4, 1768; died Nov. II, 1872, aged 104 years.

During the summer of 1836, Adam Shu- maker, William Robinson and Abraham Be- bout, whose farms joined at a point about half a mile south of the present village of North Robinson, conceived the idea of laying out a new town. They engaged the services of C. Sweney, who was then the county surveyor of Crawford county, to lay out the town and make a plat of it, and on Feb. 2, 1836, this plat was filed in the Recorder's office. The new town was on the road leading from Bu- cyrus to Middletown and was on the southeast part of fractional section 13 Whetstone town- ship, and the northwest part of section 15, Jefferson township, in what was then Jackson township. The town was laid out in a style that indicated the proprietors believed it would assume great proportions. There was a large public square, four north and south streets- Wood, Broadway, Second and East; there was but one east and west street, and that was the Middletown road which was named Main street; this street was extensively traveled, as the Bucyrus and Mansfield stage route passed along three days every week. The lots were placed on the market, but it was about this time the trouble was on between President Jackson and the National Bank, and the panic which resulted left no money in the country. This financial stringency lasted several years, and before money again came freely into cir- culation the project was abandoned and what was once to be the town of Jacksonville is now nothing but a cross roads. Not even a house was erected on the site of the town.

The first schoolhouse in Jefferson township was built about 1824 south of Leesville, near the "Hog's Back," and was a rude log struc- ture, about 20 by 24 feet in dimensions. The furniture was as crude as the building, the seats being hewed slabs with four legs and the

writing desk a slab placed against the wall in a slanting position and supported by wooden pins driven into the logs. David Dorn was the first pedagogue who presided over this temple of knowledge. He was a Pennsyl- vanian of limited education and spoke rather broken English. He received 75 cents apiece from his pupils and as he began with nine, his income to start with was $6.75 per month. An- other school was taught by David Gill on the Tracht place. Soon after this a schoolhouse was built in Leesville and was followed in dif- ferent places in the township by several others. One of the very earliest schools was held at the house of John McClure, Mr. McClure and Mr. Akers alternating with each other as teach- ers by the week. Another early teacher was Mr. Ashcroft, father of Newton Ashcroft, who came here in 1828 and spent several years as a pedagogue. He had the reputation of be- ing an excellent mathematician.

One of the earliest church organizations in the township was that of the United Brethren under the direction of Henry Hershner. For many years services were held at Mr. Hersh- ner's own house, but later a church was erected in Middletown, which is still standing.

In 1835 a church was erected on land which later became the property of John Smith, and was for many years known as the Smith church, but it was torn down long ago, The United Brethren organized the first church in Leesville, the English Lutheran church being organized shortly after. There is a German Reformed church in the southern part of the township. The Rev. Joseph Van Deman, of Delaware, a Presbyterian preacher, took a lead- ing part in organizing several churches in the county. Jacob Newman was also an early preacher, who held services in the homes of the settlers. Rev. Robert Lee and his sons were also prominent in Christian work, though Mr. Lee held no pastorate after his removal here.

The first Sunday school held in Crawford county was organized near the northern bound- dary line of Jefferson township by David Wert, one of the early settlers in that section. An- other early Sunday school was held about 1832 at the home of Benjamin Worden, and these important agencies for Christian work have since been multiplied all over the township.

CHAPTER XVI

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP

The Central Location of Liberty Township-Drainage and Topography-First Settlers-Mills -The Blowers Family-Other Early Settlers-Interesting Anecdotes-Fertility of the Soil-Timber-Medicinal Springs-Justices-Organization of the Township and First Elections-Early Treatment of the Poor-Binding Out Children-Deckertown Laid Out -Puckertown or Brandywine Station-A Manuscript Newspaper-Teel Town-An- napolis or Sulphur Springs-Schools and Churches-Industries-Postmasters.

"Who planted this old apple-tree?" The children of that distant day Thus to some aged man shall say; And, gazing on its mossy stem, The gray-haired man shall answer them: "A poet of the land was he, Born in the rude but good old times; 'Tis said he made some quaint old rhymes On planting the apple-tree." -WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT,

Liberty is the central township of Crawford county, the geographical center of the county and township being almost coincident. It is geographically defined in the Government survey as township 2 of range 17 east. In 1835 the county commissioners attached the fractional sections on the east to Sandusky township, but after remaining as a part of Sandusky township for several years, they were again, and this time permanently, at- tached to Liberty township, the dimensions of which are six miles from north to south and nearly five and one-half miles east and west. Liberty is bounded on the north by Chatfield and Cranberry townships; on the east by San- dusky and a small portion of Cranberry; on the south by Whetstone, and on the west by Holmes. It was erected by the Marion county commissioners on Nov. 27, 1825, and called Liberty, after the Goddess of Liberty.

The township is drained by the Sandusky river, which enters near the southeastern cor- ner and meanders in a westerly and south- westerly direction toward the southwest

corner, where it enters Bucyrus township; Brokensword creek, which rises in Liberty and flows through the northern portion; Bull Run, a small stream which aids in forming the Brokensword and drains the eastern and central lands; and Brandywine creek, which flows through the western portion, finally en- tering Holmes township; besides several small creeks. The drainage has also been largely helped by numerous ditches, which have been cut from time to time for many years past to carry off the surplus water, whereby most of the swamps and wet lands, which originally covered much of the township, have been re- claimed and made suitable for cultivation.

The eastern boundary line of Liberty town- ship forms a part of the boundary line of the New Purchase, the immense tract of land ac- quired in 1817 by the United States Govern- ment from the Indians. Among the numerous home seekers who set out at that time for the territory thus newly acquired, many visited Liberty township, attracted by its great nat- ural advantages, and of these a large number remained. In a few years most of the Gov- ernment land in the township had been entered by actual settlers. In January, 1820, the town- ship was destitute of white inhabitants, but ten years later there was a white population of 655. The first settlers came mostly from New England and the Western Reserve, they being followed in the early thirties by the Pennsyl- vania Dutch and emigrants from Germany.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY

The former entered land along the Sandusky river bottom, while the Germans settled mostly in the central and northern portions of the township.

In 1840 the United States census showed a population of 1,469; in 1850, 1,782; 1860, 1,788; the highest population reached, and since that time it has gradually decreased in population, due to the fact that many of the smaller land holders had sold out and moved to the far West.

In pioneer days Liberty township was al- most entirely covered by the forest and was, of course, destitute of roads, the trails or paths between the settlements being indicated by blazed trees. There were no Indian vil- lages, but game was abundant, as were also the wolves, who disturbed the silence of the night with their discordant howls. Occasionally a black bear made his appearance, though if he lingered long he was likely to become a target for the rifle of the pioneer or that of some solitary Indian hunter. With the pioneer set- tler meat was easier to procure than bread, as deer and wild turkeys were plentiful and the streams were full of fish and in many places frequented by waterfowl. Flour was another question, however, owing to the lack of mills. For some time hand-mills were used which bruised the corn into coarse meal, but wheat flour was a comparative rarity. Gradually horse-mills began to make their appearance, and as soon as one of these was constructed it was frequented by the settlers from miles around, who often had to wait some time for their turn, the journey to and from home often taking two or three days and the grist being carried on the back of a horse. The early mills at Mansfield and on the Mohican were patronized by those of the settlers who cared to make the long journey through the pathless woods. Isaac Rice built a mill on his farm at an early day, which enjoyed a large custom. The first mill was built by Daniel McMichael, and was a great accommodation to the settlers. Mr. McMichael was a native of Ireland who came to America with his parents at the close of the 18th century, when he was about 16 years old, they settling in Westmoreland county, Pa. He married a Scotch "lassie" by whom he had five sons and two daughters. and in 1819 the family came to Crawford

county, spending the winter on the banks of the Whetstone. In the spring of 1820 they settled in what is now the northern part of Bucyrus corporation. After remaining a short time there, however, he removed into Liberty township, about one mile up the Sandusky river, where he entered land and built his mill, it being the first mill erected in what was then Crawford county, and was erected in the sum- mer of 1820. Up to that time the settlers in the neighborhood had been compelled to go to the mills in Huron or Richland counties, a trip through the forests taking two and three days. About 1823 Mr. McMichael, finding the water power on the Sandusky insufficient to keep his mill going twelve months in the year, rented the property to Nehemiah Squires and removed to Bucyrus, where he died in 1825. To him belongs the honor of having been the first white settler in Liberty township, and when he entered his land it was one of the sites where already were the coming signs of civilization, for on this land Johnny Appleseed had planted one of his apple orchards. From probably 1800 to 1815 this wandering char- acter had planted his little orchards at various points along the Sandusky and the larger streams, and his fruit-bearing trees were found later by the earlier pioneers.

The second settler in Liberty was Ralph Bacon, who arrived with his wife and nine children in the fall of 1820. He was a Massa- chusetts man and previous to his advent here had resided for some time in that part of northeastern Ohio that is now Lake county. They arrived at Bucyrus in November in wagons drawn by oxen, and stopped the first night at the home of Mishael Beadle on what is now West Mansfield street. They then moved into a vacant shanty in the northeast- ern part of Bucyrus, an old log cabin some hunter or squatter had abandoned, on what is now Plymouth street, remaining there until Mr. Bacon had constructed a round log cabin upon his land in Liberty township, the cabin being completed in about two weeks. His land comprised 80 acres in the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 33, about three miles east of Bucyrus, south of the Sandusky river, which farm subsequently came into the possession of his son Martin. He also pur- chased from the Government 160 acres in

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Whetstone township, where many years later he erected a better house, which he occupied until his death on June 14, 1850. He had thir- teen children. Dexter, the tenth child, born May 6, 1822, was the first white male child born in Liberty. In September, 1822, Sarah Bacon married Philander Odell and they were the first couple married in the township. All Mr. Bacon's children attained maturity, and most of them married and reared large fam- ilies.

Auer Umberfield, who came with the Bacons: in 1820, driving one of their ox-teams, was the third settler in Liberty to purchase land and erect a cabin. Land was then worth only $1.25 per acre and as Mr. Umberfield brought with him $100 in gold he was enabled to purchase 80 acres. He later married a daughter of James Scott, of Whetstone town- ship. In 1835 he sold out to Samuel Plants and went farther west. Samuel Plants was the father of Josiah Plants, who later was judge of the court and a prominent citizen of Bucyrus. The land afterwards came into pos- session of Mrs. Diana Blowers.

Thomas McClure settled upon 160 acres just south of the Sandusky river, and built a cabin, but in 1833 sold out to Michael Nigh and removed to Richland county. He was one of the first county commissioners and one of those who located the county seat at Bucyrus. John Maxfield, a Vermont Yankee, also settled in Liberty in 1821, purchasing 160 acres of land, eighty of which lay between Umberfield's and McClure's and the other eighty just east of Umberfield's. By mistake he built his cabin a little north of his northern boundary line, and came near losing it; for the mistake of the location of the cabin was discoverel 'by a peddler, who hurriedly went to Delaware and entered the eighty acres on which it stood. Mr. Maxfield had been made suspicious, however, by the peddler's actions, and discovered his error in time, so, with the assistance of his neighbors, in a few hours they moved the cabin onto his own land, to the subsequent discomfiture of the enterpris- ing peddler, who expected to get a cabin for nothing. Maxfield sold out about twenty years later and removed to Illinois. About the year 1833 he built the first brick house in Liberty township, which house was occupied

by Bacon. The brick in those days was by no means of the quality that would be de- manded at the present day. It was usually made by pouring water on the ground and then having the clay trampled into the proper con- sistency by the hoofs of cattle. Naturally mud and other undesirable matter entered largely into its composition. This was exem- plified in a house built by Michael Nigh soon after Maxfield's was finished, which fell to pieces soon after the brick was moistened by a heavy rain. Maxfield's, however, seems to have been made of better material, as it lasted many years and, perhaps, may be still stand- ing. Nigh afterward left these parts for Mis- souri and came to his end by being drowned in the Missouri river.

In April, 1821, Henry Couts moved into Liberty from Bucyrus township with his fam- ily, consisting of his wife, three sons and three daughters. He entered land about a mile south of Sulphur Springs, which farm after- wards came into possession of Pharaoh Bell. William Huff was the only resident in the neighborhood at the time. Couts' father, Christian, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war.

Perhaps the most valuable accession to Lib- erty township in its earlier history was John O. Blowers, who first visited it in 1821, pur- chasing 160 acres of land half a mile east of Ralph Bacon's place, and who took up his permanent abode here in the following year, 1822. He was a man of fine intellectual, moral and Christian character, having an abundant fund of sound, practical wisdom, backed by moral firmness. He became a potent force for good in the township, repress- ing and overaweing evildoers and leading in every movement for the moral and material advancement of the community. He pro- moted and assisted in the construction of the first schoolhouse and in his cabin the first re- ligious services were held. A devout member of the Methodist persuasion, his home was the resting-place of all the pioneer circuit riders and itinerant ministers of that church who visited the neighborhood, but he also gave a hearty welcome to those of other sects, it being sufficient for him that his guest was engaged in Christian work. A good cause was sure not only of his moral support but also of more

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substantial assistance. Mr. Blowers was born in Vermont in 1782 and was married in 1810 to Sylvinia Chadsey. Previous to 1812 he had purchased land near Kingston, Canada, with the intention of making a temporary home in that country. On the breaking out of the war between the United States and Eng- land, the Canadian authorities tried to press him into the English service, but he refused to bear arms against his country and finally, to escape further persecution, abandoned his accumulated possessions and returned to his native land, settling in Wayne county, Ohio, from where he and his family subsequently removed to Crawford county, as already nar- rated. He had a son born February 23, 1823, James C., who died the same day, and this in- fant was the first person buried in the town- ship, a burial site being selected on the farm which became the Blowers grave yard. The second death occurred in the family of John and Joana Maxfield, July 8, 1823, it being of their son, James M., aged two years, eleven months and twenty days. Mr. Blowers was the father of sixteen children, eleven sons and five daughters, of whom only five sons and one daughter grew to maturity. Mr. Blowers died September 29 1844, in his sixty-second year, having lived in the township nearly twenty-three years, and was buried in the grave yard which takes his name.

In November, 1822, William Blowers ar- rived in Liberty township from Salem, Wash- ington county, N. Y., and settled on his brother's farm. He was accompanied by two of his sisters, with their husbands, Calvin and Nehemiah Squires, the latter of whom was the father of Dr. J. B. Squires of Sulphur Springs.

During the War of 1812 Robert Foster, with his wife Peggy and four children, left Ireland for the United States and on their ar- rival settled in Richland county. Several years later, 1822, came to Crawford county, where in due time the family was increased by several additions. They were vigorous and aggressive, taking such active part in the polit- ical struggles at the time of the rebellion as to be referred to generally as "the fighting Fos- ters." Most of this family subsequently re- moved farther west. One of the daughters, Sarah, born May 22, 1822, was the first female

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 41

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