History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 50

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County and Ohio > Part 50

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

visited Bucyrus once a month and preached at Mr. Norton's home. Mr. Jackson also preached at the houses of Joseph S. Morris, southeast of Bucyrus, and James Scott's cabin. Elder Kaufman also occasionally held services at Mr. Norton's residence. Samuel Norton died April 18, 1856, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. From an obituary notice published in the Bucyrus Journal, the following extract is taken : "The death of Mr. Norton has left a vacancy among our citizens, as well as in his family, which cannot be filled. Being the first settler, he was justly entitled to the name of the 'Father of Bucyrus.' In the autumn of 1819, when the country around was in a state of nature, and the dark glens of the forest re- echoed the hoarse howlings of the wild beasts and the dread war-whoop of the Indians, this hardy pioneer left his quiet home in Pennsyl- vania to seek his fortune in the West. Attracted by the beauty of the surrounding country, he erected a tent of poles, in which he spent the winter. His life for many years afterward was but a series of severe toil and exposure, which none but the most hardy and persevering could endure. For fifty years, he was an exemplary member of the Baptist Church, and, through all the vicissitudes of his pioneer life, his spirits were kept buoyant by the hope of a future re- ward in the mansions of eternal glory. A large concourse of citizens attended his funeral, and all expressed their regret for their much- esteemed citizen, and sympathy for his afflicted relatives." His wife, Mary Norton, lived three years after her husband's death, and finally passed away, April 29, 1859, and was laid be- side her companion of fifty-two years of wedded life, in the graveyard northwest of Bucyrus.

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Norton were the par- ents of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, viz. : Rensellaer, Louisa, Manford, Warren, Waldo, Catharine, Elizabeth, Sophro- nia, Harris P., Charles, Jefferson and William B. Many of these became the parents of large

families, and the descendants of the first settler are very numerous.

Although the families of Messrs. Norton and Bucklin were the first settlers of Bucyrus Town- ship, they did not remain very long alone. The next spring, a man by the name of Sears came and squatted on the land which lies just west of Oakwood Cemetery. Mr. Norton's daughters relate that "One Sunday morning we were awakened by the crowing of several roosters in the southwest, and our ears were saluted by the welcome ring of another pioneer's ax, which sounds seemed to us, who had so often listened to the barking and howling of wolves, the sweetest music." The lonely pioneers were glad to have neighbors, and the Sears family were visited by Mr. and Mrs. Norton early in the morning, and were assisted in the first task of building a log cabin ; until this building was erected, the family slept in their wagon. The Sears family did not like the new country, and, after remaining a short time, removed to another locality. But other settlers arrived who did remain, and before many months the neighbors were David Beadle and his sons Mishael and David, Daniel McMichael and Joseph Young, and these were followed by numerous other families. Col. Kilbourne, in his "Song of Bu- cyrus," says :

" First Norton and the Beadles came With friends, an enterprising band ; Young and McMichael, men of fame, Soon joined the others, hand in hand."

The Beadles were the second settlers to pur- chase land in Bucyrus Township. They lo- cated, about the spring of 1820, upon the eighty acres west of Norton's land. Previous to this they were residents of the Quaker set- tlement near Mount Gilead ; it is reported by some that they were natives of New York State. The family consisted of David Beadle and his two sons, Mishael and David ; also his son-in- law, John Ensley, who married Ann Beadle. It is reported by Mr. Norton's daughters " that at

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

first Mishael Beadle occupied the north forty of their first eighty-acre tract, and lived in a cabin which stood on the lot now owned by Mr. Silas Bowers, on West Mansfield street. David Beadle and his son David, aged about seven- teen, occupied the south forty acres, and resided in a cabin situated a short distance southwest of the present end of Warren street. The Bea- dles did not remain in Crawford County, but, several years after they came into possession of this land, sold out to Samuel Myers and moved West." During the brief period these families resided in Crawford County, they occupied sev- eral different log cabins. Mrs. Rogers reports that at one time Mishael resided over the river a little south of where Joe Henry lives at the present time ; old David Beadle then lived in the cabin formerly occupied by his son Mishael, and John Ensley over the river near Mishael. During the summer of 1822. Daniel, the little son of Mishael Beadle, died ; this is the first death of which any satisfactory proof can be obtained that occurred in Bucyrus Town- ship. The little fellow was buried on Norton's land ; the exact site of this first burying-ground is the lot now owned by Hiram Fisher, at the cor- ner of Walnut street and the Middletown Road. During the winter of 1822-23, Clarinda Beadle married a man some seven years older than herself; David Beadle was also married shortly after this, but did not live with his wife very long. Mishael Beadle also entered the Pettitt place now owned by Lorin Converse, which he resided on for several years, and John Ensley afterward located east of this on what was aft- erward known as the Minich estate. The entire Beadle family was of a restless, roving disposi- tion ; they spent considerable time hunting. and disliked hard labor. Samuel Myers, who purchased from them the eighty acres they first entered, at $6 per acre, reports that only eight or ten acres of the land had been cleared, notwithstanding it had been owned by the Bea- dle family for some six or eight years. The

Beadles claimed to be Quakers, and the old man adopted the dress and language of this sect, but was never an honor to the Friends. It is related that he visited Zanesville for the purpose of buying a plow ; the store-keeper did not wish to sell plows on credit so far from home, but Beadle talked so honestly that the plow-dealer finally consented. When the old fellow returned to Bucyrus, he made his boasts that his broad-brimmed hat had secured a fine plow ; he never paid for this agricultural imple- ment, and several years after he moved West, the Zanesville merchant visited Bucyrus for the purpose of collecting this bad debt ; as he never succeeded, it is likely he never, after this experience with Beadle, trusted a Quaker who lived 100 miles from Zanesville.

The Young family, who, according to Kil- bourne's song, " soon joined the others hand in hand," first settled in Section 5, Whetstone Township, on the farm now owned by William Holmes, in the Stewart neighborhood. The Young family, however, were large land-holders in Bucyrus Township at an early day. It is reported that the old gentleman, William Young, gave each of his children 160 acres of land ; that George Black, who settled in Bucyrus at an early day, and married a Miss Young, re- ceived for his portion the fourth section, upon which the Sinn Mill is now situated. Previous to transferring this to Black, however, Mr. Young built a flouring-mill at this point ; for some time it was a horse mill, and customers could not secure a grist without they took their own horses, and were sometimes compelled to wait many hours before their turn arrived. The tax duplicate of 1830 proves that George Young owned this fourth section at that time, and John and Jacob Young each had 160 acres southwest of George Young's farm ; they were all residents of the township at that time, and a few of the present citizens of Crawford County are descended from the Young family.

Daniel McMichael settled in Crawford County

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

with his family about the year 1819. When Samuel Norton explored different portions.of the county during the early fall of that year, the McMichaels were living near the Olentangy, some eight miles from the present site of Bucy- rus. The McMichaels then moved into what is now Liberty Township, and were the first set- tlers in that division of Crawford County. Mr. McMichael resided in Liberty for some two years, during which time he erected the first grist-mill built in Crawford. He then removed to the vicinity of Bucyrus and put up a log- house on the site now occupied by Hon. E. B. Finley's residence. He purchased from the Government the eighty acres upon which his cabin was erected ; also eighty acres east of Norton's land, and the eighty acres south of the Middletown road and east of Walnut street. For a few months he engaged in distilling whisky, the location of this establishment being the present site of the Bucyrus Gas Works. After residing north of Bucyrus for some two years he died, about the year 1825. McMichael was of Scotch-Irish descent, and it is reported he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Mary, or Polly McMichael, as she was usually called, lived many years after her first husband's death. December 9,1832, she was mar- ried by Rev. John C. Havens to John Shults. but she did not live a happy life with Shults, and they separated after several years. Two incidents are related of Aunt Polly ; it is said by some of her grandchildren, that about the year 1825, she rode on horseback to Pennsyl- vania, her former home, the sole companion be- ing her youngest son Allen, then about six years of age. She then prevailed upon her mother, an aged widow lady, to accompany her to the new settlement. The old lady rode on one horse, and Aunt Polly occupied another with her child, and also a feather bed strapped on the horse behind her. It is also reported by Mr. Norton's daughter, that, when Gen. Har- rison was in Bucyrus during the year 1840,

Aunt Polly, then an old lady, visited him and reminded the General how she had cooked a meal for him some years previous. She told the General that he consented to hold her son David while she prepared the meal. The Gen- eral recognized her and admitted the occur- rence. This incident is reported to have oc- curred at the fort in Mansfield ; but it, like the fort, was situated at some point in Pennsylvania. Daniel McMichael and Aunt Polly were the parents of the following seven children : David, Matthew, William, Martha, Mary, Daniel and Allen.

During the year 1821, Zalmon Rowse re- moved to Crawford County with his family and settled in Whetstone Township, but he be- came identified with the public business of the citizens at a very early day, and moved his family to Bueyrus Township. Mr. Rowse was a man well fitted for public trusts, and the citi- zens appreciated his natural abilities by elect- ing him to many important positions. He was one of the first Justices of the Peace in Bu- cyrus Township, and served in this capacity for nearly twenty years. In 1825, he was commis- sioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Fourth Regi- ment of Ohio Militia. During the latter part of 1825 and until Crawford County was organized in 1826, Col. Rowse served as one of the Commissioners of Marion County. When the new county was formed, Mr. Beardsley was appointed Clerk, but shortly afterward he re- signed, and Col. Rowse was his successor. He served the people faithfully in this position for many years ; at this time the recording of deeds and mortgages was part of the duties of Mr. Rowse, and the fine records prepared by him, which are on file at the Court House, are to this day a lasting proof that the confidence which the citizens frequently reposed in him was never misplaced, and it is not surprising that for the public interests he was re-elected many terms to the various positions he occu- pied. In 1826, Col. Rowse was one of the

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

charter members of the Columbus and Sandus- ky Turnpike ; he assisted also in 1846, when the Bucyrus Lodge of Freemasons was organ- ized, of which society he was also a charter member. He purchased from the Government the farm now owned by Col. William Monnett, southeast of town, and erected upon it the brick residence now occupied by the owner. Col. Rowse also erected, in 1831, the American Hotel, situated on the northwest corner of Main and Warren streets. In early life, he was addicted to the excessive use of liqnor; this vice was then a more general custom among the leading citizens of the county than at the present time. Many humorous incidents are related by early settlers in regard to the pranks played by Col. Rowse and his boon companion. Col. Scott, when these fun-loving men started out to have a "good time." About the year 1835, they both reformed under the preaching of the late Rev. L. G. Gurley, D. D. Col. Rowse united with the M. E. Church, and Col. Scott with the Presbyterian ; during the remainder of their lives, both men were ex- emplary citizens and ornaments to the churches with which they were connected. Col. Rowse died August 15, 1854, having been a resident of Bucyrus Township over thirty years, during which time no one citizen had a greater influ- ence than he in shaping the early interests of Crawford County. The year after Col. Rowse removed to this county, his brother, Heman Rowse, settled in Whetstone Township, and shortly afterward purchased from the Govern- ment eighty acres on the pike one mile south of Bucyrus ; he continued a resident until about the year 1831, when he was killed while assisting at a barn-raising just southwest of the village. Seth Holmes, who came with the Nortons in 1819, was an old bachelor, and, after living in the town for several years, died, pre- vions to 1827. His brother Truman was also an early settler, who moved to Bucyrus Town- ship with his family. Truman had four sons

-Lyman, Harry, Elisha and Zalmon ; some of these removed to Holmes Township, which re- ceived its name from this family. Truman Holmes' daughter married Rensellaer Norton. Elisha, Thaddeus, David and John Kent were carly residents of the township. Elisha en- tered the eighty acres immediately north of Bucklin's land ; this farm is now owned by James Kerr, of Pennsylvania, formerly a resi- dent of Bucyrus Township. Able Cary, also an early settler, was a man full of oddities. He put up the first grist-mill erected in the township as early as 1821.

Lewis Cary was another early settler of Bucyrus Township, who reached the present site of the city with his wife and family, con- sisting of six sons and three daughters, during the spring of 1822. Cary was born in New Jersey, near Morristown, October 19, 1783 ; he was early apprenticed to a tanner, and, having learned the trade and also attained his majority, he removed to Smithfield, Jefferson Co., Ohio, where he established himself in business and married Miss Rachael Kirk, of that place. Their nine children were Susan, Abel, William, Aaron, Edmond, Isabel, Sarah, George and Benjamin. All of these grew to maturity ; but at the present time only one, Isabel, now Mrs. Alex. Caldwell, Sr., is a resident of Crawford County. The Cary family removed from Jef- ferson County in " schooner wagons," and, when they arrived at Bucyrus, moved into an old building until a log cabin could be erected ; this first home occupied one of the lots upon which Christian Shonert's residence is at the present time. Cary put up the first hewed-log house, with a shingle roof and grooved floor, that was built in Bucyrus ; all the other cabins were made of round logs with a puncheon floor. Cary visited the grist-mill in Knox County, for flour, and often the supply of food in the house was so limited that an allowance was made for each child of their large family. A few months after reaching Bucyrus, Cary

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

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started the first tannery established in Craw- ford County, and for nearly sixty years the tanning business has been conducted at this same location. It is now owned by Messrs. Shonert & Haller. Cary provided vats by sink- ing some large troughs in the ground, and it was necessary for him to pound his bark, as he had no facility for grinding it. His work was traded to other settlers for home-spun cloth, and he tanned some leather for the Indians, which they made into moccasins. He was, also, a good shoemaker, and the Indians were great admirers of the work he produced ; for, when they discovered that many of his shoes " squeaked," they were very anxious to secure a pair of this kind, always asking him to make for them "a shoe that talked." Cary was a member of the society of Friends, and pos- sessed the good-will of all the Indians ; other settlers were troubled by these natives, ocea- sionally, but the savages never molested any property belonging to their Quaker friend. It is related, by Mrs. Alex. Caldwell, that Susie Williams, an Indian squaw who carried wood to burn Col. Crawford some forty years pre- vious, was frequently in the village, and related her personal knowledge of this sad tragedy to many early settlers ; Cary purchased from the Government the 160 acres comprising the northeast quarter of Section 2; most of this land is now owned by Joseph Henry. About the year 1823, James Monroe appointed Cary first Postmaster of the village of Bucyrus. He served in this capacity during the administra- tion of John Quincy Adams, and was removed by President Jackson for political reasons. Cary continued the tannery until about the year 1839, when he transferred the establish- ment to his son Aaron. Mr. Cary died Jan- uary 9, 1866, at Defiance, Ohio; his wife, Rachael, died soon after they moved to Craw- ford County, about the year 1825, and was buried on her husband's land ; the grave is in Henry's apple orchard and is marked by a

tombstone, bearing only the words " Rachael Cary." This Henry farm was occupied by the Carys for many years. A short time after Lewis Cary removed to Crawford County, his brother Aaron settled in Bueyrus. He was a saddler and harness-maker, but did not reside in the village many years. His eabin and shop was near Lewis Cary's tannery ; his daughter, Sarah, taught school in the upper part of the building.

Amos Clark entered the eighty acres lying south of Norton's land, and west of Main street. He resided near where John Keil does at the present time ; after the year 1830 he sold his land and removed West. It is reported he afterward went deranged on account of Millerism. In 1830, he also owned thirty-eight acres north of town, and donated a small portion of this for the old burying-ground which is situated on the Tiffin road. The family of General Samuel Myers removed to Bucyrus in 1826. During the early days, he owned several valuable pieces of land ; he purchased of the Beadles their tract just west of Norton's, and also another farm, which now lies in the southern part of Bucyrus corporation. Mr. Myers received a General's commission in the Ohio Militia ; he has always taken an active part in public af- fairs, and held many positions of honor and trust during the past fifty years. The Shroll family were also very early settlers. In 1830, George Shroll owned 136 acres, upon a portion of which Oakland Cemetery was afterward laid out. John Shroll owned 140 acres just west of his brother's land. George was an Elder m the early Lutheran Church. About July 1, 1835, he had occasion to go to Sandusky City, at which place at that time cholera was raging. After finishing his business he returned home, and in a very short time was taken down with cholera and died ; his brother Daniel, a Deacon of the same congregation, having nursed him during his sickness, was shortly afterward prostrated by the same disease and died also.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

The Lutheran Church met on July 12, 1835. and, after showing due respect to their memory. elected successors to fill the vacaney caused by their sad death.

For many years after all the land had been entered in the vicinity of Bneyrus, the country south and west of town remained unsettled, and it was not until several years after 1830, that the greater portion of these farms were owned by actual residents of the township. Much of the lands on the plains were low and wet, and many citizens, in that early day, labored under the impression that, because timber was scarce in this section of the country, there would be great danger of freezing to death in the winter for want of fuel ; that is, if any one were fool- ish enough to settle on these timberless plains, which are, at the present time, considered among the finest agricultural lands in the State. It is reported, by many, that fifty years ago a con- siderable portion of these plains were swamp lands, and, in exploring this country on horse- back. settlers would be compelled to ride in mud and water which reached to the saddle-' girths. Some of the early purchasers of the lands in Southern Bucyrus Township, were speculators, who bought at $1.25 per acre and held on to the property until they secured a much higher price. Among these capitalists was a man by the name of Henry W. Delavan who was possibly the largest non-resident land-owner of Crawford County at an early day. Previous to 1825, he entered at the Government Office many valuable tracts of land lying in Crawford County. In 1830, he owned, in Bucyrus Township, all of Section 26 ; the east half of Section 35, and the west half, northeast quarter, and half of southeast fourth of Section 25 ; total 1,520 acres. He also owned 958 acres in Liberty Township.

Among the early residents of the country south of Bucyrus, were the Marquis family. William Vance Marquis was raised near Win- chester, Va., and removed to Washington County, Penn., where he married Miss Mary

Park, whose father was killed by the Indians. In 1801, he emigrated to Belmont County, Ohio, where he resided until 1829. Several years previous to this, he visited Crawford County and purchased several tracts of land, expecting to remove to this section of the State. The family reached Bucyrus November 12, 1829, and settled on the Plains three miles south of town, and at this time only two families lived between them and the village. John Marquis, son-in-law of William Vance Marquis, settled in Bucyrus Township, during the spring of 1828, on the farm near where David Marshal lives at the present time. Mr. William V. Mar- quis was an early member of the Presbyterian Church at Bucyrus, and an Elder for several years. He died in 1834, and Benjamin Beall's father bought the homestead from the Marquis heirs. Mr. and Mrs. Marquis were the parents of the following ten children, four boys and six girls: Ann, Margaret, Joseph, David, Mary, Susannah, Ruth, William Park, Cynthia and George. Joseph and David are now resi- dents of Logan County, William Park of Seneca County, and George of Florida. Ruth Mar- quis married James MeCracken, Esq., who was for nearly half a century one of the prominent citizens of Bucyrus Township.

Over fifty years ago, several members of the Monnett family purchased land in Bucyrus Township; previous to 1830. Isaac, William, Thomas and Osborne were residents. Isaac Monnett owned several farms on the Plains in 1830. Col. William Monnett is a resident of Bueyrus at the present time; the other three are all dead. Rev. Jeremiah Monnett removed to Crawford County in 1835, and purchased the land then occupied by John Barney, whose daughter married Dr. St. Clair. Mr. Barney's house occupied the site upon which Rev. Thomas Monnett's barn is now located. This hewn-log cabin was the home of Rev. Jeremiah Monnett's family until a more satisfactory resi- dence was erected east of the pike road.

Samuel Norton

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

Abraham Monnett, Esq., Rev. T. J. Monnett and Mrs. Mary Royce, residents of the town- ship at the present time, are children of Rev. Jeremiah Monnett. A man by the name of Dinwiddie settled on the farm some two miles south of Bucyrus, previous to 1830, and died a few years afterward. His only child married Lockwood Campbell and removed with her hus- band to Wood County. There were also sev- eral families of negroes settled on a section of land some two miles south of town, now known as the "Nigger Woods." They were formerly slaves and had been emancipated by their mas- ter, who resided in Virginia. It is reported by some that they formerly belonged to John Ran- dolph, who liberated and provided for all his slaves on his death-bed. However, as early as 1828, these negroes were sent to Crawford County, and given land to farm ; but, under the black laws of Ohio in force at that time, they were required by the Overseers of the poor to give bonds in the penal sum of $500 each for their good behavior, and that they would not become a township charge. Being unable to comply, a portion of them were placed in a cart and sent back to the Ohio River. Others left of their own accord, and but one family remained on the land. This was Old Solomon, who continued a resident of the township for some time; and, when the old fellow died, his widow got married again. Among those who paid tax in 1830, on real estate located in Bucy- rus Township, were the following persons : Thomas Adams, John Black, John Bowman, Isaac Fickle, Joshua Lewis, John Miller, Joseph S. Merris, Joseph Pearce, Jane Stephenson and Gottlieb John Schultz. These citizens were all residents of the township during 1830; the land they owned at that time, which had been purchased from the Government by early set- tlers previous to 1825, was located as follows ; Thomas Adams, forty-eight acres, three miles west of Bucyrus, now owned by C. Wiseman ; John Black, the eighty acres south of town,

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 50

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034