History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 51

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 51

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

now owned by Henry Flock; John Bowman, eighty acres southwest of Bucyrus, now the property of William Magee; Isaac Fickle, one hundred and sixty acres one-fourth mile west of Bowman's, now owned by William Shroll ; Joshua Lewis, eighty acres south of Fickle's, now owned by G. Eckert; John Miller, eighty acres northwest of Bucyrus, now owned by F. R. Bittikoffer ; Joseph S. Merris, the eighty acres south of the present fair ground, now owned by C. Morfoot, and the heirs of Jacob Greenich ; Joseph Pearce, the eighty acres just west of John Miller's land; Gottleib John Schultz eighty acres just south of Miller's, now owned by A. Yost and others; Jane Stephen- son, one hundred and sixty acres two miles west of Bucyrus, now owned by Messrs. L. W. Buck and P. A. Beard, also the quarter-section now owned by William Caldwell. There were also, in 1830, some thirty other settlers, not previously mentioned, then living in Bucyrus Township, who paid tax on personal property ; many of these were also land-owners, but their real estate, if not in the village, was purchased from the Government after 1825. These early settlers were: John Bowman, Jr., John Bil- lups, Adam Bair, Thomas Bennett, Richard W. Cahill, J. Coulter, Isaac Ditty, D. and I. Din- widdie, Nicholas Failor, William and Joshua Foreacre, William Fraley, Jacob Forney, Jesse Goodell, Jonas Gilson, Peter Hesser, Sr., George Hesser, William Hughey, Sr., and son William, Lewis Heinlen, John Kent, Christopher Noacre, George Oumiller, George Sinn, Daniel Seal, David Tipton, George Welsh, Frederick Wis- man and others. For nearly twenty years after 1820, only two-thirds of the land in Bucy- rus Township had been offered for sale by the Government. The eastern boundary line of the Wyandot Indian reservation was within three miles of Bucyrus village, and, conse- quently, extended into the township over two miles on the western side. About 1836, how- ever, the Indians sold to the Government a

336

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

strip seven miles wide from the east end of their reserve. The land in this strip was sold by the Government at public sale in Marion. This tract included the land about the present town of Osceola ; a considerable portion of this was purchased by a company, and Osceola laid out. An attempt was made by this com- pany to have the county seat removed from Bucyrus to Osceola. and lots were sold in the little village with the expectation that it would soon be a larger town than Bucyrus; this speculation, however, was spoiled by the crea- tion of Wyandot County, with the county seat at Upper Sandusky. In 1830, eighty-two per- sons paid tax on personal property in Bucyrus Township, and the population of this division was about seven hundred. By the U. S. Cen- sus taken, each decade since then, the popula- tion of the township, including Bucyrus cor- poration, was as follows: 1840, 1,654; 1850, 2,315 ; 1860, 3.543; 1870, 4,184 ; 1880, 5,086. The number of inhabitants in the township outside the village, was as follows: 1830 about 200; 1840, 950; 1850, about 1,200; 1860, 1,336 ; 1870, 1,118 ; 1880, 1,238.

The citizens of Bucyrus Township were or- ganized with a special civil government at an early date. Zalmon Rowse was the first Jus- tice of the Peace, and he undoubtedly received his first commission during the spring of 1823, as his second one was dated April 15, 1826, and at that time he had already been serving as Justice for two years. The jurisdiction of Col. Rowse extended over both Whetstone and Liberty Townships ; and it is doubtful if two Justices were elected for this territory until Enoch B. Merriman was chosen, in April, 1824. Merriman soon resigned the office, and his suc- cessor was elected October 12, 1824. The first strife for office that occurred in the township, of which we have any positive proof, took place at this election. The result was as follows : To- tal number of votes cast, 49 ; of these, Conrad Roth had 26, Michael Beedle, 22, and Con-

rad Roades, 1. Calculating five citizens to each voter, the population at that time was about 250. Zalmon Rowse, the first Justice, served nearly twenty years. Roth served three years, and was succeeded, in September, 1827, by Ed- ward Billups, and in April, 1828, by James McCracken, who served for six years. Mc- Cracken was also elected to the same position in 1836, and again in April, 1845. Since 1834, the following additional persons have been commissioned for this office in Bucyrus Town- ship : From 1834 to 1840-William Earley, Peter Worst, James C. Steen ; from 1840 to 1850-Steen (for second term), David Holm, S. S. Caldwell, Jacob Howenstein, Jonas Stough, James Marshall; 1850 to 1860-Howenstein (for second and third terms), Stough (for second and third terms), John Byers, John Smith, Christopher Elliot ; 1860 to 1870-Elliot (for second term), C. D. Ward, William M. Seroggs, Wilson Stewart, George Donnenwirth, Samuel S. Caldwell ; 1870 to 1880-James M. Van Voorhis, Caldwell (for second term), Jolm C. Jackson, Chapman D. Ward and Allen Camp- bell. Messrs. Ward and Campbell are the pres- ent incumbents ; Campbell's first term will ex- pire in April, 1881, and Ward's second term in October, 1881. Impartial justice has generally been dispensed to those who, during the past fifty years, have brought cases before these township courts. Many amusing cases have been tried, and strange verdicts have some- times been rendered ; but these Justices were all fallible and may have made mistakes. Their motives were, it is to be hoped, pure, and if any unjust rulings were made by them, these were undoubtedly errors of the head and not of the heart. Albijence Bucklin and Elisha Kent were, in an early day, disputants before Squire Rowse. The verdict was in Kent's favor, and of course Bucklin was dissatisfied and very angry. The defeated contestant then poured out upon his opponent the vial of wrath he had treasured up, and scolded, abused and cursed

337

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

him in a shameful manner. Having exhausted upon Kent all the words found in the latest vo- cabulary of profanity and vulgarity, Bucklin appeared satisfied with the result, and calmed his excited feelings. Squire Peter Worst, one of the early Justices, was a tailor by trade, and generally heard the cases while sitting cross- legged on his office bench, seldom pausing in the work upon which he was occupied. It is reported that one day a case was brought be- fore him, and he continued sewing while the plaintiff's side was being argued, after which he quit work for a moment, grabbed his docket, made several entries upon it, and continued his task. The counsel for the defendant was anx- ious to make a plea, and, growing impatient. asked, " Doesn't the Court wish to hear any ev- idence on the other side ?" "Oh, yes," replied the Squire, "you can talk just as long as you please, but I have decided the case in favor of the plaintiff." It is unnecessary to write of the details in this case, but the remark was charac- teristic of Mr. Worst, who was one of the early settlers of Bucyrus Township. He was born in Cumberland County, Penn., November 6. 1802, and died at his residence, on the lot now ocenpied by W. P. Rowland's new home, May 20, 1873. Worst was early apprenticed to learn tailoring, and, May 29, 1828, married Miss Han- nah M. Ely. They were the parents of six chil- dren ; three sons and one daughter are still liv- ing. Shortly after marriage, the young couple started West, and reached Bucyrus several months afterward, having walked all the way from Harrisburg, Penn. During the journey, they stopped in several towns, in which, for a few days, Worst worked at his trade. Mr. Worst was a resident of the county for nearly forty-five years, and held various township and corporation offices during this period. He was a citizen of strongly marked character, peculiar and quaint, fond of harmless fun. and ever ready with an original remark or an innocent jest, but never with any unkindness or sting in

his cheerful mirth. In such high estimation was his character held that he was the standing administrator appointed to settle estates, and recognized by all as the best person for impor- tant trusts of this kind. There have been few persons in Crawford who have settled so many estates as " Old Peter Worst." It is reported that Judge Lawrence Hall, during his life, ex- claimed, " When I die, I want Peter Worst to settle my estate ! " rounding the remark off with a characteristic oath to give it emphasis. When the gifted Judge died, several years after. his wishes were regarded. In his seventeenth year, Mr. Worst experienced religion and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He led an ex- emplary life and, it is said, occasionally asserted that he had never attended a theater, circus, or any immoral entertainment, had never played cards or witnessed persons dancing. Ile deemed such amusements frivolous and sinful. The next morning after President Lincoln was as- sassinated. Mr. Worst was hastening to town with his head thrust downward. While near Main street bridge, he met a friend. who told him the sad news. He stopped, asked some questions in regard to the tragedy, and. when he was told the murder was committed in Ford's Theater, exclaimed, " He had no business to be there-had no business to be there ! " and con- tinned his quick walk in the same peculiar man- ner. Although a strong Republican and an ar- dent admirer of President Lincoln, Mr. Worst would not, with his religious ideas, excuse the President for being in what he considered an improper and sinful place.

Bucyrus Township was not regularly organ- ized with the various township officers until about two years after the first Justice of the Peace was elected. The proceedings of the Commissioners of Marion County for Decem- ber 7, 1824. contain the following entry : " On application of citizens of surveyed fractional Township 3, of Range 16, an order was issued to organize the original fractional Township 3.

338

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

of Range 16." It is not known who the first township officers were ; if any records were kept previous to the year 1833, they have all been destroyed. Col. Zalmon Rowse was pos- sibly the first Clerk, for, in those days of limited school privileges, few men could write a good hand, and the Colonel, being one of the few, was frequently chosen to occupy positions in which his fine penmanship was called into service. When Judge Scott settled in Bucyrus, the citizens then secured another excellent pen- man upon whom they could depend, and he was elected Township Clerk in 1832. He started a new record book, and the township is indebted to him for a model record, which has been a guide for his successors. The business trans- acted by the Trustees in those days was not ex- tensive, and the following detail of the proceed- ing at the first annual meeting on record is given, in order to show the character of the early public business : " March 4, 1833-The Annual Meeting of the Trustees was, this day, held at the court house in Bucyrus. Present, a full board. Settled with Samuel Myers, Super- visor of Road District No. 1, and find fourteen days and a half of road labor unperformed within his district. Settled with William Ear- ley, Supervisor of the Third District, and find the labor charged to his district to be per- formed. Settled with James Coulter and John Marquis, Supervisors District No. 4, and find the labor charged to their districts to be per- formed, and issued an order in favor of James Coulter for 75 cents, and also one in favor of John Marquis, for $1, for their services as Su- pervisors of said district. Settled with George Hesser, Supervisor of the Fifth Road District, and find the labor charged to his district all performed. Also settled with Abraham Hahn, Treasurer of Bucyrus Township, and find in the treasury one note of hand against John Staley and Jacob Staley for $14.56, payable March 12, 1833 ; one note against James Coul- ter and Henry St. John, for 75 cents, and one

note against Joseph S. Merris and Z. Rowse for $5.31, due June 1, 1833 ; and $3.15 cash-mak- ing a total of $23.77. Issued an order in favor of said Hahn for $1.48, for the percentage on moneys by him collected during the year 1832. Issued an order in favor of William Earley for 75 cents, for services as Supervisor during the last year. Also one in favor of James McLean, for advertising the township election in the spring of 1831, and notifying the officers of their election, for $1.55. Also issued one in favor of John S. George for $3, for services as Trustee. One in favor of Henry Minich for $1.50 for similar services. One in favor of Nicholas Failor for $1.50, for services as Trustee. One in favor of Josiah Scott for $2.25, for services as Clerk of the township, and one in favor of R. W. Musgrave and Com- pany for 75 cents, for a blank book for the use of the township, and thereupon adjourned. Attest : J. Scott, Township Clerk." These proceed- ings prove that fifty years ago the township officers must have served for the good of the public. They could hardly be accused of " stealing " by rival candidates (if any) when the treasury contained only $23.77, and of that amount all but $3.15 consisted of notes. Con- sidering the Treasurer received only $1.48 for his trouble, it is not strange that at the next election no person was chosen to this lucrative (?) office. The first election for township of- ficers of which any record has been preserved, was held April 1, 1833, at the court house. The following persons were chosen : Trustees- Nicholas Failor, John Magers and John Mc- Cullough ; Clerk-Josiah Scott; Constable-Ja- cob Hinnen ; Overseers of the Poor-John Nin- mon and Enoch B. Merriman ; Fence Viewers -George Shaffer, John Cronebaugh and Lewis Cary ; Road Supervisors-First District, Sam- uel Myers ; Second District, John Barney ; Third District, Emanuel Deardorff; Fourth District, George Welsh ; Fifth District, George Hesser. No Treasurer was elected, and only one Con-

Mary Norton

339

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

stable was chosen; the Trustees appointed Abraham Hahn for the former position, and also James McLean as an additional Consta- ble. In those. early days, township offices were generally chosen regardless of the views held by them on national and State politics, and men of both political parties were elected. The political character of the township dur- ing the past thirty-two years can be deter- mined by the votes cast for the different Presi- dential candidates during that period, and the result of each national political contest was as follows : 1848-Cass, Democrat, 207 ; Tay- lor, Whig, 214 ; Van Buren, Free-Soil, 14. 1852 -Pierce, Democrat, 282; Scott, Whig, 212; Hale, Free-Soil, 7. 1856-Majority for Fre- mont, Republican, 95. 1860-Douglas, Demo- crat, 320 ; Lincoln, Republican, 419 ; Brecken- ridge, Democrat, 46 ; Bell, Unionist, 5. 1864 -Majority for McClellan, 93. 1868-Seymour, Democrat, 535 ; Grant, Republican, 361. 1872 -Greeley, Liberal, Republican and Democrat, 572 ; Grant, Republican, 394. 1876-Tilden, Democrat, 683 ; Hayes, Republican, 375 ; Green Clay Smith, Prohibition, 8. 1880-Winfield Scott Hancock, Democrat, 728 ; James A. Gar- field, Republican, 476 ; Neil Dow, Prohibition, 11.

The first settlers of Bucyrus Township, and this section of Crawford County generally, reached their new homes by following the route of the old army road which entered the Township just north of the point where the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad crosses the line between Bucyrus and Whet- stone Townships. It is said that this rough military road was made by Gen. Crooks, who marched through this section, with his army, in 1813, en route for Fort Meigs. This "old army road" could be clearly distinguished for many years after Crawford County was first settled. In the year 1822, a county road was established "from the southeast corner of Sec- tion 13, now a part of Sandusky Township. to ;

Bucyrus ; total length nine miles and two hun- dred and seventy-six rods. John Marshall was the Surveyor, and Marshal Beadle, Joseph Young and David Palmer were Viewers." This is the road in Southern Liberty Township, south of the Sandusky River, and is, possibly, the first surveyed and located from the eastern part of Crawford County to Bucyrus Township ; for several years, however, this highway was in an unfinished condition. In the same year, 1822, a State road was located from Norton, in Dela- ware County, to Sandusky City, in Huron County ; this extended through Bucyrus Township, along what was afterward known as the Columbus and Sandusky pike, but the first road was never finished. James Kilbourne was the Surveyor, and Solomon Smith and Luther Coe were the Commissioners. June 8, 1824. the Commissioners of Marion County established another road, " beginning at the east end of Crawford County, at the crossing of the road leading from Wooster to Upper San- dusky, on the line of said county, thence on the nearest and best ground to Bucyrus, making Daniel McMichael's mill a point. Joseph Young and Abel Cary were Viewers." This road was north of the Sandusky River. in Lib- erty Township, and much of the route has since been abandoned. The same day this road was located. the Commissioners authorized an- other "from a point on the Marion and Upper Sandusky road, near David Tipton's, thence on the nearest and best route to Bucyrus, making Benjamin Salmon's peach orchard, Benjamin Fickle's farm and David Bryant's, points on said road. Lewis Cary, Daniel Fickle and Samuel Norton were Viewers." This extended through Bucyrus Township, from southwest to northeast. and was near the present location of the Little Sandusky road. During the year 1824, what is now known as the Bucyrus and Mansfield road was located ; Amos Earl, Amos Utley and James Perfect were Viewers, and John Cassaday was the Surveyor. The next

340

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

year, 1825, the road from Marysville to Marion and Bueyrus, was laid out and, shortly after- ward, cut through the country. The most important road, located through the Township at an early day, was the Columbus & San- dusky Turnpike. In 1826, an act was passed by the Legislature, incorporating seven gentle- men. of Franklin County, Judge E. B. Merriman and Col. Zalmnon Rowse. of Bucyrus Town- ship, and seventeen others, named in the act and residing along the proposed line of the road, and their associates, by the name of the Columbus & Sandusky Turnpike Company. The capital stock was $100,000, and divided into shares of $100 each. The Com- pany was governed by nine Directors. The Charter, granted by the Legislature, was ac- cepted by the company, and in 1827 Congress granted 32,000 acres of land to the State of Ohio, in trust for the use of said company, to aid in constructing this important highway. Shortly afterward, the incorporators met in the brick schoolhouse at Bucyrus, and completed the organization of the company. Col. Kil- bourne was appointed Surveyor, and Orange Johnson was one of the Locating Commis- sioners and the principal agent while the road was under the control of the company. Some seven years were required to complete this turnpike ; it was finished in 1834, and was 106 miles in length from Columbus to Sandus- ky City. The average cost was a little more than $700 per mile. It was a splendid road when dry, but, being only a clay or mud pike, in the spring or wet season of theyear, it was, in some places, almost impassable, and at times citizens were very indignant when toll was demanded by the gate-keeper. Some rough travelers, occasionally, threw down the toll-gates and drove through without paying. It is reported that one rough customer became so enraged because toll was demanded, that he hitched the gate behind his wagon and dragged it several miles. The funds derived by toll

were only sufficient to pay the gate-keepers, and the dividends to stockholders were few and far between. The road was permitted to run down, and, finally, in 1843, the Legislature repealed the act incorporating the company ; the corporation was not satisfied, and a case was brought before the General Assembly at each successive session, until 1856, when the Senate passed a bill authorizing the company to bring suit against the State; but this act was lost in the House, and the matter was dropped. An act incorporating the road from Bucyrus to Upper Sandusky was passed March 3, 1834. and the road from Bucyrus to Galion was laid out July 18, 1834.

Most of those citizens who have died in Bucyrus Township during the past sixty years were buried in the graveyards now within the limits of Bucyrus corporation ; however, several cemeteries have been established in the country during this period. The Shroll burying ground, located about one mile southwest of Oakland Cemetery was started about 1830. Several years afterward a man by the name of Hesser, who resided in the southern part of the town- ship, was buried on his farm, which he purchased from the Government. No stone was placed over the grave to mark the spot, and the site has since been plowed over ; the land is now owned by Jonathan Carmean. Some forty years ago, Wooster Racy, a former proprietor of the farm now owned by G. H. Stewart, buried his wife and child on this land. The largest cemetery in Bucyrus Township, outside the city limits, is at Monnett Chapel. This bury- ing-ground was established at the same time the church was erected. The first interment was Margaret Slagle, wife of Michael Slagle, who died August 22, 1841, aged twenty-five years. The next was Simeon, son of Samuel Slagle, who died July 19, 1844. The graveyard at Mount Zion Church was started about the year 1868, a short time after the old Wilson School- house had been purchased for church purposes.

341

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

The children of many early settlers of Bucyrus Township had very little school instruction ; especially was this the case of those whose parents occupied land outside the village of Bucyrus. When the Marquis family settled on their farm three miles south of the town, in November, 1829, there were no schoolhouses in the southern portion of Bucyrus Township. Thomas Shawke asserts that when he moved to Bucyrus, in 1832, none had been erected be- tween Bucyrus and the Marion County line. This dearth of school buildings for the farmers' children continued for several years after 1830, but in a few neighborhoods small private schools were occasionally held. The first build- ing devoted to educational purposes which was put up outside the village was located very near it, at the western end of Warren street. It was built of logs about the year 1833, and is now used as a woodshed on the same lot. Pre- vious to 1834, there were but four school dis- tricts in the township ; March 12, of that year, the Trustees formed District 5, from Sections 25, 26, 35 and 36 (this is the same territory now embraced in the Wright District). Three years later, on June 5, 1838, it was re-divided and eight districts were formed ; four occupied the territory now embraced by Bucyrus Special District, the boundary lines being Sandusky avenue and Mansfield street ; these four were Districts 1, 6, 7 and 8. District 2 was imme- diately south of these four, and two miles square ; District 5 was the same as in March, 1834; District 3, comprised all of the town- ship south of the river, west of 2 and 5, and east of the Indian reservation ; this district was over four miles long, and nearly two miles wide. District 4 was north of the river. In Octo- ber, 1838, an enumeration of the school chil- dren in these districts was taken, with the fol- lowing result : First, 82; Second, 70; Third, 72 ; Fourth, 31 ; Fifth, 41 ; Sixth, 51 ; Seventh, 107; Eighth, 75; total, 529. The officers of the township during 1838, appointed three di-

rectors for each district, but many of these men refused to be qualified, and the attempt to perfect the educational organization for the township was ineffectual. The next years the districts were changed, and many who were ap- pointed as directors consented to serve. At an election held April 6, 1835, sixty-two votes were cast in favor of selling Section 16 land, and only one vote in opposition. The total amount of school funds for the different dis- tricts in 1840 was $1,419.63. In most of these districts the first schools were held in vacant log cabins which were pressed into the service for educational purposes. In what is now the Wright District, a special building was not erected until after 1840, but for several years previous to that schools were conducted. Misses Susan Bovee and Harriet Huntley taught in this district in a vacant log cabin which stood south of the present residence of Bruce Monnett, as early as the year 1836; Eliza Chapman, and Mr. Canaf, who had only one leg, taught pre- vious to 1840, in the old log church, which oc- cupied the present site of Rev. T. J. Monnett's barn ; at this time there were, possibly, more children in the district than at the present day.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 51

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