History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 79

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 79

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).

545

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

continued. Their copper still was bought at Sandusky City. A few descendants of the Parcher family are yet living in the county.

The Rowse family were among Whetstone's earliest and most intelligent citizens. Their family history accompanies this work .. It is more than possible that John Kent located in the township in 1819, as he had an acre or more cleared around his cabin in the summer of 1820. During that summer, and for a few subsequent years, Seth Holmes lived in a small log shanty in Kent's dooryard. He was an old bachelor, and had the care of an aged father and mother on his hands-a task he performed with filial love and devotion Eli and Philander Odell were among the earliest settlers. Eli was a cabinet-maker, and began manufacturing a lim- ited quantity of rough furniture as early as 1826. Between 1840 and 1850, he gained great notoriety as being prominently connected with a well-traveled underground railroad. He pub- licly avowed it to be the moral and social duty of every man to assist the runaway slaves in escaping to Canada, and to render obnoxious the law requiring a rendition of escaping slaves wherever found. He made no concealment of the fact that he fed and carried every runaway that came to his dwelling to the next point nearer the slave's earthly paradise-Canada. He was careful, however, not to be caught in his acts, and thus escaped the clutches of the law. The slaves were brought to him by Peter West, who lived near New Winchester, and who also openly avowed his belief in the sin of slavery, and his intention to thwart the laws he believed to be unjust and unholy. It is likely that these men assisted dozens of slaves in es- caping to Canada. Just where the slaves were conveyed from Odell's house is a mystery that has not yet been cleared up, but was probably to some citizen at or near Annapolis.

Settlers who located near the center of the township, were unusually careful to build their cabins near springs of good water. This was

an important item in early years, when pure water was a rarity, and when the surface of the country was covered with multitudes of marshes and swamps of stagnant water. Wells were dug with great difficulty, and, when ready for use, were largely filled with surface water, that could not be kept out. Some settlers pre- ferred to locate near promising villages, regard- less of water, trusting that time would furnish them with an abundant supply of the purest. Others chose their farms from the proximity of valuable springs, regardless of the remote- ness of their land from villages. They were not ignorant of the fact that their houses were in a country where ague and fevers were the certain result of the infectious climate ; and, with all the knowledge and skill at their command, they endeavored to guard against the distressing effects of malarial diseases. Doctors came to Bucyrus at an early day, and were the ones employed by the set- tlers of Whetstone. Calomel and quinine were dealt out in quantities that are incompatible with the medical logic of to-day, which requires that the desired results be attained by the use of the least possible quantity of medicine. These medicines were found abundantly in every cabin, and were universally regarded as an unfailing panacea for all the various types of disease. In early springtime, the cabin that did not contain a case or two of "shakes," be- came a conspicuous object. Pioneers with frail constitutions, who came West, hoping that "roughing it " would soon bring them the price- less boon of good health, found to their sorrow that sickness alone, repaid them for the trouble until death came to relieve them of cartlily tribulations. Often during the cold, dreary month of March, every member in large fami- lies was ailing ; and it was not uncommon to see whole families " shaking" at the same time as they bent over the roaring fire-place. This was true of all Ohio, which, at that time, was termed by the settlers the " shakers' paradise."

546

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

But, after many years, the forests were opened to the sunlight and heat, and the stagnant water was turned into the nearest streams. Ague and kindred afflictions largely disap- peared, and good health, with all its attendant blessings, prevailed.

John Campbell, Sr., located near the center of the township, on Section 28. George Hancock had squatted on the same farm the year before, and continued to remain there for several years after Campbell had purchased the land. At the end of the first year, Campbell had cleared eight acres, a portion of which was on the edge of the prairie, and required but little labor to prepare it for the plow. He planted a crop of corn and potatoes, and, in a few years, had saved money enough to purchase more land. He se- lected his land, and made preparations to start for Delaware to enter it. Jacob Bowers and Henry Lininger had their eyes on the same piece, and employed Henry Remson, an early school-teacher, to prepare the necessary papers, giving a description of the land. When they reached Delaware, they discovered that their documents did not accurately locate the land. They started back to correct the error ; but Campbell, in the meantime, had obtained the necessary papers, and had gone to Delaware, entering the land about the time the others reached home. When the latter learned what had transpired, they were greatly mortified. Quite an extensive settlement was formed near Mr. Campbell's cabin. Van Voorhis, Hamil- ton, King, Clinger, Poe, Clark, Jones and several others settled near the Olentangy, where ever- flowing springs furnished an unfailing supply of pure water. These settlers were mostly Scotch- Irish, from the Keystone State, and nearly all, when they came, drove in small herds of cattle, sheep or hogs.

Several manufacturing enterprises and trades arose in early years, to supply the settlers with much-needed articles used in farm and do- inestic economy. Barney and David Eberhardt

erected a frame saw-mill on the Olentangy. It ran from 1830 to 1844, changing owners sev- eral times, and was, perhaps, in early years, the best mill of its kind in the township. The dam was constructed of mud, brush, stones, logs and whatever offered sufficient resistance to the flow of the water. The capacity of the mill, though great at that day, cannot compare with the circular mills of the present. The mill had an up-and-down saw, and often ran so slowly that the owner ventured to tread for hours on the large overshot wheel that fur- nished the saw with motion. It did good work for many years, but finally fell into the hands of careless owners, who allowed the dam to break, which ended the career of the mill George Sweney was one of the owners, run- ning it successfully for five years. Paul Hed- dick also owned a saw-mill on the Olentangy, which was erected about the time the Eber- hardt mill was built. It ran for twenty-five years, and was well patronized. It was near the Eberhardt mill that a murder occurred soon after 1830. Two wealthy men of the East, named Hammer and Bender, had come out West as far as Mansfield, Ohio, looking for land. While they were stopping at the hotel in Mansfield, it became known that each had in his possession several hundred dollars in gold. After stopping for several days and making in- quiries about the land farther west, they jour- neyed on as far as Galion, and were accompa- panied by two strangers, who had joined them soon after leaving Mansfield, and who seemed quite social and friendly. The party, now in- creased to four, took dinner at Galion, and trav- eled on until they reached a lonely place on the Olentangy, near the Eberhardt mill, when one of the strangers suddenly drew a pistol from his pocket and shot Bender through the head, killing him instantly. At the same instant, the other stranger struck Hammer a terrible blow on the head with a heavy cane, stretching him senseless on the ground. The murderers im-

547

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

mediately left the scene of the tragedy without taking the gold of their victims, leaving the pistol and an overcoat on the ground. It is sup- posed that they became frightened by hearing the voices of the men at the mill, who were driving the oxen. The murderers escaped, and subsequently could not be traced. Bender was dead, but Hammer soon recovered con- sciousness and roused the men at the mill, who began scouting the woods after the murderers, but without avail. Hammer conveyed the body of his friend East, where it was buried.

Michael Nye owned a small horse-mill on his farm in 1838 or 1840. Abraham Holmes also owned one about the same time. These mills did not pretend to compete with the extensive flouring-mills on Sandusky River. Their as- pirations were modestly confined to the grind- ing of a coarse grade of corn-meal, and were run more as an act of accommodation than as a scheme to make money. They continued a few years and were then discontinued. In the year 1824, James Armstrong built the first cabin having a shingle roof. Where his shin- gles were obtained, like many other early events, will probably remain locked forever in the jew- eled casket of the muse of history. The chimney was not in keeping with the roof, as it was built of sticks laid cross-wise and mor- tared together with clay mud. The inference is that Mr. Armstrong soon saw the incongruity of the arrangement, as, in the spring of 1826, he burned a small kiln of brick and tore down the old chimney, substituting bricks in the place of the clay and sticks. Another in- ference is that he was a progressive man and a lover of neatness and order. His bricks were the first burned in the township. if not in the county, and his chimney was the first of its kind, and soon excited the envy of his neigh- bors, all of whom wanted brick chimneys after the fashion was fixed. The remainder of the bricks were sold to unknown neighbors for an unknown price. Mr. Armstrong did not con-

tinue the brick business. His neighbor, John Boyer, did, however, although he burned but two or three small kilns. It was about this time or soon afterward that a brick house was built, which is yet standing on the John Boyer farm. Phillip Clinger dug many of the early wells, and finally lost his life from injuries re- ceived by falling into one of them. John Boyer and William Fitzsimmons kept tavern in the township as early as 1830. Boyer was located on the Galion Road, and his tavern was known far and near as the " Blue Ball Tavern." On the top of a high post in front of the door was fastened a huge round ball which had been painted blue. This gave name and fame to the tavern, which had an extensive patronage, and was the source of a large income to the owner. It was located on the farm of John Holmes. Fitzsimmons' tavern received a fair patronage. It was located on the route lead- ing from Bucyrus to Delaware, which, in an early day, was well traveled by pioneers west- ward bound.

In November, 1840, the village of Olentangy was laid out. The projectors and proprietors were Paul J. Heddich, George Sweney and Wm. Snyder. Forty-seven lots were laid out on the northern half of Section 26, on the Galion Road, and the little town began to grow. A Mr. Shreck brought in a small, general assortment of goods, and was afterward succeeded by Mr. Codger and others. Sweney and Heddick opened a tavern ; and a blacksmith and carpen- ter established themselves in the village, which, at that late day, began making the effort of competition with the larger towns of the county. The town was soon destined to sink into hopeless obscurity. It was located mid- way between Galion and Bucyrus, each of which had a population of several thousand, and was growing rapidly. The Galion Road, that had been surveyed in 1822 or 1823, was a well-traveled thoroughfare, uniting the two cities like Siamese twins. The most that Olen-

548

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

tangy ever did was to accommodate the neigh- borhood and the traveling public. Business enterprises paid but little more than a living, and were soon transferred to localities more highly favored. Fifteen or twenty years ago. the lots were thrown into the adjoining farms, and but few are now occupied by lot- holders.

The southern half of Whetstone is almost like a separate township. Until 1845, the two lower tiers of Sections belonged to Marion County, and the interests of the citizens natur- ally eentered at Marion, the county seat. They usually went to market to Galion or Bucyrus, and, after their annexation to Crawford County, were better satisfied than when under the " fos- tering wing" of the older county of Marion. from the fact that they were nearer the county seat. It was not until about 1828 or 1830, that the settlers began to pour into what is now the southern half of Whetstone Township. As many as twenty-five or thirty families, mostly from the thrifty Keystone State, located within two miles of New Winchester, and began to clear up and improve the country. Between 1828 and 1836. the following men and their families appeared : Frederick Wise, Samuel Winter, William Stuck, Abraham Steen, John

Albright, Moses Dale, John Conn, Charles Gifford, Jehu Harlan, John and Peter Weidner, Jacob Keister, George Deibler, Nicholas Myers, Christian Null, Jacob Dupps, Samuel Crow, Jacob Hauck, John Roberts, John Kaun, Adam Bear and several others, whose names are not remembered. Very soon the land was all en- tered, and the little eabins, built of round and hewed logs. dotted the surface of the township with evidences of civilization. The first set- tlers were luckiest (in one respect), as they had choice of land and location. Land, covered with valuable forests of walnut and oak, from which flowed one or more springs of pure water, was most highly prized and was first selected. Subsequent settlers took what was

left, after entering land that lay concealed be- neath weeds and water.

After 1835, the village of New Winchester became the central point, around which the southern half of the township revolved. The reader will observe that a majority of the smaller towns in the county were laid out be- tween 1830 and 1836. A sort of an epidemic for town-making swept like a wave over the county between those dates ; but most of the villages were destined to remain small, or to sink into total obscurity and extinction. New Winchester was surveyed and laid out in 1835. The land from which it was originally laid out was owned by four men-Benjamin Fisher, Henry Wise, William Stuek and Samuel Lech- ner-whose farms lay at the intersection of two roads. The first eabin had been built by Will- iam Stuek, a few months before the village came into existence under its present name. Soon after the town was founded, Israel Wise built the second eabin, and Samuel Winter the third. All three were built of hewed logs, and were fully up to the standard of excellence es- tablished by custom in the township. It was not long before eight or ten of these rude structures were erected, and the villagers be- came clamorous for a store and post office. At last, Samuel Crow, yielding to entreaty, placed $500 worth of goods in a log storeroom erected for the purpose. Patronage was solicited and obtained from the surrounding neighborhood ; but it did not pay, and Crow suddenly retired from the business. He was urged to continue, but-

" Alas! in truth, the man had changed his mind ; Perhaps was sick, in love, or had not din'd."

It was well that he retired, as his capital was limited, and his knowledge of mercantile pur- suits insufficient. In 1838 or 1839, Judge Merriman, then in business at Bucyrus, estab- lished a branch store at Winchester. He began with $1,500 worth of goods, and continued a number of years, making money rapidly, and

ohm Campbell.

551

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

investing the surplus in outside speculations. He was succeeded by Henry Clark, who, with the exception of Merriman, had the largest and best stock of goods ever brought to the town. He made considerable money, but, at the end of six years, sold to Plodner & Timson, who, after running a few years, dissolved partner- ship, disposed of their stock, and engaged in other pursuits. George Cox opened a saloon a few years later, keeping also a small stock of groceries. He soon sold to Abe Conklin, who also sold, within five years, to Henry Rorick. Rorick sold to Charles Haughn, who, after a few years, left for more fruitful fields. The last two named kept groceries and dry goods. John Beard, Fred Wise and Henry Aiker sold liquor at different times. William Stuck was the first blacksmith. He was followed by John Rexroth and Henry Aiker. Samuel Winter, whose shop was erected in 1835, was the first carpenter. Jacob Cressinger followed the same calling. At the same time the village was laid out, John Kaun was operating a saw-mill about a mile west. Though it changed hands several times, and was altered and enlarged, the same mill is yet running, after the lapse of almost half a century. Formerly it was operated by horse-power, but at present by steam, and is owned by John Keeter. Abraham Steen oper- ated a saw-mill for twenty years, a few miles north of town, beginning about 1838. The village has been the home of numerous physi- cians, the more noted being Beard, Brougham, Black, Millison, Coover, Millard, Haughn and the present doctor, C. W. G. Ott, a graduate of the Columbus Medical College. Ague and ma- laria stood no chance before such an array of medical erudition. The post office was secured the next year after the village was laid out, through the influence of Frederick Wise, who became the first Postmaster. After it had been in operation nearly twenty-five years, it was removed, but, two years ago, was re-established through the influence of Josiah Keeter and

George Timson. The mail is now tri-weekly, and the postal route extends from Bucyrus through New Winchester and Latimberville, to Caledonia, in Marion County. Josiah Keeter is the present Postmaster.

At an early day, Adam Bear built a grist-mill on the Olentangy, about half a mile north of the village. Though located on the stream, it was at first operated by horse-power. It has continued running with but few short stoppages until the present day. Alterations and improve- ments have been made from time to time, steam taking the place of the old sweep, and different owners succeeding each other, among whom were Henry Wise and Peter Wert. One of the three sets of stones now used was purchased in Philadelphia over forty years ago, and is the best set now in the mill. E. A. Binfield is the present miller, and has the reputation of furnish- ing as good flour as that ground at Bucyrus. The mill, valued at $3,000, has an extensive patronage, and is owned by Roberts, Fink & Binfield. Peter Wert was the miller for many years, and, while in this connection, was also conductor on the underground railroad. He was a strong anti-slavery man, and always took the liberty of expressing his opinions, regard- less of the consequences. It is asserted that he was often seen to take little negro children up on the street, toss them in his arms, and kiss them. He never tired of talking of the sin of slavery and the great wrong done to the unfortunate black man. He was so intense in his convictions as to be fanatical. He made many enemies, but all belonged to the ranks of those who favored slavery, and were opposed to the enfranchisement of the negro. He was re- ligious, and was accustomed to introduce Scrip- tural evidence to prove the wrong of slavery.

In March, 1861, the village of North Robin- son was laid out by Horace Martin, the Craw- ford County Surveyor. The land was owned by J. B. Magers, and the lots were laid off from the southeastern part of the southern half of

552

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

fractional Section 12, Township 3, Range 17 east. As originally surveyed, the town con- sisted of seventeen lots, to which one or more additions have been made, until the village at present comprises about eighty lots of different sizes. The additions have been made by Ebert, Price and others. The village derives its title from a family, named Robinson, that came to the township in about 1831, the members becoming prominent and influential citizens in after years. Several descendants are yet living in the township and in other parts of the county. A number of dwellings had been built in the town before it was laid out, and, as soon as Mr. Magers offered the lots for sale, quite a number were taken by those desiring a residence or place of business in the village. After the sale of lots had become quite large, and dwellings and industrial buildings, of various kinds, had been erected, it became known that the land, from which the lots were laid off, was heavily covered with mortgages. This created a panic, and the lots were mostly vacated by those who were in doubt of having a legal title to their land. They moved across the line in Jefferson Township, and established themselves on land owned by J. P. Robinson, who made an addition of lots to the village, and had them properly recorded. After the title to the originally laid out lots became quieted, business men and property-holders, generally, returned to the original town, which began to grow quite rapidly. Frederick Newman, the first merchant in the town, began with a small general assortment of goods, which was slowly increased until the capital invested amounted to more than a $1,000. There are, in town at present, one general store, two drug stores and one provision store, and all are doing a fair business. Liquor has been sold in the village since its origin. There was no hotel until five years ago, when W. P. Deam, the present land- lord, erected suitable buildings and began enter- taining the public. He has the reputation of

keeping a first-class country hotel. John and William Burwell were the first resident black- smiths. A schoolhouse was built early in the history of the village, which, though small at first, has been enlarged since its erection, until it is now large, commodious and comfortable, and capable of accommodating an attendance of nearly one hundred busy children. The school is graded, H. H. Fate teaching the higher department, and Miss Ida Traul the lower. The building was erected in 1873 ; but, prior to this event, the children in the village were obliged to attend the neighboring schools in the country, much against the wishes of several citizens in the village, who became con- vinced that it was time to become independent of the country schools. The attendance has been large, and the school has been of vast benefit to the village. One of the best steam saw-mills in the county is located in town, and is owned and operated by Warden & Tracht. The mill has enormous capacity, and can turn out as excellent work as any of the county mills. Unlike some sawyers in the State, the operators have the reputation of being able to furnish more lumber from a given number of logs than any other mills in the county, except, perhaps, three or four. Their mill is circular. In April, 1880, Sickman, Fate & Co., of Crest- line, erected a steam tile-factory, which is oper- ated by the latest improved steam-driven machinery. They have several kilns, each having a capacity of 12,000 tiles of all sizes, from two to ten inches. Mr. Fate has charge of the factory, and finds ready sale for all the tile he can manufacture, which speaks well for the interest manifested by the farmers and other land-holders in draining the wet and marshy land in the neighborhood. The tiles are dried wholly by steam, and the process of drying is slow, to avoid the serious loss of allowing them to crack and break. Samuel Landes is oper- ating a cooper-shop in the village, and is doing good work. Ten years before the town was

553

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

laid out, J. B. Magers, William Brown and William McGee leased a small piece of land of Mr. Robinson, upon which they erected a steam saw-mill. Brown and McGee soon after- ward retired from the enterprise, but Magers continued, and placed in one apartment of the mill two sets of buhrs and other suitable ma- chinery for grinding grain. The mill did a good business, changing owners several times, and was finally burned to the ground. It was not afterward rebuilt, and, since the fire, North Robinson has been without a grist-mill. Soon after the establishment of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad in the county, J. P. Robinson secured the location of a post office on the site of what afterward became North Robinson. Mr. Magers was appointed Postmas- ter. The present post office official is George Railing. In 1873, Mr. Magers erected a three- storied frame elevator at a cost of about $3,000. After a year or two, Magers failed in business, and the elevator was sold at public auction to Porter & Robinson, who conducted the business successfully for a few years. The building is now owned by Russell, Dailey & Co., of Crest- line, a wealthy business partnership, which buys and ships quite a large quantity of grain. In 1862, John L. Caskey and Lewis Helcker erected suitable buildings and began the manu- facture of carriages. The business was con- tinued by the partnership until 1873, when Mr. Caskey obtained entire control, and has since owned and managed the manufactory, employ- ing steadily from six to ten employes, though his trade has been greatly injured by the large numbers of cheap Cincinnati carriages, sold throughout the county at a less price than lie can afford to sell. However, he is doing a fair business, which is on the increase. A large English Lutheran Church was built in the town about four years ago. It is a nice, tastefully arranged edifice, and is a credit to the Christian people of that denomination living in the town and neighborhood. The United Brethren, also,

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 79

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