History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 84

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 84

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soil has a large proportion of clay, especially along the banks of Broken Sword Creek, though farther away from the stream ; on the flat land in the southeastern part, it contains much de- caying vegetable matter, underneath which is found a black alluvial earth, very productive when properly drained. In the western part is an area of about fifty acres, known, since the earliest times, as the "Burnt Swamp," from the circumstance that, when the first settlers came in, the swamp was thickly covered with willows and tall weeds, growing from a bed of vegeta- tion of about a foot in thickness, and a fire, having been lighted by the Indians or settlers to dislodge game, swept over the swamp, con- tinuing to burn for about a week before the de- caying vegetation was consumed. This cir- cumstance gave rise to the name by which the swamp has since been known.

Tradition says that a man named Heaman was the first settler in the township, having located about two miles and a half from the southern boundary on what afterward became known as the Columbus and Sandusky Pike. Quite an extensive settlement had been formed in the eastern part of Liberty Township sev- eral years before Heaman located in Holmes, and it is probable that this man came originally to either that village or to Bucyrus. The boundaries of settlements were gradually in- creased, as settlers came in, who purchased land on the outskirts, as by thus doing they could have a choice of farms. It is more than likely that Heaman pushed westward from An- napolis, and selected his farm. When he came in, how long he remained and what finally be- came of him are unrecorded and unknown items. Soon after he appeared, William Flake built a log cabin on the old Quaintance farm, and began clearing his land, preparatory to farming. This man was well known and be- came quite prominent in early years. He was kind-hearted and charitable to a fault, as nat- ural inclination of his heart led him into the

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

Y communistic plan of bestowing his property upon others, without expecting or desiring any- thing in return. This peculiar characteristic caused him to be as free with property not his own, which procedure finally led him to break open a store in Bucyrus, for which he was ar- rested, tried, convicted and sentenced to serve a number of years in the penitentiary. He died soon after his release, and it has been many years since any of his descendants lived in the county. It was as late as 1823 before any set- tler located in Holmes Township. That por- tion of the township nearest Bucyrus was flat and covered with water, and was not the land selected by the first settlers. The western and northern parts were rolling, but were not se- lected because they were too remote from the " base of supplies"-in other words, the villages; and, besides, a portion of the land belonged to the Wyandot Reservation. Notwithstanding the remoteness of his land from towns, Daniel Snyder, or " Indian " Snyder, as he was popu- larly known, built a small round-log cabin in the northeastern part of the township in about 1825, into which he moved his family, consist- ing of a wife and half a dozen children, appar- ently of about the same size. He was called "Indian " Snyder from the fact that almost his whole time was spent in traversing the woods in pursuit of deer and other varieties of game. He was very skillful and successful in his hunt- ing excursions, and was often employed by his less expert neighbors to furnish them with ven- ison, for which services he was paid $1 per day, whether he succeeded in getting anything or not. He was gone from home for days together, leaving his wife and family to bear the burden of loneliness as best they might. He was the most expert hunter in the township in early years, and his services led him to hunt over large tracts of land. He had no regard for the Indian's reserved rights, and invaded their land without any conscientious scruples, or without any apparent fear of danger to himself

for so doing. He understood the language of the Indians quite well, and could converse with them. Often when disputes arose between the Indians and settlers, Snyder was called upon to act as interpreter. Joseph Lones had four pigs, which were turned into the woods in the spring of 1829, after having been carefully marked. They continued to run at large all summer, and when fall came, the owner began to inquire as to their whereabouts. Daniel Snyder reported that he had seen them near the " Burnt Swamp," where Mr. Lones went in search of them. Three were there, but the fourth could not be found, and the owner began to mistrust that it had been boiled in an Indian stew-kettle. He sent Snyder as a spy into the Indian camp on their reservation to discover, if possible, what had become of his lost sus scrofa. Nothing at the time was found, but a few years afterward one of the Indians con- fessed of having shot the pig in the woods, and of having taken it to "Indian Town," where it was devoured. Many swine of the settlers were shot and eaten by the Indians ; but the red men were not the only ones who violated the commandment which says, "Thou shalt not steal." Swine that had no ear-mark and that could not be identified were considered public property, and became the property of the pos- sessor ; but, usually they were marked when turned into the woods, and yet, notwithstand- ing this precaution, large numbers were driven off and sold to buyers, who " shipped " them to Sandusky City. Mr. Lones' three pigs, men- tioned above, were shot as soon as found, and were conveyed on sleds to the cabin, where they were dressed, eut up and salted down for winter use. The pigs were a gift to Lones from Flake. The latter told the former to come over and re- ceive a present in a sack. The present proved to be the pigs, which were then about three weeks old, and which were carried home in a sack by Lones. This is an instance of the charitable acts of Flake, for, though to-day

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

Lones is surrounded with the comforts of wealth, he came to the township in 1828 with scarcely a dollar's worth of property of his own. He came from Columbiana County, Ohio, with his father-in-law, John Boeman, and was over eleven days on the route between New Lisbon, Ohio, and Crawford County. Mr. Boeman came with his family in a wagon drawn by five horses, while Lones drove the sixth horse to a small empty Dearborn wagon. It was in March, 1828, and the route lay through a wild country that was almost impassable from the fallen timber that lay scattered upon it, and from the muddy condition of the entire route. They traveled at the rate of about ten miles per day, surmounting almost incredible obstacles in the shape of mud and fallen timber, cutting their way through the deep woods. They were unable to follow the comparatively good roads which led to the west farther south, and the men were obliged to walk almost the entire distance leading the way with axes on their shoulders, ready to cut away any obstruction that could be removed with the ax. Finally, after a tedious journey, and the usual number of acci- dents to men, beasts and wagons, they arrived safe at their destination. Lones built his cabin on land adjoining the Quaintance farm, and be- gan work on the Columbus and Sandusky Pike, in process of construction at the time. He re- ceived $10 per month for his services, and con- tinued laboring on the road for about two years, paying for the bulk of his land from the wages thus received. Not one cent was spent foolishly during the whole time, but all were carefully hoarded to be used in paying for the land, and the members of the family were re- quired to forego many of the necessities of life, having in view the ownership of a home. Mr. Lones is yet living in the township, and is one of the few old settlers left to tell the tale of hardships and privations endured by the pio- neers.

So far as can be learned, the following men

were in the township in the year 1828 : Will- iam Flake, Fisher Quaintance, Isaac Williams, William Spitzer, Samuel Miller, David Brown, Jonas Martin, Jacob Andrews, Joel Glover, Jacob King, Eli Quaintance, Joseph Newell and Timothy Kirk. Mr. Flake had cleared, by 1828, about ten acres, and lived in a round-log cabin on the farm now owned by the descend- ants of Eli Quaintance. Mr. Black now owns the farm where Timothy Kirk located. Kirk died at an early day, about 1828, and his death was probably the first in the township. Joseph Newell, who arrived in about 1826, purchased a fine rolling farm on Broken Sword Creek, his land then joining the Wyandot Reservation. He was an intelligent man, and saw, from the rapid settlement of the country, that numerous villages were destined to spring up, and that county-seats were soon to be established in the newly laid laid-out counties of the New Pur- chase. A portion of his farm was laid out into a town, which Mr. Newell designed would some day become the county seat of Crawford County. The lots were offered for sale ; but, so far as known, none were sold, and Mr. Newell soon saw that he had made a mistake and that Bucyrus was the town to be honored. He also laid off half an acre of land, fenced it with rails, designing it for a cemetery. It may be stated that his cemetery was a success, if his county seat was not. About the time Newell appeared, a Mr. Spitzer settled on the farm now owned by Charles Laman. Jacob King was, in a few years later, living in a little log cabin on Broken Sword Creek. on the farm owned at present by Samuel Slapp. James Martin was in at an early day. He was a sort of a local minister, and preached in the cabins of the set- tlers, and was probably the first one to preach the word of God in the township. There came with him from England a young man, named Thomas Alsoph, whose father was one of the English nobility. The son's mental horizon was somewhat clouded, or, in other words, he

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

was non compos mentis. Just why he was sent from England and plenty to the backwoods of Ohio and privation, is an unsolved mystery. Some thought he was a monomaniac, because of his being perfectly rational and sensible on all ordinary subjects. This is probably the correct view. His manners were refined, and, in all his intercourse with the settlers, he was as genteel and polished as was customary in the polite society of European aristocracy. He soon became a favorite with every one. The first Sunday schools in the township were or- ganized by him, and it was perhaps for the best that he became a backwoodsman, thou- sands of miles from home and friends. It became current, and was believed by many, that he became mad by brooding over disap- pointments in love. If this be not true, it proves that the reporters, Adam-like, were in- clined to lay the sin of wrecking the young man's life to woman. He taught many of the early schools, and, after living in the township quite a number of years, returned to England.

Prior to 1836, the township of Holmes was fractional, but, at that date, a portion of the land belonging to the Wyandot Reservation was annexed to the western side, giving the township its present size and shape. The fol- lowing, from the records of the County Com- missioners, shows the change that was made :

Resolved, by the Commissioners, that they pro- ceed to attach the Wyandot Reservation to the different townships adjoining said Reservation, agreeably to the provisions of an act of the Ohio Legislature, made for that purpose, and said territory shall be attached as follows: * * * * * * *

All that part of Township 2, Range 16, as lies within said Reservation, shall be attached to Holmes, and shall constitute a part of said township.

This gave to the township thirty-six square miles of territory. The names of a few of the first officers are remembered, and were as follows : Jacob Andrews was the first Justice of the Peace, and Joseph Newell was elected

Clerk. The spring after the township was organized and named, at an election held in the cabin of John Hussey, an early settler, a total of nine votes was polled. At the second township election, Joseph Lones was elected Constable-lo ! without a dissenting voice. Soon after his term of office began, an execu- tion was placed in his hands, to be levied upon the personal property of Thomas Williams. The execution was duly issued by "Squire" Andrews, and, when Lones presented himself in the presence of Williams, announcing that he had come to serve an execution, Williams asked to have it read, which was accordingly done. During the reading, Williams ap- proached and looked over the shoulder of the Constable, and, with a sudden movement, snatched the legal document and put it in his pocket. Lones stormed and threatened, but, finding that Williams could not be scared by threats of lawful punishment, went for advice to the "Squire," who issued another execution, and, also, a warrant for the arrest of the rebel- lious Williams. It was winter, snow being upon the ground, and Lones again went to the cabin of Williams with the warrant and execu- tion, accompanied by a Mr. McMichael, who drove an ox team hitched to a sled. Williams was away from home, and without any ceremo- ny, Lones and his deputy took a sled-load of personal property from the cabin, against the violent protests of Mrs. Williams, and conveyed them to the cabin of Andrews, who announced that they should be sold after a certain date, unless Williams paid the execution and costs. Williams appeared the next day, paid all the charges, which amounted to about $15, and was then permitted to take his property home. This was the only official business required of Lones during his term of office.

The southern half of the township, in early years, was noted from the circumstance that no liquor was used at the house-raisings or log-rollings. All parties, with few exceptions,

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

abstained from all drinks, except strong coffee. This was a very desirable state of things, and was greatly appreciated by lovers of temper- ance ; but, after a number of years, when many settlers had appeared, the neighborhood fell from grace, and whisky was used at the roll- ings, as in other localities.

In about the year 1830, Moses Spahr, John Lichtenwalter, Thomas Minich, Jacob Mollen- kopf, Samuel Shaffner, John McCulloch, Wil- liam Roberts, Thomas Williams, John Hus- sey, Abraham Cary and several others, settled in the southern part of the township. The early population was about half German and half English ; but, in 1828, when the settle- ment of the township became quite rapid, the German element prevailed. Two distinct set- tlements were formed, one in the southeastern corner, and the other near the present site of Portersville, and the two were made about six years apart. The one formed in the northern part was almost wholly German, eight or ten families coming together from Dauphin Coun- ty, Penn., in wagons drawn by horses, in the year 1828. Among those that settled in the northern part were the families of Michael Shupp, Isaac and Abraham Ditty, Henry Fra- lick, Jacob Lintner, Jacob Moore, Daniel Por- ter, Daniel Fralick and three or four others. These families settled near each other in the northern part, on or near Broken Sword Creek, built their little log cabins, some of which are yet standing, and began to clear up and im- prove the country. Various industries began to spring up to furnish articles only obtained by long and toilsome journeys through almost bottomless roads to some of the neighboring villages. It is hard to believe some of the "mud and water " stories told by the early set- tlers relative to the condition of pioneer roads. Who would imagine to-day, in traveling over the Bucyrus & Tiffin road, which is almost as hard as pavement, that it formerly took a harassing journey of two days to go by wag-

on from the northern part of the township to Bucyrus and back ? And yet the story bears all the evidences of truth. A journey of ten miles through the swamps and marshes and fallen timber was a day's work for man and beasts. Land which is now cultivated year after year without the least difficulty from dampness, was slush in early times, and wag- ons sank into it from six inches to the hub, and were only pried out after half an hour of hard and disagreeable work. And then the long journeys to some distant mill, often con- suming a week, were multiplied journeys to Bucyrus.

The early settlers in the northern part, as a whole, were not willing to relinquish liquor drinking, and often went to Bucyrus for sup- plies of whisky. If they remained in the vil- lage all night, their evenings were spent reveling in bacchanalian enjoyments, drinking and toasting each other's health, and singing

"Oh ! landlord, fill the flowing bowl Until it has run over. Oh! landlord fill the flowing bowl Until it has run over.

For to-night we'll merry be, For to-night we'll merry be, For to-night we'll merry be, And to-morrow we'll be sober."

The Indians from the reservations were in the habit of joining the revelers, and were very fond of what they called "Sandusky water." When under the influence of liquor, they be- came quarrelsome, and it was safest to leave them alone until they were sober. Several women in the, northern part were inveterate and disgraceful drinkers, and were frequently seen beastly drunk, lying by the roadside. But this state of things passed away, and the citizens have learned to leave liquor alone.

Probably the first saw-mill in the township was built in 1833, on Broken Sword Creek, by Jesse Quaintance. It was an " up and down" mill, operated by water-power, and continued

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

to do good work for nearly twenty years. The building was frame, being sided with poplar boards, obtained after the saw had been in op- eration a few months, and was divided by a partition into two apartments, into one of which was placed the sawing machinery, and into the other the machinery necessary for grinding grain. Notwithstanding the creek had but little fall where the mill was located, excellent water- power was secured by extending the race across the narrow neck of a large bend in the stream. This advantage, together with a large, strong brush-dam, gave sufficient fall to the water to furnish ample power for the operation of saw and stones. Both departments of the mill were well patronized as long as they continued to do good work. Two years later, Frederick Williams built a saw-mill on Brandywine Creek. This was also a frame building, and an " up and down " saw, and, though he was unable to secure as fine water-power as Quaintance did, yet he did good work. This mill necessarily ran slower than the other, and was continued in operation ten years, when Williams sold it to other parties, and, four years afterward, joined a party of men en route for the gold mines in California. The parties who purchased the mill, carelessly permitted the dam to break, which ended the career of the mill. In the year 1845, Rodney Poole built the third saw-mill, at the " Falls," on Broken Sword Creek. The bed of the stream, at this point, has an irregular fall of about a foot and a half. This, together with a strong dam and race, furnished abundant power for the rapid running of the saw, and was the best site for either a grist or saw mill in the township. This mill, like the others, was frame, having a long shed, extending out at right angles to the main building, in which was piled the lumber when sawed. The sawing was done either on shares, or at the rate of 50 cents per 100 feet. In early years, the mill-dams were not as strongly constructed as they are at the present day, when large quantities of stone

can be had at but little cost. They were usually built of dirt, stones, brush, logs, etc., piled in promiscuous confusion into the bed of the stream, the work being done in times of low water, and the whole dam being braced from the lower side by logs driven into the ground in a slanting position. These rude dams were subject to continual breakage, the owner being uncertain upon going to bed, whether he was destined to have water-power the next morning or not. The streams were full of muskrats, which burrowed into the dams, and were the cause of many a breakage. On the occasion of heavy rains, the water was held in check by the large amount of fallen timber, which often resulted in flooding the whole country in the neighborhood of the streams. Samuel Shaffner recollects of being compelled to swim his horse, on one occasion, across the Brandywine Creek, which now, in times of the greatest rains, does not acquire a depth greater than two or three feet.

In 1853, Joseph Lones built a steam saw- mill on the plank road in the southern part, near a small stream called Grass Run. A muley saw was placed in the mill, which was operated three years and then sold to other parties. The mill is yet running, and, since its construction, has done a large amount of good work. It has been operated by several different owners. Two years after the Lones mill was built, another was erected in the northern part, on Broken Sword Creek, by Fralick & Flickinger, and was continued in operation until a short time after the war. It was a large frame mill, having a muley saw, and was operated by steam while it continued running. Several other mills have been built in the township at different times, furnishing an abundant supply of sawed lumber from the various varieties of wood, at a reasonable figure.

The little village of Portersville lies partly in Holmes Township and partly in Lykens, and its creation and growth, regardless of the location

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

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of the various industries and dwellings, will be given in this sub-division of the county history. There are circumstances connected with the vil- lage to be detailed in coming pages, rendering the annals of the town universally interesting, and a matter of wide public interest. In about the year 1830, as has been stated, about ten families of German emigrants established them- selves in the woods in the vicinity of Porters- ville. In addition to those families already mentioned, which located in the northern part, were those of Robert Knott, John and William Shultz, John, Peter and Jacob Shupp, Samuel Fralick, Samuel Flickinger, David Seale and others. It was more than twenty years after this settlement was formed, that the village of Portersville was laid out, and the country around had become quite thickly populated with emi- grants of different nationalities from the East, and various industries and improvements had arisen, here and there, before that event tran- spired. Jacob Lintner, one of the earliest in this settlement, erected a blacksmith-shop just across the line in Lykens Township, shortly after his arrival, though he did not receive suf- ficient work to make it advisable to drop all other labor, except in the line of his trade. He was quite ingenious, and worked considerably at the carpenter's trade, acquiring, by practice, what little he knew of that business. When the log cabins were reared, he was called upon to prepare the door and window casings, and to do the work requiring greater skill. Jacob Moore was a shoemaker, and had a small shop in one end of his cabin. His leather was largely ob- tained at Bucyrus, and, during the winter time, he was in the habit of traveling from house to house to ply his trade. Notwithstanding his shop furnished coarse shoes at a very low figure, many, too poor to buy, were compelled to manu- facture a rough moccasin from deer or other skin, and to wear the same the whole year. It was no uncommon thing to see whole suits of buck- skin, and many amusing tales are told of the

efforts made to get into buckskin breeches that had been thoroughly soaked in water and then dried. It is related that the custom was to stand the breeches on the floor near the bed (for they were abundantly able to stand alone) and to take a flying jump from the couch, care being taken to alight in the proper place and position, or the effort was abortive, and dire dis- aster followed. Whether this is true or not, the reader is left to determine.

William Fralick was a carpenter, and was employed to build many of the early frame houses. Any man with average ingenuity could design and construct the log cabins ; but, after a few years, when the settlers were in better circumstances, carpenters were called for and better houses were built. William Spitzer, who lived in the southeastern part, was a mason by trade, and, when the better class of dwellings began to go up, his services were required in lay- ing the foundations and chimneys. He burned several small kilns of brick, obtaining his sup- plies of clay from large banks in the neighbor- hood of his cabin. These bricks were sold to the settlers, and were used in building chim- neys, etc. Oxen were used to mix the clay and sand composing the bricks. The first were made in about 1830.

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 84

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