History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 87

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 87

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Itinerant ministers began to appear in the township as early as 1827, and to hold meet- ings at the cabins of the settlers. They trav- eled over large sections of country, and always stopped to preach where a few were ready to listen. At the close of the services, a collec- tion would be taken for the preacher. Many of these early preachers were eccentric characters, singularly gifted with a rude eloquence that fired the hearts of the pioneers. Many had re- nounced all social ties, except such as bound them to the house of praise and prayer. With hearts overflowing with love for God and humanity, they had come into the wilderness to preach "peace on earth ; good will to men." They were instrumental in laying the founda- tion of countless church societies, which sprang up in the fastnesses of the forest. Church so- cieties were organized in Vernon Township as early as 1827. In 1833, the Dutch Lutherans

Par Gakill

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

and the German Reformers united means and built a hewed-log church about a mile south of West Liberty. This answered their purpose for forty years, and the two sects, differing from each other in essential particulars, worshiped God together in harmony. A few years ago, when the congregation became too large for the church, they saw proper to divide the member- ship and to build two churches, one for each sect. The cost of each of the churches was about $1,200, and they were located near each other, about a mile south of West Liberty. The Methodists organized a society in the north- ern part of the township as early as 1828, but the followers of Wesley were few, and the soci- ety only became strong after many years. A society of United Presbyterians sprang up near De Kalb in 1830, which, at first, was the strong- est society in the township. It began with a membership of about thirty. Its early pros- perity was, in a measure, due to the energy and eloquence of Rev. Mr. Thompson, who soon afterward became President of the "Boys and Girls' Seminary," an institution which flourished for a short time, between 1830 and 1840, at De Kalb. The membership in these early churches was greatly increased by memorable reviv- als, which continued for months during the long winters. Some years before the German emigration into southern Vernon had ceased, a Catholic Church society was organized in the township. Forty acres of land on one of the sections-which, in 1845, when the township was divided, was retained by Richland County -were purchased, and a large hewed-log church erected thereon. This society, though beset with numerous difficulties at first, finally be- came the strongest country society in the county. The church was early visited by the Bishop, who gave it a strong impetus, and its commencement really began then. The first priest to locate there was Tschenhaus, who re- mained some five or six years, placing the soci- ety on firm footing. About twenty years ago,

the old church building was removed, and a large, fine, brick edifice erected in its place. It is one of the costliest and most imposing coun- try churches in the State, and has a member- ship of about one hundred, largely from south- ern Vernon. The church, though previously in Vernon, is now in Richland County. Many citizens of the township are members of it. The society has had a Sunday school for about forty years. In 1850, Elder William Adams organized a society, called the " Church of God," in the northeastern part of the township. The early meetings of the society were held in schoolhouses. Ten years after its organization, it was sufficiently prosperous to warrant its building a church, which was done at a cost of $800. William Adams, William Shaffer and David Shriner were among the early Pastors. The church is in good condition, and has a membership of about thirty. A Sunday school was organized in 1852, and Samuel Dean be- came the first Superintendent. He was sue- ceeded by Solomon Goss, who was re-elected to serve in the same capacity for many successive terms. The other church societies, soon after their organization, established Sunday schools, and have maintained them with but little cessa- tion until the present time. Great efforts were made in early years, by the united churches of the townships, to end, as far as possible, the al- most unlimited use of liquor by the settlers, and to inaugurate an era in which intemper- ance should be unknown. Several melancholy deaths from exposure during severe winter weather having occurred while the unfortunate debauchee was under the influence of alcohol, prepared the way for a vigorous onslaught against the traffic. People began to learn the true nature of alcohol. They learned that, though it might be a valuable re-agent in pharmacy, yet its abuse was cursing the world with wrecked and ruined lives, that had begun in innocence at the mother's knee. They saw it enter their midst-saw the dark form of In-

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ebriety come in at the open door with smiling face, and remembered, with a shudder, that

" Vice is a monster of such frightful mien, As, to be hatel, needs but to be seen ; But, seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace."

A temperance society was organized in about 1838, and much zeal was manifested ; but King Alcohol's domain was too strong to be taken, and the little party was disbanded, retiring quietly from the contest.

The first school building in Vernon was built of round logs, in 1831, and located about half a mile south of West Liberty. It was sixteen feet square, and had a large, conspicuous chim- ney, built of flat stones, picked up at random in the woods, and held in their place by clay mortar. It stood back a short distance from the Columbus & Sandusky road, and for many years was the seat of learning for the bare- headed, bare-footed children of the pioneers. Many of the gray-haired citizens of the town- ship remember this as

" The school boy spot

They ne'er forget, though there they are forgot."

It was here they learned their A B C's, and acquired what little education Dame Fortune allotted pioneer children. Mr. Gill was the first teacher, and was one of the best instructors ever in the township. He was severe in his administration of school discipline, but his uni- form kindness and sympathy won the hearts of his pupils. It was his habit to discard text- books during recitations, and to avoid those topics of no practical value to the student. He anticipated many of the present improved methods of instruction. Miss Richards, now Mrs. R. W. Cahill, and Mr. Orton were early teachers in this schoolhouse. In 1835, a school cabin, built of hewed logs, was erected about a mile north of West Liberty. Maria Swan " kept" school there the first, teaching three months during the summer of 1835. John Farrell taught the succeeding winter, but was

turned out of the house the first day by the large boys, and went for consolation and advice to R. W. Cahill, who was one of the Board of Directors. But Mr. Cahill refused to interfere with the programme of the boys, who, after hav- ing their sport with the " new teacher," became docile and obedient. Another school cabin was erected a mile and a half east of West Lib- erty, in about 1838. Emanuel Warner was probably the first teacher. Between 1830 and 1845, as many as seven or eight school build- ings-some log and others frame-were located in this division of the county. The southern part was behind the northern in all educational enterprises, not because the Germans had less interest in public improvements, but because the northern part was earlier settled, and had the start by a decade. They were slower, but, as the years passed by, various school build- ings arose from the bogs and marshes, and am- ple opportunities were given German boys and girls to secure the rudiments of an education. The German language was taught almost ex- clusively at first, and even at the present time it is taught in connection with English. No teacher is employed who cannot give instrue- tion in German, and the rich mother-tongue is wisely retained. A frame school building was erected in De Kalb in 1841, Mr. Phillips being the earliest teacher. This was supplanted a few years later by a much more commodious one, built near the town, and the old one was de- voted to other uses. At an early day, when the town was prosperous and ambitious, several citi- zens conceived the idea of adding to the attrac- tions of the town by the establishment there of a seminary. An organization was effected, and funds raised by subscription sufficient to de- fray the expense of erecting suitable buildings. A Board of Trustees was elected, and a Presi- dent and other instructors employed, and, as far as could be seen, the enterprise was destined to become highly successful. The permanent and unquestionable value of such an institu-

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tion in the town could not be denied. Several, however, shook their heads and looked wisely down their noses-thinking, no doubt, a great deal, but saying nothing. Arrangements were completed, students were enrolled, classes were formed, and for two or three years the citizens pointed with pride to the spacious building with its efficient corps of instructors. The school was under the management of the United Presbyterian Church, and students of both sexes were enrolled, which gained for the institution the jocular term of the " Boys and Girls' Seminary." But the school was destined to die early. A misunderstanding arose, which soon widened a gulf between two opposing par- ties ; earnest endeavors were made to re-unite the opposing elements without success ; mu- tual recriminations followed. No one seemed to blame, and, as is natural with the majority of the human race, each insisted on having his own way. No doubt the division arose from the looseness of the articles by which the in- stitution was organized and managed. It was found that views widely differed as to the na- ture of the enterprise. Some thought the school was designed for both sexes; others insisted that it was established exclusively for girls. Important questions arose as to when subscribed funds were to be paid. No ill-will was displayed, and yet each party insisted in

ruling, or in quietly abandoning the project. It was thought best to follow the latter course, which was accordingly done. It is to be la- mented that the school, which began under such auspicious circumstances, should have had such an unexpected and premature death. The village was nicely located in one of the the most fertile regions in Ohio, and the set- tlers who clustered around it were intelligent, ambitious and moral, and keenly alive to any enterprise to insure their advancement and happiness. This was a most desirable state of things. There were over sixty scholars en- rolled at the beginning, more than many of the most imposing colleges in the country could at first exhibit. The President, Rev. Mr. Thompson, was a fine classical scholar, but he lacked executive ability, and the management became unsatisfactory to its Board of Trustees. The institution was closed, to the regret of all. These facts have long since faded from the minds of the people, many of whom know nothing of the efforts made to establish the " Boys and Girls' Seminary" in the township nearly fifty years ago. It remains for the his- torian to recover the dates and incidents from the dusty records of forgotten years. Many of these records have been destroyed or lost. leav- ing an almost barren field to be worked over by the "searcher after truth."

CHAPTER XXII.

TODD TOWNSHIP-TOPOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE-ORGANIZATION-FIRST OFFICERS-SEETLE- MENT-SOCIAL LIFE-OSCEOLA-RELIGIONS-SCHOOLS, ETC.

T THE township of Todd has a local history so intimately blended with State and national annals that the territory will ever be looked upon with an increasing interest by lovers of historic lore. The streams, streets, roads and village will be suggestive to coming genera- tions of some hero or heroic deed of the past.

The principal stream is the Broken Sword, deriving its name, as usually given, from the following circumstances : When Col. Craw- ford had made good his escape from the In- dians, after the engagement. he missed his nephew, and, retracing his steps, in company with Knight and others in search of him, he

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

him to Upper Sandusky, and, in coming to this stream, the Colonel drew his sword and broke it over a rock on the bank; hence its name. Another tradition is that a broken sword that had been dropped by the retreating army of Craw- ford was found by the Indians upon the bank, from which it received its name. This stream is put down on some of the early maps of Ohio as "Crooked-knife-creek." This stream has its most distant source in the southeast of San- dusky Township, and, following a southeasterly course, cutting Todd Township diagonally through the center. Its entire bed in this ter- ritory consists of a shaly limestone rock. There are two other streams-Indian Run and Grass Run. The former rises in the northeast part of the township, flowing to the southwest, crossed by the Benton road, two miles north of Osceola. Nothing of general interest is con- nected with this or Grass Run, which is in the south part of the township. The undula- ting surface and clay soil of this entire strip of land, in comparison with the level plains skirt- ing it on the south, present a striking con- trast. But a very small per cent of the sur- face of the township consists of black soil. The body is of a pale clay loam, enriched by the mulch of many crops of forest leaves. The soil is filled with stone, mostly bowlders and their fragments, belonging to the Glacial period.

The bed of the Broken Sword and its banks are composed of loosely stratified limestone, abounding in well-preserved fossils-fragmen- tary corals, and shell indentures distinctly out- lining several species of the brachiopods. Of the articulates, a small variety of the trilobite are frequently discovered by the workmen. Messrs. Snavely Bros., the principal workers of the quarries in the township, have found many of the above specimens. This calcareous soil and rolling upland has been exceptionally pro- lific in producing a rank growth of timber.

The rapid advance that the woodman has

made is astonishing to the early settlers, who still live to see the sudden change take place. Says James Winstead, the first settler of this domain : "There was not a spot in the entire township that you could have driven a wagon over, so dense was the forest and thick the un- derbrush." Now, arable meadows present themselves to view at every corner, green pas- ture lands, and stock grazing upon the hillsides, with an occasional wood-field, making an ideal grazing and grain farm. The timber consists principally of beech, maple, several varieties of oak, sycamore, butternut, poplar. The shell- bark hickory and the hazel-bush, so common upon the plains, are not found in this near neighboring township. Formerly the black walnut was abundant. Daniel Tuttle says, that many thousand feet of this lumber were sold and delivered at Upper Sandusky for $1.25 per hundred feet.

The present Territory of Todd was, previous to 1836, included within the Wyandot Reserva- tion. In the year 1836, the General Government obtained from the Wyandots, by treaty, a tract of land known as the " Three-mile strip " off of the eastern border of the reservation. In the spring of 1837, at a land sale held in Marion, the United States sold to private individuals this land, which was afterward attached to Crawford County, making the full townships, range 15, within her borders. The present township of Eden, Wyandot County, and the territory of Todd, comprised one town- ship, at the first survey, and named Leith, by Judge G. W. Leith, of Nevada, Ohio, and others, in honor of his grandfather, John Leith, a cap- tive of the Wyandot Indians for twenty-nine years.

The principal productions of Todd are grain, lumber and lime. The pursuit of her citizens has been changing from the wood and lumber business to wheat-raising and wool-growing, and developing the business of lime-burning. The great amount of waste timber and burning

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of logs in earlier years, led to the manufacture of potash. William Sigler constructed such an establishment in 1841, manufacturing the black salts, which were shipped to Republic. This trade was carried on for ten or twelve years at some profit, as long as the ashes could be ob- tained at a trivial price. The manufacture of lumber has been a source of considerable revenue to this section. "Bishop " Tuttle built a water- mill in 1840, which was run in times of high water at full capacity for several years. After it was purchased by William Sigler, he repaired and improved it by new machinery and steam-power. In addition to coarse lumber, building-laths, shoe-lasts, butter-bowls, " household and kitchen furniture too numerous to mention," were manu- factured. In later years a carding-machine and fulling-mill were attached. The chairs manu- factured by Mr. Swinford were delivered at Upper Sandusky to Daniel Tuttle, who put on the finishing stroke with his paint-brush and varnish-cup.

Their farming and stock-raising is run upon a much smaller scale than their neighbors at the south and west, but their farms of eighty to 160 acres are under excellent cultivation and fine drainage. Their thickly settled farmhouses give the citizens many of the social advantages of village life. At the center of Todd is situated her only village, Osceola-a hamlet of 300 in- habitants. There is another town upon the Ohio Central Railroad, that is the town Lemert, so prominently marked upon the county map, which has yet a few unoccupied lots. But, as the demand for produce rises, they will be rapidly taken up for potato patches. The citi- zens dwelling near this embryo burgh enjoy many of the social advantages of rural life.

The first officers of the township were James Winstead and Z. P. Lea, installed and sworn in, under bond of $500, as Trustees of the township of Leith, by James Griffith, Justice of the Peace of Sycamore Township, April 8, 1839. April 9, Jacob Yost was installed as the third Trustee ;

G. W. Leith, Justice of the Peace. Stephen White, after a few hours' service as Clerk, re- signed, and the new Trustees appointed Ozro N. Kellogg, who took the oath of office April 12, 1839. April 13, the Trustees met and ap- pointed the following officers : Abram Shaffer, Constable; Mordecai McCauley and Z. P. Lea, Supervisors ; Adam Bair, G. W. Leith and Lewis Longwell, Fence Viewers ; David Kisor, Treasurer. G. W. Leith and David Kisor, also, Overseers of the Poor, each under bond of $500. The first official business was transacted at the cabin of James Winstead May 4, 1839, at which time the township was divided into road dis- tricts.

About this date a dissatisfaction arose among the German settlers and others in the naming of the township. A petition was presented to the Trustees, claiming that the pronouncing of the word " Leith " was a difficult matter for the Germans. In addition, the citizens were not satisfied with John Leith's supposed alliance with the British soldiery. Mr. Winstead, for the plaintiff and G. W. Leith for the defendant. proceeded to Bucyrus to represent the case be- fore the County Commissioners. The defend- ant lost his case, and the Township Trustees were delegated power to make a change in the name. In their next meeting of June 23, 1839, the name " Center " was substituted for ". Leith," as the geographical center of Crawford at that time lay within this township. The first election was held at the house of Mordecai MeCauley. The first officers of Center were John Horrick, James Winstead, John Cronebaugh, Trustees ; David Kisor, Treasurer ; and James B. Robin- son, Clerk. At the re-division of the county in 1845, the boundary lines of Center were so changed that the original name would no longer be appropriate, and this territory received the name of Eden, on the west and the eastern strip, embracing Sections 1, 2, 11-14. 23-26, 35 and 36, of Township 2; 1, 2, 11 and 14 of Township 3, Range 15, was named Todd.

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

This embraced a strip of territory nine miles in length and two in breadth, at the west central of Crawford ; bounded on the north by Texas ; east, Hlohmes and Bucyrus ; south, Dallas ; and west, Eden Township, of Wyandot County. The first officers of Todd were James Win- stead, Isaac Miller, Daniel Tuttle, Trustees ; John Forster, Clerk. (Isaac Miller was also sworn in as Treasurer April 7, 1845). F. G. Hesche, Assessor ; Franklin Rapenow, Consta- ble ; John Forster, Clerk of the board ; William Andrews, Judge of the Election. The first business of Todd was transacted at the house of Isaac Miller, of Osceola, which was to levy a special tax of five mills for school, road and " poor" purposes. The following are the list of Justices of the Peace : G. W. Leith, com- missioned by Wilson Shannon, Governor of Ohio, May 20, 1839 ; William Brown, commis- sioned by same on the same day ; Daniel Tuttle, commissioned by Gov. Thomas Corwin April 30. 1842-43-44 and '45 ; Robert Andrews, 1846 ; Cyrus F. Jaqurth, 1847 ; John Gorden, 1849 ; Jacob Steiner, 1850 ; R. M. Hull, Clerk ; Horace Martin. 1851 ; James Clegard, Samuel Swisher, by Gov. Wood, 1852; John Dome, Clerk ; O. W. Johnston. 1854; Horace Martin, 1857-58 ; Seneca Leonard, Clerk ; Fred Wise, 1857; G. W. Willoughby, 1860.

Sold, as was the land of this township, at public sale, and all the neighboring land to the east having been improved, for ten or twelve years, it met with a ready market, both from agents representing Eastern capitalists, local syndicates, and private parties. Mr. Howland, the principal foreign purchaser, was a son-in-law of Humphrey Howland, of Cayuga, N. Y. His purchases were 1,400 acres, a part of which lay in the present territory of Todd. The choice and central tract was purchased by the Osceola Company, composed of Bucyrus and Marion capitalists ; Messrs. Zalmon Rowse, Gen. My- ers, Abram Holm, Jacob Shaffer, of Bueyrus ; Cox and Young, of Marion County. This syn-

dicate was supposed to have been formed at Marion, on the day of the sale, in April, 1837 ; but, from subsequent planning and development, it was undoubtedly planned and organized pre- vious to the sale. The first and principal pri- vate buyers were Judge G. W. Leith, James Winstead, Daniel Tuttle and Jacob Shaffer, of Fairfield County. It is a matter of dispute be- tween Judge Leith and the Hon. James Win- stead, which were the first to take up their abode in this almost traekless forest. We believe, however, that it is generally conceded that Winstead was on the spot with intentions of re- siding one day earlier than any other " pale- face." Perhaps there were no three parties more intimately connected with the official proceedings, social customs, and other inci- dents of the first settlement of Todd than were James Winstead, Judge Leith and Daniel Tuttle. These venerable gentlemen still dwell in our midst to counsel and advise. Mr. Win- stead, the eldest, is the best-preserved phys- ically, and his mind is still as active and vigorous as a middle-aged man. He and his aged companion, his senior by two years, at present reside in a comfortable frame cottage, in Wyandot County, four miles northwest of the village of Osceola. Mr. Winstead was born in Shenandoah County, Va., in the year 1801. Being of an adventurous turn of mind, he started for the new State of Ohio in 1816, and took up his abode in Fairfield County that same year. Two years afterward, he was married to his present bride-he at the age of nineteen, and she twenty-two years.

These octogenarians have traveled down the lane of life together for sixty-two years, twelve years beyond their golden wedding. Mr. Win- stead removed from Fairfield County to Bow- serville, now in Wyandot County, in 1826. Here he built a small cabin upon the edge of the reservation, and followed his trade of silver and copper smith. His principal patronage came from the Wyandot Indians, who had in

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

611

their possession much ore that they obtained from the Michigan mines. They paid liberally to have the silver and copper manufactured into rings, bracelets and anklets, beads for the chiefs, and many other attractive ornaments that would please their fancy. The greatest demand was for silver and copper crosses, that those of the Catholic faith would have made for themselves and their papooses. Those crosses, made of copper, would frequently weigh five or six ounces, which they wore suspended from their necks. His fame as a worker in sil- ver and copper spread among the Indians, and his trade increased. The Indians wished him to move upon their reservation to some more central point. This he at first refused to do, but they continued to offer inducements, prom- ising him a double log-cabin that had been built by some white trader, east of Upper San- dusky, with an orchard, all the clear ground he wished to cultivate; in addition, they would furnish him meats and give him all the labor he could do at his trade. The offer was finally ac- cepted, and, in 1829, he moved into their midst, and found them strict in keeping their word, and treated him with all the civilities that an enlightened nation would. Perhaps there is no one citizen living that has a better knowledge of the Wyandot Indians than Mr. Winstead. He traveled with them in their hunting excur- sions, sat around their camp fires, traded with them, mingled in their religious exercises, took part in their social sports, listened to their tra- ditions, and it is his testimony that they re- spected their words, pledges, and trading agree- ments, and less deception and lying was used to one another than it has been his fortune to experience among the "pale faces."

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 87

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