USA > Ohio > Defiance County > History of Defiance County, Ohio. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, etc.; military record; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; farm views, personal reminiscences, etc > Part 35
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Doctor Allen.
Timothy Fitzpatrick,
Charles Allen. John Crowe.
Phillip Bellenger, Clarissa Bellenger,
Thomas Clark,
Minerva Clark,
A. Cornwall,
Walter Davis,
Jane Clinger.
172
HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
PARENTS OR GUARDIANS.
PUPILS.
Thomas Clark,
Mary Ann Clark,
Thomas Clark,
Mary J. Griffith,
William Clark,
Elizabeth Clark,
William Carter,
Rollin Daggett,
Wil iam Carter,
Harriet Daggett,
Timothy Dame,
Almira Dame,
Timothy Dame,
Anna Dame,
Timothy Dame,
Didama Dame,
Walter Davis,
Josh Davis,
Walter Davis,
Thomas Davis,
Walter Davis,
Zephaniah Davis,
Walter Davis,
Sarah Davis,
Walter Davis,
Elizabeth Davis,
Walter Davis,
Eliza Davis,
Timothy Fitzpatrick,
John Crow,
Timothy Fitzpatrick,
Eliza Fitzpatrick,
Timothy Fitzpatrick,
Ellen Fitzpatrick,
John Fairfield,
A. J. Fairfield,
John Fairfield,
Harrison Fairfield,
John Fairfield,
Caroline Fairfield,
Eliza Holgate,
Frances Holgate,
Eliza Holgate,
Arabella Holgate,
Eliza Holgate,
A. H. Holgate,
Emery Honghton,
Rolland Houghton,
Jefferson Jones,
Lyman Jones,
Jefferson Jones,
Polly Jones,
Jefferson Jones,
Nancy Jones,
Jacob Kniss,
Minerva Kniss,
Jacob Kniss,
G. W. Kniss,
Jacob Kniss,
J. P. Kniss,
Jacob Kniss,
Samuel Taylor,
Norman King,
Elcazur King,
Norman King, Norman King,
John King, E. C. King,
John H. Kizer,
John H. Kizer, Jr.,
Jolın H. Kizer,
Victoria Kizer,
John H. Kizer,
Daniel Haverstack,
Adam Ketrin,
Peter Ketrin,
Adam Ketrin,
Catharine Ketrin,
Thomas Lewis,
Charles Lewis,
Thomas Lewis,
Lucinda Lewis,
Thomas Lewis,
William Lewis.
Thomas Lewis,
M. L. Lewis,
Thomas Lewis,
Peter Lewis,
Eps South worth,
Mary Southworth,
Eps South worth,
Martha Southworth,
Eps South worth,
Thomas Lambert,
Frederick F. Stevens, Mary E. Stevens,
R. L. Taylor,
Eliza Farnsworth,
Washington, Weaver, - - Ilimsey,
I. P. E. Whedon,
A. M. Whedon,
I. P. E. Whedon,
E. B. Whedon,
Thomas Warren,
Thomas Warren,
Thomas Warren,
Isaac Warren,
Thomas Warren,
Benjamin Warren,
Thomas Warren,
Sarah Warren,
In the season of 1841, agreeable to a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors of School District No. 1, the same consisting of Edwin Phelps, James S. Greer and Jonas Colby, with Levi Colby as Clerk, the walls of a brick schoolhouse were erected on the west side of Wayne Street, between Fourth and Fifth, and the building partly finished by Timothy Dame, contractor
and builder, at a cost of $800, which was raised by tax upon the taxable property of the district. In Septem- ber, 1842, an additional tax was levied for the finishing- up of the lower part of said school building, and was continued in the use of District No. 1, till the adoption of the Union school system in 1851, when it was finished up and used as a union school building.
We append a list of the names of the Directors, Teachers, Clerks and Treasurers, from 1840 to 1851, at which time the Union or graded school system was adopted, as will appear by reference to a letter from F. Hollenbeck, of Perrysburg, Ohio, which appears in con- nection with this sketch.
Directors .- James S. Greer, Edwin Phelps, Jonas Colby, Will- iam Semans, Orlando Evans, William A. Brown, Israel P. E. Whedon, Calvin L. Nohle, Horace Sessions, Jacob J. Greene, Jehn P. Downs, Jacob Kniss, Millard P. Bell, John M. Stilwill, Timothy Fitzpatrick, John H. Kizer, Francis Wiseuberger, W. P. Warren. Clerks .- Levi Colby, I. P. E. Whedon, William Carter, S. S. Case, Jonas Colby, William Teats.
Teachers .- E. C. Betts, Catharine Colby, Maria Allen, B. F. Reed, John H. Crowel, John Eastbrook, Calvin B. West, B. B. Southworth, Robert Evans, R. Taylor, B. F. South worth, S. M. McCord, E A. Greenlee
Treasurers .- Horace Sessions, William Semans, Jonas Colby, Charles V. Royce, M. P. Bell.
The following letter from the first teacher who graded the schools of Defiance is given entire:
PERRYSBURG, OHIO, January 22, 1882.
S. H. ROYCE:
Dear Sir-Yours of the 19th instant received. In answer to your inquiries will say, that it is so long since I was in the school at Defiance that I have ceased to have any "clean cut" recollection of what then and there occurred-general impressions only remain. Of these, I will give such as occur to me while writing.
It may not be amiss to state, briefly, the faets and inci- dents which led immediately to the organization of the Union School at that place. I had taken a lively interest in popular education from my first arrival in the Maumee Valley, at Maumee City, in December, 1842, and discussed the subject wherever I went, whenever I eould. The first Union School established in the valley was at Maumee City; the next at Perrysburg, then at Waterville and Toledo. By this time the public mind had become, generally, awakened to the subject.
Being at Defiance in the latter part of winter or early spring of 1851 on business, I learned the inadequate provis- ions of the town for the instruction of its youth. I sug- gested to some of the citizens of whom I now remember Wolsey Welles, Dr. John Paul, William A. Brown, Frederick Stev- ens, William Carter, Esq., Boughton and probably others, the desirability of adopting and putting into practice the graded school system. The suggestion was received with a ready and cordial response. A huge difficulty, however, stood in the way. As the law then was, a school of that character could be established only by a majority vote of the district, and it was feared that could not be obtained. To prepare the minds of the people for the vote, it was determined to liold a a Teachers' Institute there, provided I could obtain proper persons to conduct it. I obtained them, but can now recall only one of them, Maurice Paige, Superintendent of the Maumee Schools and a "live teacher." The institute was held ; many teachers attended ; the session was highly satis-
173
HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
factory, and much enthusiasm was awakened throughout the town upon the subject of education.
Soon as the required notice could be given, the vote was taken and the graded system adopted by a satisfactory major- ity.
I was then requested to organize the school. I consented to " assume the pressure," my engagement being for one year. There was no material for a high school and the grades estab- lished were primary, secondary, intermediate and grammar schools, myself taking immediate charge of the latter, to- gether with supervision of the others. My assistants were Miss Millie Woods in the primary department, and she was a superior teacher of that grade. Miss Maria Welles taught the secondary, and succeeded very well. The intermediate was taught by a young woman whose name I cannot now re- call. She occupied the schoolhouse on the west side of the canal, near the Catholic Church building. Perhaps some one of the old citizens, or of my pupils remaining there, could give you her name. Of the latter, there remains, as I am informed (I give the names as I knew them), Fannie IIol- gate, Belle Holgate, Georgiana Richards, Mary Stevens, Amelia llowland, now Mrs. Peterson, Frank Brown, John Crowe, George Ferguson and John Kiser. There may be others.
The common school branches only were taught, viz., spelling, reading, writing, geography, grammar, arithmetic, and I recollect I had a very interesting class in natural phil- osophy. As to efficiency of the school, I refer you to my old pupils and their parents.
I must, however, be permitted to say this, that I do not believe there was ever in the State of Ohio a more pleasant and agrecable school than the department of which I had immediate charge. Teacher and pupils constituted a family which was in perfect sympathy and accord from the com- mencement to the close. Each one regarded it as our school and was sensitively alive to the maintenance of its good name and character. When I think of my connection with that school, it is with unalloyed satisfaction, and I hold my old pupils in very dear and cherished remembrance. May bless- ings attend them during their lives.
When my year expired, the Board of Education had not succeeded in finding my successor, and I remained until the commencement of the summer vacation.
I believe I have answered all your inquiries, but iu haste, and perhaps in an unsatisfactory manner. If of service to you I shall be pleased. Make what use of it you deem best. Truly,
FRANCIS HOLLENBECK.
INSTITUTE.
The Teachers' Institute of Northwestern Ohio held its first session in Defiance County, in the Methodist Episcopal Church, May 5, 1851. The Committee of Arrangements were S. S. Sprague, W. P. Bacon, W. Welles, H. Sessions, M. Arrowsmith, W. Sheffield, W. C. Holgate, W. A. Brown, William Carter, J. M. Stilwill and C. L. Noble. The Board of Instruction was composed of the following per- sons, viz. : Hon G. B. Way, of Defiance, Francis Hollenbeck, A. H. Drummond, Maurico Paige (Super- intendent of the Manmee Schools), Edward Olney, Mrs. Mary A. Webb, Miss Mitchell and Miss F. Drummond- all from Maumee City and Perrysburg, as near as the writer hereof has been able to ascer-
tain. There were in attendance over seventy teachers, about two-thirds of whom were young ladies. About one-half of this number were of Defiance County, and the remainder from the counties of Williams, Ful- ton, Henry and Paulding.
At a meeting of the qualified electors of School Districts No. 1 and 5, in the town of Defiance, held in pursuance of legal notice, for the purpose of adopting or rejecting the act for the better regulation of public schools in cities, towns, etc., passed Feb- ruary 21, 1849, by the Legislature of the State of Ohio, held at the court house in the town of Defiance, on the 8th day of March, 1851, George B. Way was chosen Chairman, Miller Arrowsmith, Assistant Chair- man, and William A. Brown, Secretary of said meet- ing. A vote was then cast by the electors of said School Districts 1 and 5, for and against the adoption of said act aforesaid, and the whole number of votes cast was 82. For the adoption of, 44; against, 38; majority in favor of, 6.
At an election held in the court house March 25, 1851, by the electors of the united School Districts No. 1 and 5, for the election of Directors, John M. Stilwill acting as Chairman, Miller Arrowsmith as Assistant Chairman, and William A. Brown, Clerk, the following persons were duly elected as the first Board of Directors under his new organization: Woolsey Welles and Calvin L. Noble, for one year; John H. Kizer and J. B. Kimball, for two years; Hamilton Davison and John M. Stilwill, for three years.
The Board thus elected assembled at the office of Woolsey Welles, and organized the Board of Educa- tion of the united School Districts No. 1 and 5, in Defiance, Defiance Co., Ohio, by electing Hamilton Davison, President, Woolsey Welles, Secretary, and John M. Stilwill, Treasurer. The Board thus organ- ized proceeded to levy a tax of four mills on the dollar on the taxable property of the united districts for the support of teachers and other expenditures. It now became necessary to provide suitable buildings for the different departments and teachers for the same. It was therefore ordered by the said board that the old two-story brick schoolhouse of 1841, heretofore mentioned, be repaired and finished up for the Union School, and was known as the High School Building. The contract for the same was awarded to Henry B. Hall, at $421, to be completed by the 1st day of June, 1851. The services of Francis Hollen- beck, of Perrysburg, Ohio, were secured as their first Superintendent, at a salary of $500 per annum, school to commence June 9, 1851.
The building in which the Intermediate was tanght is still standing, west of the canal, and i th third building west of St. John's Evangelical German
174
HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
Catholic Church and now used as a dwelling house. The first teacher in this department was Mrs. Arietta Hutchinson, who consented to fill the position " briefly, " until a suitable person could be found to fill her place. Mrs. Hutchinson taught three weeks, when Miss Marietta Knapp took her place, at a salary of $150 per annum. Miss Knapp taught several terms, and then followed Miss Emeline Shead.
Miss Maria Welles taught the Secondary in the building still standing on the corner of Water and Jefferson streets, at a salary of $150 per annum.
The Primary occupied a room in the High School Building, and was taught by Miss Permelia Woods, at a salary of $150 per annum. The next teacher in this department was Miss Susannah Myers. At a special election held at the court house May 22, 1865, by the qualified voters of the Defiance United School District, for the purpose of voting for or against levying a tax of $18,000 upon said district, for the purpose of purchasing a site and erecting suitable school buildings for said district, the whole number of votes cast was 107, of which 89 were in favor of and 18 against levying the tax.
The matter now being in the hands of the board of the district, it was unanimously voted by them at a meeting of the board, held May 26, that the sum of $18,000 be levied according to the vote of the peo- ple of said district. That $6,000 be levied in 1865, $6,000 in 1866, and $6,000 in 1867.
A beautiful selection for a site, at the head of Clinton street, commanding a fine view of the entire city, was purchased, upon which the buildings were erected.
August 24. 1866, the contract for building the same was awarded to William McCreath, at $14,999, he being the lowest bidder.
In July, A. D. 1874, the Board of Union Schools purchased a lot on the hill on the north side of the Maumee, for a building site, of William C. Holgate, for $700. A contract was entered into with C. H. Franz, to put up a two-story brick, with slate roof, at $2,370, to be completed by the 15th day of Octo- ber, 1874. Miss R. A. Langdon was the first teacher within its walls, commencing with November 9, 1874. In June, 1875, the board purchased of Sarah Kepler an acre of land for a site, at $1,800, in the Warren neighborhood, on the west side of the canal, and in the same month and year another lot, from J. S. Greenlee, at $1,000, in East Defiance. The build- ing of the two schoolhouses was let to R. J. V ---- , at $5,350, to be completed October 15, 1875, to be of brick, two stories high, and slate roof. It was order- ed by the Board that the several school buildings within the United School Districts be hereafter de- signated as follows: The building east of the An-
glaize River, "East Schoolhouse;" north of the Maumee River, "North Schoolhouse;" on the Warren road, " West Schoolhouse," and the so-called High School Building, " Central Schoolhouse."
An enumeration of the youth in the United Dis- tricts No. 1 and 5, in the town of Defiance, between the ages of four and twenty-one years old, as taken by Woolsey Welles, in October following the organ- ization, was as follows:
In District No. 1-Males, 100, females, 125; 225. In District No. 5-Males, 57, females, 66; 123. Total, 348.
Woolsey Welles, having served the board as Secretary for two years, resigned the office, and Jacob J. Greene (who became one of the Directors of the Board at its second annual meeting in March, 1852) was elected Secretary, and has been an active mem- ber of the board most of the time since-a period of thirty years. Mr. Hollenbeck's service as Superintend- ent of the school closed with the summer vacation of 1852, and we learn that Mr. Enoch Blanchard took the supervision, although the records make no mention of it until we find, at a meeting of the board held February 24, 1853, " Resolved, that Mr. Blanchard be continued for a term of eleven weeks." In July or August, arrangements were perfected under which D. C. Pierson, of Columbus, Ohio, was to take charge of the school as Superintendent, and B. F. Southworth was employed to teach the gram- mar school department. Mr. Pierson, from some cause or other, remained but a short time, and Mr. R. Fauroot was employed for the balance of the school year as Superintendent. April 3, 1854, Mr. J. R. Kinney, of Toledo, Ohio, took charge of the school as Superintedent at a salary of $500 per annum, and in July following his salary was raised to $600 per annum. Mrs. Kinney was also employed to take charge of the secondary at a salary of $225 per annum.
At the expiration of the school year, July 3, 1855, Mr. Kinney resigned as Superintendent, and the school was to have a vacation of two months. Sep- tember 3 being the day for opening the schools, and as no Superintendent had as yet been secured, a fur- ther vacation was had until the latter part of Novem- ber, when Mr. John R. Kinney was again placed in charge of the schools as Superintendent, at an annual salary of $700, and B. F. Southworth was continued in the grammar department at an annual salary of $400. Mrs. Kinney was again employed in the secondary as before, and at the same salary; Mrs. E. S. Brown in the primary, at a salary per annum of $225, and Miss Maria B. Welles as assistant at a salary of $175 per annum.
At the close of the term ending with December,
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
1858, Mr. Kinney handed in his resignation as Super- intendent, and Finlay Strong, of this town (Defiance) was employed as Superintendent for the remainder of the school year, and to receive the same salary as Mr. Kinney, resigned.
March 28, 1859, Michael W. Smith was employed to fill the placo of Superintendent of said schools for the last term of the current year, to consist of twelve weeks consecutively, etc., at the same salary of $700 per amun.
September 4, 1863, Henry Newbegin was em- ployed to take charge of the schools as Superintend- ent, and was in charge but a few months and then resigned, and on the 19th day of December, 1863, Mr. E. M. Meerch was appointed to take his place; but the length of time he may have served is not re- corded, and we only find that an order was issued by the board April 2, 1861, for twelve weeks' services, and the next record we find an order from the board, bearing date January 2, 1865, to William H. H. Jack- son, $260, for sixteen weeks' teaching High School, consequently he must have been employed in Septem- ber, 1864; and again we find, June 29, 1866, an or- der in favor of J. C McKercher, for $210. Septem- ber 4, 1866, Charles K. Smoyer was elected Superin- tendent.
June 27, 1867, James J. McBride was elected Superintendent; salary, $650; and at a meeting of the board May 22, 1868, he was continued in office at a salary of $1,000 per annum.
June 25, 1869, W. C. Barnhart was employed as Superintendent.
July 29, 1870, A. S. Moore was chosen to superin- tend the schools.
In August following, there was a (terman depart- ment established in connection with the Union Schools, and Miss Phoba Dotzer was employed as teacher in this department, at a salary of $350 per annum.
Lem T. Clark, of Delaware, Ohio, was chosen as the next Superintendent of the Union Schools, at a salary of $1,000 per annum, for the year commencing the first Monday of September, 1871. At a meeting of the board, held May 14, 1872, his salary was in- creased to $1,200 for the coming year.
July 17, 1874, H. H. Wright was duly elected as Superintendent, at a salary of $1, 100 per annum, and on the 25th day of June, 1875, his salary was raised to $1,200. In May, 1877, arrangements were made with him at $1, 100, and continued thus till the close of his year, in June, 1879, at which time S. S. Ash- baugh, of Hillsdale, Mich., was elected in his place as Superintendent, at a salary of $1,000 per annum. The schools opened the first Monday in September, 1879, in a flourishing condition, and with the rapid
increase of population in Defiance, and with the en- largement of her business, came a great awakening in her school interests. The demands made upon the corps of teachers were now greater than ever before, and they were cheerfully met.
The departments were sixteen in number; one for the High School; five for the Grammar grades, and ten for the primary grades.
Although the school was now carefully graded, and the departments as even in number as possible, some of the rooms were overcrowded, and the Board of Education began investigating the subject of en- larging the capacity for seating and bettering the general accommodations.
There was at this time a building of two rooms, with a seating capacity for about a hundred and twenty pupils, in each of the four wards of the city, accommodating, however, only the primary pupils. At the head of Clinton street was situated the Central building, having eight school rooms and a Superin- tendent's office, used also as a recitation room for the High School.
Mr. Ashbaugh was early re-elected as Superintend- ent for the ensuing year, at a salary of $1,200.
On the 26th day of February, 1880, the contract was let to Jacob Karst, of Defiance, for the sum of $10,800, for repairing and enlarging the Central building, and the work was begun as soon as the term closed in June. The schools in the Second, Third and Fourth Wards of the city opened as usual on the first Monday of September, but the Central building was not ready for occupancy until the 1st of December. It now contained twelve rooms, with a seating capac- ity for sixty pupils each, recitation room, Superintend- ent's office, public hall, holding about six hundred persons and occupying the third story, and two base- ments, which are warmed and seated for the general accommodation.
The Board spared no reasonable expense in fitting up the new departments.' The hall was seated with chairs, and furnished with large and elegant chande- liers; the stage was carpeted, and provided with a fine Hallett & Davis piano. Most of the rooms were sup- plied with the new and perfect furniture manufactured at Battle Creek, Mich.
The building was warmed by four large furnaces, and ventilated by the Ruttan system; the whole cost- ing about $18,000.
Two new departments were now added, making eighteen in all; the janitor using the old Primary building as a residence. The High School depart- ment had now increased in numbers, so that at the holiday vacation it was necessary to secure an assist- ant during half the day; and at the annual commence- ment in June, the largest class since the organization
176
HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
of the school, graduated, consisting of eight mem- bers.
During the years 1881 and 1882, the school was very prosperous, the assistant being now retained for the whole day, and the Superintendent still teaching one ur' more classes. There had been but few changes in the corps of teachers, and at the close of the year, in June, 1882, the teachers and their respective de- partments were as follows:
Superintendent, S. S. Ashbaugh, A. M .; High School, Miss Cora M. McDonald; High School (As- sistant Teacher), Miss Nettie Hooker; A Grammar, Miss Emma Richardson; B Grammar, Miss Nora Stevens; B and C Grammar, Miss Hattie A. Dea- trick; C Grammar, Miss Lottie E Ward; D Gram- mar, Miss Mary E. Hardy; D Grammar, Miss Mary E. Plattor; A Primary, Miss Mabel E. Carroll; B Primary, Miss Alvira Bevington; C Primary, Miss Ella C. Mooney; D Primary, Miss Ida M. Briden- baugh; D Primary, Miss Jessie E. Dunn.
Second Ward-A and B Primary, Miss Lida Henry; C and D Primary, Miss Isabelle F. Hough. ton.
Third Ward-A and B Primary, Miss Kate Backus; C and D Primary, Mrs. Mary E. Ashton.
Fourth Ward-A and B Primary, Miss Rebecca C. Heatley; C and D Primary, Miss Emma T. Massa.
Mr. Ashbaugh declined an election for the fourth year, choosing rather to enter the profession of law, to which he had been admitted three years before. His resignation was reluctantly accepted by the Board of Education, and caused deep regret among the parents and pupils alike. The schools had made per- ceptible advancement during his connection with them, and were found in excellent condition by his successor, Mr. C. W. Butler, of Bellefontaine.
The Board of Education now consisted of J. J. Greene, President; J. P. Buffington, Clerk; Adam Minsell, Treasurer; Isaac Corwin, M. B. Gorman, E. P. Hooker.
The Board of Examiners was composed of S. T. Sutphen, C. E. Bronson and F. W. Knapp.
From the Superintendent's report for the year we take the following interesting table of figures:
FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 23, 1882.
Population of Defiance in 1881. 6,110
Property valuation. .$1,645,126 00
Rate of taxation for support of schools. .007
Rate of taxation for building purposes.
.002
Received from duplicate. . .$14,650 52
Received from State common school
fund.
2,850 00
Received from various sources. 851 63
Total receipts for the year.
Paid for teachers. . $7,570 00
Paid for incidentals. 1,801 96
Total expenditures for the year, excluding building fund. .
$9,371 96
Number of males between six and twenty-one years of age.
1,049 Number of females between six and twenty-one years of age.
Total enumeration. 1,990
Number enrolled in private and parochial schools. 350
Number of boys enrolled iu public schools. . 654 Number of girls enrolled in public schools ... 609
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