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 5
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
weight forces it to break away and topple down the precipice into the sea. The whole interior of the country, indeed, would appear to be buried under- neath a great depth of snow and ice, which levels up the valleys and sweeps over the hills. The few daring men who have tried to penetrate a little way inland, describe the scene as desolate in the extreme -far as the eye can reach, nothing save one dead, dreary expanse of white; no living creature fre- quents this wilderness -- neither bird, nor beast, nor insect-not even a solitary moss or lichen can be seen. Over everything broods a silence deep as death, broken only when the roaring storm arises, to sweep before it pitiless, blinding snows. But even in the silent and pathless desolation of central Green- land, the forces of nature are continuously at work. The vast masses of snow and ice that seem to wrap the hills and valleys as with an everlasting garment, are, nevertheless, constantly wearing away, and being just as continuously repaired. The peculiar proper- ties of ice, that prevent it accumulating upon the land to an indefinite degree, are just as characteristic of Greenland as those of Alpine countries. Fast as the snows deepen and harden into ice upon the bleak hills of Greenland, the ice creeps away to the coast, and thus from the frozen reservoirs of the inte- rior innumerable glaciers pour themselves down every fiord and opening to the sea. Only a narrow strip of land along the coast-line is left uncovered by the per- manent snowfield or mer de glace-all else is snow and ice. Some of the glaciers attain a vast size. The great Humboldt is said by its discoverer, Dr. Kane, to have a breadth of sixty miles at its termina- tion. Its seaward face rises abruptly from the level of the water to the height of 300 feet, but to what depths it descends is unknown. Other glaciers of large size occur frequently along the whole extent of the northwestern shores of Greenland, among which is that of Eisblink, south of Goodhaab, which pro- jects seaward so as to form a promontory some thir- teen miles in length. This immense glacier flows from an unknown distance in the interior, and buries its face to a great depth in these.
A submarine bank of debris forms a kind of semicir- cle some little way in front of it, and may owe its ori- gin, in part, to the stream that issues from underneath the glacier, but a bank would, necessarily, gather in the same place, even although no water whatever cir- culated below the ice. When this glacier, in its down - ward progress, first enters the sea at the head of a fiord, it must have towered, for many hundred feet, above the level of the waters; but, as it continued on its course, and crept onward over the deepening bed of the fiords, it gradually buried its lofty face in the waves, until, when it reached the lower end of the
fiord and entered the open sea, its front rose only a little height ahove the reach of the tides. Thus, the sloping platform of ice that faces the sea, however lofty it may be, must bear only a small proportion to the much greater thickness of ice concealed below. It is well known that ice is not, by any means, so heavy as water, but readily floats upon its surface. Consequently, whenever a glacier enters the sea, the dense, salt water tends to buoy it up; but the great tenacity of the frozen mass enables it to resist for a time. By-and-by, however, as the glacier reaches deep water, its cohesion is overcome, and large seg- ments are forced from its terminal front, and floated up from the bed of the sea to sail away as icebergs."
LAKE BEACHES DUE TO THE SHIFTING OF THE EARTH'S CEN- TER OF GRAVITY.
Among the many interesting features presented in the surface geology of our valley-involving, as it does, a problem difficult of solution-are our Lake Beaches, or Sand Ridges, as they are called. These ridges, of which there are many, are too familiar to. the people of our valley to require any very extended description from me. Suffice it to say of these, that they compose a series of broad, flat belts of sands, much denuded, apparently, by rains and streams- traversing our valley in a uniform direction, running parallel to each other, and conforming, in a general way, to the present shore-line of Lake Erie. Now, while there is no difference of opinion among our geologists as to these ridges being thrown up by shore waves of some large body of water, yet there is a difference of opinion, and some uncertainty, mani- fested by our philosophers as to the primary cause of this phenomenon. What caused the advance and re- trocessional movements of these bodies of water, that they should cast their shore waves with the uniform- ity and regularity required to form these ridges, one after another in the order of time, and with so good a degree of regularity in point of elevation one above another, and above the surface water of the lake ? Our Ohio geologists claim, in their reports, that these ridges are due to land upheaval; they tell us, in sub- stance, that there was a time when our great lakes were all merged in one, and that their united waters stood at a much higher level than now; indeed they may have covered the whole country. In process of time, however, a change ensued. Those mysterious subterranean forces by which the solid crust of our globe is elevated and depressed, began to act. The water gradually retired, and the higher portions of our valley began to appear. Step by step the land rose out of the water, till at length the site of the upper, or first formed, of the ridges made its appear- ance above the water surface. There then occurred
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
an interval of rest, lasting sufficiently long for the shore waves to form this ridge. Then, again, these forces bent their backs for another upheaval, and the land began again to rise, and continued to rise until the site of the second ridge was above the water. Then there was another pause, and another interval of rest, lasting long enough for the second ridge to form. Then another rise and another rest, and so on till all of the ridges were produced. Then these forces retired from their labors; the land stood still and the waters retired to within their several Jake basins, where they still remain. Now, this may be a good enough theory, in accounting for these ridges, and may be the true theory, for aught we know to the contrary; for surely there is nothing more true than that land and water -- continent and ocean-are continually changing places. While in some places the land is rising above the water, in other places the water is ris- ing over the land. What are our so-called rock forma- tions but so many proofs of elevations? What are our coal fields but evidences of a succession of de- pressions and elevations ? But what, among other things, seems faulty in this theory, consists in be- stowing the character of that uniformity of action and method of movement, necessary to form these ridges, upon those mysterious subterranean forces whose principal occupation seems to consist in propa- gating volcanoes and earthquakes, and causing such like disturbances in the bosom of mother earth as are characterized by internal heat in connection with ex- plosive gases. Then, again, supposing these forces had acted thus circumspectly, and performed these upheavals after the manner credited to them by our geologists, it is easily seen their efforts would have availed nothing in the way of the formation of these ridges. For, had this upheaval movement extended to any considerable portion of our continent, the lakes themselves would have been involved in the general rise. They, too, would have gone up with the land, and the relative position of land and water would have still remained the same. On the other hand, if this rise had been confined to a small section of our valley, not including the lakes, it is evident that, while such a limited rise might have answered the purpose of forming these ridges, it would have certainly and effectually destroyed our river system. But of this there is no geological evidence anywhere to be found; on the contrary, our principal rivers and streams run in the same direction, and over the same channels they occupied before the glacial period-as a general thing, they are older than the glacial period. A moment'sreflection would satisfy any one that a very small rise at Toledo would cause the Maumee to abandon its channel, and turn its course upstream. But, instead of this, our staid
old stream still pursues her onward course to the lake as of yore, and by the same route, only at a hundred feet or more of elevation, made necessary by the ac- cumulations of drift material brought on by glacier action.
Indeed, the facts go to show that these ridges were produced by the rise and fall of water, and not by upheaval and depression of land surfaces, and that they were produced by the oscillation of sea level during the glacial period. That such an oscillation would be produced by the shifting of the earth's center of gravity from one side to the other of the present equator is evident, resulting from the enormous ice-cap that would be formed, first on one hemisphere and then on the other. Now, in ac- cordance with the precessional movement of the equi- noxes, which brings around an entire cycle of the sea- sons in 21,000 years or thereabouts, a ridge would be formed in the interval of each of these cycles, of the winter of the great year, as Sir Charles Lyell is pleased to term it. Now, as the last glacial period commenced 240,000 years ago, and ended 80,000 years ago-embracing a period of 160,000 years- this would give time, as easily seen, for some six or seven high-water periods during the glacial epoch, which corresponds very nearly with the number of our ridges. Mr. Croll is of the opinion, however, that some of these ridges may have been, and doubt- less were, formed by the beating waves of floods, caused by the sudden thawing of snow and ice in the higher portion of our continent. These suggestions are thrown in for what they are worth. The reader can draw from them his own conclusion. .
GLACIERS AND GLACIER MOVEMENTS.
The subject of glaciers and the manner of their movement have ever been a mystery among physi- cists; and, although theories innumerable have been advanced from time to time in explanation of the phenomena, yet how glaciers move still remains an open question. Yet, however diversified the opinions of scientists may be on the subject of glaciers and glacial ice, there is one point on which all are agreed; and that is, that ice is the strangest and most pecu- liar substance in nature. While a body of ice ever maintains itself as a hard, obdurate substance, as un- yielding as glass to strain or tension, its behavior is not unlike wax or tar. Ice in a glacier accommo- dates itself to any and all inequalities of surface over which it travels, assuming a differential move- ment; proceeding faster at the top and middle, and slower at the bottom and sides; spreading out where the channel is broad, and gathering itself in where the channel is contracted to a gorge; and all of these movements without melting or breaking.
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
Now, how does a glacier assume all these anoma- lous conditions? In undertaking to answer this question in accordance with the ideas of modern science, we must first look a little way into the na- ture and properties of ice. In the first place, ice is not a hard, compact mass, as its appearance indicates -like a body whose particles are close packed upon each other-but a body of ice is made up of angular crystals, incapable of close contact, but joining each other only at their points. Hence, ice is a porous body, exhibiting throughout its entire mass innumer- able cavities or interstices. Now, in this arrange- ment lies the whole secret of glacier motion; for, in virtue of this arrangement, a glacier avails itself of that potential agent heat, in propelling itself along, not bodily, but molecule by molecule. A molecule of ice, on being attacked by a heat particle, instantly melts, and in its liquid form gravitates to lower levels, occupying an interstice lower down in the mass, where it instantly freezes, and, in assuming the crystalline form parts with the heat energy by which it was melted. This energy becoming free, immedi- ately attacks a neighboring molecule, which also melts, and falls into a still lower interstice; and so on until the heat particle may pass through the entire mass of ice, melting its way molecule by molecule, and as the molecules of ice continue to gravitate from higher to lower levels, it follows as a consequence
that the vertical dimensions of the ice sheet will diminish, and as the form and size of the ice crystals are constant the lateral dimensions of the ice sheet will increase, so that, where ice forms on a level surface, it spreads out in all directions, like molasses on a table. But an Alpine glacier, in making its descent, seeks some gorge or channel in the sides of the mountain, through which it flows, and maintains its entirety till, on reaching lower levels, it is arrested by the heat of the sun. A Greenland glacier, however, where the temperature of the atmosphere remains almost continually below the freezing point, flows through its fiord into the sea, where its terminal front is broken into fragments by the buoyancy of the water, and it floats away as icebergs. In this man- ner Greenland gets rid of its surplus ice, and the great mer de glace that envelops the country is main- tained in its normal dimensions, although the eternal snows of Greenland fall almost continuously the year round. This, in brief, is the philosophy of glacier motion, and there is wisdom in its conception, for were not the mountains provided with this mode of getting quit of their ice, every drop of water the seas contain would be carried up in vapor by the atmos- phere and condensed into snows, would fall upon their summits to remain, and the whole earth would become dried up and frozen up.
CHAPTER III. AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
M UCH has been written heretofore by the geolo- gist, traveler and agriculturist concerning the famous black swamp region on the northerly edge of which lies Defiance County. Though cursing in former years the depth of water, which well-nigh submerged the luckless traveler, and the adhesiveness of the soil hindering rapid transit, all have agreed that when the enterprise of man should make itself felt in the application of common sense to the nat- ural laws of drainage, the retiring waters would dis- close to the rapturous gaze of the husbandman a land of richness and fertility unequaled by that of the valley of the Nile. The prophecy has been ful- filled, and though scarce sixty years have elapsed since the forester's ax first broke the primeval stillness of its forests, to-day witnesses the wisdom of our fathers in choosing for their home the land where plenty al- ways is.
Defiance County, though one of the youngest coun-
ties of the State. having been made a distinctive geo- graphical subdivision in 1845, had made rapid prog- ress as a county, in its productions and manufact- ures, because of this fertility of soil and the abun- dant forests of oak, hickory, ash, elm and other valu- able varieties of timber which clothed its whole ex- panse. Gradually, year by year the encroachments of progress have laid bare the virgin soil and ex- posed its surface to the ambitious husbandman, who has here as elsewhere been the pioneer of substan- tial enterprise and civilization.
Defiance County has an area of about 414 square miles' or nearly 256,606 acres. It is divided into twelve townships, viz .: Adams, Defiance, Delaware, Farmer, Hicksville, Highland, Mark, Milford, Noble, Richland, Tiffin and Washington. Each of these townships is comprised of thirty-six square sections or miles, except four-Defiance, Highland, Noble and Richland. £ Defiance has about 16,965 acres;
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
Noble about 13,795 acres; Richland, 22,108 acres, and Highland, about 22,807 acres in all.
The Manmee, Auglaize, Tiffin and St. Joe Rivers water and drain these broad acres. Nature has done much for the county through these trunks sewers, and the convenience in the item of transportation alone has added thousands of dollars to its permanent wealth.
The Manmee River, the largest of these streams, has its commencement in the northeastern portion of the State of Indiana, and is formed by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Mary's Rivers. Its general course from its source is in a northeasterly direction, entering Defiance County at the southwest corner of Delaware Township, and, meandering through the south portion of that township, enters Defiance Town- ship on its northwest corner, follows the line between Noble and Defiance Townships, flows almost due east, passes through Sections 23 and 24 of the latter town- ship and enters Richland Township; from then'ce, bearing in the same general northeasterly course it finds its outlet in Lake Erie. At Defiance, the body of the Maumee is swollen by the waters of the Au- glaize River which is commonly known as a branch of the Maumee. The Auglaize has its source about a hundred miles southerly from the city of Defi- ance, and being supplied by the waters of a multitude of small streams on its course northward, forms at its emptying into the Maumee a stream of considerable magnitude-this stream enters the county near the southwesterly corner of Defiance Township, and bear- ing in a northeasterly direction forms a confluence with the Maumee River in Section 24 of the latter township.
Tiffin River has its course in Southern Michigan, flows south, entering Defiance County at the north- west corner of Tiffin Township, traverses the central and western portions of that township aud enters the north side of Noble Township near the center thereof and flowing southeast empties into the Maumee near the city of Defiance; this stream is much smaller at its place of discharge than either the Maumee or Au- glaize Rivers.
The St. Joe River enters and leaves the county at the northwest corner of Milford Township, having scarcely four miles of its length therein.
The soil of Defiance County is varied. Adams Township, one of the best farming regions of the county and the largest producer, is generally of a rich, black, sandy loam soil, and is famous for its production of wheat, corn and tobacco. The general level of the township is high and is well drained, its waters flowing southeasterly to the Maumee River.
Tiffin Township, like its neighbor, Adams Town- ship, has much the same soil, though if anything it
has more of an admixture of strong, rich clay. Its productions are mainly wheat, corn and oats. This township is cut by the Tiffin River, and is in the main well drained, its surplus waters flowing through numerous small creeks to the above named river. The surface of this township is undulating.
Washington Township, which stands high as pro- ducing large crops, has the rich, black, sandy loam and clay for its soil. Some portions of the township are not yet thoroughly drained, and a considerable quantity of timber is still standing. Wheat, corn and oats are its principal productions. Its waters flow to the Tiffin River, and there are a number of artesian wells in this township.
Farmer Township is one of the older townships. The soil is mostly a rich, black, sandy loam, and the high state of cultivation which it is under makes it one of the foremost in the county. In the northwest corner is a tamarack swamp, in part the head of Lost Creek. Near this for some distance the land is of a black muck formation. Its small streams flow southeasterly and find an outlet in the swamps of Mark Township, whence it reaches the Maumee River.
Milford Township has much waste, marshy land, but artificial drainage is fast reclaiming the land, which is of black muck formation. Much of the land is strong clay and black, sandy loam. It has within its boundaries several small lakes-Ladd's Lake be- ing the most notable, it being the deepest. Around these lakes the land is quite rolling. The general sur- face of the township is undulating. The cereal pro- ductions rank high. Lost Creek heads in part in the township. The valley of the St. Joe is celebrated for its fertility and its enormous yield of wheat. The water-shed of the township runs from the northeast to the southwest, the waters on the west thereof running to the St. Joe River and those on the east to the Maumee.
Hicksville Township. The easterly and south- erly sides of this township are still quite heavily timbered with soft wood-mostly elm. The soil, more particularly in the north part of the township, is of black, sandy loam, and rich as any soil under the sun. In the southerly part of the township we find much of the black loam, but mingled with clay. There are on the south and east extensive marshy tracts which are being rapidly drained, exposing a black, mucky formation. Platter Creek Marsh and Gordon Creek Marshes lie partly in this township. The natural drainage is all in a southeasterly di- rection to the Maumee River. The westerly and northerly parts of the township are higher and undu- lating, while the southerly and easterly portions are somewhat flat. The productions of this township are extensive, and mainly the cereals -wheat, corn and oats
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
Mark Township lies lower than any other town- ship of the county. Platter Creek Marsh and Gordon Creek Marshes being mainly in this township, the artificial drainage, is extensive and systematic, and many thousands of acres of the black muck land have been reclaimed within the last decade. We find lit- tle clay in the township, and it is believed that in time this township will be the most productive in the county. The streams and drainage all tend to the Maumee River.
Delaware Township, while having much rich land, has much clay land unfit for large production, the bottom lands of the valley of the Maumee, exception - ally rich and productive, being added to in strength each year by the deposits which the freshets bring down. There is still some low land which a little drainage will entirely reclaim. The waters on the north tier of sections drain to the Tiffin River, while the balance all drain to the Maumee, now on the southeast.
Noble Township is the smallest in the county, and has some hard clay and much strong, productive land. The land for a distance back from the Maumee and Tiffin Rivers is rolling and irregular, but the river farms are fertile as well as most of those farther back. In the north of this township we find a quan- tity of the rich black sandy loam, The waters drain mostly to the Tiffin River.
Defiance Township, containing the city of Defi- ance, is one of the least productive of the county. How- ever, the strong clay soil of which most of its area is supplied, is excellent for wheat. We find some black sandy loam and rich river bottom lands which here as elsewhere will grow anything requiring strength and richness of soil. The surface of the township is reg- ular except near the rivers. The waters of the south portion of the township flow to the Auglaize River; those on the north to the Maumee. Immediately south of the city of Defiance, on the Auglaize River, there is an inexhanstible deposit of shaly rock from which hydraulic cements are made. This rock crops out in and near this stream, and extends far back into the surface for miles. The river at and along these croppings is paved with this natural flooring. Ge- ologists assert the large extent of this rock, and ere-
long the leading industry of the city of Defiance will be the manufacture of hydraulic cement, the principal outcroppings of which are abont three miles south of the city. Near this point is Blodget's Island, in the Auglaize River, on which is situated a large mound, probably of the era of the mound builders. In height this mound is about twenty-five feet, in circumference about 200 feet. Its location is near the center of the island, which is circular in form. Explorations made into the side of the pile indicate its use at some time as a place of interment of the dead.
Richland Township has a great variety of soil along the river, the lands are rich and strong. We find black, sandy loam, clay aud yellow sand. On the north part of the township there is still standing a quantity of timber, mostly soft wood. Along the river, particularly upon the north side thereof, the farms are of high productive quality, and the total area of the township under cultivation is well farmed. The natural drainage is to the Maumee River.
Highland Township has much rich, productive. land, and some less productive. Its sand ridges are in the main very sustaining to crops of cereals. There is some land off the ridges which is still in timber, both hard and soft wood; there is little poor land in the township. The southwest portion of the township drains to the Auglaize River, and the bal- ance to the Maumee.
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