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 69
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Christopher Hootman was born March 10, 1818, in Washington County, Penn., and came to Ashland County, then in Wayne, to Perry Township, in 1826. He married Miss Sarah A. Winbigler, sister of John J. and daughter of John and Mary Winbigler, No- vember 11, 1841. He removed to Rowsburg in 1843, and from thence to La Grange County, Ind., in 1846, where he remained one summer, and then returned to Jeromeville, Ashland County, in the fall of 1846, and worked in company with John J., his brother, at the blacksmith business for three years, and then went to Montgomery Township, in the same county, where he remained one year, and then returned to Jeromeville, where he remained until 1859, and re- moved to Milford Township, Defiance County, where he now resides. The settlers at the time of his ar- rival were quite sparse; Mr. W. G. Pierce, N. Z. Stone, N. Larabe, N. T. Smith, C. Irish and others were his nearest neighbors. At that time, game had not entirely left the forests. There was an occasional bear, a few deer and many wild turkeys. The remain- ing forests were heavily timbered and hard to clear. For milling, he generally attended the Webster Mill in De Kalb County, Ind.
Alpha Stone was born May 15, 1797, in Luzerne, Warren Co., N. Y., and Rhoda Orton, his wife, was born December 1, 1800, in Willsboro, N. Y. to whom he was married September 6, 1818. They had a family of nine children, all of whom lived to become men and women, but one. Mr. Stone removed with his family to Milford Township in 1846, and in 1856 to Farmer Township, where he died three years later.
Isaac Wartenbee was born in Brooke County, Va., January 24, 1794, and came to Morgan County, Ohio, with his parents when three years of age, and removed from there to Muskingum County when twelve years old, and to Farmer Township, Defiance County, in 1834. Was married to Miss Mercy Robinson, of Brooke County, Va., in 1817. He settled on Section 30 in Farmer Township, on lands row owned by Mil- ler Arrowsmith, and helped organize Farmer Town- ship in 1836, being one of the voters of the first election, and was the third family who settled in the township. Mr. Wartenbee died in March, 1860, aged sixty-six years. Mrs. Wartenbee died October 20, 1838, aged forty-four years. Their family were An- gelina, Aaron R., Jane, Mercy, Mary, Amanda and Mergeline. These children all grew up and married. Amanda married William Henry, of Hicksville; Mer-
geline married Stephen Strong, of Newville, Ind. ; Mercy married Nathaniel Crary, now of Hicksville; Angeline married Daniel Coy, of Milford Township, who died June 22, 1857, aged forty-three years. The family of Mr. Coy consisted of Albert, Mercy, Flora, Frank, Eunice, Daniel and Edith. These are all living but the last named; Albert served fifteen months in the late war and returned all right. He served in Kentucky and Virginia, and was discharged at Alexandria December 8, 1865. Mrs. Daniel Coy was the first person married in Farmer Township, Sep- tember 6, 1838. The death of Mrs. Wartenbee, as be- fore stated, was October 20, 1838, and was the first death in the township. Mr. Arrowsmith furnished the lum- ber for her coffin. The first Methodist preaching was at the funeral of Mrs. Wartenbee, by George W. Chapman. Mr. Wartenbee served as Justice of the Peace in the township of Hicksville. Was also a member of the Disciples Church.
Charles W. Barry was born in Milton Township, Chittenden County, Vt., January 9, 1823, and at- tended district school in his native place until he was fourteen years of age, when he removed to Erie, Penn, there attending the academy three years, and for six months teaching mathematics in Room 2. In October, 1840, he came to this township, travel- ing on foot from Maumee City to Defiance, and there being no bridge at Defiance, he was ferried over by Mr. Strait. At that time people had almost a horror of the black swamp, consequently there was little emigration here at that time, whereas now there is no better spot in the country than this. Mr. Barry tanght school at $10 a month, and received over $5 a month from the State funds, the balance being raised by parents in proportion to the number of children sent. He taught school eight winters, aud as there was no money in those days, deer hides and coon skins were a legal tender. He has in his possession a grindstone received from Rev. N. Crary, 1843, for a school bill, which has done service ever since. He went to Defiance in 1843, twenty-five miles distant, with an ox team and twenty bushels of wheat, which he sold for $10, and bought a barrel of salt for $18. He mar- ried, April 2, 1845, Miss Uretta C. Hopkins, who came from St. Lawrence County, N Y., to Farmer Township. Their family consists of Zoviah, born April 23, 1846; and Wesley O., born August 23, 1848. Mr. Barry has resided on the same farm since 1845. In 1846, he was elected J. P., and has held the office twenty-four years. His first case was in the summer of 1846, without law books or previous experience. The plaintiff came in the morning, stating that defendant had taken some of his corn stalks in the division of a field of fodder. He issued a summons about 9 o'clock, and made it re-
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turnable at 3 o'clock the same day. The parties ap peared, and plaintiff obtained a judgment about 6 o'clock, and if that day had been one hour longer, he would have collected the debt by execution.
A. W. Wilcox was born in Oneida County, N. Y., June 4, 1817. His parents were from Connecticut. In the fall of 1840, Mr. Wilcox came to Milford Town- ship and entered a farın of 200 acres. He was mar- ried, March 24, 1842, to Margaret, daughter of Will- iam aud Marguet (Collins) Fee, who came to St. Joseph Township. Williams County, in the fall of 1828, there being then but two other families in the township, those of Dicas and Avery. Mr. Fee had twelve children, who all grew up and were married. But six of them now are living, two in this county Mrs. Wilcox and her brother Samuel, both in Milford Township. Samuel on Section 21. Mr. Fee died the same year he came to the county, in 1828, while from home to enter land for a future home, leaving Mrs. Fee to struggle through with a large family. Mrs. Fee entered a farm near what is known as Edgerton, in Williams County, where she raised her family. She died at her daughter's, Mrs. Wilcox, in Milford, September 29, 1876, aged about eighty eight years. Mrs. Wilcox was born in Gallia County, Ohio, November 11, 1824; was seven years old when she came with her parents to Williams County. Her brothers, Thomas and John, had to go to La Grange County, Ind., forty miles, for grain for the family, and on their arrival there had to thresh the wheat and husk the corn in the fields in the snow, as the people there were generally sick at that time, of ague and bilious fever. After being gone three weeks, on their return they got within ten miles from home and came to a stream partially frozen, so the team could not cross, and Thomas shouldered a sack of meal, arriving home on foot at midnight, Johu re- maining with the team. For their trading they had to go to Defiance as their nearest point, twenty-five miles distant.
George W. Chapman, the subject of this sketch was born in Gill, Mass., on the 29th day of Septem- ber, 1803, at which place he resided till the year 1821, when he removed to St. Lawrence County, N. Y. On the 31st day of December, 1822, he married Miss Narcissus Hopkins, of the above-named county. Here Mr. and Mrs. Chapman began a life which proved to be one of toil and hardship, yet withal a most interesting and useful one. Mr. Chapman be- ing a skilled carpenter, found no lack for work, but in the hope of finding a more desirable location, he moved with his family to Canada in the year 1828 or 1829. There he resided till the fall of 1837, when yielding to the ambitions of their young natures. they resolved to emigrate to the West and choose them a
home from the forest lands of Western Ohio. No sooner was the resolution formed than preparations were begun for its execution. Such of the household furniture as could be conveniently carried was loaded on a wagon, and Mr. Chapman, with his wife and several small children, started with a single team of horses and heavy loaded wagon upon a trip that at this day would seem impossible to accomplish. They proceeded directly to Geauga County in this State, where they stopped for a short time to rest up their horses and decide upon a place to locate. Leaving his family, Mr. Chapman proceeded upon horseback to Milford Township, where he entered 240 acres of land, a part of which was the farm upon which he now resides. He immediately returned to Geauga, and having purchased a yoke of oxen and another wagon, he again set out with his family for his chosen home, where he arrived the 1st of February, 1838. The trip from Canada to Milford Township was one of hardship and fatigue, having been made during the fall and winter months through a new and unimproved country, a great part of the road be- ing through dense wood, with nothing but blazed trees to indicate where the road was. It is almost a wonder that the journey was accomplished at all. After arriving upon his land, Mr. Chapman proceeded at once to erect a log cabin and prepare for the com- fort of his family. Chancy P. Lowry, Dinnis Boyles and Eli Coy were about the only neighbors, and each man had to depend upon himself alone to do his work. The roads had at that time been mostly surveyed, but with the exception of now and then a fallen log re- moved or a standing tree blazed, there was little else to indicate the line of a road. Mr. Chapman went upon the line of road passing through the center of Milford Township, and, unassisted, felled the trees, removed the logs and cleared a wagon track from his farm west to the St. Joe River, a distance of four miles. Mr. Chapman continued to work at his trade, doing a great part of the building in that section of the county. He also worked at masonry and brick work, and, as well, that of cabinet-making. The first schoolhouse in that district was built upon Mr. Chapman's land, and the first school taught was by Harriet, his eldest daughter. This schoolhouse was. burned down in a short time, and until another one could be built Mr. Chapman's carpenter shop was converted into a schoolhouse. Like most of the pio- neers, Mr. Chapman was very fond of hunting, a vo- cation in which he frequently indulged, and as the woods were infested with game, such as turkey, deer, raccoons, wolves, and all smaller game, he was quite a successful hunter, having killed forty deer in one winter, the fore-quarters of which he kept for his own nse and gave to neighbors; the hind-quarters he
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
carried to market and sold for from 2 to 2} cents per pound. One day as Mr. Chapman was walking along the road on his way home from Farmer Center, he came upon a small, pale looking man, sitting upon a log by the roadsido. Mr. Chapman approached him and inquired rather abruptly why he was sit- ting there. The strangor replied that he was sick and had sat down to rest, and that he did not believo he could travel any farther. "Get right on my back," said Mr. Chapman, "and I will carry you." This was said by Mr. Chapman as a joke, but the stranger af. ter looking at him for a short time, arose and said he believed he would act on Mr. Chapman's suggestion. Now this was rather more than Mr. Chapman had ex- pected, but he determined not to be backed down. He allowed the stranger to get upon his back, and taking hold of him as a father would his small boy, if he were carrying him on his back, Mr. Chapman started off upon the road, nor did he get relieved of his load till he had carried him in this manner for nearly a mile, when the stranger said he would go south from there and asked to be let down. After thanking Mr. Chapman and saying that he felt much better and believed he could easily walk home from there, the two men separated, the stranger going south and Mr. Chapman proceeding toward his home. Now this stranger turned out to be none other than Mr. Jesse Haller, a man afterward very well known throughout the county as Squiro Haller, he having served for several years as Justice of the Peace. Mr. Haller and Mr. Chapman having never met before, neither knew the other party to the strange meeting. The matter was nearly forgotten when the two men chanced to meet a year or two afterward, and each recognized the other. The matter was spoken of and Mr. Haller, by way of explanation said, " When you came up to me and asked me to get on your back, I looked at you and concluded you were crazy, and I was afraid to refuse your offer for fear of offending you; besides, I thought it would be safer on a crazy man's back than any other place." Mr. Chapman and Mr. Haller were always afterward very warm friends, and often visited each other, but they never met without having a laugh about the latter's ride upon the back of (as he supposed) a mad man. Mr. Chap- man has been an active member of the United Breth- ren Church since 1840, having helped to organize the first society of that denomination ever organized in Milford, and for which society he labored as local preacher for many years. Mr. Chapman's children consisted of four boys and five girls, viz. : Royal, Ly- man, George, Ervin, Harriet, Jemmia, Huldah, Roby and Mary Jane, two of whom are now dead, the others married. Mrs. Narcissus Chapman de. parted this life August 27, 1870, aged sixty-nine
years. Mr. Chapman married Miss Dolly Crary, of Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., on the 5th day of February, 1877, with whom he is now living on his old farm in Milford Township. T'hus it will be seen that Mr. Chapman can truthfully be called one of the most interesting characters of pioneer life in De- fiance County; having come here when our county was one vast wilderness, he has lived to see it devel- oped into a rich county; has seen nearly the whole of the first generation of its people pass away and the second grow to old age, and although he is now up- ward of eighty years old, yet with the exception of a crippled limb caused by an injury received while moving to this county, he is enjoying comparatively good health, and still works at the carpenter bench.
Merrill Otis. Jesse Otis, father of Merrill, was born in Vermont; Charlotte Davey, his mother, was born in Maryland. Merrill, their second son, was born March 4, 1820, in Wayne County, Ohio. He lived with his parents until twenty-one years of age, receiving a common school education. On March 4, 1841, he was married to Margaret Saltzman, daugh. ter of George and Mary (Cook) Saltzman. Some time during the same year, they moved to Stark County, Ohio, where they remained until 1843, then return- ing to Wayne County. In 1847, he made himself a permanent home on a quarter-section of land in the then wilds of Milford Township. Here he still re- sides, carrying on his farm, and also an agricultural store in Hicksville. Two years of this time-1867 and 1868 -- he lived in Bryan, Ohio, for the purpose of educating his children. Merrill Otis has served four years as County Commissioner, one year by appoint- ment and three by election. The names of the chil- dren are as follows: William D. was born Decem- ber 14, 1841, in Stark County, Ohio. He served three years in the civil war, after which he entered college, graduating in the classical course from Den- nison University, Granville, Ohio. Then entered the Medical College at Cleveland, graduating from there in 1873. The same year, he was married to Miss Hattie Howe, of Granville, and is now a practicing physician in Hicksville. George K., born March 11, 1844, in Wayne County, Ohio. He also entered the army with his brother, but health failing, he was obliged to return home after serving his country ten months. He took a commercial course at Cleveland. In 1867, he was married to Miss Sarah Hilburt. No- vember 27, 1882, she died, leaving two children. He is now engaged in the real estate and agricultural busi- ness in Hicksville. Eliza E., born December 14, 1846, in Wayne County. Was educated at Bryan, Ohio, and taught six years in the public schools of Hicksville. Jesse, born August 17, 1849, in Defi- nace County. He lived at hoine, working with his
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
father on the farm until 1874, when he was suddenly stricken with pneumonia, and after a few days' severe illness, died, March 17. Mary C., born June 24, 1653. She has received a liberal education at Ober- lin, Ohio, paying special attention to music. Amanda J. was born February 21, 1855. Received her edu- cation at Oberlin, Ohio. She was married to Mr. R. F. Kerr, of Hicksville. Salathial, born December
12, 1857; died when seven weeks old. Tryphena M., born April 26, 1859. With the exception of one year, when she was from home attending school, she re- ceived her education at Hicksville. Ida O., born May 4, 1863, was educated at the public schools of Hicksville, Ohio. With the exception of Mrs. Kerr, the girls are all at home.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
NOBLE TOWNSHIP-PERSONAL REMINISCENCES.
T THIS is the only inland township in Defiance County. It is bounded on the north by Tiffin Township, on the east by Richland, on the south by Defiance and on the west by Delaware. It is the small- est township in the county, embracing nearly all of Town 4 north, Range 4 east, which lies north of the Maumee, a little more than twenty-two sections. The Maumee forms a part of its southern boundary and the Tiffin River flows south through its territory. Brunersburg, the only village in the township, con- taining about 300 people, was laid out by Daniel Bruner and Henry Zeller in May, 1834. The origi- nal plat consisted of only twenty-eight lots, but five additions have since been made to it.
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES.
Brice Hilton, one of the few. remaining pioneers of Defiance County, was born March 13, 1808, the son of Joshna and Hepzibah (Hil'on) Hilton, both of wbom were born in Starks, Somerset Co., Me., the former June 17, 1780, the latter July 2, 1785. His grandfather, Benjamin Hilton, was a resident of the same county and a miller by trade and occupation. Joshua and Hepzibah Hilton were married in Somer- set County, Me., October 10, 1805. Joshna was a miller, like his father, and made milling his life pur- suit. His children were Mary, born August 2, 1806, married Clark Philbrick March 15, 1827, and the same spring moved with her husband to Geauga County, Ohio; Brice, the subject of this sketch, born March 13, 1808; Thomas H., born June 25, 18:0, died September 6, 1826; John born October 14, 1811, died February 9, 1838; Ezra, born June 4, 1813, died September 28, 1846; Horace, born August 31, 1815, die1 in Osborne County, Kan., December 28, 1874; Eben, born August 21, 1818, died September 16, 1848; Benjamin and an infant daughter, de- ceased, born September 10, 1820; Benjamin died November 5, 1865; Richard, born September 18,
1823, died Angust 17, 1848. In September, 1817, Joshua Hilton with his family emigrated in a three- horse wagon from Maine to Ohio, reaching the town of Reading, Hamilton County, December 2. The following April he moved to a farm in Butler County, paying a cash rental of $100 for one year, at the expiration of which he removed to Carthage, and in the fall of the same year (1819) moved to Miami County, where he remained till the fall of 1822. In January, 1822, he made a journey afoot to Defiance and vicinity, having with him maps of the surrounding townships, for the purpose of selecting a farm. While here he stopped at the tavern of Robert Shirley. Mr. Hilton returned home, then went to Piqua, where the land office was located, and entered 140 acres on the south side of the Manmee, immediately above the plat of West Defiance, where he removed with his family, December 3, 1822. In the spring of that year, he had come with his son Thomas to plant a crop of corn, but having no land cleared, Judge Shirley permitted him to put out as much corn as he wished on the land opposite the old fair ground on an old Indian improvement. With his ox team he broke the blue grass sod and planted six acres, which yielded enough corn to last the family one year. Mr. Hilton erected the first log cabin between Defiance and Fort Wayne on the Maumee, except one, built by a Mr. Rodger, five miles below Fort Wayne. Mr. Hilton also built the first brick house in the county, except two at De- fiance. He was a Whig, and died August 15, 1835. His wife died September 24, 1850. Brice Hilton spent his youth in working for his father and attend- ing what schools were then available. During the winter of 1820, he attended school in Cincinnati, re- maining about nine months After he reached Will- iams County with his father, his e lucational advan. tages were indeed meager, but he had already mas- tered Stephen Pitts' Arithmetic, Bonnicastle's Algebra and Greenleaf's Grammar. He studied surveying and
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
practiced it to some extent. From 1824 to 1830, he cleared land, boated on the river, split rails, hunted and worked on the farm. He then went to live with Dr. John Evans; read medicine with him, and after practicing it six months, abandoned the profession. In May, 1834, he went to Brunersburg with a stock of goods, having formed a partnership with Foreman Evans. At the end of twelve years, he sold out to his brother, Benjamin Hilton, and bought a farm adjoining Brunersburg. He has ever since followed farming, but in connection with it has been engaged in other pursuits, among them stock-dealing, taking contracts for building bridges, cutting out and piking roads, building embankments, etc. In 1850, he purchased the Brunersburg Mill property and in 1854 erected a grist mill, which he still operates. In 1855, he built a saw mill just opposite, which he ran till recently. In 1844, he bought the Brunerebrug Tannery and operated it for thirty years in connection with a shoe shop. About 1863, he built, on Lot 182, Brunersburg, mostly with his own means, a Universalist Church, which now has a membership of sixty-two. Mr. Hil- ton was married, December 4, 1836, to Sophia Ut- benhour, who was born near Winchester, Va., July 29, 1821, and emigrated with her father's family to Williams County in 1835. Of their two daughters and ten sons, but five sons survive-Walter, born February 12, 1845, a merchant of Defiance; Ezra, born Jannary 7, 1847, now a merchant at Pioneer, Will- iams County; "Gilmore, born August, 9, 1850, now liv. ing at Brunersburg; Lyman, born January 20, 1860, at home; John, born September 2, 1862, at home, teaching school. Mr. Hilton in early life was a Clay Whig, and is now a Republican.
John Perkins was the first settler in Noble Town- ship, and moved from near Chillicothe to the Mau- mee Valley as a surveyor in 1816. He assisted in surveying the lands of Northwest Ohio, under the contract taken by Gen. Riley. Ho purchased the lands upon which the Brunersburg Mills now stand; soon moved on and commenced building a saw-mill and built a dam. In 1828, he built a grist mill at the end of the dam opposite the saw mill and contin- ned to run both until 1833, when he sold out, mov- ing to La Fayette, Williams County, where he built a mill. He was one of the first Judges of Williams County. He raised the first wheat in the township in 1826.
James Partee came with Perkins to help to build the mill, married a daughter of Mr. Perkins, bought lands just above Brunersburg, cleared up a farm and lived with his family thereon until his death a few years ago.
John Plummer also came with Perkins, helped built the mill, bought land in Tiffin Township, and
cleared up a farm. The next settlers were William Buck, W. Kibble, John Partee, John Lawrence, O. Webb, Enoch Partee, and S. Hughes, who came here as a millwright.
John Partee was born May 15, 1812, in Ross County, Ohio, and came with his parents, John and Nancy Partee, to Defiance County in 1823. Their route was by Sidney and Wapakoneta and by the Au- glaize River, to old Fort Amanda and Fort Jen- nings; thence down the river to old Fort Defiance, which was yet partially preserved, as well as old Fort Winchester, which at that time was a " stockade," not far from the present site of the Russell House, on the west bank of the Auglaize River. He staid all night at Brunersburg. Mr. John Perkins had a mill at that place. Itis now the " Hilton" Mill. At that time there were but two houses on Bean Creek, in which the town of Brunersburg is located. These houses were occu. pied by John Perkins and Joseph Partee. Mr. Per- kins sold the mill to Daniel Bruner in 1839. Perkins removed to Pulaski, Williams County, and built an- other mill. From what is now Brunersburg, Mr. Par- tee says he cut to the place where he now resides. At that time there were large numbers of Pottawatomie and Ottawa Indians in the county on what was then called " Bean Creek," now the Tiffin River. He says it was called that name because many French and Indians resided along its bottoms and raised great quantities of beans and corn, which were grown in patches along the rich bottoms and eaten by the In- dians and French for food. The old chief. Occon- oxee, often visited him. He also became acquainted with an old Indian by the name of "Shane," who stated he was born under the " old apple tree " across the Maumee River, opposite Defiance. There were then but few buildings. Old Fort Defiance and Fort Winchester were then used as houses. David Hull, a relation of the General, built the first ferry-boat across the Maumee River at Defiance. Mr. Partee states that large numbers of bullets were found on the banks of the Maumee when he first came to the county, and sometimes brass kettles were found hid in hollow trees, no doubt left by the Indians during the campaign of Wayne in 1794. Mr. Partee married Miss Mercy Brown, October 10, 1839. Their family consists of Alvaro (dead), Reuben (dead), Sirena, Mahala, Frank. Clara I. and Warren A. Alvaro was killed at the battle of Chickamauga, in the war of 1861-65. The first settlers were Obadiah Webb, Will- iam Travis, Peter Blain, Thomas Carr, John Perkins, Joseph, Enoch and James Partee, Sr .. John Law- rence, Enos Partee. William Buck, William Graham, Brice Hilton, William Doty and John Whistler. Deer, bear, wolves, wild catsand smaller game were quite plenty; wild honey was abundant. Mr. Perkins
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