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 70
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
found three bee trees in one day. At the time of the excitement about the line of Ohio and Michigan, when the citizens of Defiance expected war, he re- members that the line was surveyed by Miller Ar- rowsmith and Sydney Sprague and others, and of a great charge upon them and their retreat, which proved quite a rich joke, and was told with many exag- gerations, at the time, but the excitement died out and no harm was done. Mr. John Partee died on the old farm owned by his son John, about 1844, aged about eighty years. He was a soldier in the war of 1812; James and Joseph Partee were also soldiers in the war of 1812. The first school was taught by W. W. Sellick in a double log cabin where Enoch and Jo- seph Partee's families lived. Mr. Brice Hilton was also an early teacher. Cannot give the number of schools taught in the township. There are two Meth- odist Episcopal Churches, one United Brethren and one Evangelical Church, which cost about $1,000. Rev. Bechtol is the United Brethren pastor. Mr. Partee attended school when taught by Mr. Brice Hilton.
Barnett G. Statler was born in Danville, Knox Co., Ohio, March 2, 1822, son of Mathias Statler, who was born in Hagerstown, Va., December 28, 1787. Mathias Statler, Sr., Barnett's grandfather, when a boy fourteen or fifteen years old, in 1764, ran away from his home in Berlin, Germany, and concealed himself in a vessel which sailed for America, landing at New York in November, 1764. He served during the Revolution, and for a gallant act, whereby he saved an officer's life, he was given a farm near Hagerstown, Md. He had determined to return to Germany and wed, if possible, a young woman, Katie, the playmate of his youth, but shortly before sailing, a German emigrant ship arrived with his mother and Katie on board. Mathias and Katie were married and settled on the farm near Hagers- town. Of their four children, Mathias was the eld- est. At seventeen, he left home, went to Pittsburgh and there learned the blacksmith trade. At the age of twenty, he removed to Stillwater, Belmont Co., Ohio, and worked at the trade. January 1, 1811, he married Nancy Groves, a daughter of Capt. Groves, a Revolutionary officer. She was born April 25, 1793, the eldest of a family of thirteen children. Her father was English and her mother Irish. Mathias was drafted in the service in the fall of 1814 and left Stillwater with twenty-five others for Fort Meigs. They arrived just in time to assist in burying the dead, and soon after went to Fort Defiance. When they reached it, peace was declared, and they returned home. Mathias soon after removed to Danville, Knox County, where he engaged in backsmithing and keeping tavern. Shortly after, his house was destroyed
by fire and the eldest daughter, Rebecca, perished in the flames. Of their thirteen children, ten grew to manhood and womanhood. Of these, Barnett learned the blacksmith trade. He traveled about a great deal, and at Lima, Ohio, met Laura E. Slayton, whom he married December 29, 1845. She was of Scotch and English descent. After marriage, they removed to Kalida, Putnam County, where he worked at his frade eight months. He'came to Defiance August 1, 1846, and blacksmithed for William Warren a short time at $20 per month. He then built a shop on the site of P. Kettenring's machine shops, and later further down the canal near Green's printing office. He fol- lowed this trade here for thirteen years; then traded his property and removed to the farm in Noble Township where he now resides. He has since fol- lowed farming very successfully. Mr. Statler has five children, three daughters and two sons.
William Travis, one of the early settlers of Deli- ance County, was born in Adams County, Ohio, Febru- ary 1, 1800. His parents were formerly from Ken- tucky, moving from there to Adams County, Ohio, and remaining until March, 1809, when they moved to the county of Delaware, remaining in this county until 1819, when Mr. Travis left his father's house and came to Fort Defiance. He returned to Dela- ware County the same year, remaining until the sum- mer of 1822, and on the 23d of July, 1822, was mar- ried to Miss Mary C. Swartz, of Delaware County. Mr. Travis, his wife and one child, accompanied by David Perdue, his wife and one child, on the Ist of March, 1824, started from Delaware County to come . to this county. They loaded their goods and effects belonging to both families on a big wagon which was drawn by two yoke of oxen and one horse. They came across the country through the woods, cutting their way a part of the time, the woods being thick and the roads narrow and not much traveled. The tim- ber would fall across the road and would have to be cut away by them before they could pass on their way. Passed through the counties of Delaware, Union, Champaign and Miami, then turned to the St. Mary's River. On arriving at the river, they met with Oliver Crain, who had a large dugout, a boat made out of a large tree. He, too, was coming to this county, and they made arrangements with him to bring their families and goods on this boat down the river to Defiance; they helped manage the boat on the way down as a compensation to him for bring- ing their families and goods. Before they reached Defiance, they bought the boat of Mr. Crain, he stop- ping off in Crain Township, Paulding County. They brought their goods on to Defiance, landing here on the 1st day of April, 1824. Mr. Travis then settled on the Auglaize River, south of Defiance, about one
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
mile up the stream on the east side on what was then called the Shirley farm, where he raised a crop of corn, which he fed to stock cattle; he took them to Detroit, Mich., and there sold his cattle at $4 net weight and took his pay in leather; came home and disposed of the leather as best he could and purchased land on the river at Delaware Bend. He lived there for a few years, sold out and purchased land below on the river in Delaware Township, now known as the Elias Bruner farm. From there he moved to Defiance, bought property and kept hotel for a short time; also bought other property in the neighborhood, then sold his property in Defiance and purchased the land in Noble Township that he after- ward cleared up and made his home till his death, which occurred March 3, 1882. His wife died Feb- ruary 11, 1872. Their children were eleven in num- ber, of whom the following survive: Permillia (Armstrong), William C., an attorney of Defiance, Nancy A. (Swartz), of Defiance; Foreman E., of Defi- ance; David, of Noble Township; and Martha E. (Williams). The deceased are John, who was lost on the ill-fated Central America, on his way home from California, in September, 1857; and Mary Harriet Gilliman first, and Gilliman second, who died young. By the fruits of his labor, Mr. Travis saved a sufficiency for himself and family during his life, and at the same time contributed to the relief of the poor whenever the necessities of the case required it, and also contributed to public improvements. He was an active business man, always prompt to meet any engagement that he would make or any demands brought against him, and was considered by all that knew him to be a straightforward and upright bus- iness man, energetic and determined in anything that he undertook to do. He was a great reader in his day, and a man of a wonderful memory and of good mind, the latter of which he retained up to the last moment of life.
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL REMINISCENCES.
BY LYMAN LANGDON.
I was born September 9, 1809, at South Canton, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. My father was born in Fishkill, Dutchess Co., N. Y .; my mother was born in the town of Dorset, Bennington Co., Vt. My childhood was spent iu going to school three months in summer and to school again next winter, to re- learn what we learned the season before, and helping on the farm, except on Saturdays, where we fished for brook trout and were very successful. At the age of eighteen, I commenced teaching common school- taught for nine winters. At the age of twenty-three was married to Fannie Marie Sanford, then living in the same neighborhood, who was born in Bridgeport,
Addison Co., Vt., July 7, 1811. We have had ten children, four eldest and the youngest are deceased. Those living are Lucia A., at home; Adeline A., mar- ried to J. M. Bridenbaugh, living in Toledo, Ohio, in the provision trade; Emma B., married to J. A. Sheffield, farmer, in this (Noble) township; Ruth Almira, married to Oren A. Sisco, of this county, now in mercantile trade in Augusta, Butler Co., Kan .; and Grace E., married to J. W. Reid, of this county, and now in business with J. M. Bridenbaugh. In 1835, farming in Northern New York was at a low ebb; most of the farms were purchased on time, of the Harrisons and Van Renselaers, and some on Brown's tract. Settlers had all they could do to clear up the forests, make roads and build necessary build- ings, extinguish the debt on their lands, and, as a consequence, they were obliged to deal with them as best they could. The proprietors were liberal, often throwing off interest, giving new contracts, many selling out their betterments, as it was called, moving West. In 1835, in company with Dr. Oney Rice (who had married Miss Lydia Barrows, a cousin), John Rice, E. Lacost, Jacob Conkey, who then lived in Warrensville, Ohio, came to the then Williams County, for Government lands; at this time buyers had to go outside the canal reservations. We left Cleve- land in October, 1835, with wagon; found dry roads through the black swamp, forded the Maumee at Maumee City, drove around tree-tops, through ra- vines, up and down the bluff banks, without working, reaching Defiance, a town of about 150 inhabitants; found some of our acquaintances from St. Lawrence County. Among these were John W. Moore, Erskine Perkins, Edwin Phelps, William A. Brown, Amos Stoddard and Mr. Blackman. Left the team aud went on foot to Centertown, passing through Brunersburg (the town at that time had been purchased by Samuel Sargeant of Mr. Bruner, the proprietor), kept posses- sion five or six years, moved the mill down below the erected dam; got it running. First, high water washed the dam away; nothing more was done with the new mill, only moving back some machinery to the old mill. In 1836 and 1837 was built a small steamboat to run on the Maumee. Lacked power, and was only used in comparatively still water. It made its way to Fort Wayne, wintered in Rochester, fourteen miles above Defiance. In the spring of 1838, it came down with the ice; it was boarded by several men who tried to save it, but of no avail; it landed several miles above Manmee City; it was got- ten off and run between Maumee, Perrysburg and Toledo. We followed the road or trail, not seeing a house till we got to Centertown; there we hired Mr. Overlease and Mr. Skinner to show us land. Stayed over night; next day followed section lines and our
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
guides. Found lands at Farmer Center, where we located our lands, which some of the descendants now occupy. Dr. Rice and Jacob Conkey located at the center; I located south one-quarter mile, eighty acres. There were three settlers in Farmer Township at that time. We came back to Defiance, counted out our Land Office money (only certain banks and specie were receivable) and sent Mr. Jacob Conkey to the Land Office at Wapakoneta to get our certificate of entry. For several years it was customary to send packages of any amount by the mail carriers (boys). We never heard of lost money. How different now. At that time J. W. Moore had a store in the Parker Tavern, with E. S. Perkins, clerk. There we parted company. I took my way down the Maumee on foot, passing through Napoleon, a village of a few log houses. Stayed over night at Patrick's; next day called on our former townsman, Dr. Darius Clark (still living in Toledo), in Vistula, two miles below Port Lawrence (now Toledo). Took steamboat for home; it took abont a week from Defiance to Ogdens- burg. The next spring being cold and backward, with seven inches snow-fall on the 13th of May, ac- companied by heavy freezing, I caught the Ohio fe- ver in earnest. During the summer, I sold out my effects, and started for Defiance September 16, 1836, with horses and wagon. Had wife and one child sixteen months old. with my wife's brother, Seneca A. Sanford. Stopped two days in Eden, Erie Co., N. Y., with friend Barnum, who afterward became an honored citizen of Defiar ce. We reached Defiance after being twenty-two days on the road. We stopped with Mr. J. W. Moore a week; meantime, I went to Farmer Cen'er to make arrangements for moving. Found I could take provisions with family and live with Dr. Rice until we could build a cabin. During my travels from Farmer to Defiance, I fell in company with Payne C. Parker at Mr. Craig's, in Georgetown. I then got his terms and rented his tavern from the 25th day of January, 1837, and made arrangements accordingly. During this time, I had underbrushed two acres and rolled up the logs for a house. Houses were built in those days without nails or boards, with puncheons, clapboards, mrd hearths and stick chimneys. Then settlers were neighbors miles away, and it was customary to go fifteen or twenty miles to a raising. In taking charge of the hotel, I paid quarterly for two years at the rate of $500 per year. At that time. Horatio G. Philips and myself went on horseback to Maumee and purchased of Gen. John G. Hunt the four lots fronting on Clinton street, be- tween Front and First streets, for $3,000. During ou" stay in the hotel, we soon had the satisfaction of hearing that we kept as good a tavern as any on the river, but it was hard enough. With all the im-
provements we were able to make, the house, the country and everything in its primitive state, some- times withont help, and especially during the sum- mer and fall of 1838 and 1839, the most sickly time in the year, and during the making of the Erie & Wabash Canal. There were no bridges, and travel- ers have been delayed for weeks. Then tavern-keep- ers had to lay in supplies when they could. It was hard for the early settlers to get to the river over almost impassable roads for provisions and other nec- essaries of life. I have often heard the remark, they had rather pay than go for them. As an inci- dent of early settlers' life, I will note of being in Dr. Rice's family with only a few acres cleared abont the house; had raised a few shocks of corn. Without barn or stable or protection of any kind, horses turned loose in the inclosure. On the 18th of De- cember, 1836, it had snowed the night previous, it commenced raining and rained steadily all day with- out melting the snow, which was ten inches deep. At dusk, the wind from the northwest, with a heavy black cloud and a few flakes of snow in the air. It was the lot of Mr. Osborn, of Hicksville, to go to mill on Little St. Joe River, with an ox team. Com- ing home, the oxen gave ont, and he being wet with walking in rain and slush, ice frozen to his clothes and limbs, his cries for relief were heard and assist- ance lent. Both limbs had to be amputated. He was known to be an upright, honest man. On the morning of the 19th, our pity was excited to see our horses standing on balls of ice a foot high or more, with icicles hanging from their manes and tails, eyes and noses- the coldest day within the memory of the oldest inhabitant. That season, and for years after, it was common to go to sleep by the music of the wolves. I shall leave the hunting and trapping stories to those who have the bow-and-arrow blood in their veins. I can vouch for anything they will say. But to return. I can hardly picture how the Maumee country looked to me with its original inhabitants, its virgin soil, its stately oaks, the river with its is- lands, the home of the Pottawatomies. I have in mind the assembling of the Indians at or near the rapids of Rush-to-Bean. Just below the battle ground of the fallen timbers, there were gathered together nearly 800 Indians, preparatory to moving west of the Mississippi. While going by, they were congre- gated at the top of the ridge and around a large bowlder on which a turkey foot is engraved, said to be where chief Turkey-Foot fell. Robert Forsyth and Isaac Hull had the contract, and our townsman, James Colby, as Surgeon. Among the business men in Defiance were, as merchants, Dr. John Evans, For- man and Albert Evans, and Benjamin Brubacher, all doing business at the foot of Jefferson street, and
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
John and William Seamans in the brick house ownod by L. Davidson, Esq. E. C. Case had a small store on the corner of Front and Wayne streets. Had two groceries, ono by George Hickox, one by Waterhouse & Goodyear on Front street. Our lawyers were Horaco Sessions and John and William Scamans. William C. Holgate was studying. Justices of the Peace, Sydney S. Sprague and William Seamans. County officers were John Lewis, Treasurer; George T. Hickox, Clerk; Bishop Adams and Payne C. Parker were County Judges. I was elected as Trustee of the township, and one of the Council in 1838; was appointed County Judge in the place of Bishop Adams, removed to Henry County. Among the citizens were Robert Wasson, Mr.
Purcel, plasterer; Amos Zellers, tailor; Walter Davis, cooper; Peter Bridenbaugh, Thomas Lewis, Jacob
Kniss, shoe-maker; John Oliver, Stoddard & Black- man, keepers of the ferry, Jehu Downs, etc. The brick building now occupied by Henry Hardy was the court house and schoolhouse; a log jail on the court house square. The old fort built by Gen. Wayne and the stockade built by Gen. Wilkinson were ob- jects of curiosity. They were then much dilapidated; the spoiler had put in his work. The timbers of the block-houses are doing service in some of the old barns, and the earthworks were plainly visible, the bastion, the moat, the entrance, the covered way to either river for water, the line of pickets, as also the stumps of the pickets of Fort Winchester. The place was admirably chosen, well built and would defy the combined attack of all foes. There must have been some belligerent practice by the citizens, fishing up shells before the fort. It is related that a shell hav- ing been brought out of the river by the old ware- house, on the bank and center of Jefferson street, John Lantz and several others, speculating on its bursting after being in the river so long, Lantz thought, with others, that the powder had become wet and would not burn, and in order to prove it, touched it off with his cigar, and it went. Nono were hurt, but one piece four inches in length went through a double battened door and lodged in the ceiling on the oppo- site side of a store. While living in Defiance, we got up a dinnor on the 4th of July, 1837, and had a dancing party at C. C. Waterhouse's in the evening. Frequently horseback parties would ford the Auglaize at the Shirley farm, pick whortleberries on the open- ings, or cross the Manmen for peaches at the Hiveleys. The young people had their rides, their socials, par- ties and dances if in a new country. Langdon be- came quite a resort, as we kept the best of boarders. The latter part of 1837, the engineers on the canal boarded with us. The canal drew paymasters to our
house. At the time of holding court, the Judges and bar were at home with us. I may name some:
Hon. E. D. Potter, Higgins, Coffinberry, Young and Waite; later others. I must add, to show how the bench and bar traveled, about 1839, two thirds or more of the business for the courts originated in De- fiance, was taken on horseback to Bryan, our new county seat, tried, brought back and settled. There were farmers and townsmen living in a few miles of each other, or else there would be no need of Justices, Judges, courts and juries, and it is to be hoped that farmers may become so educated that all questions of difficulty may be settled among themselves. When
that time comes won't it he millenium year? I will mention a few of the farmers: Five families of Shir- leys, four of Hudsons, five of Evans, three of Travis, two of Branchers, Hiveleys, Warrens, Lewis Downs, Davis, Keplers, Rhons and Dunn. Travelers from the Wabash and Fort Wayne, in going east for goods and on various kinds of business, were our guests, and occasionally were prevented from traveling by running ice, fresbets, etc. Mr. R. Waite, returning from Bryan, was thrown by accident off his horse tripping into one of those slashes, covering himself, horse, saddle and portmanteau with mud; he looked rather sorry. It is said that Chief Justice Waite made his maiden speech in our old brick court house. Late in 1841, the canal was nearly completed, and travel slow. I sold my property to Samuel Rohn and C. I. Trnde, and bought the farm where we are now living, of Ad lison Goodyear, and moved in April, 1842. Before leaving Defiance, I wish to add that leaving that place, 25th of October, 1836, with team and load of 600 pounds for Farmer, stayed at Mr. Gardenhires tavern, in Brunersburg. for an early start next morning. Had corn bread, venison and coffee, without sugar or cream, for supper and same for breakfast. Started next morning before sunrise, drove half way, seven miles. At noon, rummaged
our victnal chest for scraps for dinner, watered and fod our horses by the side of the road, started again for Farmer, drove as fast as we could through mud, banging over roots, around tree-tops, till 9 o'clock that night. Had to go on foot forward of team to find the trail; saw no house on that day. Mr. Boyles started with ng at Brunersburg; he having a heavy load, I was forced to leave him at Kibble Run. On the third day, he drove through Farmer, lost his way, and laid out two nights. We could buy neither crackers, bread, nor provisions of any kind in Bru- nersburg. Such were some of the difficulties farm- ers had to contend with. We think at some seasons we have it hard now; our blood ran faster then than now. Before leaving Defiance, I learned from old Mrs. Shirley that when they came into the fort the block-house was in a good state of preservation. At that time, there was a row of apple trees on each bank
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of the river from the point, standing far enough back from the rivers to admit of a wagon road be- tween them and the river. They stood thirty feet outside of the pickets to the fort. In 1836, the trees stood on the edge of the bluff of the river and were bear- ing fruit to-day; and for years the rivers have under- mined the trees, the land has all left up to the very pick- ets of the fort. The fur trade was the principal part of the profits of the merchants. The different families of Indians, loaded down with peltries, stopped off with squaws aud papooses, were met with deputations of boys in the interest of each merchant. The Indians were taken in the store, the skins assorted and the price agreed upon, specie paid, then the whisky passed aronnd. Before they left, all the money was paid back, and frequently were trusted some on the next pack. We have prepared supper and entertained the Indians over night; they were very civil. It was common for the different fur buyers to hire young men to canvass the different districts, embracing a circuit of fifty miles from home, or more, often leav- ing money with pioneers in advance, sometimes at a loss. The Ewings of Fort Wayne and Lafayette constituted one company, the Hollisters, the American Fur Company ; opposition then as now. The buyers were C. L. Noble, Mr. Brigham, of Maumee, John Fnry, of Perrysburg, and a half-breed by name Clark, who was quite a gentleman and educated at the Mis- sion on the rapids, C. Frygine, Gen. Curtis, Daniel Ridenhauer and others. After the removal of the county seat to Bryan, the subject of a new county was agitated, and Defiance County was formed from the two south tiers of Williams County, three town-
ships from Henry and Putnam Counties, and a half township from Paulding County. Noble Township was formed from the north part of Defiance Town- ship, after having the one-half township added from Paulding. In the latter part of 1849, formed a part- nership with Horace Hilton in merchandising and buying produce at the north end of Maumee River bridge. Purchased an acre of ground where Joseph Ralston now lives, cleared the grounds, built a house and lived in it. Sold to Mr. Ralston. Sold my interest in the store to Mr. Hilton, my partner. In 1851, moved back on the farm; built the house I now live in, in 1852. Before the Wabash Railroad was built through Defiance County, I kept a country tavern, as all Northwest and some of Indiana and Michigan were tributary to Defiance for market. September 13, 1882, the fiftieth anniversary of our wedding was celebrated. Our relatives and friends were in attendance, numbering about eighty guests. We were the recipients of some valuable gifts to cheer us in the down-hill journey of life. With all its hardships, toils and trials, we have managed to experience more pleasures than ills; have formed ex- tensive acquaintances that no money could purchase. Was where all the early settlers were obliged to stop and lay in supplies. Among all the inmates of our home, hired help, travelers, and especially boarders and townsmen are remembered with esteem. We have endeavored to live on good terms with neighbors and friends, so that the world would be no worse off for our living in it. The latch-string is always hanging out.
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