USA > Ohio > Hancock County > History of Hancock County, Ohio : containing a history of the county, its townships, towns portraits of early settlers and prominent men, biographies, history of the Northwest Territory, history of Ohio, statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc > Part 39
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George Ensminger settled on the east half of the southeast quarter of Sec- tion 12, while his son, Michael, located on the northwest quarter of Section 7. They came from Wayne County, Ohio, in 1832, and the following year the former and John Trout laid out Van Buren. In 1836-37 George Ensmin- ger built a saw-mill on Portage Creek, which proved a useful appendage to the settlement. He reared a large family, and both he and his wife died upon the old homestead. None of the children are residents of this county. Charles Baker, of Fairfield County, Ohio, built his cabin on the northeast quarter of Section 8, in 1832, where he died. The widow and family went back to Fairfield County, whence in after years one of the sons, George A., returned and occupied the old farm. Hugh Gilchrist took up his residence the same year on the northwest quarter of Section 13, and there resided till his death. The family went West soon after this event. Peter Hocken- berry was a noted hunter, who located on the northwest quarter of Section 19, in 1832. He subsequently removed into what is now Portage Township, thence to Henry County, but afterward returned and died in Hancock. He. farmed very little, most of his time being devoted to the chase.
In 1833 Isaac Weisel, David Dorsey, Peter Heller and Henry Rader located in the township. The first two mentioned were brothers-in-law, Mr. Weisel having married Jane Dorsey, and both were natives of Pennsylvania. Weisel settled on the southeast quarter of Section 2, where both he and his wife died in 1878 or 1879. They were the parents of ten children, six of whom survive. David and Rosanna Dorsey came from Bedford County, Penn., in October, 1833, and located near the site of Van Buren in Section 18 in what was then Cass Township. Here Allen, now a resident of the township, was born in February, 1834, being one of the first births in the settlement. 1n 1835 David was elected justice of Cass Township, and re- elected to the same position. He reared a family of seven children, four of whom survive, Allen and Cordelia being residents of the township, where both the father and mother died. Peter Heller, of Wayne County, Ohio, settled on the southeast quarter of Section 25, in 1833, and the same year was elected justice of Portage Township, and re-elected in 1836. He finally sold his farm, and removed to Indiana. Henry Rader, a native of Virginia, settled in 1833 on Section 13, where his son, Adam, now lives. Both he and his wife died in this township.
Daniel Warner, John Gilchrist, Christopher Ernsperger, William Dor-
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ALLEN TOWNSHIP.
sey and Isaac Wolf are believed to have settled here in 1833-34. The first mentioned located in Section 14, in February, 1834, and there a son, Dan- iel C., was born the following November. Mr. Warner died at the home of this son in Portage Township, in 1881. John Gilchrist located per- manently near his brother Hugh in 1834, though he was in the county and voted in October, 1831. Soon after coming the Gilchrists went out one night "coon" hunting, and treed a "coon" about a mile and a half northwest of Van Buren. It became necessary to fell the tree, which, in falling, brought down another, the latter striking and killing the twelve-year old son of John Gilchrist, and injuring the father so badly that he died two days after the unfortunate occurrence, leaving a wife and five small children! Chris- topher Ernsperger was a son-in-law of George Ensminger, and came about two years after the latter. He subsequently removed from the county. William Dorsey came to the county about the same time as his brother David, or soon afterward. He is still a resident of the township. Isaac Wolf settled in Section 25, where he resided until his death. Two of his sons, David and John, are living in the county, the former in Findlay.
James Moorhead, of Stark County, Ohio, built his cabin on the southwest quarter of Section 26, in 1835. His wife, Agnes, died there, and he mar- ried again. He reared a large family, and now makes his home with his daughter in Eagle Township. John Raney settled in Section 23 in 1835, but soon moved away. Josiah Moorhead came in 1836, and settled in Sec- tion 36. Cyrus Hart also located here in 1836, and Abraham Kempher, John Beeson and Samuel Huntington in 1837. John Hardy moved in from Cass Township in 1837, and resided here till his death, in 1860. He was one of the pioneer school teachers of the township, and for more than twenty-five years taught during the winter seasons. He was a member of the Methodist Church after his marriage with Martha Orr, in 1822, and set- tled in what is now Cass Township in 1833, whence he removed to Portage (now Allen) four years afterward. Mr. Hardy was the father of tive chil- dren, two of whom are residents of the county. His widow died in 1866. Others may have come in prior to 1837, but if so, careful research has failed to discover their names.
First Electors .- At the organization of Cass and Portage Townships in April, 1833, each embraced half of what is now Allen Township, and Squire John Barnd says that the following list includes all of the voters then liv- ing inside of the boundaries of the latter subdivision: Elias L. Bryan, John Trout, John Burman, John Barnd, Hugh Gilchrist, Charles Baker, Peter Hockenberry, George Ensminger, Michael Ensminger, James Wiley and James Howard. The last two mentioned never settled in the township, but were staying here temporarily at that time, and were allowed to vote.
Justices .- John Barnd (from 1850 to 1880), W. L. Heller, J. W. Mc- Caughey, Philip Burman, Robert Thornburg, G. W. Barnd, John H. Spit- ler and Thomas Briggs. The last two mentioned are the present incumbents of the office.
Early Schools .- The first schoolhouse in this township was a small log structure built in 1836, on the section line immediately west of the present building on the farm of Peter Whetstone. It stood in the center of the road now occupying the section line between 13 and 14, and was built of round logs, covered with a clapboard roof, had greased paper windows and a huge fireplace in one end. The Bryans, Trouts, Burmans, Ensmingers,
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Barnds, Gilchrists, Warners and Raders attended this school, which was the only one in the settlement for several years, excepting one on the farm of James Moorhead, which was also opened at an early day. The pupils attending the latter, however, were principally from what is now Portage Township, and the pioneers of Allen scarcely remember it. With the growth of population more schoolhouses became a necessity, and from time to time districts were organized and schools opened. There are now nine good school buildings in Allen, that in Van Buren having two rooms.
Churches .- The two Presbyterian societies-Pleasant Hill and Ebenezer -- organized in Portage and Cass Townships, respectively, united Septem- ber 1, 1843, as West Union Church of Van Buren, and put up a frame building in Van Buren, about 1855, which was the first church erected in the township. The Presbyterians of this vicinity have since generally at- tended services here. The old building has been replaced by a substantial brick one, more in harmony with the times. Rev. George Van Eman was the earliest pastor of this congregation, which embraced many of the pioneers previously spoken of in this chapter, besides those in Portage and Cass. The old frame is now used as a dwelling. The Baptist Church in Van Buren is the lineal successor of the society organized at the cabin of Merri- man Price, on Ten Mile Creek, about 1836, though reorganized at Henry Rader's in 1855. Meetings were held at the houses of members until the erection of the present building in Van Buren, which has since been used. The United Brethren erected their church in Van Buren in 1868, while the German Lutheran and Reformed denominations purchased and fitted up the old frame schoolhouse in Van Buren. These are the only churches in the township, and most of them have good-sized congregations.
Villages .- Van Buren was laid out December 28, 1833, by George Ens- minger and John Trout, on Sections 12 and 13, Range 10, and 7 and 18, Range 11, and originally comprised fifty-three lots surrounding a public square. It was named in honor of Martin Van Buren, who at that time was one of the eminent public men of the nation. Several buildings were put up at once, and for a time the little village became quite a busy point; but after a season of prosperity its growth came to a standstill, and it has never got further than a small country town. A postoffice was established in the village in 1837, and the following postmasters have held the office: Dr. George Springer, John Zarbaugh, S. M. Heller, C. S. Wilkinson, Lewis Michaels, Dr. E. C. Wells, Daniel Frick, L. J. Hissong. Solomon Zar- baugh, H. C. Hartman, John Lee and Mrs. E. Wells. In June, 1866, Van Buren was incorporated, and Daniel Frick elected mayor. His suc- cessors have been C. S. Wilkinson, J. H. Loehr, Dr. E. C. Wells, Dr. Ed- ward George, Abraham Mummert, L. P. McCune and Abraham Mummert. The town lies seven miles north of Findlay, on the Toledo, Columbus & Southern Railroad, which was completed through Van Buren in the winter of 1882-83. Its business interests consist of two general dry goods and grocery stores, a shoe shop, two blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, a steam saw-mill, a produce dealer, a hotel, a saloon and one physician-Dr. Ed- ward George. A steam grist-mill was built in Van Buren many years ago, but it has been abandoned about seven years, and the deserted building is all that is left of its past usefulness. In 1870 Van Buren had a population of 157, and in 1880, 130, a falling off of 27 in ten years. No apparent in- crease has since taken place, and the village wears an appearance of age
Seo. M. Powell
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AMANDA TOWNSHIP.
and general debility. The town, however, can boast of four churches and a good two-storied brick schoolhouse of two rooms.
Silverwood, better known as Stuartville, -was laid out in March, 1883, by Addison J. Silverwood, Nancy A. Silverwood and Anthony Huntington. It lies in Sections 24 and 25. Range 10, and Section 19, Range 11, on both sides of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad. The Toledo, Columbus & Southern Railroad passes north and south a short distance east of the village, which has therefore good railroad facilities. Two small stores, a blacksmith shop, a saloon and a grain elevator make up the busi- ness interests of Stuartville. In May, 1883, a postoffice named Mortimer was established here, with James Huntington as postmaster. He was suc- ceeded in 1885 by Mrs. A. V. Myers, the present incumbent.
CHAPTER X I.
AMANDA TOWNSHIP.
FORMATION, TAXABLE LANDS IN 1829, AND CHANGES IN TERRITORY-AREA, BOUNDARIES AND POPULATION-PHYSICAL FEATURES-SOIL-STREAMS AND BIG SPRING-PIONEERS JUSTICES OF THE PEACE-SCHOOLS-CHURCHES- EARLY MILLS-POSTOFFICES AND VILLAGES-THE PROPOSED TOWN OF CAPERNAUM-VANLUE, ITS POSTMASTERS, EARLY BUSINESS MEN, AND PRES- ENT MATERIAL AND SOCIAL INTERESTS.
THIS subdivision dates its erection back to the spring of 1828, Amanda and Welfare (now Delaware) being formed from the southeast portion of Findlay Township, which since May 28, 1823, had embraced the whole county. The entire land tax of Amanda Township in 1829, was $4.30, and only 252 acres were then subject to taxation under the existing law. On the 7th of December, 1829, Jackson Township was formed from Amanda and Dela- ware, and December 6, 1830, a part of Amanda was taken in the erection of Marion. Big Lick was cut off from Amanda March 7, 1831, and on the same date it was ordered by the commissioners that "the township of Amanda shall hereafter consist of the original Township 1 south, in Range 12, and Sections 34 and 35 in the original surveyed Township 1 north in the 12th Range." On the 3d of June, 1833, those two sections were attached to Big Lick. Upon the erection of Ridge Township, June 5, 1838, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 and 14, Township 1 south, Range 12, were taken from Amanda in the formation of the new township, which existed till March 5, 1845, when the previous erection of Wyandot County took forty- five sections off the southeast part of Hancock, and made necessary a re- formation in the lines of Amanda, Big Lick and Delaware Townships. Sections 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35 and 36 were cut off the east side of Amanda, and became a part of Wyandot County. Ridge Township, as a sub- division of Hancock, was abandoned, and its territory remaining in this county, attached to Big Lick and Amanda Townships from which it was originally formed, Amanda receiving Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Township 1
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
south, Range 12. By act of the commissioners (March 5, 1845), the east- ern tier of sections, from 1 to 36 inclusive, in Township 1 south, Range 11, previously belonging to Jackson, was attached to Amanda Township, and thus its territory has since remained.
Amanda now contains twenty-seven sections, or an area of 17,280 acres. It is one of the southeast townships of the county, and is bounded as follows: On the north by Big Lick and Marion Townships, on the east by Wyandot County, on the south by Wyandot County and Delaware Township, and on the west by Jackson Township. In 1840 Amanda had a population of 490; 1850, 1,162; 1860, 1,470; 1870, 1,469; 1880, 1,474-a total gain from 1860 to 1880 of only four inhabitants.
The surface of this township is generally very level, possessing a distinct characteristic sameness throughout its length and breadth. A very heavy for- est of the several kinds of timber found in this part of the State originally covered the soil. In the northeast portion of Amanda is a tract known as "the fallen timber," the forest having been undermined by the peat cover- ing the surface taking fire in the fall of 1828, and burning the roots of the trees. This tract embraces several hundred acres, which was originally cov- ered with water most of the year, the large trees lying upon the ground preventing the natural drainage of the surface. The "swamp" lies in the southeast part of the township. and is a strip of flat land extending from east to west nearly across the township. It also underwent the burning process, and was very thinly timbered.
Along the Blanchard the soil is a rich alluvial deposit, but in the eastern section of the township, excepting in the "fallen timber" and "swamp" tracts, a clay soil with a sand and gravel mixture prevails. The "fallen timber " tract is a mixed soil composed of vegetable mold, derived from the rotting trees and decayed vegetation, and the sandy clay natural to the township. This combination is highly prized by the agriculturist. Cover- ing the "swamp" is a deep muck or loam and decayed vegetation, very light and susceptible to droughts. The first settlers regarded this tract as almost worthless and totally unfit for cultivation, but judicious drainage has re- claimed most of these lands; and when the top muck is thoroughly mixed, by deep plowing, with the underlying clay a valuable soil is formed, the muck itself being too light to retain sufficient moisture for the growing crop during the hot season.
Amanda is favored with plenty of good water and fair natural drainage facil- ities. The Blanchard River winds northward through the western tier of sec- tions, and thoroughly waters the country contiguous thereto. Buck Run is the only important local tributary. It flows northwestward from the southeast corner of the township, and empties into the Blanchard on the northeast quarter of Section 12. Potato Creek crosses the southwest corner of Amanda and strikes the Blanchard just across the line in Jackson Township. Northeast of Vanlue, in Section 3, on the farm of William Smith, is the celebrated "Big Spring," thus named because it is the largest spring in Hancock County. The cool, pure spring water gushes forth in a torrent from its sandy bed, and ripples onward in a clear stream, supplying water for the stock of the whole neighborhood. This spring furnished power at an early day for a carding machine and a small corn-mill, both of which did good survice during their existence. Big Spring is invaluable to the farmers of that locality, and many a wayfarer has here slaked his thirst and watched with delight its pure bubbling waters.
357
AMANDA TOWNSHIP.
Pioneers. - Thomas Thompson, a native of Virginia, was the first settler in this township. On the 25th of February, 1822, he entered the east half of the northwest quarter, and January 18, 1823, the west half of the north- west quarter of Section 3; and in the summer of 1823 built a cabin, cleared a patch of ground and planted a crop of potatoes. He remained on his land till the crop was gathered and stored, and then returned to Pickaway County, Ohio, for his family, which he brought out early in 1824. In the first list of taxable property, taken by Wilson Vance in the spring of 1824, Mr. Thompson is assessed for one horse and five head of cattle, and marked opposite his name is the note "taken in from lady," a conclusive evidence that his wife and family were then here. Mr. Thompson was the first justice of Amanda, and a resident of the township until his death, which occurred at Vanlue, October 26, 1873. He removed from his farm, on Section 3, a few years prior to his decease, as increasing age and infirm- ities compelled him to retire from the busy cares of life. He was twice married, his first wife, Miss Anna Williamson, coming with him from Pick- away County. She died in 1850, and in 1852 he married Mrs. Benjamin Nigh, nee Lake, who still survives him, and is residing in Findlay. His first wife bore him twelve children, six of whom reached maturity, but only one, William, is now living. One daughter, Mrs. James Moyer, of Findlay, is the fruit of his second marriage.
Abraham and Sarah A. Huff and family were the next to locate in Amanda Township. Mr. Huff came in 1825, and subsequently purchased, with Samuel Sargent, 320 acres of land of Henry McWhorter, lying in Big Lick and Amanda. In 1829 a division of these lands took place, Huff get- ting eighty acres in each subdivision. He settled on the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 3, Amanda Township, close to the Big Spring, entered by Henry McWhorter, February 27, 1822. In March, 1828, he was appointed associate judge of Hancock County, and served seven years. Mr. Huff laid out a town named Capernaum on his farm, March 14, 1831, but no lots were sold or buildings erected. Judge Huff was an honorable, upright man, possessing a large share of strong, common sense. He once kept a small store at his house, and is pretty well remembered by the older citizens, who patronized the establishment. Soon after the expiration of his judgeship he removed with his family to Missouri and never returned.
One of the oldest pioneers of Hancock County, Major Bright, great- grandfather of Nimrod W. Bright, of Amanda Township, located or entered 3,000 acres of land in this township, and was an extensive stock-raiser.
John Huff, John Shoemaker, William Hackney and James Beard all came to the township in 1826. Huff entered the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 3, December 29, 1825, upon which he settled, but in 1828 he removed to Big Lick Township, where a further mention of him will be found. Shoemaker built his cabin on the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 18, which he entered December 18, 1826, and here he resided till February, 1829, when he also removed to Big Lick, where he died in the spring of 1882 .* Mr. Hackney entered the east half of the north- east quarter of Section 3, November 4, 1824, and early in 1826 settled upon it. In April, 1826, he was elected one of the justices of Findlay Township, then co-extensive with the county. In April, 1828, he was elected county assessor, and auditor the following October. He then
*See History of Big Lick Township.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
removed to Findlay, where he resided several years. Mr. Hackney was a man of good education, and one of the pioneer school teachers of the county. His wife was a sister of Joseph C. Shannon, also of Mrs. John J. Hendricks. The family went from here to Springfield, Ill., leaving no descendants in this county. James Beard settled close to Shoemaker in Section 18. He voted at the first county election in April, 1828. After many years' resi- dence he went to Indiana and there died.
John J. and Eleanor F. Hendricks came late in 1826, and settled on the Blanchard, on the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 12, in the northwest corner of what is now Amanda Township. In 1830 he sold his land to Jesse Gilbert, and removed to Liberty Township. He too was one of the seventy-four electors of April, 1828, and the second justice of Amanda. The reader will find further mention of him in the sketch of Lib- erty Township.
Thomas Huff was another settler of this period. He was a brother of Abraham Huff, and located in the same neighborhood. After a residence here of many years he moved to Peoria County, Ill., and is buried in the cemetery at Chillicothe.
Henry George and family were among the next year's settlers. He and his wife, Catherine, were natives of Lehigh County, Penn., whence, with two children, Peter and Polly, they removed to Fairfield Co., Ohio, and thence to Pickaway County. In 1827, with a family of three sons and seven daugh- ters, they came to this township and located on the southwest quarter of Section 17, where the parents resided till their death. Henry and Peter, the elder sons, were two of the seventy-four voters at the first county election. Of the ten children who came to this county, only five are living, viz. : Dan- iel and Lucy, in Findlay, Joseph and Sarah, in Cary, and Betsy, in Michi- gan. The deceased are Peter, Polly, Hannah, Susan and Eva. Peter was the best known of the family. Born in Pennsylvania, October 13, 1799, he grew to manhood in Ohio, and in November, 1823, visited Hancock County, and entered a piece of land in Section 35, Jackson Township, but did not settle here permanently until the coming of his parents, in 1827. He then took up 160 acres of land on Section 7. Amanda Township, erected a cabin and made a clearing. In 1830 he married Miss Mary Woodruff, a native of Pickaway County, Ohio, who bore him five sons and four daughters, five of whom survive. Throughout the pioneer days Peter George was known far and wide as a veteran "land hunter." He was a noted guide for those look- ing up lands in this section of the State, and was familiar with every part of Hancock County. He served two consecutive terms as commissioner of the county, and was a very highly respected citizen. He died December 10, 1884; his aged widow still resides in the county where she has spent the greater part of her life.
John and Sarah Beard, of Fairfield County, Ohio, located in the town- ship late in 1827, following their son James, who came in 1826. Their sons were Joseph, James, Samuel, Amos, Elijah and Adam. James and Amos voted at the first county election in April, 1828, while the father, John, was one of the petit jurors in the June session of that year. Some of the family settled in Amanda and others in Marion, where Adam now lives. The parents died here, and some of the sons went West.
Jesse and John Hewitt settled in the northeast corner of the township in 1827. The former voted at the first county election; but little further is remembered of them.
359
AMANDA TOWNSHIP.
Aquilla Gilbert, now a resident of. Vanlue, came to the county with his brother-in-law, Mordecai Hammond, in the fall of 1827, though only for the purpose of assisting the latter in moving from Pickaway County. Mr. Gilbert was born in York County, Penn., September 18, 1803, there grew to manhood, and in 1823 married Catherine Hartman. He subsequently removed to Ohio, where she died in 1828, leaving two children. The same fall he again came to this county, and June 2, 1829, entered the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 24, on the east bank of the Blanchard. He spent the winter of 1828-29 at the home of Mr. Hammond, and June 28, 1829, was married, by Asa M. Lake, J. P., to Miss Lorain P. Hamlin, a daughter of Daniel Hamlin, of Delaware Township, and the same year settled on his land. Four children survive this union, his wife dying March 31, 1841. On the 6th of July, 1841, he married Julia A. Askam, who is the mother of four living children. Mr. Gilbert was elected justice of the peace of Jackson Township (wherein his home was then located) in 1830, and re-elected four times in succession. In 1832 he taught the first school opened in his neighborhood, being the second in what is now Amanda Township. He served two terms as county commissioner, and after the tier of sections in which his home lies was attached to Amanda, he served three successive terms as justice of the latter subdivision. Thus for thirty years Mr. Gilbert was actively engaged in the transaction of public business, and has always taken a deep interest in the progress of his adopted county. In 1856 he removed to Vanlue, where he has ever since resided, while his residence in the township extends back over a period of fifty-seven years.
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