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 40
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102
The years 1828-29 brought Thomas Cole, David Hagerman, Joseph Whiteman, Andrew Robb, William Ebright, Henry Keel, Samuel Gordon and James Gibson. Cole and Hagerman came from Pickaway County, and after a residence here of several years the former went to Indiana, while Hagerman resided in Amanda until this death. Joseph Whiteman lived in several different parts of the township, and finally died in the county. He was of a restless disposition and never remained long in any place, so that he is but faintly remembered. Andrew Robb entered the east half of the north- west quarter of Section 13, May 7, 1828. His cabin stood not far from the home of Aquilla Gilbert, who remembers him as a very worthy man. . He, however, died in 1830, soon after settling here. William Ebright and family came early in 1829, and in March of the latter year he and his son, Philip, were two of the petitioners for a road to Findlay. He settled on the Blanchard, in Section 13, but subsequently removed to Eagle Township, and assisted in organizing that subdivision. Henry Keel, with his wife Catherine and family, removed from Pennsylvania to Fairfield County, Ohio, about 1823, and in 1829 located on the Blanchard in this township. In 1833 Mr. Keel and family moved into Eagle Township, where both he and his wife died. Four of their children are residents of the county. Samuel Gordon was for many years a leading citizen of the township, where he set- tled in 1829. In 1831 he was elected justice of the peace, and re-elected five times in succession. Mr. Gordon is kindly remembered by the few old settlers now living who knew him best.
James Gibson, with his family, settled in Section 1, in what is now the northwest corner of Amanda Township, in 1829. His son Charles was a young man when the family came to the county. The parents died on the old homestead, and were buried in the Vanhorn Cemetery. None of the children are living in this county.
.
.
360
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
A large number of settlers came to Amanda in 1829 and 1830, all of whom brought families. Among those best remembered are David More- hart, Adam Alspach, Lemuel Farthing, David Egbert, Henry Treese, John G. Litsenberger, John Dipert, Darius Smith and Sanford Smith. David and Elizabeth (Fenstemaker) Morehart were natives of Pennsylvania, who first located in Fairfield County, Ohio. In 1829 he entered land in Section 5, Amanda Township, and the following year, with his wife and daughter, Mary (wife of J. M. Van Horn), settled on the land where his son, Jesse D. now lives. They had a family of fourteen children, and a large number of their descendants yet reside in the county. The parents died upon the old homestead in Section 5.
Adam Alspach was also a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1788. About 1808 he came to Fairfield County, Ohio, and served in the war of 1812. He married in Fairfield County, Barbara Wyant, a native of the Keystone State, and in the spring of 1830, with his wife and six children, took up his abode in the forest of Amanda Township. He built his cabin in Section 19, were one daughter was subsequently born to him. Mr. Alspach died in this township, but his sons, Daniel and Aaron, are surviving pioneers of Amanda Township.
Lemuel and Mary (Riordan) Farthing were natives of Virginia, and first located in Gallia County, Ohio, removing to Amanda Township in 1830, where both died. They were the parents of nine children, three of whom survive.
David and Mary Egbert were born in New Jersey, thence removed to the Susquehanna River, and in 1812 settled in Fairfield County, Ohio. In 1822 the Egberts left Fairfield and took up their residence in Seneca County, and June 1, 1829, entered land in the northwest part of this township, upon which the family settled the same or following year. In 1831-32, David re- moved to Marion Township, where he was elected justice of the peace in the latter year. They had a family of ten children, six of whom are living. One of the sons, Uriah W., may justly be regarded as a pioneer of Amanda, having lived in the township for the past fifty-six years. The parents finally went to Wood County, and there passed the latter years of their lives.
Henry and Elizabeth (Hager) Treese, natives of Pennsylvania, located on the east bank of the Blanchard in the fall of 1830, where Peter was soon . afterward born. The family came here from Pickaway County, Ohio, and the parents spent the remainder of their days in Hancock County. Peter Treese now resides on the old homestead in Section 24, while George, an older brother, lives in Jackson Township.
John G. and Mary Litsenberger, with their sons, George, Daniel, Isaac, Henry, John and Jacob, all natives of Pennsylvania, came from Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1830, and settled in Section 13, where the father died. Jacob, now living in Vanlue, is the only one of John's children residing in Hancock.
Adam Hoy came to the township about this time, or perhaps a little earlier. He entered land in Amanda in 1829, and lived in that township up to within a few years. His name appears among the voters at the Oc- tober election of 1831, and he was one of the organizers of the Pioneer As- sociation in 1874.
John Dipert and wife Sarah (Fenstemaker) emigrated from Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1830, and settled in Section 20. He died upon the old
361
AMANDA TOWNSHIP.
homestead. Mrs. Andrew S. Beck, of Amanda, is the only one of his children living in the county.
Darius and Sanford Smith settled in the southwest corner of the town- ship in 1830. The former served one term as county commissioner, and both died upon their farms.
Michael and Mary (Hager) Misamore and family were, perhaps, the next to settle in Amanda: the former was a native of Virginia, and the latter of Pennsylvania. They had a family of eleven children, when in 1831 they removed from Pickaway County, and settled in a small log-cabin on the east bank of the Blanchard in Section 13. In 1835, Mr. Misamore built a frame grist-mill, which supplied a very material want to the settlers of this lo- cality. These mills were afterward run by his son John, who also rebuilt them after they were burnt down. The parents died here, and of their children three sons and two daughters survive. John resides in Section 24, immediately south of where the family settled about fifty-five years ago.
The same year (1831) John Fenstemaker, Lemuel Roberts, Arthur Stotts and Jesse Cherry settled in the township. The first mentioned, with his wife Catherine, came from Fairfield County, Ohio, and settled in Section 21, where he died. His son George is a resident of the township. Jacob and Jonas Fenstemaker, brothers of John, came to the township somewhat later, and both spent their lives in the county. Lemuel and Elizabeth Rob- erts were natives of Maryland, who located in Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1824, and seven years later took up their residence in Section 2, cut off in the erection of Wyandot County in 1845. Arthur Stotts was from Picka- way County, Ohio, and settled in Section 15. He and his wife subsequently removed to Lima. Jesse Cherry, also from Pickaway County, located close to Stotts, and both he and his wife died upon the old homestead. Andrew Beck and family came from Fairfield County, Ohio, with his brother-in-law, John Fenstemaker, and located on land in this township previously entered by his father, Andrew Beck, Sr., who had taken up several hundred acres. His brother Daniel came out about two years later, and afterward their brothers, Henry, Peter and John, joined the settlement, all locating in what is now Amanda, except Henry whose farm was in Ridge, and included in the terri- tory taken in the erection of Wyandot County. The parents, Andrew and Catherine, did not settle here until some time after the sons, and both died in the township. Andrew, Jr., died near Wharton; Daniel removed to Mis- souri and there died; Henry died on his farm in Wyandot County; Peter died in this township; John resides in Indiana, and the two daughters, Mrs. John Fenstemaker and Mrs. Jacob Bacher, live on their respective homesteads in Hancock and Wyandot Counties.
In 1832, Andrew and George Morehart, Elisha Brown and John Moore took up their residence in the forest of Amanda. The Moreharts, na- tives of Pennsylvania, settled in Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1817, whence they came to this township. Andrew had a family of thirteen children, six of whom are living. Both he and George died in this county. Elisha Brown and family came from Pickaway County in the fall of the year and settled in Section 9. He served one term as Sheriff of Hancock County, and died in Vanlue. Two of his daughters are residents of the county. John and Annie Moore were natives of Maryland, and removed first to Fairfield Co., Ohio, thence to Hancock, settling in the vicinity of the Big Spring, where both died. Three of their children are yet living. Amos, who now resides
362
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
near Vanlue, was a man of twenty-five when his parents came to the town- ship. He carried on the manufacture of spinning wheels at the old farm till sometime after the breaking out of the war of the rebellion.
In 1833 Gershom Plotts, Charles Van Horn and David H. Harshbarger came into the township. Mr. Plotts, a native of Pennsylvania, had a fam- ily of ten children. In the spring of 1833 he removed from Fairfield County, Ohio and took up his residence in Section 16. In 1854 he and wife went to Michigan, where both died, but three of the sons-John, W. L. and Ira-are residents of Vanlue. Mr. Van Horn was born in Bucks County, Penn., April 18, 1801, and in 1826 married Sarah Twining, who bore him ten children, all but one of whom survive. He removed from Pennsylvania to Jefferson County, Ohio, and in 1833 to Amanda Town- ship, purchasing forty acres of land, of which about five acres had been cleared. Here he began life in Hancock County, and here he passed the balance of his days, adding, through the fleeting years, other acres to his original purchase. His children are George W., James M., Robert, Mary, Martha, Phœbe, Sarah, Charles E. and John. Very little is remembered of David H. Harshbarger, only that he settled on the Blanchard, in Section 36, where he died at an early day, of "milk-sickness."
Another family of the Moreharts settled in Amanda Township in the spring of 1834, viz. : Washington, William Josiah, Sarah and Maria Morehart, natives of Fairfield County, Ohio. They located on the southwest quarter of Section 15, entered by Washington, July 29, 1833, and now the property of George Huff. Washington is the best known of this family. Born in Fairfield County, in 1817, he had not reached manhood when his mother came to this township. In 1839 he married Elizabeth Breiner, who bore him three daughters. In 1874 he removed from his farm in Section 9 to Vanlue, where his wife died, in December, 1884. Mr. Morehart is one of the most intelligent and progressive farmers of the township.
Jacob Starr, Samuel Ewing, John McLeod and Richard M. Lee, all came in or about 1834. Jacob Starr was a native of Virginia, married in Fairfield County, Ohio, and in the spring of 1834 located in Amanda. Mr. and Mrs. Starr were the parents of seven children, some of whom are residents of the township. Mr. Ewing was born in Maryland, and married Rebecca Alspach, of Fairfield County, Ohio, whence, in 1834, he removed to Han- cock. He died in this township. John and Elizabeth McLeod raised a family of eleven children, several of whom are yet residents of the county. Richard and Lydia (Wyant) Lee came from Fairfield County, Ohio, about the same time as the foregoing pioneers, settling in Section 20, where former died in 1854, latter in 1882. They were parents of seven sons and one daughter, all living but one.
The following year (1835) Joseph C. Carver and Lowman Pratt located in the township. Mr. Carver was born in Bucks County, Penn., October 10, 1808, and on coming to Amanda the family lived for a brief period in a building where salts and pearl ash had been manufactured, locally called the "ashery," which stood in the northwest part of the township. He sub- sequently entered eighty acres of land in Section 6, to which he added forty acres more, and has ever since resided on this farm. He is the father of eight children, five now living. Mr. Pratt, also a native of the Keystone State, settled in Section 29, where his son Lewis now resides. His wife, Rachel (Kelly), bore him three sons and five daughters, of whom two sons
-
bis Hanlin
365
AMANDA TOWNSHIP.
and three daughters survive. Mr. Pratt died in 1865, and his widow in 1872. The first twelve years of the township's settlement have now been run through; and though there may be others besides those given who settled in Amanda from 1823 to 1835, yet the ones mentioned are best known and remembered. It must not be supposed that all of these pioneers were men and women of unblemished character and indomitable energy, but taking them as a whole they will bear comparison with those who have taken their places. This is readily and freely admitted by their descendants, and if the future generations but cling firmly to the precepts and principles of the pioneers, Amanda will have good cause to be proud of her record.
Justices of the Peace .- Prior to the erection of Amanda Township, in 1828, William Hackney, who lived in this section of the county, was one of the two justices of Findlay Township, but since that event the following citizens have filled the office: Thomas Thompson, John J. Hendricks, Sam- uel Gordon, Abraham Kern, John Thompson, William Vanlue, Aquilla Gil- bert, B. A. Etherton, John Crawford (yet serving), T. B. Gilbert, Ira Plotts, B. F. Burnap and R. M. Lee.
Schools. - The first school in Amanda Township was taught by George Smith in the winter of 1830-31. It was held in a small log building on the farm of Uriah Egbert, and the Georges, Beards, Shoemakers, More- harts and others were the pupils in attendance. In 1831 a log school- house was erected near the center of the township, which was patronized by all the families then living in that locality who had children old enough to attend school. The second school building was put up in Section 13, in the fall of 1832. Aquilla Gilbert opened a school here in the winter of 1832-33, and says his pupils were the Misamores, Treeses, Gibsons, Egberts and his own children. He received $1.50 per quarter for each scholar, and he says: "I did not board at the homes of my patrons, as stated in a recent publication, but ate and slept at my own cabin on the Blanchard." It is noticeable that the pioneers of this township early began to foster and support schools, which as the population increased became more plentiful and of greater efficiency. There are now eight good schoolhouses outside of Vanlue, the latter being a special district.
Churches .- The first sermon ever preached in this locality was by the Rev. Thomas Thompson, a Methodist Episcopal itinerant, at the cabin of Henry George. He subsequently preached at other cabins in the township, but it is not known that any class or organization of Methodists was effected. The German Lutherans organized the first society in Amanda, and in 1831 erected a hewed-log church on the southeast corner of Section 18, where the United Brethren meeting-house now stands. Among the organizers of this society were Frederick Benner and wife, Adam Alspach and wife, John Fenstemaker and wife, John Dipert and wife, David Morehart and wife and several of the Becks. This church went down many years ago. Amanda now contains eight churches, viz .: One English Lutheran, one Method- ist Episcopal, one Methodist Protestant, two United Brethren, one Bap- tist, one German Reformed and one Disciples, all of which have good con- gregations and regular services.
Early Mills .- In 1835 Michael Misamore erected a grist-mill in Section 13, on the east bank of the Blanchard. This was the first mill in what is now Amanda, as well as the first frame structure built in the township. It was run by water power, and the grinding was therefore uncertain, through
20
366
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
freezing in winter and low water in the summer season. Nevertheless, it was a great boon to the pioneers of the surrounding country, who often had to travel long distances through the forest, with a small grist, ere the little ones could taste the luxury of a wheat cake. This mill was burned down and afterward rebuilt by John Misamore, who also erected a saw-mill close to it. He ran these mills some twenty years and then sold the property, but they have ever since been in operation, whenever there was sufficient water to furnish power.
Another early mill, if it could be dignified by that title, was put up at the Big Spring, in Section 3. It was built for a carding mill, but buhrs were subsequently added, and considerable corn meal ground. The power was furnished by the water from the spring. Of course many temporary saw- mills have been in operation from time to time, and though serving a good purpose were removed so soon as the timber in their respective localities be- came scarce. The next mill of importance was built at Vanlue iu 1855-56, and will be spoken of in the sketch of that village. No other grist-mills have been operated in the township.
Postoffices and Villages .- Blanchard Bridge postoffice was established at the house of Aquilla Gilbert, in Section 24, in 1841. Mr. Gilbert was the first and only postmaster, and the office was discontinued in 1861. Soon after the establishment of Blanchard Bridge, another office, called "Ashery," was opened at the house of Joseph Twining in Section 12. Mr. Twining was the first and only postmaster of "Ashery," which lasted till about 1856.
On the 14th of March, 1831, Abraham Huff laid out a town of sixteen lots on the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 3, which he re- corded as Capernaum, in honor of the bible city of that name. Nothing ever came of the enterprise, and no lots were ever sold or houses erected. Its site is now a part of the Sheridan farm and its location almost forgotten.
Vanlue, the only village in the township, had its inception May 5, 1847, when William Vanlue laid out a town of 44 lots in the north part of the north half of the northeast quarter of Section 9, and named it after himself. Four additions have been made to the original plat. Vanlue postoffice was established in 1849, and has had the following postmasters: Dr. W. P. Wilson, John Wescott, Dr. W. P. Wilson, Ira Plotts, W. A. Sponsler, Daniel Gilbert and William Alspach. The first business commenced in the village was a tannery in 1847, by Thompson & Barnhart. Clawer & Green opened a general dry goods and grocery store the same year. Hiram and W. L. Plotts were the first carpen- ters, afterward carrying on a cabinet shop and carding-mill run by steam power. In 1847-48, S. N. Beach opened a general store, Peter Shuck a grocery and Isaac Van Horn a blacksmith shop. The earliest physicians were Drs. A. Bell, Abraham Brown, W. P. Wilson, Stover, Igert, Todd and Myers. Dr. Wil- son is yet in active practice at Vanlne. The town grew considerably dur- ing the first few years of its existence, and, being located on the branch railroad from Carey to Findlay, became the great shipping point for the sur- rounding county. About 1851-52 a shingle factory was built, and oper- ated a few years. In 1855-56 a grist-mill was put up by Hiram Russell, of which the present Centennial Mills is the successor. A foundry was opened in 1859, by James B. Freeman, which lasted about five years. The fore- going embrace the principal business interests of early Vanlue; but its loca- tion made it impossible for Vanlue ever to be anything more than a small country town, and after a certain stage of growth was reached its progress slackened up.
367
AMANDA TOWNSHIP.
In September, 1866, Vanlue was incorporated for special purposes, and the first election for officers held April 13, 1867, resulting as follows: Elisha Brown, mayor; Abraham Brown, recorder; Hiram Pratt, Ira Plotts, B. A. Etherton, Charles H. Hatch and A. S. Roberts, council. The mayoralty has since been filled by Aquilla Gilbert, Frederick Shuler, J. H. Brown, B. F. Burnap, T. B. Gilbert, Henry T. Lee, John Ward, Charles H. Hatch (appointed to fill vacancy), Henry T. Lee, Calvin Clark, George W. Snook and E. L. E. Mumma. After its incorporation prosperity once more visited the town, and a new impetus was given to business. On December 3, 1877, Vanlue was incorporated for general purposes. The census of 1880 gave it a population of 364, though its citizens now claim about 500.
Vanlue is situated on the Findlay branch of the Indianapolis, Bloom ington & Western Railroad, about ten miles southeast of the county seat. It contains two general dry goods and grocery stores, one grocery, one drug store and grocery, one hardware store, one harness shop, one furniture store, one bakery, one tin shop, one boot and shoe shop, one barber shop, two blacksmith shops, four physicians, one hotel, and two saloons. In 1855- 56 a steam flouring-mill was built in Vanlue by Hiram Russell, and after passing through several ownerships was bought by Frederick Shuler in 1862. He ran it some ten years and then sold it to Jacob Wall, who in turn disposed of the property to Homer Vansant, and it was soon afterward burned to the ground. In 1876 Mr. Shuler erected the "Centennial Mills," a two and a half story frame building, which he has ever since operated. In the winter of 1884-85 Mr. Shuler put in the roller process, and now turns out a grade of flour second to none in northwestern Ohio. Two saw and planing mills are in operation in the village, and an extensive tile and brickyard, which has been very successful since its establishment in 1884, is also located here. A large grain elevator and warehouse stands near the track of the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western Railroad. It was built soon after the road was completed, and handles, annually, thousands of bushels of wheat, corn and oats raised upon the rich lands of this vicinity.
The United Brethren denomination built the first church at Vanlue in 1851-52; the English Lutherans, the second, and the Methodist Episcopals, the third. The United Brethren have abandoned the old structure, and erected a new one. All are comfortable frame buildings, and accommodate good congregations. A good frame schoolhouse of four rooms furnishes educational facilities. R. E. Diehl is principal, and there are two assistant teachers.
Fountain Lodge No. 353, I. O. O. F., was instituted July 28, 1859, the charter members being John Wescott, Aquilla Gilbert, Abraham Brown, Harmon Pratt, Joshua Myers, Oliver Gordon, Henry Watkins and Benjamin Scott. The lodge erected a fine two-story brick building in 1883, at a cost of over $6,000, selling their old building to Ira Plotts. It now contains over 100 members, and is in a very prosperous condition.
Ellen Lodge No. 60, I. O. O. F., Daughters of Rebekah, was organized May 10, 1870.
Ladonia Lodge No. 82, I. O. G. T., was organized November 24, 1884, and has a very large membership, numbering at present 110. Thus it will be seen that the cause of temperance in Vanlue is in a flourishing condition.
368
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
1
CHAPTER XII.
BIG LICK TOWNSHIP.
EVENTS LEADING TO THE ERECTION OF THIS TOWNSHIP-SUBSEQUENT CHANGES IN ITS TERRITORY AND PRESENT AREA-BOUNDARIES, AND DERIVATION OF NAME - A HUNTERS' RESORT - TOPOGRAPHY AND STREAMS - PRAIRIE MARSH, SOIL AND ORIGINAL APPEARANCE-FIRST ELECTION AND POPULA- TION BY DECADES-FIRST SETTLERS-JUSTICES OF THE PEACE-SCHOOLS- CHURCHES-VILLAGES AND POSTOFFICES.
U PON the organization of Hancock County in 1828, the commissioners erected from Findlay Township, which then embraced the whole county, the townships of Amanda and Welfare, the name of the latter being subsequently changed to Delaware. In 1829 Jackson was formed from Delaware and Amanda, and the following year Marion was cut off from Amanda and Findlay. Thus it stood till March 7, 1831, when Big Lick was erected from territory previously embraced in Amanda, and then con- tained all of the lands, lying in Township 1 north, Range 12 east, except Sections 34 and 35, which remained attached to Amanda till June 3, 1833, on which date the commissioners transferred them to Big Lick. On the 5th of June, 1838, Peter Kiser, Andrew Thompson, Samuel Lininger and other citizens, of Big Lick and Amanda Townships, petitioned the board of com- missioners for a new township named Ridge, to be formed from parts of Amanda and Big Lick. The petition was granted, and the two southern tiers of sections in Township 1 north, Range 12, were taken from Big Lick in the erection of Ridge. The first election in the latter subdivision was held at the house of Samuel Sargent, on Section 34, in July, 1838. The territory taken from Big Lick remained a part of Ridge until March 5, 1845, when the erection of Wyandot County took forty-five sections off the southeast corner of Hancock, making a new formation of township lines a necessity. Ridge Township, as a subdivision of this county, was abolished, and its sixteen sections remaining in Hancock were attached to Big Lick and Amanda, this township receiving back the twelve sections from 25 to 36 inclusive-taken in the formation of Ridge seven years before. Big Lick has ever since been a full Congressional township, with an area of 23,040 acres.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.