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 55
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Cory was laid out July 18, 1872, in Sections 22, 27 and 28, by Matthias Markley and Samuel Kemerer, on the line of the Lake Erie & Western Rail- road, then in process of construction. It lies about two miles and a half southwest of Rawson, and was named in honor of D. J. Cory, Esq., of Findlay. A few buildings were put up when the railroad reached here, in the fall of 1872, but the real beginning of the town was the erection, in 1873, of a flouring-mill, by Dr. H. P. Eaton and a saw-mill by William D. Turner, both of which are still in operation. A postoffice named Mount Cory was established here in 1873, with Benjamin Wildemuth as postmaster. The successive incumbents of this office since that time have been Alfred Long- brake, W. J. Staater, J. L. Asire, W. W. Haldeman, W. J. Staater and Matthias Markley. In February, 1874, Hall & Harpster opened a general store, and soon afterward the Falks brought a stock of goods to the village. Dr. E. P. Leslie, the first resident. physician, opened a drug store in 1874, and these constitute the pioneer business men of Cory. Several additions have been made to the village, which has grown slowly, and in 1880 con- tained a population of 199, but now claims nearly 300 inhabitants. There are two general dry goods and grocery stores, a hardware store, a stove and tin shop, a drug store, a fruit and. candy store, a harness shop, a hotel and livery stable, one saloon, a flouring-mill, a saw and planing-mill, an under- taker, a wagon factory, a blacksmith shop, a tile factory and one resident physician. Cory also contains a two-teacher brick school building, and two churches-the Evangelical Association and Methodist Protestant. It is a stirring little village and adds considerably to the wealth of Union Town- ship.
498
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXV.
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.
LOCATION, ERECTION, NAME, SUBSEQUENT CHANGES IN TERRITORY, AREA AND POPULATION-STREAMS, WELLS, TOPOGRAPHY AND SOIL-FIRST SETTLERS -THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - JUSTICES -SCHOOLS-CHURCHES-VILLAGES AND RAILROADS.
TI HIS subdivision lies in the southern range of townships, and is bounded on the north by Eagle Township, on the east by Madison, on the west by Orange, and on the south by Hardin County. Its present territory was embraced in Findlay Township until the erection of Liberty in 1830, when it became a part of the latter subdivision. On petition of sundry inhabi- tants, Townships 1 and 2 south, Range 10, were, on the 7th of March, 1831, set off from Liberty and Findlay, and named Van Buren in honor of Martin Van Buren, a leading Democrat of the nation, afterward President of the United States. The two eastern tiers of sections in both Townships 1 and 2 were previously a part of Findlay Township, while the four western tiers of each belonged to Liberty. On the 3d of December, 1832, Township 1 south, Range 10 was cut off Van Buren and erected as Eagle, and March 4, 1834, Township 2 south, Range 9 was attached to Van Buren and so remained until its separate erection as Orange, December 5, 1836. Upon the erection of Madison Township, June 1, 1840, the two eastern tiers of sections of Van Buren were taken in the formation of that subdivision, leaving this township with an area of twenty-four square miles, or 15,360 acres. Its population by decades has been as follows: 1840, 432; 1850, 536; 1860, 713; 1870, 780, and 1880, 907, showing a slow but steady growth from 1840 to 1880 of 475 inhabitants.
The head-waters of Ottawa (locally called ' Tawa) Creek are located in the central portion of Van Buren, its several branches thoroughly draining the northern half of the township. The west branch of Eagle Creek, heads in Hog Creek Marsh and flows across the southeast corner of Van Buren, unit- ing with the east branch in Madison Township. Riley Creek takes its rise on Section 29, and passes westward into Orange Township, which it trav- erses in the same general direction. The beds of these streams afford good natural drainage. The wells range from ten to thirty feet in depth, and considerable sulphur water is found in this section of the county. The sur- face of Van Buren is gently rolling and sheds easily the usual waterfall. The uplands are composed of a clay soil and the balance of vegetable and alluvial deposits, forming a rich black loam of unusual fertility. The heavy forest that once grew upon the soil has given place to well-tilled farms and comfortable homes.
First Settlers. - The pioneers of Van Buren Township were nearly all Germans, and the township has always been regarded as a German settle- ment. They brought with them from their fatherland those stern qualities
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VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.
of industry and rigid economy for which the German is celebrated. It has often been truly said, "a German will live and grow rich where an Ameri- can or an Irishman would starve." The German emigrants who first settled in this county, like those who came at a later day, usually possessed vigor- ous constitutions, and were happy, living in the rudest cabins on the plain- est fare. Their one overmastering ambition was to accumulate property and become independent, and that they succeeded is amply illustrated by the hundreds of valuable farms of which they or their children are now the proud owners.
In May, 1833, Benjamin Sparr, Charles O. Bradford, Charles Herron and George Hart came together from Licking County, Ohio, and all settled in Van Buren Township. Mr. Sparr had entered the northwest quarter of Section 27, June 4, 1831, and upon coming at once erected a cabin on his land. He married Miss Lydia D. Clark, a native of Maine, in Licking County, Ohio, in 1822, and eleven years afterward, with his wife and four children, came to this township. Six children were born here, and of the ten, seven survive. Mr. Sparr was one of the prime movers in the organi- zation of the first Methodist Protestant Society in this part of the county. In 1852 he was elected justice of the peace, and served one term. He died on the old homestead April 6, 1860, and his aged widow survived him till January 8, 1886, dying in her eighty-seventh year. Mrs. William Troy, of Van Buren, is a daughter of Mr. Sparr.
Charles O. Bradford was a native of Maine, and married a sister of Mr. Sparr, in Licking County, Ohio. He was a minister of the Methodist Prot- estant church, and the main instrument in the organization of the first re- ligious society in the township. He and his family lived with Mr. Sparr until the fall of 1833, and then built a cabin on the southwest quarter of Section 22, which he had entered June 4, 1831. In 1834 he was elected justice of the peace, and served until his removal to Champaign County, Ohio, where he was called to take charge of a church. He died in that county, and his family returned to Hancock, where his children grew to maturity. The widow has since removed to Nebraska, but his son William is now residing on a part of the Abel Tanner farm in Section 23, Madison Township-the first land settled on Eagle Creek.
Charles Herron married a half-sister of Mrs. Sparr and settled on the southeast quarter of Section 22, entered February 3, 1832, where he resided till death. He was a local preacher of the Methodist Protestant denomina- tion, and was also one of the organizers of the pioneer class in this vicinity. George Hart settled on a part of Herron's farm. He was twice married, his second wife being Herron's widow, with whom he removed to Cham- paign County, Ohio.
Clem Green and Samuel Stroud settled in the Sparr neighborhood in 1833 or 1834. Green's father, Samuel, entered the east half of the south- west quarter of Section 27 in 1831, and here the son built his cabin. He subsequently sold out to Benjamin Pugh and left the township. Stroud and family came from Fairfield County, Ohio, and settled close to Sparr. His wife died, and the family removed from the county, the father dying in Hardin.
In the fall of 1834 Nicholas Essinger, Peter Pifer and Adam Reddick, took up their abode in this township. All were natives of Germany, and had immigrated to Pennsylvania, whence they came to Hancock County.
500
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Nicholas and Barbara Essinger left the fatherland in 1832, being then the parents of three children. Two were born during their stay in Pennsylva- nia and one after coming to this township. They settled on Section 10, on land entered in May, 1834, and here Mr. Essinger died in 1865, his widow surviving him till 1884. Of their six children only three are living, two being residents of Van Buren, viz. : Mrs. George Price and John. Peter and Catherine Pifer located on the northeast quarter of Section 8, entered by him in May, 1834. Both died on the home farm, and of their six sons, three are residents of Van Buren Township, and two reside in other sec-
tions of the county. Adam Reddick was a single man, but began a clear- ing in the south part of Section 5. He soon married and settled permanently on his land, where both he and his wife resided till death. They reared a family of four sons and three daughters, all of whom reside in this county except one daughter who is living in the West. J. R. Reddick lives upon the old homestead.
Peter, Philip and Henry Heldman were born in Germany, and settled with their parents in Jefferson County, Ohio, whence, in the spring of 1835, they removed to this township. All were married ere coming here, and set- tled on Ottawa Creek in the north part of the township. Michael and Christian Heldman came later and located in the vicinity of their brothers. Henry and Michael are still residents of Van Buren.
In the fall of 1835 the township received two more German families, viz. : Adam Gossman and John Rauch. The former married Margaret Price, and came here from Washington County, Penn. He settled on the north- west quarter of Section 10, entered in May, 1834, where he passed the balance of his days, and where his widow yet resides. Six of their chil- dren are living in Hancock County-three sons and one daughter in this township. John Rauch married Christina Price and also removed here from Pennsylvania. They settled in the north part of Section 8, where the father died. The widow and son, Peter, live upon the old place.
In 1836 Henry Hull settled on Section 22, where both he and his wife died. He served two terms as justice of the peace of Van Buren Township. In 1837 and 1838 Robert Mathewson, George Pugh, Thomas Morrison, Will- iam Troy, Christian Schaller, Michael and Peter Wilch and William Bauer came into the township, followed, in 1839, by Daniel, Michael and Samuel Bosserman, nearly all of whom were Germans. But the township was now pretty thickly settled, and from that time onward every year brought in other families, and it was not long until the choice lands of Van Buren were occupied and cabins erected on every section in the township. Those pioneer cabins have given place to the more comfortable frame and brick residences, while fine large barns indicate that thrifty Germans have here found an asylum from the oppression and poverty of their native land.
Justices. - This list contains the justices since the organization of Van Buren Township, and the reader will bear in mind that upon the erection of Madison the homes of some of the earliest ones were embraced in the latter subdivision. The first justice of this township was William Moreland, Jr., and his successors have been Jacob Bolenbaugh, Charles O. Bradford, Christian Welty, Andrew Ricketts, Thomas Morrison, Henry Hull, Michael Bosserman, George Rinehart, Alexander Hodge, Benjamin Sparr, John B. Pugh, Eliab Hassan, Adam Steinman, Christian Schaller, William Montgom- ery, A. B. Jenner and F. C. Pore.
501
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP.
Schools. - The first schoolhouse in this township was built about 1842 near the north line of Section 9, on the farm now owned by Michael Held- man. Another was erected soon afterward on the farm, now owned by Adam Steinman in Section 22. Miss Mary Welty was the first teacher in this school. As the township settled up other schoolhouses were built, and edu- cation became general. Van Buren now boasts of six good brick school build- ings, which are all kept open throughout the school year.
Churches. - The advent into Van Buren of Benjamin Sparr, Charles O. Bradford and Charles Herron, in 1833, was the beginning of its religious history. The two last mentioned were preachers of the Methodist Protest- ant denomination, and the same year of their arrival a society was organized. Simeon Ransbottom, the first settler on Eagle Creek, was also active in this work. They worshiped at the homes of the members or at schoolhouses till 1854-55, when the little frame on Section 22, known as Mount Moriah Church, was erected, and here the society has ever since worshiped. The German Reformed and Lutherans each organized a society quite early, and in 1852 erected a building on the farm of Jacob Traucht. The two societies held services together in this house for three years, but a misunderstanding finally arose, and the Lutherans put up a frame church on Section 10 in 1855. In 1884 this was succeeded by the present commodious brick struct- ure. Van Buren also contains a German Baptist, a Mennonite and a Presby- terian Church, the last mentioned being organized in September, 1840, by Rev. George Van Eman, each of which have good congregations.
Villages. - A small hamlet called New Stark on Sections 29 and 32, has been in existence for many years, though no plat has ever been recorded. We find here at present a general dry goods and grocery store, a saw-mill, and a blacksmith and wagon shop. The place contains about a dozen build- ings.
Jenera was laid out April 3, 1883, by Peter Traucht, Samuel Feller and John Heldman on Sections 4 and 5. It had its inception in the completion of the Cleveland, Delphos & St. Louis Narrow Gauge Railroad, which passes through the north part of this township. The road was commenced in 1881, finished through Van Buren in the fall of 1882, and reached Mt. Blanch- ard in December of that year. A postoffice was established here in 1883, with Dr. A. B. Jenner as postmaster. . He was succeeded in October, 1885, by John Price. The village now contains one dry goods and drug store, a hardware store, a general grocery store, a steam grist-mill, two saloons and a blacksmith shop, and has one physician, Dr. A. B. Jenner, after whom the town was named. A warehouse stands close to the railroad, and as soon as this road is changed to the standard gauge, Jenera will become the shipping point for this portion of the county.
502
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXVI.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
DERIVATION OF NAME, ERECTION, AREA, BOUNDARIES AND POPULATION-DIS- APPEARANCE OF THE FOREST, AND WILDCAT THICKET-SOIL AND TOPOG- RAPHY-STREAMS-EARLY SETTLERS-FIRST BIRTH IN THE TOWNSHIP- CHURCHES-EDUCATION-EARLY ELECTION AND JUSTICES-RISDON AND ARCADIA-THEIR PAST AND PRESENT.
W ASHINGTON received its name in honor of the commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary armies and first President of the United States. It is the northeast subdivision of Hancock County, and was erected March 5, 1832, embracing the full Congressional Township 2 north, Range 12 east, or an area of 23,040 acres. Wood and Seneca Counties bound Washington on the north and east respectively, while Big Lick Township lies on the south and Cass on the west. In 1840 it contained a population of 830; 1850, 1,222; 1860, 1,662; 1870, 1,579, and 1880, 1,945.
Like the greater portion of Hancock County, Washington was covered originally with a heavy growth of forest, which through the past half cen- tury has gradually disappeared under the magic strokes of the woodsman's ax. Much beautiful timber was cut down and burned during the earlier years of settlement, as the pioneers never dreamt the time would come when those giant trees would be more valuable than the lands which bore them up. When the early settlers came to this part of the county, a wind- fall from one-half a mile to a mile in width, overgrown with underbrush and rank vegetation, stretched about half way across the township from west to east, a little south of the center, which was named "Wildcat Thicket," because of the large number of those animals which then found refuge there.
The soil and topographical features are very favorable to agricultural pursuits. Two ridges, composed of sand and gravel, cross the northern tier of sections from east to west, and unite on Section 5, thence continue west- ward into Cass as one ridge. On each side of the north ridge the soil is a rich black loam. A row of springs, locally called "Spring Row," origin- ally stretched along the base of the north ridge, rendering the lands wet and marshy, but tile draining has long since brought them under cultiva- tion. South of the lower ridge the soil is a heavy clay interspersed with sections of vegetable deposits, usually called "black muck," the higher lands being composed of a mixture of clay and sand. The surface is gener- ally level, and inclines gently northward, the water-shed being wholly in that direction. Along the streams the country is slightly rolling, and on reaching the summit of the north ridge the fall toward the Wood County line is more rapid.
The East and Middle Branches of Portage River drain the township from south to north. The Middle Branch, also called Arcadia Creek, rises south-
Robert Barnhill
505
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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
east of Arcadia, winds northward through the western portion of the town- ship, passing through that village in its route, and leaves the county in Sec- tion 6. It receives several small tributaries in its passage through Wash- ington, and drains about two-thirds of the township. Where it crosses the ridge its bluffs are from twenty to thirty feet in height. The headwaters of the East Branch, or Fostoria Creek, are in the east part of Big Lick Township, whence it flows northward into Washington, and winding up the east side of the township, strikes the Wood County line at Fostoria. These branches afford good natural drainage, and therefore add much to the agri- cultural advantages of the township.
Early Settlers .- It is an admitted fact that John Gorsuch was the first settler, and erected the first cabin in this township, in April, 1831, on the northeast quarter of Section 1, entered by him December 17, 1830. Mr. Gorsuch had a wife and several grown children on coming to this township. His sons were Micajah, Nelson, Silas, and Lemuel, all of whom, excepting Micajah, subsequently removed from the county. The parents went into Wood County, where they spent the balance of their lives.
James Swaney also settled in the township in April, 1831, a short time after Mr. Gorsuch. He located on the southeast quarter of Section 4, where he resided until his death, prior to the Rebellion. At the time of his settlement here, Mr. Swaney was in the prime of manhood, a fitting repre- sentative of those hardy pioneers who dared the privations of frontier life. He was a local Methodist Episcopal preacher, and a very worthy man. His widow survived him a few years, but none of his children reside in this county.
James G. Wiseman was the next settler to locate in this part of Hancock. He entered the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 12, May 12, 1831, and in the following month brought out his wife and eight children- seven boys and one girl. He entered the east half of the same quarter, August 15, 1831. Mr. Wiseman was a native of Greenbrier County, W. Va., born August 4, 1793, there grew to manhood, learned the blacksmith trade, and for a time served in the war of 1812, in the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Col. Lewis, of that State. In 1814 he married Miss Elizabeth Summers, and in September, 1817, moved to Madison County, Ohio. After a two years' residence in Madison the family removed to Perry County, and in May, 1831, to this township, where six children were afterward born. He possessed a rugged frame, well fitted for frontier life, and like most of the pioneers he was genial and honest, and always ready to lend a helping hand. Though an expert hunter he never wasted time in those attractive sports, but attended strictly to clearing up and improving his farm. His daughter, Eliza, born in March, 1832, was the first white child born in the township. In 1842 he built a saw-mill on his farm, which he ran several years. Of his thirteen children, twelve grew to maturity, and he lived to see eleven of them comfortably settled in life. He died on the old home- stead April 3, 1872, his widow surviving him several years. Only six of their children are now living, Andrew and Joseph being two of the leading farmers of the township. The former is the oldest continuous settler of Washington, having lived in the township for more than fifty-five years.
John Norris came from Wayne County, Ohio, entered the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 2, March 19, 1831, and the following May located upon his land. In 1832 he was elected clerk of the township.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
After a residence here of a few years he sold his land and removed to Sec- tion 32, Portage Township; but in 1877 he again sold out and went to Texas.
In the fall of 1831, Thomas Kelley, of Wayne County, Ohio, built his cabin on the northwest quarter of Section 1, entered by him the previous April. The following year (1832), his brothers, Ezekiel and Moses, settled in the township, the former on Section 4, and the latter on Section 2. Thomas served two terms as county commissioner, and now resides in Fostoria, but Ezekiel and Moses both died in the township.
Quite a large number of families came into the township in 1832, among whom were Elijah and John McRill, Francis Redfern, Jacob Heistand, Michael and Liverton Thomas, Oliver Day, David Heaston, Obediah Hunt, James Conley, William Norris, James Bryan and Isaac Wiseman. The Mc Rills came here from Richland County, Ohio, in the spring of 1832, and located in the northwest corner of the township. Elijah subsequently went West, and John removed into Wood County; Benjamin J., a son of Elijah, lives in the southeast corner of Marion Township. Francis Redfern and family emigrated from England to Wayne County, Ohio, in 1830, and in May, 1832, came to this township, and settled on the southwest quarter of Section 6. Besides the parents there were three sons and three daughters in the family, the sons being Peter, Francis and Joseph, all full grown. After a residence here of about fourteen years the family sold out and re- moved to Illinois, Joseph having previously married, and settled just across the line in Wood County, where he is yet living. Jacob Heistand, a native of Pennsylvania, first settled in Wayne County, Ohio, whence in the spring of 1832 he came to Hancock. He located on Section 17 north- east of Arcadia. His wife, Sarah, bore him a large family, all of whom, to- gether with the parents, are dead. The children of Henry (the second son), who died in 1881, reside on the old homestead.
Michael Thomas and wife, and sons, Liverton, Michael, Hugh and Jona- than, came here from Wayne County, Ohio, in the spring of 1832. The parents settled on the northwest quarter of Section 3, and Liverton, who was then married, on the southwest quarter of Section 2. The latter was elected justice of the peace at an election held in Washington July 21, 1832. Michael, Sr., and wife died on their farm, Liverton and wife in Fostoria, and Michael, Jr., Hugh and Jonathan removed to Indiana. Oliver Day, a local Methodist Episcopal preacher, first settled in Wood County, whence in the spring of 1832 he removed into this township, settling in the northwest corner. In 1838 he was elected justice of the peace, and finally removed to Iowa. David Heaston and family, of Fairfield County, Ohio, located on Section 3 in the spring of 1832, where both he and his wife died. One of the daughters lives upon the old place. Obediah Hunt was a native of Vermont, and, previous to the fall of 1832, lived in Seneca County, whence he removed to the northeast quarter of Section 12, where he entered 120 acres, July 17, 1832. He subsequently sold out and went to Michigan. James Conley, of Richland County, Ohio, entered the west half of the north- west quarter of Section 3. December 17, 1830, but did not settle on his land till 1832, and after a brief residence moved into Wood County. William Norris, of Perry County, Ohio, whence he had removed to Seneca County, settled on the southwest quarter of Section 1 in 1832, and died in the town- ship. James Bryan located about the same time on Section 5, and there
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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
died. Isaac Wiseman, a brother of James G., came in from Seneca County in the fall of 1832, and built his cabin on the southwest quarter of Section 12. He possessed a fair English education and taught the first school in the township. In 1835 he was elected justice of the peace, and re-elected three times in succession. Both he and his wife, Susan, died in the township. They reared quite a large family, five of whom are living in the county, two being residents of the township.
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