USA > Ohio > Henry County > History of Henry and Fulton counties, Ohio : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 5
USA > Ohio > Fulton County > History of Henry and Fulton counties, Ohio : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 5
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48
HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES.
Under this provision and by this enactment was Henry county attached to Wood county, and so continued for about four years, when, by an act passed on the 2d of February, 1824, it was provided that Williams county be fully organized for all purposes, and that the other counties of Henry, Putnam, and Paulding be attached thereto for judicial purposes; that on the first Monday of April, 1824, the legal electors residing in the counties of Williams, Henry, Putnam, and Paulding " shall assemble within their respective townships, at the usual place of holding elections, and shall proceed to elect their several county and township officers, who shall hold their several offices until the next annual election."
It was further provided that the courts for the several named counties should be held at Defiance, in the county of Williams, until otherwise provided by law ; further, " that suits or actions, whether of a civil or criminal nature," which should be pending at the time of the passage of the act, should be pros- ecuted to final judgment and execution in the county of Wood, in the same manner as they would have been had not Williams county been fully organ- ized. Otherwise than as above provided, Williams county became the seat of justice for Henry county after February, 1824.
By virtue of an act passed June 20, 1835, entitled " An act to erect the county of Lucas," Henry county was called upon to surrender a portion of her territory to the formation of the new, and the portion so taken passed under the jurisdiction of Lucas county, except as related to suits or actions then pending in Henry county, which grew out of transactions in the land so taken. It was also provided by this act that the counties of Lucas, Darke, Shelby, Mercer, Allen, Van Wert, Putnam, Henry, Wood, and Williams, should partic- ipate in common in the election of a representative to the General Assembly of the State, and with the additional county of Miami, should elect one State senator.
Again, in the year 1845, by an act passed March 4, Henry county was called upon to surrender a part of her territory to the formation of Defiance county, thus taking from her lands on the western border, and her jurisdiction and authority over the part so taken ceased, except as to suits and actions then pending.
For a third time the county was made to surrender her territory to a new formation, in the year 1850, under an act passed on the 28th day of February, creating the county of Fulton. This will be found fully set forth elsewhere in this work, in the department relating to Fulton county, so that a detail of the facts need not be given here.
In the year 1834, Henry county became fully organized for all purposes ; authorized to elect its own officers, hold courts within its boundaries, and per- form all of the acts and duties incumbent upon all counties. But, before go- ing into the facts relative to this organization, and the proceedings and events
49
HENRY COUNTY.
that occurred at that time, a brief description of the location and characteris- tics of the county will at this time be appropriate.
Henry county occupies a central position among the counties in that sec- tion of the State of Ohio, that is usually termed the Northwest. Its bounda- ries, after the formation of the several counties in the region, are as follows : north by Fulton county, east by Wood county, south by Putnam county, and west by Defiance and a small part of Williams counties.
In the formation of Defiance county, the lines were so run as to leave a portion, or fragment of Henry, projecting westward between Fulton and De- fiance counties, and reaching out an average township length to Williams county. This strip, or projecting tract of land, now comprises the township of Ridgeville. With the exception of this deformity, caused by the erection of Defiance county, this is, perhaps, as regular in formation and boundary, as any of the counties of the State.
Under an act of the State Legislature passed during the session of 1834, the civil organization of Henry county was completed, and it was thereafter no longer annexed to Williams county, but authorized to elect its own officers, administrate its own affairs, and govern itself. The act made provision, also, for the appointment of three commissioners, not residents of the county, to whom fell the duty of locating the seat of justice for the county. In the performance of the trust the commissioners visited the county, and viewed the several locali- ties proposed, heard the arguments of the people, pro and con, and finally, and with no opposition, or but very little, fixed the seat of justice at the town of Napoleon.
The first proceeding necessary, after the complete organization of the county was the selection of county officials. They were as follows : Pierce Evans, Reuben Waite and David J. Corry, judges ; Newton Evans, clerk of the courts : Xenophen Mead, Amos Cole and Allen Brougher, county commis- sioners; Hazel Strong, auditor ; Israel Waite, treasurer ; Elkanch Husted, sheriff; William Bowen, coroner; Frederick Lord, prosecuting attorney. They were to hold their respective offices until the general election in October fol- lowing, and at that time all were re-elected except that Samuel Bowers was elected to the office of sheriff in place of Elkanch Husted, who had left the county. The whole number of votes cast at this election was ninety-seven.
A term of court, the first in the county, was held at the public house of George Stout, a short distance north of the Maumee River. Judge David Higgins presided upon this occasion, having reached the place by coming up the river on horseback. Unfortunately, the journal of the proceedings of this pioneer court was destroyed by fire upon the occasion of the burning of the frame court-house, in the year 1847, and no record of the same is now obtain- able.
It became necessary that, for the proper conduct of terms of court, and the
7
50
HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES.
administration of the affairs of the county, there should be provided a court- house, and this became one of the first duties devolving upon the commission- ers. These officials made an agreement with George Stout that he should build an addition to his log tavern for the purpose indicated. This was done within a reasonable time, and a suitable room was thus provided in which just- ice was " meted out " until the county was sufficiently strong in point of popu- lation and wealth to afford a more pretentious building. The court-room proper was located upon the second floor of the log addition, while the other part was used by " mine host " Stout, for the purposes of trade. Courts at this time were held but twice each year, so the worthy landlord enjoyed undis- puted possession most of the time. It was the custom, too, upon the adjourn- ment, for all to participate in a jolly, old-fashioned country dance, in which the officials, attendants, litigants, witnesses and general hangers-on should partici- pate.
This old log court-house answered the demands of the county for a num- ber of years, but, as the town grew more populous, and the county became settled, a more adequate and attractive appearing building became necessary. In the year 1844, the first frame court-house building was erected. It stood near the corner of Perry and Washington streets, about on the site of the pres- ent building. It was a plain, two-story structure, with court-rooms on the upper floor, while the offices of the county officials were on the lower or ground floor. It was built by Michael Shuman, and cost about two thousand dollars.
During these years the old jail continued in use as a place of confinement of prisoners and offenders. This log jail stood about south from the present jail, across and on the south side of the canal. This was used for all cases dur- ing the early days of the county, but as law-breakers became more frequent and desperate, the old building proved no longer secure, and until the first brick court-house was built with the jail in its basement, many of the more serious offenders were taken to Maumee City, and perhaps a few to other places. The most noted escapade from the old log jail was that of the mur- derers of the three unoffending Indians, an account of which will be found else- where in this volume.
In the month of April, 1847, by an incendiary fire, the frame court-house was entirely destroyed, with it all records, books and valuable papers belong- ing to the several departments of county government, except a few of the tax duplicates, which were saved through the efforts of James G. Haly, then auditor of the county. This was a serious loss to the new and struggling county, and for a time each arm of the local government seemed paralyzed. The commissioners held a meeting to consider the misfortune, but with no unneces- sary delay determined upon the erection of another and more substantial court- house. But here another question was presented that for a time seriously threatened the removal of the county seat from Napoleon.
5I
HENRY COUNTY.
About this time there was some effort making looking toward the erection of another county, and for that purpose taking again of the lands of Henry county. But this project seemed not to have been popular and found not much determined support, but very much determined opposition. With the burning of the court-house an effort was made to have the county seat moved to Florida by the people on the west of the county, and to Damascus by those residing on the east. These movements were made most apparent in the nomination of candidates for the office of county commissioner, cach locality using the greatest endeavor to nominate and elect a commissioner favorable to the particular locality he should represent.
The commissioners then in office were under contract with the firm of James B. Steedman & Co. for the erection of a new county jail, and in fact the work was already commenced when the fire occurred. For a modest con- sideration the contractors were induced to stop work and surrender their con- tract. Following this, on the 7th of March, 1848, the commissioners adopted a resolution as follows:
" Whereas, the subject of erecting public buildings for the county of Henry is being agitated in different parts of the county at this time; and whereas, a majority of the people of the county are opposed to the erection of such build- ings, or any contract for the same, until the subject of the removal of the county seat shall have been fairly and fully canvassed by the people at the next annual election, and their wishes acted upon by the Legislature at its next ses- sion ; therefore,
" Resolved, that the subject of erecting, contracting for or constructing pub- lic buildings for Henry county, be postponed until after the rising of the next General Assembly."
The result of this agitation and discussion was in the determination of the commissioners to erect new buildings on the site of the old. Two town lots were, in December, 1849, donated by the proprietors of the town for the ad- ditional grounds required for this purpose. It was provided that the court- house and jail should be in one building, and that the county officials' quarters should be in another, separate from the first. The former to be two stories in height, and in dimensions, forty by sixty feet. The offices for county officials were to be in a building (fire-proof), twenty by sixty feet in size, and divided into four equal apartments. In January, 1850, the contract for these buildings was awarded to James Durbin, Achilles Smith and William Russell, at the price of $7,495.75.
In due course of time these buildings were completed ; the combined court- house and jail, a plain brick structure, two stories high, built with reference to convenience and practical utility rather than ornamentation. It was never- theless a substantial and attractive appearing house of justice, and received much favorable commendation from visiting magistrates and layman of the legal fra-
52
HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES.
ternity. The apartments for the incarceration of offenders occupied the lower portion, which was protected on the sides by heavy stone-walls, while the court-room occupied the second story. The rooms for the jury and such of the officers as were required to have offices in the building, were situated in convenient parts and well ordered.
This building answered well the needs of the county for many years, but, like its predecessor, was doomed to fall a victim to the ravages of the fiery fiend. On the night of the 8th of November, 1879, a fire broke out in what the residents were pleased to designate as "Dutch Row," which soon commu- nicated to the adjoining buildings, and ended in a sweeping and disastrous con- flagration. The court-house " caught fire " from the burning buildings and it was soon a mass of ruin and debris. Henry county was again without a court-house. Fortunately, none of the records of the county were destroyed, they being saved before fire could reach their place of keeping.
On the 25th of March, 1880, the commissioners entered into a contract with Jacob Karst and William Woodruff for the erection of the new and ele- gant court-house, an ornament to the village of Napoleon and an honor to the county. The contract price for its construction was $79,825, and added to this the cost of furnishing, made its aggregate cost about $95,000. At the same time and in the same contract these parties were awarded the work of build- ing the present jail and sheriff's residence, at the price of $20,000. The jail was completed during the latter part of the year 1880, but the court-house was not finished until the early months of the year 1882. During its building Beckmann Hall was used for county and court purposes. Fulton county un- doubtedly has the finest court-house in northwestern Ohio. It stands on an elevated tract of land at the corner of Perry and Washington streets, from each of which avenues there is an entrance. The building is of brick with heavy and finely cut Berea sandstone trimmings. Its height, including basement and mansard roof, is four stories. In the central part and rising to a height of about one hundred and fifty feet from the ground, is a well built square tower, surmounted by a figure of justice. Beneath the figure and in the upper part of the tower is a four-dial clock. The interior of the building is admirably ar- ranged, the main floor containing the most important of the county officers' apartments. The prosecuting attorney, sheriff and clerk have offices on the up- per floor, on which, also, is the spacious and well arranged court-room, while the county surveyor, infirmary directors and janitor have offices in the basement.
In rear of the court-house, and fronting on Washington street is the sub- stantial and secure jail, connected with which is a comfortable sheriff's resi- dence.
These public buildings will stand a lasting monument to the generosity and public-spiritedness of the people of Henry county, and in this age of progress and elaboration they can point with pardonable pride to this magnificent structure that bears favorable comparison with any in the State.
53
HENRY COUNTY.
Having reviewed the leading events in connection with the erection of the county, and have furnished a record of its several public buildings, it is fully proper that this chapter should close with a roster of the persons who have been in charge of the several departments of its civil government ; but owing to the destruction of the records at the time of the first fire, in 1847, and the loss of many since, it is impossible to furnish a complete and civil list of the county from the date of its complete erection. In fact, the list here given from 1852 down to a very recent date, is taken from the files of the North- West, the leading newspaper of the county. To attempt to give a list of the officers prior to 1853, would involve the statistician in a mass of inaccuracies, as all information would necessarily be based upon the memory of man, which, at best is unre- liable. The first officers of the county are mentioned in the early part of this chapter. The following record contains the names of county officers who were elected at the time indicated by the year given in each case, and will be found to be reliable.
In the year 1852, those holding office under the county government were as follows : Probate judge, Harvey Allen ; clerk of the courts, A. H. Tyler ; auditor, William J. Jackson ; sheriff, Daniel Yarnell ; treasurer, George Steb- bins ; prosecuting attorney, Edward Sheffield; recorder, A. Craig ; county surveyor, Paul P. Doud ; county commissioners, David Harley, D. F. Welsted, Charles Hornung.
Elected in 1852, sheriff, Henry N. Low; commissioner, Matthew Reid; cor- oner, David Leist.
1853. County auditor, Edward Sheffield ; treasurer, Daniel Yarnell ; re- corder, Rensselaer Hudson; commissioner, John Hamler; prosecuting attorney, Justin H. Tyler ; coroner, Abel Montgomery.
1854. Probate judge, Harvey Allen ; clerk, Asa H. Tyler ; sheriff, Henry N. Low ; commissioner, Ward Woodward ; surveyor, W. H. Brownell.
1855. Auditor, Edward Sheffield; treasurer, Daniel Yarnell; commissioner, Matthew Reid ; prosecuting attorney, Justin H. Tyler.
1856. Sheriff, C. R. McWilliams ; recorder, Rensselaer Hudson; commis- sioner, John Hamler.
1857. Probate judge, T. S. C. Morrison ; clerk, D. M. McCann ; auditor, J. E. Cowdrick; treasurer, H. D. Taylor ; prosecuting attorney, W. A. Choate; commissioner, George Crawford; surveyor, Charles Hornung ; coroner, Mi- chael Neff.
1858. Sheriff, C. R. McWilliams ; coroner, John Powell.
1859. Auditor, James E. Cowdrick ; treasurer, H. D. Taylor ; recorder, Thomas Yarnell; prosecuting attorney, William A. Choate ; commissioner, Levi Spangler ; coroner, Reuben Reiter.
1860. Probate judge, T. S. C. Morrison; clerk, Thomas W. Durbin ; sheriff, John P. Rowan ; commissioner, George Crawford ; surveyor, Levi Coffman.
54
HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES.
1861. The records for this year are missing, yet James A. Parker was pros- ecuting attorney, and Augustin Pilloid treasurer.
1862. Sheriff, John P. Rowan; recorder, William F. Daggett; commis- sioner, Levi Spangler ; coroner, Edward Lingle ; surveyor, -- Strong.
1863. Probate judge, T. S. C. Morrison; auditor, Rensselaer Hudson; treas- urer, Augustin Pilloid ; clerk, Charles Reiter ; prosecuting attorney, James A. Parker; commissioner, John C. McLain ; surveyor, Samuel L. Adams.
1864. Probate judge, John M. Haag ; sheriff, Oscar E. Barnes; commis- sioner, Harrison Hudson ; coroner, Edward Lingle.
1865. Prosecuting attorney, James A. Parker ; auditor, B. F. Stout ; treas- urer, C. R. McWilliams ; recorder, W. F. Daggett; commissioner, Henry Schall.
1866. Probate judge, John M. Haag ; clerk, Charles Reiter ; sheriff, Oscar E. Barnes; commissioner, John C. McLain ; surveyor, James C. Crawford ; coroner, Jacob Diemer.
1867. Auditor, B. F. Stout ; treasurer, W. A. Tressler ; prosecuting attor- ney, J. L. Robertson ; commissioner, H. Hudson.
1868. Sheriff, John C. Jaqua; recorder, J. F. Hoskinson ; commissioner, Henry Schall ; coroner, Jacob Diemer.
1869. Probate judge, James G. Haly ; clerk, Oscar E. Barnes ; auditor, Frederick Theek; prosecuting attorney, J. L. Robertson ; treasurer, W. A. Tressler ; commissioner, Thomas W. Durbin ; surveyor, J. C. Crawford ; cor- oner, Henry Seeling.
1870. Sheriff, Charles Reiter ; commissioner, R. B. Calkins.
1871. Prosecuting attorney, J. L. Robertson ; treasurer, H. H. Van Fleet; recorder, R. P. Osborn; commissioner, A. J. Saygers; surveyor, Henry Kolbe; coroner, Henry Seeling.
1872. Probate judge, James G. Haly ; clerk, Oscar E. Barnes ; auditor, J. F. Theek ; sheriff, George Daum ; commissioner, Tighlman Miller.
1873. Treasurer, Henry H. Van Fleet ; prosecuting attorney, John L. Rob- ertson ; commissioner, John Powell ; coroner, Henry Seeling.
1874. Auditor, W. F. Daggett ; sheriff, George Daum; recorder, R. P. Os- burn; prosecuting attorney, David Meekison ; commissioner, Charles Hornung; surveyor, Henry Kolbe.
1875. Probate judge, James G. Haly; clerk, Oscar E. Barnes ; treasurer, John C. McLain ; commissioner, Daniel Yarnell ; coroner, Henry Seeling.
1876. Auditor, B. F. Stout; sheriff, D. W. Spangler ; prosecuting attor- ney, David Meekison ; commissioner, Reuben Reiter.
1877. Treasurer, John C. McLain ; recorder, Daniel Hartnett ; commis- sioner, Charles Hornung ; surveyor, George Welsted ; coroner, Michael Neff.
1878. Probate judge, James G. Haly ; clerk, Oscar E. Barnes ; auditor, H. L. Ennes ; sheriff, George Daum ; prosecuting attorney, Martin Knupp; com- missioner, Daniel Yarnell.
55
HENRY COUNTY.
1879. Treasurer, Charles H. Gidley ; commissioner, Reuben Reiter ; cor- oner, Dr. Henry Woesterfeldt.
1880. Sheriff, George Daum ; prosecuting attorney, Martin Knupp; re- corder, Daniel Hartnett ; commissioner, W. H. Booher ; surveyor, D. P. Hud- son.
1881. Probate judge, David Meekison; clerk, Oscar E. Barnes; auditor, Charles Evers; treasurer, Charles Gidley ; commissioner, Henry Rohrs; cor- oner, R. M. Cloud.
1882. Sheriff, Frederick Aller : prosecuting attorney, R. W. Cahill ; com- missioner, James Connelly.
1883. Treasurer, A. Pilliod ; recorder, Thomas W. Durbin ; commissioner, W. H. Booher ; surveyor, D. P. Hudson ; coroner, R. M. Cloud.
1884. Probate judge, David Meekison; clerk, James Donovan; sheriff, Fred- erick Aller ; auditor, Charles Evers ; commissioner, Henry Rohrs.
1885. Treasurer, J. C. Waltemire ; prosecuting attorney, R. W. Cahill; com- missioner, George Daum ; coroner, R. M. Cloud.
1886. Sheriff, E. T. Barnes; recorder, Thomas W. Durbin; commissioner, W. N. Zierolf; surveyor, Charles N. Schwab.
The present officers of Henry county are as follows : Probate judge, David Meekison ; treasurer, J. C. Waltemire ; auditor, Charles Evers; clerk of the courts, James Donovan ; recorder, Thomas W. Durbin; sheriff, Elbert T. Barnes ; prosecuting attorney, R. W. Cahill; surveyor, Charles N. Schwab ; coroner, Conrad Bitzer ; county commissioners, George Daum, Henry Rohrs, William N. Zierolf; infirmary directors, Henry Bostleman, Kimball Rakestraw and Peter Schall.
CHAPTER VIII.
Historical Incidents and Localities Connected with Henry County-Simon Girty-A Tale of the Early War-Logan's Fidelity Proved-The Black Swamp-Killing of Four Indians.
T HERE is, perhaps, no locality within the bounds of the State of Ohio that has been more rich with historic events, during the latter part of the past and the early part of the present century, than the valley of the Maumee River; and while the whole valley has been the scene of many a bloody tragedy, many a conflict at arms between contending hosts, there was enacted but com- paratively few scenes of strife and bloodshed within the borders of that which now constitutes the county of Henry. The early chapters of this volume have recounted the various events and incidents of the valley, and it does not be- come this chapter to furnish more than to such incidents as can be located in their occurrence to this county.
56
HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES.
From the village of Napoleon up the Maumee, a distance of about five miles, is located what have been termed " Girty's Point," and "Girty's Island," so named and called from the fact of its having been the residence and place of refuge of Simon Girty, the renegade white savage, who, in his desire to be like the Indians, by whom he was in boyhood adopted, and to imitate them in all their barbarous customs "out-Indianed" the savages themselves, and perpetrated acts of devilishness and inhuman cruelty upon white captives that would have brought a blush of shame upon the most depraved of the red men of the forest.
The history of Simon Girty has been read by, and is familiar to every man, woman and child in the whole Maumee Valley, and all historians generally agree upon the facts of his life and deeds; yet, of late years, in which there seems to be a general tendency to lessen the seriousness of past events, some writers have inclined to deal more moderately with Girty, and some have even gone so far as to intimate that he was "more sinned against than sinning," thus showing him and his character in the light of a martyr, rather than of the in- human, rapacious, merciless, and devilish cut-throat and villain that he was.
There seems to have been a strong vein of inhuman and unnatural inclina- tion running throughout the whole Girty family; the father was given to the excessive use of intoxicants, to obtain which he was restrained by no influence; he had no loftier ambition than to get drunk, and usually found means to grat- ify it. He was abusive and heartless, possessed of no sense of manliness or even decency. His wife, too, formed improper associates, but for her there is a sentiment of charity and forgiveness. They had four sons, Thomas, Simon George and James. All of these, except Thomas, were taken by the Indians in Braddock's unfortunate campaign on the Pennsylvania frontier. Each was adopted by an Indian tribe, Simon, the subject of this sketch, by the Senecas, the most fierce of the tribes forming the Iroquois confederacy.
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