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 60
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 60
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Fruit .- This township, since its earliest period of white settlement, has led the van in fruit culture, with a soil and climate well adapted therefor. She has been enabled to produce as fine fruit, and at as early a date, as any other township.
Indians ; their Camping Grounds .- Upon the banks of what is known as Bad Creek, near Ætna, upon fractional section 9, town 10 south, range 3 east, north of the Fulton line, appear reminders of one of the most desirable camp- ing grounds of the children of the forest. Its fine springs furnish what, to the Indian, was second only to his beloved fire-water. Its soft, pliable soil, on either side, for garden purposes, rendered it a desirable resting place for this nomadic race; and the numerous circle of mounds upon the north bank, covering an area of three acres at least, are plainly visible to-day, although much lowered by the plow of the white man.
The Hon D. W. H. Howard, in removing one of these mounds, upon the south side of the arc, to make a foundation for building, unearthed bones and relics of the Indian race. The bones he carefully collected and deposited in another mound, of which there are several in the circle and others outside of the circle, scattered around in an outer circle, apparently. The Indians said to Mr. Howard, that they had no knowledge of the time of its use or construc- tion, but the tradition of the Indian race, latterly the soil, points back to the time when a great battle was fought here between the Indians of the West and the East, wherein a mighty slaughter was the result, and the killed were bur- ied here.
However true this may be, one thing is certain, from all the facts gathered, no Indians of that age, and prior for a long time, had used the ground for bur- ial purposes, but tradition to this primitive race is often more correct than the pen of the historian, "to the foundations of fact. Drake, in his " Indians of North America," page 55, quotes Mr. Jefferson, who says, as to mounds of this class, " that they were the repositories, has been obvious to all ; but on what
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particular occasion constructed, was a matter of doubt. Some have thought they covered the bones of those who had fallen in battles fought on the spot of interment. Some ascribe them to the custom, said to prevail among the In- dians, of collecting, at certain periods, the bones of their dead, wheresocver de- posited at the time of their death. Others suppose them the general sepul- chres for towns, conjectured to have been on or near these grounds, and this opinion was supported by the quality of lands in which they were found, and by a tradition, said to be handed down from the aboriginal Indians, that when they settled in a town, the first person who died was placed erect, and earth put about him, so as to cover and support him, and that when another died a narrow passage was dug to the first, the second reclining against him, and the cover of earth replaced." If speculation on the origin of these mounds is all that can be presumed upon, most people are satisfied that the foregoing opin- ion is as near correct as any presented.
Early Settlers .- This township presents a fine record of the pioneer's per- severance against obstacles almost insurmountable, and finally, their thrift by the indomitable use of the ax and hand-spike, in clearing away an interminable forest. The first settler upon its soil was Valentine Winslow, who first located on what was afterwards the Chet Herrick farm, on section 3, town 10 south, range 3 east, in the fall of 1833, and there resided about two years. In 1835 he located east about one mile on the east side of the same section, where he died about 1858. The circumstances of his death led some people to believe that it came by foul play. A coroner's examination resulted in but little in- formation of how he came to his death. He was buried in Etna cemetery. David Hobert is said to have been the next settler upon the soil of this town- ship. He came, himself and family, near the end of the year 1833 or the very beginning of 1834. He died in 1841 and lies in the Salsbury Cemetery.
In 1834, there was a large immigration to this township, of families, to wit: Arvetas Knight, Nathan Wilson, Daniel Knowles, John Sindel, George Wiers, and Whitfield Tappen then a young man, and a few others whose time of set- tlement is uncertain. In 1835 a larger accession of colonists was added than in the two former years, to wit : Peter Lott, William Griffin, Sewell Gunn. Pe- ter Lott however, left the township in June, 1836, and settled it Dover town- ship, near Springhill. Thomas Silsby located on section 33, town 7 north, range 7 east ; Robert A. Howard, Jack Hobart.
In 1836 Peter Salsbury located a large tract of land in the southeast part of the township, where a large number of his relatives reside to-day. He came from Harrison county, O., with his patent deed signed by Andrew Jackson, president of the United States, later, in 1836; many others came that year, but again find dates too unsatisfactory. Peter Salsbury was a quiet man, unob- trusive, industrious and unostentatious, yet courteous and friendly. His friend- ship was ardent and he was greatly attached to his family. This township was
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seen by him in its native wilderness, and he has done as much as any other to rescue it from that state by colonizing it with his kindred, who to-day exhibit thrift second to no other settlers of that period.
The year 1837 was eventful to the earlier settlers by a larger immigration than usual to the township, and soon brought a change ; instead of poverty and hard times, comfort and plenty came ; they were Alva Wilson, Henry Slai- gle, Joseph Walters, John Walters, Emery Wilson, Martin Wilson, Peola All- wood, Ephraim K. and Joseph Allwood, Thomas Cole, George Megarah, An- drew Falor, George McQuilling, Jacob McQuilling, David Salsbury, Joseph Salsbury, James Viers, Adam Kline, William Cox, Samuel Allen, one Graham and Thompson with families and some quite large. This large addition of set- tlers to the little band here before them, began to take an interest in the well- fare of the township and soon became active in laying out roads, opening and repairing the same, establishing regularly organized schools and creating a so- ciety which has been largely beneficial to the mental and social world therein.
From 1837 to 1840 came still greater acquisitions to the prospering colon- ists, which required more room and they stepped further into the wilderness parts. There had not been more than grain enough raised to supply the wants of the settlers, with but little to spare to the rapid influx by immigration, and soon exhausted the accumulated surplus. Among the families that came to the township about this time were David McQuilling, George Galligher, David Zimmerman, John W. Millers, Chester Herrick, William Fewlas, Thomas Hoxie, David Pelton, Boyd Dunbar, Robert Dunbar, Michael Handy and family in January, 1840. Mr. Handy came here from the north part of Michigan ; Mo- ses Tappan, Andrew and Samuel Dennis and others, principally drifting in and changing from other localities of the townships in the county. In 1843 Dr. William Holland settled here ; he came from New Hampshire, a physician with age and experience, who soon gained a prominent position in the county. Al- fred R. Shute and his wife, daughter of Dr. Holland, came at the same date and settled on section 2, town 10 south, range 3 east ; Mrs. Shute is the only survivor of the lineage, a hale, hearty woman seventy-six years of age. Si- mon Elliott, a Protestant Methodist minister, William Mullin, James Dicka- son, Orrin Taylor and family, Joshua Shaffer, John Whitaker, Sherman, Mar- shall and David Fairchilds with families. These make up the principal part of the early pioneers of Pike, who braved the dangers and hardships incident to the settlement of a wilderness, and carved out of it for themselves and their growing families a home, a comfortable home which they have left as legacies to those who, it is hoped will ever honor and revere the life and works of these pioneers. We of to-day have but an imperfect idea of the hardships and pri- vations endured by the pioneers ; without roads to travel upon or bridges to cross the streams ; at a great distance from all the privileges that now extend over Fulton county ; and when comparing those days with the present the
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thought is well expressed in the words of another : "But the man has changed, his shelter is better than that of his father, but the son is a more tender plant. The sewing machine girl works as hard and long as Hood's sewing girl, and is as likely to stitch a shroud as a shirt." With new inventions new wants are in- vented, and it now requires all the things, and the latest things, to make man comfortable ; he grumbles as much behind a locomotive now as his fathers did behind oxen fifty years ago.
Reminiscences of Early Days .- Robert A. Howard settled on section 33, town eight north, range seven east, and a part of section 4, town seven north, range seven east, in the fall of 1835, and erected suitable buildings, and kept the first hotel on the Maumee and Angola road, direct from Maumee City to Angola in Indiana, and also one Jennings kept ing the same building a small store. Jack Hobart, a son of David Hobart bought out at a very early day the goods and interest of Jennings, and in 1840 built an ashery near by, just east a few rods, and in connection therewith the store; how long he run the ashery is not easily obtained. He soon after built a house across the way and sold goods thereafter from this new building, which is there to-day. In 1835 Howard was first elected justice of the peace of York township, which he held for fifteen years. In 1850 the county of Fulton was organized and a tem- porary seat of justice was fixed at the house of R. A. Howard by the com- missioners elected at the April election of that year, and the new officials com- menced there to legally administer the affairs of said new county until a per- manent seat of justice could be established, and remained there until the fall of 1851 when the business had been provided for under the new location at Ottokee and ceased further from that time to run a hotel. Howard was also postmaster ; office Essex, and maintained for a number of years, when the office was abandoned and established west three miles at the new county seat, and called Ottokee post-office.
David Salsbury, at his residence upon the the south side of the township in his first settlement, ran a feed mill for grinding corn, and was built by dish- ing out a large black walnut stump as a mortar, and preparing a large heavy stone corrugated with the chisel and pick and hung in a frame work fixed so as it could be raised from the depression in the stump and then attached to a sweep drawn round and round by oxen, the first power ; and for a time made for the inhabitants a good corn-meal, which saved much valuable time of the settlers in running to Maumee through the country without roads or bridges.
It was after changed to one of more modern date as soon as' means could be obtained to buy one and served the inhabitants for a number of years ; the frame work and the old stump were visible up to 1850 or later.
In 1835 Peter Salsbury, father of David and Joseph, built a saw-mill, water power, upon a stream entering Bad Creek farther east, located upon section 4, town seven north, range seven east, constructed by Henry Slagle, a
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HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES.
carpenter, which was run by Salsbury, and furnished lumber for the early set- tler for miles away. It was afterwards owned and run by James Viers suc- cessfully for a number of years, as long as it could be furnished with water- power. It was abandoned thirty years ago ; fragments of it may be seen to- day where it stood. Orrin Taylor built and ran a steam saw-mill for three or four years about 1876, and connected with it was a cider press ; in this mill he lost his life; the mill was soon after abandoned and moved to the south- east corner of Chesterfield and run by Peter Stukey.
Henry Miles has a steam saw-mill now working, located upon the Fulton line south of Ætna.
Peola Allwood built a steam saw-mill in 1880, before the one built by Miles, located upon the Fulton line just across the middle branch of Bad Creek, and was run but a few years and abandoned and machinery taken away.
Houses Built .- The first frame dwelling was erected upon the farm owned by Alfred R. Shute.
The second was the farm house of John Scindell. The third was the pres- ent residence of D. W. H. Howard, built about 1840 by his father, Edward Howard, and Jacob McQuillan first occupant. The house of William Cox now owned by Henry S. Isabel was said to be built in 1840.
James Viers was the first and only cabinet maker in the township, and for a long period of time made the coffins of the deceased settlers of the township far and near.
First Blacksmith .- Thomas Silsby put up and opened the first shop for blacksmithing, which was all the township supported for a good many years. Alfred A. Chatfield, a grandson of Lucien N. Chatfield, so well known to the settler of early days, has opened up and now runs a blacksmith shop just north of the one run by Thomas Silsby.
Stores or Trading-posts .- In 1833 Edward Howard, then living at the rapids on the Maumee, entered at the land office at Monroe, Mich., the lands at Etna (now Winameg) and immediately after built the old Ætna " Block House," and there established an Indian trading post for the Indian trade. Merrill Wilkinson and D. W. H. Howard, then a boy, were the traders of this establishment, until the death of Wilkinson, when the goods and trade were sold to other parties. The Indian trade was soon after destroyed by the re- moval of the Indians, under the authority of the United States government, to their lands west of the Mississippi River, in 1832 and 1838. Howard followed them and entered in the fur trade with them in the west. Washington and William Ewing, fur traders at Fort Wayne in 1838, sent D. W. H. Howard, then but nineteen years of age, with $40,000 worth of goods to Council Bluffs for the Indian fur trade. The goods were conveyed on pack horses. A few years after his return to the Maumee Valley he came to his farm at Ætna, where he still resides, and his Indian customers have long since passed to their
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happy hunting grounds. This Block House stood to about 1878 when it was burned.
A store was kept at the house of Robert Howard by one Jennings in 1835 and afterwards sold to Jack Hobart, who sold goods in connection with an ashery established by him, and was abandoned in 1850.
Daniel Knowles sold goods and ran an ashery at a very early date up to about 1850. A store was for a short time at Etna run by one Hollingshead at the Block House. Edward C. Sindel has run one from 1861 to 1886, and goods are now sold from the same store by Hinkle & Downer, of Lyons.
Post-Offices .- The second post-office established was at the place of Robert A. Howard, in 1836, and called Essex, and abandoned in 1851.
The first office was established at Lyman Parcher's and called " Parcher's Corners," and moved to the residence of A. R. Shute ; then later moved and called Winameg about 1850, where it remains to this day, and is the only post- office in the township; mail daily from Wauseon to Lyons.
First born was male, W. D. Scindel, in October, 1834 ; female was Eliza- beth Hobart, daughter of David Hobart, was born in 1833.
First marriage, a nephew of Lyman Parcher with a daughter of Aretas Knight, were married by Daniel Knowles, a justice of the peace, at an early day ; Joseph Salsbury, with Maggie -, were married as early as 1836 ; Whitfield Tappan, with a Miss Amanda Woodford, of Royalton township, in 1835 ; said Tappan is supposed to be the first marriage.
Cemeteries .- The Salsbury Cemetery was first located in 1837, and a daughter of Joseph Salsbury, Mary Ann Salsbury, was there buried November 16, 1837. It now covers at least two acres of ground, well arranged, neat, and clean, and well set with evergreens.
The Ætna Cemetery was first dedicated for burial purposes by the burial of Catharine Wilson, sister of Emery and Martin Wilson, original settlers in Pike, about the last of the year 1837. It is now a fine resting-place for the dead, and well kept in repairs.
Churches .- The first church built was on the farm of William Mullin, in 1846, dedicated by the Presbyterians ; was burned about 1868 or 1869 and never rebuilt.
The Poplar Grove Church was built about 1848, and dedicated to the United Brethren.
Bueler Church, of the United Brethren faith, was built in 1881, under the labors of Henry Barclay.
St. Paul's Church, of the Evangelical faith, was built in 1881.
A Church of the Disciples was rigged up for worship in 1881, located in school district number five, called the Trowbridge district.
A church of the Seventh Day Advents was built in 1881, upon lands in district number three, called the Whitcomb district, under the labors of A. Bigelow. $8
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HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES.
Schools .- The first school taught in the township was in 1835, in an old log hut standing at a very early day upon the knob where the Salsbury Cemetery is now located. It was afterwards removed to Thomas Silsby's corner, and Michael Handy taught there the first winter he came, in. 1840. Caroline Trowbridge taught the first school. Afterward she became the wife of William Fewlas. The township now contains six school districts, supported by good frame buildings, once built of brick but now torn down. A leading step in education is being taken in this township, which may be seen in the school- houses and school-room. She is not backward in social reform and religion.
Roads .- The Maumee and Angola Road is the oldest road in the town- ship ; was laid out prior to its first settlement at a very early date and runs through Ottokee, Spring Hill, to Angola, in Indiana, and was the chief emigrant road west from the Maumee Valley.
The Toledo and Angola was laid in 1840, and run from Toledo to Angola, in Indiana, and runs through AEtna, on the north part of the township.
Physicians .- Doctor William Holland was the first physician and a good one, educated in private schools.
Robert A. Moore was the next, a very eccentric man in all his ways.
The next was Dr. James S. Richards, called the " Indian doctor," was from Pennsylvania. And lastly Samuel B. Finney, whose practice is world-wide in late years, and from poverty and obscurity he has arisen to wealth and fame, a mystery to all who visit him, and a severe thorn to the medical fraternity surrounding. He is located and in practice one-half mile west of Ætna.
Industries .- Tile and brick were first made in this township by E. M. Strong for a number of years, but abandoned one year ago.
Factory .- A cheese factory was established a few years ago and run suc- cessfully, located about one mile east of ÆEtna. It is at this time doing a fine business, a good industry for the farmers within reasonable distance.
Shoe-Shop .- Michael Handy did the first shoe-making and mending as early as 1840, which he followed up to 1850, when he was shortly after ad- mitted to the bar of Fulton county and successfully held a first position as a lawyer at said bar until his death, April, 1886.
Hotels .- Robert A. Howard opened the first hotel, and was the only one in the county for a great while. Next followed George Wiers, two miles west ; then Michael Handy, in 1840, where the thirsty and hungry were sup- plied, and kept open the same until 1851. After the Block House at ÆEtna was abandoned as a trading post, William Mullin opened it up as a hotel, .After a few years the business was transferred to Laban Radway and William Culbertson, afterward an Indian doctor, who held it open until 1851, after which all hotel accommodations have been abandoned.
Official Roster .- This township has furnished the following officers for Ful- ton county, as follows : Michael Handy, prosecuting attorney ; Robert A.
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Howard, recorder ; Albert B. Canfield, treasurer ; Osceola E. M. Howard, county surveyor ; Harvey L. Aldrich, sheriff; James W. Howard, treasurer ; lastly, D. W. H. Howard, senator to the Legislature of Ohio, and also presi- dential elector in. 1860; Michael Handy, county school examiner; William P. Cowan, infirmary director.
This township furnished Lyman Parcher as a representative to the Ohio Legislature then in Lucas county. She has the honor of furnishing two com- mon pleas judges-Reuben Lemon, of Lucas county, and William H. Handy, for Fulton county, now presiding.
Dr. William Holland, the first physician, was born at Oakham, Mass., 1766, and came to this county in 1843, and soon identified himself with all the set- tlers of the township, and died at his home September 17, 1857, at the age of ninety-one years, and was laid at rest in the Etna Cemetery. He was a Pres- byterian in faith, and while living in the county the Rev. George Johnson was his pastor and preached at the Presbyterian Church, at /Etna. Dr. William Holland's wife, Bethsina, died August 28, 1875, aged eighty- nine years, and together they rest from their labors side by side in the cemetery at /Etna. When at the age of ninety years, he was solicited by James Herrick (son of Elijah Herrick, living), to be ready to attend his wife's accouchment, and in a short time after the consent to attend, a team came for the doctor as he was preparing for bed, and with the assistance of his daughter and her husband (Louisa Shute and Alfred R.), the old man was prepared with wraps and furs (it being in the winter and snow on the ground), and by those present taken up and carried to the sleigh, and made the trip and discharged his duty, and returned next day without being any the worse for wear. It is thought this township has the honor of the resting place of the only man of ten years be- yond the Revolution.
Dr. Holland had no common school education, only as obtained in the private schools. At the age of twenty-one years he chose the profession of medicine, and secured his knowledge of Latin at the studio of Rev. - -- Bas- com, at Oakham, Mass. He studied medicine with approved scholars of the medical schools, and at the age of twenty-six years commenced practice
His daughter, Louisa (Holland) Shute, was a school-mate of the celebrated writer, Harriet Beecher Stowe. Alfred R. Shute in 1831 left the east and went west to the Rocky Mountains, and spent eleven years of his youthful career in the mountains and plains of the west. He was often with " Kit Car- son " in his journeyings on the frontier, and returned to his native heath in 1843, and in the same fall came to Pike with his young wife, Louisa. He died at his home in Pike township May 17, 1879. He was the ninth generation from the martyr, Rogers, burnt at the stake in England. " It is nevertheless. enjoyable to look back upon the likeness of what has been before our own times, and to dwell upon the remembrance of these early pioneers who strug-
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HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES.
gled long and manfully with famine, and poverty, and the red man, to provide a home for themselves and children. And shall not these remembrances bę preserved ?"
CHAPTER LI.
HISTORY OF ROYALTON TOWNSHIP.
A T the date of the advent of the first white settlers upon the soil of Royal- ton township, June 10, 1833, the territory being situated north of the "Ful- ton line," was, like the rest of the northern tier of townships, included in the territory of Michigan, the county being Lenawee, and the county seat Adrian. The inhabitants therein did all their legal business, and paid their taxes at Adrian, and continued to do so until December, 1836, when this territory with all the rest of the region, was turned over and yielded to Lucas county, which was some two years before organized from and out of the counties of Wood and Sandusky. For this survey the entry and sale of lands was made at the city of Monroe, at the head of Lake Erie. In the winter of 1824 the territorial Legislature of Michigan subdivided the township of Logan, being the township upon the south half of Lenawee county, and organized it in 1826, the same time as the organization of the county of Lenawee, into three subdivis- ions : Fairfield in the east, Seneca in the middle, and Medina on the west, and extended their jurisdiction respectively to the Fulton line. Prior to this trans- fer to Ohio, the inhabitants thereof were residents of the township of Fairfield, Lenawee county, and territory of Michigan.
Wood county, at a very early period, much earlier than 1835, attempted to extend the law of Ohio over this strip to the county of Williams, and claimed it to be in that county. They levied taxes (there then being some settlers in the east part near Toledo), but the people did not recognize the act and authority of Wood county, and refused to pay the taxes. It was in this township that some of the scenes of the Ohio and the Michigan war were enacted. When, in the beginning of 1835, Ohio undertook to enforce jurisdiction over this ter- ritory along the whole northern border of Ohio, to the Harris line, which terri- tory had been and was considered a portion of Michigan, and claimed as such, and so previously recognized by the surveys of Ohio and Michigan.
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