USA > Ohio > Huron County > History of Huron County, Ohio, Its Progress and Development, Volume I > Part 27
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
Mud run is the largest stream in the township. It rises in Seneca county and enters Norwich township near the southeast corner and flows and generally runs northeasterly. It derives its name from the muddy appearance of its banks and the absence of stone and gravel in its bed.
Slate run also rises in Seneca county, flows across the western line of the township on lot number thirty-four, runs northeasterly across section third, and unites with Mud run on lot number thirty-eight. It receives its names from the slate rock over which it runs. These streams are tributary to Huron river. Other small streams exist in the township, but as they are wholly unimportant we omit description.
The soil is a clay loam, varying from light clay on the ridges to black loam between them. The whole is well adapted to agriculture. The subsoil is brick clay. A few "cat swamps," of a few acres each, lie in the southeast part of the township. The whole township was originally heavily timbered.
The township was situated on the outcrop of the black slate rock, and oc- cupies a middle position between the sandstone on the east and the limestone on the west. The slate rock dips to the east and runs under the sandstone, which appears on the surface about five miles east, in the township of Greenfield. The limestone which lies under the slate rises to the surface about five miles west. in the township of Reed in Seneca county. Above the slate rock, for about fifteen feet, the subsoil contains a large quantity of water-worn limestone of the buff-colored variety, contaming numerous fossils, such as coral and shellfish of many species. Along the streams are numerous sulphur springs. Some- times they appear in the bed of the streams, and at others rise to the surface of the bottom lands, forming deer licks. Big lick, the longest in the township, lies near the center of section four and contains nearly an acre.
Litigations as to titles of property, kept settlers from making improvements, except for living and this kept others from entering the township with a view of making settlements.
In 1827 Coit resurveyed the land and sold to settlers, old and new, at two dollars per acre and improvements began in earnest, and a new era began to dawn, as the industriously inclined from the settled districts of the east began to seek a place where they might make a home for themselves and their families in the west.
As the tract was heavily timbered which must be removed before the seed could be sown, which was to furnish their food, and a place for shelter yet to be built, labor and privation welcomed them when they made their arrival.
Digitized by Google
252
HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
Today their ancestors are enjoying the results of their labors.
Instead of the dense forest that welcomed them, we see the well fenced and tilled farm today.
Instead of the small log house, which was to them, we see today the comfort- able and commodious farm house and stock and grain barns. That the residents of the township of today inherited the sturdy qualities of his forefathers is manifest by fully ninety per cent owning their homes.
The first birth was that of twin children of Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson, on the 24th of October, 1817. They lived in the house of Hosea Harnden. But one of these infants survived its birth, and that only a few hours.
The first person born in the township that survived its birth was Owen Fletcher son of John Fletcher, February 22. 1818. eleven days subsequent to the time Fletcher, Rossman and Moore moved into the township. He died near Toledo, a few years since, of the small pox, leaving no family except a wife.
The first marriage in the township was that of Augustus Cook to Miss Martha Fletcher, March 3, 1819. The marriage contract was solemnized at the "sur- veyor's house," where her father lived, by Richard Burt, Esq., of Monroeville The wedding was attended by nearly all the settlers in the township, who en- joyed a friendly social afternoon visit. Augustus Cook was born in Onondaga county, New York, and came to Norwich in December, 1818. His wife, Martha, was born in Otsego county, New York, and came to Norwich with her father, John Fletcher. Mr. and Mrs. Cook lived in the township until 1871, when they removed to Michigan, in which state he died August 14, 1878, leaving a wife and seven children.
The first death was an infant son of Wilder Lawrence, February 19, 1817, only nine days after their arrival in the township. It was buried on the bank of Mud run, some twenty rods northeast of the present burying ground. Soon after, Chauncey Woodruff buried a son at the same place. One of these children was born in Trumbull county while the parents were enroute from the state of New York. The first adult person that died in the township was Richard Moon, in the fall of 1819. Elder J. Wheeler, then a resident of Greenfield, preached the funeral sermon. This was the first burial that had been attended with religious services. The body was interred on the bank of Mud run.
The first frame building in the township was built in 1832. It was a barn and later stood on the farm of Lewis Bodelier.
The frame dwelling house was built by Cyrus Niles. It was designed as a dwelling house and cabinet shop. It was built in 1835 and burned the follow- ing year.
The first brick house was built by John Bowen, Sr.
The first postoffice was established in 1827. It was North Norwich, so named to avoid repetition, there being a Norwich postoffice in Muskingum county. Naum Gilson was the postmaster for perhaps twenty years.
In 1848, postoffices were established on the Mansfield and Sandusky railroad. at Havana and Centerton in the township, and the North Norwich office was abolished in 1858.
The first corn was planted. on lot seven in the third section. by Messrs. Law- rence and Woodruff. This was in the spring of 1817.
Digiized by Google
-
+
HOLLY EHAN LIN
MOTSON AND FRONT STREETS, CHICAGO, OHIO
Dignzed by Google
"." "" YORK PASC LIBRARY
AM. IT OX AND . . DAT.UNS L
Digitized by Google
255
HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
Naum Gilson sowed the first wheat in the township. This was on lot twenty- eight in above section, the fall following the arrival of Mr. Gilson in the town- ship.
Asa Gilson, Naum Gilson, Jonas Gilson, George H. Woodruff and Joseph Read, each planted or set out orchards in 1827. The Gilsons brought their apple seeds with them, and raised the trees. Joseph Read procured his trees in Nor- walk township, and G. H. Woodruff purchased his of Morris Read, of Sherman.
Ira Halloway opened a small store on the corners, near the meeting house, in 1835. He remained long enough to sell out his stock of goods, and retired from the business.
In 1840, William L. Fish opened another stock of goods in the same house. He continued in business some five years.
Norwich was attached to Greenfield township in 1818, and, in the year follow- ing. Naum Gilson was elected supervisor for the township. He was the first sworn official. In 1820, the township of Sherman was organized, with Norwich attached. The April election was held at the house of Captain Hanford, in Sherman. The Norwich men, feeling dissatisfied at being required to go so far to election, rallied their forces, outnumbered the Sherman voters, and elected two trustees and the township clerk, in Norwich ; Beckwith and Medad Wood- ruff were the trustees, and Jesse Woodruff, clerk. The next election was held at the house of Alvin Blodgett, in Norwich. A compromise was then effected, and the elections were afterwards held at the house of Burwell Fitch, in Sherman. In 1820, Russell Woodruff, of Norwich, was elected justice of the peace, and 'tis said he served the entire term of office (three years) without issuing a single process. In 1828, Asa Gilson was elected to the office of justice of the peace. He did not qualify. From that time until 1831, the office was vacant. In this year, Calvin Powell was elected. He was succeeded, in 1834, by William Robinson, who served until 1849. In 1857, Wesley Robinson was elected, and is still in office. L. W. Benham is also a justice of the peace in the township.
In 1827, Norwich was detached from Sherman and organized as a separate township. The first election, held in April of that year, was at the log school house near the former residence of George H. Woodruff, and for many years were held there. The qualified electors at this election were: Asa Gilson, Augus- tus Cook. Medad Woodruff, Naum Gilson, Joseph Read, Russell Woodruff, Wil- der Lawrence and G. H. Woodruff. The officers elected on the occasion, so far as we are able to ascertain their names, were: Augustus Cook, clerk; Wilder Lawrence, Asa Gilson and Russell Woodruff, trustees. The only strife at this election, was over the election of a supervisor, there being but one in the entire township. Joseph Read and Wilder Lawrence each received an qual number of votes. The judges decided the contest by casting lots, declaring Joseph Read duly elected.
In preparing for the fall election, Augustus Cook, the township clerk, in company with Joseph Read, made a trip to Norwalk for the purpose of procur- ing the new ballot box, law books, etc., belonging to the township. Two yoke of oxen were attached to the wagon and driven along, as Read designed, to bring back a load of boards with which to construct a floor, doors, etc., for his
Digitized by Google
256
HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
cabin. The ballot box and books were put into a bag and placed on the load. While fording Slate run, on the return, the wagon was overturned. After buffeting the stream, and carrying out the floating lumber. they discovered that the bag and its precious contents had floated down the stream, and gave chase. Far down the run it was seen bounding along in the current ; Cook plunged in, and soon brought it safely ashore.
The first physician who settled in Norwich township was Dr. Hurlburt. He located on lot number forty. in the second section, in 1825. He practiced in the township until his death, in 1828.
In 1834. Peter Brown put in operation the first grist-mill in the township. This was propelled by horse power, and it is said did a good business. In 1830, Benjamin Moore built a saw mill on Slate run, on the west end of the farm afterwards owned by G. H. Woodruff. Two years later, Thomas Bennett, erected another saw mill on the same stream, and in 1840, Ira Wood built a third mill on the same stream. These mills were all eventually carried away by the high water.
In 1842, Miner Atherton built a steam sawmill on the fourth section. James L. Couch built another steam sawmill in the same section, a few years later. In 1846. John Idler built a steam sawmill at Centerton. This was burned in 1856, and rebuilt in 1857. by Messrs. Idler & Hester. It was again burned in 1859, and rebuilt the same year.
The first school house in the township was built in 1819. It was located on the east bank of Slate run, on lot six. The house was a log cabin and was covered with elm bark, size twelve by sixteen. It had neither floors, windows nor desks. A row of split oak benches constituted the furniture, and the unchinked places between the logs served for windows. The school was supported, as all the early schools were, by subscription, and Miss Aurilla Lindsey was the first teacher, in the summer following the erection of the house. In 1824, another school house was erected, also of logs, on the corners, a few rods south of where a church was later erected.
The first sermon preached in the township was by the Rev. Alvin Coe, in 1817. He was of the Presbyterian faith. The first church building was erected by the Methodists in 1837. The religious services held in the township had prior to this been at private houses and in the school houses.
The first post route through the township extended from Tiffin to Fitchville. It was established in 1827. Adam Hance carried the mail.
PERU TOWNSHIP.
Peru township was in the early settlement called Vredenburgh, after a Mr. Vredenburgh who had bought up the claims of the sufferers until he owned the second, third and fourth sections of the township. The first section was owned by other persons in the east, from whom the first settlers of that section bought their lands.
In the winter of 1820, the settlers held a meeting at the house of Joseph Ruggles, for the purpose of changing the name of the township, when the name of Peru was chosen by vote, and the name of the township has since been Peru.
Djonzed by Google
-
257
HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
The south and east portions of the township are rolling, with some bluffs along the streams. The northwestern part is more level, with considerable low lands. The principal timber was white oak, black and red oak and white wood, mostly on the first and fourth sections, black walnut and butternut along the streams, and mixed with some beech, maple, hickory, basswood, buckeye and some sugar maple near the streams. There were some small marshes in the early settlement, but they have been reclaimed.
The wolves were very numerous in the early settlement, and would fre- quently howl around the cabins by night in different directions at the same time, though in the day time they were quite shy and kept concealed most of the time.
There was no Indian village in the township at the time of the first settle- ments, although at that time and for a number of years after, the Indians would come twice a year or oftener and encamp near by to hunt for deer, turkey, rac- coons and any other kind of game that suited them, staying several weeks at a time.
Its principal stream is the river Huron which, rising in Richland county, enters the township about half a mile east of the southwest corner, runs for the most part a general northeasterly course, and leaves the township on lot eight, section three. The east branch of the Huron has its source in Fairfield, enters Peru from Bronson on lot eighteen, section one, flows a northwesterly direction, and unites with the present stream in the township of Ridgefield, about a mile north of the town line. State run comes into the township from Seneca county, flows a northeasterly course into Ridgefield where it unites with the Huron. The streams afford excellent water power privileges which are more or less improved.
The earliest settlements in the township were made on the first section. The first white settlers were Elihu Clary, Henry Adams and William Smith, who together arrived on lot number five in section one on the 15th day of June, 1815. Adams, who was from Marlborough, Vermont, had come to Cleveland in the winter previous with team and wagon, and remained in the vicinity at work until his removal to Peru, then called Vredenburgh. At Cleveland he was joined . by Clary and Smith in the spring of 1815 who came from Deerfield, Massachu- setts. on foot. From Cleveland the journey was made by all three on foot. They entered the township on the east line, crossed the east branch of the Huron river, a few rods below the bridge that now crosses the stream in Macksville.
The first township election was held at the house of Joseph Ruggles on lot twenty-eight, on the third day of April, 1820. James Vantine, Elijah Clary and Richard Eaton were elected trustees : Elihu Clary, township clerk ; Daniel Mack and Newell Adams, fence viewers : Joel Clark and Alexander Pierce, over- seers of the poor; Thomas Tillson and Eli Nelson, appraisers of property ; and James Ashley. treasurer.
On the tenth day of October, 1820, the first state election was held at the house of Joseph Ruggles. Wyatt Cook, Hibbard Smith and Newell Adams were judges, and Elihu Clary and Henry Adams, clerks. The number of votes polled was twelve.
A school was opened on the center road, lot number twenty-nine, at the resi- dence of Henry Adams, in the winter of 1820 and 1821 ; Henry Adams, teacher,
0kgy ced by Google
258
HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
with about sixteen pupils, whose parents paid their schooling in proportion to the number of days sent.
The first religious meetings were held at the house of Elijah Clary, in 1816. and Mr. Coe preached the first sermon.
The first school in the township was kept by Nancy Adams, daughter of Bildad Adams, of Greenfield, in the summer of 1818. She taught in Macksville, in a log house.
The first house kept for the accommodation of travelers was opened by Henry Adams, in the fall of 1816. Joseph Ruggles built an addition to the Tillson cabin in the fall of 1817, when he opened it as a tavern. His sign was a pair of deer horns, and the tavern was called "the Buck Horn."
The first apple orchard planted, was set out by Henry Adams in the spring of 1817. the seed being brought by his brother, Newell, from Vermont.
The earliest burials were in private burying grounds. Some twenty or more bodies were interred on the farm of Henry Adams, but were subsequently re- moved to the center burying ground.
Moses C. Sanders opened the first store at Macksville, in 1820 or 1821.
Dr. Sanders was the first doctor in this township, and also the pioneer doctor of many of the surrounding towns. He was born in Milford, Massachusetts, in the year 1790. He came to Peru in August, 1818.
The first postoffice was established in 1818, under the name of Peru. Thomas Tillson was appointed postmaster, and kept the office in his own house, on lot twenty-eight. The location of the office was unsatisfactory to the residents of Macksville, and Mr. Tillson, after serving a few months, was superseded by Moses C. Sanders, and the location of the office changed to Macksville, where it has since remained, the name being Peru. The village is now generally known by that name.
Daniel Mack built the first frame house in the township, in 1820.
Daniel Mack built the first grist and saw mill in the township, some time in 1817.
Mrs. Polly Pierce used to relate many incidents of pioneer life in Peru, only one of which, however, touching her own experience, has been preserved. In the summer, 1816, accompanied by her little dog, she went through the dense forest on a brief visit to her father-in-law, Alden Pierce, in Greenfield. The fam- ily supplied her with a quantity of provisions, which she carried home with her, and, when within a mile of her cabin, she encountered a huge bear, which seemed intent on making a meal, either of the traveler, her provisions, or the dog. The heroic woman, however, was determined that old bruin should have neither. and taking her provisions under one arm, and the dog, crouched through fear at her feet, under the other, ran for dear life to her home, which she reached in safety, but not a moment too soon, as the brute was but a few rods behind her when she arrived at the door of her cabin.
A pioneer thus described his cabin, the bed and the first meal in their new home :
It was sixteen feet square, with a roof of "shakers," puncheon floor, and a door made also of puncheons. His bedstead consisted of two poles, some eight or ten feet in length, one end of which was stuck into a log in the wall of
Djonzed by Google
-
259
HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
the house, a few feet apart, and joined to a stake at the other end, triangular in shape. He used elm bark for 'bed-cord.
Their first meal in their new home consisted of pigs' feet and hulled corn, the corn costing one dollar per bushel.
Macksville, the only village in the township, is situated on the east branch of the Huron, near the east town line. It derived its name from Daniel Mack, the original owner of the land on which the village stands. The town site was subsequently owned jointly by Moses C. Sanders, John Nelson, John Atwater and John G. Taylor. Dr. Sanders kept the first store here in a small log house. Macksville was formerly a place of considerable activity. At one time there were four stores, two distilleries, three breweries, two asheries, and a hotel which frequently kept twenty to twenty-five teams and teamsters over night. This was before the time of railroads and when the wagon trade was something immense.
In the summer of 1822, an academy was established at Macksville. The prin- cipal promoters of the laudable enterprise were Dr. Moses C. Sanders, Harry O. Sheldon, Robert S. Southgate, Eben Guthrie and Elijah Clary. The institution was incorporated under the name of the "Lima Academic Society of Peru, Huron county." The first annual meeting was held on the first Tuesday in August, 1822, at which the following persons were elected a board of trustees for the then current year, viz .: Rev. Alvan Coe, president; Dr. Moses C. Sanders, Dr. William Gardner, Major Eben Guthrie and Robert S. Southgate. Harry O. Shel- don was elected clerk.
The school was opened the first Monday in December, 1822, with Amos B. Harris as principal teacher.
The building was a two-story frame, unpainted, and stood where the brick school house does now. The institution was called Lima academy, because of the fact that it was then expected the name of the village would be changed to Lima. The academy had an existence of only one year. The building was afterwards used for a common school, and as a house of worship by some of the religious societies.
RICHMOND TOWNSHIP.
Richmond township was formerly called Cannon, given in honor of Samuel Cannon, a wealthy man of Norwalk, Connecticut, who was one of the sufferers during the Revolutionary war. Soon after the grants were made and partitioned into sections among the grantees, in 1808, Judge Mills, of New Haven, Connec- ticut, and his brother, Elisha Mills commenced purchasing the interests of the grantees and acquired a controlling influence in the lands of Greenfield and New Haven, and a complete ownership of the township of Richmond. Later part of these lands were sold to George Hoadley and from him to John M. Wool- sey. Judge Mills took the south part and Woolsey the north part.
The first land sold for settlement in the township was sold by Judge Mills to William Tidball, in 1825. It was lot twelve, second section. Tidball cleared a field the same year, built a cabin and set out an orchard of fifty trees, which he bought of Johnny Appleseed.
Da zed by Google
260
HISTORY OF HURON COUNTY
This township is bounded on the north by Norwich township; south, by Auburn and Cranberry townships, in Crawford county; east, by New Haven township ; and west, by Venice township, in Seneca county.
Richmond is divided into upland and marsh. The upland occupies the north half of the township and a strip across the west side. This was covered with heavy timber. The north shore of the marsh is a bluff, and rises thirty or forty feet above the marsh. The soil is a clay loam, the surface generally undulating, except in the northwest part, where it is broken by streams.
Honey creek rises in the marsh on the north side, east of the center of the township, and runs west along the north shore some two miles, where it enters the woodlands. It leaves the township on the west line and empties into the Sandusky river above Tiffin, in Seneca county.
Originally the marsh covered over one-third of the township and contained about twenty square miles. It was six miles from cast to west and over three miles in width, and covered over five thousand acres in Richmond township. These marshes have largely been reclaimed by draining and the soil is now cultivated, being particularly adapted for the growing of celery.
Before the lands of Richmond were offered for sale, the thousands of bushels of cranberries that annually grew on the marsh allured to the north shore a settlement of squatters numbering perhaps twenty families. An important part of their business consisted of picking cranberries, which were sold to the distant settlers. Hunting necessarily claimed a good share of their attention, and as the deer flocked to the marsh to avoid the flies in the summer and the hunters in the winter, their chances for deer hunting were unusually good.
With the sale of their cranberries, deer skins and coon skins, and the product of small patches of potatoes around their cabins, they managed to live, but made no improvements to entitle them to the name of settlers, nor did any of them over become owners of the soil or join in the march of improvement that has since characterized the inhabitants of the township, who are honest and industrious, with good churches and well conducted schools, and the township today stands second to none in moral worth and prosperity.
Near the south shore of the marsh was a point of timbered upland and at the extreme northern point of this stood the cabin of Morehead, the pioneer hunter. His principal livelihood was in trapping and spearing muskrats, and in times of high water, made his daily rounds over the marsh in a small boat kept for that purpose. He was the first and for many years the only inhabitant of Richmond township, and many a weary hunter has sought his cabin and shared his homely fare, which usually consisted of Johnny cake and venison.
The township was organized in 1836, in the month of June, and on the fourth day of July following, the first election of township officers was held.
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.