History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 14

Author: Kinder, George D., 1836-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1744

USA > Ohio > Putnam County > History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions > Part 14

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in addition to the ones previously mentioned were: Leeman Woodruff, J. B. Jones, Evan R. Davis and E. W. Greene.

Theodore Kunneke came to this village in 1853. He built a saw-mill for Jonathan Brice, and later a mill to grind corn and buckwheat was added. After finishing this contract, Mr. Kunneke purchased two corner lots at the junction of High and Sycamore streets, upon each of which he erected a two- story frame building for business and dwelling. The Kunneke block now stands on one of these lots. A. H. Day came to this village in 1860 and opened up a store. He has contributed as much in the way of substantial buildings as any of its citizens. The New Grove House and the Opera House block were erected by him. Other settlers who followed a short time later and have been large contributors to the material side of the town are: Simon Maple, David Jones, W. W. Williams, Thomas Jones, Robert and J. M. G. Patterson.

The Dayton & Michigan railroad was built through this town in 1859 and ran the first train on July 12 of that year. In 1882 the Pittsburg, Akron & Western was constructed, and in 1895 the Lima Northern was built. The growth of this village is not surprising with its excellent railroad facil- ities and the enterprising business men at its helm.

The officers of Columbus Grove are as follows: Mayor, W. G. Poast; clerk, Curtis Magher ; treasurer, Jay Hartman; marshal, G. J. Doty ; council- men, Benton Martz, W. M. Crawford, R. C. Deffenbaugh, C. M. Doty, Lemuel Bogart, Bert Holmes; trustees of public affairs, J. H. Eversole, Henry Light, H. R. Day.

The following is a list of the business and professional interests of Columbus Grove :

Industries-The Jones handle factory, Columbus Grove Tile Company, Light Lumber Company, Sarber cement block and tile factory, Kissels Poultry and Ice Company, Faze coal yards and cement block factory, McAdams Seed Company, Parker Sanitarium, Columbus Grove Grain Company, Annesser Milling Company, People's Elevator, Jones harness factory, Losh laundry, Williams monument factory, Johnson's Poultry Company, Buckeye garage, Slusser garage.

Stores-H. R. Day, dry goods and groceries; Home Industry, dry goods and groceries; Louis Mapel, clothing; C. E. Magher, grocery ; A. K. Sarber, grocery ; J. B. Ehrnman, grocery ; R. P. Hartman, grocery; Billingsly & Son, grocery ; Bert Holmes, druggist; S. E. Lewis, druggist; Humphrey & Sterling, undertaking; Elmer E. Morris, jeweler and optician ; Luce & Shinna- berry, meats and groceries; Jones & Kidd, shoes; Stan Sakemiller, shoes; A.

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A. Starkwether, implements; Martz & Jones, implements; M. C. Sterling, clothing ; Stephens & Kraus, harness and repairing; Lena Smith, millinery ; Frost & Gladfelter, meat; Williams Brothers, hardware; W. E. Pease, hard- ware ; Levi Basinger, notion store; H. H. Hollis, pianos; Daniels book store; Daniel Slusser, feed store.

Other Business-R. P. Killen, dentist; A. B. Hilty, dentist; Wittenburg Hotel; L. E. Bogart, restaurant; Haller, restaurant; Charles Murhab, fruit and ice cream; Trice, livery ; Bowman, livery ; Norris, barber shop; Strow & Cox, barber shop; Wilbur Saunders, barber shop; George Buck, barber shop; Trask, barber shop; C. M. Doty, billiard and pool; Port Tegarden, billiard and pool; Smith & Tate, sale and feed barn; Eversole, smith and repairing ; John Davis, horseshoeing.

Banks-Peoples and Exchange.

Doctors-E. A. Balmer, Walter C. Corns, H. H. Sink, G. H. Wilcox, W. H. Begg, Isaac Fullerton.

Columbus Grove, being situated in a very rich agricultural community and with excellent railway facilities, is able to bear the reputation of being one of the largest shipping centers of live stock in the state. The annual shipments of live stock are, normally, three hundred and twenty-five cars; grain, hay and straw, four hundred and fifty cars; sugar beets, two hundred cars ; other shipments, including eggs, dressed poultry, wool, handles, etc., sixty-eight cars.

RILEY TOWNSHIP.

The organization of Riley township dates from 1834 and at that time included the present township of Richland (Allen county), in addition to its present area. The first settler, Thomas Gray (1832), was followed the next year by John Sigafoose, Adam Stout, Moses Rice, Bildad Hubbard and B. F. Dunning. The year 1834 brought in a large number of families, in- cluding those of George Bushong, Thomas Lake, James Bunn, J. D. Wams- ley, William Hand, John Hand, Jacob Clover, George Farnum, Myron Rice, Isaiah Cook, N. H. Bagley, Peter Rice, William Thrapp, George Black- burn, George Alkire, Stephen Cortright and George Wilson. Jesse Hall and a few others located in the township in the following year. All of these early settlers were known as Yankees and were sturdy pioneers, well fitted to cope with the dangers and privations of frontier life such as faced them when they settled here.

Before 1835, however, the German migration to this township began.

J.B.SPRAGUE

COLUMBUS GROVE IN 1851,

COLUMBUS GROVE IN 1914.

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These settlers were natives of Switzerland, although of German descent. Daniel Nicewander and Dorse Amstutz settled here in 1833 and were fol- lowed in the succeeding year by Christian Suter, Christian Basinger and Christian Bucher. Bucher lived to be one hundred years and seven months of age, dying in 1879. The wife of Bucher died in 1835, hers being the first death in the German settlement. In 1835 came Christian and John Shoemaker, John and Ulric Basinger, John Musser and Christian Steiner. The year 1846 brought in John Diller, Christian Amstutz, Christian Luga- bill, John Geiger, John Lugabill and David Stauffer. The German settle- ment kept growing from year to year and was soon one of the most pros- perous sections of the county. These were all Mennonites and as soon as they settled they made provisions for religious services. At first they held services in the homes of the settlers, but by 1840 they had a substantial hewed-log church. Christian Steiner was the first pastor.

The first election in Riley township was held in April, 1834, at the home of Thomas Gray, and at that time the following officers were elected : Thomas Gray, Joseph DeFord and John Stout, trustees; William Hand, clerk; Bildad Hubbard, supervisor; Thomas Gray, justice of the peace; George Farnum, constable. These appear to have been only temporary of- ficers; at least, another election was held in April of the following year, at which the following corps of officials were selected: John Stout, Moses Rice and George Wilson, trustees; N. H. Bagley, clerk; Bildad Hubbard, supervisor; J. D. Wamsley, justice of the peace; George Farnum, constable. The township retained its original area until 1847, when the southern tier of seven sections was detached and added to Allen county, leaving the town- ship with thirty square miles.

The first road through the township was what was known as the Will- iamstown road, and this was followed shortly afterward by the Findlay- Van Wert road. William J. Wilson was the first pedagogue and taught his first school in the winter of 1836-37. Another school house was built the same year, but history has not preserved the name of its first teacher.

The present officers of Riley township are as follows: Justices of the peace, M. E. Krohn and Daniel Schumacher; trustees, P. P. Schumacher, W. M. Risser and C. R. Van Meter ; clerk, P. A. Amstutz; treasurer, S. P. Krohn; constables, Edward Basinger and J. H. Culp.

PANDORA.

John Stout laid out the town of Columbia, December 1, 1836. The previous year he had built a grist-mill on Riley creek, one of the first grist-

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mills of the county, which was a great convenience for the early settlers. This town was situated upon the Ridge road, leading from Findlay to Ka- lida and Delphos, and about half way between the county seats of Hancock and Putnam counties. For many years it was the stopping place of the law- yers and judges, while "traveling the circuit" in the early days before 1851. The tavern was kept by Henry Kilheffer and travelers on their way from Findlay to Kalida spent the night here. Many stories are still told of the jolly times that were had at the old tavern.

Later, the name was changed to Pendleton, and in 1850 the first addi- tion was laid out by Brice W. Viers. Henry Kilheffer owned the only store at this time and in 1852 he laid out East Pendleton, which was surveyed by Henry Blosser, county surveyor. It bears the distinction of being the only town that was ever platted in Riley township.

In 1882 the narrow gauge railroad, which has since become a standard gauge road and known as the Pittsburg, Akron & Western railroad, was proposed and constructed through the town. The same year Kiene and Suter laid out their addition to the town. The name of the town was again changed, this time to Pandora, and evidently the "third time charm" worked, for it has retained that name to the present time.

Additions were laid out in 1891, by H. M. Day; 1893, by R. N. Mc- Adams; the same year S. P. Krohn laid out his addition and the following year H. M. Day laid out a second addition. It was re-surveyed by an order from the court, April 24, 1892, and incorporated on November 5th of the same year.

Situated as it was, in the center of one of the best-improved sections of the county, surrounded with rich farm land and magnificent buildings which can hardly be surpassed in any locality of the state, it took a slow deep-rooted growth, which began to show a few years later. The farms were settled principally by sturdy Mennonites, whose faith forbids quarrel- ing and litigation.

The overall factory has been one of the greatest agents in making Pan- dora what it is at present. The history of this factory will appear in an- other paragraph. The population in 1910 numbered five hundred and sixty- two. It has paved streets, a modern high school, bank, and stores that rival any in the county. The Ohio & Northern railroad gives the people accom- modations east and west. The Pandora Milling Company does quite an ex- tensive business in this locality. The lumber and planing mills also employ a number of men and carry on a large business in their line. The present town officials are: Mayor, P A. Amstutz; clerk, Grover Davidson; treas-

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urer, A. S. Hilty; marshal, John Culp; councilmen, Samuel Haas, P. D. Amstutz, C. C. Hilty, John Gerber, J. A. Suter, Adam Bixler.

PANDORA MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

The Pandora Manufacturing Company, which was formerly called the Pandora Overall Company, was organized in August, 1901, by the following men, who were not only the founders, but the first officers and directors : John M. Amstutz, president; John Gerber, vice-president; Jacob A. Suter, secretary and treasurer ; Albert A. Burry, Carl Gerber. It was capitalized at ten thousand dollars. Five thousand six hundred dollars of the stock was retained by the founders and the rest was sold to outsiders. In the fall of same year the plant was started, with six sewing machines. The minutes of the directors give the first purchase of raw material in October. The first overalls were made in a part of an old woolen mill, where the first six ma- chines were installed.

The success of the business seemed assured from the start and in 1902 the capital stock was increased to twenty-five thousand dollars. A part of this stock was offered for sale to outsiders. In September of this year W. E. Caldwell, of Cincinnati, purchased stock in the company and became its secretary and manager. At this same time' four more directors were added, and it is interesting to note that one of these men was Elias Welty, the present manager. The woolen mill burned in September, 1902, before the new stock was offered for sale. This incurred a loss, as the factory was only partly insured.

Work on a new building was immediately begun, which is part of the present structure. Owing to an increase of business, electric cutters were installed in 1903. Mr. Caldwell served as manager until 1905, when he was succeeded by John De Haan, who was formerly manager of the Singer Sew- ing Machine Company. In 1905 an addition was built, doubling the capacity of the factory. In the same year a number of Toledo men became inter- ested in the company and purchased a controlling interest, the capital stock being increased to fifty thousand dollars. In 1906 a similar plant was started at Toledo and the main offices moved to that place, but this move proved a failure and the plant was discontinued in 1908. The following year Mr. De Haan resigned as manager and Elias Welty, who has been men- tioned previously as a stockholder and director, became manager and secre- tary. To say that Mr. Welty was competent to fill the position would be speaking modestly, as he had been connected with the factory for eight years

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and served in every capacity and department from engineer up. In 1910 A. J. Welty became interested and purchased the Toledo stock, thus bringing the control back to the Pandora community.

From this time forward the success of the factory was assured and in the year 1912 more business was done than in any two previous years and more salesmen were added. Orders were coming in so fast that it was im- possible to fill them. It was deemed advisable to add another factory, which was located at Celina, Ohio. A shirt factory was also added at Zanesville, Ohio, owing to a demand for this commodity. These factories were merely taken over by this company and placed under their competent management.

In 1913 the capital stock was again increased, this time to one hundred thousand dollars. The following year the output was two hundred thou- sand dollars. In 1915 the name was changed, due to the fact that it was not an overall factory alone, but a manufacturing plant. The present direct- ors and officers are: P. B. Hilty, president; J. A. Suter, vice-president; A. J. Welty, secretary ; Elias Welty, manager ; W. B. Jackson, manager of the Celina plant; A. G. Bruhl, manager of the Zanesville plant; David Lichty, Cleo Neuenschwander, A. P Sandles, B. A. Unverferth and John De Haan.

This is the largest manufacturing plant in Putnam county and the present output amounts to a quarter of a million dollars a year. The stock is always in demand and the company has done a great service to the county in furnish- ing employment for so many men and women. The laborers are all paid by piece work and the management is so liberal in its wages that good salaries can be made by skilled and even competent labor, and no hardship is worked upon its employees.

WEBSTER.

This was a small country town, but was never platted. The postoffice for the town was called Stanley, but this later covered by a rural route and ceased to exist.

SUGAR CREEK TOWNSHIP.

Sugar Creek township was surveyed in 1820 by James Riley and orig- inally embraced thirty-six sections of land. In the year 1848, when Au- glaize county was formed, the south half of this township was attached to Allen county and, in order to make Sugar Creek township of an average size and also to compensate for the loss, two tiers of sections were added

OPERATING DEPARTMENT

CUTTING DEPARTMENT

SCENES IN PANDORA OVERALL FACTORY.

SHIPPING DEPARTMENT

SCENES IN PANDORA OVERALL FACTORY.

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on the north from Union township. It then contained thirty sections of land and this was to be its permanent size. It derived its name from Sugar creek, which flows north through the center part of the township. Hog creek also runs through the township about two miles west of Sugar creek and parallel with it. This excellent drainage made it a very desirable town- ship to settle in and, since it was not covered with swamps, as some of the northern townships were, practically the entire acreage was suitable for cultivation.

The first settlement was made on Hog creek, in the southern part, by Robert Martin and Solomon Sprague, in the year 1828. The following year Benjamin Parker and a Mr. McCoy decided to make this their per- manent settlement. In 1830 William Clevenger took up his claim and he was followed, a short time later, by Benjamin, Jacob, Joseph, George and Samuel Clevenger, who made their settlement near the present village of Vaughnsville. They built the Clevenger mill in the following year. This mill is thought by many of the early settlers who still survive to be the first grist-mill in the county. The same year saw John Ensley and Peter Rhodes casting in their lots with the scattered settlers, and, in 1832, Rhodes built the first saw-mill in the county. As there was an abundance of timber at that time, it did a great amount of business. The next settlers were James Ramsey, Selah Bennum, Obed Martin and Isaac Guffy, who came with their families in 1832. In 1833 there was a further addition of the families of Samuel Ramsey, James Nicholas, Thomas Watkins, David Roberts, Jack- son Miller, Samuel McMullen, John and Joseph Tegarden and Henry Te- garden. In 1834 William Guffy, John Watkins, Henry Davis, John R. Jones, Richard Richards, David Crabill and Joseph Ford, and, in 1835, John Deffenbaugh and perhaps a few others.

The township took on a temporary organization in 1832 or 1833. This organization included what afterwards became the townships of Monroe, Pleasant, Union and Sugar Creek. The first township officers were as fol- lows: Obed Martin, justice of the peace; James Nicholas, later served as the second justice of the peace; Samuel Ramsey, constable; George Niell, William Patrick and Jackson Miller, trustees; Benjamin Clevenger, treas- urer, and James Nicholas, clerk.

At the gubernatorial election in October, 1834, Sugar Creek township polled thirty-four votes, and at the same election in 1879, just forty-five years later, there were two hundred and eighty-on votes cast.

The Sugar Creek township officials are: Justices of the peace, R. W. Jones and David Jones; trustees, John F. Miller, Morton Wood and Will-

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iam Sakemiller; clerk, D. R. Hinkle; treasurer, B. F. Smith; constables, S. L. Griffith and Walter Salsbury.

VAUGHNSVILLE.

The first town laid out in the township was Monterey, in 1847. This was platted by Eli Clevenger and took in all that part of the town lying south of what is now known as the Vaughnsville and Columbus Grove road.

That part of the town lying north of this road was platted the same year by D. C. Vaughn, who called it Vaughnsville. Eventually, the name Monterey was dropped and Vaughnsville now includes both plats. Vaughns- ville has a bank, an elevator, saw-mill, and stores which carry well-selected stocks of goods. The town is beautifully located, lying on the east side of Sugar creek, and is surrounded by a prosperous and thriving farming com- munity. The farmers are well-to-do, lands are under a high state of culti- vation and fine buildings indicate prosperity. Vaughnsville has never been incorporated, as it is a good trading point for the township and does not see the need of corporate government. A consolidated high school affords excellent educational opportunities for the children of the township. The Northern Ohio railroad gives it a ready outlet to foreign markets.

RIMER.

Rimer was laid out in 1881 by James W. Rimer, for D. P. Rimer, the proprietor. It is situated on the east bank of the Ottawa river, and on the Northern Ohio railroad. This town was first called Roxburg, but later the name was changed for that of the original owner. The schools of this township were consolidated and this necessitated the building of a fourteen- thousand-dollar school building, which was located at Rimer. This is a very prosperous little village.

JONES CITY.

Jones City was platted in 1890, at the intersection of the Northern rail- road and the Ohio Electric line. It was laid out for R. W. and Ella Jones by Evan H. Jones, surveyor, and from whom it derived its name.

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CENTER POINT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The Center Point Agricultural Society was organized in 1905. In the fall of that year the farmers in Sugar Creek township had an enormous crop of clover seed to be hulled. No huller was in the community, and, as winter was coming on, it looked as though the seed was going to waste. Twenty farmers formed a partnership and bought a huller, and in this way saved the crop of clover seed. This was the beginning of the organization, and, since it worked to such good success on the first experiment, it was tried not only on harvesting the grain, but also on selling it and buying provisions. A con- stitution was formed and by-laws were adopted. It is not an incorporation, neither is it a secret organization, but the members are taken in by a vote of the society. Its objects at present are to promulgate a helpful, sociable and friendly feeling among its members and to promote their financial interests by buying in large quantities and saving a needless waste. "We do not in- tend to crush the dealer in the small town, but to make life easier for him by buying in large amounts, paying cash and saving him the needless worry over bad debts."

' UNION TOWNSHIP.

The first settlers in what is now known as Union township were Abram Sarber and family and Joseph Clevenger and family, in the year 1831. The next year, Joseph and George Clevenger, with their families, settled here. In 1833 this little group was swelled by the addition of seven families : Adam Sarber, Jacob Clevenger, Jenkin Hughes, William Clevenger, Sam- uel Gander and Daniel Rimer. In 1834 there was a further addition to the township of the families of Moses Lee, Robert McCracken, William Philips, Isaac McCracken, Sheldon Guthrie, Arthur E. Martin and Joseph Miller.

In 1832 the township took on a temporary organization. The officers were appointed by an order from the court, and the township was organ- ized into one road district, with John Guffy as the first supervisor. The following were the first officers of the newly organized township: Moses Lee, William Clevenger and Adam Sarber as trustees and Abram Sarber as clerk. They held their meeting on March 2, 1835, to issue an order for the division of the township into three road districts, and the electors were notified by advertisement by the clerk "of the town meeting" for the elec- tion of township officers "as required by law." At this same meeting they

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issued orders of one dollar and fifty cents to each of the trustees for serv- ices; also an order to Abram Sarber for seventy-five cents for his services as clerk for the past year.

On April 2, 1835, an election was held at the home of William Philips and the following officers were elected: William Clevenger, Adam Sarber and Richard Lee, trustees; Abram Sarber, clerk; William Clevenger, treas- urer; John Guffey, George Clevenger and Johnston Crawford, supervisors; Moses Lee and Winchton Risley, overseers of the poor; F. C. Fitch and Winchton Risley, fence viewers; William Clevenger and Moses Lee, justices of the peace; James Lee and Henry Guffey, constables.

The first tax was levied on March 7, 1836, which was one mill on the dollar. The expenditures for the year 1836 were fifteen dollars and forty cents ; receipts for taxes were four dollars and forty cents.

On September 10, 1836, the trustees met and divided the township into two school districts. District number one comprised the south part of the township, two and one-half miles wide by six miles long. District number two was the north part and was three and one-half miles wide by six miles " long.

KALIDA.

Kalida, the first town laid out in Union township, was platted in 1834. On June 24, 1834, Moses Lee purchased the first lot and built the first cabin in the village. His son, H. G. Lee, cut the first log. In the same year Sheldon Guthrie built the first frame house. This was sided with clap- boards and in later years was quite a relic of the past and a monument to its builder. Sheldon Guthrie established the first store in the same year.

Putnam county was created by an act of Congress passed January 3, 1834. A provision was contained in this same act whereby a town director should be appointed, whose duty it was to select and survey one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 5, township I south, range 6 east, in Put- nam county, and, under the direction of the county commissioners, lay out a town, and that the town so laid out should be the county seat.

The town director, with the commissioners, were to sell the lots and from the proceeds, less two hundred dollars, which was to be paid to the state, the county should receive money to pay the expenses of the county.

On May 5, 1834, Abram Sarber was appointed by the court of com- mon pleas as town director and Thomas Gray, William Priddy, Samuel Myers were appointed county commissioners; F. C. Fitch, county surveyor. The town was laid out and named Kalida (The Beautiful) and became the

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 14

Author: Kinder, George D., 1836- Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1744

Author: Kinder, George D., 1836-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1744