History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 109

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his own way from poverty to the position he attained, he knew how to sympathize with the struggling and ambitious. He was universally respected as a business man, and stood high in social circles. A prominent politician of the Democratic party, he numbered some of its distinguished leaders among his intimate friends. In religion he adhered to the principles of the Episcopal church, with which he be-came connected soon after his first marriage.

Mr. Thorp was a good father, a good neighbor, and a kind and loving husband. His circle of friends was large, and. all will bear cheerful testimony to his worth and usefulness.

RILEY.

R ILEY, territorially one of the largest townships in the county, is bounded on the east by Townsend, on the south by Green Creek, on the west by Sandusky, and on the north by Sandusky Bay and river. Its surface is flat, and while yet as nature had made it, was marshy. Numerous streams flow sluggishly through shallow channels toward the bay, and fill its map with black lines stretching the whole length of the district from south to north. These streams widen as they approach their outlet, and near the bay are more like ponds than living waters. Pickerel Creek flows near the line of Townsend township. Its banks are higher and cur-rent swifter than the other streams. It derives its name from the fact that its mouth was formerly a feeding place for fish, a large proportion of which was of the variety bearing that name. The two branches of Raccoon Creek meet near lie:'. marsh. The quiet waters of its lower course is a harbor for catfish. South Creek empties at the head of the bay, and Green Creek, the largest of all these streams, pours its sulphurous waters into the river. In the flat southwestern corner are a number of large ponds. Here the hum of cheerful mosquitoes, and the hoarse croak of lazy frogs break the stillness of summer sunset.

Fishing, during the period of early set- tlement, was little sport. Fish were too plenty. The fisherman who patiently waits half an hour for a bite takes real satisfaction and pleasure in drawing from its water home one of the finny tribe, but

when he can dip them out with a market basket, or spear barrels of them in one night, fishing descends to common labor and amuses no one. The early inhabitants made fish a staple article of food. Flour was hard to get on account of the distance and incapacity of mills. Fish were plenty and without price. Winged game then, as now, abounded in the north part of the township, and settlers, unhindered, enjoyed the luxury of hunting on common grounds.

These hunting grounds are included in sections thirty-three, thirty-four, and thirty- five of township five, and so much of town- ship six as lies within the legal limits of Riley. Originally this tract was mostly prairie, covered heavily with marsh grasses, and at intervals with shrubs. The freshets in spring time inundate the whole tract, bringing from the head waters large quanti- ties of feed, which attracts the game later in the season. Trapping fur-bearing animals, and shooting ducks, afforded the settlers of the upland farms considerable contingent revenue-in fact was the source of a large amount of their cash. Trappers often became involved in serious quarrels. A common offense was transferring from one trap into another the most valuable captives. It thus happened "that the early bird caught the worm. " Suspicion of foul play of this kind not unnaturally produced hard feelings between rivals, and often led to blows.

There was another object of dispute. Some locations were better than others, but all could not be accommodated at

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the same place. The ground was public property and there was no well recognized principle of "trappers' rights." The conflicts of claims had their natural results. But the impression should not be entertained that a hunter's life was a fighter's life. These contentions were episodes, the employment in general being calculated to encourage a rough and ready good cheer.

Two classes of individuals' harvested the resources of the prairie marshes-squatters and upland settlers. The settler devoted his energies to clearing and improving land for farming or in raising stock. Hunting was a contingent employment, engaged in only for recreation or a little ready cash which farm products did not command at that pioneer period. The life of the squatter was the picture of ease in poverty. A rude cabin furnished shelter; fish and game daily diet, and the trapped captives were bartered for simple clothing and such luxuries as men of their character enjoyed.

But there came a time when the squatter lost his home and the settler his hunting ground. Our own people failed to see in this expanse of marsh any intrinsic value, but left open to foreigners the opportunity of a speculation. In 1856 all the northern end of this township was entered at a mere nominal price. It afterwards became the property of two sporting clubs, one known as "Winous' Point Shooting club," the other as "Ottawa Shooting club." The State laws against trespass are strictly enforced. It seems unjust to the men who have borne the burden of improving the country, to be barred by foreign landlords from the privileges of hunting, but it is the penalty of neglect. This tract should have been made a public park, and regulated by such legal enactments as natural laws require.

The soil of Riley township is formed of

decomposed vegetable matter and produces large crops of wheat. Originally the south part was a thick forest of heavy trees. Toward the north the trees were smaller and the forest broken by an occasional tract of prairie. Prairie prevailed north of the tier of sections seven to twelve. The lands of this region were found well adapted to stock- raising, but too wet for farming. As we shall see presently, the first settlement was made on the clear district.

There are on Michael Stull's farm two natural mounds, formed by strong springs throwing out sand and muck. The hard crust will bear the weight of stock but a stamp of the foot will shake the mass for twenty feet around. These springs empty their water into Pickerel Creek, which has its source in a similar spring on the Cowell farm about two miles south. The cool, fresh water furnished by these springs attracted the pickerel and white bass, with which this stream once was filled.

Mr. Stull, who was the first settler on the prairie, says when he first came there in 1820 they made hay and stacked it, where now the water stands four feet deep. The heaviest northeast winds did not then drive the water to their stacks.

ANCIENT WORKS.

That ancient race, concerning which so much has been written, and so little is really known, have left marks of their residence in this township. A line of mounds and enclosures extend along the bay from Racoon Creek toward the east for a distance of several miles. None are traceable and, probably, none existed except on the prairie, and cultivation has made the outlines of these indistinct. An enclosure on section two contains about two acres. The whole Mississippi basin is dotted with similar structures but their occurrence in the lake system is more rare. An old settler informs us that he saw these works

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distinct in their entire outline. By whom and when they were built will never be known to a certainty, but there is no doubt of their great antiquity. That they are not the works of the Indians their mathematical regularity, and the contents of those which have been excavated, furnish proof.

On Mr. Stull's farm there was a circular enclosure about twenty rods in diameter with two gates or openings on opposite sides. Part of the wall on the west side was made by piling up a ridge of limestone of a soft quality, found in the vicinity, about four feet high, covered with earth. The other portions of the wall was made entirely of earth. There are three other similar enclosures within a radius of a few miles. In all these stone axes and earthenware were found.

Care should be taken not to confound these remains of an ancient civilization on our continent with the relics of a more recent but savage population with which we are better acquainted. To this latter class belong the two pieces of skeleton plowed up a number of years ago by Daniel Carl. One was the shoulder blade of a man pierced by a point of buck's horn, which had, no doubt, been an arrow point; the other was the leg-bone of a man on which, near the knee, was an en- largement containing the point of a flint arrow-head, as large as a man's thumb-nail.

THE SETTLEMENT.

The settlement of Riley was later than the neighboring townships. The reason for this is obvious when it is known that the main roads through the county all ran south of its territory, and settlement naturally centered along the main roads. A view of the township in 1824 would show one road cut through from Erie county to the prairie, three or four improvements near the edge of the heavy forest, and

here and there a squatter's cabin along the creek. The school section in every township was the apple in the squatter's eye. Experience had taught them as they had retreated, from time to time, before advancing settlement that the school lands offered the longest tenure. The first settlers located their lands on the prairies, the heavily timbered district at the south was left till last, and has furnished comfortable homes for a large and respectable class of Germans, who began to make improvements about 1835.

Andrew Stull, one of the earliest settlers of Lyme township, Huron county, was the first settler in Riley. He resided in Huron county about seven years. In 1820 he packed his goods on a wagon and started westward on the old army trail, which passed through the centre of Townsend township, about one mile south of the prairie. The location in view was in section one, township five, and when a point opposite had been reached, a thick and seemingly impenetrable forest intervened between the trail and the prairie farm. But stout hearts and determined spirits were not to be baffled by nature's obstacles. A way was cut through, and the spot which has been the seat of the Stull family for more than sixty years soon reached. Imagine the situation of this pioneer family. The nearest neighbor was Mr. Tew, of Townsend, six miles east, separated by a dark and marshy forest. The nearest physician lived at Fremont, ten miles away. The nearest mill was in Lyme township, Huron county, more than twenty miles away. "Our food," says Mr. Michael Stull, "was chiefly wild meat- venison, turkey and fish in plenty. Salt pork was fifty cents per pound. Our bread was mostly corn." Michael Stull, the only surviving member of the family, from whom these facts are derived, says that fifty years ago fish were so

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plenty in Pickerel Creek that he and his brother Jacob speared in one night fifteen barrel: of pickerel. They built a platform of puncheons across the creek, covered it with earth and built a fire at the middle of the stream. The two fishermen, one in each end of the canoe, picked out the fish with their spears as the canoe moved along. Swan were often seen from the cabin door, and geese and ducks could be shot without going out of the way for them. Mr. Stull once killed six deer in one day within three miles of home, and Charles Lindsey shot nine. Howling wolves made night hideous. Sheep required constant watching while pasturing and a high pen at night. Mr. Stull at one time had thirty- three killed in daylight. In five successive nights a common steel trap captured five of these annoying denizens of the forest. After the death of his father Michael Stull came into possession of the farm. He married, in 1829, Diana Baker, of Townsend township. Two children survived infancy-Michael, jr., and Diana, wife of Jacob Brugh.

Jonas Gibbs was one of the earliest settlers of Erie county, having emigrated there from New York in 1808. When Sandusky county lands came into market, he purchased five hundred and sixty acres near the centre of the township, and made an improvement on it in 1824, when he removed from Erie county. His family at that time consisted of five children, viz: Mrs. Cynthia Pierson, Dicie, and Isaac (deceased), Jonas, and Jeremiah; Mrs. William Woodford was born in Riley. This family, being one of the wealthiest as well as oldest, took a leading part in affairs.

Isaac Allyn came with the Gibbs family to Riley. He entered a large tract of land north of the Gibbs farm, and engaged in stock- raising, mostly horses and cattle. He made his home with Mr. Gibbs for

six years, and then, having secured a woman of his choice as a life companion, removed to his farm. No better collections of stock could be found in the county than on the farms of Jonas Gibbs and Isaac Allyn.

Christopher Straight, a worthy pioneer of the township, came about 1822. Three families by the names of Markham, and M. Bristol, settled on the school section. Forton Twist was well known in the early settlement. Charles Lindsey came in at an early period, and built a mill on Raccoon Creek.

David Camp, the county surveyor at an early period of the settlement, was one day travelling the trail road coming from Bayrush prairie, and found two bucks in the trail with horns locked together. One of them was dead, and the other unable to extricate himself. Mr. Camp cut the throat of the living one. The heads were cut off with the horns thus locked, and no one was able to separate them, until, about two years afterwards, Hiram Rawson got them apart, but all efforts to fasten them together again in the same manner failed.

Joseph Harris Curtice was born in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, June 25, 1789. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and after the war came to Ohio, and was engaged in carrying the United States mail in the southern part of the State for several years, having his home in Cincinnati. He carried the mail in saddle-bags upon horseback. In 1822 he came to Sandusky county and purchased two hundred and sixty-five acres of land from the Government. December 27, 1824, he was married to Cynthia Gibbs. To them were born three children, viz: Betsey, now Mrs. Whittaker, who resides at the old home; John H., who was killed by a run-away team, October 26, 1868; and Cynthia, who died April 14, 1847. Mr. Curtice died May 23, 1868. He was

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strong, both mentally and physically, to the time of his death. After his evening meal he walked about half a mile to see some stock, returned home and retired to rest feeling as well as usual. About midnight he awoke with a severe pain in the region of the heart, and died in less than an hour. He was widely and favorably known, and in his death the community lost an esteemed citizen.

John Karshner settled in Riley in 1830, having moved from Pickaway county, Ohio. The farm on which he settled is now owned by his son Daniel. The children of John Karshner now living are: Daniel; Mrs. Mary Black, Ottawa county; and Mrs. Sarah Woodford, Riley. Daniel Karshner was born in Pickaway county, in 1822. He married, first, Martha Cooley, and after her death, Lydia Robinson, by whom he has seven children-Franklin, Madison township; Alfred, Riley; Mrs. Clara Sherrard, Ballville township; Mrs. Sarah Plagman, Fremont; Anna, Edward, and Willis, Riley.

The Woodford family settled in this township in 1834. Zerah Woodford, one of the sons, had, however, preceded the other members of the family one year. He was one of the first school teachers in the southwestern part of the township, and was variously employed until 1838, when he married Sarah Karshner, and made a permanent improvement. His children were Lucy, Lovisa, Sarah, Rachel, Henry, Martin, and Charles S., the last named being the only surviving child. He married Jennie Matthews, and has two children, Stewart L. and Estella. The parents of the Woodfords were Sylvester and Sarah, both of whom died in 1834. After their deaths, all returned to Trumbull county except Zerah Woodford and Aurilla (Higbee). William, who was born in Trumbull county, in 1831, May 28, afterwards returned to Riley, where, in 1861,

he married Mrs. R. J. Barkimer, and has three children living, Clara J., Alva, and Ada. Mrs. Barkimer had by her first husband one child, Lewis J. Barkimer. Mr. Woodford has been justice of the peace for eleven years. He was appraiser of real estate in 1880, and has held various other township trusts.

George Jacobs was born in Baden, Ger- many, in 1804. He came to America and settled in Sandusky county, where he now resides, in 1834, being one of the first German settlers in that neighborhood. Seven children are living, viz: Sarah A. (Fronhizer), Riley; George, Missouri; William, Fremont; Caroline (Hughes), Clyde; Mary Ann (Zeigler), Riley; and Charles F., Riley.

Conrad Wonnan removed from Columbiana county and settled in this township in 1836.

William Pierson was born in England in 1806. He came to Canada in 1815, and thence to New York, where he remained till 1836, when he came to Riley and harried Cynthia Gibbs, who still survives.

William Harris was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, January 16, 1801. In the fall of 1822 he was married to Miss Susan Wagner, of the same county. In the spring of 1837 he emigrated to Ohio, and, after some fifteen years passed in Riley township, came to Green Creek township and settled on a farm near Clyde.

In the southwest part of the township John Faust was one of the first settlers. He was a native of Pennsylvania, settled first in Pickaway county, Ohio, and in 1826 began improving the farm on which he died in 1859, and on which his son Elias now lives. John was a good shot, and enjoyed hunting with all the zest of an ardent youth. Another characteristic was story-telling ability. There was, of course, a class of prosy, matter-of-fact people,

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who were inclined to look upon his stories as creations of the imagination, but the romance of frontier life (if we are to believe old hunters) transcends the imagination of the present generation. When Mr. Faust tells us that, more than half a century ago, fish in Green Creek, protected from the sun by unbroken shade and

secluded by impenetrable forest, were in the habit of leaving the sulphurous water to bask in mellow air, redolent with the perfume of fragrant wild flowers, there is no ground for skepticism. Even when he tells us that these finny creatures sometimes disturbed the peace and quiet of these beautiful banks by fierce and angry fights, what right have we to shake our heads, for who was there to say that such was not the case? There was a popular prejudice against confounding romance with history. The line between the two being crooked and imperceptible at places, we prefer not to approach it, but to keep upon the high ground of fact, even though it is dry and unproductive of that fascinating interest which we are permitted to see in the distant paradise of romance; that paradise is not for the historian to en- joy.

Daniel Schoch and family, from Pennsyl- vania, settled in Riley in 1836. There were eleven children, of whom Henry, William, Edward, and Mrs. Charles Livingstine are at present residents of Riley. Edward lives on the old homestead. Henry Schoch was born in Pennsylvania in 1819. He married Catharine Longendoerfer in 1860. They have one child, Sarah, living, and two deceased. William Schoch was born in Pennsylvania in 1832. He married Lena Schumacher in 1860, and has four children living-Lydia Ann, Emma J., George S., and Charles F. William died in 1880, aged sixteen years.

Cyrus Haff, son of Simeon Haff, was born in 1825, and spent the early part of

his life with the family at home in Town- send township. In 1862 he married Julia Clark, and has one child living, Hollis. Mr. Haff resides in Riley township, where he has served several times as trustee.

C. P. Daniels, a son of Jeremiah Daniels, of Huron township, Erie county, was born in Huron county, in 1814. His father was a native of New York. C. P. married, in 1840, Laura Higley, and has three children-Clark, Riley township; George T., Wood county; and Chauncy A., Riley. Mr. Daniels is by trade a carpenter; he is also engaged in farming. He moved to Riley with his mother when thirteen years old, his father having died in Huron county. Of the children of Jeremiah Daniels, there are four-survivors- C. P. Daniels, Riley; Sarah (Hinkley), Townsend; George, Riley; and Rachel (Higley), Michigan.

Joseph Haaser was born in France in 1803. He emigrated to America in 1830, and settled in Pennsylvania, where, in 1833, he married Catharine Yost, by whom he had a family of nine children, viz: Elizabeth (Litz), York township; Mary (Baker), Toledo; Barbara (Moyer), Kansas; Catharine (Horn), Fremont; Joseph, Fremont; Rebecca (Horn), Bucyrus; Frank and Rosa, Riley township; and Augustus, Black Hills. The family settled in Riley in 1841. Mr. Haaser has served his township as trustee. He died June 29, 1881.

Samuel Meek settled on the farm where he now resides in 1848. He was born in Brooke county, West Virginia, in 1806. In 1848 he married Sarah Farber, daughter of John and Elizabeth Farber, who were among the early settlers in Tuscarawas county. She was born in that county in 1821. Her parents came there from their native State, New Jersey, in 1807. Mr. and Mrs. Meek have nine children living, viz .: W. C. and Thomas

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H., Riley; John, Townsend; Martin L., Wood county; Samuel, James, Elizabeth, Peter, and George, Riley. Several of the family are teachers.

Charles Livingstine was born in the eastern part of Ohio in 1826. He came to this county with his parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Livingstine, and has been residing on his present farm about thirty years. Soon after coming here he married Mary Ann Schoch. They have had twelve children, five of whom are living, viz: Charles Henry, Mary (Vogt), Hattie, John and Robert. Mr. Livingstine has a large farm and is a successful farmer. He has been justice of the peace fourteen years, also served as. infirmary director, and in other local offices.

William B. Sanford was born in Ontario county, New York, April 7, 1828. With his parents, Zachariah and Mary Sanford, he came to this county when three years of age, and has since resided here. In 1861 he married Mrs. Permelia Barrett, nee Allyn. They have had three children, one of whom is living-Lois, Almira and Grant. Grant resides with his parents.

James Maurer was born in Pennsylvania in 1823. He came to this county with his father's family in 1830. He married Lydia Faust in 1851. The family consists of three children, viz: Mrs. Maria Mooney, Hancock county; Noah, Riley township; and Simon, Hancock county. Daniel and Phebe Maurer, the parents of James, were natives of Penn- sylvania. They had a family of thirteen children, eight of whom are living, namely: James, Riley township; Samuel, Washington township; Jesse, Michigan; George, Washington township; Mrs. Mary Unger, Helena; Jacob, Gibsonburg; Mrs. Isabel Alstatt, and Aaron, Washington township.

Adam Lute is a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, and was born in 1805. He married in Pennsylvania, and

has six children living, viz: William, Allen county; Lizzie (Daniels), Clyde; S. M., Riley township; Catharine (Van Buskirk), Riley; Abbie (Smart), Townsend township, and Peter, Townsend. S. M. married Mary B. McConnell in 1869, and has five children.

Gustavus A. Wright was born in Town- send township in 1837, of Vermont par- entage. He married, in 1860, Mary A. Gibbs, and has a family of nine children, viz: Hosea, Emma, Lillie, Clara, Martha, Millie, Ida, Frank, and John. Mr. Wright was formerly engaged in the lumber trade, but is now farming in Riley township. He is a son of Gustavus and Julia Wright.

Henry Vogt was born in Switzerland in 1811. He emigrated to America in 1833, and settled in Philadelphia, where he remained till 1860, when he came to Ohio, and settled in this township. He married Magdalena Mengold in 1849. The family consists of six children: Henry, Ballville township; Albert and Lizzie, Riley; William, Sandusky; Frank and George, Riley.

The following list of freeholders previous to 1830 is appended, together with the number of the section embracing their lots. Less than half whose names are given, were actual settlers of the township: Andrew Stull, 12; Robert Long, 34; Susannah Sutton, 6; Thomas Sherrard, 30; Robert A. Sherrard, 13; Jacob A. Smith, 20 and 29; William Straight, 14; Samuel Thomas, 31; Henry Vanpelt, 21 and 23; Jac Welchhouse, 19; Isaac Allyn, 2 and 3; Pascal Bisonette, 2; Jacob Bowlus, 21; Ezra Clark, 31; Joseph A. Curtice, 15 and 10; John W. Clark, 27; Oscar De Forest, (township 6), 36; Charles De Forest, 1; Gamaliel Fenn, 17; Jonas Gibbs, 9, 10, 4 and 3; John Hindman, 9; Peter Holbrook, 21; G. H. Hopkins, 11 and 14; Jane Hindman, 15; Harriet Hindman, 4; Alexander Johnston, 1, 8, 4, 13, 26, 33,

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History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 109

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