USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882 > Part 113
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Jackson has had a doctor's office within her boundaries, with but few intermissions, for the last twenty-five years. We shall
756
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
give the names only of a few who remained to establish themselves in a practice. Dr. Moore opened an office at Winter Station before the war. He went into the army as a volunteer and never returned to the county. Dr. Lee and Dr. Orwich were successive practitioners at Winter's Station.
Dr. Andrews removed from Fremont to Millersville in 1872, being the first physi- cian at the place. In 1895 he removed to Genoa, where he is continuing the practice. Dr. Paul succeeded him at Millersville and remained a few years. In 1879 W. J. Gillette, a graduate of Cleveland Medical. college, located at that point.
MILLS.
We do not know the exact year of the building of the first saw-mill, but it was during the period of early settlement. It was located on Muskallonge and owned by Henry Stultz. The machinery has long since been removed and but few traces of its existence remain.
The second mill was built and operated by John Garn, on Mud Creek. Like its predecessor it has also passed away.
Jacob Winter built a mill on Muskallonge in 1843. Considerable work was turned out in wet seasons. As the country became more generally cleared the stream became less reliable as a source of power.
The fourth saw-mill, and the only one remaining, except the steam mill and factory at Burgoon, was built by Joshua Smith, and is located on Muskallonge, near Winter Station. It is now operated by Thomas Fleming, and steam power is depended upon.
There never was a grist-mill in the township until 1880, when the steam-mill at Burgoon was built.
WINTER STATION.
The first village was laid out by Jacob Winter and was located on the line of rail-
road then called the Lima & Fremont, now the Lake Erie & Western. For the accommodation of the neighborhood a petition for a post office was sent to the Department, which was granted, and the new office christened Winter's post office. From that time the place was known as Winter's Station. The man who laid out a town, and whose name it bore, erected the first business building, in which David Lemmon placed a stock of general merchandise. Mr. Edwards opened the second store; John Keen succeeded him.
David Lemmon was the first postmaster. His successors in business continued the office.
But Winter's Station came to grief in its youth. When the Toledo, Tiffin & Eastern railroad was built the town was discovered to be about one mile too far to the northeast, for the railroad crossing was undoubtedly the most promising site for a village.
BURGOON.
The land on the east side of the Lake Erie & Western, extending as far north as the pike, belonged to Peter Warner. After the completion of the Toledo, Tiffin & Eastern railroad he laid out a section of town lots and gave the prospective village his own name. Mr. Warner was not long permitted to enjoy a monopoly of village making. A company, consisting of Messrs. Huss, Noble, Nailor, and Loomis, purchased twelve acres of the Wise estate and laid it out in town lots. M. F. Hostler purchased a half interest in this company soon afterwards. The subject of a name caused a division of opinion. Mr. Warner's friends insisted that it should be called Warner; Lorain was the choice of the stockholders across the road, but the post office was listed Burgoon, as a compliment to the superintendent of the new railroad.
The dry goods business was commenced
757
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
by Rufus Baker in 1873. He was succeeded in a short time by Randall Glass, who continued the business about three years. J. W. Powell was the next merchant. After about two years he sold to A. J. Mowry. P. J. Kenan opened a store in 1880. His business was destroyed by fire on the night of March 29, 1881.
M. F. Hostler has been in the grain and stock business since 1874. He has a large elevator and two stock yards.
William F. Fry, in the summer of 1880, erected a large steam grist-mill, saw-mill, and planing-mill.
A. Mowry and Randall Glass each kept tavern two years.
Bricks of fair quality are manufactured here, and wagon-making is carried on to a limited extent.
It is within the possibility of things for Burgoon to become a town of some im- portance. Surrounded with an agricultural territory inferior to none, and with good railroad facilities there is no reason why it should not prosper.
MILLERSVILLE.
This is a post village at the crossing of the pike and the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago railway. When the railroad was built the farmers in the community raised, by subscription, sufficient money to build a depot. The site seemed auspicious for a town. Peter Miller laid out a small portion of his land in town lots, and the new burgh was called Millersville. The founder of the town was commissioned first postmaster, and, after serving in that capacity a short time, was succeeded by the present incumbent, John Garn.
A man named Grulich opened the first general store. He was succeeded in 1897 by S. S. Wright. A blacksmith shop and two saloons compose the balance of the business part of the village.
Henry Ludwig has laid off a section of
lots on the north side of the pike. Millers- ville is two miles from Helena and five miles from Burgoon.
A sketch of Helena, which is divided by the township line between Washington and Jackson townships, will be found in the chapter on Washington.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
There are in this township seven churches, and it is with pleasure we chronicle the fact that the leading citizens are included in their membership. The pioneer. preacher of this community was Rev. Jacob Bowlus, of Lower Sandusky. He extended his missionary labors all over the west part of the county, and the many flourishing classes and neat white churches belonging to the conference of United Brethren in Christ, testify that seed was sown in good ground. Evangelical (Albright) missionaries also labored faithfully and successfully.
UNITED BRETHREN.
The first sermon was preached in the residence of Gilbreath Stewart, in 1829, by Jacob Bowlus. After the school-house was built at the site of Mud Creek bridge, on the pike, meetings were held there. Jeremiah Brown occasionally preached here. After Jacob Winter settled on Muskallonge, meetings were held in his barn, generally under charge of Jacob Bowlus. It was in this barn that Michael Long, who has since distinguished himself for usefulness in the church, preached his maiden sermon. A class was here organized which, about 1840, built a meeting-house in
the Mowry neighborhood. The class prospered and grew. In 1866 it became necessary to build a new house of worship. A difference of opinion in the matter of location was happily settled by the preacher, Mr. Long, proposing that while the subscription paper was being passed around, each one should indicate his choice of location.
758
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
Two points were centered upon Mowry's Corners and Winter Station. Both parties subscribed liberally, but Winter Station was the point decided upon. A handsome frame building was erected and christened Eaton Chapel. This class has a membership of about fifty. Mr. Long held an interesting revival in the winter of 1867, and also the following year, when he was assisted by Rev. Mr. Hart.
In 1874 Otterbein class was formed, the first members being M. F. Hostler and wife, Absalom Mowry and wife, Aaron Mowry and wife, William Nye and wife, Aaron Warner and wife, Henry Disler and wife, and Emily Wise. Centennial Otterbein Chapel, a handsome brick edifice, was erected in 1876, as the name would indicate. The class was organized by Rev. Michael Long. His successor, G. French, was in charge when the meeting house was built.
Succeeding ministers have been William Mathers, O. H. Ramsey, and Joseph Bever. Revs. Long, French, and Mathers, held revivals. The class belongs to Eden circuit, and has a membership of about twenty-five.
Bethlehem class was organized by Michael Long in 1875, in the school-house on the Greenesburg pike, with the following members: James Seagraves and wife, S. Dole and wife, Philip Klutz and wife, and Daniel Dole and wife. In 1876 a church was built at a cost of two thousand dollars. The first deacons were S. Dole, J. Seagrave, and W. J. Miller. The present membership numbers about forty.
A class was organized a number of years ago in the western part of the township, and named in recognition of that venerable and devoted member, Eli Fetters. "Fetters" class, though small in membership, maintains its organization and regular preaching. The old school-house on the Fetters farm was purchased a few years ago and is used for worship.
EVANGELICAL CHURCHES.
There are in the township two Evangelical churches-Zion's and St. Paul's. This form of Christian worship was established in the community at an early period of the settlement, some of the pioneers from Pennsylvania having previously been members. John Betts and wife, John Shale and wife, Daniel Mowry and wife, Samuel Leffler and wife, Nicholas Shale and wife, and perhaps a few others, are the oldest members. Aaron Younker and Thomas George are remembered among the early preachers. A log meeting-house was built about 1840, and the class took the name of its faithful leader, and was called; and is yet commonly known, as Shale's class. A new house of worship, known as Zion's church, was erected in 1867, at a cost of twenty-five hundred dollars. Rev. Daniel Stroman was then the preacher in charge. During the winter following the building of the new church, an awakening revival resulted in many accessions to the membership. The class, now numbering fifty-four, belongs to Bettsville circuit.
St. Paul's Evangelical Association is the northern class of this denomination in the township. The early members were: John Vandersall and wife, Jacob Vandersall and wife, Michael Shaffer and wife, Jacob Harley and wife, Abram Boroff and wife, and perhaps others. Meetings were held in the residences of these early members for a time and afterwards in school-houses. In 1867 a church was built in the Vandersall neighborhood, at a cost of twenty-three hundred dollars. This class also belongs to the Bettsville circuit.
CATHOLIC.
There is in the northwestern part of the township a large settlement of German Catholics. They are an industrious, pros- perous people, and the amount of money expended on church buildings proves their
Pachel J. Bozell.
harles Rozell
759
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
devotion. St. Mary's congregation was organized by a colony of about twenty families from the church at Fremont, in 1858. The leading members were: George Hoffman, George Baker, Peter Golwick, John Kuffler, Maggie Young, Peter Keen, Myron Hoffman, Joseph Weil, Michael Harmer, B. Wilhelm, -Groff, Peter Miller, John Rumble, Casper Foos, George Rush, John Newberg, Leodegan Lehman, Benjamin Ontrich, George Strassel, and Andy Foos.
The congregation, was organized by Father Engly. Succeeding pastors have been: Fathers Folm, Barber, Young, Litters, Sproll, and Blaser. The cost of the church besides the general work, which was done voluntarily by the members, was eighteen hundred dollars. A priest's house was built the following year, which cost about seven hundred dollars. In 1878 a new parsonage was built, which cost two thousand dollars. In 1871, during the pastorate of Rev. Father Young, a parochial school was established, and a school-house erected at a cost of six hundred dollars. The average attendance is about seventy-five.
BAPTISTS.
There was at one time a flourishing congregation of Baptists in this township. The church stood near Winter Station. Among the members were: William Russel, Lewis Overmyer, Hugh Overmyer, Silas Kenan, B. Fried, and Mrs. Hansen. All things moved smoothly until the Seventh Day Adventists began to hold service in the church, the use of which was kindly granted them. The faith of some of the members was changed; the congregation weakened and finally died out.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH,
CHARLES ROZELL AND FAMILY.
Charles Rozell was born in Mercer county, New Jersey, October 21, 1 803. His parents were John and Jane Rozell, both natives of New Jersey. Charles was the oldest of a family of twelve children, seven sons and five daughters. He passed his early years at home, and served an apprenticeship to learn the shoemaker's trade, but not liking it, left the shop and engaged in farming. In 1826 he married Catharine Wiley, of Mercer county.
In 1831 Mr. Rozell left New Jersey and came to Jackson township, Sandusky county, and purchased the farm upon which he passed the remainder of his days. The farm was a wild lot; not a stick of timber had been cut, and only an unbroken forest marked the spot which he selected for his home. It was the month of March when he arrived. He erected a log house and cleared sufficient ground for a garden and cornfield, and in the fall sent for his family, consisting of his wife and two children. They came, accompanied by Mrs. Rozell's brother. Mr. Rozell met them upon their way and con-ducted them to his wild and unattractive home. At that date there was little of romance about life in the woods. The roads, or paths-for there were no roads worthy the name-were in the worst condition imaginable. Lower Sandusky was the nearest point where milling was carried on. Mr. Rozell bought a pair of oxen with which to do his work. He used up nearly all of his money before his farm was in a condition to bring any returns.
Both Mr. Rozell and his wife toiled earnestly, and saved economically all they could gain. They denied themselves many of the comforts and luxuries now found in almost every farmer's home, and
760
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
restricted themselves to the necessaries of life. They made sugar from the maples for the family use, and strove to curtail expenses in every way.
In 1 836 Mr. Rozell's parents came to Seneca county, and settled a few miles distant from their son's home. Mrs. Rozell died upon their farm in Seneca county, and Mr. Rozell a few years later in Jackson township.
John Rozell gave the land for the cemetery in Seneca county, south of Bettsville. There reposes his body and the remains of those of the family who have died in this vicinity.
The industry and economy of Mr. Charles Rozell were rewarded. He began with eighty acres of wild land, but added to his possessions at different times Until, at his death, he had one hundred and seventy-four acres of cleared land, and eighty of wood land.
When the plank road to Sandusky was in process of construction, Mr. Rozell contracted to build several miles. In 1858 he erected a costly and beautiful residence and furnished it neatly and tastefully. March 4, 1861, Mrs. Rozell died in her sixty-first year. She bore two children, both of whom are living, viz: Susan Ann, wife of John Fabing, who resides on the farm adjoining her old home; and Martha, the wife of Lucien Hull, who lives in Seneca county, about taco miles from the place where she was brought up.
On the 14th of January, 1864, Mr. Rozell married Mrs. Rachel J. Reed. Her maiden name was Bay, and she was born in Morgan county, Ohio, November 9, 1822. Her grandfather, Robert Bay,
was a native of Pennsylvania, who served throughout the Revolutionary war; also in the War of 1812. Her father also served in the War of 1812. Robert Bay married Tama Ann Phillis, of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Rozell's father, Joseph Bay, was born in 1790; died in 1835. In 1813 he married Catharine Derrick, who was born in England in 1795. She is still living in Zanesville. The Bay family were among the first settlers in Jefferson county, in this State. They lived there until 1822, then moved to Morgan county, and to Zanesville in 1824. Mrs. Rozell is the fifth of a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters. She has one brother and two sisters living at this time.
By his second marriage Mr. Rozell was the father of one child, Jennie, born April 3, 1865, who is now living with her mother in Fremont.
Mr. Charles Rozell was always active in his business, strictly fair and honorable in all of his dealings, and treated every man justly. He was kind to the poor and unfortunate, and ever ready to assist the deserving. Though not a professing Christian, his moral character was above reproach, and his reputation for sincerity of friendship and integrity was unsullied. By attending diligently to his business, be became the possessor of a good property, and departed from earth honored and esteemed. He was a Republican, a strong Union man during the war, and assisted the soldiers and their widows by every means at his command. He died at his home in Jackson, November 27, 1870, at the age of sixty-seven.
WASHINGTON.
T HIS, the largest township in the county, territorially, embraces all of the originally-surveyed township number five, range fourteen, and twelve sections of township six, range fourteen, which were added after the organization of Ottawa county. The geographical boundaries are: Ottawa county on the north, Rice and Sandusky townships on the cast, Jackson on the south, and Madison and Woodville on the west. Little Mud Creek, Big Mud Creek, and Wolf Creek flow from southwest to northeast across its territory. The soil, excepting the surface of a sand ridge extending between the two branches of Mud Creek, is a black vegetable mold, the mellowed remains of luxuriant swamp vegetation. The soil of the sand ridge spoken of is loose, and would be easily cultivated were it not for numberless boulders which were dropped by a sweeping glacier in its course toward sure destruction in sunny low latitudes. For the source of these troublesome masses of hard rock, the reader is referred to the chapter on Jackson township.
THE BLACK SWAMP.
A map of Ohio, drawn in 1825, represents an immense tract of country stretching westward from the Sandusky River to far beyond the Portage River, by a shade of varying density, and is designated by the unattractive name of "Black Swamp;" and a black swamp indeed it was. Go back, in imagination, but little more than half a century ago and picture the fertile farms you cultivate as they appeared prior to the period of settlement, Frontier
poets are in the habit of making us sorry because nature's simple beauty has been desecrated by the hand of enterprising man. But it is the melancholy task of history in this instance to picture a wild, desolate, almost uninhabitable waste, the sight of which made strong constitutions wither, and hearts beating nigh with anticipation, sicken, and fill with melancholy forebodings. The scene presented to the eye possessed no encouraging element. Trees of varying size locked-tops, and were firmly bound together by vigorous vines, with branches shooting in all directions, fastened to every limb by unyielding tendrils. Carbonic gases, emitted from the water-covered muck sixty feet below, fed a luxuriant growth of foliage which completely filled every interstice, and effectually excluded every ray of sun-shine. The dismal view caught in the uncertain light of this dense shade banished every idea of settlement. Immense trunks of fallen and decaying trees crossing each other in every conceivable direction, could just be seen through the thick growth of shrubs, underbrush, and coarse grasses. In spring time, in consequence of the water courses being completely dammed up by fallen timber, whole townships of surface were submerged. When dry weather came on, the water slowly found its way to the bay, leaving a spongy soil so thoroughly saturated that even the light-footed deer found travel difficult. But these conditions favored the making of an excellent soil. Decaying timber, leaves, and grasses, left those chemical ele-
762
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
ments which enter into the composition of cereals and furnish the material for their growth. The cost Of reclaiming this wilderness is beyond calculation. Picture to yourselves a solitary log hut, made of round logs, with a floor and door of rough puncheons; with two small square holes in the sides, closed with sheets of greased paper, for windows; the spaces between the logs filled with a mixture of leaves and mud; an immense chimney at one end, built of sticks, through which smoke was forced rather than drawn; covered with thin, irregularly-split shingles, weighted down by poles-such a cabin, situated in the midst of wild desolation, was the residence of the first settler. The dreary solitude of an autumn evening at that home can only be felt, not described. What a medley of discordant sounds pain the ear! What a rush of melancholy thoughts depress the heart! Armies of green frogs leave their slimy pools and assert, from every log, that they are the proud owners of the swamp, while their tree cousins mingle disagreeable voices; the howl of wolves, as night falls on the homesick pioneer, seem to speak in strange language the folly of his adventure, and the wise owl adds sarcastic hoots to the distressing medley. The sharp click of the mud which follows every labored step of the cow in the dooryard, brings additional testimony of the unfitness of the place for the habitation of man. The thoughts of the homesick, discouraged adventurer are turned from plans of clearing, plowing, and seeding, to the contemplation of his Solitude; and, at length, tired and de- pressed, he retires to his simple bed, con- vinced of being an intruder in a reservation intended by nature for wolves, and frogs, and owls. It is not strange, therefore, that immigrants either turned back from the Black Swamp, or pushed through beyond, leaving this vast area, more than
half of three counties, almost an unbroken waste till as late as 1828. Many who did enter land and begin improvements soon became discouraged, sold out at a sacrifice, and sought a more hospitable opening. It thus happened that, in the spring of 1830, only three families resided within the present limits of Washington township.
ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS.
The following entries are recorded in 1826:
SECTION.
ACRES.
David Hess
10, 15, and 9 739
Enoch Rush
13 and 24 210
Josiah Topping
24
140
Harry Fuller
9
66
Reuben Wilder 8 and 9
267
The following entries are recorded in 1827:
SECTION. ACRES.
Pontius Wheeler
12
320
J. H. Topping
24
205
George Waggoner
24
86
Samuel Waggoner
23
83
George Waggoner
24
293
The following are recorded in 1828:
SECTION. ACRES.
Robert Long
36
160
Jacob Nyce
36
160
Jonas Graham
36
80
Jonas Graham
13
160
Michael Hogle
1
81
The following are recorded in 1829:
SECTION. ACRES
William Floyd
2 240
David Grant
21
160
Michael Hogle
1
81
The following are recorded in 1830:
SECTION. ACRES.
Magdalina Bowman
13
80
George Watt
36
160
Michael Hogle
1
81
The following are recorded in 1831:
SECTION. ACRES.
David Church
22
160
David Church
15
80
Joseph Deck
14
108
A. W. Green
2,5
160
Jacob Hendricks
13
80
763
HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.
SECTION. ACRES.
Jacob Hendricks
24
309
Jacob Hendricks
6
147
Jacob Hendricks
7
91
Daniel Hendricks
8 370
Daniel Karshner.
15
79
John Mackling
15
251
Michael Overmyer
10
121
Peter Poorman
8
237
John Rose
23
185
John Rose
25
80
N. P. Robbins
9
157
William Rose
22
80
Solomon Shoup
14
86
John Shoup
14
129
Jacob C. Stults
25
80
6
31
44
Jos. Ferris
6
30
44
M. L. Harmon
6
31
44
Isaiah. Johnson
20
40
Henry Johnson
34
80
Jacob Moses
28
40
Michael Miller
6
31
44
Isaiah Morris
6
31
160
Jos. Nuding
6
27
40
G. T. Necher
6
30
80
Dennis Neil
6
31
169
John Snyder,
18
80
Ambrose Shell
26
40
The records of 1836 show the following entries:
RANGE
SECTION.
ACRES.
Robert M. Brown
2
80
Michael Fought
27
80
Charles D. Ashley
6
36
80
Christian Augster
6
33
40
John Bashner
3
87
Lorenzo Borden
6
31
44
Edward Bissell
6
25 and 34
2,376
Christian Clever
6
34
40
James Easton & F. C.
Sanford
18, 26, 29 and 30
426
Michael Fought
32
80
G. G. Folger
532
Jeremiah Ludwig
29
160
Samuel Ludwig
33
240
Samuel Moss
6
25 and 26
240
John Rinehart
4
80
James Robb
6
31
80
H. W. Seymour
6
80
Scott Seymour
6
31
40
Henry Shively
6
36
80
Jesse Stone
33
80
Jesse Stone,
29
40
Jesse Stone
12
40
Narcissa Topping
20
80
Josiah F. Topping
30
88
J. M. Turner & Wil-
6
32
120
William Walter
6
26
40
RANGE
SECTION. ACRES.
Samuel Miller
8 80
Benjamin Schothorn
17
161
A. C. Ross
27
80
C. Whitman
23
80
Henry Sanders
11
40
Henry Salman
6
31
40
Michael Walter
28
40
C. M. Welsh
6
30
80
George Wales
6
27
40
William Walter
28
40
Jonas Walter
29
80
L. Q. Dawson
27
40
Jacob Arnstadt
6
33
40
Dickinson & Pease
6
29 and 30
372
William Skinner
25
80
John Strohl
19
68
J. H. Topping
25
80
Hector Topping
15
94
John C. Waggoner
23
79
John Smith
13
83
Isaac Rhidnour
129
John Baird
22
79
William Chenaworth
23
79
George Hettrick
13
81
The following entries are recorded in 1833:
SECTION.
ACRES.
Joseph Cookson
36
80
Joseph Cookson
35
80
William Burkett
16
60
Daniel Burkett
16
160
The following entries of land were recorded in 1834:
SECTION.
ACRES.
George Skinner
25
79
David Karshner
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