History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 89

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882 > Part 89

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).

J. D. Moore, son of John and Eliza Moore, was born in Ballville in 1844. His parents were among the first settlers of the county. John Moore died in 1876. He was a miller by trade, and also carried on farming. His widow, Mrs. Elizabeth (Rutter) Moore, still survives him. They had eleven children, seven of whom are living. J. D. Moore married Ellen Dean, and has three children living-Guy, Philip, and Daisy. Freddie, the eldest, died, aged ten years. Mr. Moore was in business as a merchant in Fremont from 1866 to 1873. Since the latter date he has been engaged in milling in Ballville.

Asa B. Gavit, a native of New York, settled on the west bank of the river about 1818. He married, in this county, a Miss Strawn, whose family settled further up the river, near the mouth of Wolf Creek. Gavit was one of the shrewdest and most progressive men in the settlement. He had the reputation of being an excellent trader. He died, his wife and one son surviving him. She married for her second husband Charles Blinn, and for her

587

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

third Stephen Emerson, Mr. Gavit's connection with the famous lawsuit re- garding the ownership of the bed of the river, is given in this chapter.

William and David Chard came as squatters in 1819, and when the land came into market they made permanent settlement on section twenty-one. Their reputation was by no means enviable.

Morris Nichols came to the township in 1820. He constructed a tannery on the river road just outside the limits of the mile square reservation.

John Wolcott was known in early times as a

hunter, which was a profitable employment, in fact it was the only employment; which brought in ready cash; labor and farm products were paid for in trade. He was a native of Pennsylvania, and lived with his mother after coming here.

We have already spoken of the first settlement at the mouth of Wolf Creek, between here and the village of Ballville. By 1824 nearly every farm on the west side of the river had been improved.

Elizabeth Tindall kept the only public house along this road. She came to the township with her family, consisting of five sons,-Samuel, Daniel, William, John, and Edward, and two daughters-Eliza (Lovejoy) and Amy (Bond). J. L. Tindall, the oldest son of Edward Tindall, still resides in the township. He was born May 4, 1838, and in 1860 married Martha J. Fields, of Sandusky township.

Between the Tindall estate and the Gavit farm were a number of improvements made about 1822, among the settlers being Mr. Woodruff and John Custard.

David Chambers purchased a tract of land in section eight, with a view to engaging in milling. His location, although naturally good, was unfortunate as the result of a long course of litigation detailed

in this chapter will show. Mr. Chambers was highly respected in the community, and it was a matter of regret on the part of many that circumstances compelled him to sell his property and seek a home elsewhere. His son, Benjamin Chambers, moved west. His daughter married John Custard.

Mr. John Rhidout, father of William Rhidout, was one of the first settlers in the northwest part of the township. He was a shoemaker, and came west for the purpose of engaging at his trade at the Indian missionary posts on the Maumee. After settling here in 1824 he engaged in farming.

The settlement in the upper part of the township, on the east side of the river, began in 1832, after the Senecas had been removed to their western home, and the reservation which they had occupied thrown. upon the market. There were, however, earlier settlements further down.

On the east side of the river, on section twenty, had been an Indian sugar-camp of considerable size, which was purchased at the Government sales by John Sherrard. Thomas Sherrard, a brother of John, re- moved from Jefferson county, Ohio, to Lower Sandusky in the summer of 1823, with the intention of building a mill on Green Creek, where he owned a tract of land, but after his arrival concluded to settle on a farm near the site of Oakwood cemetery, in Ballville township, where he built a cabin and made a clearing. His family was highly esteemed in the neighborhood, and the untimely termination of his life was the occasion of great sadness. John Sherrard, who owned the sugar-camp, was afraid the Indians would destroy the trees, and requested his brother to rent it to some one who would live on the property. Mr. Sherrard effected a contract with William Chard, by which he was to give a stipulated amount of sugar for the

588

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

use of the camp. But during the first season a disagreement arose, and Mr. Sherrard began to suspect the honesty of his tenant. He was prevented by high water from crossing the river until March 26, when he came to Colonel Chambers' house on his way to the camp. After telling the object of his errand, he inquired the best place to ford the river. Colonel Chambers says, in a memorandum of the affair, that Mr. Sherrard looked melancholy, and seemed to be apprehensive of something about to happen. He crossed the river, but it was the last time. The Chambers family became uneasy regarding his safety in the evening, and Mrs. Sherrard's appearance on the following morning, with the announcement that he had not returned, increased their apprehensions, which noontime confirmed when James Chard appeared on the other side of the river with the horse, and made the announcement that Sherrard had left their house in the afternoon for home, and the horse had returned alone. The river was searched for nearly a month, but to no effect, and a high freshet at length destroyed all hopes of recovering the body. Mrs. Sherrard was greatly affected, and left the cabin home, being kindly received in the family of Colonel Chambers. It is worthy of remark in this connection that on the day following the misfortune all the cattle and horses forsook the home and came to the Chambers residence. On April 11 the saddle was found below Moore's mill-dam. His hat was found on the previous day, and bore evidence of having been in the water but a short time. On April 21 Joseph Prior saw a white, fleshy form in the water about half a mile below the Chambers ford, and supposed it the body of a skinned animal, but that same evening the body was carried down to Moore's mill-dam, and discovered between the breast of the dam and the spill

of water. It was impossible to recover the body that night, there being no water craft at hand; but on the following day the body was removed from the lower mill-dam. When Mr. Sherrard left home he had on an overcoat, light under-coat, vest, and two shirts; the body was found naked. The bridge of his nose was broken, one of his eyes bruised out, and his right jaw-bone broken, as if done by the stroke of a club. The fore teeth were broken and the mouth bruised, and the throat callous. All these wounds bore evidence of having been inflicted before the extinguishment of life. The place and time of the discovery of the body, and its condition, are circumstances almost conclusive of a most brutal murder. The whole affair naturally caused intense excitement throughout the neighborhood, and suspicion condemned the family supposed to be guilty, but sufficient proof could not be found to warrant an arrest.

The first settler of the farm now owned by L. B. Fry was Benjamin Decker. Thuman Holmes and Dennis Duran lived east of the Seager farms already spoken of, on which the council house of the Senecas stood. The Willis family, representatives of which are yet living, settled at an early period. Samuel Treat was the first settler on section twenty- nine. John Myers made an early improvement on the same section. Mr. Ensminger, David Halter, Peter Doell, and Henry Fry made improvements along down the river, on the east side, from 1830 to 1835. Joseph Edwards made an improvement on the farm in the interior of the township, which was afterwards purchased by Jonas Smith, and is yet in part owned by him.

One of the earliest settlers in the centre of the township was Samuel Smith, third son of Adam Smith, who was an early settler in Green creek township. He was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1817,

589

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

and came to the county with his parents. After his marriage, in 1844, to Elizabeth Frary, he settled on section ten and made the first improvements. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had four children, two of whom are living-Dora and Clara. Hattie, wife of Samuel Zontman, died, leaving a family of four children. Charles is also dead.

The Strawn family were highly respected people, who settled near the mouth of Wolf Creek.

The Bixler family settled in the north-west corner of the township. They were people who took a prominent part in affairs. John Nyce and family, consisting of three sons- Philip, Isaac, and Michael-and three daughters-Theny, Sarah, and Nancy-came from Pennsylvania at an early day, and settled on the east side of the river.

We have now sketched in a general way the settlement of the township previous to the later period, when, all the lands were taken up and most of them cleared. It yet remains to speak more particularly of those families who have taken a leading part in public affairs, and contributed to the growth of society, since the period of first settlement.

Among the earliest settlers of the central part of this township, and one of the oldest pioneers now living, is Jonas Smith. He was born in New York in 1807. In 1829 he married Mary Gilmore, who is two years his senior. In 1833 they came to this township, and made a settlement near the centre. Their family consisted of two boys and four girls-James N., resident of Michigan; Martha J. (Frary), Michigan; S. S., Michigan; Ann (Maurer), Fremont; Hannah (Brunthaver), Ballville and Emma (Hampshire), Ballville, Mr. Smith has been crowded with official trusts, having served his county as commissioner six years, and sheriff four years. He has

also served as magistrate in Ballville, for nineteen years. Providence has dealt with this family most generously. Mr. and Mrs. Smith celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding, February 19, 1879. During this period of, more than fifty-two years of married life, death has never visited their family.

From 1833 to 1840 the improvement of the township was pushed vigorously. All the land at the end of that period had been entered, and clearings commenced at least on every lot. Along the river and through the centre and eastern line of sections, well improved farms were already richly rewarding the husbandman's industry. From the list of worthy families who carried on this work of improvement and consequent production of wealth, the plan of our work will permit brief sketches of but a few families.

John Hutchins, a native of Vermont, settled in this township in 1834. He had a large family (ten children) by his first wife, whose maiden name was Russel, and six by his second wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Collins. Mr. Hutchins died in 1845, aged seventy-seven years. Matthew Hutchins, the fourth child, of John and Hannah Hutchins,. was born in Oswego, New York, in 1822. In 1843 he married Elizabeth Young, and contributed his labors to the improvement of the eastern part of the township. The family consists of four children-William L., Adrian A., Marion. M., and Lewis D., living, and Emery M., and Milo J. A., dead.

The Frys are representative Germans of this township. They came from Prussia and settled here in 1834 and 1835. George Fry was born in Prussia in 1809. He came to this county in 1835. In 1842 he married Mary Guss, by whom he had nine children, seven of whom are living. He has been a resident of Jackson town-

590

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

ship since 1846. Henry N. Fry, oldest son of George Fry, was born in this township in 1844. In 1874 he married Ella M. Burgoon, and has two children-Roscoe A., and Virginia.

John Fry was born in Prussia in 1810. He is a carpenter and millwright by trade, and was employed in the construction of the frame mill, the predecessor of the stone mill, and other buildings along the river. He also improved a farm a short distance above the village. He came, also, in the year 1835. In 1850 he married Julia A. Miller, of Seneca county.

Henry Fry was born at the paternal residence in the Province of Westphalia, in 1813. He came to America in 1834, one year before his brother, John, and his cousin George. In 1841 he married Abbie Rhidout, daughter of John G. Rhidout, who came from Ross county and settled in this township in 1825. Mr. Fry's family consists of two children living-Cynthia J., the wife of Dr. Robert H. Rice, and Amelia S., the wife of E. B. Moore. The oldest child, John L. Fry, is dead. Mr. Fry followed his trade, carpenter and mill-wright, several years after coming to this township.

Isaac Maurer was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1808. He married in Wayne county, Ohio, in 1831, Mary Ernsberger, who was born in Maryland in 1812, and died in this township in 1879. They settled in Ballville township in 1834, and raised a family of six children living, viz: Martin, Emanuel, William J., Eli B., Martha J., and Owen.

William, the third son, was born in this township in 1840. He married in 1865, Eliza J. Worst, and has a family of three children: Tillie L., Delphin B., and Orpheus C. Mr. Maurer was wounded at the battle of Franklin. He was in the One Hundredth Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

Owen L., the youngest son of Isaac

Maurer, was born in this township in 1853. He married in 1873, Martha J. Brunthaver, and has two children, Gertrude and Maggie.

One of the first among the settlers of 1835 was John Halter. He was born in New York in 1803. He married in 1825, Elizabeth Bastic, by whom one child was born- Catharine, wife, first, of James Jackson, who was killed in the army; second of Isaac N. Halter, of Fremont. Mr. and Mrs. Halter are now enjoying the fruits of their early industry.

David Halter was born in New York in 1816. He married Margaret Plants, and had a family of four children, viz: John, resident of Seneca county; David, deceased; Leander, Ballville township, and Jacob, who continues his residence in this county. Jacob was born in 1849, married in 1872, Mary J. Cochran, and has four children: Nellie M., David F., Edith and Earlie (twins). Both David Halter and his wife died in August, 1881.

Joseph Hershey, one of the Ballville settlers of 1836, was born at Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1796. In 1808 his father removed to Canada, where he remained until the opening of the War of 1812. He then removed to Erie county, New York. In 1836 Joseph came to this township, where he died in 1851, leaving a family of four children living-Eliza (Myers), Frances (Wire), Peter, and Martha (Willard). Mrs. Hershey, whose maiden name was Magdalene Frick, died in 1871. Peter, the only son, born in Erie county, New York, in 1819, in 1855 married Elizabeth Bruner, by whom he has a family of seven children-David, Anna, Willard P. Elmer E., Grant U., Daisy M., and Bessie S.

Peter Doell was born in Germany in 1819. In 1838 he emigrated to America and came to Ballville township. Some six years later he settled upon a farm on

591

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

the east side of the river. In 1841 he married Margaret Resch, also a native of Germany. Twelve children blessed this union, four of whom are living, viz: Mary (Rearick), Sandusky township; George, Riley township; Catharine (Kraft) and Joseph, Ballville township.

Roswell Osborn, a native of New York, was born in 1800. He married for his first wife, Phebe Card, who died in New York in 1830, leaving eight children. He married for his second wife Mida Lansing, by whom he had three children. The family came to Ohio about 1835 and settled in Huron county. He was a Baptist minister, and about five years were occupied in preaching. About 1840 Mr. Osborn settled in Ballville township and remained about nine years. He then moved to Wisconsin, where he died in 1860. Enos, the sixth child, was born in New York in 1820. He came to Ballville with the family in 1840 and has continued his residence here since that time. In 1847 he married Margaret Strohl, who died in 1863, aged thirty-four years, leaving six, children, viz: James, editor Fremont Messenger; George, resides in Logan county, Ohio; William, Roswell P., Anna, and Idella (Hufford), Ballville township. Mr. Osborn married for his second wife Leah Brunthaver, by whom he has had one child-Frank. Mr. Osborn was a soldier in the Mexican war.

George Reynolds was born in New York in 1817. He immigrated to Ohio in 1841, and settled in Ballville township, where, in 1844, he married Maria Prior, a daughter of John Prior. A family of five children blessed this union, four of whom are living, viz .: Chauncy, Cynthia (Parker), Della (Mitchner), and Rant. Orrin died in 1880, aged twenty-four. He was a practicing lawyer.

The settlement and mysterious death of Thomas G. Sherrard has already been

chronicled. The Sherrard family of this county is descended from John Sherrard, a native of county Derry, Ireland, who emigrated to America in 1772, and joined the patriot army, in 1775, at Bunker Hill. He settled in Jefferson county, Ohio, where he died in 1809, leaving five sons. Robert Andrew Sherrard, the fourth son, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1789, and died near Steubenville in 1894 he was a highly-esteemed man, and a prominent member of the Presbyterian church; he was twice married-first, to Mary Kithcart, by whom he had five children, and second, to Jane Hindman, who bore seven children. David A. C. Sherrard, the third child by the first marriage, was born in Jefferson county in 1820; in 1843 he married Catharine Weldy, who died in 1847, leaving three children, viz .: Laura, Kizzie W., and Lizzie C .; in 1848 he married Narcissa Grant, by whom he had seven children, viz .: Hattie (deceased), Robert, John F., Emma, Mary J., Rose P., and Ida M.

William Smith was born in New Jersey in 1789. He married, in 1814, Sarah Trimmer, also a native of New Jersey. In 1836 the family removed to Perry county, Ohio, and thence to this county, in 1847, when they settled in Ballville township. Mrs. Smith died in July, 1858, and Mr. Smith in October, 1865. Four of their children are living-Sarah Ann (Cole), William P., George G., and John C. Henry, the oldest of the family, died in Newark, Ohio, in October, 1858. Jacob, the third child, died young, in New Jersey. Anna Maria, the youngest, died in Perry county in 1845, aged about twelve years. William P., the oldest son living, was born February 28, 1824; in 1858 he married Sarah M. Siberal, and had one child, Mina, deceased; Mr. Smith was treasurer of his township twelve years. On account of injuries received in 1844,

592

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY

he is unable to perform manual labor. He has brought up two children in his home- Carrie D. Smith, now the wife of Leonard Sliger, of Bradner, Wood county, and Mary E. Harrison, at home.

Daniel Sherer was born in Seneca county, Ohio, in 1828, and in 1846 married Mary A. Rubenault. He settled in this township in 1848. The family consisted of four children, two of whom-Henry and Elizabeth A. - are dead; Albert O. and Daniel O. are residents of the township. Mr. Sherer died in 1858.

Albert O. Sherer was born in 1852, and in 1875 he married Jane Siberal. They have two children living -- Blanche E. and an infant daughter.

Daniel O. Sherer was born in 1855. He married, in 1875, Martha J. Jackman. Annie E., Minnie D., and Benjamin F. are their children.

Victor Rich was born in Switzerland in 1832. He came to America in 1851, and stopped in New York during the winter, having been employed to chop wood, but was initiated into Yankee ways by being cheated out of his wages. The next spring he came to Fremont, and was for" many years a well-known stone-mason. He built the vault in the "Oakwood Cemetery," which is a very fine piece of workmanship. In 1861 he settled in this township, where he owns a farm. In 1859 he married Mrs. Catherine Swilly, and has five children-Joseph, Charles, George, Victor, and Clara. John Swilly is her son by a previous husband.

Cornelius Hufford settled in Ballville township in 1836. He was born in Kentucky in 1806. In 1833 he married Mary J. Zook, daughter of Abram

Zook, and a native of Bedford county, Pennsylvania. Their family consisted of ten children, five of whom are living-Sarah, Simon, Elizabeth, Catharine, and Martha. In 1869 Mr. Hufford removed

to his present residence in Washington township.

Simon Hufford was born in 1837. He married, in 1861, Sarah-Short, and has a family of five children living-Lillie J., Jennie, Frank, Armina, and Hattie. Burton died when less than one year old.

Jacob Kline, with his wife and family, came to America in 1832, and settled in New York. Mrs. Kline died at Buffalo in 1845. Mr. Kline died in this township in 1859. Jacob Kline, jr., was born in Germany in 1814. He married Lena Zimmerman in 1845, and in 1852 came West and settled in Ballville township. The family consists of eleven children, viz .: Jacob, George, Philip, Martin, Charles A., Lena, Mary M., William H;, Edward F., John A., and Adam H. The last seven were born in this township. Martin and Charles have been teachers in the public schools. Charles is preparing for the practice of the law.

James Traill, with his family, removed from Bedford county, Pennsylvania, to Coshocton county, Ohio, and from there to Seneca county, in 1851. Thomas, his son, was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, March 20, 1818. In 1844 he married Mary E. West, of York township. In 1852 he moved from Seneca county to Ballville township, his present home. Four children are living- Darling, Olive E., Lovie, and Perry J. "Clara E., the oldest daughter, died at the age of twenty-two.

Andrew Wolfe was born in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1797. He married Saloma Garber, a native of Switzerland, and came to Ohio, settling first in Knox county, then in Richland: In 1855 he removed to Sandusky county, and settled in this township, where he died in 1874: Daniel M., the fifth child, was born in Knox county in 1831. He married, in 1855, Eunice J. Black, and settled where

593

HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

he now lives. The family consists of five children-Charles M., Sarah I., Elbridge G., Inez M., and Daniel M. Mr. Wolfe is a carpenter and followed the trade twenty-five years.

Henry Turner was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1809. He married Susan Spangler in 1829. She died in 1849, leaving six children, viz .: William, Emanuel, Samantha, Daniel, Perry I., and Mary J. Of these only two are living-Samantha (Neff), Saginaw, Michigan, and Daniel. In 1852 Mr. Turner married for his second wife Elizabeth Delong, and had by this marriage two children-Henry Otis, a resident of Lima, Ohio, and Marcella, dead. The family came to Seneca county in 1830; moved to Ballville township in 1853.

John G. Speller, jr., proprietor of the stone mill, was born in Prussia in 1843. In 1857 he came to America and engaged in farming in this township. The following year his parents, Lambert C. and Mary Speller, came to this country with their family of five children, and remain residents of this township. In 1867 John G. Speller began clerking for Herman & Wilson, and continued in mercantile business seven years, the last year in partnership with Mr. Herman. In 1875 he purchased the Ballville stone mill, half of which he sold to Simeon Royce. Business has since been conducted under the firm name of Royce & Speller. Mr. Speller, in 1872, married Oriette J. Moore. James and Allie are their children.

George Flumerfelt, the oldest son of D. V. Flumerfelt, settled in this township in 1865. His father, however, was one of the first settlers of the neighboring town-ship of Pleasant, in Seneca county, having come there from New Jersey in 1826, at the age of eighteen. He married Melinda Littler, and has a family of seven children living. George was born in 1842,

He married Ellen Chancy in 1865. Five children are living-Eva P., Edward P., Laura, William A., and Clarence. Mr. Flumerfelt is a Greenbacker in politics. He owns the old Hiett farm, one of the first that was cleared in this township.

Abel M. Franks, only son of Uriah M. Franks, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, in 1834. He married in 1862 Eliza McQuigg, a native of Ireland. They have five children- Uriah F., John W., Sarah E., James E., and Samuel C. John, second son, graduated at the age of fifteen and is preparing for the Bar. Mr. Franks came to the county in 1865, and settled first in Sandusky township, where he remained two years, then settled in Ballville.

J. B. Lott, son of Peter and Mary Lott, was born in Seneca county in 1832. He came to this county in 1858, and settled on his present farm. He married in 1858 Sarah A. Bretts, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Three of their five children are living-Charles, Wilson, and Jennie- Clara Ann and an infant daughter are dead.

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.

History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 89

Author: Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author:
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: