USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County : Containing a detailed narrative of the principal events that have occured since its first settlement down to the present time > Part 10
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Upon entering the passage, a natural path leads gradually downwards in a north-easterly direction. At the depth of
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about thirty feet, the light from above is obstructed, below which, darkness forever reigns, unless driven away by the lights of the curious, who are exploring the wonders of this silent and gloomy place. After a descent of about forty feet, a large space is opened ; and here, as the eye surveys the lof- ty ceiling, and penetrates the recesses around, the mind is pe- culiarly impressed with the awful grandeur and magnificence of the scene.
Proceeding onward, water is observed dripping from the rocks above, which is found upon examination, to be impregna- ted with sulphur, and not disagreeable to the taste. Beneath, are discovered the tracks of harmless animals, that roam about in places inaccessible to man ; while over head, bats are seen suspended from the rocks, apparently lifeless ; but when brought to the sun, they soon recover, and immediately direct their course to the cave.
After a descent of nearly two hundred feet, the passage is interrupted by a stream of pure, cold water, which is very pleasant to the taste, and has a slow current to the north-ward. This stream rises during the wettest portions of the year, about eighty feet, and again recedes upon the recurrence of dry weather. In 1844, a year remarkable for rains, the water rose in the cave one hundred and seventy feet, or within thirty feet of the surface of the earth. When at its minimum height, the stream presents only a few feet of surface ; but its bottom has never been reached.
This cave is certainly an object of interest to all who admire the works of nature, or delight in subterranean wonders ; and were the rocks excavated around the mouth, so as to render the ingress less tedious, it would doubtless be visited by thousands. [ See " note " at the end of this chapter. ]
On the 1st day of January, 1841, the county surveyor, Jonas Hershberger, surveyed a town on sections eleven and twelve,
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in Thompson township, to which was given the mame of Lew- isville, from a town of the same name in the state of Pennsyl- vania. The proprietors were George Schoch, Jr., Jacob Kor- ner and Frederick Harpster.
Lewisville is pleasantly situated upon the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad, and is rapidly improving. The country around is delightful, descending in nearly every direction from the town. The post-office is called Flat Rock.
It is one mile west of the Huron county line-one and one- fourth miles south of the Sandusky county line ; twenty-one miles from Tiffin ; twelve miles from Republic ; fifteen miles from Norwalk, the county seat of Huron county; eighteen miles from Sandusky City ; and three and a half miles south-west from Bellevue, Sandusky county. Its population is 80. It contains eighteen dwellings, one store, one cabinet-shop, one tailor-shop, two shoe-shops, three blacksmith's-shops, one saddler's-shop and one carriage-shop. There are two practicing physicians, resi- dents of this town-Joseph Myers and Henry L. Harris.
On the 18th day of January, 1825, Seth Reed and George Raymond, from Steuben county, New York, settled upon sec- tion twenty-four, in what is now the township of Reed. These gentlemen entered land at the Delaware land-office, and were the first settlers within the limits of the township. They were followed soon after by Edward Cassety and Elijah Reed. In a short time, Tornis Cronkite, Thomas Bennit, Samuel Sco- thorn and Isaac Bennit, became permanent residents of the township .*
*On the 9th day of March, 1827, two young men left their homes in this township, and crossed over into Norwich, Huron county, upon a hunting excursion. Discovering a flock of wild turkeys, they secreted themselves, and commenced calling them, according to the usual method adopted by hunters. While thus engaged, a neighbor, who was in the vicinity, unknown to either of them, was deceived by the noise, and cautiously approach- ing the spot, and discovering what was supposed to be a turkey, he immediately fired! The next moment he discovered he had shot his neighbor. There he sat, the blood run- ning down his side, when it was found upon examination, that the ball had struck him
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Reed was constituted a legal township on the 5th day of De- cember, 1826 ; and was thus named in compliment to Seth Reed, one of its earliest settlers. The first township election was held at the house of this gentleman, on the first day of the year following.
The face of the land in this township is generally undula- ting, and its soil very fertile. There are no mill-streams with- in its limits ; although there are three saw-mills in active oper- ation by the aid of steam. In 1830, the population of Reed was 264. According to the census of 1840, it had increased to 1214. There are several sink-holes within its limits, as in Thompson township.
Among the enterprising farmers of this township, are Mat- thew Clark, Thomas Bennit, A. C. Baker, Benjamin Sanford, John B. Schuyler, Jacob Cole, William P. White, Henry Ryno, Levi Reed, James Harrison, W. H. Cronkite, John Clark, John Hover and others. Reed is steadily and rapidly increas- ing both in population and wealth.
On the 4th day of January, 1838, John Terry and Catha- rine Beard caused to be laid out on sections five and six, in this township, a town, to which was given the name of " Lodi." It was surveyed and platted by James Durbin, county surveyor. Lodi is a post-town-the first post-master was Lyman White, the present incumbent.
The population of this town is 80. It contains fourteen dwellings, one Baptist church, one forwarding house, two ho- tels, two stores, one tannery, one steam saw-mill, one grocery,
just behind the ear, apparently passing through the same. He was conveyed to his home, and medical assistance procured as soon as possible. It was then found upon a closer examination, that the wound was not fatal, and after three months suffering he recovered.
This, it 'must he acknowledged was a very narrow escape from an untimely grave; and it is to be presumed, that the incidents of that day still remain vivid in the memories of those men; and will thus continue, coeval with their existence.
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one cabinet-shop, two wagon-shops, two tailors'-shops, two blacksmiths'-shops, and two shoe-shops. There is one practic- ing physician, Robert P. Frazer, a resident of the place. Lodi is situated upon the Mad River and Lake Erie Rail-road, five miles from Republic, and fourteen from Tiffin.
On the 1st day of June, 1829, Ezra Gilbert presented a pe- tition to the commissioners of this county from the citizens of the original surveyed township No. 1, in the 17th range, praying for its organization into a legal township, to be known by the name of VENICE. It was organized accordingly ; but included the fractional township in range 18. The first town- ship election was held June 13th, 1829 .*
Among the earliest settlers of this township, were Cornelius Gilmore, Ezra Gilbert, Henry Speaker, Samuel Halsted, Gov- erneur Edwards, John Wallet, David Kemp, Jacob Cook, Andrew More, William McPherson, Johnson Ford, Philip Muck and James Mckibben.
The population of Venice in 1840, was 1222. Since that time, its increase has been gradual and rapid. The early pro- gress of this township was somewhat retarded, on account of its wet appearance at an early day. But since the land has been cleared, it is found to be- of excellent soil, and well adapt- ted to the growth of wheat and most other grains.
Among others of its enterprising farmers, are George Ringel, Thomas Bennett, David Ringel, Capt. J. Miller, An- drew More, James Mckibben, Samuel Shade, James D. Ste- phens, John Mckibben, Henry Myers, (tailor,) Z. Bretz and James McKibben, Sen.
On the 28th of February, 1828," Col. James Kilbourn, of
* The ticket elected was as follows: Philip E. Bronson, township clerk; Thomas West, Ezra Gilbert, Moses Smith, trustees; James Halsted, treasurer; Henry Speaker, Elisha Fair, overseers of the poor; Cornelius Gilmore, Ezra Gilbert, fence-viewers; Warren Blakesly, constable.
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Worthington, surveyed a town on sections ten and eleven, in this township to which he gave the name of " Caroline,"* in -
*The following song was composed on May-day, following the survey of this town, by the colonel, who has often sung it with great glee at his numerous "jollifications."
CAROLINE.
A SONG.
As poets. have sung of their masculine towns, Where rivers are flowing and pleasure abounds, The muse I invoke, on the entrance of May, To sing of sweet " CAROLINE," blooming and gay.
Where the forest is cleft, by the hands that were strong. And the Sandusky turnpike, extending along- Erect in the midst of the richest of lands, On the borders of Honey creek, smiling she stands.
Here, roads are concentred and travelers come, And here may the stranger repose at his home; Improvements extend, and the laboring hand, Of various artisans, rise in demand. .
Here, mandrakes and violets spreading around, And the high tulip-poplars are shading the ground, There, meadows and fields, 'mid the forests are seen, Presenting their verdure in bright living green.
Approaching the scene, and when viewing it near, The gods of the waters enamored appear; And linger a while in their course as they flow, Before they descend to the rock-lands below.
When settlements spread, came the good Doctor Pearse, But no one was sickly, and none on the hearse: He quit of necessity-and just the same fate, By just the same causes, took off Doctor Bate.
Here Dutchmen, and Scotchmen, and Yorkers unite- And with Yankees and Irishmen, pull away right- With long pull, and strong pull, compacted they stand- And by pulling together, success they command.
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compliment to a daughter of Cornelius Gilmore, first inhabit- ant of the town.
Its proprietors were Hector Kilbourn, Byron Kilbourn, and Cornelius Gilmore.
Caroline is situated on the south bank of Honey creek, upon the Sandusky City and Columbus turnpike. The first settler upon the town plat was Cornelius Gilmore, a native of Penn- sylvania, who settled here in the winter of 1830.
On the Ist of April of the same year, Andrew More settled in this town, where he resided until his death, which occurred August 6th, 1846. On the 17th of June, 1830, James McKib- ben moved to this town, and has ever since been a resident of the place. At that time there were only fifteen families in Venice township. Caroline contains sixteen dwellings, one tavern, one store, one large tannery, one district school-house, three shoe-shops, one blacksmith-shop and one carriage-shop. In 1840 its population was 27. It is now nearly a hundred, and is gradually increasing.
On the first day of May, 1833, William and Samuel Miller,
McPherson of Caroline pleases as well As any McPherson, that Scotland can tell; Hanna, Stephenson, Willoughby, Bennett, aspire, Mckibben, the merchant, and Gilbert, the squire.
For jollification, when met as a band, If a speaker we need, we've a SPEAKER" at hand, And many more worthies-and leading the corps, We name with great pleasure, our friend, landlord More?
Now last, but not least, sing we Heaven's last gift- Whose cares and whose smiles give to man the best lift- Their beauties of person, and character shine, To honor their sex, and our sweet Caroline.
*Old Mr. Henry Speaker, often made speaker of the meeting.
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from the state of Pennsylvania, caused to be surveyed on sec- tion ten, in Venice township, a town, to which they gave the name of " Attica." It was surveyed and platted by David Ris- don, county surveyor. It received its name from the post-of- fice, which was established here prior to its survey. The name " Attica " was given to the post-office by Ezra Gilbert, one of the first settlers on the plat, from a town of the same name in the state of New York, where he had formerly resided. Among the other first settlers of Attica, were Samuel Halsted, of New York, and the Messrs. Millers, who are still residents of the place. The first public house was opened by Ezra Gilbert-the first store, by Nathan Merriman, since deceased. In 1836, Attica contained twenty dwellings, and a population of 100. In 1840, the increase in population was 18 over the number in 1836. It contains at this time, forty dwellings,. and a population of 200. There are in this town, one Pres- byterian church, three stores, two hotels, one steam saw and grist-mill, one grocery, a district school-house, one foundry, two cabinet-shops, two tailor's-shops, three shoe-shops, three blacksmith and three carriage-shops. There are three practic -. ing physicians, residents of this town-Benjamin F. Freeman, Calvin Jones, and Benjamin Vannatta, John L. La Marcux, attorney-at-law, is also a resident of the place. The first post- master in Attica was Ezra Gilbert. The office is now held by H. B. Cain.
Attica is situated upon the Sandusky City and Columbus turnpike, 77 miles from the latter, and 28 miles south from the former place. The main traveled road, from Fort Findlay through Tiffin, passes through this place to New Haven, Hu- ron county, Wooster, &c. Attica is 22 miles south-west from Norwalk, the county seat of Huron county ; 18 miles from Monroeville ; 12 miles west from New Haven ; 18 north from Bucyrus, Crawford county ; 14 east from Melmore ; and 16
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miles from Tin. ffi Attica is a healthy and vigorous town, sur- rounded by beautiful farms, and is gradually increasing both in population and wealth.
NOTE. The following communication, published in the Sandusky Clarion, August 17th, 1844, though somewhat of a digression from the history of the county, will be read with interest, as the subterranean passages in the eastern portion of this county have given rise to much speculation.
Messrs. Editors-I have seen, going the rounds of the pa- pers, as a " singular phenomenon," the flowing of the water from a well about 11 miles from this place. Singular, I think it is not, and new I know it not to be. Neither, as represent- ed, did it commence " all at once to flow," for it was known to be rising many days before it commenced overflowing, and had been daily watched. Some days it rose a little, and some days it fell a little, until the last violent rain, when it com- menced running over.
But perhaps you will better understand the subject, if I give you the result of my observations, and what I have learned concerning the subterraneous waters of that region, for the last quarter of a century.
Cold Creek, probably the principal out-let of the water, rises in Margaretta township, about three and a half miles from San- dusky Bay, (and at an elevation of 50 feet above Lake Erie,) into which it flows, in a northerly direction, and in that dis- tance supplies the water for four large flouring mills.
The spring that the creek flows from, was originally about an acre in extent ; but by damming it close to the head, the course of the water was changed under ground, so as to divert a part of it, which again burst out at about two hundred rods distant, from a great depth in the earth, forming a hole about ten feet across, which was afterwards partially surrounded by a circu-
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lar dam, with the intention of forcing the water back to the old creek; but as the water would not run up hill, the dam was extended, and a canal dug, uniting the springs in one level. The new spring is now about one hundred feet across, bowl- shaped, and from 40 to 60 feet deep, with the water so clear that a person looking from a boat on its surface, can see small objects floating at the bottom, and seem themselves to be float- ing in the air.
These springs rise less than two miles from the western boundary of the "Fire Lands," which is also our county line west, within which distance another rises, called the " Rock- well spring," which flows west into Sandusky county, and supplies water to a saw-mill.
The water that supplies these springs is supposed to come from the extensive swamps and marshes that lie from 25 to 30 miles in a southern direction, and about five miles north of the dividing ridge that separates the waters flowing into the Ohio river and those flowing into Lake Erie at this point, and at rather a gradual elevation of about 400 feet above the level of the lake.
From Cold Creek to these swamps, there is strong evidence of large quantities of water running under the surface of the earth. The first is about 50 rods from the head of the creek, where the breaking out of a few stone at the bottom of a small ledge, exposed a large and deep stream of water, constantly run- ning, the bottom of which cannot be reached at 20 feet, in a slanting direction, and the surface can be seen ten feet wide. At another place, some two miles south, water can always be obtained by sinking a bottle from 40 to 60 feet in the crevices of the rock. Then again, about five miles south from Cold Creek, is a dishing prairie, of from one to two hundred acres in extent, which, after a series of rainy seasons, fills, by the water rising from its bottom, through the alluvial soil that forms
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the surface of the prairie. Then about one mile further south, is a similar prairie, from the south side of which, at about ten feet elevation from its bottom is the "flowing well." The first account of the flowing of this prairie, reaches back about 27 years. A man who had settled on the north bank for the purpose of cultivating the lands below, which he found ready for the plow, was in the night alarmed by a loud report, and the shaking of the earth, and upon going to the door of his cabin, he heard a sound as of running water. Upon going towards the spot from whence the sound proceeded, he found the water rushing from the surface of the earth with tremen- dous force, on the south bank of the prairie, in a volume larger than a hogshead, which continued to flow until the prairie was filled, and the water ran off' from the north-east side of the basin. After this the prairie filled, several different seasons, through the alluvial soil on its sides and bottom, but not always so as to run over, until about 12 years ago, when the " flowing well " burst out about 60 rods east of the first one. After it had ceased flowing, a man living near, thought to follow the water as it settled down, so as to have a well, it being difficult to find water in this neighborhood. After digging about 18 feet in a perpendicular direction, the course diverged to the westward, in a descending direction, about as much further; then after removing the rubbish about 20 feet further, in a per- pendicular direction, it was abandoned, at a distance of about 50 feet from the surface of the earth. Since that time, water could always be found at the bottom, in the spring of the year. Eight years ago it overflowed again, since which time there has occasionally been high water in it during a wet season, and it once rose to within a few feet of the top ; but never ran over until the present season, when it filled the prairie to the extent of about 75 acres, floating off the fences and destroying the crops. It lasted about ten days, when it ceased flowing, and ran
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back, so that the prairie was dry within a week, notwithstand- ing the bottom of the basin is eight feet below where the water was drained to the well-the water settling away through the soil at the bottom.
While the water was at its highest point at this time, the family upon the farm where the " flowing well " is situated, heard a loud report in the night, which seemed to come from the earth, during a thunder-storm. In the morning, it was found to have come from the "blowing out" of another hole, about three-quarters of a mile, in a north-westerly di- rection, from which the water was flowing in a stream as large as a hogshead. Around all the "blow holes," as they are called, the broken lime-stone is scattered for many feet, thrown out by the force of the water when it first burst out.
From this spot, for ten miles or more, towards the dividing ridge, the face of the country is indented in numerous places, with flowing prairies and " sink-holes," from a few rods to many acres in extent. Many of the "sink-holes " are mere bowl-shaped depressions of the surface, occasioned, probably during periods of high water, by the wasting away of the earth below, into the cavernous region, through some crevice in the compact lime-stone immediately beneath. I am led to this con- clusion, from the fact, that in some places, wells have been dug into the compact lime-stone, that have furnished water until some dry season, when it has become low, and in blasting for more, they have broke through into the loose lime-stone, and lost what they had.
Others of the sink-holes have openings at the bottom, through which the water rises, in a wet season, whilst through the bottoms of others the surplus water from the surface of the country runs off. Advantage has been taken of some of these depressions to form the pond of a saw-mill near Belle- vue, that runs from two to four months in the spring of the
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
year, carried by water that is accumulated from the draining of a large tract of country above, which, after supplying the mill, runs off through a " sink-hole."
I think, if it were not for the "sink-holes" to carry off the water, in many places the country would be full of ponds and swamps, rendering it unhealthy. The citizens of Bellevue have been compelled, this season, for the second time, to drain a pond caused by the overflowing of a " sink-hole."
About two miles, still south of Bellevue, there is an opening into the cavernous lime-stone, that can be traversed above two hundred feet, at the extremity of which runs a large stream of water, at more than 130 feet from the surface of the earth, and this season the cavern was filled to within from twenty to thir- ty feet of the surface.
A few miles still further south, is a sunken prairie, in the bottom of which stands a black-walnut tree, that holds a rail- cut eighteen inches through, among its branches, more than 20 feet from the ground, floated there when the water was at that height.
In connection with the above, I will mention a circumstance that took place a few years ago, in the region of the "sink: holes :"
A man, well known to myself, had a team of three yoke of cattle, plowing in the spring. When it commenced raining, he stopped his work, and turned his cattle loose in the field. The rain proved to be a long storm, lasting several days .- When it held up, and the cattle were sought for, one of them was missing, supposed by the owner to have jumped the fence and strayed off, until, more than three weeks afterwards the ox was found in the lot, where he had settled down through the soil into a crevice of the rock below, with nothing but his head and shoulders out. He was taken out, and lived, with no oth- er injury than the loss of hair from the buried part. Another 13
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ox was lost three weeks, and found at the bottom of a " sink- hole" in the woods ; the sides of which he had browsed clean.
I will further state, that when some parts of the country I have been describing, were first settled, they were very much infested with rattlesnakes, (although they are now rarely found, ) which were sometimes found early in the spring, in large num- bers, upon the surface of the earth, nearly in their torpid state, driven from the rocks below, by the rising of the water, before the sun was sufficiently powerful to warm them into active life.
I have written so much more than I intended when I com- menced, that I will finish by adding that, notwithstanding the immense quantity of water in the country above, Cold Creek is never affected by the rising or falling of the water, six inch- es.
Yours, respectfully, W.
CHAPTER X.
Sale of School-sections-Free-schools-Present condition-Obstacles re- tarding their progress.
By an act of the General Assembly of Ohio, the school-sec- tions in the townships of Eden, Clinton, Seneca and Scipio, were appraised, several years since, at their actual value, and permanently leased for ninety-nine years, the interest of which was to be paid annually.
Since that time, they have been sold, together with the school- sections in each of the other townships of the county, except those of Big Spring, Loudon, Liberty, and a portion of the section in Hopewell township. The school-section in Adams, at that time was owned by the Seneca tribe of Indians ; but since their removal to the west, it has been appraised and sold. *
As there is a general interest manifested at the present day, with regard to the subject of popular education ; and as the present condition of the common schools of this county, is not very dissimilar to that of most of the other counties of the state, we have appended a sketch of the origin and progress of the free-school system in Ohio.
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