USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, Ohio; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Vo. I > Part 15
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50
The rider of the second black horse was reticent almost to in- civility. He asked a few questions and "yes" and "no" seemed to be the limit of his conversation. He belonged to the govern- ment surveying corps, he said, and he carried a case of instruments which seemed to confirm his statement. Without seeming to seek for the information he gleaned all the facts from those about hin concerning the disappearance of Wentworth, and a close observer might have noted that whenever that topie was the subject of con- versation about the inn the delicate young surveyor was an inter- ested listener. On the night following his arrival at the inn the sur- veyor became engaged with apparent reluctance in a game of cards with the two gamblers and lost a small sum. He went to Boyd and asked for a certain room in the hotel, which he said he had taken a fancy to. It was occupied, but as the surveyor offered to pay twice the amount paid by the tenants the room was given him. It did not occur to the proprietor at the time that the room asked for by the surveyor was next to the one occupied by the two gamblers.
The rider of the second horse took frequent rides in the sparse- ly settled distriets but spent most of his time at the hotel. Night after night he played cards with the two gamblers and lost steadily, but in small sums. On the morning of the twelfth day, after the arrival of the young surveyor at the inn, the two gamblers did not appear at the breakfast table. As they had been playing late
ـاد
122
IIISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY
the night previous their absence was not thought strange. After breakfast the surveyor announced his attention of immediate de- parture. Taking Boyd aside he produced a letter in the hand- writing of Wentworth's sweetheart, authorizing him to bring back to Alexandria the black horse, ridden into Ohio by the Virginian who had been murdered. Boyd had already seen enough to con vince him that the two black horses were old friends, and if he had any doubts as to the genuineness of the letter they were quickly dispelled when the surveyor slipped a bank note of large propor- tion into his hand. As the surveyor was about to mount he shook Boyd's hand warmly and gave him a sealed envelope, first exacting from the proprietor a promise that he would not read its contents for forty-eight hours. This done the surveyor mounted one black horse, and leading the other, rode rapidly away.
Two hours passed following his departure without the appear- ance of the two gamblers. Boyd then went to the door of their room and knocked loudly. There was no reponse and the knock was repeated. Boyd then burst open the door. The gamblers were lying in natural positions on the bed, apparently asleep. Everything was in order about the room. The proprietor placed his hand on one of the men and shook him. The gambler's flesh was chilled and his body unyielding. Investigation proved that both men were cold and rigid in death. There was no wound or marks of violence on either, nor was there any evidence of a struggle. All was in an uproar about the inn and in a short time the room was filled by the morbidly curious. The bodies of the gamblers were removed some distance from the tavern and buried without ceremony. Over one thousand dollars of their savings were found lying on the table in the room and it was not known certainly that any had been taken.
Boyd's curiosity was burning to open the letter, but his word was as good as his bond. At the end of the forty-eight hours he broke the seal with trembling fingers. The writing was in a feminine hand. Its contents set forth that the young surveyor was the sweetheart of Wentworth, disguised in male attire. She stated that her mission had been to avenge the murder of her lover and recover, if possible, the amount of which he had been robbed. She said she had done both, but not before she had established beyond a doubt the guilt of the murderer. In conclu- sion she gave as an excuse that she had simply taken into her own hands to do without delay what the law would have done less hastily. Boyd did not make the contents of the letter known until the death of the gamblers had been forgotten in later thrilling in- cidents of pioneer days, when he knew Wentworth's fair avenger was safe from pursuit and prosecution.
From that time until it was closed to the public eye in the '30s
123
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY
Boyd's old hostelry was known as the Black Horse tavern. What became of Wentworth's body has always remained a mystery, but it is supposed to have been weighted down with stones and dropped into the Tuscarawas river. How the two gamblers were killed is also unaccounted for. A door leading from the girl's room into theirs was found to be unlocked on the morning they were dis- covered dead and in one of the panels a small hole had been bored, through which they could be watched and their conversation listened to. It was the general belief that the girl had gone into their room while they slept and had administered to both by inhala- tion some powerful poisonous drug in fatal quantities.
The triple killing marked the beginning of the decline of the famous old hostelry. Thereafter travelers held it in fearsome awe and its patronage gradually went elsewhere. Boyd became dis- spirited and moved to Allen county, where he would be away from the uncanny memories of the Black Horse tavern.
-
٢
CHAPTER VII.
PIONEER DETAILS
FIRST BRIDGES AND ROADS-FIRST MILLS-FIRST OHIO BREWERY-PIONEER OHIO CARRIAGE BUILDER-FIRST TAVERN- FIRST WHITE AMERICAN SETTLERS-MERE MENTIONS -- MRS. TABITHA STANLEY'S RECOLLECTIONS-HARRIS REMINISCENCES-THE BLACK SWAMP-HUNTING IN THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY --- WOLVES IN SENECA COUNTY-SUGAR MAKING-A RAIN OF FIRE- CHOLERA IN SENECA COUNTY-OLIVER COWDERY AND THE MOR- MONS-TRI-COUNTY PIONEER ASSOCIATION.
Among the first events which mark the beginning of the pro- gress of the county and county seat are the following :
The first block-houses erected in the county were at Fort Ball.
The first bridge constructed was over the Sandusky river at the foot of Washington street, in 1833. In 1834 a second bridge was built lower down the river, and also one accross Rocky creek, which were all carried away by the high waters of that year. The Hedges toll bridge was erected in 1834. In 1837, a free bridge was again erected.
The first road was cut from Upper to Lower Sandusky in 1812. Erastus Bowe was the first American Settler, in 1817.
Ezra and Case Brown erected the first grist-mill, above Mel- more, in 1821.
Oakley or Vance's Town was the first surveyed village.
The first post office was established at Oakley in 1820, with David Risdon postmaster.
The first high water in the Sandusky, within the historic period, was in 1821.
The first township election, that of Thompson township, was held May 20, 1820.
The first county elections were held in April, 1824, but not till October of that year were the annual elections held.
James Montgomery was the first Indian agent, and took a part also in converting the Indians, 1819.
The first United States survey of the county was made in 1820. Capt. Rice and J. Chapin made the first coffin, in 1820.
124
125
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY
The first patent for lands was issued to John Anway for the west half of the southwest quarter of section 23, township 2, range 15.
The first frame house was erected for Josiah Hedges, in 1822.
Dr. Eli Dresbach was the first resident physician. in 1823.
The first orchard was set out by John Keller, in 1824, in Clin- ton township.
Rudolphus Dickenson was the first lawyer, in 1824.
The first citizen naturalized in the county was William Doyle, in 1824.
The first court of justice was opened April 12, 1824.
The first person lost in the county was a son of Elijah Brayton, in 1825.
The first jail was completed in March, 1826.
The second United States survey of the county was made in 1832.
The first newspaper, The Sencca Patriot, was published in 1832. Political parties were first regularly organized in the county in 1832.
The first case of cholera in the county resulted in the death of John Hubble, in August, 1834. Six-three persons died of this dreadful disease at that time.
The first call for the Seneca county militia, to take part in the Toledo war, was made April 22, 1835.
The town of Tiffin was incorporated March 7, 1835.
The first village election held in the county was that of Tiffin, in June, 1836.
Dr. Henry Kuhn was elected the first mayor of Tiffin, in June, 1836.
The first agricultural society was organized in 1839.
The Seneca County Bank opened November 13, 1847.
The first telegraph line was built in 1849.
The first plank and toll roads were begun in 1849.
The first Fourth of July celebration in Tiffin was in 1832.
The first locomotive reached Tiffin in 1841.
In 1825, Jesse Spencer erected a saw mill in the old town of Oakley, and built a dam.
The first case in common pleas court was that of Jesse Spencer vs. Josiah Hedges.
In October, 1835, Thomas J. MeCleary and Jonathan White- head brought a stock of dry goods from New York and carried on business in a house adjoining Joel Stone's tavern.
Joseph Walker completed the first ware house at Fort Ball in February, 1848.
In 1847, the hotels were the Clinton House at Fort Ball; the American, the Ohio, the National and the Washington House at Tiffin.
T
U
126
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY
Paul D. Butler erected a saw mill on the Sandusky, between Tiffin and New Fort Ball, in 1819, which was the first manufactur- ing industry in the county. Previous to 1821 this very primitive mill was discontinued and part of the timbers carried away by the great flood of that year. In January, 1847, a still greater flood carried away many relies of the pioneer settlement.
The Rock creek saw mill was erected in 1822, about a quarter of a mile east of the original town of Tiffin, twenty-seven rods south- east of the intersection of East Market and Circular streets.
The Hedges grist mill, on the Sandusky river, was constructed in 1822, about one mile north of the original town. This was con- ducted for a number of years by William Hunter. From 1847 to 1852 it was operated by George W. Cunningham, in connection with the Lugenbell mill. south of Tiffin.
In 1848 Christ Mueller and Val. Schmidt established a lager beer brewery at Tiffin, and in 1854 built a new brewery on River street. In 1860 Mueller purchased Schmidt's interest, and con- verted the old brewery into a malt house. Schmidt died in 1865, having, jointly with Mueller, the credit of establishing the first lager beer brewery in Ohio. This is known as the Clinton brewery.
H. Hubach's City Brewery is also an important industry.
Guy Stevens and Daniel Dildine established the pioneer foundry at the north end of Monroe street.
Jesse Wolfe's Foundry, which some allege to have taken the place of Allen's Brewery, came next, then the Loomis & Nyman Foundry in 1847, and following this all the iron works mentioned in the history of the city's modern manufacturers.
Rolla Johnson's ashery was on the south side of Perry street, near Rock creek.
In January, 1863, W. R. Chamberlin established the Tiffin barrel factory.
Spink, of Wooster, opened a store in Ti.fin in 1822.
Milton McNeal opened a general store at Fort Ball.
In December, 1825, John and Benjamin Pittinger opened a store.
In 1827 Henry Cronise opened a stock of dry goods.
About this time, Julius Feldnagel opened a tavern.
Among the advertisements in the Patriot, in 1832 were the following business notices : Moses D. Cadwallader carried on tailoring in the building erected by Richard Sneath, known as the Mechanics' Hall. C. Bradley advertised his meat market at the new market, front of the ice house. Joseph Biggs, was a hat manufacturer ; John Searles and James C. Murrey, appraisers, and Thomas MeMillen, justice of the peace. advertised a stray horse. Drs. E. Dresbach and R. C. J. Carey established a branch of their Fort Ball office in Mechanics' HIall, August 3, 1832. Dr.
.
127
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY
James Fisher opened a drug store; Mercer & Ebbert advertised their hat store. Keller, Grose and Cronise advertised their patent gumming and cutting machine; Calvin Bradley leased the Wash- ington Hotel from Richard Sneath, August 9, 1832. George W. Gist, administrator of Dablah Litt. advertised personal property for sale. Sheriff David Bishop advertised for sale the one-third part of section 20. town 3 north, range 15, in Delaware Land Dis- triet, formeriy owned by Alex Nuit, and surveyed by David Risdon.
John Hoffman established the pioneer pottery of the county in 1834.
William D. Searles started the first tin utensil factory.
The first gun shop and lock-making and repairing business was established by Valentine Seewald about 1834, in Springdale.
Peter Van Nest, said to be the pioneer carriage builder of Ohio, established a carriage factory near Allen's brewery, oppo- site the first Methodist Episcopal church, which was destroyed by fire January 26, 1854, when the first free bridge was destroyed.
The Rock Creek saw mill was erected in 1826 by Josiah Hedges, at the intersection of Circular road and East Market street, on the site of the old mill. This was rented shortly after to Joseph Janey, and was subsequently operated by Uriah P. Coonrad and Chris. Y. Pierson, from August 3, 1832, until its destruction by fire in 1833. The mill dam was subsequently used for supplying the water power of the city mills. About 1836 Mr. Hedges con- structed another mill.
The Reuben Williams Mill. on what is known as the "Coe lands," was erected in 1824.
The Hoagland lime kiln was established and a quarry opened by him about 1828.
The Lugenbeel Flouring mill, built by Andrew Lugenbeel in 1835, was operated by George W. Cunningham from 1847 to 1852.
The Shoemaker Mill, built in 1845 by R. M. Shoemaker. was operated from 1855 to 1858 by George W. Cunningham. Its location was one mile north of Washington Street bridge.
The John Keller Mill. built in 1848, was taken charge of in 1858 by George W. Cunningham. This mill burned down Jan- uary 4, 1860. Its location was two miles and a half down the river from Washington street mill.
William Campbell and J. S. Robinson conducted a cabinet and chair factory separately after the dissolution of their partner- ship, June 23, 1832.
The first tannery was established about 1827. on the north- east corner of Market and Monroe streets, by Andrew Frintchey, who died of cholera in 1834.
The Pittinger tannery was established in 1832, by Benjamin and John Pittinger.
.
128
HISTORY OF SENECA . COUNTY
Fleming & Schock established their tannery on the site of Pittinger's in 1839.
The Allen brewery, the pioneer of its kind, was built on the opposite side of the street from the old Methodist church, on the river bank.
Myers founded a small brewery where Ulrich's drug store now stands.
Sting's Brewery was established on Sandusky street.
The Kolb Bros'. Brewery was built at the corner of Market and Sandusky streets.
The first public building put up in the county was a jail, in
1826. It stood at the southeast corner of the public square and was built of hewed logs.
The Tiffin telephone company was organized, April 27, 1881.
The railroads entering Tiffin are the Baltimore & Ohio; the C. C. C. & St. L., and the Pennsylvania lines.
The town of New Fort Ball was incorporated under the act of March 19, 1849.
The first coal yard established in Tiffin was in 1865, near the Baltimore & Ohio railroad depot.
The Tiffin Gas Light Company was organized in 1856, and the Tiffin Natural Gas Company was organized in July, 1885.
A volunteer fire company was organized in Tiffin in 1849.
The beginning of the police force in Tiffin dates back to 1851, when the first marshal was elected.
The Prescott library of Tiffin was organized in 1886; the Young Men's Christian and Library Association was organized in 1868; the Library Association of Tiffin was organized in 1866.
Agreen Ingraham was the first sheriff of the county.
The first school house erected in Tiffin was in 1832. It stood at the northwest corner of Market and Monroe streets, and was a brick structure.
In October, 1850 the first board of education was elected.
In the early times the locality of Erastus Bowe's tavern on the Fort Ball side of the river, was called "Pan Yan."
Jacob Plane was the first postmaster at Tiffin, after the re- moval of the office there.
Preparatory to leaving for the west. the Senecas assembled at Fort Ball in the summer of 1830, and camped there for twenty days while settling up their debts and disposing of their chattels.
The first railroad was the Mad River & Lake Erie, which was surveyed in 1832, and completed as far as Tiffin in 1841.
The first court house was completed in 1836.
The first bank in the county was on West Perry street. It was opened in 1847.
The first brick yards were established in 1830.
129
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY
St. Mary's church building was commenced in 1831. A brick hotel was built a little later.
There were only three brick buildings in Tiffin at the close of 1833 and about thirty frame buildings, some of them very small, and a large number of log houses.
A hurricane swept over Tiffin on June 18, 1847, doing much damage.
In 1844 a military company was formed in Tiffin, known as the "Osceolas." They had green uniforms.
The first tavern in the county was opened in 1817, by the first settler, Erastus Bowe, immediately below Fort Ball, at the north end of the Washington street bridge. In 1819 his was the nearest house to the Welch Brothers settlement at the Mohawk village, in Eden, and to the white settlement at old Fort Seneca, made in the fall of that year.
The seat of justice of Seneca county was located at Tiffin, March 25, 1822.
The cabins of the early settlers were near the forts of Seneca and Ball, with a few scattered along Rocky creek, Honey creek, Silver creek and in Thompson.
On the 18th of November, 1817, Mr. Erastus Bowe, the first settler in Seneca county. arrived at Camp Ball, where some hired men had erected for him a double log house within the limits of the camp. Many of the stakes were then still standing. This was the first settlement in the county. Here Mr. Bowe kept tavern, which was the first in Seneca. The house of Mr. Bowe was the only one on the left bank of the river within the present limits of Tiffin, when the town of Oakley was surveyed and platted.
In 1819 Mr. Joseph Vance surveyed a town upon land granted to one Robert Armstrong, known as the Armstrong section, and called it Oakley. This was the first town surveyed and platted in the county. Bowe's tavern was in that survey.
Mr. David Risdon, who took a very active part in opening up the county to civilization, and who became very popularly known as a surveyor and citizen, was appointed the first postmaster in the county, the office being located here at Oakley. There was then but one mail route in or through the county, and that extended from Columbus to Lower Sandusky, along the army road.
In 1824 the town of Fort Ball was surveyed by David Risdon. This included the whole of Oakley.
At the treaty of the Miami of Lake Erie, the United States granted this tract to Robert Armstrong. It was a section of six hundred and forty acres, and known as the "Armstrong reser- vation."
Armstrong was taken captive by the Wyandots when a child three years old, in Pennsylvania. HIe married a half-blood, and Vol. I-9
130
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY
was much respected. He spoke excellent English, and one could scarcely discover that he was raised amongst the savages. This land was granted to him by the United States for his services as interpreter. He died in 1825, in the Wyandot reserve, about two miles from Upper Sandusky. At the same treaty the United States also granted to the children of William McCulloch a section of six hundred and forty aeres, lying just north of and adjoining the Armstrong reserve. McCulloch was killed by a cannon ball at the siege of. Fort Meigs, while sitting in General Harrison's tent, and was at that time employed by the United States as interpreter.
Ely Dresbach, from Circleville, a graduate of the Ohio Medical College, also settled in Fort Ball, on the 17th of February, 1823.
Rodolphus Dickinson, from New York, the first lawyer in Seneca county, also settled in Fort Ball in 1824.
Abel Rawson, from Massachusetts, arrived on the 15th of February, 1826, and settled in Fort Ball.
A Mr. Jesse Spencer, the proprietor of Fort Ball, and Mr. Josiah Hedges, the proprietor of Tiffin, two towns adjoining on the river, were each striving to secure the location of the county seat in their respective towns.
New Fort Ball was surveyed and platted in 1837. It is situated upon the eastern portion of the Armstrong section, and contained six hundred and twenty in-lots, together with several additions that had then already been made to Tiffin, "Pan Yan" among them, which was situated between the iron bridge and the tunnel.
In 1821 Josiah Hedges entered the land where the old town of Tiffin was afterwards located, at the Delaware land office. The town was surveyed and platted by the brother of the proprietor, General James Hedges, of Mansfield. The first stick was cut upon the town plat in March. 1822, and soon thereafter Henry Welch, of Eden township, John Mim and two other men, Wetz and Drennon, had each a lot given to them, with the condition that each should build a cabin on his lot and move into it with his family, which was done accordingly.
James Spink, of Wooster, came here in the same month, and brought with him a stock of goods. In the following winter his store was broken open and robbed of nearly all its contents. This so discouraged Mr. Spink that he left in disgust.
Simeon B. Howard, from the eastern part of Ohio, also located in Tiffin about that time.
Finally the day arrived when the great trouble about locating the county seat was to come to an end. The legislature, during the winter session of 1822, had appointed three commissioners to locate the county seat for Seneca county, viz: Messrs. Herford. Miner and Cyrus Spink. These gentlemen arrived here on the
131
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY
25th of March, 1822, and located the seat of justice for Seneca county at Tiffin, where it has ever since remained.
At the time the commissioners located the county seat at Tiffin, there were but six cabins in it. The greater number of the early settlers were on the Fort Ball side, and the lawyers, doctors, merchants and all, were in unison in their fight upon Mr. Hedges, but he outgeneraled them all.
Tiffin was named after Governor Edward Tiffin, the first governor of Ohio ..
The location of the county seat took place two years before Seneca county was really organized and clothed with judicial or municipal powers.
During the latter part of the year 1819, the richness of the soil attracted quite a number of people to Thompson, and the Whitney's, Underhills, Purdys, Clarks, Demicks. Twisses and others became squatters, awaiting the land sales.
Here came the Welches. the Clarks, the Sponables, the Browns, the Bakers, the Searleses, the Pratts, the Craws, the Knapps, the Cornells, the Houghs, the Bretses, the Downses, the Jaquas, the Gibsons, the Bundages, the Kagys, the Penningtons, the Fleets, the Watsons, the Kollers. the Eastmans, the Omsteds, etc.
With the exception of a few early. settlers in Fort Ball and near Fort Seneca, all the early settlements were made on the east side of the river, especially along Honey creek and Rocky creek, West of the river was nearly all forest and water, sometimes badly mixed, and there were no settlements at all.
No sooner were the first clearings made in each of the town- ships, than a continuous stream of immigrants poured in, spread- ing out from Fort Ball in every direction until almost every section contained a family.
On the first day of May, 1873, the first regular passenger train was run on the Tiffin, Toledo & Eastern railroad. It trav- ersed the county in a northwesterly direction. This road is now the Toledo division of the Pennsylvania lines of railroads.
The Baltimore, Pittsburg & Chicago railroad was completed to Tiffin in the early part of 1874. This is now the Baltimore & Ohio road, and it crosses the county nearly east and west.
Despite the advantages of the locality and accessibility, the east bank of the Sandusky was not thought of as the site for a city for almost four years after the first settlers came, and for two years after the first village was platted on the west bank of the river at. this point.
Although Tiffin has only fifteen thousand inhabitants, it has business industries that would support a population of twenty-five thousand. The factories employ about two thousand people.
The Senecas had their annual green-corn-dance, which was a
£
132
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY
sort of Thanksgiving frolic, and differed very much from the per- formances of the dog-dance, which seemed to be a proceeding and ceremony of a more sacred character. The dog-dance was the grand dance, and generally lasted nine days. It always took place about the time of our Christmas.
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.