History of Seneca County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, school, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of the Northwest territory; history of Ohio; statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc, Part 26

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1088

USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, school, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of the Northwest territory; history of Ohio; statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 26

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Deer Hunting .- It is said that deer were plentiful in the county up to the fall of 1832, when the noise made by Jackson Democrats caused them to flee to some less demonstrative district. Such hunters as Snow and Hadley had, however, something to say in the matter of the disappearance of this beautiful habitant of the wilderness.

Toledo War .- September 7, 1885, a half-century had elapsed since the closing up of the Toledo war-well styled the arch-squabble of the pioneer days of Ohio and Michigan. This trouble grew out of the claims of Michigan to a strip of land, known as the Six Mile Strip, now belonging to Ohio. It was early in the spring of 1835 that Gov. Mason, acting-governor of Michigan, ordered Gen. Brown to hold the Michigan militia in readiness, and later the militia was called into service.

A large force was marched down from Detroit, and were joined at Monroe by the force raised here, and the army then marched upon Toledo. Capt. Henry Smith, afterward a colonel in the army, and Alpheus Felch were on Gen. Brown's staff, and the late Warner Wing was colonel. One of the most conspicuous figures in that campaign, Capt. Lewis Darrah, who commanded a company, mostly of Frenchmen, with Gabriel and David Bissonette as lieu- tenants, is still residing in Michigan. Capt. Darrah had a gorgeous uniform, four rows of gilt buttons, chapeau with red feather and white top, and a sword dangling by his side, and was the observed of all. Many of the soldiers of

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Michigan and Ohio were armed with broom-sticks, but that did not matter. The former were bound to strike terror to the Buckeyes. Intense excitement reigned, and a bloody conflict was thought to be inevitable. The army marched on to Toledo, but Gen. Lucas kept the larger part of his forces on the other side of the Maumee, and the Michigan troops entered Toledo without opposition. The troops remained there three or four days, and were very handsomely treated. Such was the excitement during the summer that at one time an attack was expected from the Ohio troops, but they did not come. Gen. Lucas surreptitiously organized a court at Toledo, in the night time, but the judge fled in fear of the Michigan troops. The militia of Seneca County were all ready for a fight.

Matters finally became so warm that President Jackson recommended Gov. Mason to suspend hostilities, which he refused to do, and consequently was removed, and although the Wolverine and Buckeye armies were disbanded and matters were quieted down, the dispute was not finally settled until Mich- igan applied for admittance to the Union as a State, when it was made a condition that she should surrender her claim to the disputed territory and take the upper peninsula instead, which she agreed to.

The few remaining participants in that bloodless war remember it as the most exciting event in the early history of the State, and ridiculous as the affair afterward seemed, every man was ready to lay down his life to sustain the honor and maintain the rights of his respective State. Many of the sol- diers of Seneca who actually marched forward to guard Judge Higgins in his attempt to hold court of common pleas at Toledo, are still residents of the county.

Indians and Pioneers .- From 1819, until the Indians evacuated the county, both whites and Indians were on friendly terms, each party making an effort to help the other. Dr. B. D. Williams, in his reminiscenses, printed by Stewart in 1874, says: "During the early period of the settlement of the township (Read), the Indians were very numerous, and, as a general thing, lived amicably with the few whites who were there at an early day. Some- where about the year when the first settlements were made, an accident of a fatal character happened to an Indian maiden, a daughter of the renowned chief and warrior, Seneca John. The Indians made frequent visits to the present village of Reedtown each winter for the purpose of hunting and trap- ping. On one of these occasions, a party, encamped here, was preparing an evening meal. A large kettle, full of boiling water, was suspended from a pole over the fire, and the unfortunate girl was lying in front of it, when the pole burned through, letting the kettle fall, spilling its heated contents upon the body of the girl. Some of those present immediately enveloped her in a blanket, and conducted her to a house near by, where she was attended by Dr. Williams. On removing the blanket the flesh literally clung to it, leaving her almost a living skeleton. Death, however, soon ended her sufferings. After her death William Williams made a hand-sled, and a number of the Indian boys, followed by a mournful cortege, conveyed the remains to the Wyandot Cemetery, above Tiffin. Many of the old settlers in Reed, Thompson and Clinton Townships well remember this funeral as one of the saddest scenes of pioneer days.

Pioneer Weddings. - The wedding was an attractive feature of pioneer life. There was no distinction of life and very little of fortune. On these accounts, the first impressions of love generally resulted in marriage. The family estab- lishment cost but little labor-nothing more. The marriage was always cele- brated at the house of the bride, and she was generally left to choose the officiating clergyman. A wedding, however, engaged the attention of the

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whole neighborhood. It was anticipated by both old and young with eager expectation. In the morning of the wedding day the groom and his intimate friends assembled at the house of his father, and after due preparation, departed, en masse, for the "mansion " of his bride. The journey was some- times made on horseback, sometimes on foot and sometimes in farm wagons and carts. It was always a merry journey; and, to insure merriment, the bot- tle was taken along. On reaching the house of the bride, the marriage ceremony took place, and then dinner or supper was served. After the meal the dancing commenced, and generally lasted until the following morning. The figures of the dances were three and four-handed reels, or square sets and jigs. The commencement was always a square four, which was followed by what pioneers called "jigging; " that is, two of the four would single out for a jig, and were followed by the remaining couple. The jigs were often accompanied with what was called "cutting out," that is, when either of the parties became tired of the dance, on intimation, the place was supplied by some one of the com- pany, without interruption of the dance. In this way the reel was often con- tinued until the musician was exhausted. About 9 or 10 o'clock in the evening a deputation of young ladies stole off the bride and put her to bed. In doing this, they had to ascend a ladder from the kitchen to the upper floor, which was composed of loose boards. Here, in this pioneer bridal chamber, the young, simple-hearted girl was put to bed by her enthusiastic friends. This done, a deputation of young men escorted the groom to the same department, and placed him snugly by the side of his bride. The dance still continued, and if seats were scarce, which was generally the case, says a local writer, every young man when not engaged in the dance, was obliged to offer his lap as a seat for one of the girls; and the offer was sure to be accepted. During the night's festivities whisky was freely used, but seldom to great excess. The infair was held on the following evening, when the same order of exercises was observed.

Matrimonial Peculiarities .- On May 14, 1846, Henry M. Stone, of Fort Ball, and Mrs. Eliza Mercer, of Tiffin, were married by Rev. F. Putnam, who caused the following to be published under the notice of marriage:

"Health and prosperity to the first couple joined together by me, in Seneca County. F. P."

A peculiar marriage contract is on record, made April 16, 1858, in Hope- well Township, between Henry Creeger and Catherine Brendle, and executed in presence of Levi Keller, justice of the peace, April 19, that year. It pro- vided that before the proposed marriage Catherine waives all right to all dower or expectancy of dower in lands of Creeger, on condition that he, by his last will and testament, would provide for the payment to her of $500. This was actually accepted by the prospective bride.

In January, 1865, another marriage contract-a strange agreement was perfected between Catherine (Fridel) Kuemet, widow of Fridel, and her sec- ond husband, George Kuemet. After a few disagreements the wife left Mr. Kuemet to look after his own affairs. His repentance soon followed, when he agreed to lodge $400 with the superior of the convent of Maria at the Manger, Wolf Creek, to be paid out only on the following conditions: That the lady return to live with him, the money to go to her in case of his death, or in case of her dying first, then to the children of her first marriage. "But should both parties separate again (which God forbid), then the priest or bishop should investigate whether Kuemet kept his promises to treat his wife dutifully, edu- cate her two children until they receive second confirmation, and to disclaim all ownership to her property owned before marriage with him, and also whether Catherine has discharged her duty as wife, when the money shall be

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ordered in conformity with such investigation. Should both parties be the cause of such provocations and mischievous conduct, then neither of them shall have the money, and the same shall be appropriated for the reformation of both in the best possible manner." This agreement was made between Kue- met and Joseph Henry Dress, and witnessed by William Lang, May 16, 1866.

Pioneer Women .- There are few sons and daughters, to-day, let us hope, who have not a good idea of the pioneer mother, and entertain toward her a respect born of all that is noble in humanity. She came into the forests with her young husband to make a home for a family, and, by her woman's work and woman's judgment, made that home to which her children look back for their happiest days. She was the cook, tailor, dress-maker, and oftentimes cloth manufacturer, for the whole household, and, with all this, kept the cabin as neat and clean as if such work were her only care. All this was accom- plished without any of the modern appliances, without the noise and hurry of modern times, and generally without the grumbling that the modern lady be- stows upon almost every little easy task which domestic life now may call upon her to perform. She took a pleasure in this work, and her life was one long stream of usefulness and health, of benevolence and peace. She made herself an actual something which any community would miss, and accom- plished all this without drudgery. She read and learned and taught as a con- sequence of her active life, and in her declining years drew rich rewards from her works, going higher, to the better land, with a consciousness of duty done below. She was the Christian mother, whose example it is now found so hard to imitate.

Tobacco Smoking Fashionable .- When the Hall family settled in Bloom Township, over a half century ago, it appears that the women smoked tobacco. and one who did not smoke this weed was the exception. Mrs. Rice, in a recent contribution to pioneer history, says: "Our neighbors were a strange mixture in regard to nationality, and we could never get used to their ways or language, and if you would ask them a question in regard to a given quantity, they would say: 'O, yes, we have a right smart chance.' When we had lived there but a few days a girl called in to see me, and almost the first thing she said was, 'Mrs. Rice, do you smoke?' 'No, indeed,' said I. 'Well,' she said, 'you will have to, or nobody will think anything of you, for everybody smokes around here.' I told her I was sorry, but I neither could nor would smoke to make friends with anybody. But I found lots of friends, and did not smoke either, and when we were sick, and they knew it, they were very kind, and when we had the misfortune to have our house burnt down with all its contents, homes and hearts were opened to us, and, although we would not take pecu- niary aid of them, for we had plenty of relatives who were both able and wil- ling to assist us, they turned out with men and teams, and in a few days we had a nice home again. And the seven years we lived there, though years of sickness and toil, we look back upon as among the happiest of our lives."

Female Costume .- Among the moral folks a fashionable dress goods was turkey-red calico, with flashy yellow flowers, large as an oak leaf. The great scoop bonnet and smoke-stack leghorn formed the headgear. Shoes were made from cow-hide leather, with the seams on the outside. Many of such curiosities are in possession of Mrs. S. S. Stickney.

It will not be claimed that the pioneers were faultless; perfection would not be expected of them. They were impulsive, too firm in many erroneous ideas to be liberal, too narrow in experiences of the world to be able to applaud vir- tue in others or decry vice in themselves. With all this, they were men of the period-in fact, in advance of the period-strong in heart and arm, enthusi-

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astic and earnest in the work which they had undertaken, and never equaled in the greatest task of their lives, which raised up the wilderness to a garden, and gave to Ohio one of her greatest divisions. Looking back some years over a half century ago, all the faults of the pioneer must be credited to the time in which he lived, and all his virtues to himself, so that, with the poet, the writer of this prose will say, with all his heart:

All honor and praise to the old pioneers; You never may know all their story; What they found but a desert a garden became, And their toil and success is their glory.

CHAPTER IV.

ORGANIC HISTORY.

ORGANIZATION, COMMISSIONERS' BOARD AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

TN the second part of this work, the History of Ohio, the political divisions of the State are named, and their organization noted. The act of Feb- ruary 12, 1820, authorized the New Purchase or the territory acquired under the Indian treaties, to be laid off into fourteen counties, one of which-Seneca -was to embrace surveyed Townships 1, 2 and 3, north of latitude 41°; Ranges 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, east of the first Ohio meridian. This territory was attached to Sandusky County for judicial purposes until April, 1824, a period of four years. During this time a territory (now known as Thompson, Reed and Venice Townships, with a strip two and a half sections in width, along the east side of the territory, now known as Adams, Scipio and Bloom Townships), 143} square miles, was set off April 25, 1820, by the commis- sioners of Sandusky County, under the name of Thompson Township. The township of Seneca was set off May 8, 1820. This embraced the whole coun- ty outside of the original Thompson Township and the reservations. In June following, that portion of the present township of Clinton east of the San- dusky River, was established under its present name, and one year later the present township of Eden was ordered to be organized, and the election to be held at John Searle's house June 4, 1821.

Organization of Seneca County .- The act of the legislature passed January 22, 1824, provided for the organization of Seneca County, the election of offi- cers, continuation of law suits, etc., etc. The elections under the act were held in April, 1824, when Agreen Ingraham received 190 votes for sheriff, and Leverett Bradley 206 votes for coroner. Those, with the commissioners, Clark, Olmsted and Whitmore, were the only officers elected in April (vide Political History).

The seat of justice for Seneca County was not located until March 25, 1822, when Herford, Spink and Miner, the commissioners appointed for that purpose, arrived and selected the village on the east bank of the river to be the county seat.

In the following pages a review of the transactions of the commissioners' board from June, 1824, to the close of the Rebellion, is given.

Transactions of the Commissioners' Board .- At a meeting held at Tiffin,

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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.

June 7, 1824, William Clark, Jesse S. Olmstead and Benjamin Whitmore, com- missioners present, a petition to build a road from the northeast corner of Section 16, Township 2, Range 14 east, to Levi Cressa's house and Bowes' land on the State road, was granted. Joseph Pool, George Stoner and W. D. Sher- wood were appointed viewers, and David Risdon, surveyor. A permit was granted on the petition of Isaac Gurnee to build a road from Zinn's Mill to Henry Crow's, on the State road. Ezra Brown, Elisha Clark and Rd. Jaqua were viewers, and Franklin Baker, surveyor. On petition of Thomas Boyd, a road was ordered from the south side of Stony Creek to the Seneca Reserva- tion. Thomas Boyd, William Wright and William Anway were appointed viewers, and David Risdon, surveyor. Thomas Boyd and Lowell Robinson petitioned to have the road known as the Mansfield and Tiffin Road reviewed, with the object of changing its course before its opening. Rd. Jaqua, Ed. Sutherland, John Seitz, Lowell Robinson, R. Munsell and George Denison were reviewers.

June 7, 1824, Thomas Boyd presented a petition to the commissioners, signed by many qualified electors of Eden Township for the establishment of Bloom Township. The petitioners stated: "Labouring under grate inconvin- ance from the distance of attending Public Elections, and also having a suffi- cient number of quallified electors in the township, we therefore pray that the Honorable board to sit off said Township, No. 1 and 2 in the 16th Range, and constitute it a legal Township, to be known by the name of Bloom Township." The commissioners, in granting this petition, decreed that Townships 1 and 2, in the Sixteenth Range, formerly organized with the township of Eden, and Townships 1 and 2 in the Nineteenth Range, together with fractional Town- ships No. 1 and 2 in the Eighteenth Range be established as one township, under the name of Bloom.

Bloom Township was established June 7, 1824. On the same date Milton McNeal was appointed treasurer of Seneca County, and David Risdon tax col- lector. A petition to have a road from fractional Section 19, Range 18, on the county line, thence on the best route from Tiffin via Monroe to Norwalk, was granted. S. D. Palmer, Chris Stone and Thomas Webb were viewers. This authority was repealed immediately. June 8, 1824, John Mimm was allowed $12. 18 for repairing court house. Judge Jacques Hubbard was allowed $6 for three days' services as associate judge of Seneca County, and a similar amount was allowed Judge Matthew Clark. The sum of $2.25 was allowed Nathan Whitney for listing Thompson Township; Joseph Osborne was allowed $3.75 for listing Eden Township; George Park, $1.87} for listing Clinton Township; Joseph Keeler, $2.25 for listing Fort Seneca Township, and D. Smith was allowed $3 for services as clerk of the commissioners' board for three days, and $1.43} for a blank book which he purchased (a book which could be purchased to-day for 30 cents .- ED.). June 9, 1824, the commissioners authorized the auditor to purchase blank books for the use of the county offi- cers, and pay for them from the first moneys received into the county treasury. They also authorized payment to Benjamin Whitmore and Jesse S. Olmstead for three days' service, and to William Clark for one day's service as commission- ers. This completed, the first meeting of the commissioners of Seneca County was something of the past.

December 6, 1824, Dr. Dunn, Thomas Boyd and Benjamin Whitmore. commissioners, met at Tiffin. Elisha Clark presented a petition for a road from Seneca Creek, "at the Heights of Land, at the present new travelled Road," to the southwest corner of east half of southwest quarter, of Section 28, thence to "Henry Crows' new dwelling house." Franklin Baker, John Downs and

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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.

Selden Graves were appointed viewers, and were instructed to meet at John Gibson's house on December 24, to view and locate the road. Case Brown petitioned for a road from the corners of Sections 13, 14, 23 and 24, in Clinton Township, south to the Kilbourne State road, at Sections 13 and 14, Eden Township. Roswell Munsell, Henry Blackman and Richard Jaqua were ap- pointed viewers, William Clark, surveyor, and Hamilton McCollister's house was designated as the place of meeting. On the same day, on petition of David Clark, the same viewers and surveyor were ordered to locate a road from Honey Creek through the center of Clinton Township, on Section line between 14 and 15 and 10 and 11. December 6, 1824, William Anway presented a petition for the establishment of Scipio Township, signed by sixteen legal voters. John Cary presented a petition for a road from his house in Crawford Township, to Joseph Gates' (or Gales') house, thence to the county road and from Joseph Chaffee's west. Cyprian Stevens, Peter Carr and Elisha Brayton were ap- pointed viewers, and David Risdon, surveyor.

December 6, 1824, a petition was presented to the commissioners, which was recorded as follows: "December 6, 1824, Mr. William Anway presented a petition to the board from the inhabitants of the second township in Range 16, now attached to Bloom Township, beg leave to represent to your honors the nedcessity of seting off and organizing said township, and we wish your honors to order the same organized, together with such other townships or parts of townships as your honors should, in your wise consideration, think proper to attach to said township, and that the name may be known by the name of Scipio Township." This petition was granted by the board, who declared a legal organized township, to be known by the name of Scipio Townsnip, to-wit: The second township in Range 16; second township in Range 17 and second fractional township in Range 18 shall constitute the same.

On petition presented by Neal McGaffey, December 7, 1824, a road from the public ground at Fort Ball, running across the Sandusky River to the pub- lic ground at Tiffin, was authorized. Jesse Gale, George Free and Charles B. Fitch were appointed viewers, and David Risdon, surveyor. On petition of Joseph Chaffee, authority was granted the people of Crawford Township to elect three trustees and one treasurer, on December 25, 1824, to take charge of the school lands belonging to Crawford Township. Hopewell Township was established December 7, 1824.

The following is of record: "December 7, 1824, the inhabitants of Seneca Township presented an application for a new township, to be set off and or- ganizedas follows, to-wit: Composing of original surveyed Township 2, in Range 13, also the original surveyed township in Range 14, excepting a fraction on the east side of the Sandusky River, to be known by the name of Hopewell Township, was granted by the board, and ordered that the qualified electors of said Hopewell Township shall meet at the house of Joseph Pools, in said township, on Saturday, December 25, 1824, and proceed to elect township officers." The board of commissioners declared the above township legally or- ganized and to be known by the name of Hopewell Township, and at the same time and place the qualified electors shall proceed to elect three trustees and one treasurer, whose duty it shall be to take charge of the school lands belong- ing to said township, and dispose of the same as the law directs.

December 7, 1824, Town 1, Range 13, and Town 1, Range 14, were estab- lished as one township, under the name of Seneca Township, and the electors ordered to meet at the house of Abram Courtwright, December 25, 1824.

Willard Wright presented a petition asking for a county road from the county line, south of David Clark's house to the county road running from

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David Underhill's to Sandusky, where the road crosses the center line of Thompson Township, thence to the Kilbourne road. and thence by William Frink's house to Tiffin. Agreen Ingraham, Rollin Muller and Ira Bassett were appointed viewers, and David Risdon, surveyor, with instructions to lo- cate the road on January 11, 1825. Elisha Smith was allowed $3 for list- ing Seneca Township. Chris Stone was allowed $7, and Thomas Webb $6 for viewing new roads. The roads from Zinn's Mill to Eden Township, and from Honey Creek to Seneca Reservation, were declared public highways, December 7, 1824. Reuben Williams asked for a road from the James Bearn- sides lane or Mansfield road, in Section 28, Town 2, Range 15, by Eight- een Mile Run and William M. Ewen's house, and thence to the Kilbourne road. Bearnsides, Williams and Leverett Bradley were appointed viewers. De- cember 8, 1824, it was voted that Thomas Boyd be commissioner for one year, Benjamin Whitman for two years and Dr. Dunn three years. The auditor was ordered to call on Sandusky for settlement of revenue and expenditure.

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Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1088

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1088