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 46

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 46

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The "United Brethren Church," of Hedgestown, about two miles southwest of Green Spring, claims the following named members: D. B. Anders, George J. Shedenhelm, W. S. Slaymaker, W. H. Miller, A. C. Brown, J. H. Van Horn, Abbie Anders, Anne Jopp, Jerusha Jopp, Hecla Myers, Laura Sheden- helm, Alice Slaymaker, Mary McKeen, Mary E. Shedenhelm; now attended from Green Spring.

Brick Chapel, of the United Brethren Society, five miles southeast of Green

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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.

Spring, has now thirty-four members, including the Hoffman, Beigh, Decker, Hoetzel, Metzger, Morfier, Neikirk, Norris, Stigamire, Nace and Minich fami- lies, with a few other members; now attended from Green Spring.

The Methodist Episcopal Church is one of the oldest and largest societies in the township. Rev. T. J. Gard, one of the old pastors of the primitive church of Honey Creek, is preacher in charge. The church building stands on the corner of Main and Morgan Streets. Joseph Cole is superintendent and William Norris assistant superintendent of the Sunday-school.

The Presbyterian Church, corner of Main and Sand Streets, is an old or- ganization.

The corner-stone of the new Lutheran Church building, near the Butz Schoolhouse. Adams Township, was placed in position June 9, 1885.

The new church. known as the Christian Union Chapel, was dedicated No- vember 9. 1884. G. W. Hagans is preacher in charge.

Green Spring Academy .- The Western Reserve University was chartered as Western Reserve College, February 7, 1826, and located at Hudson, Ohio. After many years of successful labor it received increased endowment, and in 1882 was removed to Cleveland, Ohio. It now includes two colleges and two academies: Adelbert College and Cleveland Medical College, both of Cleve- land, Ohio: Western Reserve Academy, of Hudson, Ohio, and Green Spring Academy, of Green Spring. Ohio.

The Academy at Green Spring. Seneca Co., Ohio, was founded by the Synod of Toledo, in 1881. After two years of such struggles as are incident to new institutions, it was connected with the Western Reserve University as a preparatory school for Adelbert College. It remains. however. under its own board of trustees, and continues to give special attention to preparation for teaching and general culture, as well as to preparation for college. Normal work is introduced so far as is practicable, and an attempt is made to cultivate all departments with that thoroughness which is necessary in a preparation for higher culture. In the past years good work has been done, and it is the pur- pose of the trustees and teachers to keep up with all the improvements and demands of the times. The trustees are R. B. Hayes, president, Fremont; D. J. Meese, secretary, Sandusky; J. A. P. McGaw, D.D., Toledo; I. G. Hall, Lima: J. W. Cummings, Toledo: Samuel Smith, Green Spring; Carroll Cutler, D.D., Cleveland: E. Bushnell. D.D., Cleveland; C. P. Wickham, Norwalk.

The faculty is made up as follows: Rev. J. S. Axtell, A. M., principal, and instructor in Greek and Science: Prof. E. O. Loveland, instructor in Com- mercial Course and Mathematics; Prof. W. J. Alexander, A. M., instructor in English. German and Latin; Miss Rose Giddings, instructor in Instrumental and Vocal Music; Miss Kate Blayney, instructor in Drawing and Painting.

Rev. R. B. Moore, of Tiffin, was the first principal, being in charge from the establishment of the academy until 1883.

Cemeteries .- Butternut Ridge Cemetery Association, was organized August 17, 1877, with W. E. Lay. F. Crockett, H. F. Niles, Denis Downs, John T. Perrin, Alpheus Lee, H. S. Lay, J. D. Lefever, Mrs. S. A. Kistler, Harry Tuck, H. W. Harris and J. R. Downs, members.

St. Jacob's Union Cemetery Association, of Adams Township, was organized at the Reserve Church, November 1, 1884, with the following members: Joseph Hilsinger, H. Brinkman, George Detterman, P. Happas, D. Shawberry, H. Lynn, E. Miller, Jacob Gruver. W. F. Miller, Daniel Gruver, Samuel Deter- man, H. Miller, H. A. Determan, George Brinney, J. J. Miller, H. H. Det- erman and F. F. Meyer.

Montgering table

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ADAMS TOWNSHIP.

There are other cemeteries in the township: One on the northeast quarter of Section 2; one on the northwest quarter of Section 20; one on the Albright farm, in Section 24; two on the south line of Section 32, and one in the north- west corner of Section 36.

Postoffice .- The first postmaster at Green Spring was Daniel H. Dana, appointed about 1840. Robert Smith was appointed subsequently, and was serving in 1847-48, and up to the time Mrs. Matilda Bartlett was appointed. In August, 1885, Miss M. L. Bartlett, the late postmistress, retired, and Andrew McHarser took charge.

Banks, Bankers, etc .- Robert Smith, the old postmaster of Green Spring, may be said to have founded the first banking house in the village.

The First National Banking Company, of Green Spring, chartered some years ago, met in February, 1881, and resolved to go into liquidation as a national bank, and transact business under the laws of Ohio. The same month this resolution was carried out, when Addison Hills and L. W. Roys purchased the entire stock, and opened the banking house now known as L. W .. Roys & Co.

The Green Spring Building and Loan Association was incorporated March 22, 1873, with J. W. Stinchcomb, C. D. Brick, George W. Davis, J. L. Stoner and John Nash, members. The capital stock was, $80, 000.

Secret and Benevolent Societies .- Green Spring Lodge No. 318 I. O. O. F., was chartered June 11, 1857, with the following members: N. C. West, B. F. Porter, J. B. Buck, Ezra Twombly, George T. Bell, James McGregory and M. W. Plain. The lodge was incorporated November 2, 1867, E. Twombly presiding, with H. D. Parmeter, secretary. Hugh Goetchius, William Stevenson and Fred Isenhart were elected trustees, and Gideon Gordon, clerk. All records, prior to July 1, 1870, were destroyed in the fire of June 29, 1870, so that the first record extant is of date July 6, 1870, being a letter from the Grand Lodge agreeing to issue a new charter instead of the one destroyed. The Past Grands since that date are named as follows: J. A. Kettle, H. D. Parmeter, M. Gray, F. J. Wehr, B. F. Boetz, W. Groves, R. H. Slaymaker, W. P. Myers, C. R. Huss, John Eisenhart, J. C. Sutton. James Boughton, M. L. Huss, W. C. Gray, F. Hahn. G. E. Whitmore, O. J. Shutts, John Gordon, John Young, A. Ferguson, A. Waldron, William Ross, James McIn- tire, M. Thraves, C. L. Rathbun, F. Clink, N. U. Egbert, W. H. Waldron, J. W. Stinchcomb, A. R. Mckellar, C. Holtz, G. W. Davis. The secreta- ries since 1870 have been M. Grav, B. F. Bretz, R. H. Slaymaker, W. P. Myers, J. C. Sutton, W. C. Gray, M. L. Huss, G. W. Davis, A. Ferguson, G. E. Whitmore, John Gordon, O. J. Shutts, O. J. Shutts, M. L. Huss, A. Ferguson, A. Ferguson, George W. Davis, John Gordon, O. J. Shutts, G. Gordon, G. Gordon, G. Gordon, G. Gordon, O. J. Shutts, serving his seventh term

Daughters of Rebekah, No. 82. Green Spring, was chartered October 17, 1872.

Green Spring Lodge No. 427 F. & A. M., was chartered October 20, 1869, on petition of S. T. Finch, Horace B. Adams. Truman Grover, E. B. Finch, Sidney Tuck, Val. Ham, Thomas Almand, C. D. Buck, L. E. Sprague, D. H. Clark and L. H. Sprague. The records of this lodge, prior to October 1873, were destroyed, so that the names of masters and secretaries from this date forward can only be given: Past Masters .- Thomas Almand, 1873; George Raymond, 1874-75; H. B. Adams, 1876; E. T. Gettins, 1877-78; Walter J. Merchant, 1879-80; George Raymond, 1881-82-83; A. R. McKel- lar, 1884; W. F. Huber, 1885. Secretaries .- G. W. Brestel, 1873; W.

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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.

Jodon, 1874; W. Wilson, 1875; W. J. Merchant, 1876; Truman Grover, 1877; W. J. Merchant, 1878; E. W. May, 1879-80; W. J. Merchant, 1881; Ed Walden, 1882; C. O. Grove, 1883; H. C. Campbell, 1884; J. W. Stinch- comb, 1885. A. A. Jones is acting secretary. The lodge claims a member- ship of twenty-six, with hall in Pearson Block, in good financial condition.

Potter Post, 105, Green Spring, was instituted under charter July 19, 1881, and named in honor of Henry C. Potter, whose record is given in the military chapter. The charter members were G. W. Brestel, James Martin, James P. Turner, A. Grove, Jacob Shultz. P. Unser, A. N. Dennis, J. C. Tarris, William Ross, W. Fitz, James H. Boughton, J. W. Stinchcomb, Francis Keenan, M. Alspaugh, H. H. Roselle, D. H. Hutchison, Porter Yates, John Seaman. Rufus Slaymaker, John Kimsman, G. W. Earhart, W. J. Merchant. Walter Huber. Harry Crull, M. Clinger, John Noah, Henry Ennis, Daniel Guisbert and George Raymond. The commanders are named as follows: J. W. Stinchcomb. 1881; G. W. Earhart, 1882; J. W. Stinch- comb, 1883; G. W. Brestel, 1884; A. A. Jones, 1885. The post has now about fifty members. The adjutants were W. J. Merchant, 1881: Henry Ennis, 1883; George W. Brestel, 1883; J. W. Stinchcomb, 1884; A. G. Per- rine, 1885.

The Green Spring Temperance Aid Society was organized September 9, 1862, with Mrs. Dr. Brown, president; Mrs. W. L. Bartlett, vice-president; Sam. Stoner, treasurer, and Miss P. Finch, secretary. This society sent a great quantity of valuable clothing to the volunteers in the field. Temperance organizations in one form or another have been carried down since 1862. always exercising a beneficial influence.

Green Spring Grange. Patrons of Husbandry, was incorporated Septem- ber 19, 1876, with M. Alspaugh, M. D. Jopp and John Shulls, trustees; B. F. Britz, secretary, and E. May. master.

Green Spring Cure and Health Resort. - The mineral resources of the Green Spring District were first developed in 1867, and a home for visitors and patients opened January 1, 1868. The first patient was Mrs. Hugh Welsh, who died at the Spring June 6, 1869. When the Cure was erected and the enterprise organized. Charles E. Stockley was manager, and Dr. I. W. Moliere, physician. Since that time it has had its vicissitudes, but is now one of the best supported institutions of the kind in the West. The Marshall brothers succeeded Dr. L. H. Sprague as physicians in charge in 1885, while John Koller took charge of the hotel, making all the departments during the season of 1885 a success. The legend of the spring is as follows: "Once, a num- ber of 'moons' ago, a fair Indian maiden, the daughter of a great chief of the Ottawa tribe, was taken dangerously sick with a malady unknown to the wisest of their medicine men. The poor girl was becoming worse every day. and many fears were entertained of an early dissolution. A young chief, who was her lover, and to whom she had promised her hand, felt keenly the illness of his promised bride. One day he was out hunting, and becoming tired, he lay down under the shady branches of a large oak and fell asleep. While sleeping he had a dream, in which he was advised by the 'Great Spirit' of the existence of a wonderful pool of water, the use of which cured many of the numerous diseases of the body. The dream depicted this modern pool of Siloam as lying far toward the setting sun, and to reach it a person must encounter many dangers and untold hardships. The young chief was greatly impressed with the dream, and resolved, at all hazards, to procure some of this water for the sick maiden. Accordingly, he called his warriors together, and selecting a few trusty braves, he started on the journey. After many days he

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reached his destination, and found the spring. He procured some of the water and returned to his nation. The maiden partook of the water, and soon recov- ered from her sickness."

This beautiful summer resort is situated about 160 rods north of the Indi- ana, Bloomington & Western Depot at Green Spring. Nature has done her duty nobly in giving the grounds a picturesque and pleasing site for the loca- tion. The hotel stands upon a hill a few hundred feet back from the street, and is surrounded by a heavy foliage of trees that during the warm summer months shade every walk and avenue about the grounds. At the foot of the hill is the Sulphur Spring, which discharges about 700 cubic feet of water per minute through a fissure in the bed rock. The water is as clear as crystal, of a slightly greenish cast, and possesses remarkable curative properties, and hun- dreds of invalids avail themselves of its benefits every year. The hotel is in keeping with the management of the Spring, and has accommodation for 150 guests.

Statistics of Corporation .- The general statistics of Green Spring, for 1884, are as follows: Acres of wheat, 652; acres of rye, 15; of oats, 78; of corn, 60; of meadow, 182, product, 273 tons; of clover, 94, product, 111 tons, 43 bushels of seed, with 12 acres plowed under; of potatoes, 4, yielding 1,790 bushels; home-made butter, 3,200 pounds; 1 acre of sorghum yielded 41 gal- lons of syrup; maple trees yielded 50 pounds of sugar and 120 gallons of syrup; 5 bee-hives; 2,240 dozens of eggs; 41 acres of apple trees yielded 819 bushels of fruit in 1883; acres of land cultivated. 1,130; of pasture lands, 264; of woodland, 346 acres; waste land, 15 acres; total acreage, 1, 755; wool, 5,233 pounds in 1883; milch cows, 38; dogs, 9; sheep killed and injured by dogs, 16; 54 sheep, 2 cattle and 1 horse died of disease.

The Green Spring schools presented the following statistics at the close of scholastic year, 1884: number of pupils, 201-99 boys and 102 girls-of whom 41 are attending the high school; one school building valued at $9,000; 4 teachers; average salaries, $95 and $30; local tax, $1,347.15; revenue, $4,213.27; expenditure, $3,451.62.

CONCLUSION.

There are so many incidents connected with the settlement and progress of this division of the county, related in the chapters of the general history as well as in that on the personal history and reminiscences of the township, that this chapter is confined especially to matters pertaining directly to Adams. It presents a plain record of pioneer and official, religious and social, commercial and statistical history, and as such lays claim to so much completeness as history based on records and authentic statements warrant.

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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.

CHAPTER XV.

BIG SPRING TOWNSHIP.

THIS township was surveyed in 1820 by J. Glasgow, outside the bounda- ries of the reservation, and, on the cession of the Indian lands, C. W. Christmas surveyed the reservation in 1832, all forming Township 1 north, Range 13 east. The Indian Treaty of September 17, 1818, provided that 16.000 acres should be set apart for the use of the Wyandots of Solomon's Town and Blanchard's Fork, with the center of such tract at the Big Spring of Seneca County. By the treaty of January 19, 1832, all this reservation was ceded, except 320 acres kept for Roenunas. The President's proclamation, ordering the sale of the lands thus ceded, was made November 13, 1832, and the work of pioneer settlement was begun.

The spring from which the township takes its name, is near the hamlet of Springville. It is an ordinary lime spring. showing no traces of sulphur, clear, pure and invigorating.

The creeks of the township are all native, that is, finding a source and an out- let within the township; the soil is fertile, and the 4,000 acres. still classed as forest-land. are well timbered with valuable hard wood. The drains in the southern sections have drained the great swamp.

Organic and Official-The commissioners established this township March 6, 1833. and April 4, following, the first election was held .* Richard Reynold and E. Bogart were elected trustees; William Brayton, clerk; Hugh Mullhol- land, treasurer; Cornelius Bogart, And. Springer and Joshua Watson, fence viewers; Elijah Brayton and Charles Henderson, overseers of the poor; and Austin Knowlton, constable. The records for 1834, 1836 and 1837 are gone where too many good records go, so that there is no certain way of supplying the names.

1535 .- John Ellerton, Jacob Grove, Peter Lantz, trustees; William Bray- ton. clerk.

1838 .- William Benham. Peter Lantz, Ezekiel Bogart, trustees; Israel Harmas. clerk.

1839 .- E. H. Cook, John Jenkins, David Bowersock, trustees; I. Harmas, clerk.

1840 .- W. Benham, Frederick Waggoner, Peter Lantz, trustees; I. Harmas, clerk.

1841-42 .- N. L. Hulling, Peter Lantz, John Elarton, trustees; David Byrnes, clerk.

1843 .- John Elarton, Peter Lantz, N. L. Hulling, trustees; John Luza- der, clerk.

1844-45 .- William Smith, Theo Frink, Peter Lantz, trustees; Abram Dow, clerk.

1846 .- H. Davis, Theo Frink, Samuel Young, trustees; A. Battenfield, clerk. 1847 .- H. Davis, Theo Frink, Samuel Young, trustees; H. J. Flack, clerk. *Originally attached to Seneca Township.

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BIG SPRING TOWNSHIP.

1848 .- William Smith, T. Frink, A. Frederick, trustees: Samuel Lutz, clerk.

1849 .- Hiram Davis, T. Frink and S. Young, trustees; Montgomery Noble, clerk.

1850 .- Hiram Davis, T. Frink, S. Young, trustees; D. Burns, clerk.

1851 .- Hiram Davis, T. Frink, Peter Wenner, trustees; J. C. De Witt, clerk.

1852 .- Hiram Davis, Adam Vetter, Henry Boucher, trustees; J. C. De- Witt, clerk.

1853 .- John Werley, Adam Vetter, Hiram Davis, trustees; John C. De- Witt, clerk.

1854. - John Yentzer, John Werley, H. Davis, trustees; J. C. De Witt, clerk.

1855 .-- H. Davis, T. Frink, P. Simons, trustees: J. C. DeWitt, clerk.

1856 .- A. J. Sanders, Peter Simons, Jacob Von Blon, trustees; John C. De Witt, clerk.

1857 .- David Burns, J. Von Blon, James Keesberry, trustees; Daniel Rin- sel, clerk. 1858. - Joshua Watson, P. Simons, J. Von Blon, trustees: Daniel Rinsel,

1859 .- Joshua Watson, J. Von Blon, A. Vetter, trustees; Daniel Rinsel, clerk.

clerk.

1860 .- Peter Wagner, J. Von Blon, A. Vetter, trustees; Joseph Zint, clerk. 1861. - Peter Wagner, J. Von Blon, A. Vetter, trustees; J. W. Lantz, clerk.

1862. - Peter Wagner, J. Von Blon, A. Vetter, trustees; George M. Shu- maker, clerk.

1863-64 .- William Smith, J. Von Blon, A. Vetter, trustees; George M. Shumaker, clerk.

1865 .- Thomas Rinehart, J. W. Lantz, C. Wagner, trustees; J. F. Frink, clerk.

1867 .- Thomas Rinehart, A. J. Sanders, C. Wagner, trustees; J. F. Frink, clerk.

1868 .- John P. Genzler, I. W. Cline, P. Wagner, trustees; W. Bearly, clerk.

1869-70 .- John P. Genzler, I. W. Cline, P. Wagner, trustees: D. Rens- ley, clerk.

1871 .- Ernst Kerrian, I. W. Cline, P. Wagner, trustees; D. Rensley, clerk. 1872 .- Matt Faller, I. W. Cline, J. P. Genzler, trustees; S. Bearly, clerk. 1873. - Matt Faller, A. Vetter, J. P. Genzler, trustees; James V. Magers, clerk.

1874 .- Joseph Lafontaine, J. P. Genzler, A. Vetter, trustees; James V. Magers, clerk.

1875-76 .- Joseph Lafontaine, Thomas Rinehart, A. Vetter, trustees: James V. Magers, clerk.

1877 .- Nick Marks, A. Vetter, Thomas Rinehart, trustees; James V. Ma- gers, clerk.

1878 .- Nick Marks, Dominick Arndt, Thomas Rinehart, trustees: James V. Magers, clerk.

1879 .- Nick Marks, Dominick Arndt, John Mathias, trustees; James V. Magers, clerk.

1880-81 .- Michael Goshe, D. Arndt, N. Marks, trustees; B. J. Murphy, clerk.

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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.

1882 .- M. Goshe. D. Arndt, John Mathias, trustees; B. J. Murphy, clerk. 1883 .- John N. Kinn, John Mathias, D. Arndt, trustees; William Haines, clerk.

1884. - Paul Huss, N. Kinn, John Mathias, trustees; William Haines, clerk.

The officers of Big Spring Township, elected in 1885, are Paul Huss, Nich- olas Kinn, A. W. Simonis, trustees; William Haines, clerk; Charles Shubert, treasurer; Peter Goshe, assessor, William Haines, T. M. Frink, I. W. Cline, and Charles Shubert, justices of the peace; J. Vetter, and Joseph Wullen schneider, constables.

Schools. - The township of Big Spring was laid off in six school districts, June 22, 1838. The people of Big Spring Township voted on the question of selling the school lands of that township, June 22, 1850. Samuel Young, Theo. M. Frink and Hiram Davis were judges. There were fifteen votes cast. October 25, 1851, a sale of the west half of east half of Section 16, Town 1. Range 13 was sold to John Houck for $270, and of the west half of west half of Section 16, Town 1, Range 13 to Theo. Pierce for $270. These tracts were sold with Liberty Township lands. The remaining tracts were not sold owing to want of purchasers at appraised price. September 3, 1853, the east half of the east half of Section 16, was sold to M. Zinder for $275, and the east half of the west half to Jesse Boucher for $264. The following sta- tistics give the state of the schools in Big Spring Township, outside the vil- lages, for the year ending August, 1884: Local tax, $2,362.76; total receipts, $4.513.06; expenditures, $3,373.11; number of schoolhouses, 9; value of prop- erty, $4.000; number of teachers, 14; average pay, $41 and $29; number of male pupils, 154; of female, SS.

Statistics .- The assessment in 1841 gave the following figures: 24,721 acres of land and improvements, valued at $38.474; value of town lots, $1,544; 139 horses, valued at $5, 560; 483 cattle, valued at $3,864; merchants' capital and moneys at interest, $2,500; total. $51,942. Total tax, $662.26. Delin- quencies of 1840, $64.27. The value of 20,885 acres of land in Big Spring Township in 1884 was placed at $617,150; 1,750 acres in Adrian School Dis- trict at $73,030, and 64 acres in New Riegel Village at $22,180. The personal property in'the township was valued at $216,640; in Adrian District at $31,090 and in New Reigel at $58.840, giving a total of $1,018,930. This sum equal- ized according to population of 1880 would give to each of the 2,048 persons, then forming the population, $497.50. The total tax levied in 1884-85 was $9,625.30 and $150 dog tax. The actual value of the township may be placed at $2,800,000.

The general statistics of Big Spring Township for 1884 are as follows: Acres of wheat, 5, 154-product of 1883-84, 27,557 bushels; 15 acres of rye produced 202 bushels: 16 acres of buckwheat, 87 bushels; 1,315 acres of oats, 42,440 bushels; 2,594 acres of corn, 62,245 bushels; 1.575 acres of meadow yielded 1,290 tons of hay; 732 acres of clover produced 740 tons of hay and 925 bushels of seed; 116 acres of potatoes yielded 15,019 bushels; home-made butter, 36,060 pounds; 8 acres of sorghum, 637 gallons of syrup; maple trees produced 29 gallons of syrup; 77 hives yielded 605 pounds of honey; eggs, 11,845 dozens; orchards, 295 acres-3, 771 bushels of fruit; acres of land culti- vated, 11,412; acres of pasture land, 5,611; acres of woodland, 3,859; total acreage, 20,882; pounds of wool, in 1883, 4,096; milch cows, 534; dogs, 150; animals died of disease-hogs. 917; sheep, 108; cattle, 20; horses, 14.

Pioneers and Old Settlers .- When the first permanent settlers arrived in the township. they literally stepped in the tracks of the original owners, who

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BIG SPRING TOWNSHIP.

just moved out to give them place. The locality subsequently named Spring- ville, was the only garden spot in the township, and around it the first settle- ments were made, within a year or two of the period when the township was organized. South of the township line the families of Asa Lake and Nehemiah Earls settled as early as 1819, Daniel Hodges in 1821, Christopher Baker, William Brown and John James in 1822. John Carey in 1823, Smith Kentfield in 1825 and Hiram J. Starr in 1830. Many of those pioneers of the Delaware and Wyandot country were acquainted with the big spring. coming and going over the Wyandot trail from the Big Spring Reservation to the Upper or Twelve-Mile Reservation, so that when the pioneers of this township arrived they were within easy distance of the pioneers of what is now Wyandot County. William Brown entered his lands, just south of the base line, in 1822, and may be counted among the pioneers of the township. The Jenkins brothers were early traders. and, it is believed, the first white residents of Big Spring. The Braytons, pioneers of Tymochtee Township, Wyandot County, came in 1832: the Knowltons, Bogarts, Mullhollands, Hendersons, Youngs, Springers, Peers and Reynolds were all here prior to organization.

The year 1833 witnessed the true beginnings of settlement, and immigra- · tion then commenced and continued to flow in for years. until the whole town- ship was peopled with as industrious and good a class of citizens as it is the fortune of any county to possess.

Stephen Bearld, or Beardly, purchased the west half of northeast quarter, Sec- tion 12, from Jacob Haser, in 1833, and entered on its improvement . . . . Hiram Bogart, E. Bogart and Cornelius Bogart were among the very early settlers. .. . Elijah and Anna (Holebrook) Brayton, parents of Peter Brayton, natives of Vermont, where they married and lived for a few years thereafter, moved to Fremont, Ohio. in 1814, thence about 1816 to Huron County, and later to Wyandot County, where they remained until 1832, when they settled on what is known as the Big Spring Indian Reservation; Mrs. Brayton died here in 1851; Mr. Brayton in 1868. .... William Brayton, son of Elijah Brayton, and brother of Matthew Brayton, who was lost in the woods in 1825, moved into Big Spring Township in 1832; is now in Wyandot County; Matthew was lost as mentioned when a child of eight years. while searching for cattle with his brother William, and about 1859 a captive appeared who stated that he was captured by the Copperheads, a band of Canadian Indians, who named him Ohwa-owah-kish-me-wah. In 1851 this man married Tefronia or Tame Deer, daughter of O-wash-kah-ke-naw, and by her had two children: Tefronia and Qululee. Thirty-four years after the capture the Cleveland Herald contained an advertisement of a captive who did not know his original name.

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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