USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, from the close of the revolutionary war to July, 1880 > Part 49
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Quite a number of our young men went to the war against Michigan in 1835. Those that I remember were Samuel Metzger, William Paine, Solo- mon loppes and Adam Spade.
Another old settler lived on the Kilbourne road, northeast of Republic, some four miles. His name was Webb. He kept a small store. He located here about 1823.
There are four creeks flowing through this township. Beaver creek enters the township at the southest corner, running west about two miles, when it turns northwest and takes up the Sulphur Springs and rums north into San- dusky county, and through it to the bay. Sugar creek takes its rise in the north part of Scipio township and enters Adams about one and a-half miles from the southwest corner, and taking a northwesterly course crosses the Portland road, near Daniel Rule's, and from there runs westerly into the Sandusky river. log run heads in a small prairie on the farm of Nicholas Noel. It is a short stream and enters the Beaver about one mile south of the centre of Adams. Emerson creek rises in the northwest part of Thomp- son, and taking up the waters of the famous Royer ditch, runs nearly dne west and enters the Beaver one mile north of Adams centre. There was good fishing at the months of both these last named creeks in early days.
Hoping these minutes may be of interest to you,
I remain, respectfully. yours, DANIEL METZGER.
.JOHN NOEL
Was born October 15th, 1777. in Adams county, Pennsylvania. He was married to Elizabeth Beamer (who was born in the same state, July 21st, 1780,) on the 15th day of June, 1801. They moved to Ohio in 1822, and located near Massilon, Stark county, and in April, 1830,
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located in this township, on the farm where their son Nicholas now lives, fifty years ago.
John Noel and his wife were the parents of fifteen children, seven boys and eight girls, of whom four boys and three girls are still living John Noel died October 29th, 1863, aged eighty-six years and fifteen days. Mrs. Noel died in September, 1847, at the age of sixty seven years, three months and twenty-seven days.
DANIEL RULE.
The sketch of this veteran pioneer is given in his own words, as nearly as possible:
My grandfather was a soldier in the revolutionary war. Hereturned from the army and died from an abcess in his side, leaving my father. Albert A .. his only child. They lived in he southern part of Pennsylvania, where my father was raised. and where he married Elizabeth Tivens. My parents moved to near Liverpool, in Perry county, Pennsylvania. onto a farm. Here I was born, on the banks of the Susquehanna river. They lived here al out nineteen years, and when I was ahont twelve years old, we moved to Colum- biana county. Ohio, and settled on a farm near New Lisbon, in 1516. My father had two children by his first wife, and four by his second. My two sisters, Barbara and Catharine, were married ; the former to Luke Stage. and the other, who was married twice, died, and left two daughters and one son, who live in Illinois. Two years after we moved to Columbiana county. We moved to Bloomfield, in Trumbull county, near Warren. My father had bought a farm here and we settled on that. Here, on the 7th day of June. 1821, I was married to Jane, the daughter of farmer Grosscost, in this town- ship of Bloomfield. . I have also a brother. Sammel Rule, making four of us children, two boys and two girls. Samnel lives in Illinois now.
In 1824. in the spring, and after my brother Samuel was married. he and his family, with father and mother. moved to Scipio township, in this county. and about six years thereafter they sold out and bought on section thirteen, in Clinton township, where brother Samuel opened a nice farm. Father and mother lived with him until they died, but in a separate house. Father died in 1846, and mother two years thereafter.
When brother Samuel, father and mother left Trumbull county. I was married and could not go with them that spring, but I followed them to this county in the next fall. Here I bought an eighty acre piece in Scipio, at the land office in Bueyrns. It is the land now owned by Philip Miller. I built a cabin here and cleared about forty-five acres. My family were sickly nearly all the time we lived here, and I sold the place to buy land in Adams. My first purchase in Adams was one hundred and seventy-three acres. When I raised my cabin here I had to bring nearly all my help with me from Scipio. there being but very few setthrs on the reserve. Abont one year after 1 moved here I bought ninety-seven acres from JJoseph Culbertson, and soon after eighty arres more from Dr. Stevenson.
Afterwards I bought ninety-three arres more from Mr. R. R. Titus, admin-
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Daniel Rule
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istrator of Earl Church, deceased. I let my two sons, Isaac and Byron, have one-half section of this land.
I still remain on the old homestead. My wife died on the second day of December, 1979, aged seventy-seven years, nine months and eighteen days. Since she is gone I feel lost, and as if I were of go account to the world, We had ten children, viz :
Lucy, who is the wife of Jeremiah Egbert; Elizabeth, the widow of Isaac Stillwell; Samuel, who died in 1350, when twenty-four years old : Albert A., who died a few days after Samuel, both of small-pox ; Byron, who married Matilda York, of Clyde, Ohio; Matilda, who died when six years old ; Mary, wife of David W. Dudrow ; Isaac P., who was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga, and died next day ; he was lieutenant of Co. I. 10ist regiment O. V. I., and leading his company when he received the wound ; and Daniel C., who married Eleanor, daughter of Earl Church, whose widow is still living. Our youngest child was still-born. Five of my children are still living. My two sons, Byron and Daniel, are living near me, and doing well, and so are also the daughters Ihave left.
I knew Small Cloud Spicer well. He was a half breed, tall, slender, well proportioned and good looking. He hal san ly hair, but dressed like the other Indians. His wife was a Crow, and a clean, pleasant woman. When I came onto the reserve here the white settlers were but few, James Crocket lived on the Watson farm: Mr. MeEwen lived on the M : Moens place : 'Squire Rider raised a cabin on the place that Jacob Holtz bought after- wards ; Slike Clark lived near the river.
I was born October 28, 1501.
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CHAPTER XXX. BIG SPRING TOWNSHIP.
BIG SPRING TOWNSHIP-T. I, N. R. 13 E.
T HIS township was organized March 6th, 1833, and received its name from the big spring of water in the southwest part of the township. The first election was held April 4, 1833, and the following were the officers chosen, viz:
Trustees-E. Bogart and Richard Reynolds.
Clerk-William Brayton. Treasurer -Hugh Mulholland.
Fence Viewers-Cornelius Bogart, Andrew Springer and Joshua Watson. Overseers of the Poor-Elijah Brayton and Charles Henderson. Constable-Austin Knowlton.
Mr. Knowlton is still living, and while he enjoys good health in his old age, is a very pleasant, congenial gentleman. The others of those officers are all dead, I think.
In 1840 the township had a population of 925; in 1870 there were 2,224; in 1880 it is 2,048. The above named officers and John Peer, Hiram Bogart, Ph. Peer, J. Luzader, the Young family, the Stiles, and others, were among the early settlers.
It will be noticed that the first settlers were American born and no German name is found among them. From 1833 to 1842 a very large number of German and French families came on, and after Mr. Anthony Schindler bought land and located in section twelve, many of his old neighbors from Germany settled round about him. Here he laid out a town and named it after his native town in Germany, New Reigel. The old German settlers were Anthony and Carl Schindler, Joseph Bischof, Joseph, Stephan and Landelin Brosamer, Jacob Kabele, Michael Schon, Nicholas Perl. Nicholas and Francis Eltig. Peter Rinehart, Michael Wolly, Nicholas and Francis Etchen, John Wagner, Ignatz Lehnhart, M. Schlachter, John Moes, Joseph Ries, the Kern fam- ily. the Dannenhoeffers, the Schiraks, the Seibenalers, and others
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Among the French families were the Lafontaines, the Filliatres, the Wernements, F. Collet, J. Mangett, the Gilliaumes, and others.
William Tempelman was an original sort of a character.
My esteemed old friend, Theodore M. Frink must not be overlooked and a short sketch of his life will be found below,
Charles Schindler moved upon the land where he now lives in 1835. He bought a cast iron, stove from one Jacob Alexy, in Loudon town- ship about three miles north of where he lives. He started with his team and George Wehrle to get the stove, very early one morning, and after the stove was loaded on the wagon, they had a very slow drive with their ox team through the swales. They stalled many times and when they reached the cabin of Mr. Lafontaine, it was pitch dark and they had to stay all night. They reached home near noon next day. Charles Schindler was born in Hechnigen, Baden, in 1805.
The Lawheads, the Bouchers, the Flicks and others were also among the early settlers.
The Germans will soon own the whole township. They have every- thing their own way now to a very great extent, buying out all their old American neighbors and turning Big Spring into one of the most wealthy and prosperous townships in the county.
Elijah Brayton, in 1825, lived in Crawford county, which then in- cluded Wyandot, and soon after moved to this township. In that year, on the 20th of September, he lost a little boy, then about eight years old, in the following manner, viz: The child had followed an older brother and a neighbor, who were looking for cattle that were missing, and the little fellow was sent back to the house. He followed the path that had been pointed out to him and was never heard of again. Upon the return of the others, the alarm was given throughout the neighbor- hood and everybody turned out, even the Indians, and scoured the country far and wide, but without any clue to the missing boy.
During this search Neal McGaffey. of Fort Ball, the first clerk of the court of common pleas, and some others, camped all night on the spot that was afterwards included in the town of Risdon and which is now in Fostoria.
The town of Springville was surveyed by David Risdon in 1834 for Benjamin and John Jenkins, proprietors. The town never grew much. The spring was once a very powerful one and formed a small lake. The water was very deep, clear and cold. Since the country has been cleared up, the spring has lost much of its former celebrity and would now be noticed no more than any good spring on a farm.
The town of Oregon (now Adrian) was surveyed by R. M. Shoemaker,
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on the 17th of February, 1844, on sections 35 and 36, on the Mad River & Lake Erie, now the Cleveland, Sandusky & Cincinnati railroad. Erastus H. Cook and D. C. Henderson were the proprietors. Eli Gehr, Adam Vetter, John Gants and Charles Foster were the first settlers here. The town grew up to its present size within a few years after it was laid out, and stood there ever since.
Anthony Schindler, who laid out New Reigel, was a very active, lively and enterprising man. Very soon after the laying out of this town, people settled in and around the town, and put up a log church, which in time gave way to a brick church, and that in its turn to one of the largest and most beautiful Catholic churches in northern Ohio.
The town of New Reigel is now settled up by farmers who have be- come wealthy, and wish to spend their last days at their ease near the church, and a brotherhood and sisterhood of the 'Society of the Precious Blood," who own very large tracts of land near the town. The sisters officiate as teachers of the youth. Father M. Sales Brunner was the founder of this order, and the first priest in New Reigel. There are about sixty persons in the nunnery at New Reigel at the present time.
The land in Big Spring is very rich, and when the prairie in the southwestern part shall be thoroughly drained, as efforts to that end are now being made, Big Spring will be the rich garden spot of the county.
There is a stony ridge in the southern part of the township.
Among the early settlers should also be mentioned the Boucher families, Peter Lantz, Isaac Dewitt, Frederick Waggoner, Ira Taft, William Blue, Israel Harmas, W. Burgess, Peter Wanner, M. Clark, Louis Schany, William Clark, E. H. Cook, E. Brayton, the Jenkins', Joseph Clapper, John Ellerton, Henry Mulholland and C. Woolford.
JOHN YOUNG
Settled in the woods about half way between Springville and New Reigel, in the spring of 1833. He came from near Canal Dover, where he hired a four horse team to bring him here It took him three weeks to get here, and the few inhabitants of Springville were about one-half whites, and the others Indians. Here Mr. Young met a man whom he once knew in Stark county, by the name of Jacob Gwyer who offered to pilot Young to his land, and said he lived near Springville, and pre- tended that he had to go home first to get the number of the section; but instead of going he lingered around, and was seen several times peeping into the big wagon, no doubt watching for a chance to get into the big chest. When Mr. Young told him that it was time to get the
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map, he went away and never returned, but was seen by some hunters sneaking around the camp the following night, dressed in an Indian costume.
On the next day Mr. Young moved out onto his land, where the family was left in the woods, and the teamster returned to Jenkins' to feed Jenkins kept a sort of trading post at the Spring. To get onto , the land was no small job. There was no road that way, and the swales were full of water. Night overtook them before the land was reached. They unhitched, cut some wild grass for the horses, and ate and slept in the wagon. Mr. Young's family consisted of himself, his wife and three small boys. His father and his wife's brother came out here with him to see him get started in the woods.
At night the men took turn about in watching. They kept up a large fire, and had a Newfoundland dog with them, who saved their lives, as will soon appear. On the next day they reached the land, about two o'clock, where they hastily unloaded, to give the teamster time to re- turn to Springville to feed his starving horses. The men then put up a very temporary shanty by planting four forks into the ground, upon which poles were laid, and covered with clap-boards in a very rude manner. This "Grand Hotel de Young" answered the purpose about ten days, when the other house was ready to move into.
Just as the family were about to retire on the first night in this shanty, the big dog sprang out into the darkness, barking very fiercely. He saw a man, and would have taken hold of him had not Mr. Young called him away. Mr. Young thought it was some hunter or friendly Indian that wanted to see the new-comers, but the man walked away, and Mr. Young concluded that, it was Gwyer. Mr. Young's horse was let loose, and the cow was driven away that night. This created the fear in Mr. Young's mind that this plan would make the men run after the lost animals next day, and give the villain an opportunity to rob the shanty. There was no money in it, however, for Mr. Young had used it about all to pay for his land. Gwyer some time afterwards confessed the whole plan. The men were on the lookout, and kept themselves well armed.
This Jacob Gwyer was afterwards arrested for murdering a man named Boyd, near Bucyrus. When his arrest took place in Detroit, he confessed the murder and several robberies, for which he had never been blamed; also his attempt to rob Samuel Young. Before the day arrived for the execution, he and three horse-thieves made their escape to Ohio, and Gwyer was re-arrested near Dayton, where his wife lived. While there in prison he cut his throat with a knife.
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Samuel Young was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, August 13th, 1794. He was a cooper by trade. He married Isabella Sutton, November 17th, 1818. He was five feet six inches high, had black hair and deep blue eyes, light complexion short stubby nose, small mouth and chin, and was rather delicate in his features. He spoke some German, and was always very lively in conversation. He was a pleasant and peaceable man and esteemed for his good qualities and christian bear- ing. He served on juries often and refused several times to serve as a township officer: He died many years ago. Mrs. Young is still living at her home in Adrian. She is now 78 years old and enjoys the love and respect of all her neighbors and especially that of her children and grand-children, who annually gather around her with their smiles and congratulations.
Mr. Young was 63 years old when he died here in 1859.
Mrs. Young was born December 31, 1802, and enjoys very good health for a lady of her age. She is the mother of ten children.
In those early days a large family was a pride and a glory. The sin and crime of avoiding to have a family, are the .children of these later days; sins and crimes that are not punished by law, and against which the church shuts both eyes, but the victims may be counted by the thousands.
What will the world come to when this dreadful crime reaches the masses and religion fails in her mission to save?
THEODORE M. FRINK, ESQ.
Among the few native Americans that live near New Reigel and have not yet sold out to the Germans is Theodore M. Frink. Esq., the sub- ject of this sketch. ,
He was born in West Springfield, Hamden county, Massachusetts, at a place where Holyoke City now stands, on the south bank of the Connecticut river. When about 17 years old he moved with his father to Northampton. On the 25th of April, 1832 he was married to Miss Sabeah Torry, and in May, 1836, he started with his family for the west. For want of any better conveyance they took a canal boat at West Troy for Buffalo, and from there they came by steamer to Cleve- land and then made their way to Ravenna, Portage county, where a brother of his wife then lived. This brother-in-law, Torry, had a son living in Tymochtee, who had come home on a visit. With him Squire Frink came west in October of that year and bought the land where he still resides. This took about all the money he had, and he made his way back to Ravenna, one hundred and fitty miles, on foot. In Janu-
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ary following he bought a yoke of oxen, made a sled, put his wife and goods upon it and started for Big Spring. Here he opened a farm. where he is now comfortably situated. During all this time he has enjoyed the respect and esteem of the good people of Big Spring to such an extent that for eight years he served them as a trus- tee, and as justice of the peace ever since 1848. What better proof can be required of his good report among his neighbors? There is no man living in the township who stands better in the esteem of its citi- zens than Squire Frink. His good counsel is sought daily and he has saved many litigations by his good advice. His first wife died on the 3d of February, 1855. He was married to his present wife July 3, 1862. The Squire remains among his neighbors as one of the olden school, and as the years increase, the esteem of the people for his white head grows in proportion.
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CHAPTER XXXI. BLOOM TOWNSHIP.
T. I, N. R. 16 E.
TN the preceding chapters the recurrences to Bloom township and ts early settlers were so frequent that very little else seems proper be said in making up its history. One feature, however, must be admitted by all, viz: that the early settlers here were men of good judg- ment and great sagacity, when they resolved to drive their stakes for homes. They saw in the near future the grandeur, beauty and agricul- tural wealth these valleys, in the hands of industry, intelligence and economy, would present to the world Its soil, timbers, building stones, prospects for market, all these and more, were great incentives for the founding of new homes in the forest. A glance at Bloom township now, with its beautiful farms in a high state of cultivation, with large barns, splendid farm houses, fields teeming with rich crops, its pastures enjoyed by excellent stocks of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs; its com- modious school houses and churches, etc., give strong proof how well the aim of the pioneer settler was directed when first the tall timbers fell by the woodsman's axe, along Honey creek and Silver creek, running through the township.
Thomas Boyd was one of the earliest settlers here. He came in 1822, and settled on section eleven, where he lived until his death, which occurred November 27th, 1847. Soon after him came also his brother, James Boyd, and his widowed sister, Mrs. Mary Donnell. Mrs. Thomas Baker is a daughter of James Boyd, and is still living. Her father moved to Iowa, where he died. Thomas Boyd had four sons: James, Jesse, Jefferson and Samuel, of whom Jesse is the only one liv- ing. He is a wealthy farmer at Springfield, Ohio.
Thomas Boyd was a remarkable man. He was of fair complexion; . his hair was thin and white; he had a nervous temperament, and was very active. He was about six, feet high, very raw-boned, and a little stoop shouldered, very careless about his dress, very talkative, and
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possessed of a great quantity of good sense. He belonged to the Pres- byterian church, and was very outspoken on the subject of slavery. While he was a pioneer on the frontier, he was also a pioneer in the then young idea of abolitionism. He made war on both the old par- ties who could see no constitutional way to get rid of the institution. Nor could the Abolitionists; but with them the system was wrong, and that was enough The task was not so easy with statesmen, however, who regarded the rights and integrity of states as fixed principles in our form of government. The institution fell, as a result of the re- bellion, and we are all Abolitionists now. Arms and " higher law " in deadly conflict sometimes accomplish ends that statesmanship tremblingly abandon.
In the same year Joseph Birnside arrived here from Fairfield county, and settled near the mouth of a little run that puts into Honey creek just a little north of Bloomville, but ascertaining soon that the land had been entered by somebody else (Mr. Reber), he moved into Clinton township, and bought the land just east of the new cemetery, where he lived the rest of his days.
In 1823 came also Joseph McClelland and Nehemiah Hadley, who were followed by George Free, Lowell Robinson, John C. Martin and Thomas West, with their families. Mr. Martin and Mrs. West are still living in Bloom. James Boyd settled on section eight, on the left bank of Honey creek. George Free settled on section three, near the " Goose Pond," which was a considerable body of water in a bend of Honey creek. Lowell Robinson settled on section eight. He died in California. Mr. Robinson was one of the associate judges of Seneca county, a large muscular man, and possessed of a good quantity of common sense. He was a good neighbor, and rather popular. His wife was a very small woman, and for some reason or other the two did not live very happily together. One time, while Mr. Robinson was yet associate judge, his wife prosecuted him for assault and battery, and the Judge was bound over to the court of common pleas. He was in- dicted by the grand jury, and when the case came up for trial, the Judge had to leave the bench, come down to the trial table, and act the part of a prisoner. During the trial of the case the testimony disclosed, among other things, the fact that one morning, while the Judge was down upon his knees before a chair, at prayer, with his head down, Mrs. Robinson put a saddle on his back and jumped up on to it. For this he probably struck her.
Dr. Graves used to tell a good joke on Judge Robinson, sometimes in his company. Judge Robinson had a very large mouth. He came
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to Dr. Graves one day to have a tooth pulled. He sat down on a chair, . and when the Doctor came up to him with his turnkey Judge Robinson opened his mouth very wide, and Dr. Graves said to him, " Never mind, Judge, I prefer standing on the outside."
Thomas West settled on section three also, but soon sold out to David Roop, and moved on to section ten, where he lived many years. and then sold to Jacob Detwiler, when he moved to Bloomville, where recently he died.
Mrs. Donnell bought a piece of land near that of her brother Thomas. Her land had a very fine spring on it, which still bears her name. She sold out and went to Iowa with her brother James.
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