USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, from the close of the revolutionary war to July, 1880 > Part 55
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Mr. Maule was six feet two inches tall; his weight was about two hundred pounds. He had but few gray hairs when he died, on the 31st of October, 1866. He was a Quaker, and faithful to his creed; was honest, truthful and quiet. He was the father of six children, four sons and two daughters. Mrs. Maule was born December 14th, 1804, and is still living.
GEORGE SLOSSER
Was born in Washington county, Maryland, in 1770; in 1800 he bought property in Jefferson county, Virginia. He was married to Mary Painter, in Washington county, Maryland, in 1805, and then moved onto his land in Virginia, 133 acres. They had nine children in all, four girls and five boys, who are all living but one. Mr. Slosser moved with his family to Seneca county and located in Hopewell in 1832. Mrs. Slosser died in 1840, aged fifty-three years, and Mr. Slosser died in 1843, aged seventy-three years.
PETER SLOSSER
Is the oldest son of George Slosser, and came out here with his father. He was born July 14th, 1806, and was married to Isabella Mitchell, in Jefferson county, Virginia, March 28th, 1830. He is the father of five living children
Mr. Slosser tells me that one night in March, 1834, a wolf made an attack on his dog, and when Mr. Slosser came up to the combatants, the wolf left the dog and made for Mr. Slosser, who picked up a stick of wood and struck the wolf a heavy blow, which felled him, and was soon dispatched.
In August, the same year, a deer was in his wheat field. Mr. Slosser and his hired man halloed at him, which scared him, and, jumping
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over the rail fence into a brush heap, he became entangled and was killed.
David Fox, Peter Wagner, Abraham Miller, Jacob Bogart, William Rickets, Samuel Kime, Joseph Ogle, Henry Creeger, Jacob Ruie, Charles Chaney, John Chaney, Robert Shippy, Elias. Kime, William Kime and others were neighbors.
JOHN DAWALT
Came to Hopewell in 1833. One time, while he was walking on the road leading from Tiffin to Fostoria, about one- half mile from Bascom, where Mr. Hall now lives, he met a bear on the road, who made for Dawalt. Having neither a gun nor an axe, he defended himself with a hickory cane he had for a walking stick. The bear was very close to him, and Dawalt having no chance to run, it became a fight for life. He belabored the bear with his club in such good style that he came down, and Dawalt killed him. Mrs. Dawalt ran up while the fight was going on, but Dawalt told her to stay away until the danger be over
JOSEPH OGLE.
The road that runs from Tiffin to Fostoria was surveyed along a ridge, and on the highest ground that runs east and west through this township. Along on this ridge and on the banks of the Wolf creeks the first settlements were made. The east branch of Wolf creek runs longitudinal with the river in its general course. Near the southwest corner of section one another branch puts into it from the west. Near the north line of section twenty-three another branch of Wolf creek puts into this east branch
Williard Sprague and Charles and John Chaney had a lease on sec- tion sixteen, known as Hopewell Center. These men, with their fam- ilies, were probably the first settlers in the township. Mr. Peter "Schultz now owns the southeast quarter of the section. Joseph Ogle came to Tiffin on the 15th of June, 1824, and very soon thereafter bought from James Aiken the southwest quarter .of section twenty- three, which has ever since been known as the Ogle farm. When he landed in Tiffin he rented a cabin from Mr. A. Ingraham, and under- brushed a road to his land on Wolf creek. Mr. Ogle's family was the third family that landed in Tiffin after the organization of this county. George Park, Horton Howard and David Bishop were here. Thomas Loyd also, who was then a single man. Mr. Hedges brought on his family about that time. Eben Mills had about thirty acres cleared on land near Mr. Ogle, which he leased to Ogle on shares. During this
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year Ogle built a cabin on his land and moved into it in 1826, in April, and cleared a few acres that year. Thomas Ogle, the oldest son of Joseph, says he cut the first tree on the land. It was not much of a tree, and Thomas was not much of a boy then. Mr. Ogle helped to build the first school house in this township. It was put up on the southeast , quarter of the school section, some two and one-half miles from the Ogle place. Sprague and Charles Chaney split the pungeon for the floor. Mr. Chenowith and John Chaney built the stick chimney. Abraham Miller and Joseph Ogle put up the desks and benches. These were none of your patent benches, by any means, but were constructed in this manner: Two-inch auger holes were bored into the logs along the sides and sticks driven into them about two feet long. Loose clap- boards were laid onto these sticks, and the desk was done. The seats were pungeon benches. Mr. Chenowith was the first schoolmaster in the township, and taught in this school house. Reading, writing and spelling constituted a full course. Mr. Ogle had a son born to him while he lived on the Mills place, and when the family moved into the new cabin, Mrs. Ogle was removed to the house of 'Squire Plane, in Tiffin, with her babe, to remain there until the cabin was dry enough for her to come home in safety. The youngest child, Benj. F. Ogle, was born in the new cabin.
When Mr. Ogle came here, two years before the Hart family, Bar- tholomew Shaull and John A. Rosenberg lived further down the creek. Nathan Cadwalader lived up the creek, in section thirty-four. The Daughertys were also here then. One of the Daugherty girls was married to George Park, in Tiffin, and another to Samuel Hoaglin.
In the spring of 1825, after Hedges' mill first commenced running, they had a sort of celebration there. Mr Ogle and William Stripe hitched up their ox-teams, and Mr. Hedges' ox-team was also hitched up. The women got into the wagons, the men drove the teams and walked to the mill. Here they had a lunch and a general good time. Some washed themselves in corn-meal, and threw meal into each other's faces. It was fun of that peculiar kind, but nevertheless a cel- ebration.
When Mr. Ogle settled on Wolf creek they lived on corn, which they could get no nearer than Upper Sandusky. He and his son, Thomas, rode horseback to the plains, and bought two bags full of corn, each rider having a bag before him The trip took two days. Upon their return the corn was taken to Moore's mill, near Lower Sandusky, to.be ground into meal, which took two days more. Upon their return from the mill they had three bushels of meal, less the toll. A large family
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would soon get away with that quantity of meal, especially when it was bread and dinner for them all.
In the fall of 1826 Thomas Brandt and another Indian came into Ogle's cabin and wanted bread. Brandt was drunk and drew a toma- hawk to strike Mrs. Ogle, but the other Indian stopped him.
The wolves were very plenty, and one evening while Mrs. Ogle was milking the cows near the cabin, a lot of them came close to her, howl- ing, which scared her very much. One evening as the boys were re- turning from spelling school, the wolves got after them and followed them to the house.
Mr. Ogle described to the writer the situation of the brush dam and saw mill of Spencer, and the old fort and stockade then still in good condition.
Joseph Ogle was born in Frederick city, Maryland, February 7, 1781. His father was one of the proprietors of the town. He was married October 15, 1809, in Mechanicstown, Frederick county, Mary- land. They lived on the old Ogle farm, in Frederick county, a while, when they moved to Hagerstown, where he kept tavern; then returned and bought the Ogle farm, sold it afterwards and came to Seneca county.
When he died in January, 1864, he was eighty-three years and eleven months old.
He cleared 130 acres of land on his farm here, and raised eight chil- dren, two having died in childhood.
Mrs. Ogle died in 1876, eighty-seven years old. Six of their children are still living.
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CHAPTER XXXV. JACKSON TOWNSHIP.
T. 3, N. R. 13 E.
T' HIS township was organized on the 4th day of December, 1832. The first election of township officers took place on the 3d day of April, 1833, at the house of Abraham Rinebolt. Christian Foster, John Stombaugh and Michael Stahl were elected trustees; Henry Hoff- man and Abraham Rinebolt, supervisors; Samuel Rinebolt, Andrew Ferrier and Daniel Swope, overseers of the poor; Enoch Trumbo, clerk; Jonas Hampshire and Jacob Hollinger, fence viewers.
In 1840 the population was 586; in 1870 in had increased to 1,131; in 1880 it is 1,394.
Henry Hoffman, in 1827, moved from Perry county, Ohio, and lo- cated on the southeast quarter of section thirty-six, the first settler in the township, and his brother-in-law, Abraham Rinebolt, came from the same county in 1828, and located near him.
Enoch Trumbo is the only old settler living. He came in 1833, and located on section twenty-two, where he still resides. He was once county commissioner, and is highly respected for his good sense and honesty.
Jonas Hampshire located on the northwest quarter of section twenty- two in 1833. He used to take a very active part in public affairs, and was a leader in the Democratic ranks. He was a successful farmer, and has accumulated a handsome fortune. He lives in Wood county now.
Michael Stahl came in 1832, and also located on section twenty-two. Daniel Swope came in 1833, also settled on section twenty-one, and is still there, also one of the oldest settlers living. George Stahl came in 1834. James Robertson, the Hollopeters, William Noble (the father of Hon. Warren P. Noble and Harrison Noble, the present mayor of 'Tiffin), Robert C. Caples, Samuel Yunker, Robert Shippy, Henry Shoutz, Henry F. Johnson, the Long family, Abraham Craun (who is
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still living), Joseph English, Thomas Chance, George Stoner and Christian Foster were among the early settlers.
My good old friend, Henry Stahl, was a boy but fourteen years old when he came to the township in 1836. He married Elizabeth, the daughter of John Reinbolt. He is one of the most substantial men of the township and highly respected for his manly virtues and excellent judgment.
John Lambright, Frederick Feble, William Ash and others, were also prominent citizens.
Isaiah Hollopeter laid out the town of Rehoboth on the 7th of December, 1844, but it never flourished.
The location of the L. E. & L. railroad has brought market to this township, and Jackson station is of great convenience to the people. Some parts of Jackson are rolling and gently undulating, but the larger portion was overflown by Wolf creek and exceedingly undesirable on that account. The settlers entered the dry and best parts and the wet portions could find no purchasers for many years. Even so late as the close of the Mexican war, there were lands in Jackson upon which A. Rank, a . Mexican soldier, located his land warrant. This was the last piece of public land sold in the county.
These swales hindered the progress of Jackson many years, but finally, by judicious ditching, the surface water is led away, and Jack - son will rank among the best townships in the county, there being very little land within its borders, unproductive.
Harrison's creek is one of the tributaries of Wolf creek.
The following is taken from the history of Fostoria and vicinity, by E. W. Thomas, with his kind permission:
In 1832 a large body of Wyandot Indians camped in Jackson township and engaged in their favorite pursuit of hunting game. They killed eleven bears and one hundred and seven deers, besides large quantities of small game. They were remarkably quiet and well disposed towards the whites. They bought potatoes, corn, etc., but in all their transactions were perfectly honest, and if a white family wished to get rid of Indians, they invariably tried to get them in debt, for when they once got an Indian indebted to them he would not call again: but the majority of them could never be induced to go into debt. They would pay up punctually and often bring presents of deer and bear meat.
The first whisky sold in the township was by John P. Gordon. The Indians used to go to his store, then kept in Risdon, and get their fire-water. They would get gloriously fuddled and make the woods resound with their hideous yells. On one occasion, in the fall of 1832, they had been to Gor- don's shebang and imbibed freely of fire-water, and getting their bottles filled, they started for their camp, some four miles distant. They had to
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pass the cabin of Mr. Nestlerode, on what was then known as the island and bears that name to the present time; the same farm now being owned by Mr. Nestlerode, who is a resident of Fostoria. They stopped, as they had been in the habit of doing before, but were drunk. There were some six or seven in the company. When they arrived at Mr. Nestlerode's cabin, they were too drunk to get off their ponies, but Mr. and Mrs. Nestlerode assisted them to dismount. When they entered the cabin, they commenced upsetting chairs, tables and everything that came in their way. They were feeling up for the floor when a general fight ensued between the whole party, except the chief, Thomas Koon, who was sober.
Their scalping knives and tomahawks were brought into use, and the fam- ily were frightened ; the children treed under the beds. But Mr. Nestlerode, by order of the chief, took the knives, tomahawks and guns from them, and their bottles of fire-water also. But the chief feared trouble when they reached their camp, and probably fearing they might return, asked Mr. Nestlerode to hand each Indian his bottle of fire-water ; which was done, and then assisting them on their ponies, they again started for their camp, but had proceeded but a short distance when one of the party became rather top-heavy, and tumbled off. His companions halted, built him a fire, and left him, and proceeded on to their camp. The Indian who had been left, returned to Mr. Nestlerode's the next morning with his clothes badly burned, and when asked what was the matter, replied : " Indian too much drunk : Indian take too much fire-water; Indian sleep close big fire ; fire much burn Indian, but white man get Indian drunk, then cheat Indian much."
On the next day each Indian returned alone for his property, that Mr. Nestlerode had taken from him while drunk. Mrs. Nestlerode was very anxious to get rid of them as soon as possible, so when the first Indian came she brought out all the knives, tomahawks and guns, but he only took what belonged to him, and when each one came he could only be induced to take his own property. They all appeared ashamed of what they had done the day before, and like Adam in the garden of Eden, they lay the blame on some other person. " Bad white man ; sell Indian fire-water: Indian get much drunk ; Indian bad ; white man cheat Indian."
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CHAPTER XXXVI. LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
T. 3, N. R. 14 E.
T HIS township was organized on the 5th day of June, 1832. The first election took place April Ist, 1833, when the following per- sons were elected as township officers, viz
Trustees-John Rosenberger, Evan W. Brook, Jacob Kaine.
Clerk-John Craun.
Constables-Eben Conway and Nicholas Rumbaugh.
Supervisors-Adam Fleck, Isaac Hartsock, James Hudson, Levi Crissey and Joseph S. Conway.
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In 1840 the population was 1,084; in 1870 it was 1,668 and in 1880 it is 2,159.
An area of nearly a mile wide and three miles long, in the north- eastern part of the township, is one of those stoney ridges that are found very frequently throughout the northwestern portion of Ohio. In some places the limestone rocks cover the ground almost entirely. In other localities, near the ridge, they are strewn less thickly and the land is cultivated. The township generally is free from stone, which makes this spot rather remarkable from a geological standpoint. It is otherwise level but very fertile and undulating in some localities. Large crops are raised here annually. The western branch of Wolf creek passes in a northeasterly direction through Liberty, driving sev- eral saw mills. The supply of water is sufficient to run three mills six months in each year.
A town by the name of Middleburgh was surveyed by D. Risdon, on the 8th of September, 1832, and on section nine. The land was formerly owned by Jacob Kessler. The town never flourished.
On the 12th of April, 1838, John Betts, a very enterprising citizen, laid out a town on section three, and called it Bettsville; David Risdon was the surveyor. It is situate near the west branch of Wolf creek and has now over one hundred dwellings, two churches, one saw mill
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and sash and blind factory and several stores and shops. The large brick steam flouring mill is doing a good business. Since the location of the Toledo, Tiffin & Eastern railroad the business of the town has . improved very materially and is constantly on the increase. Fine brick residences have been erected and the town has assumed a very business- like appearance, and the warehouse of Flumerfelt & Titus has greatly added to its trade.
Abraham Ash, guardian of Jacob Ash, on the 9th day of March, 1855, laid out the town of Kansas, near the northwest corner of the township. It is on the line of the Lake Erie & Louisville railroad. It is fourteen miles from Tiffin and thirteen miles from Fremont. The town has one dry goods store and a store of general variety, one grocery and pro- vision store, one cooper shop, one blacksmith shop, one wagon shop, one stove factory, one steam saw mill and one steam grist mill. There are about fifty dwellings, occupied by over two hundred inhabitants.
The soil of the township is rich and very productive.
James Grimes, Jacob Null, Daniel Lynch, the Brickners, Gassinan, Lendelbachs, Smiths, Zimmer, Jacob Zeis, the Robertsons, John Michaels, Joseph Cessna, David Brown, Reuben Lott, John Powell, John Baughman, George Feasel, Orrin Betts, Barney Zimmerman and others are among the earliest and most prosperous farmers. Daniel Reinbolt settled here in 1828.
On Saturday morning, the 7th day of August, 1880, a fire broke out in the back end of A. W. Day's building, and destroyed nine rooms in Bettsville, and other property, estimated over $11,000. Mr. Betts, Schubert, John Cook, C. Norton, Joe Massony, George Schuster and John Perong were the principal sufferers.
MRS. RACHAEL K. TURNER.
This lady is one of the veteran pioneers of the county, spending the evening of her long, eventful life in the shades of Liberty township.
She was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of July, 1797. In 1817 she came to Perry county, Ohio, where she remained one year with friends and in the following year she went to Fairfield county, where, in January, 1818, she was married to Benjamin Turner. In 1829 they removed to this county and located one mile west of San- dusky street, in Tiffin.
McNeal's store and Smith's tavern were then the principal buildings in town. Their neighbors were the Ogles, Creegers, Cadwalladers, Millers, Jennings, Gordons, Arbogasts, Adelspergers and Graffs. She was well acquainted with Mr McNeal and Mr. Crissey, and knew
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Joseph Jenay, the colored cabinet maker. Crissey was the blacksmith.
In the summer of 1830, when the Senecas prepared for their depar- ture to the west, they came to Fort Ball, where they camped out some two or three weeks and made sale of their ponies and other personal property. General Brish and Mr. Hart went with them to the west.
Mrs. Turner also recollects the excitement occasioned by the acci- dental drowning of Robert Burns and Batholomew Kinney, who at- tempted to cross the river to the Tiffin side for the purpose of buying a yoke of cattle.
In the year 1834 the Turner family removed to the northeast corner of Liberty township, where she still resides. She says: ,
When we came to Fort Ball, we bought 19 acres from Smith, the tavern keeper. We paid him $94 in cash and the other $6 he was to take in game, paying 60 cents for a hind-quarter of deer.
To Mr. C. W. Harris my thanks are due for this statement.
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CHAPTER XXXVII.
LOUDON TOWNSHIP AND FOSTORIA-THE FOSTERS-MARTIN KINGSEED.
T. 2, N. R. 13 E.
T HE commissioners of Seneca county, on the 5th day of March, 1832, organized township 2, N. R. 13, into a legal township, to be known by the name of Loudon. The first election was held at the house of Benjamin Hartley, on the 2d day of April thereafter, and the following named persons were elected to their respective offices, as follows:
Justice of the Peace-Abner Wade.
Clerk-John Tennis.
Trustees-Benjamin Stevens, Peter T. King, John Rickets.
Constable-Samuel Carbaugh.
Supervisor-Benjamin Hartley.
Overseers of the Poor-Abner Wade, Nathan Shippy.
Treasurer-Benjamin Stevens.
Fence Viewers-Nathan Shippy, John Reese, John Shiller.
In 1840 the population of Loudon numbered 763; in 1870 it was 1,400; in 1880 it is 1,277, exclusive of Fostoria.
Besides the officers above named there were also Samuel Bear, Jacob Rumple, Martin Adams, Philip Hennessy. Robert Rainey, Jacob Fruth, George Heming, Peter Ebersole, Henry Sheller, David Young, Conrad Rumple, Jacob Kaiser, John Good, John Reinbolt, Jacob Dillon, Thos. Dillon, the Peter families, Jacob Mergenthaler, the Fishers, and others scattered over the township.
On the 31st of August, 1832, Roswell Crocker caused to be surveyed on section six, of this township, a town that he called Rome. David Risdon was the surveyor. In 1840 it had a population of 80; in 1850 about 300. It is located on the Fort Findlay and Lower Sandusky state road, and upon the Defiance and Tiffin state road, where it crosses with the Bucyrus and Perrysburg road. It is twenty-two miles from Fremont, fourteen and one-half miles from Findlay, fourteen miles from
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Tiffin, thirty-six miles from Bucyrus, twenty-five miles from Upper Sandusky, and close to the Hancock county line. .
A few days after the platting of Rome, on the 6th day of September, 1832, J. Gorsuch caused to be surveyed on section one, T. 2, N. R. 12, in Hancock county, and on section six, in Loudon, another town, which he named after the old surveyor, and called it Risdon.
Mr. Risdon was a distinguished pioneer, and it is to be regretted that some spot in Seneca county could not have been selected to perpetuate his honored name. This town was intended to accomplish this, but failed, as we shall soon see. Mr. Risdon was a surveyor by profession, but otherwise useful in life. He was a tall, slender man, had a bushy head of gray hair, a large blue eye, well proportioned features; stood about six feet high; spoke slow, with a deep, sonorous voice. With his pants in his high top boots, in his Indian hunting shirt, fringed all around, he was the very picture of a pioneer surveyor.
Mr. Risdon, however, did not survey this town alone; he was assisted by William L. Henderson, of Hancock county.
Henry Welch, Jeremiah Mickey and John P. Gordon were the first settlers here.
In 1848 it contained thirty dwellings, one church, one tavern, three stores, one carding machine propelled by steam, one foundry, one tannery, one steam saw-mill, one cabinet shop, one wagon shop, two shoe shops, two saddle shops and three blacksmith shops. In 1850 its population was about 200. It was a post town also, William Thomas being postmaster.
Dr. Marcus Dana and Dr. R. C. Caples were among its inhabitants. The town was platted on the east branch of Portage river.
These two towns of Rome and Risdon, thus adjoining, became rival towns, and it was wise when, in 1854, they became consolidated 'into one town, and named in honor of one of its most distinguished early settlers-Charles W. Foster, the merchant-and called Fostoria.
The country surrounding Fostoria is rich in agricultural resources, but withal, it is astonishing how this town has sprung up into its present magnificent condition. Fostoria is rapidly becoming the rival of all its neighboring towns. Its large and numerous business blocks, its splendid school buildings and churches, its beautiful and numerous private dwellings, exhibiting both taste and comfort, its railroads and other general improvements, denote a most remarkable degree of business life, and prove the energy, industry and the mental and finan- cial capacity of its citizens. Numerous additions have been made to Fostoria from time to time, so that now the corporate limits embrace
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nearly all of section six, extend into section seven, into section thirty- one in Jackson. township, and into Hancock county, covering about one thousand acres of land.
The manufacturing enterprises are constantly increasing, and Fos- toria is decidedly the best railroad center in northwestern Ohio, except Toledo.
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