History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 4

Author: Thaddeus S. Gilliland
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 870

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During our progress, we had been constantly threatened by the authorities of Michigan, and spics from the Territory, for the purpose of watching our movements and ascertaining our actual strength, were almost daily among us.

On Saturday evening, the 25 ult., after having per- formed a laborious day's service, your commissioners, together with their party, retired to the distance of about one mile south of the line in Henry county,

within the State of Ohio, where we thought to have rested quietly and peaceably enjoy the blessings of the Sabbath-and especially not being engaged on the line-we thought ourselves secure for the day. But contrary to our expectations at about twelve o'clock in the day, an armed force of about fifty or sixty men hove in sight, within musket shot of us. all mounted upon horses, well armed with muskets and under the command of General Brown of Michigan. Your com- missioners, observing the great superiority of force, having but five armed men among us, who had been employed to keep a lookout and as hunters for the party, thought it prudent to retire and so advised our men. Your commissioners, with several of their party, made good their retreat to this place. But. sir, we are under the painful necessity of relating that nine of our . men, who did not leave the ground in time. after being fired upon by the enemy, from thirty to fifty shots, were taken prisoners and carried away to the interior of the country. Those who were taken were as fol- lows, to-wit: Colonels Hawkins, Scott and Gould, Major Rice, Captain Biggerstaff and Messrs. Els- worth, Fletcher, Moale and Rickets.

We are happy to learn that our party did not fire a gun in return and no one was wounded. although a ball from the enemy passed through the clothing on one of our men.

We have this day learned by some of the men. who were arrested and have just returned, that they were taken to Tecumseh under the escort of the armed force: were there brought before a magistrate for examination : that they denied the jurisdiction; but that six entered bail for their appearance: two were released as not guilty, and one to-wit. Mr. Fletcher. refused to give bail and is retained in custody. We are also further informed by unquestionable authority, that. on the Sabbath day, an armed force of several hundred men were stretched along the line to the cast of us, with a view to intercept us on our way.

Under the existing circumstances and in the pres- ent threatening attitude of affairs, your commissioners have thought it prudent for the interest of the State, as also for the safety of her citizens and to prevent the threatened effusion of blood. to withdraw from the line and at present suspend the further prosecution of the work until some efficient preparatory measure can be taken which will insure the completion of the under- taking. All of which is respectfully submitted.

JONATHAN TAYLOR, J. PATTERSON, Commissioners. URI SEELY,

J. E. Fletcher refused to give or receive

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HISTORY OF VAN WERT COUNTY

bail, when offered, and was placed in jail in Tecumseh from where he reported to Governor Lucas.

B. F. Stickney, of Toledo, was arrested for his adherence to the Ohio faction and taken to Monroe and placed in jail, from where he re- ported to Governor Lucas.

N. Goosell, also of Toledo, was arrested and taken to Monroe, where he was held pris- oner for some days, and then allowed to return to Toledo, from where he reported to Governor Lucas.

These proceedings created great excitement throughout Ohio. The Governor called an extra session of the Legislature, to meet June 8th. That body passed an act to prevent the forcible abduction of the citizens of Ohio. The act had reference to count-acting the previous acts of the Legislative Council of Michigan, and made the offense punishable in the Peni- tentiary for not less than three nor more than seven years. They also passed an act to create the county of Lucas out of the north part of Wood County, embracing the disputed terri- tory north of it and a portion of the northwest corner of Sandusky County. They also passed an act appropriating $300,000 and authorizing the Governor to borrow $300.000 more, to carry into effect all laws in regard to the north- ern boundary.

They also adopted a resolution inviting the President to appoint a commissioner to go with the Ohio commissioners to run and remark the Harris line.

Until this time the citizens in the disputed territory had been divided, part adhering to Michigan and part to Ohio.

But now a new move was made-one of diplomacy. In February, 1820, the Ohio Leg- islature passed an act appointing three com- missioners to locate a route for a navigable canal between Lake Erie and the Ohio River. An officer was appointed to definitely locate the line of the canal to Lake Erie. but when he reached Toledo, he found the citizens divided in their allegiance to the State of Ohio and the Territory of Michigan. He told them that Ohio would never consent to build the canal to Toledo if it was to become a part of Michi- gan. It is wonderful how rapid a change of heart occurred, and from that time on the united influences of her citizens were with Ohio.

On June 15, 1836, Michigan was admitted into the Union with her southern boundary limited to the Harris line. There had been bit- ter feeling engendered, some bloodshed and much money expended in the controversy, but now the storm was over. If all were not satis- fied. they at least acquiesced.

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CHAPTER III

TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES-CANALS AND RAILROADS

THE CANAL IN THIE MAUMEE VALLEY.

In 1820 the Legislature of Ohio appointed three commissioners to locate a route for a navigable canal between Lake Erie and the Ohio River, and provided for its location through the Congress lands purchased of the Indians a few years before.

Little or nothing was done until 1824, when a survey and estimates were made for a canal from the Ohio River at Cincinnati through the Maumee Valley to the Maumee River at Defiance, and thence along the north- west bank of the river to the head of the bay. One half or more of the survey was through an unbroken forest, from St. Marys to the Auglaize, for 40 miles there was not a house. In June, 1826, the survey of the Wabash divi- sion was begun, but little progress was made. Colonel Shriver, at the head of the surveying party from the beginning. In March, 1827, whole party. He was succeeded by Col. Asa Moore, his assistant, who continued the sur- vey through 1826 and 1827 along the Wabash, and in 1827 and 1828 along the Maumee, until Colonel Moore also fell a victim to the disease. so prevalent, dying in his tent at the head of the Maumee rapids.

The survey was completed by Col. Howard Stansberry, who had been a member of the party from the beginning. In March, 1827. Congress granted to the State of Indiana a quantity of land equal to one-half of five sec-

tions in width on each side of the proposed canal. An act to aid the State of Ohio in ex- tending the Miami Canal from Dayton to Lake Erie, and to grant a quantity of land to the State to aid in the construction, was passed May 24, 1828.

The work on the canal dragged along very slowly, from the middle of August until the middle of October. Men could not be had to face the dread disease, ague, and labor on the canals had virtually to cease during these months; during the rainy season the Black Swamp, as all the Maumee Valley was termed, was impassable for teams to bring in supplies ; and, to add to the difficulties, the contractors had frequently to stop for want of money to pay their hands, at times work having to be entirely suspended on account of the failure of the State to furnish money. In the annual report, dated January 2, 1843, the commis- sioners state that for the previous 15 months not a dollar in money had been paid to the contractors, and that there was then due about $500,000.

The Ohio division, known as the Miami and Erie Canal, was opened for business in June, 1845. Thus it will be seen that the Ohio canals were commenced in 1825 and completed in 1845, or a period longer than it is estimated that it will take to construct a sea-level canal at Panama.

Yet none but an early settler can conceive what the difficulties were, that were contended'

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with. The greatest of these was chills and fevers. It was a brave man that could be in- duced to labor on the canal in the Black Swamp from July until November. Many gave up their lives to the dread enemy.

But with the opening up of the canal to commerce. a new impetus was given to the settlement of Northwestern Ohio. To the markets that sprang up along the canal, grain was hauled 20 and 30 miles, and lumber, staves and hoop-poles from 10 to 15 miles.

RAILROAD BUILDING.

But the human race is never satisfied. No sooner than the people of Northwstern Ohio had the canal, than they clamored for more rapid transportation. And so what was then known as the Ohio & Indiana Railroad was built from Crestline to Fort Wayne. Indiana. It was completed in 1853 to Lima: to Van Wert in 1854; and to Fort Wayne in 1855. This road afterward became the Pittsburg. Fort Wayne & Chicago. The Dayton & Michigan was built in 1858; the Lake Erie & Western in 1872; the Chicago & Erie in 1881: the Ohio Southern in 1894: the Lima Northern in 1897; and the Columbus & Lake Michigan in 1898. The Wabash was built to Fort Wayne in 1856; the Grand Rapids & Indiana in 1870; the Fort Wayne, Jackson & Saginaw (now the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern) in 1870: the Muncie (now the Lake Erie & Western) in 1872; the New York. Chicago & St. Louis ( Nickel Plate) in 1882; and the Findlay. Fort Wayne & Western (now the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton) in 1892. The Toledo, Delphos & Indianapolis. built in July. 1875: the Delphos & Kokomo, built in 1877: the Delphos, Bluffton & Frankfort. the Toledo. Cincinnati & St. Louis. the Dayton, Coving- ton & Toledo, the Cincinnati Northern. the

Dayton & South-Eastern, the Toledo & Grand Rapids, and the Toledo & Maumee at some point were all merged in 1877 into what was known as the Toledo, Cincinnati & St. Louis system of over 700 miles of narrow gauge road, which have since been changed to stand- ard gauge; although each was a small affair. they answered their purpose in their day, and helped to develop the country.

Such have been the rapid strides in railroad building in half a century, that one is hardly ever out of sight of the smoke of a locomotive, or the sound of a train of cars, and yet if the equipment of the roads were increased 33 per cent., they would not be able to handle the produce and merchandise promptly. The num- ber .of railroads built in the last half century but faintly explains the growth of transporta- tion. In 1855 a car-load of grain, lumber, or other articles was 18.000 lbs. and 14 cars on our level roads was a train load. Now a min- imum car-load is 40.000 lbs .. and many of their new cars the railroads insist on being loaded to 110,000 Il:s .. and a train load is anywhere from 40 to 60 cars.

With the double tracks and the improved system of running their trains. the increase of capacity of the transportation lines is beyond computation and yet wholly inadequate.

In 1856 the rate of freight from Chicago to New York was 56 cents per 100 pounds, and railroad men said they did not believe it would ever be profitable at that. Now they are anx- ious to get it at one-fourth that rate.

What must have been the surprise of a del- egation of Wyandot Indians, who visited their former home, Upper Sandusky, a few years ago. And yet sight only reveals a tithe of the improvement.

To enter upon a description of the advance made in improvements in the fields of either agriculture or manufacture would be so far be-

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

yond the comprehension of the writer that he will not attempt it. Let the fact that the vast improvement in railroad facilities has fallen so far short of the needs of the community answer.

And yet the rounding out of another half century will not exhaust the capacity for im- provement of the Black Swamp of North- western Ohio.

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CHAPTER IV

NORTHWESTERN OHIO AND THE BLACK SWAMP

Description and History of the Counties of Allen, Auglaisc, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Lucas, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Williams and Wood-Life Among the Pioneers-The Indian Character, Customs and Religion Described-Corn Fields and Gardens of the Red Men-A Game of Indian Foot Ball-Indian Wars-Famous Chiefs-Story of the Notorious Girtys-Battles and Incidents of the War of 1812- Famous Generals of the Civil War-Discovery of Oil and Gas-The Grand Reservoir -Population Statistics.

ALLEN COUNTY.

This county was formed April 1, 1820, being named for Col. Ethan Allen, of Revolu- itonary fame. It was formed out of the lands obtained from the Indians, in the treaty of 1818. Its history during the stirring times of the War of 1812 and the Indian wars was confined to the western part of the county. In 1812 Colonel Poague, of General Harrison's army, built a fort on the west bank of the Auglaize River, and named it "Fort Amanda" for his wife. In the following year there were a number of scows built here for the naviga- tion of the Auglaize River which was then navigable for fair-sized flatboats and pirogues. A national cemetery was established here. The first settlers in the county located at Fort Amanda in 1817, and the first white child born in the county was born here to Andrew Russell and wife and became the wife of Charles C. Marshall, a long-time resident of

Delphos. Samuel McClure settled on the Ottawa River, northwest of Lima, in 1825. His nearest neighbors at that time lived near Fort Amanda and near Roundhead. In 1826 Morgan Lippincott. Benjamin Dolph and Jo- seph Wood settled on Sugar Creek. Lima, the county seat, was laid out by Capt. James Riley in 1831, on land purchased by the State of Ohio for that purpose, and afterwards paid. for by the commissioners out of the proceeds of the sale of lots. In August, 1831. the name was suggested by Judge Patrick G. Goode. Among the first settlers in Lima, were Absa- lom Brown, John P. Mitchell, John F. Cole, Dr. William Cunningham, John Brewster, David Tracy, John Mark and John Bashore.

Robert Bower, who came to Lima with his parents in 1834, and who knew every man and child in the town, says in his reminiscences that the latch strings of the citizens were always out and they were always ready to share the last pint of meal with the needy, regardless

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

of where the next was to come from. As the nearest mills were at a great distance and there were no rods to speak of, they had recourse to hand mills and the tin grater. He says : "My daily labor was to gather corn and dry it in a kiln, after which I took it on a grater made from an old copper kettle or tin bucket, and after supper made meal for the johnny- cake for breakfast : after breakfast I made meal for the pone for dinner; after dinner. I made meal for the mush for supper."

Their house was up-to-date, was made of round logs, with clapboard roof, and puncheon

VIEW OF LIMA FROM THE WAPAKONETA ROAD-1846. Showing the Covered Bridge over Hog Creek and the Second Court House.

From lowe's "Historical Collections of Ohio."

floor, and had a parlor. dining room, kitchen and work shop, but for convenience sake all were in one.

The changes that have taken place in the last 70 years are wonderful. The Ottawa Riv- er. that was then called "Hog Creek." from the Indian words Koshko Sepe, which Count Cof- finkerry changed to Savinonia in one of his poems. is now only sufficient for drainage for the city and surrounding country. In former years when high water came. it was weeks before they subsided. The growth of Lima was greatly accelerated by the discovery of oil by Benjamin C. Faurot in drilling for gas. And it is safe to say that Lima owes her prosperity

more to Benjamin C. Faurot than to any man that has ever lived there.

The population of the cities and villages of Allen County was as follows in 1900:

LaFayette 316

West Cairo 3.38

Harrod 370

Elida 440

Beaver Dam 477

Bluffton

1.783

Spencerville 1,874

Delphos (2,289 in Allen County) 4.517

Lima

21,723

Allen County in 1830 had a population of 578: in 1900 the population was 47.976.

AUGLAIZE COUNTY

Was formed in 1848. from parts of Allen. Putnam, Van Wert. Mercer, Darke, Shelby and Logan counties, and is the southern extremity of the Black Swamp. It occupies the dividing line between the waters of Lake Erie and the Ohio River. The writer recollects, when a boy. of hearing a man say that he lived on the very top of the dividing ridge and that when he filled his hog trough too full, what ran out of the south end ran to the Ohio River, and what ran out of the north end ran to Lake Erie.

The Shawnee Indians had their headquar- ters at Wapakoneta, and gave the name to the town. They remained there until they were re- moved west of the Mississippi in 1832. The following year Wapakoneta was platted by the original proprietors-Robert J. Skinner. Thom- as B. Van Horne. Joseph Barnett. Jonathan K. Wilds and Peter Aughenbaugh.

Judge Burnet, of Cincinnati, who held court at Detroit in 1796, relates that in one of his trips from Cincinnati to Detroit on horseback. he stopped at Wapakoneta and called upon the old chief. Bohengeehalus, who received him kindly and called in some of the young men. requesting them to get up a game of foot ball.

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HISTORY OF VAN WERT COUNTY

A purse of trinkets was soon made up and all the village gathered on the lawn. The men played on one side and the women on the other. The rules did not allow the men to touch the ball with their hands on penalty of forfeiting the purse, while the women had the privilege of picking it up, running with it and throwing it as far as they could. When a woman had the ball, the men were allowed to catch and shake her and even throw her on the ground, if necessary to extricate the ball from her hand, but they were not allowed to touch or move it, except with their feet. At the opposite ex- tremes of the lawn, stakes were placed about six feet apart. The contending parties placed themselves in front of the stakes, the men on one side and the women on the other. The party that succeeded in driving the ball through the stakes at the goal of their opponents were the victors and received the purse. All being ready the old chief went to the center of the lawn and threw up the ball making an exclamation in the Shawnee language. when he immediately retired and the game began. The parties were very evenly matched, being about a hundred on a side. The game lasted more than an hour with great animation, but was finally de- cided in favor of the women, by the power of a woman who secured the ball and held to it. in spite of the men who seized her and attempted to shake it from her uplifted hand. She drag. ged them along until sufficiently near to throw it beween the stakes. The women were most active and most frequently had possession of the ball; then the young men would immediate- ly seize them and always succeeded in rescuing the ball but frequently not until their female competitors were thrown on the grass. When the contending parties retired from the field of strife. it was pleasant to see the feeling of exul- tation depicted on the faces of the victors.

David Robb, one of the agents for the re- moval of the Indians, had some great exper- iences among them. He says that intemperance prevailed to a great extent among the Indians. Yet there were those who refused to associate with those that drank. The temperate class cultivated their little farms with a degree ot taste and judgment and some of them could cook a good meal and could make good butter and cheese. Many of them were quite ingen- ious mechanics, had a fair knowledge of the use of tools, and could manufacture all needed farm implements. He says there is, with all their foibles and vices, something fascinating in the Indian character, and one cannot long associate with them without having a growing attach- ment for them. He says the Indian is emphat- ically the natural man, and it is easy to make an Indian out of a white man, but very difficult to civilize and Christianize an Indian.

At an early day a Society of Friends was established among the Shawnee at Wapakonet. where they erected a grist-mill, and a sawmill. and built a residence for Isaac Harvey the sup- erintendent. and his family. Under his instruc- tion. the Indians acquired considerable profi- ciency in farming and rapid progress in civili- zation, and in the acquisition of property. Do- mestic animals were introduced, and the horse brought into use to relieve the women of the labor of plowing the land, and carrying the bur- (lens. After overcoming their parents' aver- sion to having their children educated. the young people made rapid progress in their studies. When the Indians were removed to Kansas, the Friends' mission, under the care of Henry Harvey, went along and there he re- mained until 1842.

St. Marys, on the bank of the Grand Reser- voir. was noted in an early day as being the village of the Shawnees, with whom James

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\ T REPLESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

Girty lived. General Wayne gave it the name of "Girty's town".

It is also noted as being the last resting place of that noble patriot and brave soldier, Gen. August Willich. When treason threatened the life of the nation. he offered his service as a private in the Ninth Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., and afterward helped raise the 32nd Indiana Regiment, composed of Germans, which he commanded until he was promoted to a brig- adier general, in July, 1862. He was brevetted major general in 1865. He was idolized by the soldiers of his regiment and of the brigade, and had the confidence of the whole army. Where Willich ordered the men they were ready to go, knowing he would not send them where he was not willing to go himself.

At the battle of Liberty, in the opening of the Rosecrans campaign, General Willich took the gap with his brigade. Rosecrans character- ized it as the finest fighting he witnessed dur- ing the war (the 15th and 49th Ohio belong- ed to his brigade).

At the battle of Mission Ridge, Grant gave his orders for the center to take the enemy's works at the foot of the ridge, and stay there. Willich's and Hazen's brigades were in the front, with Sheridan's and other brigades in the rear. The whole line moved in double-quick time through woods and fields and carried the works. Willich's brigade go- ing up under the concentrated fire of batteries located at the point where two roads met. At this point General Willich saw that to obey General Grant's order and remain in the works at the foot of the ridge would be the destruc- tion of the center ; to fall back would be the loss of the battle with the sacrifice of Sherman. In this emergency. with no time for consultation with the division general or any other com- mander, he sent three of his aids to different

regiments and rode himself to the Eighth Kan- sas, and gave the order to storm the top of the ridge. This was done as if on parade, and was the wonder of the world, as to its conception and the brilliance of its conception.

New Bremen was settled in 1832 by a com- pany organized in Cincinnati for the purpose of locating a town and colonizing it with Ger- mans. On a tract of 10 acres they laid out 102 lots, each 66 by 300 feet. Each member was entitled to one lot and the rest were offered for sale at $25 each. The plat was recorded in Mercer County, June 11, 1833. The journey of the first six members of this company from Cincinnati occupied 14 days. This colony was composed of Protestants and a house of wor- ship was built in 1833, at a cost of $40, which answered for both church and school.

Minster, also a German town, was organ- ized in 1833 by a stock company from Cincin- nati, and was settled by Catholics.

Auglaize County, in 1900, had a popula- tion of 31,192. Following is given a list of the cities and villages in the county, with their population in 1900:

Kossuth 153

New Knoxville

436

Waynesfield 542

Cridersville 581

New Bremen 1,318

Minister 1,468

Wapakoneta 3.915

St. Marys

5,359

DEFIANCE COUNTY.

This county was organized March 4, 1845, from Williams, Henry, and Paulding counties. It takes its name from Fort Defiance.

It was favorably situated for early settle- ment. for at an early day the Maumee. Tiffin, Blanchard. Auglaize, and Ottawa rivers, which center in it, were navigable for pirogues and

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HISTORY OF VAN WERT COUNTY

flatboats-the means by which the settlers were supplied with provisions for many years. The Tiffin from the north was navigable for about 50 miles; the Auglaize as far as Wapakoneta; the Blanchard for many miles; the Maumee as far as Fort Wayne, and then the St. Mary's as far as the town of that name, and the St. Jo- seph for quite a distance. All paid tribute to Defiance and provided markets for her surplus corn,

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History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 4

Author: Thaddeus S. Gilliland Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Number of Pages: 870

Author: Thaddeus S. Gilliland
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 870