History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 92

Author: Sutton, R., & Co., Wapakoneta, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Wapakoneta, Ohio : R. Sutton
Number of Pages: 878

USA > Ohio > Mercer County > History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 92
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 92

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Organization.

We find the following entry in the proceedings of the County Com- missioners under date. of March 5, 1839 :-

On application, the Board do now erect and constitute a new town- ship made up of the following territory, to wit: commencing at the southwest corner of Town 5 8., Range 2 E., and running north on the rauge line between ranges one and two, four miles to the northwest cor- ner of Section 18, Town 5 S., Range 2 E., thence east on section line to east line of said township; thence south on range line to southeast cor- ner of said township: thence cast on the line between Towns 5 and 6 to the east line of said Township Range 3, and including so much of Town 6 S., Range 3 E., as lies north of the Grand Reservoir, and as much of Town 6 S., Range 2 E., as ties north of Beaver Creek. The township 80 erected and established will be known by the name of Jefferson, and it is ordered that the Auditor give notice of an election to be bekl on the first Monday in April next at Celina.

Valuation.

The township contains 16,526 acres of land which. inclusive of build- ings. possess a value of $509,510. The lands are distributed as follows: arable, 77-5 acres; meadow, 205 acres ; woodland, $535 acres. Celina Corporation embraces 293 acres, which, including buildings, are valued at $350,750. Of this acreage 162 are arable, 35 are meadow-lands, and 40 are timber lands.

Surface Features,

The surface for the greater part trends southward, the eastern half length finding a drainage outlet directly into Grand Reservoir, while the West half length finds water outlet through the Beaver Creek, which

leads west from the Reservoir through the township to its own out!et in the Wabash River.

Beaver Creek thus forms the direct outlet, but at the same time forms an extensive swamp or marsh of waste lands ranging in width from one. half to two miles. The fall of Beaver Creek is so slight that great dinli- culty is encountered in the effort to properly drain the waste lands which border it upon either bank. During the past year, however, a great effort has been making to reclaim a portion of these, the richest land, of the county, and in this direction a steam dredge has labored for months until it has nearly reached the final outlet, twelve miles west of Celina, which marks the point of easy and free natural descent.

Beaver Creek is thus at once the outlet of the Grand Reservoir, and that of the whole drainage of Jefferson Township, as it flows westward. drawing with it the trend from both the north and south sides of the township.

Election Statistics.

1880. Secretary of State: Charles Townsend, 147; William Lang, 442 : total vote, 590. President : James A. Garfield, 162; Winfield S. Hancock, 42%; Neal Dow, I: total, 559. 1881. Governor: Charles Foster, 155; John W. Bookwalter, 416; Abra- bam R. Ludlow, 24: total, 596.

CELINA,

the county seat, or seat of justice, of Mercer County, is situated in Jefferson Township and on the northwest bank of the Mereer Reservoir. the largest artificial body of water in the world. . The name was given by James W. Riley, one of the proprietors of the original town, because of the resemblance of location to that of Salina, New York, a town with which Mr. Riley was acquainted, and which was situated at the head of Onondaga Lake. The orthography of the name was changed to avoid any confusion which might arise by virtue of different towns bearing the same post-office name.

Description of Plat.

The town is laid out upon the west part of Section 6, Town VL, S. Range II. E., and the east part of Section I., Town VI., S. Range 1I. E. upon a variation of four degrees to the west of magnetic north. The lots from one to one hundred and fifty-six inclusive, are each ten poles Jong by five poles wide. Main and Logan Streets are each six (6) poles wide, Centre Street is three (3) poles wide, and all others four ( +) poles in width, crossing each other at right angles : each alley is one ( 1) } o.e in width, and the block marked Public Square (at the southwest corner of which is planted a stone of about eight inches diameter, with a sharp angular point, as the corner post) is set apart for public purposes, and is twenty-one (21) poles long by fight (8) poles wide: lots number twenty-three (23) and one hundred and nineteen ( 119) are donated for the use of schools, and lot number forty-four (44) for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church ; number one hundred ( 100) for the use of the Baptist Church, and number one hundred and forty-nine ( 143) for the use of the Presbyterian Church, which are to be used for no other purpose.

I certify the above to be a correct plat and description of the town of Celina as laid out by me for the proprietors Sept. 6, 1-34.

JAMES WATSON RILEY, Deputy Surveyor.

State of Ohio, Mercer County #8:

On this eighth day of September, 1834, Rufus W. Stearnes, Robert Linzee, 24, Peter Aughenbaugh, and James Watson Riley came before me, one of the associate judges of said county, and severally acknow !- edged that they had caused to be laid out within said county a town. which they have given the name of Celma; that the within plat an 1 description are accurate; and that in addition thereto they will give three seres of land near said town for a burial ground, on some chethnic situation, free to all denominations.

Sigued : R. W. STEARNES. [SEAL .. ]

ROBERT LINZER, 2d. PETER ALGUIENBALOGH. JAMES WATSON RILEY. |SEAL |

Acknowledged and subscribed before me the eighth day of September. A. D. 1831.

STACEY TAYLOR, Associate Judge.

Entered for record, and recorded Sept. 8, 1834.

J. W. RILEY, Recorder.

344

HISTORY OF VAN WERT AND MERCER COUNTIES, OHIO.

Agreement.

This article of agreement, made and entered into by and between the undersigned as parceners in common, witnesseth; That for the purpose of mutual benefit we have each of us paid in the sum of one hundred dollars, to be laid out in the purchase of lands at the centre of Mercer County, for the purpose of laying out a town, to be called by name of Celina ; and for the purpose of convenience in making sales of said town property, making deeds, etc., we hereby empower one of our number, to wit, Rufus Wilson Stearnes, to make, if possible, the entries of the land in his own name, to make sales, keep the books of the company. make all deeds, etc., etc., during the continuance of this article, and to make all necessary and proper arrangements for furthering the interests of the company in this matter. It is moreover agreed between the con- tracting parties that, as such tenants in common, each shall bear an equal proportion in expenses and share equal profit in dividends, and that when so much money shall be made as to pay the expense and pur- chase, cach shall be entitled to take out his purchase money ; and all moneys arising afterwards may either be taken out, or laid out in other speculations for the company's benefit, as may to the company seem most proper ; and that this contract shall be as good in law, and to all intents and purposes as binding and valid, as if these presents had been in more ample and better form.

PETER AUGHENBAUGH. [SEAL.]

R. W. STEARNES. SEAL.]

J. W. RILEY.

[SEAL.

ROBERT LINZEE, 2d. [SEAL.]

ST. MARYS, MERCER COUNTY, Omo, Aug. 25, 1834.

Endorsements.

The lands bought by virtue of the within contract are the S. W .. of N. W. qr. and N. W. qr. of S. W. qr. of section 6, Town 6 S., Range z E., in the name of J. W. Riley ; the E. half of S. E. qr. and S. E. qr. of N. E. qr. of section 1, Town 6 S., Range 2 E., in the name of Robert Linzce, 2d ; the N. W. qr of N. W. qr. of section 6, Town 6 S., Range 8.E .; the N. E. qr. of the N. E. qr. of section 1, Range 2 E., Town 6 S .; the S. E. gr. of S. E. qr. of section 36. Town 5 S., Range 2 E. ; and the S. W. qr. of S. W. qr. of section 31, Town 5 S., Range & E., in the name of Rufus W. Stearnes; and are to be held in common for the benefit of all parties, in the same manner as if entered in each person's name, in equal proportions or in all jointly.

Extra costs, $69.60, making the whole sum paid $469.16, and each sbare actually paid in, $117.29.

PETER AUGUENBAUGIE. [SEAL. ]

RUFUS W. STEARNES. SEAL.

JAMES WATSON RILEY. LSKAL. ]

ROBERT LINZEE, 2d. LSKAL

ST. MARYS, Omo, Aug. 28, 1834.

State of Ohio, Mercer County ss :

On the eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord 1834. Rofag W. Stearnes, Robert Linzee, 2d, Peter Aughenbaugh. and James Watson Riley, all of whom are personally known to me as the persons they repre- sent themselves to be, personally came before me, one of the associate judges of said county, and severally acknowledged the signing and seal- ing of the within original and supplemental contract as their act and deed, and for the purposes therein expressed.

Given under my hand and seal the date above written.

STACEY TAYLOR, Associate Judge.

Entered for record Sept. 8, 1834. Recorded same day.

J. W. RILEY, Recorder.

Out-lots.

The out-lots north of Celina are laid but on the S. W. gr. of S. W. qr. of section 31, Town 5 S., Range 3 E., and the S. E. qr. of S. E. qr. of section 36, Town 5 S, Range 2 E. The Will-hire and Neptune roads have their starting-point at the township corner, and with a variation of 4- E., bear N. 45- W. and 15º E. Main Street, through the town of Celina, is six rods wide, and extends with the same bearing and width through the out-lots 96 links east of the township line, as is shown in the plat. The centre of the Neptune and Wiltshire roads terminates the lines of each survey. Reference can be had to the plat for the lengthy of all the lines, etc. This survey commences two chains and sixtysix links north of the north line of present recorded plat of the town of Celina, and has been made to correct the error in survey of out-lots laid out upon the same pround by a survey on the 4th day of December, A. D. 1-39, which plat was acknowledged for record and recorded on the 6th day of Jan. 1840, on page 438 of Book HI, and by which no lots were

sold in consequence of the error in laying the main street or road too far west.

I certify said survey to be correctly done to the best of my knowledge. JOHN S. Horsros, County Sur. Mer. Co.

CELINA, Ono, Sept. 5, 1840.

I acknowledge the above as a corrected plat of the out-lots above described according to the original plan, which was not properly under- stood by the surveyor.

J. W. RILEY for R. W. STEARNES & Co.

CELINA, Sept. 5, 1840.

State of Ohio, Mercer County 88:

On this 5th day of September, A. D. 1810, before me, the subscriber, a notary public in and for said county, personally came James Watson Riley for himself and as agent for Robt. Rogers and Rufus W. Stearnes, ail acknowledged the within and description for record.

Given under my hand and official seal this 5th day of September. 1840. JOHN S. HOUSTON, Notary Public. [NOTARIAL SEAL ]

Entered for record Oct. 8, 1840. Recorded Oct. 15, 1840.

J. W. RILEY, Recorder.

The Town and its Founders, from Manuscript Memoirs of W. Willshire Riley, of Cromwell, Conn.

The seat of justice of Mercer County, Ohio, was surveyed by James Watson Riley, for himself and on behalf of Aughenbaugh, Stearnes, and Linzce, joint proprietors of the land. The name given the town was originated by Mr. Riley while on his way to New York to have the map .of the town lithographed. While on this journey he paused at Salina, Onondaga County, N. Y., and was impressed by the similarity of loca- tion to that of the town he had just platted. The surface in each case was level, the one town at the head of a natural lake, the other at the bead of an artificial lake. Still, to name his new town Salina might give rise to confusion of post-offices, and Mr. Riley resolved to avoid this, and yet secure the name. Both objects were secured by changing the orthog- raphy.

In August, 1840, I went out from New York to visit my brother. who was prostrated by congestive fever. He soon recovered, however, and as the political campaign of " Tippecanoe and Hard Cider" was opened he entered the campaign with great enthusiasm. His home was vet at St. Marys, although the court officers had already been removed to Celina, and so he rode back and forth between these towns, as he held the offices of clerk and recorder. Being a personal friend of Gen. Harrison, and an ardent Whig, he went to Dayton, I accompanying him, to attend the "great gathering" which assembled to hear the general speak. This was among the largest concourses of that memorable campaign. As glee-clubs were singing patriotic songs, my brother hurriedly composed the following panegyrie, dedicated to the " Hero of Tippecanoe," and which was sung to the air of " The Star-Spangled Banner :"

Time : The Ece before the Battle.

" No sound broke the stillness, no breeze stirred the air, And the moon on our white tents shone wan as in sorrow ; The worn soldier slept, but his chieftain stood there, And watched by his war-steed, and thought of the morrow.

His soul-lighted eye was upraised to the sky : In the dread hour of battle, O God, be them nigh, And teach us to thee and our flag to be true,- To conquer, or perish, at Tippecanoe."

But hush, there's a footstep falls faint on the ear ! "Tis the sentinel's tread, for he only is waking. Hark ! another! a shot ! Ah, the Indians are here ! Up! up! and to-arias, boys ; the war-cloud is breaking !

From sununit and dell the night startling yell. Like the howling of fiends, on the sleeper's rars fell ; Rose the voice of Tecumseh, the prophet's voirt, too, Their hosts had surrounded brave " Tippecanoe."

Upstarting, they sprang at their leader's commands.

And grasped their turd weajums in true patriot hands ; But the forumest in battle to date and to do. The bravest, the noblest, was " Tippe canoe. "

Our shot fell like rain ; Teenin-ch was slain ;

The Indians delisted : their dead strewed the plain. The voice of the patriot will ever revere

The heroes who rescued our western frontier.

Now freemen are rallying. north, sonth. cast, and west ; Have chosen for ha for the bravest and best ; Their country they'll save from the Ih merrit crew, And elect lot our Prest leut, " Inpu canve."

345

HISTORY OF VAN WERT AND MERCER COUNTIES, OHIO.

But let us return to Celina. There had been a steam saw-mill erected near the reservoir on out lot No. 1, Gr the purpose of sawing lumber for the centre of the embankment which was there constructing, and also for the court-house then building by the town proprietors. This building was already under roof. The flesk's office was in a one-story frame building, about thirty by-twenty-five feet in dimensions, and in the north end of which was a store. It stood on the west side of Main Street, just south of the public square. The store was owned by Mr. Riley, and was the only one in the town. Mr. Rood was department clerk, and lived in a log cabin, built of round timber, on the south side of Fayette, near Ash Street. Franklin Linzce kept a hotel on the corner of Main and Warren Streets. It was a two-story frame, with an L, kitchen. Another hotel was kept by a Mr. Simmons, on the southeast corner of Sugar and Warren Streets. It was a long hewed log-house of two stories. Benja- min Maurer lived in a log cabin on the southwest corner of Sugar and Logan Streets, and Christian Mamer in a small frame house on Market near Mill Street. Mr. Smith lived in a two-story frame house on Main Street opposite Linzee's. Sheriff Steadman lived in a small log-cabin next the clerk's office, and Mr. Magoon in a cabin near Rood's, on Ash Street. I think all these men had families. A German doctor lived in a little cabin between the office and Linzee's, and Dr. John W. Fulton moved from St. Marys and had his office in a two-story log-house on the northwest corner of Fayette and Ash. There was a cabin on the south- east corner of Logan and Sugar, but it was vacant, as were several others built by Giddings & Biekell, contractors, on the reservoir embankment. Esquire Trenary lived on a farm adjoining the town. He was a black- smith by trade, and had a family. There were several men boarding at the hotels who were engaged on the court-house. Among them were Henry L. Johnson and his brother, who were carpenters, and a Mr. Jacobs, who was a brick mason and plasterer. The latter were employel by my brother to build a brick hotel on lots 259 and 260, being the northeast corner of Market and Main Streets. An amusing incident is here inserted as illustrative of the prejudice against the negroes then recently located at Montezuma, this county, by the executor of the will of the lion. Jolm Randolph, of Virginia. My brother had tr. i for some time without success to get some person to take a contract for making brick. This contract was finally given some negroes, and they at once set about preparing the ground and moulding brick. At this juncture the very white men who had refused to do the work either for cash or in payment of debts made pretense of being anxious to work, and then determined to drive the negroes off by warning them out of ' town as paupers. I had bought the cabins already alluded to as vacant and rented them to the negroes, so that when the malcontents came to warn them out of town they were found to be householdters, carrying out a valuable contract to the satisfaction of my brother. The charge of pauperism miscarried, and the negroes completed their work, unmolested. The house was completed by fall, and my brother and family then oceu- pied il.

The trees yet stood in native grandeur, and consisted chiefly of stately white ash, walnut, hickory, sugar, and elm, the latter in the depression along the line of Walnut Street. The mud was tramped knee deep by the teams engaged upon the embankment, the only walk being a slab one extending between the office, the taverns, and Simmons'. I assisted my brother every way I could, attending to his store, recording deeds, and selling lots and lands. Sometimes riding through the woods to show land to purchasers-I had even to go with some to find the land they bad already purchased. My father and brother having surveyed the lands, they were constantly sought for information, and when I could assist the inquirer I did so. Having so recently left the paved streets of New York city, the mud and water did not agree with my patent leather boots, but the mud could not be avoided, and the water was everywhere.

before. The day arrived-a beautiful Indian summer day-and with it came about seventy experienced choppers to Celina, with axes sharp and glistening, reminding one of the descriptions of the aves of the ancient headsmoen. These modern axes, however, were for better, holier use ; they meant the welfare, not the misery of man, for they produced smile- and not tears. The woodsmen divided into companies of from fifteen to twenty, under a leuler who selected trees in rows, so that by cutting them nearly off' and moving in this manner to the east side, the last row was allowed to fall against the others, causing them all to fall with a thunder-crash, at intervals of about an hour. Eggnog was served in tin pails, with all the sandwiches and doughnuts desired. A barrel of whis- key was weed. although a few of those present used coffee alone. Isaac Handley commanded one of the companies, the other leaders were from a distance, and I have forgotten their names. The men commenced on the corner of Buckeye and Market Streets, and felled all the timber south of Market to the west line of the town plat.

Near the corner of Warren and Sugar Streets stood a white oak giant eight and a half feet in diameter and towering to a lofty height. It was a gratl old " monarch of the forest," and I tried hard to have the wood- men "spare that tree." but they craved the glory of slaying that giant. and I reluctantly yielded assent. It was attacked by eight men, work- ing on four sides, and the whole company assembled near by to witness its fall. It stood in such erect majesty that there was doubt as to the direction in which it would fall, and it was almost cut clear off before it finally yielded to the ruthless axe and came toppling toward the south with a crash which was said to have been heard at St. Marys. It was sixty feet to the first limb, and in order to saw the trank into timber it was necessary to split it into quarters. But the frolic ended, supper was served, and everything cleared away to give place to the dance. This was kept up by many until morning. when all partook of a hearty break- fast and returned to their homes. There was neither accident nor dis- turbanec occurred to mar the pleasure of the occasion, and all departed with pleasant thoughts of the memorable chopping frolic.

The sun looked down approvingly, and dried the mud, "a consumma- tion so devoutly to be wished." The timber was first cut and rolled from the road, the brush was piled and burned, and fencing and fire timber were procured by all who needed either. Hanley was employed to cut wood for the mill at 31} cents per cord, and piled up regularly each day five cords of firewood. By spring a large quantity of the timber had disappeared, and grass came " creeping, creeping everywhere."

During the fall and winter several new settlers arrived. Vincent Bee- bout, a merchant tailor, came from Ft. Recovery. My brother-in-law, John Jay Beach, brought his wife Phebe and their three children here about this time.

Being anxious to complete the court-house, my brother moved here, as already inthated, about the 1st of December. A severe winter ensued, and most of the timber calculated for firewood was used from that already fallen. The Public Square was heavily timbered, and the ground wet. Upon it grew a number of large elm, ash, and becch trees. The plat contained five acres, and was yet rather unsightly.

We Whigs concluded to celebrate the inauguration of Gen. Harrison by clearing off these grounds. Accordingly. Messrs. Beach, Beebout. Rood, Christian and Benjamin Maurer, Magoon, Henry L. Johnson, and myself concluding to :-

Lay the gi !. t forest low, chose the giants in a row ; Cut them u, nor spared a single tree ;

As they st: the ground below upward our glad shout would go,

And the .. .. ims kissed the square in soft but rapturous glee.

A few days later, without solicitation, my brother received, through the mail, the appointment as Register of the United States Land Odlice at Lima, Ohio, and to that town he moved in June. I accompanied him as deputy. The canal lands were now offered for sale at $2.50 per acre, and during the summer and winter nearly all the lands were sold. It is a well-authenticated fact that the signature to my brother's com- mission was the last official act of President Harrison.

When John Tyler succeeded to the presidency he reappointed my brother, but when the President joined the Democracy, James resigne I the position of register. I removed to Mansfield, and my brother to Celina. This latter had then coffmeneed to improve. Mr. Beach built a two-story brick dwelling on lots 23S and 255, fronting on Ash Street, and adjoining the alley.

Benjamin Linzee built a two-story brick on the northwest corner of Main and Anthony Streets. Several frame buildings were erected that spring (1941). In order to hasten the completion of the court-house. situated on the northeast corner of Main and Livingston Streets, I glazed the windows as my contributions to the county. It was finished in time to be occupied at the spring term of the court, at which Judge Holt presided.

My brother was elveted to represent the district in the Legislature, and took the same seat in the old State House which our father filled in 1823-24. He accordingly moved to Columbus in 1843, where he resided about three years, when he returned to Celina, and devoted his energies to the development of the county. Afterwards he was nominated and

After the election, which had occupied so much of our thought and time, I proposed to my brother to have a chopping frolic or " bee," and just cut down the timber promiscuously and give the sun an opportunity to dry up the mud for once. I further suggested that the lumber be given to any one who would remove it, or else have it sawed into rail timber or firewood suitable for the mill. It was then intended to suw the whole plat in grass and so get rid of the mud. My brother way pleased with the idea, but was too busily engaged on the St. Mary's Locky to give the matter his attention, but told me that if I would take the whole matter in my own hands he would pay all bills. I accordingly fixed upon a day in November and issued nearly one hundred invitations to a chopping " bee." Those at a great distance came on the day pre- ceding .the " bee," and were provided for as well as our accommodations would warrant. On the day of the " hee" all were to be provided with refreshments, consisting of eggnog, sandwiches, and doughnuts, and a grand supper in the new brick building, then floored and roofed, but yet unfinished. After supper a dance was to be given. As part of the preparations I sent to Fort Recovery for musicians, and to Piqua for two barrels of whiskey, six dozen tin cups, and the same number of plates, knives and forks, spoons, and tin pails. Venison, turkeys, pigs, und chickens were procured, and all the ladies engaged to do the cook. ing. Arrangements were made at the hotels for those who came the day

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History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 92

Author: Sutton, R., & Co., Wapakoneta, Ohio, pub Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Wapakoneta, Ohio : R. Sutton Number of Pages: 878

Author: Sutton, R., & Co., Wapakoneta, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Wapakoneta, Ohio : R. Sutton
Number of Pages: 878