USA > Ohio > Auglaize County > History of western Ohio and Auglaize County, with illustrations and biographical sketches of pioneers and prominent public men > Part 37
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PESTLES.
Pestles are almost as common as the grooved axes. They are mostly rude, but are frequently found polished and wrought with great care. They are of various shapes, but the prevailing form is that of a bluntly-pointed cone, with a knob-like expanse at the base. Occasionally they are met with having a knob-like expanse at both ends, one being larger than the other. The so-called "rolling-pins" are another variety. They are long,
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straight and round, tapering towards the end. They are seldom polished, and vary from seven to thirteen inches in length.
-(From Maclean's Mound Builders. )
POTTERY.
A few broken remains of pottery have been taken from the gravel deposits of the county. A portion of an urn, now in the possession of Miss Sarah Howell, a High School teacher in the Wapakoneta public schools, was taken from a gravel bank, two miles north of Wapakoneta. The fragment is a part of the upper portion of the vessel. The decoration of the fragment consists of incised lines and dots, with various combinations. Fragments have also been found in other gravel deposits, but were not preserved by the laborors making the excavations.
The mounds of the Mound Builders, if there ever were any in Auglaize county, were leveled by the Shawnee Indians before they took their departure to the West.
CHAPTER XIV.
ORGANIC HISTORY.
In March, 1848, primary meetings were held for the nomi- nation of county officers, to serve until the next annual election to be held in October. The election was held on the first Monday of April, resulting in the election of the following county officers :
Associate Judges .-
G. Good, President. David Simpson. George W. Holbrook. Shadrach Montgomery.
Commissioners .- Hugh T. Rinehart. John M. Dress. Auditor .- Marmaduke W. Smith.
County Treasurer .- Jno. Rickley.
County Clerk .- Thomas Nichols.
Sheriff .- John Elliott.
Recorder .- Simon Drescher.
Prosecuting Attorney .- Samuel R. Mott.
Coroner .- A. S. Bennett.
Surveyor .- Dominicus Flaitz.
On the Ioth of April, 1848, the county commissioners met in session in George W. Holbrook's office, at which meeting the officers-elect filed their certificates of election and bonds, and were sworn into office.
Marmaduke W. Smith, being confined to his home by sick- ness, did not appear until the IIth, when the oath of office was administered, and his bond fixed at two thousand dollars.
The auditor not having fully recovered from his sickness, E. M. Phelps was appointed auditor pro tem., and took the oath of office. John Rickley, also, presented his certificate and bond, which were approved. He gave bond in the sum of thirty thou- sand dollars. The following citizens were his bondsmen : Samuel
410
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AND AUGLAIZE COUNTY
R. Mott, R. B. Gordon, P. V. Herzing, Samuel Scott, Sabert Scott, Jacob Morphelius, and Joseph Kelsey.
The record states that, "the commissioners proceeded to organize the townships and parts of townships within the limits of the county of Auglaize, as follows, viz. :
I .- The south tier of sections taken from Shawnee town- ship is added to the township of Duchouquet, and made a part thereof.
2 .- The north tier of sections of Moulton township is added to the south half of Amanda township, and is hereby organized into a township to be called Logan. The remaining part of Moulton township to retain its original name.
3 .- The north tier of sections of Wayne township, formerly of Mercer county, is added to the south half of Salem township, and is hereby organized into a township to be called Salem.
4 .- The balance of Wayne township to retain its organiza- tion, and to be called Noble township.
It is ordered that the election of the new townships of Logan and Salem be held on the third Monday of May next, and that the auditor cause public notice to be given of the same, by public advertisement in three of the most public places in each of said townships, at least ten days before the said day of election.
The Board contracted with John H. Nichols for the use of lot 57 and the half of lot 58, O. P. Wapakoneta, for offices, at sixty dollars per annum, as per contract on file.
Also contracted with James Elliott for the use of the M. E. Church for the purpose of holding courts for such length of time as they may need it, for such sum as will seat it and erect a pulpit or stand, not to exceed the sum of fifty dollars.
APRIL IIth, 1848.
The Board met. Members present as yesterday. The tran- scripts from Mercer county not having arrived, all business as a board of equalization is postponed until such time as they arrive.
In compliance with the eleventh section of the act of the State Legislature, establishing the county of Auglaize, "the citi- · zens of Wapakoneta, or a number of them, presented a bond to the commissioners of Auglaize county in the penal sum of five thousand dollars, conditioned for the payment of five thousand
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HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
dollars, in five equal annual payments, each one of the obligors to be held liable in proportion to his taxable property on the duplicate, with security to be approved by the Board, a copy of which bond is ordered to be published and made a part of this. record, for the approval of the Board.
The bond, after having a proper deliberation, is not approved. First, because the payments are not such as the Board require. Second, because the conditions generally are not approved.
On this day Marmaduke W. Smith, auditor-elect of the county, appeared with his certificate of election and bond, which were approved, and he was sworn into office. The penal sum of his bond was two thousand dollars, with William Botkin, John Hawthorn, and Picket Doute as securities.
On the same day (IIth) the following bills were allowed :
S. R. Mott, Esq., prosecuting attorney, is allowed ten dollars for attendance two days examining bonds, etc., and the auditor is directed to issue an order accordingly.
John Ferguson is allowed one dollar and twenty-five cents for bringing the transcripts from Mercer county, and the auditor is directed to issue an order accordingly.
The Board direct the auditor to assess a tax for road pur- poses, amounting to two mills on the dollar.
The Board direct the auditor to issue an order to the auditor of Allen county for three dollars and fifty cents for journal.
The Board direct an order to G. W. Andrews for four dollars and seventy-five cents for cash paid out and services in organizing the Board; also Benjamin Naas for three dollars and fifty cents for services, going to Celina to obtain transcripts.
George W. Holbrook is allowed one dollar and seventy-five cents for money paid for office copy of the bill erecting the new county of Auglaize.
WAPAKONETA, OHIO, APRIL 12th, 1848.
The Board met pursuant to adjournment. Present as yesterday.
The citizens of the town of Wapakoneta present a bond in the sum of five thousand dollars, payable to the commissioners of Auglaize county, Ohio, executed by George W. Holbrook, ' R. J. Skinner, John Elliott, William Craft, Sen., James Elliott, John C. Bothe, Jeremiah Ayers, Michael Dumbruff, George
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Emerick, and Anthony Roth, jointly and severally, with a condi- tion for the payment of five thousand dollars, payable, one thou- sand dollars by September Ist, 1848; fifteen hundred dollars by September Ist. 1849; one thousand dollars by September Ist, 1850; fifteen hundred dollars by September Ist, 1851, the last payment to be paid in good materials for the erection of county buildings at cash price.
And the said bond being offered for approval, the same is approved, and ordered to be filed.
APRIL 12th, 1848.
The Board this day contract conditionally with R. J. Skinner for lots 51, 52, 53, Skinner's second south addition to Wapako- neta, with this express understanding that if the conditions of the five thousand dollar bond this day executed by the citizens of Wapakoneta are not complied with, the contract is at an end, but if the said bond is complied with, then the obligors of that bond shall receive a credit of two hundred dollars upon the last payment of said bond. These lots are for the erection of public buildings, and it is determined that the county buildings shall be located upon said lots.
And now comes M. Dumbroff, and gives notice of appeal.
John Elliott has presented his bill, and is allowed three dollars for services, notifying J. M. Drees and Marmaduke W. Smith. Hugh T. Rinehart is allowed for five days, $10.00; S. Montgomery is allowed for five days, $10.00; John M. Drees is allowed for five days, $10.00: E. M. Phelps is allowed nine dol- lars and forty-two cents for services as auditor pro tem. this session, as per account on file.
SHADRACH MONTGOMERY, JOHN M. DREES, HUGH T. RINEHART,
Commissioners.
SEPTEMBER Ist, 1848.
The citizens of Wapakoneta paid the commissioners one thousand dollars, the first payment on their bond of April 12th. 1848.
In August of the summer of 1848, caucuses were held in the different townships for the nomination of county officers, to
HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
be elected at the annual election to be held on the first Monday of the following October.
The political canvass by the Democratic and Whig parties was exciting and bitter in the extreme. Numerous political meetings were held in the two townships, in which the propriety of establishing the county seat at St. Mary's or Wapakoneta was thoroughly discussed. Notwithstanding the fact that the citizens of Wapakoneta had presented a bond for five thousand dollars, as provided in the eleventh section of the act establish- ing the county, and had paid. the first thousand dollars, the citi- zens of St. Mary's and the western townships were of opinion that the citizens of Wapakoneta would not be able to make the several payments on the bond, in which event the question of the location of the county seat would be left to a vote of the citizens of the county. Should that be the case, there was a strong probability that a majority would favor the location of it at St. Mary's, as the more densely populated townships of the west were favorable to her interests, whilst Wapakoneta was largely dependent on the more sparsely populated townships of the east.
In the warmly contested campaign, charges of corruption, trickery and selfishness were imputed to candidates, that had no foundation in fact. U. T. Rinehart, of Union township, had more than his share of contumely to bear. It finally became so exasperating to him in September that he delivered an address at Wapakoneta, in which he defined his position on the questions at issue. He was especially severe on the citizens of Wapako- neta, as he believed that most of the calumnies circulated against him had emanated from that locality. In his impassioned speech he is reported to have said, "You may rake and scrape hell from one end to the other, and you cannot find a meaner place, or a meaner set of men, than are to be found in Wapakoneta." The statement came near starting a riot, which was barely averted by the leading citizens of the place.
Dr. George W. Holbrook, who was mainly instrumental in securing the erection of the county, also received his share of censure from the citizens of St. Mary's for his favoring the establishment of the county seat at Wapakoneta. The excite- ment åt St. Mary's ran so high in September that he was threatened with personal violence if he should visit that village.
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But by the fall of 1849, however, the hostility of St. Mary's had. so far abated that the Doctor visited the village with a consign- ment of fifty fat hogs, and was tendered a very cordial reception. A remark made by a former political opponent, "that if they had two or three such men as the Doctor, their town would amount to something." It is needless to state that the remark was both pleasing. and amusing to the Doctor.
After a heated campaign extending through the months of August and September, the annual election was held on the 10th of October. The returns were not received by the canvassing board until late in the afternoon of the day following the elec- tion. The board therefore decided to deposit the returns in Dr. Holbrook's office, and complete the canvass the next morning. They took charge of the key of the office, feeling confident that the returns would not be disturbed during the night. When they assembled in the morning it was discovered that the returns from German township had been taken from the file by some one, and could not be found.
The canvass of the remaining townships resulted as follows :
REPRESENTATIVE.
Samuel R. Mott. 690
Chas. W. Levering 318
AUDITOR.
·
Marmaduke W. Smith. 738
Robert C. Layton 310
TREASURER.
John J. Rickley 522
John C. Bothe. 494
SHERIFF.
John Elliott 594
Madison Copeland 414
COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
John M. Drees. 564
Hugh T. Rinehart 564
Shadrach Montgomery 725
S. A. Majors. 246
Fred. Schrader 438
John Morris
553
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HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
RECORDER.
Simon Drescher 679
John H. Nichols. 348
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.
George W. Andrews 696
Joseph Plunkett 270
CORONER.
A. S. Bennett 705
J. M. G. Shaw 324
Dominicus Flaitz
SURVEYOR. 933
At some time in the year 1849, the following duplicate of the missing returns from German township was placed on file :
Representative
Chas. W. Levering. 17
Marmaduke W. Smith. 239
Auditor
Robert C. Layton. 16
John J. Rickley. 148
Treasurer
John C. Bothe. 90
John Elliott 238
Madison Copeland 19
John M. Drees 234
Hugh T. Rinehart. 72
Shadrach Montgomery 230
County Commissioner
S. A. Majors. 16
Fred. Schrader 71
| John Morris
22
Simon Drescher 239
Recorder
John H. Nichols.
16
George W. Andrews 237
Prosecuting Attorney
Joseph Plunkett 79
Coroner
S A. S. Bennett. 236
J. M. G. Shaw 17
Surveyor
Dominicus Flaitz 237
From the record in the commissioners' office we learn that "the commissioners-elect cast lots for length of terms that each should serve. By lot, Shadrach Montgomery was elected for three years; U. T. Rinehart for two years; and John M. Drees for one year.
Sheriff
Samuel R. Mott. 238
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From the same journal we copy the following :
December 6th, 1848 .- "The Board of Commissioners took up the acct. of Dominicus Flaitz of $15 for procuring field notes for the surveyor's office. The Board allowed $13 of said account, and ordered an order to be drawn on the county treasury in favor of D. Flaitz for $13."
The journal, from December 6th, 1848, to January 10th, 1850, is filled with records of petitions for roads and their estab- lishment, the levying of taxes, and the auditing of miscellaneous accounts.
January 18th, 1850 .- The Board proceeded to business by opening the several sealed proposals submitted to the auditor (a tabular statement of which was made out and ordered to be placed on file in the auditor's office), and found that G. W. Andrews & Co., of Wapakoneta, had made the lowest bid for the erection of said court-house and jail, whereupon said Andrews was duly informed by order of the Board that his bid was accepted, upon the condition that he would enter into bond with sufficient security for the faithful performance of the contract.
The Board then adjourned.
Saturday morning, 8 o'clock, January 19th, 1850. - The Board of Commissioners met pursuant to adjournment. Present,. S. Montgomery, H. T. Rinehart, John Morris.
G. W. Andrews & Co. withdrew the bid acted upon by the. Board yesterday.
The Board then found that Messrs. S. Scott and James Elliott were the next lowest bidders for the erection of the court- house, and were accordingly notified of the fact by order of the Board.
The said Sabert Scott and James Elliott then entered into bond unto the State of Ohio, for the use of Auglaize county, in the penal sum of fifteen thousand dollars, conditioned for the erection of said court-house according to the contract this day made between said commissioners and said Scott and Elliott and filed in the auditor's office.
George W. Holbrook having bid lowest for the erection of the jail, the Board accepted said bid, whereupon said George W. Holbrook entered into bond with security in the penal sum of
27 HA C
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HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
eight thousand dollars for the faithful performance of the con- tract this day entered into between said Holbrook and commis- sioners for the erection of said jail, and placed on file in the auditor's office.
January 13th, 1851 .- The Board settled with the contractors for building the court-house and jail.
Scott and Elliott received. $11,499 00
George W. Holbrook received. 2,350 00
The week following the acceptance of the buildings, the county officers moved into their respective offices. In May of the same year, the first term of court was held in the new court- house.
THE NEW COURT HOUSE.
The crowded condition of the old court-house, arising from the accumulation of valuable records in the different offices, led the grand jury in 1892 to report that a more commodious building was needed. The proposition to erect such a building was not received with favor by the public. After two years of agitation of the proposed measure, a bill was formulated by the prosecuting attorney and county commissioners, and introduced in the Gen- eral Assembly by Hon. M. D. Shaw, then a member of the Senate, authorizing the county commissioners to issue bonds to the amount of $125,000, for the construction of a new court- house. For certain reasons, the usual custom of submitting such a measure to a vote of the people was omitted, and the bill became a law February 2, 1893. The following is the law under which the building was constructed :
(Senate Bill No. 392.)
AN . ACT
To authorize and require the commissioners of Auglaize county to build a court house.
SECTION I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That the commissioners of Auglaize county are hereby authorized and required to construct a court-house at such point at the county seat of said county as, in their judg- ment, may be deemed most appropriate for the public good, and plans and specifications for the same shall be determined upon,
·
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and the contract, or contracts, therefor let according to law within six months after the passage of this act, which contract or contracts shall require the said building to be completed as soon as practicable.
SECTION 2. That the commissioners of said county are hereby authorized, if in their opinion they deem it best for the public good, either to use the real estate now owned by the said county at the county seat as a site for said court-house, or to sell the real estate now occupied by the court-house, together with the buildings thereon, for cash or upon such terms of credit as the commissioners may deem proper, and to purchase or acquire, by donation or condemnation, as provided by law, new real estate for such court-house. Provided, that the proceeds arising from the sale of said real estate and buildings shall be applied to the payment of the bonds and interest thereon, that may be issued and sold under the provisions of this act.
SECTION 3. That when, in the opinion of said commis- sioners, it is necessary to purchase any such real estate for said court-house, and they and the owners are unable to agree upon its purchase and sale, the said commissioners are hereby author- ized to appropriate such real estate according to law in such case. And if, (in) the opinion of such commissioners, it shall be necessary in locating said court-house to use and occupy any alley or part thereof therefor, they are hereby authorized to apply to the village council or the court of common pleas to have the same vacated according to law, and to appropriate the right-of- way or easement therein of any lot-owner, according to law.
SECTION 4. That the commissioners of said county, for the purpose of building said court-house and acquiring the neces- sary real estate therefor, are hereby authorized to borrow such sum or sums of money as they may deem necessary, not to exceed the sum of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, at a rate of interest not to exceed five per cent. per annum, and issue bonds of said county to secure the payment of the principal and interest thereon ; such interest shall be paid semi-annually, and the principal shall be paid at such times as the commissioners may pre- scribe within twenty-five years from the date of such indebtedness ; said bonds to be sold for not less than their par value.
SECTION 5. That the bonds so issued shall have interest coupons attached, and signed by the commissioners, or any two of them, and countersigned by the auditor, in sums of not less than one hundred or more than one thousand dollars each, payable to the bearer, at the county treasury, with interest as aforesaid, at such times, not exceeding twenty-five years after date, as the commissioners may prescribe, and such bonds shall specify dis- tinctly the object for which they were issued.
SECTION 6. The commissioners shall, annually, at their June session, levy such tax on all personal and real property in
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HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
said county as will pay the interest on such indebtedness and the principal as it matures, not to exceed ten thousand dollars in any one year.
SECTION 7. This bill shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
· LEWIS C. LAYLIN, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ELBERT L. LAMPSON, President pro tem. of the Senate.
"The Board of County Commissioners, then composed of Jacob Logan, William Barth and William Kelly, entered into contract with E. M. Campfield in the sum of $102,536.80 for the construction of the building. In the meantime the Board purchased the property comprising one entire half block, bounded by Willipe, Pearl, Perry and Mechanic streets, upon which the building is located, and on July 2, 1893, the work of excavation was begun. As the work progressed, addition after addition, and almost innumerable alterations, were made until the cost aggregated more than double the amount authorized by the law."
The following, taken from the records in the county audi- tor's office, is an itemized statement of the cost of the building :
E. M. Campfield, contract price. $102,536 80
E. M. Campfield, fireproofing. 6,600 00
Additional foundation $5,982 00
Iron and beams in floor and roof. 8,625 41
Changing galvanized iron cornice on building to stone 9,000 00
Changing galvanized iron cornice on tower to stone 3,000 00
Changing iron trimmings to copper.
3,500 00
Tunnels to basement.
920 00
Finishing basement
3,600 00
Plastering basement
891 60
Contract for tile flooring, steel shutters and vault doors
2,125 00
Contract for tile and wainscoating.
2,500 00
Contract for frescoing.
4,500 00
Contract for inside window blinds.
1,600 00
Contract for tower clock and clock house
2,100 00
Contract for mantles
600 00
Contract for burglar proof vault in treasurer's office
3,500 00
Contract for masonry, concrete, etc., for same ... 584 97
All other extra work in building. 9,358 71
$71,785 69
AND AUGLAIZE COUNTY 421
Baxter & Co., plumbing. 3,083 47
Frank Winget, lightning rods. 493 50
$184,526 46
POWER HOUSE.
Brought forward
$184,526 46
E. M. Campfield, contract price. $4,500 00
E. M. Campfield, stock, paving inside, etc. 1,291 20
$5,791 20
E. M. Campfield, electric light plant. $5,860 00
E. M. Campfield, engine and belt for same. 1,255 63
$6,885 63
Desormough & Co., steam heating apparatus.
5,310 20
YARD IMPROVEMENT.
E. M. Campfield, tile sidewalks $2,433 71
E. M. Campfield, curb and gutter. 736 91
E. M. Campfield, concrete foundation and stone coping 5,112 00
Conrad Esser, et al., grading yard. 275 60
E. M. Campfield, sewer to river 1,100 00
$9,658 22
Conant Brothers Furniture Co., wood furniture. 13,390 00
Bernard & Co., steel furniture. 6,473 50
Western Gas Fixture Co., electric light and gas fixtures. 3,963 50
Kremer & Hart, architect fees. 10,620 00
Jacob Koch, et al., lots for court house square. 12,862 50
Total cost of entire improvement. $259,481 21
Official possession of the building was taken in December, 1894, and by the following month its elegant apartments were occupied by the county officers.
The structure is a massive one, built entirely of Berea sandstone, with tile flooring, and as nearly fireproof as is possible to construct a building of its character. Every modern con- venience is in operation. The county owns the electric lighting plant by which the entire building is lighted from basement to dome, and in the power house are located the boilers furnishing steam by which it is heated throughout. On the second floor are located most conveniently the common pleas court room, an assembly room, the private office of the judge of the court of common pleas, the law library of the County Bar Association, and the offices of prosecuting attorney, clerk of courts, and
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HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
sheriff. Below stairs on either side of the immense corridor are the offices of the auditor, commissioners, probate judge, recorder, surveyor, and treasurer, while the basement is occu- pied by a large assembly room used by the commissioners, and offices for the infirmary directors, the county board of election supervisors, the school examiners, and the County Agricultural Society directors.
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