USA > Ohio > Auglaize County > History of western Ohio and Auglaize County, with illustrations and biographical sketches of pioneers and prominent public men > Part 59
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After the departure of the Indians in 1832, wild game became abundant for a few years. "It is related of Russell Ber- ryman, that going to a deer crossing one morning, he shot seven deer in one spot before breakfast time, and as late as 1838, Leon- ard Place and his brother, in a two days' hunt secured four bar- rels of nicely dressed and packed venison."
Russell Berryman and his brother Thomas killed twenty- seven deer one winter, and after the entrails were taken from
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them, they were frozen, and in that state were loaded on a sled and taken to Dayton, where they were exchanged for salt.
The pioneers of Logan township were exposed to all the inconveniences incident to the frontier. The old mill, operated by the Quakers at Wapakoneta, was the only one within a radius of forty miles. In 1826, William Berryman and his two sons, Thomas and Russell, loaded their canoe with a few bushels of corn and rowed up the Auglaize river, a distance of over fifteen miles, to the Wapakoneta mill. They arrived there in the even- ing and were informed that their grist could not be ground until the next morning. "Several Indians invited them to share their huts or lodges for the night - they accepted the hospitality of one of the leading ones. Upon retiring, the old Indian assigned one corner of the lodge to his guests; took one corner with a couple of blankets himself, his squaw with the same number of blankets another, the children took the fourth corner with half a dozen deer skins for their bed and cover, and three dogs took the center of the room. At the dawn of day, a loud wough came from the Indian; the squaw and the children immediately arose; the latter soon made a fire on the outside of the lodge, and the squaw taking a large piece of meat from a gum on the outside of the hut, and cutting it in pieces, and putting it along with potatoes, dried corn, and corn meal, into a large skillet placed it over a fire where it was allowed to cook for half an hour. At the end of that time the skillet was set in the center of the lodge - the dogs were kicked out - and with wooden spoons, William Berryman and his sons partook of the break- fast."
Russell Berryman was a familiar figure in the county until a few years ago. After living fifty-three years on the farm that he had helped to develop, he died at the age of sixty-two years, five months and twenty-five days.
JOHN S. BUTCHER was born in Licking county, Ohio, in 1838. He received a common school education, as good as the time and circumstances would permit. At the age of fifteen years he left home and engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1859, when he entered a farm in Knox county, Ohio. After two years of labor in the development of this farm he sold it, and moved to Auglaize
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county. In 1861 he purchased the east half of the northwest quarter of section nine in Logan township. Later he bought the west half of the same quarter section. In 1859, he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Crottinger. Of this union eight children have been born: William Henry, Sarah, Alice, Ellen, Martha, Cora, James, and Clarence. Four are married, and three of them are residing in Buckland, this county, and one resides in Waynesfield. Mr. Butcher having a correct apprecia- tion of learning has given each of his children a liberal educa- tion. Every community has among its citizens a few men of recognized influence and ability. The community soon perceived Mr. Butcher's ability as a manager of public affairs. He has long and faithfully served the people of his township and the county in positions of trust. He is a Democrat of the old school, and upon that ticket he has been elected Justice of the Peace of Logan township, which office he has held for twenty-five years. He has served as township trustee for six years, and has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Society for twenty-five years. He was elected County Commissioner in 1894, and reëlected in 1897.
WILLIAM G. BROREIN was born in Marion county, Ohio, October 30, 1861, and is a son of Gebhard and Sophia (Gracely) Brorein. When he was five years old his parents moved to Logan township where they have since resided. He helped to clear his father's farm and attended the district school during the winter. In the spring and summer of 1879, he attended the Ohio Normal University, at Ada, after which he taught during the winter and attended the summer terms of that school until 1883, when he was elected superintendent of the Cridersville schools, which position he occupied for three years. During his residence at Cridersville he held his first office, being elected a member of the village council. In 1886 he engaged with W. H. Butcher, in the mercantile business, at Buckland, where he yet has a general store. He was three times elected clerk of Logan township, and when the village of Buckland was incorporated in 1892, was elected its first Mayor, receiving every vote cast. He was reëlected the following year, but resigned upon being elected to the General Assembly, having received the nomina-
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tion by his party without opposition. He was elected to the 72d General Assembly, and during both terms served on the finance committee. He was elected to the 73d General Assembly as senator from the 32d district. During his service in this body he was chosen by the Democratic caucus as one of the members of the conference committee which negotiated the fusion with the anti-Hanna Republicans. He was made chairman of the Public Works committee, and a member of the finance and other com- mittees. He took an active part in securing the passage of the bill partially abolishing capital punishment, and was the author of the bill enacted into law amending the general township school laws. During his legislative career he not only took active inter- est in general legislation, but carefully looked after the interests of his county and district.
He was appointed by Governor Bushnell a member of the Board of Ohio Commissioners to the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, held at Omaha from June to October, 1898.
Senator Brorein was united in marriage in 1882, to Miss Sarah E. Butcher, a daughter of Commissioner John H. Butcher. One child has been born to them. (From John B. Walsh's Bio- graphical Sketches of Auglaize County.)
JOHN H. GOCHENOUR was born in Shenandoah county, Vir- ginia, January 13, 1835. His father died in 1839, and four years afterward his mother married John Dingledine, a native of the Old Dominion. The boy was educated in the common schools of Shenandoah county, and made his home with his mother and stepfather, until he was eighteen years of age. In 1849, he emi- grated to Ohio and began learning the carpenter's trade in Cham- paign county. In 1853, he married Miss Sarah C. Weaver. Four children have been born of this union, two, only, are living : Elva A. and Jeanetta, both of them having supplemented their common school education by attendance at college.
Mr. Gochenour, after his marriage, moved to Logan town- ship, Auglaize county, and settled on the farm now occupied by him. The first business to which his attention upon his arrival in 1859, was the erection of a house in the midst of the forest. The development of a farm was a work slow in process, but by
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dint of persevering labor and economy he cleared seventy-five acres of land. Year by year, as his means permitted, he added to the original tract of land, until he is now the owner of four · hundred acres of excellent land, all the fruits of his exertions, coupled with the assistance of his esteemed and agreeable help- mate.
Mr. and Mrs. Gochenour are members of the Christian Union Church, and are zealous and active workers in the same. In his political career, he has always been a stanch Democrat, and his first presidential vote was cast for James Buchanan. He has been township treasurer for many years, has also held the position of land appraiser, and in fact, has held all the offices of the township; discharging the duties of each with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the people.
PETER SUNDERLAND, a soldier of the American Revolution, was born in 1737, and came to Ohio in 1817. He entered land near Dayton, Ohio, on which he resided until 1822, when he and his wife came to Logan township and lived with their son Dye Sunderland, until his death, which occurred in 1827.
Mr. Sunderland joined the patriots of the Revolution, early in the spring of 1775, and participated in the memorable battle of Bunker Hill.
On the night of the 16th of June, 1775, the regiment to which he belonged crossed the neck of the bay and intrenched them- selves on Breed's Hill. When the morning dawned there was a great stir on board the British fleet that lay in the harbor. Thousands of spectators who climbed to the house-tops in Bos- ton to watch the progress of events, could be seen from the redoubt. About one o'clock the British made an assault on the redoubt, and were repulsed with the loss of a great number of men. A second assault was followed with a result equally dis- astrous. Unfortunately for the Patriots, their ammunition by this time was nearly exhausted. When the third assault was made the patriots had but three rounds of powder and ball, which were expended on the advancing enemy, and then there was a lull. The Americans, now out of ammunition, clubbed their guns and hurled stones at the assailants. After firing the last charge, Sunderland picked up three guns in succession to find that each
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. had been discharged. Upon picking up a fourth gun he was attacked by a British soldier who struck at him with a saber. A quick turn of the gun caused the edge of the instrument to strike directly in his mouth, cutting through each cheek. Again the British soldier struck, and again the blow was partially par- ried, causing the weapon to cut through the wall of the abdomen. At this stage in the encounter, Sunderland succeeded in discharg- ing his gun into the face of his assailant and thrust his bayonet through the body. He then withdrew in haste from the intrench- ment, believing that he was the last man in the retreat. He suc- ceeded in reaching a swamp where he found a man accompanied by his wife and an infant. Here Sunderland dressed his wounds as best he could, binding a large handkerchief about his abdo- men. He then crossed the swamp; the water in a number of places being so deep that they were compelled to swim. At such places the infant was tossed from one to the other.
On reaching the opposite margin of the swamp, Mr. Sun- derland concealed himself in a thicket for three days. On the third day he was found by a relief party and conveyed to a place of safety.
WILLIAM TAYLOR, a veteran of three wars, was born in New Jersey, July 4th, 1754, and was twenty-two years old when the battle of Lexington was fought. He joined the Revolutionary . army in 1776, and served until the close of the war. He is known to have participated in the battles of Brandywine, Stony Point, and the Siege at York Town. At the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, he led a maritime life until 1793, when he enlisted in General Wayne's campaign against the Indians of northwestern Ohio. He was present at the battle of Fallen Tim- bers, and was an active participant in many of the skirmishes of that memorable campaign. In the spring of 1775, he was mus- tered out of service at Greenville, when he returned to Pennsyl- vania and married. In the fall of the same year he moved to Pickaway county, Ohio, and engaged in farming. In 1813, he enlisted in a company at Chillicothe, and joined General Green Clay's regiment at Cincinnati, and accompanied him in his march to relieve Fort Meigs, then besieged by the British and Indians. In October of the same year he participated in the battle of the
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Thames, where Proctor, the British General, was defeated, and Tecumseh the Indian chieftain was slain.
At the conclusion of the war of 1812, he returned to Pick- away county where he resided until 1833, when he and a num- ber of families, residents of that county, moved to Logan town- ship. In this township he entered one hundred and thirteen acres of land in section 35.
Mr. Taylor was a man of good general information, well read in his country's history, and was considered an authority on the wars in which he had participated. In politics he was an old line Whig, and when the Republican party was organized he became an ardent supporter of it.
Mr. Taylor was four times married. Of these marriages four children were born: Margaret, (wife of Isaac Terwillager), Susan (wife of L. Vance), Elizabeth, (wife of Robert Beard), and Harriet, (wife of John Dehart).
His pioneer experiences were about the same as those of his neighbors, the Sunderlands, the Richardsons, the Berrymans and the Places.
He lived on the farm that he entered in 1833, until he was a hundred and four years of age, when he sold it, and distributed his effects among his children and grandchildren. The last ten years of his life he resided with his daughter, Mrs. Harriet De- hart, near Spencerville, Ohio. He died July 4th, 1868, aged 114 years.
CLAY TOWNSHIP.
The following from the Commissioners' Journal of Allen county is the official record of the organization of the township:
"Session of Allen county Commissioners, Dec. 1, 1834.
A petition was then presented to have original Town six South, Range seven east, made the limits of their township, and said township to be designated and known by the name of Clay. Petition granted, and bonds given, and advertisements written for an election to be held at James H. Coleman's for township officers on the 20th inst. (Dec.)"
Pursuant to the order of the commissioners an election was held at the house of J. H. Coleman on the 20th of December, 1834, when eleven votes were cast. James H. Coleman, Thomas
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Beer, and John Rogers served as judges, and Richard Henry and Joel Bayliff as clerks.
The following persons were elected to the respective offices : Trustees, John Rogers, David Vonblaricom, Thomas Beer ; Clerk, Richard Henry; Treasurer, Joel Bayliff; Constable, Thomas Beer; Fence Viewers, James H. ' Coleman, Thomas Reed, Thomas Beer; Overseers of the Poor, William Copeland and Samuel Bechdolt.
Richard Henry was sworn into office by John Morris, justice of the peace of Union township.
The voters at this election were: Richard Henry, Joel Bay- liff, David Vonblaricom, John Rogers, William Hinton, Thomas Beer, Thomas Reed, Byrd Richardson, James H. Coleman, Wil- liam Copeland, and Samuel Bechdolt.
Clay township is six miles in length from east to west, and five miles in width. It, therefore, has an area of thirty square miles. It is bounded on the north by Union township, on the east by Goshen township and Logan county, on the south by Shelby county, and on the west by Pusheta township.
"The soil of the township is largely of black loam, except in the immediate vicinity of St. Johns village, where the ridge, known as St. Johns ridge, crosses the northwestern corner, where it reaches its highest elevation. The surface of the township, however, is flat, and required an immense amount of artificial drainage to prepare it for cultivation." There were long years of waiting before the flats were capable of yielding the boun- teous crops for which the township is famous at the present time. The system of ditch improvements inaugurated thirty years ago, and persistently carried on, year after year, has resulted in the complete drainage of the township. The vast products of corn and other varieties of grain attest the wisdom of the ditch improvements. Five years later public road improvements were commenced, and have kept pace with the other developments of the township, until nearly every public road in the township is a graveled pike.
Among the first settlers of the township may be mentioned John Rogers, John Corder, William Richardson, Charles Lusk, Peter Princehouse, Richard Henry, Benjamin Runyan, James H. Coleman, Edward Williams, and Andrew Perkins.
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The following roll of purchasers of United States lands is also an authentic pioneer record :
James Gordon, Sec. 5. John Copeland, Sec. 5. Henry Stoddard, Sec. 5.
Byrd Richardson, Sec. 5. Wm. Richardson, Sec. 6.
Scott Casper, Sec. 7.
Abraham Skillman, Sec. 9.
Wm. Rockland J. Dunlap, Sec. 24. George Delong, Sec. 30.
1832.
David Henry, Sec. 6. Henry Stoddard, Sec. 6.
1833. John Shelbey, Sec. 5. James Coleman, Sec. 6. Isaac Coyl, Sec. 8. Wm. Reed, Sec. 19.
Alfred Purcell, Sec. 25. Samuel Henry, Sec. 30.
George Bishop, Sec. 4.
John Dellenbaugh, Sec. 4.
Richard Henry, Sec. 7.
John Tobias, Sec. 7.
Nehemiah Broderic, Sec. 8.
Joel Bayliff, Sec. 12. Charles Martin, Sec. 18.
Joseph Bush, Sec. 18.
George Newman, Sec. 18.
George Elsas, Sec. 20.
Ferd. Hahn, Sec. 29. .
Henry Yost, Sec. 29.
Christian Klienaught, Sec. 29.
William Copeland, Sec. 3. Evander T. Hodges, Sec. 5.
Daniel Apple, Sec. 7.
David Bier, Sec. 7.
Margaret Bayliff, Sec. 7.
Enos S. Oxley, Sec. 8. Ebenezer Hathaway, Sec. 8.
William Leist, Sec. 8. Joseph Wright, Sec. 15.
Peter Pheneger, Sec. 25.
David McKnight, Sec. 25.
John Foreman, Sec. 27.
John Tong, Sec. 27. Joseph Schlichtig, Sec. 28.
Lewis Helminger, Sec. 28.
Philip Keller, Sec. 29. Blazy Setler, Sec. 29.
William Staley, Sec. 30. George Snyder, Sec. 30.
1835. John Copeland, Sec. 5. Enos Stevens Oxley, Sec. 5.
Jacob Snider, Sec. 8. Edward Williams, Sec. 8. David W. Barber, Sec. 15 ..
Abraham Bilger, Sec. 20.
Julian Shepherd, Sec. 25.
John Collier, Sec. 27. Andrew Welch, Sec. 28. Matthias Glasier, Sec. 28. John Collier, Sec. 28. Jacob Bundenthal, Sec. 29.
Joseph King, Sec. 29. Thomas Powell, Sec. 30. Joseph Wright, Sec. 14.
1834. William Bitler, Sec. 4. Daniel Bitler, Sec. 4. Joel Bayless, Sec. 7.
Peter Brokhart, Sec. 7. David Henry, Sec. 8. Joseph Bush, Sec. 18. George Linder, Sec. 18.
Charles Hawkinson, Sec. 18.
Lewis Helmberger, Sec. 20.
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1836.
Sinthy Harrod, Sec. 1.
James A. Morris, Sec. 1.
Hugh T. Rinehart, Sec. 2. Henry Baughman, Sec. 3. George Swickard, Sec. 3. John Lacard, Sec. 4. John Rogers, Sec. 5. James Bier, Sec. 7.
George Mink, Sec. 8.
James Manning, Sec. 9.
Henry Coleman, Sec. 10.
John Corder, Sec. 10.
David Eversole, Sec. 10.
James Manning, Sec. 10.
John Bailey, Sec. 11. George Runkle, Sec. 14. Aaron Hartley, Sec. 15.
John D. Mifford, Sec. 15.
Valentine Flegel, Sec. 17.
Matthias Babcock, Sec. 17. Leonard West, Sec. 18.
Joel Babcock, Sec. 19. Germsey Leiter, Sec. 20. Joseph C. Wilson, Sec. 21.
Nicholas Gross, Sec. 21.
Jacob Chambers, Sec. 22.
John Smith, Sec. 22. Gerhart Thersticker, Sec. 23.
James Hamilton, Sec. 23.
Amos Arthur, Sec. 23.
Amos Hunter, Sec. 24. Charles Reed, Sec. 25. Benjamin Stiles, Rec. 26. James Ellison, Sec. 27. Bartlett Elrod, Sec. 27. John Foreman, Sec. 28. Robert Reed, Sec. 28. John Bierlein, Sec. 30.
Uri Mix, Sec. 1. William Copeland, Sec. 3. John Strickler, Sec. 8. Wililam Crumeller, Sec. 10. Richard Bodkin and Jno. Gray, Sec. 14. Jacob Rock, Sec. 17. David W. Barber, Sec. 17. John Weimert, Sec. 25. George Thresher, Sec. 26.
Simon Biggs, Sec. 1. George P. Williams, Sec. 1. Jonathan Swickard, Sec. 2. Davis Trumbo, Sec. 3. Henry Baughman, Sec. 4. . David Eversole, Sec. 4. William Brackney, Sec. 6. Casper Brodenbender, Sec. 8. Andrew Herbst, Sec. 8.
Julian Rinehart, Sec. 11. William Runyan, Sec. 12. Benjamin Faler, Sec. 14. David Eversole, Sec. 15. Daniel Beery, Sec. 15. Andrew Herbst, Sec. 17. Elizabeth Miller, Sec. 17. Joel Babcock, Sec. 18. Michael Nipgen, Sec. 19. Joseph Graham, Sec. 21. George Gier, Sec. 21.
David Reed, Sec. 21.
David Reed, Sec. 22. Aaron Hartley, Sec. 22.
Philip Fetters, Sec. 23. Henry Seffers, Sec. 24. Warren Hays, Sec. 25.
Thomas Moore, Sec. 27. James Conners, Sec. 27. Jacob Michard, Sec. 27. John Wiss, Sec. 28. Stephen Hurling, Sec. 29. John Jonster, Sec. 30.
1837. William Brackney, Sec. 3. Daniel Bitler, Sec. 4. Thomas Brier, Sec. 9. Jacob Whetstone, Sec. 12. Barbara Rock, Sec. 17. John Cunningham, Sec. 17. Stephen Bull, Sec. 25. John Nipgen, Sec. 25. Rebecca Bilger, Sec. 26.
-
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George M. Martin, Sec. 2. Amos Copeland, Sec. 3.
Abner Copeland, Sec. 11.
Madison Copeland, Sec. 12. Samuel Dunlap, Sec. 25.
Hamilton Davison, Sec. 3. Thomas Oakley, Sec. 11.
Christopher F. Hahn, Sec. 17.
William Miller, Sec. 24. Henry Crowell, Sec. 24.
Joseph Gibson, Sec. 1.
Hamilton Davison, Sec. 10. William Miller, Sec. 12.
Peter Rott, Sec. 16.
Michael Leatherman, Sec. 16.
Nicholas Gross, Sec. 16.
Michael Gross, Sec. 16.
1838.
William H. Hurley, Sec. 2. Hamilton Davison, Sec. 9. Joseph Copeland, Sec. 12. Benjamin Strausbaugh, Sec. 25. Henry Crowell, Sec. 21.
1839. Jeremiah Furrow, Sec. 3. William Miller, Sec. 12. Christopher Kramer, Sec. 17. Barzillai F. Moore, Sec. 12.
1840.
Micajah Lane, Sec. 2.
1841. Daniel Caldwell, Sec. 12. Hamilton Dawson, Sec. 15.
1842.
John Rott, Sec. 16. John Watt, Sec. 16. John Norst, Sec. 16. Jno. H. F. Yosting, Sec. 27.
1843. George Grier, Sec. 16.
Stephen Werling, Sec. 29. Henry Bay, Sec. 30.
1847. Godfrey Kailzel, Sec. 30. John Burlain, Sec. 30.
Michael Rinehart, Sec. 30.
John Lusk, Sec. 2.
Jacob Hawey, Sec. 12.
1848. James Whetstone, Sec. 30.
1851. John Shaw, Sec. 11. Jacob Leopley, Sec. 12.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
The following tabulated list of township officers is as nearly complete as can be ascertained from the county records :
Justices of the Peace.
1853. Daniel Bitler. 1859. George M. Rogers.
1855. John Rogers. 1861. John M. Shaw.
1858. Daniel McKercher. 1862. James H. Coleman.
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1863. J. M. Shaw.
1882. J. A. Dobie.
1864. William Lusk.
1884. William Barber.
1865. George M. Rogers.
1885. W. L. Bailey.
1867. J. M. Shaw.
1901 to 1903. F. E. Bailey.
1873 to 1902. Wm. Bush.
1903. W. J. Coleman.
Clerks.
1862. William Bitler.
1883. Jacob George.
1864. William Bush.
1884. J. M. Snider.
1865. William Bush.
1885. J. W. Bailey. ·
1866. John M. Shaw.
1888. George Bailey.
1867 to 1875. William Bush.
1889. J. W. Bailey.
1875. A. Welshhance.
1891. A. J. Lusk.
1876. William Marsh.
1892.
E. S. Lusk.
1878. Joseph Chambers.
1896. J. W. Brackney.
1880. Jacob Runkle.
1898. Frank A. Runkle.
1882. Enoch Rithman.
1903.
James Killian.
Treasurers.
1862. Allen Bitler.
1887.
Reuben Brackney.
1863 to 1867. Christian Bitler.
1890. Jacob Gnagi.
1867 to 1869. John Martin.
1891. F. E. Bailey.
1869 to 1872. Lewis Myers.
1894. M. D. Thrush.
1872 to 1877. Christian Bitler.
1896.
J. M. Copeland.
1877. A. Welshhance.
1900. Jedediah Allen.
1879. W. A. Perkins.
1901. Frank Martin.
1884. George L. Limbert.
1903.
J. R. Cordrey.
SCHOOLS.
There are now ten sub-district schools in the township, nearly all of which are provided with substantial brick buildings. The enumeration of youth of school age is three hundred and sixty-eight. John Corder, James H. Coleman, Samuel Bitler, and Arthur Bitler were the pioneer teachers of the township.
CHURCHES.
There are seven churches in the township, which certainly speaks well for the morals of the inhabitants. They are as fol- lows: Methodist Episcopal one, Protestant Methodist one, Ger- man Lutheran one, Christian one and German Methodist one.
ST. JOHN'S VILLAGE.
This beautiful village occupies the site of a former noted Shawnee town, known in history as Blackhoof town. After the
1885. Jacob Gnagi.
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HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
expulsion of the Shawnee Indians from the Piqua towns in 1780, Blackhoof, the chief of all the tribes and clans of that Indian nation, moved to this locality and erected his tepee on the large gravel mound in the south part of what is now the village of St. Johns .. After the establishment of the Quaker mission at Wapa- koneta, by direction of Henry Harvey, a two story cabin, eighteen by twenty-four feet was erected on what is now lot number twenty-nine, in St. Johns. The great chief resided in this log house from 1822, until his death, which occurred in the summer of 1831. (For further particulars concerning Blackhoof see ·Chapter XI.)
The cabins vacated by the Indians in 1832, were soon occu- . pied by the early pioneers of the township. John Corder lived in Blackhoof's house until he purchased what is known as the Tam farm in Duchouquet township. A number of Indian huts were occupied by pioneers as late as 1838.
The village of St. Johns was platted by Daniel Bitler and John Rogers in the summer of 1835, and was named St. Johns. There was some contention between the proprietors as to name. From tradition we learn that the question was settled by casting lots.
The village site is on the line of Union and Clay townships, chiefly in the latter. The original plat of 1835 comprised fifty- six lots. Since that date three additions have been made. Num- "ber one by Emma Loony, number two by John Rogers, and number three by Samuel Tobias.
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