USA > Ohio > Wyandot County > Past and present of Wyandot County, Ohio; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievemen, Vol. I > Part 24
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It is not definitely known who was the first resident phy- sician in the territory now known as Wyandot county. But in 1845, when the first board of county commissioners ordered that a special tax of $1 be levied upon each attorney and phy- sician, the physicians mentioned upon the tax lists were as follows: Joseph Mason, David Watson, Noah Wilson, David Adams, William Cope, Wells Chisney, Orrin Ferris, Westbrook, - Hall, Howard Clark, John Foster, Alvin Bingham, John Free, Z. A. Letson, Erastus Ranger, George W. Sampson, - Dunn, A. W. Munson, James H. Drum, Stephen Fowler and James B. McGill.
Among other early physicians at Upper Sandusky, besides Joseph Mason, who died in 1852, and David Watson, were James McConnell, who came in the summer of 1845; Madison Fletcher, who located here in 1846; Orrin Ferris and William Kiskadden, druggists and physicians, in 1848, and George T. McDonald, also in 1848.
Among the later physicians, we find the names of Hender- son, Irwin, Ramsey, Williams, Smalley, Thompson, Sigler,
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Kilmer, Barnes, White, Hardy, Schug, McConnell, Bryon, Heym, Rosenberger, Bowman, Maskey, Walter and Davis.
Dr. Stephen Fowler, one of the first physicians to locate within the limits of the present county of Wyandot, was one of the county's first commissioners. He died in 1847, aged fifty-nine.
Dr. George W. Sampson settled in what is now Tymochtee township in 1828, and at once commenced the practice of medicine. At the time of his arrival, the road from Upper Sandusky to Tiffin was the only one laid out in that part of the county. Traveling was accomplished by following the Indian trails. He had great success in treating milk-sickness, which disease prevailed in the early settlement on the prairies and along the streams. He also practiced a good deal among the Indians.
The following is a list of the physicians at Upper San- dusky at the present time: G. O. Maskey, G. W. Sampson, I. N. Bowman, B. A. Maloney, O. C. Stutz, L. Walter Naus, W. M. Smalley, Frederick Kenan, A. N. Smith, R. N. McCon- nell, W. A. Crum, R. A. Sheppard.
THE BANKS OF WYANDOT COUNTY
By Ira R. Pontius
The banking institutions of Wyandot county are in every respect a credit to the community they serve. They are housed in splendid quarters and provided with up-to-date and lux- uriant furnishings. They are managed by men of unimpeacha- ble integrity and officered by attendants who combine business tact and firmness with courtesy and consideration.
Their firm foundation is but a reflection of the sound finan- cial conditions that characterize all the business interests of the county. The conservative policy with which they have been conducted gives tone and confidence to all commercial activities to which they are in any way related. They are especially noted for the great number and wide distribution of their clients. A great number of small borrowers and a large number of modest depositors make up a volume of busi- ness that would do credit to institutions patronized by indi- viduals having at their disposal large resources. A satisfied stock-holding constituency is evidenced by the fact that no
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shares of stock are permitted to go without takers. Certain, regular and liberal dividends, with a rapidly accumulating surplus in the case of practically all the county banks makes, of their shares, most valuable assets. It is possible only occa- sionally to secure stock, and then as an especial favor, or reward to the buyer, and at a very large premium.
In the smaller municipalities, private or state banks are the more numerous, while in the larger centers of population, national banks predominate. In recent years an especial emphasis has been placed on the payment of interest on sav- ings and time deposits. While this was at first exclusive in the case of only those banks having savings departments, more recently other banks doing a general banking business have followed the practice, and interest payments on time deposits are now quite common. The character of the banking busi- ness done in the county is quite similar to that usually done in agricultural communities-general discount and loans and buying and selling of bonds.
Wyandot county has ten banking institutions with a com- bined working capital of more than $400,000 and surplus and undivided profits of more than $280,000, and they carry de- posits of more than $2,200,000, making their total resources nearly $3,000,000. Annually, the business transacted by these institutions amounts to more than $60,000,000.
The First National Bank of Upper Sandusky is the oldest bank in the county, having been operated continuously since 1863 under its original charter, No. 90. Its capital is $105,000 and surplus and undivided profits $80,000. The officers of the institution are: Curtis B. Hare, president ; Albert Reber, vice-president, and Chas. F. Plumb, cashier. The directors are W. L. Blair, M. H. Brinkerhoff, Curtis B. Hare, Chas. F. Plumb, D. C. Parker, Albert Reber and W. T. Tschanen.
The Peoples Bank of Carey, Ohio, is the second oldest bank in the county. The date of its organization is 1867. The capital of the institution is $25,000 and surplus and undivided profits $30,000. Henry F. Graves is the president; L. G. Ranger, vice-president; A. H. Kemerley, cashier; and C. W. McGill, assistant cashier. The directors are Geo. Ash, Henry F. Graves, Levi Haines, A. H. Kemerley and L. G. Ranger.
The Nevada Deposit Bank of Nevada, Ohio, is a private institution, and was organized in 1873 with a capital of $25,- 000 and it now has a surplus and undivided profit of $6,000.
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The officers are: W. L. Blair, president; O. C. Ewart, vice- president ; and J. A. Williams, cashier.
The Harpster Bank of Harpster, Ohio, is another private institution. It was organized in 1883 by the late David Harp- ster, who owned the institution until his death, when it became the property of his daughters, Mrs. Sarah A. Sears and Mrs. Iva H. Bones. This bank has a capital of $60,000 and surplus and undivided profits of $110,000. John L. Lewis is cashier and Chas. H. Lewis is assistant cashier.
The Peoples Bank of Sycamore is a private institution and was organized in 1889. It has a capital of $25,000. J. A. Klahr is president; Geo. A. Klahr, vice-president; and F. C. Samsel, cashier.
The Wharton Bank of Wharton, Ohio, is a private bank and was organized in 1892. It is owned by Kear, Huston and Kear. The officers are: E. E. E. Kear, cashier ; S. E. Huston, assistant cashier; and M. H. Kear, assistant cashier.
The Commercial National Bank of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, was organized in 1900. It has a capital of $75,000 and surplus and undivided profits of $38,000. The officers are: Robert Carey, president; John L. Lewis, vice-president; Jonas J. Hulse, cashier; and A. Billhardt, Jr., assistant cashier. The directors are: Robert Carey, W. L. Blair, Elza Carter, John D. Curlis, H. Daniels, J. J. Hulse, John L. Lewis, D. E. Max- well, Frank Shumaker and John E. Lavely.
The First National Bank of Carey, Ohio, was organized in 1902 with a capital of $25,000 and surplus and undivided profits of $6,000. Byron Ogg is president and I. L. Culler, cashier. The directors are I. L. Culler, W. H. Houk, E. B. Kurtz, A. H. Kemerley, H. F. Graves and Byron Ogg.
The Farmers and Merchants Bank of Nevada, Ohio, was organized in 1907. Its capital is $15,000. The officers are: M. H. Mclaughlin, president; J. W. Wynkoop, vice-presi- dent; and W. A. Wolfe, cashier. The directors are: T. B. Armstrong, H. L. Goodbread, E. T. Burnsides, Simon Ritters- pach, M. H. Mclaughlin, H. Schauweker, V. K. Knapp, Mar- tin Scheff, Henry Beamer, J. H. Zulauf and J. W. Wynkoop.
The Citizens Savings Bank of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, was chartered in 1907 with a capital of $50,000, and is the youngest bank in Wyandot county. It now has a surplus and undivided profit of $20,000. The officers are: Richard Carter, presi- dent; A. B. Whitney, vice-president; and Ira R. Pontius,
OLD WYANDOT COUNTY COURTHOUSE
WYANDOT COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UPPER SANDUSKY
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cashier. The directors are: Richard Carter, A. B. Whitney, Samuel J. Black, F. M. Fox, Simon Herr, M. M. Stoneburner, William Olpp, Hubert Gregg and Peter Frank, Jr.
COUNTY BUILDINGS
For several years after the erection of Wyandot county, the old Indian council house was utilized for holding courts, and the Indian jail answered the purpose of a place of in- carceration for those awaiting trial for or convicted of minor offenses against the law.
But in the spring of 1845, it was decided to build a county jail. The contract was let to John McCurdy, his bid being the lowest-$2,740-and he entered at once into an agreement for its erection, but as Mr. McCurdy's contract did not prove a paying one for him, the commissioners granted Mr. McCurdy $500 more than the original contract price for completing the jail, which was done in 1848.
In 1846 steps were taken toward the erection of a court house. On the 11th day of September, 1846, an agreement was entered into between the county commissioners and William Young, by the terms of which the latter agreed to build and complete a court house, on or before October 1, 1848 (according, to "a plan and specifications"), for the sum of $7,000. Young's sureties for the faithful performance of his contract were Andrew McElvain, David Ayres, John A. Mor- rison, Daniel Tuttle and T. Baird. However, in July, 1847, another agreement was made, relative to building a court house, between the county commissioners and John W. Ken- nedy and John H. Junkins, which, after reciting that Young had assigned his contract to his sureties, who in turn had re- assigned it to Kennedy & Junkins, stipulated that Kennedy & Junkins should complete the structure according to the original contract, and for the original consideration of $7,000, less the amount already paid Young. Notwithstanding two separate agreements had already been made for the comple- tion of the court house, and that nearly three years had passed since the work was commenced, the spring of 1849 found the last-named contractors still struggling under a non-paying, disheartening contract. The commissioners then entered into a third agreement, and therein agreed to pay John H. Junkins for the completion of the building the sum of $9,800,
Vol. 1-17
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less the amount already paid to Young, and Kennedy & Junk- ins. It is probable that the structure was finished during the last days of 1849, for on the 16th day of January, 1850, the commissioners authorized the auditor to sell the council house (which to that time had served for holding courts, etc.), "for the sum of $250, and that the same time be given on the pay- ments as other county lots." In October, 1851, John H. Junkins was allowed an extra compensation of $2,200 for work on the court house, thus making the total cost of the building, complete, $12,000.
The first court held within the county of Wyandot was a special term of the court of common pleas. Its members- Abel Renick, William Brown and George W. Leith, associate judges-convened at the office of Moses H. Kirby, Esq., in Upper Sandusky, on Tuesday, April 8, 1845, or the day fol- lowing the first election for county officers.
The first regular term of the court of common pleas was held in the old Indian council house, in the eastern part of Upper Sandusky, near the bluff, July 1, 1845.
This court and jail each served its time and purpose, but now new and handsome structures occupy their former sites. The present court house is one of the finest in the state, but special mention is made of these commodious buildings in another chapter.
HISTORIC UPPER SANDUSKY
By A. H. Owen
The historic section of Upper Sandusky occupied but a small part of the original plat as prepared under the direc- tion of the general land office of the United States.
On the east, the valley of the historic Sandusky, ranges from one-fourth to a half mile in width, and is bordered by low bluff lines, that in their windings with the course of the stream, and in their graceful rounded outlines, form some of the most beautiful scenery in Ohio.
Immediately east of the business section of the village, these bluffs approach each other so nearly at two points, as almost to enclose the portion of the valley between them, forming a natural amphitheater-that, previous to the advent
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of the railroad with its great fill, was a feature of great beauty and attracted general admiration.
On crest, slope, and at base of the bluffs within the cor- porate limits, are many springs of pure water. The historic Indian village fringed the bluff that bordered the enclosed valley on the west, centering about two fine springs near the crest, not far from the intersection of Wyandot avenue and Fourth street. One of these, early known as the Kirby and later as the Berry spring, is located on inlot 159, now owned and occupied by the B. P. O. E. club and lodge building. The larger, more important and historic spring, was long ago effaced and forgotten .* Few there be who knew of and remember it. It was located near the northeast corner of inlot 161, which adjoins the south line of the alley or drive- way, that leads to the brewery from Fourth street. It was the old Fort Ferree spring, enclosed within its palisade for water supply. When the writer was a small lad, it was a favorite resort, and furnished water for the whole neighborhood. The earth had been excavated down to the water sand, and the sides boarded up with heavy plank, which extended from eighteen to twenty-four inches above the surrounding sur- face level. Substantial posts set at the corners and midway the sides, provided support for the walls. These posts extended above the ground, supporting a framework intended probably for a covering of some kind. The arrangement formed a water surface within the enclosure, of perhaps six by twelve feet. Here in colonial times, was located one of the Wyandot villages. Three miles south, on the east bank of the San- dusky, Oldtown, believed to be original Upper Sandusky, was located. Its name had been transferred to Head Chief Tarhe's village four miles northeast of the springs, when the council house was removed near by. When Tarhe died in 1818, the Indians removed their council house to this vil- lage, calling it Upper Sandusky and giving the name Crane- town to Tarhe's residence. Here, June 4, 1782, Col. Wm. Crawford arrived about noon and halted to refresh his troops. That afternoon about four o'clock, he encountered the Indians in force about three miles north, and the battle began that was to decide the fate of the expedition and its commander. The grove in and about which it took place, has ever since been known as Battle Island.
*This spring was utilized by the owners of the brewery constructed on site of Fort Ferree in the late 50's. It was piped into the brewery, the site filled and leveled.
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During the War of 1812-15, the right wing of General Harrison's army concentrated here. Through this village, was constructed a government road, known as the Harrison military road from Delaware to Lower Sandusky, now Fre- mont.
FORT FERREE AND CAMP MEIGS
Fort Meigs was constructed at Lower Sandusky and Fort Ferree at Upper Sandusky. The latter, by Pennsylvania troops under command of Gen. Robert Crooks. It consisted . of a stockade of split and round timber enclosing the spring above mentioned, with block houses at the corners, rough barracks and other accommodations. The stockade enclosed part of outlot 49, with parts of inlots 160, 161, 194, and prob- ably 195. Outlot 49 is bounded on the north by Walker street, on the east by Third street, on the south by Wyandot avenue, and on the west by an alley in the rear of aforementioned inlots.
The Wyandots being friendly, but few troops were quar- tered at the fort, it being mainly used as headquarters, by General Harrison commanding the right wing in person and for hospital service. The fort was poorly supplied with camp and garrison equipage, provisions and medical stores and many sickened and died.
The infantry under General Meigs, composing Pennsyl- vania, Ohio and Kentucky troops, several thousand in num- ber, were quartered in barracks at Camp Meigs on what was afterwards the Old Mission Farm, where in 1821-24, the mission buildings, viz., missionary's residence, boarding house, schoolhouse, and church, were erected.
The light horse were camped on the Armstrong, now Reber bottom, two miles south of the fort.
FORT FERREE BURIAL GROUND
Where the county buildings stand, and for several rods west, soldiers who died at the fort were buried. Mute evi- dence of this was furnished in 1874, when Main street was macadamized. To do this, it was necessary in grading the street, to remove a large cottonwood tree (the pride of the village), perhaps three feet in diameter, that stood in the cen- ter of the street, directly in front of J. A. Gottfried & Bro.
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hardware store. Beneath and about it, were found the remains of soldiers, evidenced by the buttons bearing the letters U. S. stamped upon them, rosettes of leather with the American eagle in brass as a center piece, etc .- found with them. Sev- eral times prior to that, human remains had been found in excavations made on the county grounds for various pur- poses, but no thought had been given them, other than that they were of Indian origin. The cottonwood tree is supposed to have marked the grave of some prominent officer, as a skel- eton found directly beneath bore evidence with it to that effect. The remains unearthed filled two large store boxes. They were removed to the Mission cemetery and reburied.
INDIAN COUNCIL HOUSE
WYANDOT COUNTY'S FIRST COURTHOUSE
In choosing a site for their council house, the Indians sought the bluff crest overlooking the valley they loved so well and on a spot about twenty-five feet from Fourth street on the west, and near to or over the north line of inlot 90, they erected their last council house in Ohio. Inlot 90 is the home of A. M. Smith. The construction of this building dates some- where near 1830. It was a small frame building, two stories in height and fronting west. An outside stairway beginning at the northwest corner led up over the lower entrance to the upper floor. In size, it was probably 18x24, but that is mere guess work now, on the part of those of us who were familiar with it. Both upper and lower floors were each finished in sin- gle rooms. The door to the upper floor opened directly into the room, the lower door opened into a small vestibule, or entry. The chimney was constructed of brick and was built into the framework of the building at the east end. Prior to 1830, their council house was a primitive affair, constructed in 1818, and consisted of split plank set up between uprights, and the top covered with bark stripped from trees. The writer's father located it near the new one. He was a lad of ten at the time he saw it in 1824. The County History of 1884, says, "subsequently, the temporary structure at the new town of Upper Sandusky gave place to a more substantial building," which confirms in a measure our father's remembrance. Rev. Finley, in his history of the Wyandot mission, tells of using
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it for religious services, but nothing in his notes points to its location. The material for the new building was prepared at the Indian mills. These were a grist and a saw mill, three miles northeast on the river. They were provided for in the treaty of 1817 with the Wyandots, at the foot of the rapids of the Big Miami (Maumee) and were built by the Govern- ment in 1820. The council house was destroyed by fire about midnight, in October or November, 1851. The lower room was being used for school purposes at the time, and the chil- dren lost all their books. It caught fire from a barrel under the stairway, into which hot ashes had been carelessly thrown the evening before. Our recollection of the event is very vivid, as we were roused from a sound sleep, hastily wrapped in a blanket, held in the second floor window of our home by our mother, who talked to us about fire, how there wouldn't be any school now, and the children wouldn't go by any more, on their way to and from school.
In 1843 the United States Government took charge of the building and used it for land office purposes, Hon. Moses H. Kirby, receiver, Abner Root, register. The latter con- tinued in office until June, 1845, and was then succeeded by Hon. Robt. M'Kelly. It was also the official headquarters of the deputy United States surveyors, Clason & Brown. Early in February, 1845, John Schrenk, printer, occupied the lower room, and on the 15th issued the Wyandot Telegram, the first newspaper published in the county. This was less than two weeks from the passage, February 3, 1845, of the act by the Legislature, creating Wyandot county. In politics the paper was of whig persuasion. On the 16th day of April, 1845, the county commissioners (elected April 7th) purchased of Moses H. Kirby his possessory right to the council house property, paying him therefor $30. The same day, the county auditor was ordered to make such necessary repairs to the upper part of the building, as would be required for the accom- modation of the county officers. At a meeting of the commis- sioners held June 2, 1845, Guy C. Worth, who was clerk of court per appointment, was ordered to serve notice on John Schrenk, publisher of the Wyandot Telegraph, to vacate the council house forthwith. By these acts, the building that had served as a temple of justice for the redman, became and was duly installed in the same capacity, the first county courthouse of Wyandot county, Ohio.
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To supply the necessities of the pioneers in matters of church, school, public gatherings and village purposes, it became the public servant, generally, combining in its use every need of a new settlement.
THE INDIAN JAIL
Fifteen or twenty rods northeast of the Fort Ferree spring, near the edge of the sloping bluff, and just south of the pres- ent brewery barn, will locate, as nearly as possible, the site of the Indian jail. This was a small, compact structure, built of squared timber, seven or eight inches thick. It was two stories in height; the upper floor was reached by an outside stairway on the west protected by the roof projecting over it. The lower story was rather low, not over six feet, if that. The description of the building in Howe's Ohio states the lower story was eight feet high. The number of steps in the stairway, or logs in the wall face, would have to be increased, or else the height of step or width of log in the wall face, must be absurdly increased to meet the description. The illustra- tion herein is a faithful copy of the building as many of us remember it. Then too, the door to the lower room is, as seen in picture, in the center of the side, rather than at the north- west corner, as stated in Howe's Ohio. The illustration herein is an actual photograph. The County History of 1884 states that the building stood on a point of the bluff that jutted out over Third street. That is a mistake. There never was any such formation on the bluff so rugged, bold and prominent. The bluff crest and slope where the jail stood was wholly within the limits of outlot 49. We have consulted with many of our friends, with whom as boys, we played our old time recreations of jail and fort within and about it, and the con- census of memory is, that the building fronted west, toward the village, not north and away from it. That the lower door was located in the center of the north-side wall face, not in or near a corner. From that prison, "Soo-de-nooks," a son of Black Chief, who in a drunken fit, murdered "Too-ra-hah- tah," a young man of the Wyandot nation, was taken to where his grave had been dug, at a lonely spot on the bottom, east of the council house, and executed. The following letter, copied from Rev. James B. Finley's history of the Wyandot mission, and dated October 20, 1830, a few days after the
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event, furnishes us an account direct, fresh from the scene of the tragedy, written, signed, sealed and delivered by a participant. The writer thereof, i. e. Mononcue was a prom- inent chief of the Wyandot nation, who had been converted to Christianity, and became a local minister of the Methodist church.
Upper Sandusky, October 20, 1830.
One of our young men was killed by another about two or three weeks ago. The murdered man was John Barret's half brother, the murderer "Soo-de-nooks" or Black Chief's son. The sentence of the chief's was the perpetual banish- ment of the murderer and the confiscation of all his property. When the sentence was made known to the nation, there was general dissatisfaction; and the sentence of the chief's was set aside by the nation. On Thursday morning, about day- light, he was arrested and brought before the nation assem- bled, and his case was tried by all the men (that vote) over the age of twenty-one, whether he should live or die. The votes were counted, and there were 112 in favor of his death and twelve in favor of living. Sentence of death was accordingly passed against him, and on the second Friday he was shot by six men, chosen for that purpose, three from the Christian party, and three from the heathen party. The executioners were Francis Cotter, Lump-on-the-head, Silas Armstrong, Joe Enos, Soo-cuh-guess, and Saw-yau-wa-hoy. The execu- tion was conducted in Indian military style, and we hope it will be a great warning to others, and be the means of prevent- ing such crimes hereafter.
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