USA > Ohio > Wyandot County > Past and present of Wyandot County, Ohio; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievemen, Vol. I > Part 34
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
The first schools in the township were held in the dwell- ings of the settlers, one of these being that of George Greek, and Deby Martin was the first teacher. When the log school- house near Mr. Greek's residence was erected, among the first teachers was Jacob Newman Free, then a brilliant young col- legiate, later known as the "Immortal J. N." Other early teachers were Benjamin Burnapp, Samuel Updegraff and Isabel Thompson.
The Methodist Episcopal church organized a society in this township as early as 1834, although meetings were held prior to this by the adherents of this faith in dwelling houses and in the log schoolhouse west of the cemetery. In 1835-36, they erected a log church building, which later was supplanted by a frame structure, costing $1,200, and named Bethel.
A Methodist Protestant church was organized in this town- ship in 1866-67, by the Reverend Evans, who had for a time previous held services in the "Greek" schoolhouse, and here it was that the organization was effected, there being at that time about thirty members enrolled. They erected a church
364
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
building, but later it was abandoned, owing to dissentions among the members.
An organization of the Lutheran denomination was formed in this township in about 1838 or 1839. They erected a log building which was afterwards weather boarded. The mem- bers of the Reformed church gave their assistance. Some trouble later arose. In 1862-63 the Reformed society erected a frame structure at a cost of one thousand, six hundred dollars.
Ridge is the smallest township in Wyandot, and lies in the northwest corner of the county. The southwest corner of Big Spring Indian reservation extended into this township. The Northern Ohio railroad runs through Ridge but has no station in the township.
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP
This township derives its name from the richness of its soil, a soil bountifully provided with qualities that yield to the diligent and prudent tiller of the land a rich and gener- ous return for his labors.
Richland is bounded on the north, for three miles from east to west, by Ridge township, and for the remaining two miles by Hancock county; on the east by Salem township; on the south for four miles from east to west by Jackson township, for the remaining mile by Hardin county; on the west by Hancock county. Having already spoken of the alimental properties of the soil, it can be safely further said of Rich- land that it ranks among the foremost townships of Wyandot county as an agricultural section, and as a field for stock- raising purposes it is not a whit behind. The township is studded with prosperous farms, well drained (for the drains or ditches here are most extensive, some of them spreading completely across the township), incumbered with but little timber, and inhabited by a wide-awake, thriving and contented people.
The streams in this township are not many, nor of any degree of magnitude, and their rarity is not to be complained of as the soil is sufficiently saturated with moisture to be inde- pendent of any such outside sustentation. There are only two roads in Richland that run in a direction other than on the section or Congressional lines, or parallel with them. Of these
365
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
two roads, one leaves the southern line of section 15, about a quarter mile west of Whartonsburg, cuts off a corner of that section, and leads northwest through sections 16 and 17, into Hancock county ; the other, the Burlington & Mount Blanch- ard road, laid out in March, 1835, runs through section 32 from Hardin county into Hancock county. The highways leading from north to south are: One on Hancock township line as far as section 11, where it unites with the road first mentioned; one intersecting sections 4, 9 and 16 as far as first mentioned road; another intersects sections 3, 10 and 15, ter- minating at Whartonsburg; a fourth enters the township between sections 1 and 2, leading to a mile north of Jackson township; and a fifth runs along the entire dividing line of Richland and Salem townships. Of those leading from east to west, there is one along the entire north line, the first regu- larly laid out road in the township (1835) ; a second, a mile further south, runs the entire width of the township; a third, another mile southward, to within a mile and a half of Han- cock county; a fourth, another mile further south, reaches into Hancock county ; another mile, and a road is found tra- versing to a point half a mile east of Hancock county; the sixth and seventh roads, exactly a mile apart (and the sixth a mile from the fifth) lead through the entire township.
The C., C., C. & St. L. railroad, commonly called the "Big Four," extends through this township from the northeast to the southwest, with a station at Whartonsburg, or Whar- ton, as it is now called. It is in about the center of the town- ship. Carey, in Crawford township, is also a station on this road.
The following are some of the early settlers of the town- ship :
Dr. Samuel Pickett was born in Athens county, Ohio, Sep- tember 10, 1820. In 1830, his parents, Samuel and Charity Pickett, natives of Maryland and Virginia respectively, came and settled in what is now Richland township, then part of Hancock county. The doctor was a leading citizen and a celebrated hunter and trapper. Nathan Benjamin came in 1832, and settled on section 20.
In 1833, Philip Cole settled on section 17, Joshua Cole on section 2, and Charles Smith on section 17.
William M. Benjamin was born in Washington county, Ohio, June 1, 1804, son of Nathan and Mary Benjamin. In
366
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
1834, he came to Wyandot county and settled in Richland township, where he purchased 160 acres of land in section 28. He married, in 1823, and had eight children. For thirty years he was a local minister in the Methodist Episcopal church, and was prominently connected with it.
Conrad Wickiser, a native of Germany, came to Ohio with his family in 1810, settling in Perry county; from there removed to Delaware county, and in 1834 to Richland town- ship, this county, where he entered 120 acres of land. He was married to Lydia Wicks, and had eleven children.
About the same period came Charles Smith from Delaware, who built a cabin on section 17. Beers Roberts came from same county and located on section 17; then Ira Bristoll, on section 17; John James, on section 1; Silas Burson, on section 1; James Cole, on section 2; Abraham Cole on section 8; Har- vey Chilson, on section 13; Simeon Buell, on section 32.
In 1841, Solomon Spoon came from near Mccutchenville, this county, and settled in this township. He was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, April 28, 1802. Removing to New York state he remained there until he emigrated west- ward, coming to Ohio, a distance of 500 miles with an ox team. After remaining one year near Cleveland, he moved to this county.
Isaiah Liles, a native of Chillicothe, Ohio, born in 1818, bought in 1839 eighty acres of land, but did not move on it till 1842. Among other settlers may be named George James, W. W. Duffield, David Morrison, Andrew and George W. Reynolds.
The first schoolhouse in Richland township was built in 1835, and the first school was held therein. The building stood in the southwest quarter of section 17, a 16x20-feet structure of round logs, having a roof made of clapboards held on by poles, a puncheon floor, and a door made of split boards, hung on wooden hinges. The windows were holes cut through the logs and covered with oiled paper. The chimney, which shiv- ered in winter on the outside of the institution, was composed of sticks and mud.
A second educational establishment was erected in 1839, on the northeast quarter of section 2, similar in construction to its predecessor, excepting that it was 20x40 feet in size, and had the distinguished addition of an upper floor of round logs, having the cracks filled with leaves and mud.
367
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
Charles Smith was the first dominie in the township, and taught in the schoolhouse first built, during the winters of 1835, 1836 and 1837, the attendance averaging about twenty pupils. Abraham Cole was the first teacher in the school- house built in 1839.
The first sermon preached in Richland township was June 28, 1835, in the house of Joshua Cole, in the northwest quarter of section 2, on which occasion James Peters, an Old School Baptist minister, took for his text the entire twenty-fifth chapter of St. Mathew's gospel, and it is said his sermon was in corresponding length with his text.
The Methodist Episcopal denomination erected the first church building in Richland township. It was built in 1852, on the northwest quarter of section 28. It was constructed of hewed logs, and it was 24x34 feet in size.
The Star Bethel Church of God society held its first meet- ing in the fall of 1854, in the Morrison schoolhouse, and was organized about the same time in the same schoolhouse. The organization consisted of eleven members. Their first church building in this township was erected in 1876, on the north- east quarter of section 13.
The first wedding among the first white settlers of this township took place in December, 1834, at the residence of Conrad Wickiser, in section 21, the contracting parties being John Roberts and Abigail Wickiser. The first birth in the township was that of Maria James, on the first day of May, 1835. The first death was that of Elijah Benjamin, a child aged four years, who was killed December 25, 1834, by the falling of a tree.
In 1838 James P. Ward brought the first buggy into the township. The first grist mill was built in 1855, by John and George Sterling at Whartonsburg. They also erected the first saw mill, in 1858. The first store in the township was opened by James P. James, in Whartonsburg. Previous to the opening of this store the settlers had to go many miles for their supplies. The first election held in the township was in April, 1835, at the home of James Duddleson, section 4. The first blacksmith shop was erected in 1835, in the northeast quarter of section 1. The first house built in the township was by Hescot Pickett, in 1832. It was of round logs, and 16x18 feet in dimensions.
368
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
WHARTON
The town of Wharton is situated in Richland township and on the Springfield & Sandusky division of the New York Central railroad, known as the "Big Four." It is an attrac- tive little village of 500 inhabitants, and is surrounded by a rich agricultural community. It has a bank, a hardware store, one drug store, three groceries, two dry goods stores, a wagon shop, a blacksmith shop, a lumber yard and a furniture store, but no saloon. It also has a fine grain and stock market.
The town has graded schools that compare favorably with any in the county, and has a high school of forty pupils. It also has two churches-the Methodist Episcopal and the Church of God.
The town was laid out in 1848, shortly after the railroad was built, which was then called the Mad River road. The first house in the place was built by N. Depew. The first store was kept by James P. James, who was also the first post- master.
. SALEM TOWNSHIP
Salem township received its name from Job Mattson, the first justice of the peace to serve under its organization, which took place in 1845, and the name was given it in honor of Salem, Massachusetts.
The township is located in a fertile region of the county, having Crane township for its eastern boundary, Mifflin for its southern, Richmond for its western and Crawford for its northern. Through its center, the beautiful and storied Tymochtee traverses its entire length from north to south in a zigzag course, paralleled almost by its principal tributary, the Little Tymochtee, on the east, while Lick Run, Baughman Run and streams of lesser importance drain its western fields. Its farms are small, for the most part, but the owners are pros- perous, and the work of improvement is rapidly going on.
Ezra Stewart is said to be the earliest settler in this town- ship, having located on the southwest quarter of section 5, in October, 1831. He was a married man with three children, a native of Connecticut. Henry Stewart located in section 6 in 1834; John Nichols located in section 19 in 1835; Arnold
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, LITTLE SANDUSKY
SCENE IN LITTLE SANDUSKY
In the building beside which the team stands, J. S. Rappee conducted a general store in Indian days
SCHOOL BUILDING, LITTLE SANDUSKY
369
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
B. Inman began operations in section 17 in the latter year ; Daniel Baughman in section 19 in 1836.
John Mann was one of the first settlers. He was born in New Jersey, but moved to Pennsylvania when about seven- teen years of age. He located in this township July 6, 1834; pitched his tent under a large sugar tree, and proceeded to build his cabin, which occupied twelve days in construction. He had entered one hundred acres of land, and his chattels comprised one yoke of oxen, four cows, a barrel of flour and a few articles of furniture. At that time the nearest settle- ments were those of Judge Brown, west of Carey, Judge Carey on Tymochtee creek and Huston's, west of Forest, Hardin county. Other early settlers of the township were Elisha Bur- son, Warwick Miller, Jacob Baughman, Milton Kear, Duane Bland, Abner Suber, William Davidson, George Davidson, Henry Houck, Henry Davis, A. J. Failor, George Michaels, T. P. Taylor, Ezekiel Bogart, Daniel White and George Cor- dery.
In the early settlement of this township, as well as that of others in the county, the Indians were often a source of great annoyance. In the fall of 1837, an old Seneca Indian of the original tribe appeared at the cabin of Arnold Inman, and the parents being absent, he demanded of the children something to eat. On being informed that there was nothing about the house to supply his wants, he was very wroth and drew from his scabbard at his side a long, wicked-looking butcher's knife, which he brandished furiously about him, threatening in the most savage manner to take the lives of the whole group of terrified children unless he was provided with what he desired. To add to the terror of the scene, he drew from beneath his blanket the dried skin of an infant babe in which he carried his tobacco and began filling his pipe, telling his amazed listeners at the time that he obtained the babe's skin at the battle of Buffalo in 1813. He stated that there his squaw was shot while attempting to swim the river, and was drowned as a result. He had sat down to smoke, but having finished his broken speech he arose, went to a shelf in the cabin, and took from beneath a tin pan a good- sized Johnnycake. He then resumed his seat by the fire, and while thus seated his observing eye discovered a pile of ashes in one corner of the fireplace. True to his native instincts, he began to make investigations by probing the ashes with Vcl. 1 -- 24
370
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
the ever-present fire poker of those days, and soon resurrected the smoking potatoes which the children were preparing for their evening meal. He proceeded to deposit these with the Johnnycake in his blanket. When seeing themselves in a fair way to lose their supper, the eldest of the children, Arwin, prepared to resist the intruder. He went out of the cabin and unloosed the old watch dog, took possession of the old redskin's gun which he had left standing outside the door, and ordered him to return his trophies and depart. Again the old savage brandished his tomahawk and knife in the air, and threatened death to the brave youth, who stood his ground firmly, and compelled the old Seneca to move away, the boy pitching the gun over the brush fence after him as he made his departure.
The first dwelling of a white man in this township was a log cabin built in 1831. This was erected on the southwest quarter of section 5, by Ezra Stewart. It was constructed of round logs, 12x16 feet in size. In 1834 Henry Stewart and John Mann erected cabins here, and in 1835 John Nichols and A. B. Inman came to make their future home here. Ezra Stewart is said to be the first white child born in Salem town- ship. In June, 1845, George Right and Catharine Michaels were united in marriage, being the first wedding in the town- ship. The first death in the township was that of Mary Jones, in October, 1839. The first election in the township was held at the Nichols schoolhouse, April 7, 1845.
Roads in this township were things unknown till 1837. except the trails worn by the feet of the Indians. Over the prairie land teamsters might drive in any direction they chose, the only obstacles being, perhaps, an occasional marsh, in whose grassy confines crouched the rosy cranberry. In the year above mentioned, the first regular road was con- structed, beginning at the northeast quarter of section 19, and extending north on the section line. Others fol- lowed as necessity required, many of the individual land owners cutting their own way through the timbered regions. Indeed the greater part of the original thoroughfares of the township were made in this way, or by the united labors of settlers mutually interested. Bridges across the larger streams were difficult to construct, and fording was neces- sitated, this, during the rainy seasons, often being a danger- ous, if not an impossible feat. At the organization of the
371
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
county, the sectional lines of travel were, of course, regularly and generally established.
In 1852 the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad (now the Pennsylvania road) was constructed, passing at a southern angle through the southern tier of sections, and in 1876 the Columbus, Hocking Valley & Toledo line (now known as the Hocking Valley road) was put in operation, running diagonally across the northeast quarter of the township, pass- ing through sections 2, 11, 13 and 24 respectively, also cutting the southwest corner of section 12, near the county infirmary.
The early settlers of Salem usually went to Bucyrus, Fort Ball, now Tiffin, or Sandusky City for their supplies, espe- cially to obtain flour and the heavier lines of sumptuary goods. The latter town was the principal milling point for many years. Home manufactures were found to be a necessity and as early as 1836, John Mann, while engaged in hay making, found a boulder, from which he constructed a run of buhrs, and set up a mill in one end of his cabin, the mill being run by hand, Mrs. Mann often performing the labor of turning the stone. Mr. Mann afterward built a horsepower mill, using first two horses, but subsequently increasing the number to eight, making the capacity of the mill about seventy-five bush- els per day. He was engaged in the milling business nearly twenty years, doing work for the settlers of a large scope of country, extending his patronage into the adjoining counties. He also constructed a saw mill, run by water power, and dug a ditch one and one-half miles in length to obtain water neces- sary to its operation, the supply being drawn from Potato Creek Swamp. Many of the original frame buildings of Upper Sandusky were constructed from lumber cut at this mill, to which Mr. Mann added a stream lathe about 1854. As a mechanic he could do almost any kind of work required by the times. He was the miller, the blacksmith, the carpenter, the gunsmith and the shoemaker for the whole neighborhood. He died in 1857 from injuries received by falling between the cars in attempting to board a train at Upper Sandusky.
The first schoolhouse in Salem township was erected in 1838, on the northeast corner of section 19, and the first teacher was Israel Hulse. This primitive log schoolhouse in time gave way to a neat and comfortable frame structure, as was the case in the other townships of the county, and these frame structures were succeeded by more commodious ones, often
372
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
being substantial brick buildings, and all are now well fur- nished with modern conveniences.
The first law suit in the county was that of John Rummel vs. William Johnson, the hearing taking place before Justice James P. Hastings, April 12, 1845.
The first church erected in the township was by the "Bible Christians," on the northwest quarter of section 17, in the year 1849. In 1850 the German Evangelical church was estab- lished. They held their first meetings at the residence of Nicholas Baumgarter in 1848. In 1850 the society purchased land for a church and cemetery on section 15, and in 1855, by volunteer work principally, a log church, 24x32 feet was erected. Later they erected a substantial brick structure.
The town of Lovell is in this township, of which further mention will be made in the chapter on towns and villages.
SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP
Sycamore township derives its name from Sycamore creek, the nearest approach to a river which courses through its midst, and this creek obtained its name from the many Syca- more trees that grew in the neighborhood. This township lies in the extreme northeast of Wyandot county, and formerly belonged to Crawford county, and was originally included in that county in 1821. It is what is known as a fractional township and comprises township 1 south, range 15 east. It is bounded on the north by Seneca county, on the east by Crawford county, on the south by Eden township, and on the west by Tymochtee township. It is six miles in length from north to south and four in breadth from east to west. Being one of the earliest settled townships in this part of the county, the timber has been well cleared off, and thereby it has a decided advantage over some of the other townships, as the farms are more numerous and better developed, and altogether show evidence of a more advanced state.
Of the streams in Sycamore township (which all flow east or northeast), the creek that gave it its name is the most not- able. Sycamore creek takes its rise partly in Crawford county and partly in sections 22 and 27, this township. It flows nearly due northwest and "glideth at his own sweet will" through sections 21, 16, 17, 18, 7 and a small portion of 6, when it enters Tymochtee township and finally pours its
373
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
waters into the Sandusky river near Mexico, in the latter township. Mile creek, the most northerly stream, which finds its source in Crawford county, flows in a northwesterly direc- tion through sections 10, 3, 4, 5 and northeast corner of 6, where it enters Seneca county, ultimately finding its way to the Sandusky river. A stream, which enjoys the oleaginous and euphonious title, Greasy creek, contributes its measure to Sycamore creek ; it rises in Crawford county, although one of its tributaries has its birth in section 16, this township, and passes through sections 15, 10, 16, 9, 17 and 8, uniting with Sycamore creek in the northwest quarter of section 7. Taylor creek has its main springs in section 34, and after flowing through 33, 27 and 30, penetrates Tymochtee township, and falls into the Sandusky river about a mile west of the town- ship line. Its smallest tributary rises in section 28, courses through section 29 and conjoins with Taylor creek on section 30, and a larger tributary rises in section 34, traversing sec- tions 33, 32 and 31, entering Tymochtee township and flows into Taylor creek on section 14, latter township. There are to be found some other smaller creeks in various parts of the township. The Wyandot reservation line runs from Tymoch- tee township eastward through the northern part of sections 31, 32, 33 and 34 for a quarter of a mile, thence south into Eden.
The first white settler in Sycamore township was Samuel Harper, who, with his wife and seven children, four sons, William, James, Samuel and George, and three daughters, moved into the township March 1, 1821, where he entered 160 acres in section 18, and another 160 acres in section 6. He settled on section 18, and resided there till his death, which occurred October 18, 1821. He was a native of Ireland, born in 1748, and came to America previous to the Revolutionary war, toward the commencement of which he enlisted. At the battle of Bunker Hill, he received a gunshot wound in the left arm, which was broken below the elbow. This disabling him, he was discharged and he then settled in Northumber- land county, Pennsylvania, having been married, in Chester county, Pennsylvania, to Catharine Grimes. In the fall of 1818, he moved to Ross county, Ohio, and March 1, 1821, to Sycamore township. He died in October of that year. Mrs. Harper lived on the homestead until 1834, and then moved to Sycamore village, where she died in 1848, having reared
374
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
all her children to maturity. Alexander Morrow came with Samuel Harper from Ross county, Ohio, March 1, 1821, and lived with the Harper family for a time ; he afterward bought land on section 7.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.