USA > Ohio > Fulton County > The County of Fulton: A History of Fulton County, Ohio, from the Earliest Days, with Special Chapters on Various Subjects, Including Each of the Different Townships; Also a Biographical Department. > Part 24
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The municipal government of Wauseon for the present year (1905) is as follows: Mayor, A. P. Biddle; street commissioner, and marshal, Frank Yarnell; chief of the fire department, Philip Schletz; clerk, A. S. Bloomer; treasurer, H. A. Barber. The coun- cil is organized as follows : W. D. Van Renssellaer, president ; John Strong, W. H. Eager, Howard Lyon, Charles Cole and. Thomas Mikesell. The board of health is organized with Frank Yarnell as health officer.
The nucleus of the present city library originated in 1875, when the cultured ladies and gentlemen of Wauseon took hold of the matter in earnest and organized the Citizens' Library Association. The books were kept at various places in the town until 1902, when a room in the court house was secured, which place is the home of the library at present. The first librarian after the association was organized was Miss Eva Boughton, who was followed in that capa- city by different ones. Finally, Mary S. Hunt was given charge and she has continued to serve as librarian for several years. In 1904, negotiations were opened with Andrew Carnegie, looking to a donation by him to Wauseon for library purposes. The effort was successful, the steel magnate agreeing to give seven thousand five hundred dollars upon condition that the citizens of Wauseon would furnish an annuity of seven hundred and fifty dollars to support the enterprise. The board of education of the Wauseon school district invoked the power, which is given them by statute, and levied a tax of one mill upon the property valuation of the district, and thus guaranteed the satisfaction of Mr. Carnegie's proposal. The Car- negie library building is now in course of erection on Elm street, just off Fulton street, and the same will be completed and made ready for occupancy at the earliest possible moment. It will then be a popular resort, much appreciated by the studious citizens of all ages; and Wauseon may well be proud of her public library, where three thousand choice volumes await the call of its patrons.
Wauseon is represented in journalism by three weekly news- papers, but as these have been given appropriate mention in an- other chapter, a repetition is not necessary. Nothing like an ex- tended notice of the various religious organizations which have
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existed in the village of Wauseon can be attempted in this volume. The little leaven planted so many years ago has grown to mammoth proportions, and no town of like size in the State of Ohio possesses greater evidence of spiritual growth, or more devout and conscien -. tious leaders in the great cause of Christian life. Several churches have been organized from time to time, in which the zeal of their promoters exceeded the demand for their services, hence they had but an ephemeral existence. But of the persisting organizations which have grown to prominence and influence, there are several, . and their present day status is the best evidence of their high stand- ing and liberal support.
The history of early Methodism in Wauseon dates from the first years of the town's existence, and is centered around a wooden house of worship, which stood at the northeast corner of Fulton and Elm streets, where now is the brick block belonging to the Charles Gray estate, the upper floor of which is occupied by the printing office of the Wauseon Republican. The present church was erected in 1874, and is an imposing structure. Many familiar names have been asso- ciated with this congregation, and many distinguished divines have been connected with the organization. Rev. W. W. Lance is the present pastor.
There are in Wauseon devout and pious Catholics; but their num- bers are small, and a missionary priest, at stated periods, holds service. They have a church edifice, and few as are the numbers of these wor- shipers, they command a high degree of respect from co-religionists on account of the firmness they manifest in holding fast to their faith.
The First Baptist church of Wauseon was organized in 1864. The Arst regular pastor was Rev. George Leonard. The congregation bas a neat church building on the west side of Fulton street, south of the railroad.
The 'Disciples, or Christian church, in charge of Rev. Charles Oakley, is located on the north side of Elm street, east of Fulton, where regular services are conducted.
The United Brethren in Christ have an organization in .Wauseon the church being located on the east side. of Fulton avenue. . Rev. Oren Misamore is pastor in charge and conducts services every Sun- day, twice each alternate Sunday.
There is an Evangelical church building, located on West Chest- nut street, in Wauscon, and quite a number of professors of the tenets of that creed are in the village and neighborhood.
The distinctive faith of New England Congregationalism has been prominent in the religious culture of the citizens of Wauseon, a num- ber of its leading families being from the land of Puritanism. The Congregational society of Wauseon dates back to 1861. Their hand- some, new and commodious place of worship was built and dedicat- ed in 1904. It stands on the southeast corner of Clinton and Elm streets. .
The public burial place of Watiseon is located one-half mile west
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of the village, just beyond the corporation limits. It comprises ten acres of mound-shaped land, and is far enough away from the busy bustle of village life to give it the quiet and seclusion which one always associates with a burial place for the dead; hence the selection of the site, which has been beautified as the years passed, until it is now an ideal spot. It contains the mortal remains of several of Fulton county's most distinguished citizens, whose final resting places are rendered conspicuous by the erection of worthy monuments. The private citizen and the soldier are equally honored by the rever- ence and sacrifice of surviving friends, to the end that this sacred spot is rendered beautiful in keeping with the sadly reverential pur- pose which made its existence a necessity.
The business interests of Wauseon are varied and extensive. The mercantile houses compare favorably in extent, variety and quality of goods with any town of equal size in the state. The volume of business is very large when the close proximity of rival towns is con- sidered. The mercantile houses are generally backed with resources commensurate to their demands, and the element of losses from bad accounts is reduced to the minimum, by reason of the stable charac- ter of the buyers. Perhaps no town in the state, of equal size, has a smaller percentage of losses from bad debts. This is due, in part, to the fact that buyers are permanent residents, usually owning their own homes, though the element of honesty and business integrity among them is a dominant feature.
The social spirit of Wauseon is revealed in the following list of secret and benevolent societies : Masonic-Wauseon lodge No. 349, F. and A. M .; Wauseon Chapter No. III, R. A. M .; Wauseon Coun- cil No. 68, R. and S. M. Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Wau- seon lodge No. 362. The Grand Army of the Republic has an or- ganization-Losure Post No. 35. Auxiliary to this is the Woman's Relief Corps. There are lodges of the Knights of Pythias (No. 156), National Union, Modern Woodmen of America, and Knights of the Maccabees. It would be interesting to have the history of these various organizations, particularly the more important ones, but lack of space forbids the attempt.
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CHAPTER XX
GORHAM TOWNSHIP
T HE territory embraced within this township is peculiar for having been in four township organizations, to-wit: Logan, Medina and Chesterfield, of the east part, and Millcreek, of the western part, and fifthly, and lastly, Gorham. As origin- ally organized . the township included all the land now within its limits, excepting three tiers of sections on the west, as well as one- half of the township of Franklin, which lies north of the Fulton line. The organization of Gorham dates from 1838, and its original terri- tory has since contributed to the formation of Franklin township. Upon the organization of Fulton county, in 1850, three tiers of sec- tions were taken from the east side of Millcreek township, in Williams county, and attached to Gorham; and again, at some period of time since the organization of the township, and by the commissioners of Fulton county, the west half of sections seven and eighteen was de- tached from Chesterfield township and attached to Gorham, so that at present the township contains nearly forty-four full sections of land. Gorham is not only one of the most fertile and naturally wealthy townships of the county, but it is also one of the most pros- perous in its material development. The course of the streams through the township is generally southeast towards Bean creek, which runs upon its eastern boundary, crossing the southeast corner, and thence southwest across Franklin on its southern boundary. The water power afforded by Bean creek was utilized in a very early day, when the primitive mills were hailed with delight by the industrious pioneers.
The first permanent improvement which was made in Gorham township is credited to Hiram Farwell, who came early in the fall of 1834 and settled on the east side of section ten, town nine south, range one east, now called Ritter's Station, on the Canada Southern railroad. He came from the State of New York with his wife, and raised a family of three girls and one boy. He was a man much esteemed by the early settlers for his candor and peace-making peculiarities in the whole range of his social circle. He sometimes preached and was often called to minister comfort and consolation to mourners at funerals and helped to lay at rest their dead. He has long since passed to that bourne from whence no traveler returns.
On December 31, 1834, in the evening, David Severance and his wife, Esther, arrived in the township of Millcreek (that portion of it which is now in Gorham) and located for themselves a farm on the
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north side of section thirty-six, town nine south, range one west of the meridian, which placed them among the early settlers of the original township of Millcreek, Williams county, and the second family in the present limits of Gorham township. David Severance was born in the State of Vermont, and his. wife, Esther (Knapp) Severance, was born in Jefferson county, New York, July 3, 1797. She died February 17, 1887, and David Severance in 1844. Both died upon the farm on which they first settled. They came to Ohio in 1819, soon after marriage. At the death of Esther Severance she left six living children (having buried four), fifty-one grandchildren, eighty-two great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren, and many of this lineage are now living in the township of Gorham. Among the settlers of 1834 that can be remembered were Abijah Coleman, town nine south, range one west, with a wife and family.
Waldron and Alfred Severance came at the same time, with their father and mother, David and Esther, and soon became the main support of a large and growing family.
Among those that came in 1835, that can now be called to mind, were William Lee and his wife, who settled in Gorham in March, 1835, upon section thirteen, town nine south, range one east of the meridian. William Lee was born at West Bloomfield, New York, in June, 1797, and died in Chesterfield township in 1854' He settled in Michigan about 1825, came to Gorham township in 1835, and lived there until 1845, when he removed to Chesterfield. Mr. Lee was a tanner and currier by trade and upon settling in Gorham township became engaged in that business. He was justice of the peace and clerk of Chesterfield township at the time of his death. The very earliest of the settlements of Gorham township commenced just south of the Harris line, and north of this line many settlers had located at an earlier date. Very soon settlements commenced in the southwest corner and center of the township. They were John Gillett, Gorham Cottrell, Sr., September, 1835; Freeman Coffin in June; Clement Coffin in June, and in September, 1835, Sardis, Joseph and Erastus Cottrell. Gorham Cottrell, Sr., was born in .Worthing- ton, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, and died in Gorham town- ship, which had been named for him, in 1852. He entered several hundred acres of land, and, with the assistance of his sons, cleared and improved the same. He was a very influential man. Just north of and contiguous to the Harris line were Henry Meach, Justice Cooley, James McCrillis, Sr., Orville Woodworth, Abel Perry, John Gould and Henry Teneyke, whose lands lay principally in Ohio. In the spring of 1835, came James Baker and wife, who settled on section fourteen, town nine south, range one east. They came from Pittstown, Rensselaer county, New York. He died many years ago, his wife preceding him. In 1852 he built a saw-mill in Royalton township, just west of the present village of Lyons, and sawed the planks for that and the adjoining townships, for the plank road built in the season of 1853, and which road was laid out upon what is known in history as the Vistula road, leading from Toledo to
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Morenci, Michigan. James Baker was followed the same season by Martin Lloyd, Stephen Chaffee, William Sutton and Asa Butler. William Griffin was born in Westchester county, New York, and settled in Gorham township on August 8, 1837, with a wife and four children. He was a cooper and carpenter, but in early life began farming and followed that occupation until his death in 1843.
In the season of 1836 came Levi Crawford, Philip Clapper, John Whaley, John C. Whaley, Aaron Price, Nelson Fellows, John Danielson, his wife, Catherine, and son, Daniel Danielson.
Calvin Ackley came in 1840. He was born in Winfield, Herkimer county, New York, in 1815, settled in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1836, and in 1837 purchased a farm of one hundred acres, for which he paid two and one-half dollars per acre. In 1840 he settled with his family in Millcreek township, or rather on that strip which was then in Williams county but is now a part of Gorham township, and he resided in Gorham the remainder of his earthly career. He pur- chased one hundred and fifty acres for three hundred dollars, in 1842, which he cleared and placed under cultivation. He was the first postmaster at Fayette and held that office for several years. He was also a justice of the peace and a member of the school board for many years.
Of the later settlers for 1837, 1838, 1839 and 1840, it is found from the best information on the subject, that they were George McFar- land, John Jacoby, Elisha A. Baker, Simeon Baker, Lucius Ford, Nathan Shaw, Hosea Ford, Elijah Snow, wife and family, three boys and three girls; Wendal A. Mace and wife, one boy and two girls; George W. Sayles and family, Alfred Whitman and wife, Abel Paul and family, Nathan Salsbury and Nathan Salsbury, Sr., Joseph Sebring, Josiah Colvin, Milo Rice, John Kendall, M. D., James L. Griffin, Amos Kendall, M. D., Hiram Hadley, Alanson Pike, Rens- selaer S. Humphrey and James P. Emerick. Of these we find that John Jacoby a native of Pennsylvania, came into what is now Fulton county, in 1835, and died here in 1842.
Nathan Shaw was a pioneer settler of Gorham township, coming here in 1838, and was born in Hampshire county, Massachusetts, in 1820. He removed to Michigan in 1833, and after coming west taught school for several terms. He became one of the representa- tive men of Fayette; was justice of the peace, township treasurer, town clerk and a member of the school board for over thirty years. He purchased his farm, consisting of eighty acres, in 1844, but after- wards traded it for another, on which he spent the remainder of his life. He lived to see the wilderness cleared and the land blossoming as the rose, a country inhabited by the red men when he came set- tled by civilized people, and dotted over with school houses and churches.
Elijah Snow settled in Fulton county in 1839. George W. Sayles was born in Oneida county, New York, in 1807, and settled in Gor- ham township in 1838, when he purchased his homestead, consisting of 120 acres, for $250. Justus L. Hale was born in New York, May
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
3, 1815, and settled in Fulton county in 1842. : Willard E. Gay was born in Herkimer county, New York, March 29, 1815, and settled in Fulton county in 1841, his father, William Gay, having removed thither the previous year. Willard E. Gay filled the office of in- firmary director of Fulton county.
Benjamin F. Russell was one of the early settlers of Gorham town- ship, coming here in 1844, and was born in Rochester, Monroe county, New York, in 1818. He became engaged in the grocery and provision business at Maumee City, in 1841, but sold out and became a salesman at Seneca, Michigan, in 1842. Two years later, he came to Gorham township and purchased a farm of thirty acres for which he paid $120. To this he added until he owned at one time nearly five hundred acres of land. He was a very active and successful man.
Almon J. Rice was born in Oneida county, New York, May 29, 1812, and settled in Gorham township in 1844. James L. Griffin came in 1837, when a mere boy, with his parents, William Griffin and wife, and consequently became well versed in the many trials of the early settlers and changes in the township and county. He was born in Delaware county, New York, in 1826. Amos Kendall, M. D., was born in Monroe county, New York, September 28, 1820, the son of Dr. John Kendall, who is spoken of on another page. Amos Kendall filled the position of postmaster at Fayette, and was justice of the peace sixteen years.
Within the first ten years a very large immigration set towards this township, mostly from central New York, and as Hiram Far- well first opened the forest to the sunlight, it was left for these to put the finishing touch to all that was primeval. They were Michael Martzolf, Ansel Ford, Sr., Asa Cottrell, Daniel Hoffman, Benedict Zimmerman, Cornelius Jones, Henry Emerick, John Saltzgaber, Oliver B. Verity, Day Otis Verity, James Henry Verity, Jacob Woodward, Abraham" Van Valkenburg, Ephraim ยท Ser- gent, Truman L. Scofield, Jacob Cox, Martin Beilhartz, William H. Conrad, Amos Ford, . Philander Crane, Israel Mattern, Jacob Mat- tern, A. P. Boyd, Joseph O. Allen, Jacob Demerrit, John Gamber, Henry Gamber, George Acker, Sr., George Acker, Jr., Charles Hoffman, Samuel Hoffman, Isaac Hoffman, Daniel Hoffman, John Paul, Obediah Griffin, John Woodward, Stilly Huffman, William Davis, Daniel Bear, William C. Ely, Joseph Ely, Benjamin Dee, Stephen Hicker, Franklin Ford, Amos Belder, Bainbridge Belden, John Mallory, Peter Holben, George W. Kellogg, Truman Whitman, John B. Kimmel, John D. Brink, Jared Parker, Peter F. Chambard, William F. Ward, Junius Chase, J. P. Ritter, Jacob Hipput, Thomas C. Lester, J. L. Wise, George Lewis, Ebenezer Lloyd, Lyman Ellsworth, George F. Dubois, George Graves, David F. Spencer, Edward Gamble, A. Amsbaugh, Rial Sweatland, Henry T. Caulkins, Daniel Rhodes, Oliver Town, Uriah S. Town, Hosea Harmdon, Isaac Town, John W. Lilley, George Gamber, Henry Punches, Samuel Farst, Hon. A. W. Flickinger, William Plopper,
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GORHAM TOWNSHIP
W. P. Garrison, William Thompson, John Wiley and Josiah Wood- worth, the latter being killed by lightning about 1846. He was living, when killed, in the part taken from Millcreek township.
Daniel Hoffman settled in Gorham township from Seneca county, New York, in 1844, although he was a native of Pennsylvania. He died in Gorham township in 1873. Henry Emerick, an early and influential settler, who came here in 1849, was born in Seneca county, New York, January 18, 1826. He purchased his homestead of eighty acres in 1851, the land adjoining the corporation of Fayette. He served as trustee of the township, and was an active member of the Agricultural Society. Abraham Van Valkenburg was born in Kinderhook, New York, in 1820, and settled in Gorham township in 1847, where he purchased eighty acres of land. Ephraim Sergent was born in Rutland county, Vermont, in 1808, and settled in what is now Gorham township, but what was then Lucas county, in 1835. He purchased his homestead farm of eighty acres, in 1836, and cleared and improved it, besides liberally educating his fourteen children. Truman L. Scofield was born in Onondaga county, New York, July 5, 1820, and settled in Fulton county in 1844. He was a stock raiser and farmer. Martin Beilhartz was born in Wurtem- burg, Germany, December 15, 1803, and emigrated to America in 1833, settling in what is now Fulton county. He was a shoemaker by trade, but became a successful farmer and stock raiser. William H. Conrad was born in Johnstown, Fulton county, New York, in 1818, and settled in Fulton county, Ohio, in 1845, with a cash capital of sixteen dollars. But before his death he owned 490 acres of the best land in the county. Philander Crane settled here in 1837. Israel Mat- tern was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, April 15, 1818, and came into Fulton county, in 1846. He served as justice of the peace for twenty-five years in Gorham township, and also filled the offices of township trustee and school director. Jacob Mattern, also a native of Pennsylvania, settled in Gorham in 1846, where he engaged in the. manufacture of wagons and carriages, was deputy sheriff of the county and active in other public affairs. He enlisted in Com- pany K of the Thirty-eighth Ohio regiment, in August, 1861, under Colonel Bradley, was discharged on account of disability and died at his home in May, 1862. John Gamber was born in Seneca county, New York, in 1819. In early life he learned the carpenter trade, which he followed until he purchased his farm of 160 acres, in 1845, in Gorham, and for which he paid $460. He settled on the farm in 1846, cleared it, and in 1863 sold it and purchased a half interest in the steam flouring mill of Humphrey & Allen. In 1869 he sold his interest in the mill and purchased the Fayette hotel, and in 1872 sold the hotel and became engaged in the real estate business. He was street commissioner at the time of the incorporation of the village of Fayette, and he also served as treasurer of the village. He was one of the most active business men of the town, but in 1880, he retired from business life.
Samuel Hoffman, a pioneer farmer of Gorham township, but who
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later engaged in the mercantile business, was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, June 11, 1824, and was a son of Daniel Hoff- man, who came to Gorham township from Seneca county, New York, in 1844. Daniel Hoffman was born in 1798, and died in Gor- ham township in 1873. Samuel Hoffman commenced business life as a poor man in 1845, when with his brother he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, for which they paid $555. He became engaged in the mercantile business in 1875, and in 1880 he erected two brick store buildings in Fayette.
William C. Ely settled in Fulton county in 1848. He was born in Knox county, Ohio, April 1, 1831. William Ely, father of William C., was a native of Pennsylvania and settled in Fulton county in 1848, and lived here the remainder of his life.
John D. Brink was born in Ulster county, New York, September 19, 1807, and settled in Gorham township in 1844. Jared Parker was born in Rhode Island, in 1819, and settled in Fulton county in 1848, the county being thinly settled at that time. He commenced teaching school in Gorham township, however, in 1840, and taught seven years, summer and winter. After taking up his residence in the township he filled the office of justice of the peace nine years, township clerk fourteen years, notary public six years and post- master at Fayette six years.
Peter F. Chambard was born in France October 12, 1822, came with his parents to America in 1836, and settled with them in Wayne county, Ohio. In 1851, he came to Gorham township, where he followed successfully the business of farming and stock raising.
Jacob P. Ritter, who was a leading and influential man of Gor- ham township, was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, in 1824. He apprenticed himself to the carpenters' trade and became a master builder and jobber. After locating in Fulton county, he. at once evinced a great interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the community. He became interested in the building of the Chicago and Canada Southern railroad and assisted in procuring the right of way. He held the position of tie inspector and was in the employ of the railroad for a number of years. He was the first ticket agent at Ritter's Station, established the postoffice and was appointed post- master at that place. He served as justice of the peace for two terms, town clerk, assessor, trustee, and in 1874 became engaged in the grocery business at Ritter's Station.
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