USA > Ohio > Wyandot County > The History of Wyandot County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns general and local statistics, military record, portraits of early settlers and prominent men etc > Part 120
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JACOB JACKSON, one of the worthy pioneers of this township, was born in Berks County, Penn., July 26, 1812. His parents, Henry and Hannah (Hough) Jackson, were also natives of Pennsylvania. His pater- nal grandfather, John Jackson, was of a family of two brothers, who were separated when young, and met while participating in the war of 1812. They were of Irish parentage; probably of Irish nativity. His parents came to Ohio about 1822, and located in Wayne County, where his father died about 1850, his mother about 1853. Six of their children are living- Samuel (by his first wife), Jacob, Catharine, William, Peter and Sarah. The deceased are Isaac, Elizabeth, Mary, Henry, Andrew, Daniel and Annie. Mr. Jackson resided with his parents till his twenty-first year. In 1834, he came to this county and entered 120 acres, on which he still resides, proba- bly the only farmer in the township who holds the land he first entered. He now owns 235 acres, valued at $75 to $100 per acre. He was married, November 15, 1832, to Rebecca Amrine, who was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, December 23, 1811, daughter of Henry and Margaret (Lybarger) Amrine, natives of Pennsylvania; her father died in Richland County, Ohio, in 1816; her mother in this county, March 27, 1847. Mr. Jackson was a Democrat till Scott's defeat, but since a Republican; he and Mrs. Jackson are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and highly es- teemed in their community.
JOHN W. KRABILL is a native of Seneca County, Ohio, and was born November 29, 1846; he is a son of David and Jemima (Boden) Krabill, na- tives of Stark County, Ohio, and Cumberland County, Penn., the former born November 3, 1806, the latter December 22, 1812; his parents were married in Stark County, and one year later moved to Seneca, where they resided forty-nine years. They are now residents of Hancock County. Their children are Augustus, Jacob, Davis, Sarah, Ann E., John W., Sam- uel D., Harriet E., Hiram B. and Irene G. Our subject, John W., resided with his parents till his twenty-fifth year, and then purchased 102 acres in Seneca County, selling the same one year later and moving to his present farm in 1872. He first purchased eighty acres, adding fifty-one more in the winter of 1882. He is a neat farmer and has a comfortable and pleasant home. Mr. Krabill was married, January 5, 1871, to Miss Elvina Plott, who was born in Stark County, Ohio, and daughter of Christian and Ma- tilda Plott, natives of Lebanon County, Penn. Her parents were married in Pennsylvania, moved to Stark County in 1839, and to this county in 1852. Their children were Isabel, George W. and William M. (twins), Samantha, John H., Jackson, Elvina M., Clarissa, Alice, Pierce, Napoleon B. and So- phronia. The father died October 6, 1875; the mother still a resident of this township. Mr. and Mrs. Krabill have one child-Alma A., born April 3, 1876. Mrs. Krabill was educated in the public schools of Carey and sub- sequently taught thirteen terms in this county. She is a member of the
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HISTORY OF WYANDOT COUNTY.
German Baptist Church. Mr. Krabill is well respected as a citizen, and in politics favors Republicanism.
SAMUEL SHOUP, one of the most prominent farmers of this township, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, July 10, 1826. His parents, Henry and Mary (Secrist) Shoup, were natives of Pennsylvania and Germany respect- ively. They located in Wayne County, Ohio, soon after their marriage, and resided there till 1848, when they moved to this county, where the father died in 1867; the mother in 1872. Their children were Mary, Eliza- beth, John, Catharine and Samuel-John and Elizabeth being now deceased. Samuel, the subject of this sketch, came to this county with his parents, with whom he was associated till his twenty-first year, at which time he began business on his own responsibilities, purchasing eighty acres in this township. To his first purchase, by his success, Mr. Shoup was enabled to increase his possessions very largely, owning at one time 300 acres. He still retains 260 acres, valued at $80 to $85 per acre. He was married, August 2, 1851, to Hulda Chesebrough, native of New York, daughter of Saxton and Mary (Young) Chesebrough, who located in this township in 1846. Her grandfather Chesebrough was a wealthy New Englander, and her grandfather Young was a Tory during the war of 1812. Her father died in this county in December, 1861; her mother died in York State in June, 1844. Their children were Mathew Y., Samuel Y., Hannah, Mercy, Hulda, Silas, William, Catharine, Sarah. George W. and Mary A., the lat- ter six all deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Shoup have but one child-Saxton C., who was born September 12, 1854. In politics, Mr. Shoup is a Democrat. He is recognized as one of the most successful and substantial farmers of of the township, and is well respected as a neighbor and citizen.
SAXTON C. SHOUP, son of Samuel Shoup, was brought up on the farm, and attended the district schools of his community. He was employed at home till he attained his majority, when he began operations on his own resources, being quite successful in his undertakings. His attention is turned chiefly to farming and stock raising. In 1878, he invented an automatic gate, which he has obtained a patent upon, and which he has handled to good advantage, having realized $2,500 to $3,000 on the article since its invention. Mr. Shoup was married, April 21, 1875, to Miss Ettie Heck, a native of Hancock County, Ohio, born September 27, 1857, and daughter of John and Lydia (Sheseick) Heck, who were natives of Penn- sylvania and Wayne County, Ohio, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Shoup have one child-Blanche R., born February 1, 1876. In politics, Mr. Shoup adheres to the faith of his fathers. He is one of the representative young farmers of his township, and is possessed of good character. He and Mrs. S. are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
JOHN M. SMITH, born in Ridge Township August 20, 1849, is a son of John and Rebecca (Moor) Smith, natives of Maryland and West Virginia respectively. His parents married here, and had six children, viz., Eliza- beth A., Jerome, George, Sarah L., John M. and Josephine R. His mother died August 22, 1880; his father is still living. John M., our subject, was reared on a farm, and engaged in that occupation till 1869, when he embarked in the tin and hardware business in Mount Blanchard, where he was thus engaged till 1875, when he again returned to the farm. Mr. Smith owns seventy-eight acres, the old homestead of his wife's parents, and is one of the most successful farmers in the township. He was married, November 19, 1874, to Elizabeth A. Grindle, who was born in this town- ship July 23, 1850. She is a daughter of Jacob and Catharine (Harbaugh)
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Grindle, who were born and reared in Pennsylvania. They settled in this county about 1832, their children being Rebecca, Margaret, Lydia, Susan, Mary, Amanda, Catharine, John J., Jacob S., William H., Daniel H., Simon P. and Elizabeth A. The father died April 15, 1877; the mother is still living in her eighty-first year, under the care of Mrs. Smith. The chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith are Carol, August 31, 1875, died October 26. 1875; Lycurgus E., born August 30,. 1876; Wheden P., July 22, 1877; Merril, December 6, 1878; Owen E., December 21, 1880; and Orange J., April 3, 1883. In politics, Mr. Smith is a Republican; he is recognized as one of the progressive farmers of the county, conducting his agricultural pursuits on a scientific basis. Mrs. Smith is an artist of no ordinary skill, and has received instructions in portrait and landscape painting from one of the best artists of Cincinnati. Several excellent pieces of her work now adorn the walls of her comfortable home.
ANN E. UPDEGRAFF, daughter of Jeremiah and Phoebe (Jones) Trego, was born in Lycoming County, Penn., November 16, 1807. Her parents were natives of Honey Brook, Chester County, Penn .; her father born July 30, 1771, her mother August 21, 1772. They were of English descent, and lived and died in Pennsylvania. They were farmers, and reared a large family of children-Nancy, born in 1790; Sarah, July 4, 1793; Hannah, October 16, 1795; Joseph, in May, 1796; Benjamin, May, 1798; Phœbe, 1801; Polly, 1803; Samuel, October 1, 1805; Ann E., November 16, 1807; Smith, February 7, 1809; Mary, February 16, 1811; Washington, 1813. The mother died in 1826, the father about 1835 or earlier, perhaps. Mrs. Updegraff resided with her parents till her mar- riage, in 1827, to Casper Updegraff, a native of Pennsylvania, born July 13, 1801. He was a son of Isaac and Mary (Snyder) Updegraff, and with him, after tive or six years spent in Carroll County, Ohio, they came to this county and located on the farm where she now resides. Her trials and hard- ships endured in building up a home in this wild woodland cannot be even faintly portrayed. The howling of the wolves and the yells of the Indians were the terrors that have since given place to the lowing herds that graze upon the disrobed fields. Mr. and Mrs. Updegraff had fourteen children, viz .: Sam- uel J., Sarah J., Lydia, Mary A., Ner L., Hannah, Tamzen, Samantha, Lott, Polly and Phoebe (twins), Ann E., Louisa and John M. The father died November 3, 1870. He was a man of great endurance and strength, and in his lifetime did much hard labor. He was a member of the Lu- theran Church, and held in high esteem by those who knew him. Mrs. Updegraff is now in her seventy-seventh year, and in comparatively good health for one who has spent so many days in the labors of clearing the har- vest field and the home. She joined the German Baptist Church in her six- tieth year, and still holds a membership.
NER L. UPDEGRAFF, son of Casper and Ann E. Updegraff, was born in Carroll County, Ohio, January 26, 1835. He resided with his parents till thirty-three years of age, and has been a resident of this township about forty years, spending the greater part of this time on the homestead where his mother now resides. He has always engaged in farming and stock- raising, and has been fairly successful. He inherited a small portion of land and has since purchased eighty acres, also some property in'Carey. Mr. Updegraff was married, August 20, 1868, to Miss Isabel Plott, who died May 12, 1880. She was born in Pennsylvania October 20, 1837, her par- ents being Christian and Matilda (Widle) Plott, natives of Pennsylvania. In politics, Mr. Updegraff is a Democrat. He holds the offices of Trustee
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HISTORY OF WYANDOT COUNTY.
and Justice of the Peace, and has served in others. He was a member of the Methodist Protestant Church several years, but of late affiliates with the Christian, known better as the Campbellite Church.
JOHN M. UPDEGRAFF, youngest son of Casper and Ann E. (Trego) Updegraff, was born in the home where he now resides June 20, 1851. He was educated in the district schools, and at the age of ten began dealing somewhat for himself. At the age of fifteen he commenced farming on his own responsibility, and since that time he has been thus engaged. He ob- tained a portion of the homestead and has since purchased other lands till he now owns 160 acres. He resides with his aged mother and does a good farming business, keeping good stock, doing more or less trading, buying, selling, etc. He is a thorough farmer, a good citizen and a Democrat in politics. He also makes a specialty of breeding Merino sheep and Almont and Hambletonian horses.
ISAAC WOHLGAMUTH, one of the notable pioneers of this town- ship, was born in York County, Penn., January 3, 1806. He is a son of Jacob and brother of Jonas Wohlgamuth (see sketch), and has been a resi- dent of this county since 1843; he resided with his parents in Wayne County till twenty two years of age, and then acquired the carpenter's trade, which he pursued about ten years. He then purchased thirty acres in Wayne County and engaged in farming eight years in that locality, pur- chasing 160 acres in Putnam County two years later. In 1843, he sold the Putnam property and purchased 150 acres, of which his present farm of 110 acres forms a part, forty acres having been given to his son. On this farm Mr. Wohlgamuth has since resided, doing a general farming business, and in the main being very successful. He was married, October 25, 1830, to Miss Mary Putnam, who was a native of Somerset County, Penn., and daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Gross) Putnam, also natives of Pennsyl- vania. The children born to this marriage were: Solomon, Elizabeth, Isaac, Phœbe, Jonas, Jeremiah and James, living; and Jacob, Catharine A., Da- vid, Susanna, Sarah and Mary A., deceased. Their mother passed away May 8, 1875. Mr. Wohlgamuth has been identified with the interests of the township since its organization, and has done much to elevate it to its present standing. He is a supporter of the Democratic principles, and was twice elected to the office of County Commissioner-first in 1846-faith- fully discharging his official duties. He has served as Justice of the Peace thirty-three years, and still holds that office. Mr. Wohlgamuth was a mem ber of the Methodist Protestant Church in this township till the date of its dissension and downfall, and is one of the most worthy of Wyandot's pio- neers.
JONAS WOHLGAMUTH, one of the most prominent farmers of this township, was born in York County, Penn., December 13, 1810; he is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Bisel) Wohlgamuth, natives of Lancaster and York Counties, Penn., respectively; his parents were married in Peunsylvania and moved to Ohio in 1815, locating in Wayne County, where they resided for many years, his father's decease occurring there in 1847; his mother died in this county in 1849. Their children were Jacob, Isaac, Joseph, Eliza- beth, Jonas and Emanuel, the deceased being Jacob, Emanuel and Joseph. Jonas, the subject of this sketch, came to this county with his mother in 1846. In August of that year, he obtained thirty acres of land as an in- heritance, and this by subsequent purchases has been increased to 290-six acres being appropriated by the railroad company. Mr. Wohlgamuth has labored under great difficulties, having settled on his farm when the coun-
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RIDGE TOWNSHIP.
proved. By diligent and persevering efforts, he has out from the rugged forest land a home such as few inder similar circumstances, though the toil and trials 'eft their imprint on his brow. He has accumulated rd labor, and though he has had many reverses has nate and successful. Mr. Wohlgamuth was married susanna Aker, who was born in Pennsylvania October a daughter of Joseph and Catharine (Walls) Aker, and n were born, namely: Sarah, born March 16, 1834; Ke- ¥36, and Solomon, December 23, 1841. The latter was by a runaway team June 22, 1876; Keziah died Jan- Mrs. Wohlgamuth passed away December 28, 1866. Mr. inber of the German Baptist Church, and one of the respected citizens of this township; he is one of its most and has done much for the general improvement of his
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HISTORY OF WYANDOT COUNTY.
CHAPTER XI.
SALEM TOWNSHIP.
LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES-ORIGIN OF THE NAME-FIRST SETTLERS-OWN- ERS OF REAL AND PERSONAL ESTATE IN THE TOWNSHIP IN 1845-OFFICERS FROM 1845 TO 1884 INCLUSIVE-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES-VILLAGE OF LOVELL-BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
T THIS part of the county was named from Salem, a small town in Mas- sachusetts, and received its title from Job Mattson, the first Jus- tice of the Peace to serve under its organization, which took place in 1845.
The township is located in a fertile region of the county, having Crane Township for its eastern boundary, Mifflin for its southern, Richland for its western and Crawford for its northern. Through its center, the beauti- ful 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 prosperous, and the work of improvement is rapidly going on.
FIRST SETTLERS.
Ezra Stewart is said to be the earliest settler in this township, 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 Stew- art located in Section 6 in 1834; John Nichols located in Section 19 in 1835; Arnold 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 seventeen years of age. He married at twenty-one, obtained a horse and bull by hard work, and with this novel turn- out did teaming in Armstrong County, Penn., for some time, subsequently purchasing a farm in Mercer County, Penn., where he constructed a flouring mill. 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 its 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 settlements 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 town- ship were Elisha Burson, Warwick Miller, Jacob Baughman, Milton Kear, Duane Bland, Abner Suber, William Davidson, George Davidson, Henry Houk, Henry Davis, A. J. Failor, George Michaels, T. P. Taylor, Ezekiel Bogart, Daniel White and George Cordery.
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
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SALEM TOWNSHIP.
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 Johnny-cake. 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 fire-place. True to his native instincts, he began to make investiga- tions by probing the ashes with the ever-present fire-poker of those days, and soon resurrected the smoking potatoes which the children were prepar- ing for their evening meal. He proceeded to deposit these with the Johnny . cake 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 red-skin's gun which he had left standing outside the door, and ordered him to return his trophies and depart. Again the old savage bran- dished 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.
From the year 1837, Salem Township increased rapidly in the number of its settlers, who had come to make this then unsubdued forest land their home, till at the organization of the county in 1845.
The owners of real and personal estate in the township were as follows:
OWNERS OF REAL ESTATE.
Anderson, John, Section 6, 40 acres. Brown, Jacob, Section 18, 120 acres.
Baker, George G., Section 29, 101 acres.
Bowton, Timothy, Section 13, 133 acres. Baughman, Jacob, Sections 8 and 17, 152 acres.
Baughman, Ebenezer, Section 7, 80 acres. Baughman, David, Section 18, 80 acres.
Baughman, Daniel, Section 19, 167 acres. Buckley, Daniel, Section 6, 40 acres. Crandall, John, Section 6, 40 acres. Chaffee, Sydney L., Section 24, 117 acres. Ely, Charles, Section 31, 323 acres. Erlick, Charles E., Section 18, 40 acres. Fisher, James, Section 19, 80 acres. Figley, William, Section 20, 147 acres. Gardner, Isaac, Section 8, 48 acres. Hurd, Jarvis O., heirs, Section 30, 80 acres.
Houck, Paul, Section 5, 28 acres. Haume, Nicholas, Section 7, 44 acres. Hattle, Jacob, Section 30, 40 acres.
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HISTORY OF WYANDOT COUNTY.
Ingraham, Edward, Section 21, 40 acres.
Inman, Arnold B., Section 17, 96 acres.
Kurtz, Michael, Section 5, 20 acres. Laravill, Jabez B., Section 30, 123 acres. Leslie, Alexander, Section 18, 40 acres.
Layton, Christian, Section 7, 8 and 30, 339 acres.
Machan, Stephen C., Section 19, 83 acres. Myers, Samuel, Section 18, 83 acres. Morrow, David, Section 6, 80 acres. Mann, John B., Sections 29 and 30, 140 acres.
Morris, Isaac, Section 18, 84 acres. Miller, Warich, Section 6, 132 acres.
Merritt, Tygart S., Section 31, 40 acres.
Nicholas, John, Section 19, 80 acres. O'Neil, Patrick, Section 30, 123.
Orr, Smith, Section 7, 40 acres. Putnam, Jacob, Section 5, 106 acres.
Potter, Horace, Section 18, 80 acres.
Perkins, Thomas S., Sections 31 and 32, 261 acres.
Preston, John, Section 6, 80 acres.
Stoll, George F., Section 30, 40 acres.
Saffle, John, Section 30, 40 acres. Stewart, Henry, Section -, 20 acres.
Sturgess, Thaddeus, Section 32, 101 acres.
Stewart Ezra, Section 5, 49 acres.
State of Ohio, Sections 16, 18, 20, 97 acres.
Suber, Abner, Section 7, 216 acres.
Trager, Abraham, Section 6, 10 acres.
Taylor, John, Section 6, 94.
Starkweather, Elisha L., Section 19, 83 acres.
Whitacre, Moses, Section 18, 86 acres.
Yambert, John H., Sections 7 and 18, 251 acres.
OWNERS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY.
Elijah Burson, Jacob Baughman, David Baughman, Robert Bruce, George Belote, Andrew Cordray, Isaac Davis, Henry Davis, Edward Erlick, Isaac Edgington, James Gibson, William Gibson, Isaac Gardner, Elias Hill, James P. Hastings, Paul Houck, Edward Ingram, Arnold B. Inman, John Justice, William Johnson, Alexander Leslie, John B. Mann, John Mann, Job Mattison, Job Mattison, Jr., Warick Miller, George Michael, John Preston, Alvin P. Russell, Paul Suber, Ezra Stewart, Daniel White, Jesse Wilson and George Wright.
FIRST LICKS.
In October, 1831, the first abode of the progressive white man lifted its humble head in the territory now comprised in this township, and from about the door of this primitive cabin rang out the first glad peals of laughter from the children of civilization. This unpretentious edifice was erected on the southwest quarter of Section 5, by Ezra Stewart. It was constructed of round logs, 12x16 feet in size, a marvel of simplicity and inelegance, but yet a home. In 1834, the smoke ascended from the cabin chimneys of Henry Stewart and John Mann. In 1835, John Nichols and A. B. Inman had pitched their tents preparatory to the struggle for existence that was sure to follow the morning dawn of pioneer life.
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SALEM TOWNSHIP.
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 occa- sional marsh, in whose grassy confines crouched the rosy cranberry, so ago- nizingly delicious. In the year above mentioned, the first regular road was constructed, beginning at the northeast quarter of Section 19, and extend- ing north on the section line. Others followed 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 town- ship were made in this way, or by the united labors of settlers mutually in- terested. Bridges across the larger streams were difficult to construct, and fording was necessitated, this, during the rainy seasons, often being a dan- gerous, if not an impossible feat. At the organization of the county, the sec- tional lines of travel were, of course, regularly and generally established. In 1852, the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad was constructed, passing at a southern angle through the southern tier of sections, and in 1876 the Columbus, Hocking Valley & Toledo line was put in operation, running diagonally across the northeast quarter of the township, passing through Sections 2, 11, 13, and 24 respectively, also cutting the southwest corne of Section 12, near the County Infirmary.
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