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 46

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, Leggett, Conaway
Number of Pages: 1072

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 46

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).

Number of different teachers employed: Gentlemen in township primary schools, 95; ladies in township primary schools, 113; gentlemen in separate district primary schools, 4; ladies in separate district primary schools, 16; gentlemen in high schools, 5; ladies in high schools, 1; grand total of teachers employed for the year ending August 31, 1882, 234. Number of teachers who taught the entire time the schools were in session, 40.

. " `Average wages of teachers per month: Gentlemen in township primary schools, $35; ladies, same, $22; gentlemen in separate district schools, $46; ladies, same, $33; gentlemen in high schools, $60; average number of weeks the schools were in session within the year: Townships, 26; sepa- rate districts, 32; high schools, 35; rate of local tax, in townships, 3.6; in separate districts, 6.5.

Different pupils enrolled: Boys in township primary schools, 2,402; girls in township primary schools, 2,019; boys in separate districts, 602; girls in separate districts, 647; boys in high schools, 42; girls in high schools, 71; grand total, 5,783. Average daily attendance in all schools, 3,868.

High School Statistics: Total receipts for school purposes within the year, at Upper Sandusky, $31,014.21; at Carey, $5,210.54; at Nevada, $6,414.17; total expenditures at Upper Sandusky, $15,073.80; at Carey, $2,358.60; at Nevada, $5,575.13. Number of schoolhouses at Upper San- dusky, 3; at Carey 1; at Nevada, 1. Number of schoolrooms at Upper Sandusky, 11; at Carey, 4; at Nevada. 6 Value of school property at Upper Sandusky, $18,000; * at Carey, $7,000; at Nevada, $14,000. Num- ber of teachers employed at Upper Sandusky, gentlemen, 2; ladies, 10; at Nevada, gentlemen, 3; ladies, 4; at Carey, gentlemen, 1; ladies, 4. Aver- age wages per month paid, at Upper Sandusky, gentlemen, $80; ladies, $35; at Carey, gentlemen, $75; ladies, $35; at Nevada, gentlemen, $57; ladies, $31. Superintendent at Upper Sandusky, W. A. Baker; salary,

* Does not include the elegant new school building which, at that time, was not commenced.

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HISTORY OF WYANDOT COUNTY.

$900; Superintendent at Carey, J. S. Lewis; salary, $750; Superintendent at Nevada, D. E. Niver; salary, $600. Superintendents for the year 1882-83, J. A. Pittsford, at Carey; D. E. Niver. at Nevada, and W. A. Baker, at Upper Sandusky.

The present County Examiners are D. D. Clayton, whose term expires August 31, 1884; M. M. Hollanshead, whose term expires August 31, 1884, and W. C. Gear, whose term expires August 31, 1885.

The first meeting of the Wyandot Teachers' Association was held in the court house at Upper Sandusky-in the old Indian Council House-on Fri- day, August 25, 1848. At this meeting, Rev. Charles Thayer served as Chairman, and C. P. Culver as Secretary. After adopting various resolu- tions. those assembled adjourned to meet at the same place on Saturday, September 5, 1848, at 1 o'clock, P. M. Since that date the teachers of the county have kept abreast of the times, and have almost annually met at the county seat, seeking by professional contact, to widen their sphere of knowl- edge and usefulness.

At the Wyandot Teachers' Institute, held, at Upper Sandusky. for five days. commencing August 28, 1882, eight lecturers and instructors, and seventy male and female teachers were present. Of the $192.16 received from the County Treasurer, from members and from other sources, to meet the expenditures of the occasion, $60 were paid lecturers and instructors, and $39.35 were paid for other expenses, leaving a balance on hand of $92.81. The cost of the institute per day was $19.87, and per member, $1.42. The lecturers and instructors present at this session of the institute were W. A. Baker, Robert Carey and D. D. Clayton, of Upper Sandusky; W. W. Hobbs, of Nevada; J. L. Lewis, of Pitt; M. Manley, of Galion; J. A. Pittsford, of Carey, and H. M. Perkins, of Delaware. Of the $60 paid to lecturers, Manley received $50, and Perkins $10.

CLERICAL.

EARLY MODES OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.

Although matters relating to church organizations -the date of their es- tablishment, building of houses of worship, change of pastors, etc .- are treated at length in the separate township histories, yet we cannot forbear adding a paragraph or two in this connection, for the purpose of showing the manner of conducting religious worship at an early day, and also to men- tion the names of some of the early divines of the county.

Says a writer. in speaking of early religious worship in this part of Ohio, " The Methodists were generally first on the ground in pioneer settlements, and at that early day were more demonstrative in their devotions than at the present time. Pulpit oratory was more full of action, and fraught with soaring flights, while the grammatical dress was thought of but little. Fam- ily worship, especially among the pioneer Methodists and United Brethren, partook of the zealous fervency of their more public devotions. We then had a most emphatic American edition of that pious old Scotch practice so eloquently described in Burns' 'Cotter's Saturday Night:'

The cheerfu' supper done, wi' serious face They round the ingle formed a circle wide, The sire turns o'er wi' patriarchal grace, The big ha' Bible, once his father's pride. His bonnet rev'rently is laid aside, His lyart hafferts wearing thin and bare,

Those strains that ance did sweet in Zion glide, He wales a portion wi' judicious care, And 'Let us worship God,' he says wi' solemn air.

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"They chant their artless notes in simple guise; They tune their hearts-by far the noblest aim; Perhaps 'Dundee's' wild warbling measures rise, Or plaintive 'Martyrs,' worthy of the name; Or noble 'Elgin ' beats the heavenward flame, The sweetest far of Scotia's hallowed lays. Compared wi' these, Italian trills are tame; The tickled ear nae heartfelt raptures raise; Nae unison hae they wi' our Creator's praise.

" The priest-like father reads the sacred page- How Abraham was the friend of God on high, etc.

" Then kneeling down to Heaven's Eternal King, The saint, the father and the husband prays; Hope 'springs exulting on triumphant wing,' That thus they a' shall meet in future days; There ever bask in uncreated rays, No more to sigh or shed the bitter tear, Together hymning their Creator's praise, In such society, yet still more dear, While circling time moves round in an eternal sphere."

The familiar tunes of pioneer worship were mostly in the minor key, and very pensive and solemnly inspiring, in striking contrast with the worldly sound of nearly all modern church music. As they are named in the old " Missouri Harmony " (who has seen this music book within the last thirty years ?), the characteristic standard tunes were such as Bourbon, Consolation, China, Canaan, Conquering Soldier, Condescension, Devotion, Davis, Fiducia, Funeral Thought, Florida, Golden Hill, Ganges, Green- fields, Greenville, Idumea, Imandra, Kentucky, Lenox, Leander, Mear, New Orleans, Northfield, New Salem, New Durham, Olney, Primrose, Pisgah, Pleyel's Hymn, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Reflection, Supplication, Salva- tion, St. Thomas, Salem, Tender Thought, Windham, etc., besides a great number known only by the first lines of the words, as " O, how happy are they," "Come, thou fount of every blessing," "O, for a glance of heavenly day," "Jesus my all, to heaven is gone," etc.

Once or twice a day-in the morning just before or after breakfast, and in the evening just before retiring to rest-the head of the family would call to order, read a chapter in the Bible, announce the hymn and time by com- mencing to sing, when others would join, then he would deliver a most fer- vent prayer. If a pious guest was present, he would be called upon to take the lead in the religious exercises; and if, in those days, a person who prayed either in the family or in public, did not pray as if it were his very last on earth, his piety was thought to be defective. :

Numbers of other orthodox denominations also had their family prayers, in which, however, the phraseology was somewhat different from that of the Methodists, and the voices kept low and calm.

EARLY MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL.

The following list embraces the names, denominations, etc., of the min- isters of the Gospel who were licensed by the Court of Common Pleas dur- ing the years from 1845 to 1851, inclusive, to solemnize marriages in Wy- andot County :

Benjamin Sager, Christian, April, 1846; Charles Thayer, Presbyterian, October, 1846; Nathan Evans, German Reformed, October, 1846; George Turk, Lutheran, November, 1847; Silas DeBolt, Predestinarian Baptist, May, 1848; James Milligan, Methodist Episcopal, November, 1848; Augus- tus Price, Baptist, November, 1848; Jacob Schaner, Evangelical Lutheran,

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April, 1849; John Casper Christian Voight, German Lutheran, July, 1849; Louis A. Brunner, Presbyterian, November, 1849; Robert Weeks, United Brethren, April, 1850; Philip Cole, Methodist Episcopal, July, 1850; James B. Oliver, Evangelical Lutheran, November, 1850; Frederick Dol- metsk, Lutheran, November, 1850; James P. Hastings, Bible Christian, July, 1851; Samuel Kelso, United Brethren, November, 1851.

EARLY POETS AND POETRY.

Wyandot County is better adapted to grass and corn than to poetry, consequently but little attention has been paid to the culture of the Par- nassian crop.

The only specimen of aboriginal Wyandot poetry known to the writer is a hymn, of which a few verses are given, by Rev. James B. Finley, in his "Life Among the Indians." The first couplet reads as follows:

" Yar-ro tawsa shre-wan daros Du-saw shaw-taw tra-war-ta."

The rest will be forthcoming when called for.

The genial and simple-hearted Count Coffinberry, in his "Forest Rangers," has sung of the Sandusky Plains, and told how --

" Crawford proved more fortunate, For he escaped the public hate By being captured there and dving, When from the field his hosts were flying."

He has also portrayed the gathering of Indian warriors, when-

" Along Sandusky's verdant shore Did hosts of dusky natives pour."

In a note to the passage first quoted, he informs his readers that the locality of Col. Crawford's torture is on the Tyamoherty, about four miles above its junction with the Sandusky River, and probably about ten miles in a straight line from his battle-ground on the Sandusky Plains.

But we are keeping our readers too long from the earliest poem, which is justly entitled to consideration, as a product of Wyandot County, and which was written during our first summer for our first newspaper, and published in the Wyandott Telegraph on the 9th of August, 1845. We transcribe carefully from the only copy now known to be in existence:

AMERICA.

Land where the Indians love to roam- Where true patriots' blood has flown; Where freedom's sun has brightly shone 'Tis thee I love. There's beauty in thy naked soil, Bespeaking smiles of love; Thy rocks and blooming wilds proclaim Protection from above.

Land where the Pilgrim fathers rest, Where no foe from us can freedom wrest; Of the bright and growing West "Tis thee I love. Where the eagle soars on pinions free, O'er the towering mountain's top; Thus proudly boasting of the liberty That bears her onward-up.

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HISTORY OF WYANDOT COUNTY.

Land where the people's voice is heard; Where on none are kingly powers confer'd; Where freedom is the boasted word; "Tis thee I love. Here no aristocratic lords Have power to bind us down,

But freedom grants-that sacred word-

Power to each and every one.

Land of the patriot Washington; Of the lamented Harrison; Of the Statesman Jefferson "Tis thee I love. Thou art as a brightly shining star, That is from every country seen;

Whose rays shine brighter every year,

Though clouded thou at times hast been.

Land that is lashed by Atlantic's wave; Where monarchy soon found a grave; That our fathers fought to save; 'Tis thee I love. Thy cities great with crowded streets, Tell of a nation prosperous, free! Where every stranger kindness meets, While in this land of liberty.

Land where the wrung soul may rest; Where each may alike be blest; Where the laborer is ne'er oppressed; Tis thee I love. Yes, thou art the land I prize above All others known to me, Thou art the land so dearly loved, Sweet land of liberty! -A. W. B.

MCCUTCHENVILLE, July 26, 1845.

Of this poet all the other works have perished, and of his name nothing remains but the initials. The poem itself will doubtless suggest to some of our readers a rather clear imitation of an ode which is sometimes sung in the churches.

Next in order of time, is the remarkable poem which was published for the first and only time in the Democratic Pioneer for January 9, 1847, and which, with the editorial note that preceded it, we give entire.

The following lines some may suppose to be borrowed, but Mr. Harris informed us that they are wholly original, no portion being selected. These lines contain something sublime and beautiful, as every one will admit upon a perusal. It is altogether in the author's own style, and without alteration or amendment:

THE PRESENT AT PARTING.

Ellan dear, here is a book, To pick one for you great pains I took. And if I never do return, My heart for you will always burn.

Ellan dear, do not take it amiss, But take it with a parting kiss, And wherever you may be, When you look at this you will think of me.

Ellan dear, thou art a friend. On whom a person may depend, And with you and your good heart, I am sorrow that I have to part.

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HISTORY OF WYANDOT COUNTY.

Ellan dear, I must now go, I bear good will to friend and foe, The time has come, I now must I, Bid you, my dear, a long good by.

-By J. A. Harris.

Notwithstanding the doubts suggested in the preliminary note, we un- hesitatingly pronounce the foregoing poem to be wholly original. There , is no question but that Mr. Harris made it entirely out of his own head, - and had plenty of chips and blocks left.

The rare and authentic specimen of original indigenous poetry appeared - . in the Pioneer of January 19, 1849. The author, Robert Taggart, was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, whose pious aversion to the sinful amusement of dancing found or forced an utterance in the following song. The introductory note, and the song itself-with the exception of one verse, which, containing more truth than poetry, is especially liable to miscon- struction-are copied literally.

: At the request of a friend, and in compliance with a resolution passed by a number of persons, we publish the following lines as written by Mr. Taggart :

ORIGINAL SONG.

You countries and cities, I pray you draw near,

A comical ditty you quickly shall hear,

The boys about here they think to advance, - By courting the girls and learning to dance, And its O shame for them.

The boys about here they think theirs the plan,

You'll not say one word but you'll have it again ;

And more they'll put to it, they will if they can, And many a boy sits up for a man. And its O shame tor them.

Their jackets is short as e're they can be, And in their bosoms they'll wear a gold key ; Their pantaloons they must have up to their chin,

And they're buckled and strapped like a horse in a sling. And its O shame for them.

But now we leave off these sporting young lads,

And go to the girls, they're ten times as bad ;

They'll powder their hair and rowlers they'll wear.

And just like an owl in the bush they'll appear, And its fine fun for them.

They'll go to the church and down they will sit, They'll laugh and they'll not know at what,

They'll laugh and they'll point and they'll think themselves wise,

And they can't get a man if they would lay down their lives, And its fine fun for them.

Oh, when they go there, their box they'll pull out ; They hit it a crack to make you look about; They'll hand it to one, they'll hand it to two, Saying, Sir, won't you take it, or Madam won't you? And its fine fun for them.

With ribbands and lace they toss off their head, And with a gauze veil they'll cover their face ; Their top-locks and lug-locks look wonderful queer, And they hold up their head like a stiff-bridled mare. And its fine fun for them.

The following lines, which have a somewhat familiar sound, purport to have been "written for the Wyandot Tribune," and were published in that

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paper on June 30, 1849. That the greater portion of them had been written before for some other purpose is quite probable:

NIGHT. I love the dark and gloomy night, When moon and stars are hid from sight; When deafening thunders awful roll, And lightnings flash from pole to pole.

When Nature rests in silent awe, As if to scan some secret flaw, Amid her vast and ponderous wheels, While all creation trembling reels.

Thus when the elements contend, And lightnings with the darkness blend, I'd have some fair one by me .then, To watch the tempest's gathering might.

How grand the scene! how blest the choice Of such an one in such an hour ! The dismal heavens would form our bower, As blackning clouds around us lower.

UPPER SANDUSKY, June 30, 1849.

-C. G. F.

For a few years afterward Wyandot County struggled along as best it could, without a sacred or other poet, until C. G. Mugg took charge of the Wyandot Pioneer, and in the omniverous spirit which marked his control of that paper. became his own poet. As a fair example of his best style, we give the general reflections with which he concluded a lengthy poem on the subject of Col. Crawford's rather well-known mishap, published in the Pioneer of October 29, 1857, and entitled "Battle Island." After portray- ing the varying fortunes and final result of the fight, our poet continues:

Long years have passed, and many a morn and eve, Time's changes on the face of nature weave; Where once the wigwam of the savage stood, Or where unseen in pathless solitude, Roamed the wild deer and beast of prey alone, By marshy fen, by reeds and grass o'ergrown, All these have passed away and in their place, Are dwellings of a nobler, better race.

Where once the Indian village decked the plain, Bright summer shows her fields of waving grain, Which in the spring and early summer bloom, Blossom alike o'er white and red-man's tomb. To thee, thou Battle Isle, changes but few have come, Since erst the Wyandot thy shade his home Had made. Now wave thy oaks as green as when Thou shelteredst in their need brave Crawford and his men.

Though near an hundred years have fled, Thy shade still reaches o'er the slumbering dead, That sleep in one huge grave, by midnight fires Dug, for our murdered Anglo-Saxon sires. God rest them ! May their children ever keep Sacred the spot where their forefathers sleep, And may they make that mound, in years to come, A sacred shrine-a proud mausoleum.

The same poet editor produced " A Lay of the Heart," which was given to the public in the Pioneer of January 14, 1858. The first of the four verses composing this lay is quoted as a fair example of its author's senti- mental poetry:

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Fairest of earth's bright-eyed daughters, Milder thou than breath of morn Gladsome as the chime of waters, O'er the wold at twilight borne. List the lay of one who loves thee, Une but who lives in thy smile-

Dearer far to him than any, Gem that gleams on Eastern isle.

"The Upper Sandusky Bard," whose lengthy productions in poetry were published in several numbers of the Democratic Union, beginning with January, 1858, was another whose poetic efforts, perhaps, entitle him to some recognition in these pages, but as before intimated, his articles all verge upon the extreme of prolixity, and as space and time with us are valuable, we will cordially delegate the task of their reproduction to those possessing more appreciation and more leisure.

Again turning to the last article contributed by Mr. Sears, we find him commenting upon the only poetess Wyandot County has produced as follows:

"Though we disclaim any credit for so ordinary an act of politeness, we trust our readers will not overlook the fact, that the places of honor in these sketches have been reserved for our only poetess, the sweet and sentimental songtress, who gave to the world the gushings of her gentle heart. in a small 16mo volume, bound in muslin and modestly labeled, 'Lute's Poems.' "

Turning to the title page, we are introduced with somewhat more for- mality to "Poems by Lute, respectfully dedicated to M. C. H:"

O let us seek some friendly isle, Far o'er the deep blue sea, Where none save nature's own sweet smile, Will rest on you and me ; Where frowns we've met in other years, Will sink in Lethe's streams, Where pa-sing smiles and bitter tears, Will never haunt our dreams.

"Printed for the author at the establishment of the United Brethren, at Dayton, Ohio, 1858."

While the opening lines of the dedicatory strains above quoted remind us somewhat forcibly of the fate of that unfortunate colt which was drowned in attempting to cross the river to get a drink, and although there are many other passages in the book where impulsive genius has set the rules of composition and grammar at defiance; yet it is our only printed volume of poetry-it may be the only one we shall ever have-and we are determined to make the most of it. Consider for a moment, in a proper spirit of thank- fulness, and without exulting over our less fortunate neighbors, how few of the eighty odd counties in Ohio have a printed volume of their own home- made poetry.

" Lute's Poems " are the unassisted work of a young lady who was brought up in Wyandot County, whose intellectual training was the work of our common and other schools, and whose heart here received that education of love, hope and disappointment which finds full expression in the volume before us.

Such selections as our space permits will be given for the benefit of our readers, the most of whom will never see ought more of the contents of this privately printed and already very scarce book. There are many religious poems, notable among which are Kedron, Jesus Wept, Jerusalem and The

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Reconciliation. The last-named is Miltonic, both in style and subject, and treats of Adam and Eve's criminations, recriminations and final reconcilia- tion after the ejectment from Eden.

There are many pieces devoted to the perpetuation of the very laudable affections of the author as a sister and daughter, some obituary feeling offer- ings to departed friends, a few fancy sketches such as The Fairy's Tale and The Aborigines, and also something philosophic, and didactic in reference to Homer and Napoleon; yet, among them all, we prefer those pieces which treat of the gentle passion, those outpourings of the heart, whose intensity might almost compensate the lack of genius. Our few extracts, which will be confined to this class, can have no more fitting introduction than the hymn to the god with plump cheeks, who with bow and quiver, and without trowsers, is worshiped openly or in secret, by all sentimental young ladies under the name of

CUPID. Little. flying gleam of fancy, Little ray

Chasing peace away, Every. day, and every hour,

Proves more absolute his power,-

Habitant of every nation,

Handed down through all creation, Here, there, everywhere,

Making mischief where he can,

In the heart of man.

Little flying gleam of fancy, Little ray,

Chasing peace away,

Styled by some a gift from heaven,

Others say, whence unforgiven-

Spirits dwell in blackest night,

He has 'scaped and come to light.

Loved by some, and scorned by others ; Still their hatred never smothers The bright fires which he starts, On the altar of our hearts.

Another poem is addressed to some faithless swain, and entitled:

YOU CANNOT QUITE FORGET ME.

You cannot quite forget me- Go leave me if you will- But lingering memories of me Will haunt your path way still.

The tears when we have parted, The smiles when we have met, The kindly words we've spoken, You never can forget.

You cannot quite forget me, Although another shrine May claim your priceless favor, You'll often think of mine.

The smiles from some one fairer, Awhile may drown regret, But still our sunny mornings You never can forget.

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HISTORY OF WYANDOT COUNTY.'

And then in a spirit of despondency, doubtless caused by that fellow's persistent efforts to forget her, the fair songstress declared:

I'LL NEVER LOVE AGAIN.

Yes, yes, the happy dream is past, To retain it I was fain ; But 'twas delusion now I know, And I'll never love again.

O! may the past, the dreamy past, As the summer rose depart ; And again I'll mingle with the gay, But with a heavier heart.

For still fond memories of the past, I ever will retain, Remembering him I used to love, I'll never love again.

Yet, despite the disappointment and deception, faithlessness and broken vows, true to the promptings and the destiny of the female heart, she con- tinues to love under all disadvantages, as evidence of which we cite the concluding poem in this volume, and with it close our sketch of the early poets and poetry of Wyandot County :

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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 46

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, Leggett, Conaway Number of Pages: 1072

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, Leggett, Conaway
Number of Pages: 1072