USA > Ohio > Logan County > The historical review of Logan County, Ohio > Part 6
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It would appear by the statements filed at the War Department that it was neces- sary for pensioners at that day, from time to time, to file statements of their property in order to be continued upon the pension roll. In November, 1824, Tullis made a statement of his property, sworn to before Judge Joseph H. Crane, which shows the value placed upon property at that day, and is interesting by way of comparison with later day values. It is certified to by Daniel Workman and Samuel Newell, and-is as fol- lows :
born in Prince William county, Virginia, in One bed, worth 10 00
1
47
HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGIN COUNTY.
One sow pig 2 00
32 acres of land 312 00
Claim on Tallman and Irsael 150 CO
Total 534 00
The fifty-two acres of land wats the lal- force of his land adjoining the town left after Bellefontaine was taken from his pos- sessions.
During his later years he was a rechise. and many curious stories were told of his peculiarities. It is more than likely that his carly service, hardships and exposures, lind in some measure shattered his mental and told upon his physical posters
llis service for his country entitles him to the generous sympathy and the gratitude of his fellow citizens.
WILLIAM POWELL.
Another of the original proprietors of the seat of justice was William Powell. He was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio before the year 1800; he was employ- ed by General Wayne as a hunter for the army: he afterwards lived in Hamilton ounty. then removed to Champaign county, and finally came to his farm upon which the county seat of Logan county was afterwards k cated, in 1812.
He lived just west of the railroad depot. in a long low, one-story house. He left quite a family of children some of whom be- came prominent citizen -. Ile was most un- fortunately drowned by falling from a log in crossing Blue -Jacket, just west of his home.
LOGAN COUNTY
After the war of 1812, the great tide of immigration again turned westward, and thie valleys of the Mad River and the rich
valleys which opened into it, became object- ive points for those seeking homes in the west.
The early settlers had sent back glow- ing accounts of the promised wealth of this new empire and the friends and relatives of these came to cast their fortunes with those who had been pioneers in these new fields of civil contest, and thousands of homeseekers were quickly added to the in- creasing population. So fast had the coun- try been filled with thrifty and adventurous people that it became inconvenient to go to the distant county seat of Urbana, and steps were tiken to form a new county, leaving Champaign to the southward : John Inskeep. Sr .. was then a member of the legislature from Champaign county, and with the assis- tanee of General Foos, of Springfield, who was a member of the Senate in the same legislature, succeeded in having an act pass- " on the 30th day of December, 1817. creating two new counties. Clarke and Lo- gan, both to be carved off of the county of Champaign. The county of Clark was ta- ken from the southern portion of the Cham- ptign and Logan from the northern portion.
Logan county as thus set apart and des- ignated extended from the northern boun- dary of Champaign county to the Miami of the Lakes, the Maumee, and including with- in its jurisdiction all that portion within the the government Indian reservations ex- tending to the lakes. The county thus form- ed, was divided into five townships, Zane. Jefferson. Lake, Miami and Waynesfield. On the first of April. 1820, Hardin county was formed off the northern portion of Lo- gan, and Waynesfield township disappeared : at the same time about three miles of the eastern side of Logan was cut off to be added to the new county of Union, and, in 1848,
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HISTORIE IR REFHAT OF THEM COUNTY
another snail potom vorbei 6 @ the northwest o ines out bx concty.
The present with of the reply To since remained whistled sont a question of ccaffff iliter 6 6 Vo conily years were sulde of showing free Logan and Hardde !.
mained within the jur: wwefi Doof 1 200- til 1833, when it was duly and| porupadgett- ganized and its county cell osal golfers were established.
THE FIRST COMEYS
The first term of cottet ffthe New Birmy ci Logan was held in thy permon dolore at the house of Litwin Nimiers the lost lature having provoked that slog81 2 km at that place until a penis molit vomnily sent had been duly established. The term beyan on the 24th day of September. ININ. Un Honorable Orris Parish was the "Preoneots of our said court at Belleville. "and James McAlvain, Levi Garwood and John Shelly were the associate judges ; Nicholas Picker - ell was sheriff and Samuel Newell V ... clerk, both being appointed by the count The judges each received three dollar - jul day for the time actually employed.
There being at that time no lawyer re- ident of Logan county, James Cooley, of Urbana, Champaign county, was appointed prosecuting attorney, and was allowed nis dollars each term of court for his services as such. The first jury consisted of Just the Outland, Joel Smith, William Medire. Charles Moots. Thomas Stanfield. Isaac Zane, Lan-on Curtis, Nathan Norton, 1-1 ) Howell, Henry Richards, Nicholas Stilwell and Themas Sutherland.
"The count ph ceeded tra le location of para mani . a . i justo al fer de. par-
Hi. .. mmmm. after a delay, re- posted w . reja site for the new county what about the amid's wrath of Zanesfield on
The cont refused to approve of this se- lotion ixque of the question of title. These last were a part of the Virginia mit g envers, and there had been much aminutes and litigation over the title to cone co More lands. The matter being ; ou related to the committee, on the 28th i Deumber, 1in, it reported in favor of letting the county seat on the lands of John Toll -. Sr .. William Powell and Len rd Houtz: this report was duly ap- moved in the court, the town was named bile intame, and Salmon McCulloch was pointed director of the new county seat. site proprietors agreed to donate every al- up to dt, and a block of four lots for the -ite of the court house, and one of the same i've in the northwest corner of the town, the pati. half to be used for a burying ground. and the south half for the churches, and hoe Hleck for a hitching lot. William Pow- ell owned the land north of and adjoining Columbus street, and Tullis, the lands south of and adjoining Columbus street : Le nard Houtz owned a small part of the land- in the northwest corner and in con- sidentin i conveying the same he was giv- un twoor three lots of the new town. Early in 1820 Sammen McCulloch, as director, laid off the town and platted the lets, num- lering 248, and the proprietors conveyed to
49
HISTORICAL. WEWERE OF LOG.IN COUNTY.
him the public spaces is named out all of fliler the even now and lots. These were Here
Hundred and give mili- It i am getting present day.
The court- weg sam affe cemfe Tom Belleville to Belgesinie in 00 held in the log house of Jeim pallo. ar- me of the proprieurs of the Town. why ined on the lot just est of the for. watt iense. This house had onewillget ti chin of Blue Jacket, the war chief of the Shaw onges.
In 1823, the temporary sont hot Mps finished by Vatchel Blaglook, and was 00 the second lot south of the pathand space, the was afterwards used by Peter Luister. Wal- ter Slicer and Captain John B. Miller, (! :1. as a hotel. The contract for this build ing was thirteen hundred dollars. This building was afterwards soll to Satathiel Knight for eight hundred and sixty dol- lars.
THE JAIL.
A jail was erected by Vatchel Blaylock. on the northeast corner of the public square, for the sum of three hundred and fifteen dollars. The contract was let February 18. 1820, and on the 18th of March he reported it one-half done. and received an estimate of one hundred and five dollars upon his contract.
The bride four wheel successof it
tras laut in 1850, 00 : cost of $22.805.10. Teleick e un These was not built until ISAr Nor stone and brick with was let to Wwwwe Call for ge immidired dollars, and Ce Tomired and fifty dollars additional for uit style work. The wood-work to John Whe les and Gier ige Shuffleton for a thous- and delete. It was finished m 1833, and count freld in it the same year.
The po biid: offices on either side of the court house, which for nearly forty Years dad seisten for the county officers. were lante it Willam Watson, for six hun- died and Any dollars, in 1833. The new wart hon dy .- created in 1870. and cost Omie huial of and five thousand, five hundred and ninety oght dollars.
Early in 1821, the courts first sat in Boldfontane, with Judge Joseph H. Crane as pre ident, and Levi Garwood. James Mc- Pherson and Wilham MeBeth as associate judge : Samuel Newell was clerk and Nich- a. Pischerell sheriff.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
The first county commissioners were Robert Smith, Solomon McColloch, and Wilham MeBeth, they were elected April ith, 1818, and held their first meeting in Belleville on the 23rd of the same month.
At this meeting they appointed Martin Marmon treasurer of the county, and Nich- olas Pickerell sheriff.
Some idea of the territory embraced within the jurisdiction of the county com- missioner- may be gathered from the fact that at the July meeting of the commission-
It was built of hewed langs, dove-tailed at the corners, and there was a second big wall around the first one, and fifteen inche- from it, the space being filled in with loose stones. Nathaniel Dodge was appointed the first ers, in 1818. they fixed the toll rate of fer-
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGIN COUNTY.
riage over the Manmee river at the follow- house of Isaac Zane, and at Imes M. Work- ing schedule :
One wagon, four horses .75
Loaded cart and team .37 1-2
Every four-wheeled carriage and team .50
An empty cart and team .25
Man and horse .12 1.2
Foot passenger .06 1-4
.Every hog or sheep. .01
The license for public houses was to be eight dollars, except in Zane-field it was to be ten, and at Maumee twelve.
There is a supposition that at one time Logan county, was all included in Zane township Champaign county, and that the part north to the Lakes was Waynesfield township.
This is borne out by the fact that at the election of 1806, in Zane township. Cham- paign county, the voters at that election in- cluded James McPherson, John Tullis, Jr., Daniel Tucker. John Powell, John Tullis. Sr., Colonel William McCloud, Samuel Me- Colloch, William McColloch. Haac Zane. Jeremiah Stansberry, Job Sharp, John Sharp and Carlisle Ilaines, and all other parts of Logan county were represented in that elec- tion.
FOUR TOWNSHIPS.
At the meeting of the county commis- sioners, in August, 1818. Logan county was declared to extend on the north to the In- dian boundary line and was divided into four towships, Miami. Lake, Jefferson and Zane, and afterwards Wayne-field. extend- ing to the Maumee was added.
The places of holding elections in these townships was to be at Zanesfield at the
man's. in Jefferson, and at the court house in Lake, and John Turner's in Miami.
PUBLIC ROADS.
At the September meeting, ISIS, a road was ordered to be laid out from the Darby creek to Belleville and the Great Miami river.
Again in 1830, another road was order- ed to be laid out from Bellefontaine, to Fort Findlay, and thence to the Maumee of Lake Erie, and upon this road Daniel Workman was directed to expend twenty five dollars.
The road from West Liberty, north wird, first went east along the edge of the Mad river valley, until it reached the farm- house of the late Edward Hilderbrand. when it turned through the gap in the hill to the northwest, and thence along the De Graff road to a point near the old MeBeth farm, and thence along and parallel to the Big Four Railroad, northward to Belleville, when it bore off again to the northwest and presed about one mile west of the present site of Bellefontaine, following substantially what was afterwards known as Hull's trace; it was little more than a bridle path.
Some time about 1838 the present road was laid out from Bellefontaine to West Liberty, by a commission headed by Robert Patterson, who afterwards superintended the cutting and constructing of this new road way. The work was done by the three days' labor required of all citizens for road service.
For many years this road in winter re- mained almost impassable, as did most of the other roads in the county.
The road to Zanesfield, formerly fol- loved the meandering of Goose creek, and passed out through the farm of Zacheus
51
HISTORICAL REMIRIT OF LOGIN CIN NTY.
Dougherty into the Mad river mille. omnes thang more than a mile south of Zamsinvid where it intersected the road along the cast side of the valley from the Macachack In- ban villages to Zanestown.
The road to the north followed Hull's trace to Cherokee, Solomon's Town, and on & the Manmee, passing to the westward of Bellefontaine a mile or more, and near to Silver Lake. These roads were not much more than bridle paths, and for many years. such things as wagens and carts were al- most unknown.
THE FIRST VEHICLES.
It is generally understood that Lanson Curtis, a merchant of Zanesfield, brought in- v the country the first wheeled vehicle ; and it is the understanding that Doctor Aaron Hartley had one of the first, if not the first, buggy, and, strange to relate, it was a "run- " bont," not unlike the ones so fashionable at the present time, excepting that its axles were wooden, and it was built for strength a. well as service.
TREE TURNPIKES.
The roads of an early day were in strong contrast with the present system of gravel macadam seen throughout Logan county.
There are now four hundred and fifty- two miles of graveled pikes in Logan coun- ty, built at an expense of one million two lindred and fifty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-seven dollars, and sev- enty-eight cents ($1.253,337.78).
The twenty-five dollars granted Daniel
Workman to open up a road from Belleion- tire to Fort Findlay, and thence to the Makes, would make a peor showing against the magnificent lines of public highway. which cobweb the entire county, and make is perfect a system of public improvements as can be found anywhere in the West.
TAXES
The first assessment of taxes reported by the county treasurer, Martin Marmon, was as follows:
Received for licenses $124.38 3-4
Received for taxes 404.55 1-2
Grand total $538.84 1-4
Paid out by county orders. . 519.83 By treasurer's commission, 4 per cent. 20.80
Total $540.63
Balance due treasurer. 1.79
This report is dated June 18th, 1819.
The amount of taxes . collected and ex- pended in Logan county for the year 1901- 1902, was as follows :
Total collection of taxes. . . . . . $358.584.43
Of this amount more than one-half was expended for the public school system of the county, and aggregated the grand total of St81.700.00.
What a wonderful story these figures tell of the growth and grandeur which three- fourths of a century has wrought out in this garden spot of the great northwest.
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGAN COUNTY
CHAPTER V.
FIRST HOUSES -- BLACK HORSE TAVERN-WORKMAN'S LAVERY-THE UNION HOUSE SOME LAREY RISI- DENTS OF BLIGHIONEAINI-COL WM. M'CLOUD- NATHANIEL DODGE -- MARITOW SIMPSON -- SAMUEL NEW. LET-THE MWELL FAMILY-JAMES MAN- NING ALED-DR. H. H. DE-DR. W. D. SCORET- MERCHANTS-LAST FOR GODIS-THOMAS ARM- STRONG-LOI. T. JANNEY -RDE. PATTERSON- BROWN MAYS -- JOHN WHETHER-GAN. HVIS. GARDNER-WM. 6. KENNEDY-JOIN MARQUIS -- DR. AARON HLARILEY-OTHER MERCHANTS IN THE COUNTY-PRICES OF GOODS,
The first house built in the new town was a log house put up by Joseph Gordon on the west end of the lot known as Boyd's corner. He shortly afterwards built another and larget log house on the east end of the same lot, on the corner of Main and Chillicothe streets, which he sold to Anthony Ballard who kept a hotel there; this was as early as 1821 or 1822; this building is still standing, and is prob- ably the only one of the original buildings constructed in the city. unless we con- sider the house now lived in by Jerusha Thomas. in the northwest corner of the town, which is also a log and is still stand- ing.
William Scott built a log house on the Watson corner and kept a tavern there, and soon after sold it to John Rhodes, who came from Urbana and kept the first store in the new village. One of the Powells built a log house on the corger where the Presbyterian church now stands, and in this house Nathaniel Dodge afterwards kept a public house or tavern. Dodge was also a shoemaker, and was the first of the trade in his line. In 1732. Justice Edwards, came to the town and started
the manufacture and repair of - uldles, and was followed shortly after by a man named Chevalier : William Powell was the first carpenter, while George Blaylock was the first blacksmith. This man Blaylock was a curious character, he first lived at Silver Lake and the lake was called Blay- lock's lake; coming to town he opened a blacksmith shop: he had the reputation of being a manufacturer of bogus coin. and was indicted for this offense. but the case against him was dropped: he finally moved to Indian Lake and died there. Vachel Blaylock came about this time and was for several years the most active car- penter and builder in the town; he built the first jail, and finished the first court house. Jacob Powell was the first gun. smith, at that time one of the most im- portant of all the occupations of the fron- tier settlement, for much depended upon the fire arms, not only for protection. but for game as well. Leonard Houtz. one of the original proprietors, built a tin-yard on the southwest corner of Belle- fontaine, and pear William Powell's resi- dence. Another tan yard was shortly afterwards built by Robert Patterson. who came from Licking county, in Sep- temler. 1824: his tan-yard was built on the southwest corner of Mais and Auburn streets, and was run by his brother-in-law. Josiah Moore, and was for many years afterwards continued by a man named Obenchain. The tannery business was a most important industry of the new set- tlements, and every head of a family was compelled to supply by means of local or traveling cobblers the foot-wear for his household.
Robert Patterson kept a store in the front part of the house built by Joseph
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGAN COUNTY.
they on the Boyd corner, and lived in rear part of it. Edward Patterson, Wisst native boru resident, was born His house on the 20th day of Decem la 1826 he purchased the lot ga of the court house, where the opera novos stands, and built a small frame Wing on the corner of Main street. Genel his die into this; he after- ros built upon the entire lot, called for Bo years "The Patterson Ron," which The way to the Opera Block; he was one d. first and most accurate of the business woo of the city.
In 1820. Lot T. Janny came from Lou- Gain county. Virginia, and built a store guen on the corner where the Melodeon Tomding now stands: it was a long. low. rug story building, and was built by schel Blaylock. Janny kept store here De eight or nice years, and lived in a two story log house just south of his store.
It was on the south of this log house that Job Davis began building a two-story brick which Janny finished in 1823, and in which he kept tavern for a number of vers, and was succeeded by William Bull. 11 was called the "Travelers' Rest" when Janny kept it. but Bull changed the name to the "American House." and the sign printed in large letters on the front re- trained for many years. John Beatty, who was a constable, lived in this house for a number of years, at a later date. The Janny's store-room was standing as late is 1848, when William Stafford kept gro- cory in it. and left to take a company to the Mexican War, and died in Mexico.
The first brick building within the town was built by John W. Marquis, on the northeast corner of Main and Chilli- cothe streets, and was occupied for many
years by a man named Mitchenor, and afterwards by Walter Slicer.
One of the first store-keepers was Thomas Armstrong, who first had a store on Main street. and then on the spot where the Logan House now stands.
Daniel Workman kept a tavern on the corner where the People's Bank is now located.
In 1827 John Wheeler purchased the lot just north of the corner on Main and Columbus streets and built a two-story frame. in one end of which he kept a store, and in the other end a tavern: his store was regarded as one of the best in the country at that time, and commanded a large trade from the surrounding coun- try. Wheeler's store and Wheeler's tay- ern were the most important places in the town, while Wheeler was one of the fore- most men in the place.
Leonard Houtz built a two-story brick house on the west of the town, and lived in it: it was the first brick house within the limits of the present city for it was there before 1825. The upper story was blown off in the great wind storm on May 18th. 1825. and never rebuilt: Houtz put the roof on the one-story that was left standing: it was at that time outside of the town limits and almost three hundred vards west of the town. A man named Bayles, who came from Urbana. did the brick work: he afterwards studied and practiced law in the town and was the first prosecuting attorney elected in Logan county, and served four years from 1821 ; he married a sister of Moses B. Corwin a most estimable woman, who long sur- vived him: he was addicted to drink and in one of his sprees was drowned in Pos-
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGIN COUNTY.
-um Run net where the Episcopal presup age now stand.
The Simpson House stood on an elevation at the corner of Mad river and Auburn streets: it was for many years one of the most pretentious residences in the city : it was built of bricks and white. med. and was a most inviting looking place: Hiram B. Strother afterwards purchased it and lived in it. and died there. He was in his day the foremost politician in the county, ad as a political manipu- lator, wire puller and handler of people and conventions he probably never had an equal in the county. His manner was personal and confidential: he would take a man out of his office around and back of the same to talk to him privately and confidentially when there was not another person within five hundred yards of them; when the convention met. however, his in fluence was paramount and supreme. Sometime about 1830, Doctor .1. H .. I ord built a tavern on the southeast cor- ner of Main and Chillicothe streets and called it the "American House," and Wal- ter Slicer, who had originally come from Maryland to Dayton, and from Dayton to Bellefontaine. was its first landlord; it was afterwards kept by Patrick Watson.
Sometime between 1828 and 1830 one McClanahan kept a tavern in a two-story frame just opposite the court house; it was built by Martin Marmon, the first treasurer of the county: when General Isaac S. Gardner came to Bellefontaine. from Virginia, he bought this property and kept store in the first story and lived in the upper story.
BLACK HORSE TAVERN.
One Tom Haines, as far back as 1830.
sted a tavern just north of towi called the Black Horse Tavern; it stort near the forks of the road running to North- word and Rushsylvania: one-half of it vas brick and the other half frame, two stories high, and it had a long double jorch along its entire front; on the north was the wagon gard where the teams were cared for: here the dances and carous- als were carried on, and it was regarded as a pretty tough place.
Its frequenters were not always from the elite of the village and its gatherings instead of being from the upper ten were more generally from the lower four hun- dred: the house afterwards passed into the hands of Michael Smith who kept it for a number of years as Smith's Tavern, and it was a favorite stopping place of team- sters and others who did not desire to stop in the village.
WORKMAN'S TAVERN.
In 1834 Daniel Workman opened a tavern on the corner of Main and Colum- buis streets, now occupied by the People's Bank, and for several years kept it open to the public. It was in time turned into other branches of trade. Captain John B. Miller about ISpo, owned this corner and had a shoe store there. In 1846 Rid- dle and Rutan purchased it and built a three-story brick building which for many years was kept as a hotel known as "The Rutan House:" a man named Zumbro, who came from Urbana, and also a man named Harper, kept this hotel. and finally it fell into the hands of Neriah McMichael. He was a Yankee and came from Con- neticut at an early day, and went from house to house selling Seth Thomas
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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF LOGAN COUNTY.
clocks: many of these clocks are still to turned his hand; we find him one of the be found in the county. He kept the first assessors of the township and acting "Rutan House" for a number of years; it burned down in the great fire of 1856. and MeMichael becoming impoverished went back to selling clocks. in various capacities; he finally became a mail-carrier and for many years went between Bellefontaine and Lake Erie, to Perrysburg, before Toledo was dreamed THE UNION HOUSE. of. At this early day the whole country was simply a wilderness, and the only roads, bridle paths; the woods were in- fested by wolves and other wild animals. and Indians were still occupying this sec- tion of Ohio. Gordon was nervy and ac- tive. and he soon became a favorite with the settlers along the route; he carried news from settlement to settlement, and was a welcome visitor at all the cabins : he made semi-weekly trips and went and came for many years a most useful and accommodating public servant.
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