USA > Ohio > Hardin County > The history of Hardin county, Ohio > Part 33
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T THREE years after the ratification of the treaty held at the foot of the Maumee Rapids, the territory then acquired from its original possessors was divided into counties. The Ohio Legislature passed an act on the 12th of February, 1820, which reads as follows:
SECTION 1. Be it enacted, etc., That all that part of the lands lately ceded by the Indians to the United States, which is within this State, shall be, and the same is here- by erected into fourteen separate and distinct countics, to be bounded and named as follows, viz .: First, to include Townships 1, 2 and 3 south, in Ranges 1, 2, 3 and 4, and to be known by the name of Van Wert. Second, to include all of said ranges south of said townships, to the northern bounderies of the counties heretofore organized, and to be known by the name of Mercer. Third, to include Townships 1 and 2 south, and 1 and 2 north, in Ranges 5, 6, 7 and 8, and to be known by the name of Putnam. Fourth, to include all of the last-named ranges, south of the said second townships, to the northern boundaries of the organized counties, and to be known by the name of Allen. Fifth, to include Townships 1 and 2 south and 1 and 2 north, in Ranges 9, 10, 11 and 12, and to be known by the name of Hancock. Sixth, to include all the last mentioned ranges, south of said second township, and running south with the range lines to the northern boundaries of the organized counties, and to be known by the name of Hardin. Seventh, to include Townships 1, 2 and 3 south, in Ranges 13,14, 15, 16 and 17, and all that may lie between the same and the west line of Richland County, and to be known by the name of Crawford. Eighth, to include all of the last-mentioned ranges, south of said third townships, and to run south with said range lines to the northern boundaries of the organized counties, and east with the township lines to Richland County line, and to be known by the name of Marion. Ninth, to include Townships 1, 2 and 3 north, in Ranges 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, and to be known bv the name of Sen- eca. Tenth, to include all of the last-mentioned ranges north of said third township, to the northern boundary of the State, and to be known by the name of Sandusky. Eleventh, to include all of Ranges 9, 10, 11 and 12, north of the second townships north, in said ranges, and to run north with the same to the State line, and to be known by the name of Wood. Twelfth, to include all of Ranges 5, 6, 7 and 8, north of the second townships north, in said ranges, and to run north with the same to the State line as aforesaid, and to be known by the name of Henry. Thirteenth, to include Town- ships 1, 2 and 3 north, in Ranges 1, 2, 3 and 4, and to be known by the name of Pauld- ing. Fourteenth, to include all of Ranges 1, 2, 3 and 4, north of the third townships north, in said ranges, and to run north with the same to the State line, and to be known by the name of Williams.
SEC. 2. That the counties of Crawford and Marion shall be attached to the county of Delaware; the county of Hardin shall be attached to the county of Logan; the county of Allen shall be attached to the county of Shelby; the counties of Van Wert and Mercer shall be attached to the county of Darke; the counties of Hancock, Henry, Putnam, Paulding and Williams shall be attached to the county of Wood; and the county of Seneca shall be attached to the county of Sandusky, until otherwise directed by law.
At different periods after the separate organization of these counties, six other counties were formed out of territory taken from them, viz., Au- glaise, Defiance, Fulton, Lucas, Ottawa and Wyandot. The counties of Morrow, Union, Logan, Shelby and Darke also include within their limits
U.A. Philips M.D.
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
a portion of the old Indian territory obtained by the treaty of 1817, which now comprises twenty full counties and parts of five others. It is generally conceded that the lands embraced in said territory rank among the finest in the State.
This county remained attached to Logan for thirteen years, and the few scattering settlers that located within its boundaries during that period were compelled to go to Bellefontaine to attend to such legal and official busi- ness as the necessity of the times demanded. With the flight of these years, the population had grown sufficiently to entitle Hardin County to self- government, and January 19, 1833, the General Assembly passed an act for its separate and distinct organization. For the benefit of our readers, we here give a verbatim copy of said act:
SECTION 1. Be it enacted, etc., That the county of Hardin be, and the same is hereby organized into a separate county.
SEC. 2. That all suits and actions, whether of a civil or criminal nature, which shall be instituted prior to the taking effect of this act, shall be prosecuted to final judgment and execution in the county of Logan, as though the county of Hardin had not been organized, and all judgments rendered in the county of Logan, before the passage of this act, against persons residing in the county of Hardin, shall be collected in the same manner in all respects as if the act had not been passed.
SEC. 3. That on the first Monday in April next, the legal voters residing in the county of Hardin shall assemble in their respective townships, at the usual places of holding elections in said townships and elect their several county officers, who shall hold their offices until the next annual election, and until their successors are elected and qualified.
SEC. 4. That the County Auditor of the county of Logan shall make out a correct list of all lands and other real estate with the appraised value thereof, lying in the county of Hardin, and heretofore returned to the said Auditor for taxation by the Assessor of the said county of Logan, and deliver the same over to the Auditor of the county of Hardin on demand, and for making out such list, the Auditor of Logan shall be entitled to receive the same fees as for making out duplicates for taxes, which shall be paid out of the treasury of the county of Hardin.
SEC. 5. That the Court of Common Pleas for the county of Hardin shall be held at the house of William McCloud until a seat of justice be established for said county. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the 1st day of March next.
In the erection of Wyandot County, February 3, 1845, thirty-seven sec- tions of land, containing 32,680 acres, were taken from the northeast part of Hardin, in the organization of the new county, viz., twenty-four sec- tions lying in Township 3 south, Range 12 east, and thirteen sections lying in Township 4 south, Range 12 east. Hardin County had origin- ally a general width of twenty-four miles from east to west; is twenty- four miles long on the west boundary, and twenty-six on the east, so that the southern line of the county runs in a northeast direction from east to west. The territory attached to Wyandot County was a strip four miles wide and eight miles long, besides one other section of 640 acres, leaving the northern part of the county with a width of but twenty miles, and thus it has remained to the present time.
COL. JOHN HARDIN.
We copy the following biography from Howe's " Historical Collections." which publication is considered good authority upon pioneer events in Ohio. He says: "Col. John Hardin, after whom this county was named, was an officer of distinction in the early settlement of the West. He was born of humble parentage, in Fauquier County, Va., in 1753. From his very youth, he was initiated into the life of a woodsman, and acquired un- common skill as a marksman and a hunter. In the spring of 1774, young Hardin, then not twenty-one years of age, was appointed an ensign in a
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
militia company, and shortly after, in an action with the Indians, was wounded in the knee. Before he had fully recovered from his wound, he joined the noted expedition of Dunmore. In the war of the Revolution, he was a Lieutenant in Morgan's celebrated rifle corps. He was high in the esteem of Gen. Morgan, and was often selected for enterprises of peril, requiring discretion and intrepidity. On one of these occasions, while with the Northern army, he was sent out on a reconnoitering expedition, with orders to take a prisoner for the purpose of obtaining information. Marching silently in advance of his party, he ascended to the top of an abrupt hill, where he met two or three English soldiers and a Mohawk In- dian. The moment was critical. Hardin felt no hesitation-his rifle was instantly presented, and they ordered to surrender. The soldiers immediately threw down their arms -the Indian clubbed his gun. They stood while he continued to advance on them; but none of his men having come up, and thinking he might want some assistance, he turned his head a little and called to them to come on; at this moment, the Indian, observing his eye withdrawn from him, reversed his gun with a rapid motion, in order to shoot Hardin; when he, catching in his vision the gleam of light re- flected from the polished barrel, with equal rapidity apprehended its mean- ing and was prompt to prevent the dire effect. He brought his rifle to a level in his own hands, and fired without raising it to his face-he not having time, the attempt would have given the Indian the first fire, on that depended life or death-he gained it, and gave the Indian a mortal wound; who, also, firing in the succeeding moment, sent a bullet through Hardin's hair. The rest of the party made no resistance, but were marched to camp. On this occasion, Hardin received the thanks of Gen. Gates.
In 1786, he settled in Washington County, Ky., and there was no expe- dition into the Indian country after he settled in Kentucky, except that of Gen. St. Clair, which he was prevented from joining through an accidental lameness, in which he was not engaged. In these, he generally distin- guished himself by his gallantry and success. In Harmar's expedition, however, he was unfortunate, being defeated by the Indians while on a de- tached command, near Fort Wayne, Ind. Col. Hardin was killed in the thirty-ninth year of his age. He was-says Marshall, in his history of Kentucky, from which these facts are derived-a man of unassuming man- ners and great gentleness of deportment, yet of singular firmness and in- flexibility as to matters of truth and justice. Prior to the news of his death, such was his popularity in Kentucky that he was appointed General of the First Brigade.
Col. Hardin was assassinated by the Indians in 1792. He was sent by President Washington on a mission of peace to them, and was on his way to the Shawnee town. He had reached within a few miles of his point of destination, and was within what is now Shelby County, Ohio, when he was overtaken by a few Indians, who proposed encamping with him, and to ac- company him the next day to the residence of their chiefs. In the night, they basely murdered him, as was alleged, for his horse and equipments, which were attractive and valuable. His companion, a white man, who spoke Indian, and acted as interpreter, was uninjured. When the chiefs heard of Hardin's death they were sorry, for they desired to hear what the messenger of peace had to communicate. A town was laid out on the spot in 1819, on the State road from Piqua through Wapakoneta, five miles west of Sidney, and named, at the suggestion of Col. John Johnston, Hardin, to perpetuate the memory and sufferings of this brave and patriotic man.
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
In subsequent years, a son of Col. Hardin's was Secretary of the Common- wealth of Kentucky.
ELECTIONS AND ELECTORS OF 1833-34.
The first election in Hardin County after its organization was held on the 1st of April, 1833, the voting place being at the cabin of Jonathan Car- ter in the village of Round Head. The township of Round Head was the only subdivision then organized in the county, but it embraced within its limits a large scope of country now included in several townships subse- quently erected from its territory. The legal voters from every portion of the county were compelled to go to Carter's cabin to cast their ballots at this election; therefore, it is safe to infer that some staid away, and that the full vote was not cast. The officials elected were three Commissioners, Sheriff, Auditor, Recorder, Treasurer, Surveyor, Coroner and Assessor, the whole vote amounting to sixty-three ballots.
As a matter of historical interest to the descendants of the pioneers, we herewith append the names of those who voted at that election, viz .: George W. Newland, Micajah Lyle, Alexander Given, John Lyle, Alexander Tem- pleton, Lorenzo D. Lay, Sr., Michael Wagner, Samuel Tidd, Mathew Mahan, James Hays, David Poe, John Mahan, John Hankins, William Rut- ledge, William Botkin, William Given, Stephen Thompson, Isaac Darnell, Michael Fickle, James B. Bowdle, Isaac Holt, John Tidd, Sr., Daniel McArthur, John Tidd, William Ford, Charles Tidd, William Codington, Amos Hendrickson, John Moore, Asa Mahan, James Hill, Jr., John Oldecker, E. S. Moore, Henry Staymatze, Robert McCloud, John C. Hill, Joseph W. Bowdle, John McArthur, Joseph Collins, William McCloud, John Johnson, David McArthur, Martin Hill, James E. Hueston, Samuel Hatield, Silas Bailey, Samuel Stevenson, Jesse Bowdle, Jesse L. Bowdle, Charles C. Scott, Joseph Bates, Henry D. Tharp, Charles W. Stevenson, James Hill, Sr., Benjamin F. Wibly, Thomas McGoldrick, George Blay- lock, Charles Bowyer, Jonathan Carter, Peter C. McArthur, Daniel Camp- bell, John T. Scott, Samuel Richey. The Judges of this election were Charles Tidd, Lorenzo D. Lay and William Coddington; the Clerks, James B. Bowdle and Alexander Templeton-total 63.
The following are the names of the candidates voted for at this election, with an abstract of the vote that each obtained, as copied from the returns on file in the Clerk's Office:
County Commissioners-John McArthur, 52; Joseph Bates, 8; John P. Terry, 1; Charles C. Scott, 48; Cyrus Dille, 35.
Sheriff -- Michael Fickle, 7; Henry D. Tharp, 30; John Ward, 8; John Hankins, 14.
Auditor-Charles W. Stevenson, 43.
Recorder -Stephen Thompson, 22; Daniel Campbell, 38.
Treasurer -- James Hays, 8; Robert McCloud, 19; Jonathan Carter, 19; Jesse L. Bowdle, 12.
Surveyor-John P. Terry, 3; Ethan Terry, 1.
Coroner-Henry Staymatze, 43.
Assessor-Isaac Darnell, 10; Peter C. McArthur, 46.
For the office of Treasurer, Robert McCloud and Jonathan Carter each received 19 votes, so that no choice was made at the polls. These candi- dates agreed to decide the matter by "drawing cuts," and fortune favoring Mr. Carter he was duly declared Treasurer of Hardin County, and served in that capacity until March, 1834, when he was succeeded by his old op-
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
ponent, Robert McCloud, who defeated him at the election held October 8, 1833.
The first election on record in Taylor Creek and Blanchard Townships was held May 4, 1833, for the purpose of electing two Justices of the Peace and other township officers, the county containing but one Justice, viz., Daniel Campbell, up to that time. Taylor Creek cast 19 votes, and Blanchard 22, the former electing Simon Robertson, and the latter George H. Houser. The Judges of Election in Taylor Creek were Charles. C. Scott, Joseph Collins and Joab Pope, with Cyrus Dille and Charles W. Stevenson as Clerks. The Judges in Blanchard were Charles Cessna, James E. Hueston and John H. Houser, and the Clerks Nathaniel A. Hughey and Jacob H. Houser. The names of the electors in Taylor Creek Township who voted at that election are as follows: Charles W. Stevenson, Cyrus Dille, Charles C. Scott, Joseph Collins, Abraham Dille, Joseph Scott, Sr., Joseph Scott, Jr , William McCloud, Joab Pope, Samuel Hatfield, Levi D. Tharp, Jacob Snoddy, William Scott, James Andrews, Jonathan Williams, Lewis Andrews, Hiram Reed, Samuel Dille, Henry D. Tharp-total. 19.
Those who cast their votes in Blanchard Township, on the 4th of May, 1833, were David H. Edgar, Heth Coats, Albert Dudley, Joseph Bates, Nathaniel A. Hughey, William Moodie, James E. Hueston, Charles Cessna, William Dinwiddie, George H. Houser, John H. Houser, Jacob H. Houser, John Marks, Henry Heckathorn, George . Elsey, Moses Dudley, Thomas Mc- Goldrick, Benjamin Depew, Asa Trump, Hanson Robey, John Robey, John Dinwiddie-total, 22.
On the 8th of October, 1833, the regular annual election took place, there being at that time but four organized townships in Hardin County, viz., Round Head, Taylor Creek, Blanchard and Dudley. The officers of election in Round Head Township were John Mahan, William Ford and. Alexander Given, Judges, with John Draper and Stephen Thomson, Clerks. Forty-seven ballots were cast, the following being the names of the electors, viz .: William Ford, Daniel McArthur, Findlay McArthur, Alexander Given, John Mahan, David McArthur, Lorenzo D. Lay, William Tidd, Michael Wigant, John Hankins, John McArthur, John Tidd, Sr., Richard S. An- derson, Alexander Templeton, James Hill, Daniel Campbell, George Black, John T. Scott, Robert Race, William Given, Jacob Kimberlin, Isaac Dar- nell, Jacob Thomson, Henry Staymatze, Richard Rutledge, Asa Mahan, James Ayers, John Ayers, William Killough, John C. Hill, Martin Hill, Stephen Thomson, William Botkin, Josiah James, William Codington, John Tidd, David Poe, John Moore, John Oldecker, E. S. Moore, John Draper, Samuel Hill, James Hill, Andrew Richey, Jonathan Carter, John G. Colvin, Isaac T. Holt-total, 47.
The election officers of Taylor Creek Township, in October, 1833, were Joab Pope, Henry D. Tharp and Jonathan. Williams, Judges; Simon Robertson and Lewis Andrews, Clerks. The Electors of this township were Basil Bailey, William Bailey, Silas Bailey, Jonathan Forsythe, Levi D. Tharp, Samuel Morgan, William McCloud, Charles W. Stevenson, Samuel Stevenson, Thomas Collins, Charles C. Scott, Simon Robertson, Peter C. McArthur, Henry D. Tharp, Joab Pope, Jonathan Williams, James An- drews, Josephus Collins, Robert McCloud, William Scott, Lewis Andrews, Clement Rice, John Rice, Samuel Dille, William Trout, Jacob Snoddy, Abraham Dille, Cyrus Dille-total, 28.
In Blanchard Township, the Judges of Election, October 8, 1833, were Thomas McGoldrick, Joseph Leedom and John H. Houser, and the Clerks,
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
David H. Edgar and Nathaniel A. Hughey. The names of the Electors were as follows: A. Hussey, John Paver, James E. Hueston, James Hays, George H. Houser, Eri Strong, Jonathan Cessna, Thomas Moodie, David H. Edgar, John H. Houser, John Heckathorn, William Wilmoth, Lemuel Wilmoth, Joseph Bates, Abel Allen, John Garrett, John Johnson, William Dinwiddie, Benjamin F. Wheeler, John McCormack, Nathaniel A. Hughey, Samson Shadley, John P. Terry, Daniel Trump, Jacob H. Houser, James M. Gillespie, Joseph Leedom, Thomas McGoldrick-total, 28.
The poll book of Dudley Township, for October 8, 1833, was partly de- stroyed by the fire of 1853, only one-half of the tally sheet being now in existence, from which we find that the judges of the election were Josbua Cope, Portius Wheeler and Elias L. Lownes, and the Clerks, James Worth- ington and William Williamson. The abstract shows that the highest number of votes cast at that election in Dudley Township, for any one can- didate, was fourteen, which would make the total vote of Hardin County in October, 1833, 117.
The next annual election occurred October 14, 1834, when Round Head Township cast fifty-two votes. Alexander Given, William Ford and Ste- phen Thomson, were the Judges; and Daniel Campbell and Thomas C. Livingston, Clerks. Taylor Creek Township cast twenty-three votes, with Jonathan Williams, Lewis Andrews and James Stevenson, as Judges, and Samuel Dille and James B. McConnell, Clerks. The township of Blanchard cast thirteen votes, and the Judges were John E. Fry, George Mowry and James Packer; the Clerks, David H. Edgar and Jacob Fry. Dudley Town- ship cast twenty-one votes, as follows: Moses Dudley, Albert Dudley, Miles W. Van Fleet, Joshua Cope, Wyne Rode, Asa Davis, Portius Wheeler, Isaac Garrard, Harvey Chapman, John Henry, Abraham Jones, Elisha D. Timmons, Anson M. Clement, William Williamson, George Elsey, Francis D. Rodgers, Solomon Goss, Rowland T. Madison, Amasa A. Farnham, Charles P. Huntly, Uriah Williams. The Judges in this election for Dudley, were Joshua Cope, Portius Wheeler, and Elias L. Lownes; the Clerks, Rowland T. Madison and Miles W. Van Fleet.
The Townships of Goshen, Cessna and Pleasant were erected in 1834, the two former in the spring, and the latter in the fall of that year. The following are the names of the electors in Goshen Township at the first elec- tion, held May 24, 1834. John Heckathorn, Nathaniel A. Hughey, Samuel Kelly, Samuel Crossin, Benjamin Widner, Henry Heckathorn, Philip Heck- athorn, John Post, John P. Terry, Thomas Shanks, Ethan Terry, William Woodard-total, 12. The Judges were Nathaniel Hughey, Thomas Shanks and Samuel Kelly; the Clerks, Ethan Terry and William Woodard. At the October election, 1834, but seven votes were cast in Goshen Town- ship, viz. : Samuel Kelly, Nathaniel A. Hughey, Samuel Shull, Philip Heck- athorn, Ethan Terry, Benjamin Widner, John Heckathorn. The Judges were Samuel Kelly, Nathaniel A. Hughey and Samuel Shull ; Ethan Terry and Benjamin Widner, Clerks. The difference in the vote of May and October was caused, perhaps, by the erection of Pleasant Town- ship, and the change in the other township lines.
The first election in Cessna Township was held May 31, 1834, and the voters were as follows: Robert Kirkland, John Leeper, John Kirkland, Charles Cessna, Mathew Dolson, Allan Leeper, Daniel Trump, Jacob Pine, Jonathan Cessna, Stephen Cessna, Joseph Leedom, William Johnson, Thomas Leedom, Clay Clements, Benjamin F. Wheeler, John Johnson, Isaac Gray-total, 17. Judges of Elections, Charles Cessna and Mathew
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY.
Dolson; Clerks, Clay Clement and Benjamin F. Wheeler. In October, 1834, the voters of Cessna were John Johnson, Mathew Dolson, Charles Cessna, William Johnson, Jesse Hatfield, Clay Clement, Jacob Pine, Daniel Trump, Levi Mathews-total, 9. The Judges were Charles Cessna, Mathew Dolson and John Johnson ; Clerks, Clay Clement and David Trump.
Between the elections held in Goshen and Cessna Townships, in May and October, 1834, Pleasant Township was erected, and as a matter of gen- eral interest we herewith give the names of those who voted in said town- ship on the 14th of October, 1834, this being the first election held therein: William McCloud, Robert McCloud, Jonathan Forsythe, Samuel Badley, John Ryan, James Hays, Eri Strong, John W. Williams, Jacob H. Houser, James Elam, Alexander Thompson, Charles W. Stevenson, Emi P. Hurd, Daniel Barron, John C. Dille, Samuel Wagner, Jonathan Cessna, Reading Hineline, John Gardner, Thomas Moodie, Washington Shover, Thomas Gos- sage, William Wilmoth, Levi Hosman, William Johnson, William William- son, George H. Houser, John Dinwiddie, George W. Newland, Joseph Nichols, Henry S. Waggoner, John Gibson, Uriah Peene, Benjamin Faught, Robert Dinwiddie, William King, Jacob Pine, John H. Wear, William Din- widdie, Isaac Gray, Henry Garrett, Andrew Richey, John Johnson, Robert Smith; Joseph W. Williams, David Smith Robert B. Truman, Jonas Butch- er, Edward M. Badley, Joseph Garrison, Solomon Slider, Elias Clark, Obed Taylor, Andrew C. Barnes, Abel Allen, Daniel Osborn-total, 56. The Judges were John C. Dille, John W. Williams and Jacob H. Houser; the Clerks, James Hays and John Ryan.
We have now gone through the returns of 1833-34, giving the names of the voters and officers of the elections held in those years. To extend the lists farther would be foreign to the object in view, viz .: the preservation of the names of the pioneer electors; and as they were also the first settlers of Hardin County, we feel it a duty to inscribe on the pages of history these names of many worthy pioneers long since forgotten, or only remembered by their few cotemporaries who are yet left to speak of those early days. We found it no slight task to decipher some of the names on these returns, and, doubtless, there may be a few incorrectly spelled or deciphered; but if any of our readers will take the trouble to examine the election returns of 1833-34, they will there discover ample excuse for any mistakes that may be found in these lists.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
During the legislative session of 1832-33, Ira Page, Abner Snoddy and Edward L. Morgan were appointed by the General Assembly to select a lo- cation for the county seat of Hardin County. In due time, they decided upon the site of Kenton, and accordingly reported at the September term of the Court of Common Pleas, in session at Fort McArthur. The selection and conditions thereof were recorded by the court, and Charles W. Steven- son was appointed Director to lay off said seat of justice, and sell the lots at public auction in the following October. This was accordingly done, and a public square was laid off for the use of the county, upon which the county buildings might be erected.
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