Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 25

Author: Jacob Anthony Kimmell
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1189

USA > Ohio > Hancock County > Findlay > Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens > Part 25

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).

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Fletcher, Robert Sherrard, Alexander Ams- than forty eyars he was a minister of the poker, Benjamin Todd, Bennet Kiger, Michael Price and others.

The first settlement of this township was made in 1833 by Edward Stevenson, Benja- min Todd, and John J. Needles, at and near where the village of McComb now stands. In the following year William and Alex- ander Kilpatrick, George Algire, John Kalb and Alexander Amspoker, came to the same neighborhood. In 1835 Robert Morrison, John Bartholomew, Charles Blakeman, Michael Price, David Wright, Jacob Thomas and others reinforced the new settlement. Benjamin Todd came from Franklin County, Ohio, and settled on the present site of the village of McComb. He was the first justice of the peace in the township, having helped to organize the township, and held various offices afterward, discharging the duties of all with honesty and fidelity. He was also a member of the first church organization in the township, and ever afterwards led a con- sistent Christian life, living to upwards of ninety years, having raised a large and re- spectable family of children, he was loved and respected by all who knew him.

John J. Needles emigrated from Franklin County also, and developed from the wilder- ness a beautiful farm. He was a rather im- pulsive, eccentric kind of a man, but withal a kind neighbor and a good citizen. He re- moved to Iowa in 1856 and there died in 1875.

George Algire resided all his life on the same farm he entered and cleared up. He was a small wiry man of good constitution and untiring energy and industry. He ac- cumulated a competency, and enjoyed it in the society of his many friends. For more

Methodist Episcopal Church. As such he was fervent and zealous, of considerable ability, and led a consistent Christian life. As a neighbor and man he commanded the greatest respect.

John Kalb, another of that noble band of pioneers, after a long and useful life closed up his earthly life on the first of March, 1872. In his death the community lost a valuable member. Mr. Kalb was a member of the Methodist Church for many years, and two of his sons, John S. and Isaac N. were ministers of that church. Father Kalb was a fine specimen of the frontiersman, and contributed his full share in clearing up the country.

The first election was held in 1835 and Benjamin Todd, Charles Blakeman, Michael Price, John Kalb, John J. Needles, Alex- ander Amspoker, Robert Morrison, Robert Fletcher, Benjamin Cummins, David Wright, and Jacob Thomas were the voters. The officers elected were Benjamin Todd, J. J. Needles and Alexander Amspoker, trustees ; Benjamin Todd, clerk ; George Al- gire, treasurer; Benj. Todd, justice of the peace.

The first church organization was in 1835. The Rev. Thrap, of the Methodist Church, at that time organized a class, of whom Benj. Todd and wife, and John Kalb and wife were the members. Services were held in private houses, and in the schoolhouse until 1850, when the Methodists erected a church building, which was the first in the township.

The first schoolhouse was built in 1838 at the present site of McComb. It was of the then approved style, round log, clap-

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board roof, and chimney order of architect. The township is now supplied with a full complement of fine schoolhouses with an enrollment of an average of four hundred scholars.

The first flouring mill was built by Thomas Pickens in 1845, on Pickens Run. Previous to that time a hand-mill owned by Wiliam Todd, was the only means of making breadstuff in the township. In 1841 George Algire built a saw-mill propelled by water power on Algire's Run. Its capacity for manufacturing lumber was 300 feet per day. The first steam saw-mill was built by Tipton & Porter in 1850, and the first steam flouring-mill by Major Isaac Cusac in 1857.

Thus has this part of the country been developing little by little, with the hardest of labor, the greatest of patience, and most persevering industry, until today Pleasant Township is one of the most populous, wealthy and beautiful in the county. Her farms and farm buildings will compare favorably with those of any other part of the county; whilst in honest thrift, intelli- gence and true hospitality her people are surpassed by none.

Pleasant Township has two railroads crossing its territory, the N. Y. C. & St. Louis, commonly called the "Nickel Plate," which passes through from east to west, south of the center; and the Deshler branch of the C. H. & D., passing from the south- east to the northwest with the crossing at McComb. These railroad facilities, together with the fine condition of the wagon roads gives to the farmers of this township the greatest convenience for marketing their grain and stock.

PORTAGE TOWNSHIP.

At the session of the County Commis- sioners in March, 1835, "Ordered that the originally surveyed Township Number 2 north, Range 10 east, be set off into a sep- arate township, politic and corporate, and named Portage. Ordered that the voters be notified thereof, and to meet the first Mon- day in April to elect township officers." In 1850, on the formation of Allen Township, two tiers of sections on the east side of this township were detached and made a part of that township, so that Portage now includes only twenty-four sections instead of thirty- six that go to make a full township. This township derives its name from some small branches of the Portage River, which arise about the center of the township flowing north into Wood County, and finally into Lake Erie. It lies on the north line of the county, and is bounded on the north by Wood County, on the east by Allen Town- ship, on the south by Liberty, and on the west by Pleasant. Its area is 15,360 acres. The first entry of land was made by Henry Lamb, October 18, 1831, of the south half of Section 19. Henry Culp, of Fairfield County, entered the north-west quarter of Section 20, on the 24th of September, 1830. The east half of the northwest quarter of Section 15 was entered on April 21, 1831, by William Cromlish. July 24, 1832, John Thompson entered the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 22, and on the 19th of August, 1833, John Morehead, of Stark County entered the northeast quarter of Section 22. On the 18th of June, 1833, Samuel Howard, of Richland County, en-

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tered the northwest quarter of the south- east quarter of Section 4.

The soil in the northern portion is of sand and loam; the sandy portion is known as sand ridge. The south portion has a pre- ponderance of clay, of a yellowish hue. This clay in some places is mixed with sand and gravel, but all is easily tilled, and exceed- ingly productive. Until quite recently this township preserved much of its timber in its primeval forests, but in the last twenty years it has been reduced to a minimum. This timber, in the north was sycamore, elm, hickory, oak; in the south poplar, oak, ash, walnut, beech and sugar. This township is drained by the west branches of the Portage River, through which ample outlet is af- forded for carrying off the surplus water in wet seasons. Its area is 15,360 acres.

The first settlers in this township were John Thompson, on the farm afterwards owned by James Deter in Section 10, and George McClay on the farm just north, Charles Crist, John and Amos Cooper in 1833, George Taylor, Ezra Hazen on the Edington farm, Robert Walters, Samuel and John Morehead, John Reed, Sr., and a little later on Sanford F. Dulin, George Mitchell, Mahlen Morris, Switzer and John Norris.

Most of these first settlers cleared up their farms and remained living on them their entire life time. Having endured all the labor of removing timbers and draining the soil, they felt inclined to enjoy the fruits of their toil. Their house was their castle. Their rich farms supplied them plentifully with the good things of this world.

Sanford F. Dulin was one of those early settlers who always had faith in the future

of this township. He cleared up, and occu- pied until the day of his death, together with his aged wife, a valuable farm, and to the end was as light hearted and jovial as in his younger years. Close to his farm was a good brick schoolhouse and a comfortable frame church, in the success of both of which Mr. Dulin always felt a deep interest.

John Thompson, after a residence of many years in the township, went further west, where he spent the balance of his life.

John Morehead, who attained a ripe old age, and by industry and frugality coupled with strict honesty accumulated quite a property, passed peacefully away about thirty years ago, surrounded by a number of his children, and in the midst of many friends. John Read too is dead. After im- proving one of the tracts of land in the town- ship, and rearing quite a large family, he died almost in the prime of manhood, la- mented by all who knew him.

Mahlen Morris was one of nature's noble- men. Honest, industrious, intelligent, he was called upon by his neighbors to look after the affairs of the township, in many re- sponsible positions. He was four times in succession elected a justice of the peace, and filled the office faithfully. In 1846 he was elected to the office of county treasurer, and with his family moved to Findlay. In 1848 he was re-elected, and in 1849 he died of an attack of typhoid fever. His loss was universally lamented. Such has been his conduct of the affairs of the office that he had won the confidence of all the people of the county.

The first schoolhouse was near Pleasant Hill, but the exact date could not be ascer- tained-perhaps about 1834. The second

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schoolhouse was built in Judge Cooper's dis- trict, and the first teacher was Miss Rebecca Hedges. The township is now supplied with its full quota of good brick schoolhouses, with an enumeration of over four hundred pupils.

The first church was built on Sand Ridge in Section 5, by the Presbyterians. Amongst the first members were Miles Wilson and some of his family, and John Norris and wife. The second church was built United Brethren, on Ten Mile in 1836. Treat Dem- ming and wife, and Samuel and Henry De- Rodes were of the first membership. The first marriage in the township was that of Amos Cooper and Elisabeth Poe. The first child born was Allen Cooper, son of the Judge, and the first death was that of a child of John Norris. There are many well improved farms, and many good, substan- tial and comfortable farm buildings in this township, among which, in the past may be mentioned those of Judge Cooper, Adam Crumrine, John E. Morehead, G. W. Mont- gomery, T. F. Edgington, John Lewis and others. The roads and farms are generally in good condition, and thrift, industry and valuable improvements are seen everywhere, sure indications of the intelligence and pros- perity of the people.

There was a post office established in this township in 1860 with Jarvis Humphrey as postmaster. Upon the removal of Mr. Humphrey from the township, Joseph Johnston succeeded him, and held the office until his faculties became impaired by age, so that he was unfit to farther discharge the duties, Mrs. G. W. Montgomery was ap- pointed. Upon the establishment of the rural routes the office was discontinued.

Joseph Johnston, above referred to, was a native of Virginia, where he was born on the 4th day of April, 1801. He was a farmer all his life. His father, Isaac Johnston, moved from Boutetot County, Va., to Ohio in 1811, and settled at Portsmouth, in Scioto County. The elder Johnston was a potter, and followed that trade whilst in Ports- mouth. In 1827 the family came to this county, and took up their residence in the village of Findlay. Mr. Johnston was mar- ried in 1832 to Susan George, and removed to what is now Marion Township, and in the same year was elected sheriff of the county, which office he filled acceptably for one term. He had for neighbors in this township such men as Asher Wickham, Charles Thomas and E. S. Jones. In 1853 Mr. Johnston sold his Marion Township farm, and moved to this township, where he resided to the time of his death. He had a family of fourteen children, twelve of whom grew up. He was of English descent, but had limited educational facilities, and was compelled to depend upon his own re- sources in that direction. He helped to build the first schoolhouse in Marion Township and helped to organize, and was a voter at the first election held in the township. He was prominently connected with the early history of the county, and his industry and energy, with his good sense, gave him quite an influence with the early settlers. He lived long enough to see the vast improve- ments made in the county, and to enjoy the fruits of his labors. His wife died in 1850, and he afterwards married Jane Dudgeon, who died in 1879. In 1863 he was appointed postmaster at Portage Center, which office he held about sixteen years. In 1870 he

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united with the Methodist Episcopal furnished by a common country school, Church, and remained a member until his death. such as they were in those days. He was not a member of any church, but in religious belief he had a leaning to the Old School Baptists. He was always a friend to schools and churches. He was the father of nine children.

Judge John Cooper was a native of Fay- ette County, Pa., where he was born April 25, 1811. He was the eldest son of James Cooper who came to Pennsylvania from New York. Mr. Cooper's ancestors on his father's side were Scotch, and on his mother's side Low Dutch. In 1812 the family came to Perry County, Ohio, and settled near Somerset. That part of the State was but sparsely settled, and the land which the Judge's father had entered had to be reclaimed from the wilderness, and here the Judge labored until 1832, when he came to this township, bringing with him ·his young wife, Jane Eliza, daughter of Daniel Cusac, whom he married in 1830. There were but seventeen families in the township, including Portage and the west half of Allen, when he came here. He at once located on the same land where he spent his entire life. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper celebrated their Golden Wedding, at the fiftieth anniversary of their wedded life, 1880, and all their children were present. His first neighbors in the township were John Thompson, Robert Walters and John Howard, and they were about the only resi- dents of what is now Portage township. The Judge held important offices in the town- ship and county. In 1849 he was appointed one of the associate judges of the county and held that office until the adoption of the present constitution. In 1862 he was elected county commissioner, and served six years as such. He was also one the first directors of the County Infirmary. Mr. Cooper had no other educational advantages than that

Samuel Howard, was the son of a farmer, and was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., December 7th, 1814. He was brought up on a farm, and has followed that vocation all his life. When but a few months old his parents came to Richland County, Ohio. Mr. Howard was the father of eleven chil- dren, most of whom are still living. He came to this county in 1833, and settled on what is called "Ten Mile Creek," in this township. They were surrounded by the forests ; Indians plenty ; game in abundance. Mr. Howard said that when he got up in the morning, and wanted to kill a turkey, he was at a loss to know which direction to go, as they were gobbling all around him. Mr. Howard said that his father had fifty dol- lars in money when he came here, and that he borrowed it of him to enter forty acres of land on condition that he should keep the family in provisions for one year, and as there were eleven of them in the family, he said it required a great deal of hard labor on his part to do so, especially as flour was sixteen dollars per barrel, and corn one dol- lar and a half per bushel. The settlers had to go to Tiffin to mill, and to the village of Findlay to trade. In December, 1837, he married Elisabeth Carroll, who died his widow in 1901.

Building a cabin in the woods, he com- menced life full of hope and energy, de- termined to succeed. In 1850, having been

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elected treasurer of the county, he sold his land and moved to Findlay. He served two terms as treasurer. He then purchased the old Trout farm at VanBuren. After re- siding here for some years he sold out and bought the Hollenback farm, joining the north corporation line of Findlay, where he resided until 1880, when he moved into town. Captain Howard died March 15th, 1889, beloved by all who knew himn, and es- pecially by the old soldiers of the Civil War for whom he always had the highest re- gards.

Samuel Howard was captain of Company G, 118 Regiment O. V. I., in the late war, and was with that regiment in all its marches and battles until the spring of 1864. In 1863 he was detailed to go to Boston to assist in organizing the drafted men of Massachusetts. He remained for three months, when he rejoined the regiment and went to Eastern Tennessee. In the spring of 1864 he had the misfortune to get his leg broken, and was discharged from the service. He was the father of eleven chil- dren, several of whom are living in Findlay at the present writing. The Howard M. E. Church on Cherry Street was named in his honor because of his liberal donations to the society for the buying of the ground and the erection of the building. Also the college campus, a beautiful plat of ground of ten acres, a mile north of the court house, and on which the college now stands, was the free gift of Capt. Howard to the College Corporation, besides contributing quite a sum of money toward the construction of the building. Capt. Howard was always in- terested in all public enterprises that looked

to the advancement of the town or the en- tire county.

Samuel Morehead, was born in West- moreland County, Pa., in 1798, and came to Ohio with his father's family in 1814, and settled near Massilon, Stark County. Mr. Morehead lost his mother before leaving Pennsylvania, and his father married again soon after he came to Ohio. He was a farmer, reared to the profession by his father, who followed the same business. In 1821 he married Mary Edger, and in 1834 came to this county, and settled in Portage Township, on the farm afterward owned by his son John E., who died in the spring of 1909. His parents were of Irish descent. The Moreheads are generally large muscu- lar men, endowed with great physical en- durance, and industrious, frank, open- hearted, liberal and hospitable. They are known for their genial good nature.

Mr. Morehead was a member of the Pres- byterian Church for more than fifty years, and was one of the pioneers of that denom- ination in this part of the country.

His wife died in 1854, leaving two children John E. and Mrs. W. K. Leonard, of Big Lick Township, and he never married again.

The only attempt to build up a town in this township, was by Jacob Andre who laid out a town of seventy-two lots on the south line of Section 15, and called it Lafayette. It had great expectations, but its uneventful history was cut short.

The following is the assessor's report for Portage Township for 1909:

Wheat, acres sown 1,221; bushels pro- duced, 19,200. Oats, acres sown, 1,208; bushels produced, 32,665. Spring barley, acres sown, 16; bushels produced, 360.

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Corn, acres planted, 2,384; bushels pro- along the creek bottom where it is of a dark duced, 87,830. Irish potatoes, acres planted, 50; bushels produced, 3,717. Meadow, acres in grass, 1,889; tons of hay produced, 3,287.

Butter, pounds made in home dairys, 32,300. Eggs, 30,000 dozen.

Orchards-Apples, acres occupied, 128; bushels produced, 3,260. Pears, acres oc- cupied, 3; bushels produced, 90. Plums, acres 1; bushels produced, 80.

Commercial fertilizers, pounds used, 3,500.

Horses, number owned in April, 1909, 255. Cattle, milk cows, 301 ; all others, 117; total 418. Sheep, 793; pounds of wool shorn, 6,315. Hogs, total number, 648; for sum- mer market, 441.

All of the above items have decreased since 1881, except corn, which shows an in- crease of 8,000 bushels.

UNION TOWNSHIP.

The origin of this township is found in the records of the County Commissioners of the 4th of June, 1832, where we read: "There was a petition presented by sundry inhabitants residing in the original surveyed Township No. I south, in Range 9. pray- ing to be set off as a township under the name of Union, which petition was favorably considered, and they were accordingly set off under the above name."

Union is bounded on the north by Blanchard Township, on the east by Eagle. on the south by Orange, and on the west by Putnam County. It is an original town- ship of thirty-six sections, and contains 32,040 acres.

The soil in all parts of this township is exceedingly productive, especially that

sandy loam, while the higher grounds are composed of fertile clay sometimes mixed with loam and sand, and is easy of cultiva- tion. The principal crops are wheat, oats, corn and grass. This township is well watered by Ottawa and Riley Creeks, which also furnish good drainage for the adjacent lands, and by the numerous small tributaries that empty into them, assist in the drainage of the entire township.

On the 16th of October, 1829, Phillip Powell made the first entry of land, it being the north-east quarter of Section 2. April 2, 1830, John Bright entered the northwest quarter of Section 22 and in October of the same year, Phillip Cramer entered the south half of Section 1. The west half of the south- east quarter of Section 12 was entered by John Baker, January 30th, 1832, and the same year Richard M. Carson, of Pickaway County, entered the east half of the north- east quarter of Section 4, and Rudolph Snyder entered the east half of the south- east quarter of Section 36. About the same time the southwest quarter of Section 4 was entered by Daniel Tussing, of Fairfield County, and a little later, Abraham Rose, of the same county, entered the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Sec- tion 36.

Phillip Cramer, who settled on Tiderishi Creek, in Section 1, in November, 1830, was the first white settler in the township. His sons Jacob and Daniel afterwards resided on the same premises. When Mr. Cramer came, he had to make his own road through the forests to his lands-no neighbors, no clearing, all strange solitude under the gigantic trees that at that time stood thick

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SWANS

MAJESTIC THEATRE AND MAIN STREET, FINDLAY

THE FINDLAY IT HAYNE WESTERN RAI: W

MAIN STREET, FINDLAY

SOUTH MAIN STREET, LOOKING NORTHI, FINDLAY

MAIN AND WEST CRAWFORD STREETS, FINDLAY

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on the ground, together with the smaller growth and bushes. Mr. Cramer lived to a very old age, and was the pioneer minister of the United Brethren Church. He was a man of some ability, zealous in his "Master's Work," a good neighbor, honest in all his dealings, and much respected by all his ac- quaintances.

In the following spring, Nicolas Folk, settled on what is now known as the Teats- worth farm, on Ottawa Creek, (Tawa), and in the fall of the same year George Burkett and William Lytle, with their families, set- tled farther up the creek. Two or three families of the Wades settled near the center of the township. John Flick, and Daniel Fox and others along the creek. Levi Showalter, James Burns, Pancoast, Gibson and Taylor in the western part, and Benjamin Marshall, James West and others in the south part of the township. Benjamin Marshall was the father of our townsman John W. Marshall, now residing on Lima Avenue, and who has told his son that when he passed through Findlay, on his way to his lands there were but fourteen houses all told in Findlay. This was September, 1838.

Wenman Wade was one of that class of robust and pushing frontiersmen, who pave the way for a better civilization and pros- perous country, by boldly pushing out into the wilderness, and enduring the hardships and privations of pioneer life uncomplain- ingly. Honest, industrious and contented. Mr. Wade was one who enjoyed the con- fidence of the community in which he lived. He held the office of justice of the peace, and is entitled to the distinction of being the first person in the county whose election was contested, as the following notice will show :

"To the Clerk of the Court of Hancock County :- You are requested to withhold the return of the election of Union township, wherein Wenman Wade was elected Justice of the Peace, and the election is contested, and the same contest is to be tried on the 13th of Sep- tember, 1838.

WILLIAM ROLLER,

Asst. Associate Judge."

September the 5th, 1838.

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Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 25

Author: Jacob Anthony Kimmell Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1189

Author: Jacob Anthony Kimmell
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1189