Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 8

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 8

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).

"The Pioneer Tavern was a few rods south- east of the 'Medicine Water.' It was on the plateau just east of the ridge that lies south of the spring, and terminated near there, some three or four rods onward from the present street. The first house was a double roomed one, with a loft, standing north and south, fac- ing the east, and was built of round logs, 'chinked and daubed.' In course of time, a second house, two stories high, was added, built of hewed logs, and placed east and west, at right angles with the south end of the first

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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

building, with a little space between them. In being especially interesting to the younger this space was the well with its curb, and its portion of the population. For months be- tall, old-fashioned, but easy-working 'well- sweep.' Around at the southwest of this was the log barn and the blacksmith shop, and a double granary or corn-crib, with a space be- tween for its many purposes, as necessary, in- deed, as the kitchen is for household purposes. Here was the grind-stone, the shaving-horse, the hewing block, the tools of all kinds and the pegs for hanging up traps of all sorts. Here the hog was scalded and dressed, the deer, rac- coon and 'possum were skinned, and their skins stretched and dried, or tanned. Here also were the nuts cracked and dried. For many reasons it has a bright place in the memories of boy- hood. How few know the importance of the pioneer tavern in early days. It was, of course, the place of rest for the weary traveler, whether on foot or on horse. It was many a day be- fore a 'dearborn' or a 'dandy-wagon' was known on the road. But it was much more than this and seemed the emporium of every- thing. It was the market place for all; the hunter with his venison and turkeys; the trap- per with his skins and furs; and the knapsack peddler-the pioneer merchant-here glad- dened the hearts of all with his 'boughten' wares. At this tavern, too, were all public gatherings called, to arrange for a general hunt, to deal out justice to some transgressor of the unwritten but well known pioneer laws. In fact it was here, at a later period, that the first organized county court was held, with the grand jury in the tavern loft and the petit jury under a neighboring shade tree."

fore the annual parade the soldiers were busy in repairing and polishing up their old flint-lock muskets, while the officers were studying up their words of command, and brushing up their regimentals. The farmer, who always had an eye to business on such occasions, was carefully cultivating his melons, and vigilantly watching to pro- tect them from thieves. The thrifty house wife was gathering up the eggs and laying by the butter, for she intends going to town on training day, and with the proceeds of her produce, to buy a little tea for her next quilting, and an extra bit of muslin for a new cap. The grown up girls were busy making dresses, for their beaux had been over and invited them to go to town on muster day, and had offered them a seat on the horse behind them, and the small boys were trying to earn and save all the pennies they could, expecting to invest their savings in ginger-bread and candy. When the long looked for day came, al- most the entire population of the county might have been found assembled at the county-seat, the place of general rendez- vous. Officers in blue coats, brass buttons, red sashes, monstrous epaulets, and broad swords, mounted on the stately plow horse, cavorting up and down the street, the terror of anxious mothers, in danger themselves of broken necks, and to the admiration of small boys. George Washington in all his glory was never arrayed like one of these militia officers, and we doubt if he ever felt half so important. The men by companies, some armed with rifles, but more with sticks

GENERAL MUSTER.

One of the most important events in pioneer days was the General Muster, it and mullein stalks, marched and counter

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MUNICIPAL BUILDING. CENTRAL FIRE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS, FINDLAY

OIL WELL IN OPERATION NEAR FINDLAY

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MAIN STREET BRIDGE, FINDLAY

THE PHOENIX INN, FINDLAY

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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

marched, and performed evolutions not now and it was a very dull day, indeed, if there laid down. in the regulations. They were were not as many fights as there were com- panies on parade. After these amusements, and the wounded had been properly cared for, those who were not disabled in the en- gagement, and could walk, were marched to the green on the river bank-now the circus ground-for 'Grand Review,' or dress parade. Here they were inspected by the General in command who sat on his horse, 'grand, gloomy and peculiar,' under the shade of his umbrella, whilst the heated warriors marched solemnly and silently by. Tired, foot-sore, and hungry, they were dis- charged until the next mustering day. These veterans can now well quote the stanza : formed into lines, into circles, into hollow- squares-a great deal more hollow than square. There were the Findlay Rangers under the command of Capt. Lape, arrayed in Aaron Baker's uniform. The rangers were dressed in uniforms of green, pro- fusely trimmed with yellow tape. There were the Van Buren Rangers commanded by Col. Wall, with uniforms of green, trimmed with red, marching to the music of fife and drums. There were other com- panies, clothed every man accordingly to his taste, or comfort, or ability. But the "Light Horse Company," commanded by Capt. John Byal, was to the boys the very acme of military glory. To see the men 'Oh, were you ne'er a militia man, And did you never train? mount and dismount, and face and right face, was truly wonderful. True, the evo- And feel that swelling of the feet We hope to never feel again.'" lution was not performed as rapidly and as gracefully as Phil Sheridan's cavalry might have done it, but then what did he know MALARIA AND MILKSICKNESS. about cavalry mustering on farm horses?

"Under the direction of Gen. Bell, Col. Byal and other field and staff officers, the companies were put through their facings until noon, when they were dismissed for dinner. After dinner the fun commenced, in the shape of running, jumping, wrestling, pitching horse-shoes, drinking and fighting. The few groceries in the town were places of lively interest, and a good gingerbread and small beer business was done.

"Each company had its fighting man, a much more economical and comfortable plan than keeping up a whole fighting com- pany, and he was expected to whip any and every man who dared offer an indignity to the company or any member thereof;

The great prevalence of malaria in pioneer days is supposed to have been caused by the felling of the heavy forests and the consequent opening up of the rich damp soil to the rays of the sun. As this transformation progressed, the disease be- came common and severe to an extent that was disastrous to the inhabitants, and scarcely a soul escaped its visitation. Com- mencing with the month of July or August of each year, and especially in wet seasons came an epidemic of ague or as a majority of the people called it "agy." Popularly the disease was known as "fever and ague," "chill fever," the "shakes," etc. In the ma- jority of cases the attack was sudden, the victim feeling no premonitary symptoms

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previous to the chill. In some cases, how-

and while many causes were assigned for ever, there were premonitions for a varia- the malady, the most common was that ble period, consisting of pain in the head, yawning, indisposition to exertion, loss of appetite and general malaria. These symptoms were followed by the usual cold, hot, and sweating stages of the disease. At first the victim might do much labor be- tween the daily attacks, but after its con- tinuance for a week or more they became sallow and weak and unable to perform manual labor. In some cases the attack came on every second or third day instead of every day. The disease was a drawback to the early settlers, but as the country be- came cleared and drained it gradually dis- appeared. It was not directly fatal in any case. the animals had eaten some plants or shrub growing in uncultivated grounds, for they were not subject to it when on pasturing ground that had been well tilled. The most suspected weed was the Eupatorium agera- toides, or white snake root, a many- branched, flowering plant that gave a whitening decoration to our woodland pastures in the autumn season, the time of year when the disease prevailed. Animals attacked stood mostly in one place or moped around in a feeble manner, and if forced to exercise, would tremble violently. The appetite was gone and often their bodies would be agitated and shake like that of a person in an ague fit. After a few days they would drop over and suddenly die.

A more serious disorder, which was dis- astrous and fatal to both man and beast, and which sometimes prevailed to an alarming extent in the early settlement and more or less up to the 80's but which is now be- lieved to be almost or entirely extinct is what was known as "Milksickness," "Trembles," "Sick Stomach," "Slows," etc., names signifying some prominent condition or symptom of the disease. This disease prevailed over most of the country between the Allegheny and Rocky Mountains, but was especially virulent in northwestern Ohio.

It affected primarily cattle, (horses, sheep and goats being also affected), and from them it was communicated to human being through the medium of their flesh as meat or the milk of the cow. The cows them- selves would convey the disease to their calves or to human beings. The cattle would take the disease while pasturing on deadnings, clearings, or new unbroken soil,

In man the symptoms were persistant vomiting, and retching, with great distress in the stomach, and restlessness. The pros- tration increasing, delirium came on and soon coma and death ended the scene.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The proceedings of the County Commis- sioners on the Ist day of June, 1829, show the following entry:

"Don Alonzo Hamlin made his return of assessment of chattel property, and land prop- erty subject to taxation in Hancock County, which was examined and accepted, and the said assessor presented his account for his la- bor in assessing the property of the county, which was accepted, and which was nineteen dollars and seventy-five cents."

There was but one Assessor in the county, and his duty appears to have been to value both real and personal property. In December of

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the same year we find this entry: "The Audi- tor presented his account and was qualified to the same, ordered that the said Auditor be al- lowed twelve dollars and twenty-five cents for his services, and that said Auditor be paid the sum of ten dollars for extra services up to and including this day."

LIST OF ALL THE TAXABLE PROPERTY IN THE TOWNSHIP OF FINDLAY FOR 1824.

PROPRIETORS NAMES

Horses above 3 yrs old

Neat cattle above 8 yra. Id

L. Asa Lake.

M. Charles McKinnis.

M. Henry McWhorter: 2

P. James Patterson 0 7

P. Jacob Poe. I

W. Joseph White.

H. John P. Hamilton 2

H. John Hunter.

C. Job Chamberlin.

G. John Gardner, Jr. I

M. Jacob Moreland

B. Michael Beck, taken in from lady

M. Philip McKinnis. I

T. Thomas Thompson, taken in from lady.

M. William Moreland

S. Thomas Slight I

V. Wilson Vance. I

C. Elnathan Cory, given in

by Wilson Vance 15

I certify the above to be a correct list. WILSON VANCE,

Lister of Findlay Township, Wood County, Ohio.

Endorsed Taxable Property, Findlay Town- ship, 1824.

The amount of tax on each animal was fixed by the Auditor, the tax being a specified sum on each, and not a per cent, as at the present day. No animals under three years of age

were taxable. The township of Findlay, it will be recollected, embraced the whole county, at this date. In 1826, the records of Wood County-to which we were then attached, comprising one township show that the tax in this county was $56.17.

In 1829, the earliest tax list is found, after the independent organization of the county, the value of the taxable property of the county, as returned, was $16,601.00, and included in the then townships of Findlay, Delaware and Amanda, the only organized townships in the county, and the assessment included both real and personal property. The tax assessed upon the valuation was $172.44.

In 1829, there were 4,775 acres of land sub- ject to taxation in the county, and this was valued at $8,186, not more than an average farm is now worth, or a little over two dollars an acre. Of this taxable land, 2,969 acres were in Findlay; 1,374 in Delaware, and 252 in Amanda Township. Our Amanda Township friends will perhaps be mortified to know that their lands were valued much lower than were the lands in the other townships, and yet it was no doubt some consolation to know that they paid but $4.30 tax on land.

In 1829 there was returned by the Assessor ninety-three horses, valued at $3,720.00, and 279 cattle, valued at $3,116.00. From these few illustrations, we may see from what small beginnings the early settlers began life in this new country.

In the year 1830, the salary of the County Assessor was fixed at $23.371/2, and that of the Auditor at $40.00.

On the 3d day of April, 1834, William L. Henderson was appointed appraiser of real estate for Hancock County.

The tax levy for 1829 for county purposes,

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S. John Simpson. 2

G. John Gardner

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

was seven and one-half mills on the dollar. For Kinnis, of Hancock County, were legally 1830, it was seven mills. For 1831, it was joined in marriage by me, a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County of Hancock, and Township of Findlay. Given under my hand, "WILSON VANCE, J. P." seven mills. For 1832, it was five mills. In 1833, for county purposes, seven and one- quarter mills, and for road purposes, two mills.

At a session of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for the county of Wood, Hancock be- ing then a part of said county-the court being held at Maumee, in 1820. "Wilson Vance was appointed Surveyor of Wood County."

At a session of the same court, held in May. 1822, "Wilson Vance was licensed to keep a tavern in Findlay for one year. The court fixed the price of five dollars per annum."

At the October term, 1824, of said court, the following entry was made on the court rec- ords: "The Commissioners appointed to es- tablish the seat of justice in the County of Hancock, in the State of Ohio, report that they have selected the town of Findlay, in said County of Hancock, as the most suitable site for the seat of justice of said county, as per their report on file, in the office of the Clerk of this Court."

This Commission was appointed under the provisions of the Act of the General Assembly, as follows :

"Resolved, By the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, that John Owens, of the County of Champaign; Alexander Long, of the County of Logan; Forest Meeker, of the County of Delaware, be and they are hereby appointed Commissioners, to locate and fix the seat of justice, in and for the County of Hancock, February 2d, 1824."

The following record is found under the date of January, 1825: "Findlay, January II, 1825. This is to certify, that on the second day of September, in the year 1824, Samuel Kepler, of Williams County, and Rachel Mc-

This was, undoubtedly, the first marriage in the county. At all events, it is the first of rec- ord in both Hancock and Wood Counties. Other early marriages were:

September 14th, 1826, Asa M. Lake and Charlotte Greer, by Joshua Hedges, J. P.

March 12, 1827, William Moreland and Ju- lia Chamberlain, by Joshua Hedges, J. P.

August 24th, 1827, Sampson Dildine and Sarah Highland, by Joshua Hedges, J. P.

November 1, 1827, John Gardner and Su- san Moreland, by William Hackney, J. P.

December 20, 1827, Philip McKinnis and Susan Dukes, by Joshua Hedges, J. P.

On the 4th day of June, 1832, Thomas F. Johnson, auditor, resigned, and the commis- sioners appointed Joseph C. Shannon to fill the vacancy. Johnston, late auditor, was allowed forty dollars for extra services."

The commissioners at their December ses- sion, in 1834, appointed Parlee Carlin, Re- corder of Hancock County, until the next an- nual election in October. The records are si- lent as to the cause that made it necessary to appoint a Recorder.

The first case of contested elections, of which we have notice, is the records of the county, is indicated in the following notice, which seems to have been served on the Clerk of the Court :

"To the Clerk of Hancock County. You are requested to withhold the returns of the elec- tion of Union Township, wherein Wenmem Wade was elected Justice of the Peace, and

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the election is contested, and said contest is to cried in the presence of the commissioners, it be tried on the 13th of September, 1838. was cried off to Jacob Rosenberg, he being the lowest bidder, for the sum of thirty-nine dol- lars." WM. ROLLER, Associate Judge."

The commissioners of Wood County, at their session in December, 1820, ordered that the "road from Ft. Meigs, or the foot of the rapids of the Maumee of the Lake, to Belle- fontaine, be opened." And at their session March 4, 1822, this order was made: "Or- dered by the board that the Township of Waynesfield, within the jurisdiction of the County of Wood, be co-extensive with the boundaries of Wood and Hancock and to in- clude the same."

June 6, 1826, the commissioners of Wood County, "Ordered that four hundred dollars of the road fund be appropriated to Hancock County, to be expended on the Urbana road, in said county."

The first order for printing, so far as the records show, was made at the December ses- sion, 1836, of the commissioners, and read thus: "Ordered that Jacob Rosenberg print sixteen hundred county orders, for sixteen dol- lars, in Hancock County orders, to be issued when the orders are struck."

It appearing that no record of land entries in the county had been kept in any of the county offices, and the county commissioners believing such a record necessary, we find in their proceedings, in 1839, this entry: "It was ordered that some suitable person go to each of the land offices in this Land Office District, and procure a duplicate of all land entered in the county up to this date, with the names of the original enterers, the date of entry, the description, quantity, township and range, was ordered to be set up to the lowest bidder at a public outcry. Whereupon, the same being

We find another order for county printing, this time, June 7, 1842, and in this, as in the former one, the commissioners fix the price. It was "ordered that the auditor of Hancock County, have the receipts and expenditures of said county, published in the Courier, provid- ing he can get it done at the rate of 871/2 cents per square, in a condensed form; if not, have it posted up as the law provides."

About this time we have a recorded speci- men of how easy, and how quickly, an officer may resign, when he makes up his mind to do so. "To Aquilla Gilbert, George Shaw and Andrew Ricketts, Commissioners of Hancock County. Gentlemen: I hereby resign to you my office of Auditor of Hancock County, Ohio. you will, therefore now consider said office vacant from this moment.

"Yours with respect, "W. L. HENDERSON."

As soon as the commissioners could recover from their sudden surprise, and comprehend the full meaning of the letter, they proceeded at once not only to accept the resignation so suddenly thrust upon them, but also to fill the vacancy, which they did by appointing James H. Barr until the first day of March next ensu- ing.

The commissioners, on the third day of March, 1846, authorized Fred Henderson to procure a suitable bell for the court house, the original cost of which should not exceed $250 and have the same placed in the cupola of the court house.

In July, 1830, the commissioners "Ordered the sale of cutting out the road-Bellefontaine

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to Perrysburg, and Findlay to Defiance- thirty-two feet wide. All timber twenty inches in circumference to be cut out, and the ground to be cleared of all timber."

ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES.

Under the old judicial system of the State, administrators of the estates of the deceased persons were appointed by the associate judges of the county, and upon the decease of an indi- vidual seized of an estate, it was necessary to call a special session of the court, in order to appoint an administrator. This was certainly very inconvenient, and at this day would be very expensive.

The first record we find of such a session of court in this county, was one held on the 19th day of March, 1829, at Findlay, by Judges Huff, McKinnis and Wilson. At that time, William Taylor was appointed administrator of the estate of Hon. John Patterson, deceased. His sureties were Job Chamberlain, Sr., and John Boyd. The whole amount of money com- ing to the hands of the administrator from the sale of both real and personal property, was $869.50, quite an estate for that early day, and Mr. Patterson was regarded as one of the wealthy men of the county. The administrator was allowed a credit of two dollars, for two days' services as administrator. This was certainly a novel way of getting pay for such services, to say nothing of the very moderate charge made. The attorneys, for procuring the sale of the land, and advising in the settle- ment of the estate, were allowed five dollars.

The first will recorded was probated in March, 1830, and the introduction read as fol- lows:

"In the name of God, Amen. I * * * of Hancock County, State of Ohio, being sick

and weak in body, but of sound mind, memory and understanding (praised be God for it), and considering the certainty of death, and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and to the end I may be better prepared to leave this world whenever it may please God to call me home, do therefore make and declare this my last will and testament in manner following, (that is to say) first and principally I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, my Creator, praying for free pardon, and remission of all my sins, and to enjoy everlasting happiness in the Heavenly Kingdom through Jesus Christ, my Savior. My body I commit to the earth, at the discretion of my executor hereafter named."

Then follows the several items of the will all as properly, and at the same time as spe- cifically expressed, as is the foregoing. In- deed, in looking over the records of the wills of that day, we are impressed with the cer- tainty of the language of every bequest. No ambiguity, no looseness of expression on which a law suit might hinge, no possible chance for litigation and fat fees. No wasting of the estate in determining the intentions of the party, but everything plain and to the point.

A FOUL MURDER.

A Wyandot Chief, known as Sum-un-du- wat-a Christian Indian, brave, generous and kind-honored by his tribe, and respected by the whites for his honesty and bravery, was most foully murdered, with his daughter and her husband, near Napoleon, in Henry County. The event created a most profound sensation, and for some time there seemed to be danger of an outbreak amongst the Indians.

The assassins were John Anderson and James Lyons, who lived near Portage, Wood County. Anderson had tried to buy or trade for a favorite dog of the Indians,

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but without success. He made the declara- longing to them, under the floor of Lyons' tion that he would have the dog before an- house. The "boys" said that Ellsworth in- duced them to commit the murder, and after it was done, advised them to let him have the money until the excitement should pass over, and then they would divide. But the old scoundrel took the money and fled the country. other week had passed. He and Lyons fol- lowed the Indians to near Napoleon, where by the direction of one John Ellsworth, who resided about six miles west of Portage, they committed the bloody murder. They got all the money of which Sum-un-du-wat was possessed, which Snake-bone and other Sum-un-du-wat was about sixty years of age. Snake-bone in his endeavors to find the murderers, was three days and nights on the trail, and such were his exertions, that he broke down from their effects, and died shortly after. This murder was but another exhibition of that devilish dispo- sition, possessed by some, to cruelly treat the weak and unprotected, shielding them- selves behind a general feeling of hostility towards a particular race. No one could truthfully point to a single act of cruelty or hostility by Sum-un-du-wat towards any white man, on the contrary, he had been the friend of the whites, and had rendered them many valuable services. chiefs, declared was about six hundred dol- lars; also, seven ponies, a lot of furs and dogs. They returned to the house of Lyons, a little west of Portage, where they con- cealed the ponies and all of the dogs, ex- cept the favorite one, which Anderson ap- propriated as his own, and although the dog was seen in his company, no one sus- pected that he had obtained it by other than fair means. In the excitement after the murder, one of the ponies escaped and wandered to the camp of Snake-bone and his party. On being followed it returned to the place where the murdered Indians lay. The alarm was given, and Snake-bone and his party followed the trail to Portage, where they found and arrested Anderson SIMON GIRTY. and Lyons. The former was at church in One of the most notorious characters of early days in the Northwest, including Han- cock County, was the white renegade, Simon Girty. He was born in northwestern Pennsylvania of an intemperate father and an unworthy mother. Simon had three brothers-Thomas, George, and James. Simon, George and James were taken prisoners by the Indians during the French and Indian War, when Simon was about eight years old, Simon was adopted by the "Senecas" and given the name of "Pate- pacomen." He was one of the white cap -. tives surrendered to Colonel Bouquet in the village. The Indians surrounded the building and captured him as he came out. The prisoners were conducted to Napoleon, where a preliminary examination was had, and the parties were committed to jail, but afterwards made their escape, and were never punished. At the trial Anderson turned States evidence, and related the story of the murder. He stated that they stayed with the party three days before they met with a favorable opportunity to com- mit the hellish deed. When the Indians arrested Lyons, they found all the dogs be-

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Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 8

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

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