426 - HISTORY OF TOLEDO AND LUCAS COUNTY
CHAPTER II
THE WESTERN RESERVE AND MAUMEE ROAD.
THE chief terror of travelers Westward and along the borders of Lake Erie, arose in connection with the section of country lying between the Western Reserve and the Maumee River. It early came to be known as the " Black Swamp," taking such name, no doubt, from the color of its soil and its remarkably level topography. The former was very deep, and with the presence of water soon was made soft and adhesive. Something of its nature has already been stated in connection with Army operations during the War of 1812-15. On the entire route from New England to the Mississippi-and probably to the Pacific-no piece of road ever presented as serious obstacle to travel, as did this. The first step toward the construction of a road through the "Black Swamp" was taken in 1825, when a Mud-Pike was constructed from the Sandusky River at Lower Sandusky, to the Maumee River at Perrysburg. This work, aside from clearing a road-way, was anything but a success ; since in wet seasons and when the frost had left the earth, it was no better, if not worse, than the original surface. When it is considered, that during the suspension of Lake navigation, the entire trade and travel between the East and the Northwest was over that route, some idea may be had of the trials incident to its often almost impassable condition. The fact that between Lower Sandusky (now Fremont) and Perrysburg, a distance of 31 miles through an almost unbroken forest, there were at one time 32 taverns, is suggestive of the cause creating such extraordinary demand for caravansary provision. As showing something of the interruption then arising to communication, may be given the statement that in December, 1837, a single stage brought from the East to Toledo 17, and another 40 mail bags. These had been foor 10 or 15 days accumulating at Lower Sandusky, "the road through the Black Swamp being impassable." In the bags were Washington papers of dates from the 1st to the 15th of the month, having been from 13 to 16 days in making 500 miles - not very "late news from the Capital."
* Among the cultivated industries of that region at one time, was the furnishing of relief to travelers, chiefly emigrants. whose teams were found to be incompetent for the condition of the road-the chief difficulty arising in their being stalled in the successive "mud-holes." So common had this become that some landlords provided themselves with extra yokes of oxen, with which to extend the needed relief. This business came to be so far systematized, that the right of settlers to the "mud-holes" nearest them
This condition continued until 1838. In January of that year, the Ohio State Committee on Canals, etc., made a report, recommending the appropriation of $40,000 for the improvement, by macadamizing, of the road through the Black Swamp, between Fremont and Perrysburg. The Committee state that they "consider the said road among the most important in the State, being the only thoroughfare East and West through Northern Ohio." The Committee report that in one month the previous Winter. there passed over that road 5,500 travelers (male and female), 2,300 sleighs and sleds, 300 wagons, and from 12 to 15 horses per day-averaging for each day 180 footmen, and 86 sleighs and wagons.
Means therefor were then provided, and the work of macadamizing the Road was commenced the following Summer, under the superintendency of General John Patterson, previously United States Marshal of Ohio, and subsequently Superintendent of the National Road (through Central Ohio), and Warden of the Ohio Penitentiary. He died at Shelby, Ohio, in July, 1861.
The work was continued for some years, and was extended East to the Nest line of the Western Reserve, at Bellevue, in 1842. The importance of the improvement can hardly be estimated. Its local effect was to promote settlement and the improvement of' the rich lands along the line of the Road, while like effects were seen for considerable distances North and South of' the same. The general advantages from the Road, consisted in the opening of a long-needed thoroughfare through an otherwise often impassable wilderness, for travel between the East and the great Northwest. It continued to be the only roll to for such communication until the opening of the Cleveland and Toledo (now Lake Shore) Railroad in 1853. In these days of Railways, it is not possible to estimate the great benefits arising from the construction of a passable route for travel through the Black Swamp.
The passenger on either of the eight Railway
were mutually recognized. It was told, that on a time, a certain Tavern-keeper-who had long held undisputed possession of a particularly fine "mud-hole," which he had cultivated with special care, for the profit it brought hint-sold his stand, preparatory to leaving the country. Regarding his interest in the "hole " as a franchise too valuable to be abandoned, he finally sold his quit-claim thereto to a neighbor, for the sum of $5.00-being, probably, the only case on record of the sale of a " mud-hole," for use as such.
THE WESTERN RESERVE AND MAUMEE ROAD. - 427
lines which, diverging from Toledo, pass through portions of the "Black Swamp," can have no adequate conception of what travel over the same route was as late as 50 years ago.
In this connection, it may be noted, that in 1815, the Government sent Surveyors to Michigan, to survey Military Bounty lands, which they were unable to do, for the reason that the Indians forbade such action as unauthorized by any treaty with them, they still regarding themselves as at War with the United States, notwithstanding the treaty of peace with Great Britain. Part of the service to be performed by the Surveyors, was to run the line of a road from the Foot of the Rapids of the Maumee River to the line of the Western Reserve, together with laying out adjacent lands into Townships, according to the treaty of Brownstown. But as the Surveyors were instructed to pursue the line as run in 1812, and that line not being satisfactory to the Indians, the latter forbade the survey. They said that Lower Sandusky was to have been made a point, and that the original intention was to connect the different tracts of lands then belonging to the United States, and to make a road and form a settlement for the mutual convenience of the Indians and the Whites. The line of 1812 crossed the Sandusky River several miles South of Lower Sandusky, and would leave a fraction of lands between the reservation at that place and the lands which would adjoin the proposed road ; which fact was a main objection with the Indians. From this, it would appear, that the position then taken by the Indians probably controlled the location of the Western Reserve and Maumee Road, and consequently that of the Town to he built up at the point where such road should cross the Sandusky River. The combined advantages of that road and the location at the head of navigation of the Sandusky River, gave Lower Sandusky a strength not to have been possessed at any point South of that place; but the roadway through the "Swamp" would probably have been the controlling influence.
The first contracts for macadamizing the Western Reserve and Maumee Road were let June 30, 1838, and covered that portion between Perrysburg and Portage River (now Woodville). The section between that River and Lower Sandusky, was let in May, 1841. Commencing at the West end, the several sections were taken by the following parties: A. E. Wood, Sidney Phillips, Lewis Jennings, Nicholas Nufer and W. Kier, Jacob Mease, John Moore, Aaron Higgins, W. W. Watson, Robert Seaman, H. & A. Bixler, E. & 1f. Lemming, James Rose, Jacob Stoner, F. & M. Wilson, Samuel Overmyer, David Beery, John Mohler, Daniel and I. Kent Seaman, B. P. Van Camp, Jacob Overmyer, Seth Phelps. The job of the hill at Perrysburg was let to Cyrus Darling, and the one next to it to William P. Reznor.
The following "Black Swamp Melody," to the tune of " The Harp that once through Tara's Hall," is descriptive of the state of things before this road was improved. It is from the Maumee Express
The coach that from Sandusky came,
Over the frozen road:
Its panels like a yellow-flame,
Its horses' bits of blood;
Now drags along its weary way
Loaded with mad, and slow :
It comes by night and not by day-
Coach of Neil, Moore & Co."
No more we hear the Jarvey say,
"Load in, gents, all is right:"
The horn that used to sound by day,
Alas ! tow sounds by night.
And soon, deep-stalled in endless mud,
No more the coach can go
A lumber wagon takes the road
Alas ! for Neil, Moore & Co.!
O, for a Railroad, or a road
Of rails, if we but had 'em,
To pry the coaches from this mud,
That is to he Macadam.
Railings there are from man amid maid
That in the coaches go;
But, strangers, let no word he said
About Neil, Moore & Co.
* Proprietors of the stage-line.