400 - HISTORY OF OHIO 1822 to 1826. The topography of this county is level on the south and west, but northern and eastern more broken and hilly. It has an area of 403 square miles and a population of 38.6 to the square mile. The county is divided into sixteen civil townships, as follows : Bennington, Canaan, Cardington, Chester, Congress, Franklin, Gilead, Harmony, Lincoln, North Bloomfield, Perry, Peru, South Bloomfield, Troy, Washington, Westfield. The county is a little south of the center of the state and just south of the great watershed, or rather lies on its broad summit, far enough to have a slow drainage into the Ohio River. The growth of population in this county is best shown the reader by a glance at the U. S. census reports, by decades, since its organization. In 1850 it had 20,280 ; 1860, 20,445 ; 1870, 18,583 ; 1880, 19,072 ; 1890, 18,120 ; 1900, 17,879 ; 1910, 16,815 ; 1920, 15,570. The Agricultural Department of Ohio, in its bulletin, gives the farm products of this county in 1923-24 as follows : In 1923 it had 32,000 acres of corn producing 1,120,000 bushels ; wheat, 23,000 acres, 276,000 bushels ; oats, 11,000 acres, 352,000 bushels ; barley, 240 acres, 5,040 bushels ; rye, 490 acres, 7,007 bushels ; tons of hay, 43,000 ; potatoes, 76,380 bushels ; total number horses in 1924, 7,890 ; cattle, 20,650 ; dairy cows 10,520 ; swine, 30,750 ; sheep, 65,550 ; acres under cultivation, in 1920, 239,345 ; average size farm in county, 72.9 acres. The first permanent settlement in Morrow County, as its territory is now understood, was just at the close of the War of 1812-14. The first saw and grist mill to accommodate settlers was built by Asa Mosher, on the Whetstone, in Cardington Township, in 1821. For a number of years settlers had to "pack" their supplies in from Delaware County, including corn meal, traveling on horseback usually. The things glad to be had and used were the hominy block, roasting ears, mush and milk, pone and buttermilk, venison and wild turkey, which in reality made up a very healthful diet. The county officers listed, as serving in 1923-24, were : Probate Judge—Ethel Elder (vice H. E. Curtis, resigned) ; Clerk of the Court —Rex D. Ireland ; Sheriff—William R. Corwin ; Auditor—Roy D. Miller ; County Commissioners—Carl Morris, J. F. McClarren, E. E. Copeland ; Treasurer—Mabel Lewis ; Recorder—Frank L. Myers ; Surveyor—Lot D. Jones ; Prosecuting Attorney—T. B. Mateer ; Coroner —T. Canis ; County Superintendent of Schools—W. A. Stage ; Agricultural Agent—U. F. Bruning. Many are the interesting accounts of "Before the Civil War Days," heard as one travels through Morrow County which was divided on the question of Slavery. The Underground Railroad was operated here and many a black man or woman was thus safely transported over into Canada. In 1860 a United States Marshal who was trying to take slaves back was caught by citizens and had his hair "bobbed." His aids were severely beaten. For his boldness, Rev. Gordon, president of the college at Iberia, was finally, under the Fugitive Slave Act, imprisoned at Cleveland and was pardoned by President Lincoln, but the poor man contracted a disease in prison of which he died in 1868. Another instance was that of the sad fate of Richard Dillingham, a young Quaker school teacher, who was trying to befriend a slave in getting him out of a slave state and was betrayed by a colored man (a very rare thing to occur), and he was imprisoned in 1849, and while he was caring for prisoners in the penitentiary during the cholera epidemic of 1850, took the disease and died in his cell. Morrow County may well be proud of being the birth place of at least two eminent fellow-citizens—Albert P. Morehouse, born in Peru Township and became governor of Missouri in 1888 ; and Calvin S. Brice of the United States Senate, born in Canaan Township. It should be remembered, however, that neither of these men were born in what was then known as Morrow County, because the separation of COUNTIES OF OHIO - 401 Delaware and Marion counties to form Morrow County had not yet been effected. Most eminent of all her sons was Warren G. Harding, State Senator, lieutenant-governor, United States Senator and President of the United States, who was born near the unincorporated Village of Blooming Grove (Corsica) in Morrow County, November 2, 1865. Mount Gilead, the county seat of Morrow County, is forty miles north of Columbus and had a population of 1,363 in 1890 ; its present population was in 1920, 1,837. It was platted September 30, 1824, by Jacob Young, of Knox County, under the name of Whetsom, though usually known as Youngstown. Its name was changed to Mount Gilead by the Ohio Legislature in 1832. It is within a fertile farming section and has excellent stone quarries and drain tile works. It did not become the seat of justice until 1848, when the county was organized. It was incorporated in 1839 and has steadily but slowly grown since then. Its boom was after it was made the seat of justice, upon which event there was a great jubilee, including street bonfires. Rum and slavery were the political issues talked about here among the first settlers of town and county. A temperance society was organized in Mount Gilead in 1830, with a membership of forty. In 1840, an antislavery constitution for a society was signed by fourteen- men and nine women. The meeting was held in the Presbyterian Church and the names were signed amid the throwing of rotten eggs, and the meeting was broken up by a mob. A "branch of the Underground Railroad" passed through the township, though the main depots were in Peru and Washington townships. Other villages in Morrow County include these : Iberia, nine miles north of Mount Gilead, existed before the Civil war period. Before that struggle, Ohio Central College was established at this point, and its president, Rev. George Gordon, before mentioned, was arrested, imprisoned and finally died as the result of his violation of the fugitive slave law. Warren G. Harding was graduated from this college. The old college buildings were later turned into the "Working Home for the Blind." It was opened in June, 1887. Cardington is five miles southwest of Mount Gilead and now has a population of about 1,800, including the township around it. Centerville is eight miles southeast of the county seat and had, in 1920, a population of 774, including the township. Edison is two miles west of Mount Gilead, at the railway junction. It is in Gilead Township, which, together with Edison and Mount Gilead, in 1920 had 3,290 population. Sparta is thirteen miles southeast of Mount Gilead and including South Bloomfield Township had, in 1920, a population of 817. Marengo is ten miles south of Mount Gilead, on Big Walnut Creek. Including Bennington Township the population is 997. MUSKINGUM COUNTY Muskingum County was formed March 1, 1804-120 years ago, and taken from Washington and Fairfield counties. The meaning of the word Muskingum (which is from Indian dialect) has several theories connected therewith. Some say it means "an elk's eye" but Colonel Johnston declares, in the Delaware, it means "a town on the river side." The surface is hilly and rolling, for the most part. It was said to have been a "rich and thickly settled county" in 1870. It has an area of 664 square miles and a density of population of 87.3 to the square mile. A half century ago it had over 100,000 acres of land under cultivation. It is one of Ohio's largest sub-divisions and is divided into twenty-six civil townships, as follows : Adams, Blue Rock, Brush Creek, Cass, Clay, Falls, Harrison, Highland, Hopewell, 402 - HISTORY OF OHIO Jackson, Jefferson, Licking, Madison, Meigs, Monroe, Muskingum, Newton, Perry, Rich Hill, Salem, Salt Creek, Springfield, Union, Washington, Wayne, Zanesville. Of the various census enumerating periods it may be said the figures are : In 1810 there were 10,036 inhabitants ; 1820, 17,824 ; 1830, 29,334 ; 1840, 38,749 ; 1850, 45,049 ; 1860, 44,416 ; 1870, 44,886 ; 1880, 49,774, of the last number 40,798 were Ohio born ; 1890, 51,210 ; 1900, 53,185 ; 1910, 57,488 ; 1920, 57,980. This county has both agriculture and manufacturing as a base for its present wealth. Agricultural statistics attest the extent of its farming industry : In the year 1923, there were raised 36,000 acres of corn, producing 1,224,000 bushels ; wheat, 28,000 acres, bushels, 420,000; oats, 7,000 acres, bushels, 224,000 ; rye, 272 acres, bushels, 4,080; buckwheat, 25 acres, bushels, 375 ; tons of hay, 76,000; potatoes, 1,120 acres, bushels, 112,000; head of horses in 1924, 8,980 ; cattle, 31,200; dairy cows, 11,750; swine, 18,310 ; sheep, 90,090; acres under cultivation, in 1920, 392,152 ; average size farm, 87.9 acres. The mining industries of the county are important. In 1923 there were produced 469,671 tons of coal, 425,554 tons of limestone and 8,833 tons of fire-clay. Before the white race claimed this section it was occupied by the Delawares, Wyandots, and some from the Shawnees and Senecas. In the vicinity of Duncan Falls there once stood an old Indian town, which is still known as "Old Town." The county was the scene of many a bloody battle between Indian tribes and between white men and Indians. In 1796 Congress authorized Ebenezer Zane to open a road from Wheeling, Virginia, to Limestone, now Maysville, Kentucky. The following year Zane, his brother Jonathan and son-in-law, John McIntyre, both experienced woodsmen, proceeded to mark out the "Zane's Trace." This was made by simply cutting out trees and brush sufficient to permit of horsemen to pass over the route. For this work Zane was to be compensated with three full sections of land—three tracts, a mile square each. The first of these was at the crossing of the Muskingum ; the second at the Hockhocking, and the third at the Scioto River. Finding there was a much superior water power at the point where the City of Zanesville now stands, Mr. Zane (having an eye to business) chose to make his trail cross the river there and secure a valuable tract of land, as history afterwards has proven. The other men associated, above named, received the other two tracts. CITY OF ZANESVILLE The City of Zanesville is the county seat of Muskingum County and is situated at the junction of Muskingum and Licking rivers. It is sixty miles east of Columbus on the Baltimore & Ohio, Pennsylvania, Zanesville & Western, Wheeling & Lake Erie and the Ohio River & Western railroads. Zanesville was founded by Ebenezer and Jonathan Zane and John McIntyre in 1799. It was at first called Westbourne. It was the capital of Ohio from 1810 to 1812. It was incorporated in 1814 as a town ; received a charter as a city in 1850. Seven bridges span the Muskingum River within the corporation, and the Licking River is crossed by two bridges in the city. This city is surrounded by an excellent agricultural section ; has a fine water power from the streams passing through its borders and also has cheap fuel for manufacturing purposes. The chief public buildings are the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument or Memorial Building ; the county courthouse ; city market and federal building. Putnam Female Seminary is located there. The municipality owns its own water work system and has a fine municipal hospital. The city government is known as the commission form. COUNTIES OF OHIO - 403 The population of Zanesville has been of recent decades as follows: In 1900 it was 23,538; in 1910, 28,026, and in 1920 it was 29,569. As to its industries it may be said that in recent years the clay products such as encaustic and mosaic tile, brick, pottery and building material of clay have taken front rank. The machine shops, foundries, tube works, woolen mills, cotton mills and glass works all come in for a splendid showing, while the manufacturing of mining tools is large here and the products are found wherever successful mining is carried on. The stone ware, glass ware, hosiery, ropes, twines, engines, saw mills, pressed brick, paper factory, with tobacco and cigar factories, all help swell the paying industries of modern day Zanesville. In 1888 the city had invested in manufacturing establishments a capital of $2,211,770. The value of the annual product was $4,295,231. In 1919 it had ninety-seven establishments, employing 3,490 persons, and a capital of $10,137,023. The value of the annual product was $13,- 437,777. The value of real estate and personal property listed for taxation in 1923 was $37,356,590. The Putnam Female Seminary, in Putnam, a part of Zanesville, is among the oldest educational institutions in Ohio. Originally, Putnam was named Springfield, but it was changed on account of another town so named, in Clarke County. Space forbids telling of the noted men who have resided in this county, and others were born and lived useful lives therein. It will be recalled that Thomas A. Hendricks, vice-president, under Cleveland, was born in Newton Township, this county, in 1819, but made his record largely in Indiana. Another illustrious character, "Sun-Set Cox," Samuel Sullivan Cox, was born in Zanesville in 1824, became editor of the Ohio Statesman in 1853, and wrote an article on a gorgeous sunset that gave him the sobriquet of "Sun-Set Cox." He was minister to Turkey, served in United States Congress four terms from Ohio, moved to New York City and was again elected to Congress for a number of terms. Lewis Cass, the statesman, commenced his career in Zanesville and General Van Horn of the Land Office at Zanesville, moved to the place in 1805 ; he was adjutant-general during the War of 1812. Noted men of this county, of later date are known to the present generation, hence need no special mention. The county has a number of important and prosperous incorporated villages, including : New Concord, sixteen miles east of Zanesville, the seat of old Muskingum College, is in Union Township; Dresden, fifteen miles above Zanesville, at the head of steamboat navigation, is within the limestone and iron district. It is within Jefferson Town-ship and has 1,434 population. Roseville, in Clay Township, is ten miles south of Zanesville, and within a fine farming section. Taylorsville, Frazeysburg, Uniontown and Adamsville are old village plattings in Muskingum County. South Zanesville and Springfield Township have a population of 1,010. Uniontown Village has 168 inhabitants. The county officers, as shown in the official list for 1923-24, are as follows : Probate Judge—Neal Starkey ; Clerk of the Courts—Frank Loughead Sheriff—O. E. Bradford ; Auditor—Henry W., Heskett ; County Commissioners—Ira U. Daily, Samuel Frazier and Henry R. Cook ; Treasurer—W. J. Mendenhall ; Recorder—Eugenia Rosa ; Surveyor—Albert T. Connar ; Prosecuting Attorney—C. A. Maxwell; Coroner—L. E. Grunes ; County Superintendent of Schools —C. W. Maston; Agricultural Agent—W. S. Barnhart. NOBLE COUNTY Noble County, with an area of 399 square miles, was legally organized March 11, 1851, the last one of the eighty-eight counties 404 - HISTORY OF OHIO formed within the State of Ohio. It drews its name from the respect had for James Noble, one of the pioneer settlers living near Sarahsville. His name had prior to this been applied to a township in Morgan County, and when this county was formed it was used for the entire county. A part of the original townships in the county were taken from Guernsey, others from Morgan, Washington and Jefferson counties. The present civil townships are: Beaver, Brookfield, Buffalo, Center, Elk, Enoch, Jackson, Jefferson, Marion, Noble, Olive, Seneca, Sharon, Stock and Wayne. Population—The United States census reports give the county population by decades as follows : In 1860 was 20,751 ; 1870, 19,949; 1880, 21,138, of the last named 19,101 were Ohio born ; 1890, 20,753 ; 1900, 19,466 ; 1910, 18,601 ; 1920, 17,849. Its population per square mile is 44.7 inhabitants. The present (1923-24) county officers of Noble County are : Probate Judge—Dick Headlry ; Clerk of the Courts—J. W. Matheney ; Sheriff—Charles M. Moore ; Auditor—L. H. Tarlton ; County Commissioners—John West, B. B. Rucker, Rado Johnson ; Treasurer—Mart Hessen ; Recorder—H. L. Guiler ; Surveyor—O. G. Shafer ; Prosecuting Attorney—U. H. Buckley ; Coroner—Tom Rossiter ; County Superintendent of Schools—H. L. Bates. Agricultural statistics : In 1923 Noble County raised 17,000 acres of corn, producing 646,000 bushels ; wheat, 23,000 acres and 345,000 bushels ; oats, 5,000 acres, 150,000 bushels ; rye, 140 acres, bushels, 1,680; tons of hay, 36,000; potatoes, 46,480 bushels ; head of horses, 1924, 5,650 ; cattle, 22,280 ; dairy cows, 6,800 ; swine, 7,760 ; sheep, 47,970. The number of cultivated acres in county in 1920 is 241,906; average size farm, 79.3 acres. In 1923 there were mined in Noble County 707,247 tons of coal. It may be said that Noble is bounded by more angles, crooks and turns than any county in the commonwealth. Generally speaking, the county is considered hilly, yet not too abrupt for fair farming and grazing purposes. An abundance of limestone is found here and there, where most needed. It is among the best apple growing districts in Ohio. Perhaps the largest tree ever developed on Ohio soil was the white-oak tree, near Sarahsville, which both Rutherford B. Hayes and James A. Garfield measured, after disputing the word of Hon. John H. Bingham, while out on a political tour. Its actual measurement was thirty-four feet and six inches at its base and it ran up seventy-eight feet without a single bend. It was uprooted by a storm in 1880 and part of it made a bonfire over the election of General Garfield, who had measured it in 1879. Caldwell, the county seat of Noble, is about eighty miles east of Columbus and thirty from Zanesville. It was laid out in 1857, on land owned by Joseph and Samuel Caldwell, on the west fork of Duck Creek. The first oil well in Ohio was drilled near this town by a Mr. Thorley. He was drilling for a salt well and got both ! The oil was known as Seneca oil and was used by Indians in the East for long years before. The oil was collected by use of a blanket, and, when fully wet, was wrung out, bottled and peddled over the country for liniment. This was Ohio's first "oil find." The first paying oil well was sunk by James Dutton, near Macksburg, years afterwards, in the Autumn of 1860. It produced 100 barrels a day but was not refined as today, but sold for other uses, and sold from $8 to $10 per barrel. It had to be pumped to the surface. In recent years the production of oil here has declined. The villages of Noble County now are these : Batesville, Sarahsville, Dexter, Summerfield, Belle Valley, Caldwell and Carlisle. These are all small places, but have served the communities in which situated for many years. Another small burg needs naming—Hiramsburg—for COUNTIES OF OHIO - 405 here lies buried the last Revolutionary soldier, John Gray, who died in 1868, aged 104 years, two months, twenty-three days. The last years of his life the Government pensioned him in the sum of $500 per year. One of the best known citizens of Noble County was James M. Dalzell, a Civil war veteran, lawyer and campaign speaker. He was a frequent contributor to the newspapers, signing his name Private Dalzell. OTTAWA COUNTY Ottawa County was formed March 6, 1840, from Erie, Sandusky, and Lucas counties. Historian Bancroft said the word Ottawa in Indian means "trader." The surface of this county is usually level and is within the Black Swamp district ; contains much prairie land as well as originally much marshy land. Time, with the scientific aid of man, has materially changed the appearance of the surface. Previous to 1830 the county had but very few settlers. In 1849 the immigration was great from Germany, hence many of the citizens here are of German ancestry. With the draining of the Black Swamp much extremely fertile land was the result. The peninsula which extends out into Lake Erie, has extensive plaster beds, as well as an unlimited supply of excellent limestone. The county contains 270 square miles. Reports say that in 1887, there were 167,054 tons of lime burned in the county. The number of cubic yards of stone quarried was 56,000. In 1923 this county ranked first in the state in the production of limestone, with an output of 2,256,784 tons. The gypsum industry of Ohio is limited to Ottawa County. Production has steadily grown from 112,202 tons in 1906 to 512,388 tons in 1923. Agriculture—The last (1923-24) state agricultural bulletins give these figures as to products of the soil : In 1923 the county raised 24,000 acres of corn, producing 1,080,000 bushels ; wheat, 23,000 acres, 506,000 bushels ; oats, 16,000 acres, 656,000 bushels ; barley, 2,090 acres, 66,880 bushels ; rye, 90 acres, 1,440 bushels ; buckwheat, 16 acres, 192 bushels ; tons of hay, 19,000 ; potatoes, 720 acres, 72,000 bushels ; head of horses, in 1924, 5,410 ; cattle, 10,330 ; dairy cows, 7,320 ; swine, 17,780 ; sheep, 3,910 ; out of the available farm land within the county, 138,750 acres were cultivated in 1920. The average size farm is now 58.3 acres. Of the population at various periods, the federal census reports give figures as follows : In 1840 there were 2,248 ; 1850, 3,308 ; 1860, 7,016; 1870, 13,364 ; 1880, 19,762 ; 1890, 21,974 ; 1900, 22,213 ; 1910, 22,360; 1920, 22,193 ; population per square mile, 82.2. The county has twelve civil townships, as follows : Allen, Bay, Benton, Carroll, Catawba Island, Clay, Danbury, Erie, Harris, Portage, Put-in-Bay and Salem. The 1923-24 county officials of Ottawa County were as follows : Probate judge, Carl W. Sperling ; clerk of the courts, Charles J. Sprenger ; sheriff, George Quisno ; auditor, Ed. A. Guth ; county commissioners, Henry Pettibone, Nelson Wood, 'William Oestreich ; treasurer, Charles Rauch ; recorder, J. H. Faus ; surveyor, E. E. Heinsen ; prosecuting attorney, A. F. Allyn ; coroner, C. J. Yeisley ; county superintendent of schools, A. O. Dean . What is known in geographies and maps today, as the Peninsula is a tract of land, of less than thirty square miles, lying between Sandusky Bay and Lake Erie, and attached to the main-land by a narrow neck near Portage River. Its early settlers were from Danbury, Connecticut, and gave the name of the township in which they located Danbury. Catawba Island was organized into a separate township for the cultivation of grapes. It has 600 acres and is connected with main-land by a bridge over the west harbor. 406 - HISTORY OF OHIO Among the historic events in the War of 1812-14 was Perry's victory on Lake Erie, only a few miles distant from the line of Ottawa. Until 1854, the beautiful islands forming Put-in-Bay Township were but slightly settled. In that year J. D. Rivers, a Spanish merchant of New York, purchased five islands, viz : Put-in-Bay, Middle Bass, Ballast, Sugar, and Gibraltar, at a cost of $44,000. At first he used Putin-Bay for a sheep ranch, having 2,000 head of fine sheep there; later he converted it into a fruit farm. In 1858 Rivers and others formed a company and went into grape raising extensively. In 1887 one-third of all the grapes produced in the entire state was credited to Ottawa County. The Catawba, Delaware and Concord, with some Ives, Norton and Clintons, were the varieties grown. In 1890 one of the wine cellars of these islands contained two of the largest casks in the country—each holding 16,000 gallons of wine. Later on, these islands were turned into summer resorts and were among the restful beauty spots in Ohio. Peaches and grapes are extensively grown. The latter command much larger prices than in 1890, but the great wine cellars are, of course, a thing of the past. Ottawa County has produced her share of notable men and women. Some were born on the soil and others came here in youth and made a mark for themselves, thus honoring the county. Among these persons may here be named : The great financial agent for the Government in Civil war times, Jay Cooke, born in Sandusky, Ohio, best known as the projector of the Northern Pacific Railroad and New York-Philadelphia banker. At one time he owned all of Gibraltar Island, where he erected a costly summer home—a castle surrounded by the waters of the great iake. Here he for, many summers used to entertain, free of any charge, numerous ministers of various denominations. He delighted in doing this. Camp meetings, soldiers' reunions and other public functions have been held many years on these islands. Port Clinton, the county seat of Ottawa County, was laid out in 1827 and is situated 120 miles north of Columbus. It is on the right bank of Portage River. It is one of the fine locations for the building of a town, being on both lake and river outlets. Fishing has long been an important industry at this port. Its present population (1920) is 3,928. The other villages of this county, with the (1920) population of each, are: Rocky Ridge, 215'; Genoa, 971 ; Marblehead, 1,048 ; Elmore, 937 ; Put-in-Bay, 216; Oak Harbor, 1,858. Put-in-Bay is on an island in Lake Erie, twelve miles north of Port Clinton. It has a famous summer resort history. Daily steamers ply between Sandusky and Detroit. Its population is 216. Another small hamlet is Lakeside, an attractive summer resort. The most dignified, impressive and costly monument within the limits of Ohio stands on Put-in-Bay Island. It commemorates Perry's victory on Lake Erie. It is in the form of a Doric column and rises to a height of 350 feet. It is built of white granite and is the largest columnar monument in the world. It was dedicated on the one hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie. At Camp Perry, on the lake coast of Ottawa County, is located the state rifle range—one of the finest in the country. PAULDING COUNTY Paulding County was formed from old Indian territory, April 1, 1820. It derives its name from John Paulding, of Peekskill, New York, one of the three men who captured Major Andre in the Revolutionary struggle. This county is a part of the great Black Swamp. It contains about 413 square miles. The United States census for 1920 gives the total number of acres under cultivation as 246,768. It is the COUNTIES OF OHIO - 407 most level county in the state. A headlight may be seen from the grade in Defiance to Antwerp, more than twenty miles away. No basins or low places appear, every acre of land is drainable. During the last third of a century the county and state have made wonderful changes in the drainage system, until today what was then almost valueless land is the most fertile and desirable in the commonwealth, for the growth of many paying crops. The streams of note within the county are the Maumee and the Auglaize, which unite at Defiance. The present townships of Paulding County are : Auglaize, Benton, Blue Creek, Brown, Carryall, Crane, Emerald, Harrison, Jackson, Latty, Paulding and Washington. Agricultural products : In 1923 there were raised in this county 71,000 acres of corn, producing 3,195,000 bushels ; wheat, 11,000 acres, 231,000 bushels ; oats, 55,000 acres, 1,925,000 bushels ; barley, 1,560 acres, 45,240 bushels ; rye, 990 acres, 16,533 bushels ; buckwheat, 94 acres, 1,880 bushels ; tons of hay, 28,000 ; potatoes, 28,000 bushels ; number of horses in 1924 was 8,500 ; cattle, 11,670 ; dairy cows, 7,950 ; swine, 29,100 ; sheep, 7,170 ; lands in farms in 1920, 292,650 acres ; average size farm in county in 1924 was 91.5 acres. Present (1923-24) county officials : Probate judge, Perry Poor-man ; clerk of the courts, A. E. Goodwin ; sheriff, C. E. Hughes ; auditor, Herbert M. Barns ; county commissioners, Perry Heazlett, Owen L. Jeffrey, John P. Plumb ; treasurer, Frank E. Andrews ; recorder, May G. Bybee ; surveyor, Henry Green ; prosecuting attorney, Stephen S. Beard ; coroner, M. W. Klinger ; county superintendent of schools, John C. Berg, Paulding. The population of Paulding County since its organization has been as follows : 1830 it had 161; 1840, 1,034 ; 1850, 1,766 ; 1860, 4,945 ; 1870, 8,544 ; 1880, 13,485 ; 1890, 25,932 ; 1900, 27,528 ; 1910, 22,730 ; 1920, 18,736 ; population per square mile in the county, 45.4. The original county seat was Charloe, on the Auglaize River and Miami extension canal, twelve miles south of Defiance. It was platted about 1840 and was never other than a mere hamlet. It was named for a very eloquent Indian chief. Paulding, present county seat, is 123 miles northwest of Columbus. Fifty years ago it had a number of profitable mills and factories, chiefly wood-working plants. Population (1920), 2,106. Other villages of this county are Antwerp, ten miles from Paulding ; popoulation, 1,096. It was at one time the home of a line of small factories where wooden articles are produced. It now has elevators, a flour mill and a large brick and tile plant. The following are villages of the county with latest census population of each : Antwerp, 1,096 ; Payne, 984 ; Haviland, 270 ; Scott (partly in Van Wert County), 342; Cecil, 263; Broughton, 111; Grover Hill, 530 ; Latty, 294. PERRY COUNTY Perry County was formed March 1, 1817, from parts of Washington, Muskingum and Fairfield counties and named for Commodore Oliver H. Perry, of the War of 1812-14, who reported "We have met the enemy and they are ours." With the exception of some hilly territory in the south, the surface of the county is quite level. The area is 399 square miles. Its population by decades has been as follows : In 1820 it had 8,429 ; 1830, 13,970 ; 1840, 19,344 ; 1850, 20,775 ; 1860, 19,678 ; 1870, 18,453 ; 1880, 28,218 ; 1890, 31,151; 1900, 31,841 ; 1910, 35,396 ; 1920, 36,098. The number of population per square miles is 90.5. The civil townships of Perry County are : Bearfield, Clayton, Coal, Harrison, Hopewell, Jackson, Madison, Monday Creek, Monroe, Pike, Pleasant, Reading, Salt Lick, Thorn, 408 - HISTORY OF OHIO The official roster of the county for 1923-24 was as follows : Probate judge, A. Edgar Hammond ; clerk of the courts, C. K. Wagner ; sheriff, Herbert Minshall ; auditor, J. W. Quinn ; county commissioners, G. W. Skinner, John W. Klingler, S. H. Brown ; treasurer, Charles R. Stump; recorder, Clarence E. Coulter ; surveyor, Evans Reese ; coroner, Stanley Runk ; prosecuting attorney, Vincent Tague ; county superintendent of schools, D. E. Riggle. The 1923-24 statistics of the Ohio Department of Agriculture show that in 1923 there were 23,00Q acres of corn, producing 920,000 bushels ; wheat, 19,000 acres, 323,000 bushels ; oats, 4,000 acres, 144,000 bushels ; barley, not listed ; rye, 273 acres, 2,730 bushels ; tons of hay, 35,000 ; potatoes, 66,660 bushels ; number of horses in 1924 was 5,940 ; cattle, 18,360 ; dairy cows, 6,920 ; swine, 16,320 ; sheep, 24,040 ; land under cultivation in 1920, 218,578 acres ; average size farm, 68.9 acres. Forty years ago Perry County was placed among the largest coal producing counties in Ohio. Monday Creek, Salt Lick, Coal and Monroe townships belong to the "Hocking Valley Coal Field." Now Belmont and Jefferson are the great coal producing counties of the state. The county was first settled by Pennsylvania Germans, about 1802 and 1803. The road through this county in the period from 1800 to 1815 was the great thoroughfare between Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and the eastern states. A new era was ushered in by the introduction of steamboat navigation on the Ohio a little later. Somerset, the county seat until about 1860, is forty-three miles from Columbus, on the old macadamized road from Zanesville to Lancaster and, being midway, it was at first known as Middletown. The first cabin in the vicinity was built by John Finck in 1807. In 1810 lie laid out a part of his section into a town plat. It derived its name "Somerset" from Somerset, Pennsylvania, the former home of many of the early settlers. Population (1920), 1,339. New Lexington, the present county seat, is fifty miles southwest of Columbus ; it was laid out in 1817, by James Conly. It became the seat of justice just before the Civil war, but only after a fierce contest. Its site is attractive ; it stands on a beautiful elevation just to the south of the Panhandle Railroad. Its population in 1920 was 3,157. Within the borders of this village repose the mortal remains of a great hero—fanuarius Aloysius MacGahan, who was the deliverer of Bulgaria, mentioned elsewhere in this work. In this county are numerous ancient mounds, and between four and five miles northwest of Somerset is an ancient stone fort enclosing forty acres. Other interesting works of a prehistoric race are here to he found. Shawnee is eight miles south of New Lexington. This was spoken of in 1890 as being one of the greatest coal mining points in all Ohio. It. had a population of 1,918 in 1920. With the decline of mining has come a loss of population, which in 1900 was 2,966. New Straitsville is ten miles to the south of New Lexington. This, too, is an extensive coal mining point, having one of, if not the thickest, veins of coal within the state. During the serious "strike days" under Hoadly's administration, this town and Shawnee were the scene of much mob violence. Corning is twelve miles southeast of New Lexington within a rich iron and coal district and is situated in Monroe Township. Other villages are : Junction City, Rendville, Thornville, Santoy and Hemlock. Perry County has produced another great character whose name and heroic deeds must find a place in the county's Hall of Fame—Gen. Philip Henry Sheridan, the great cavalry leader of Civil war days. He lived as a youth in Somerset, this county, where he clerked in a hardware and other retail stores of the village. See his biography elsewhere. COUNTIES OF OHIO - 409 PICKAWAY COUNTY Pickaway County (named from a misspelling of the tribe of Indians, known as Piqua, a branch of the Shawanese family) was formed January 12, 1810, from parts of Ross, Fairfield and Franklin counties. The surface is level and soil generally fertile. An account of the county forty-five years ago, speaks of the eye being able to take in at a single glance as much as five hundred acres of corn. Originally, there were four varieties of woodland—including the barrens which were covered with shrub oak and supposed to be worthless, but later proved good for grass and oats. The area of the county is now placed at 490 square miles. The first settlers came from Pennsylvania and Virginia. Late agricultural statistics are as follows : In 1923 Pickaway County raised 95,000 acres of corn, and it produced 4,750,000 bushels ; wheat, 63,000 acres,- 1,323,000 bushels ; oats, 3,000 acres, 75,000 bushels ; barley, none given ; rye, 570 acres, 7,980 bushels ; tons of hay, 30,000; potatoes, 65,250 bushels; head of horses in 1924, 11,700 ; cattle, 27,530 ; dairy cows, 7,690; swine, 56,940 ; sheep, 9,800; out of 313,600 acres in farms in 1920, there were 308,497 acres under the plow. Average size farm in 1920 was 132.6 acres. Following are the townships of the county : Circleville, Darby, Deer Creek, Harrison, Jackson, Madison, Monroe, Muhlenburg, Perry, Pick-away, Salt Creek, Scioto, Walnut, Washington and Wayne. The present (1923-24) county officers are as follows: Probate judge, Joseph W. Alkire ; clerk of the courts, D. Adrian Yates ; sheriff, Robert J. Young ; auditor, Brice Briggs; county commissioners, S. D. Stout, A. E. Sleich, J. R. Holt ; treasurer, Harry W. Moore ; recorder, George R. Whitehurst ; surveyor, Harry G. Griner ; prosecuting attorney, Meeker Tervilliger ; coroner, O. H. Dunton; county superintendent of schools, M. C. Warren. The United States census reports for decades since 1820 give the county's population as follows : 1810, 7,124; 1820, 13,149 ; 1830, 16,001 ; 1840, 19,725 ; 1850, 21,006 ; 1860, 23,469 ; 1870, 24,875 ; 1880, 27,415 ; 1890, 26,959 ; 1900, 27,016 ; 1910, 26,158 ; 1920, 25,788. The celebrated Pickaway Plains, of which there is no richer soil in Ohio, begin two or three miles south of Circleville. When first seen by white men, there were no forest trees growing there, but a variety of rare and beautiful wild flowers. When broken up, this land produced 100 bushels of corn per acre for many years. Of the Indian wars, treaties and the Dunmore's war, as connected with this county, other chapters have treated. It may be said in passing that it was in this county that Logan, the Mingo chief, delivered his eloquent speech under the far-famed "Logan Elm," a tree on Congo Creek and on Pickaway Plains. Forty-five years ago it measured twenty feet in circumference, was seventy-nine feet in height and its branches cast a shadow of 120 feet in diameter. It still stands, but a recent storm tore away some of its larger branches. Circleville, the county seat of Pickaway County, is situated on the old Ohio Canal and Scioto River, twenty-six miles south of Columbus. It was platted in 1810, as the seat of justice, by Daniel Dresbach. The town is on the site of ancient fortifications ; one being circular in shape gave the name "Circleville" for the town. The first courthouse was constructed in the form of an octagon and was burned in 1841. It stood in the center of the old circle. In 1920 the population of Circleville was 7,049. It has always had a line of small shops and factories, which with its excellent farming community has made it a desirable place in which to reside. It has one of the largest strawboard plants in the United States, sweet corn canning factory, pork-packing houses, cream mush canning establishment. It has also buggy, broom, shoe, concrete block and rubber tire works. Circleville is noted as the home for many years of Ohio's earliest historian—Caleb Atwater. 410 - HISTORY OF OHIO New Holland is seventeen miles southwest of Circleville ; Williamsport, nine miles southwest of Circleville, is a village of over 800 ; Ashville, nine miles to the north of Circleville ; South Bloomfield, northeast of Circleville ; Tarlton, Whisler, Darbyville and Commercial Point, are all within this county. PIKE COUNTY Pike County was formed in 1815 from parts of Ross, Highland, Scioto and Jackson counties. Aside from the rich Scioto bottom lands, the greater part of this county is of an uneven, hilly topography. The hills are valuable for the fine grade of Waverly sandstone. The county's area is 428 square miles. Its townships as now named are : Beaver, Benton, Camp Creek, Jackson, Marion, Mifflin, Newton, Pebble, Pee-pee, Perry, Scioto, Seal, Sunfish and Union. The name of the county is derived from Zebulon M. Pike, who for the Government traced the Mississippi to its headwaters and later discovered "Pike's Peak" of the Rocky Mountain district. He rose to the rank of general and was fatally wounded in 1813, in an expedition in Canada. The first settlement in this county was made by immigrants from Pennsylvania and Virginia. The eastern part of the county was largely taken up by Germans from 1825 on for a number of years. In the first settlement at Piketon, by those who claimed lands on the Pee Pee prairie, were John Noland, from Pennsylvania. Arthur and John Chenoweth and their brother, Abraham, all from Virginia, settled at the same time Chillicothe was platted in 1796. Population by decades : In 1820, 4,253 ; 1830, 6,024; 1840, 7,626 ; 1850, 10,953 ; 1860, 13,643 ; 1870, 15,447; 1880, 17,927; 1890, 17,482 ; 1900, 18,172 ; 1910, 15,723 ; 1920, 14,151. The present county officials in 1923-24 were: Probate judge, Harold R. Reisinger ; clerk of the courts, William M. Cline; sheriff, William Anderson ; auditor, Carl W. Penn ; county commissioners, John Shoemaker, B. A. Crabtree, M. A. Brown ; treasurer, William A. Sampson ; recorder, E. H. Jackson ; surveyor, V. L. McCoy ; prosecuting attorney, George D. Dye ; coroner, Dan J. Wilson ; county superintendent of schools, O. F. Williamson. Agricultural statistics : In 1923 Pike County raised 32,000 acres of corn, which produced 1,248,000 bushels ; wheat, 16,000 acres, 208,000 bushels ; oats, 5,000 acres, 100,000 bushels barley, not listed ; rye, 130 acres, raised 1,690 bushels ; tons of hay, 16,000 ; potatoes, 76,000 bushels ; number head of horses in 1924, 4,600 ; cattle, 9,710; dairy cows, 3,900 ; swine, 16,240 ; sheep, 3,740 ; land in farms, in 1920, 229,343 acres ; average size farm, 63.5 acres. From the organization of the county until 1861, Piketon was the county seat. It was laid out in 1814 ; is on the Scioto River and in 1840 it had a population of about 600. Originally it appears that the place was named Jefferson. The first courthouse was not erected until 1817. Among the numerous ancient earthworks in Ohio is what is known as "The Graded Way at Piketon." These works were long thought to be artificial hills thrown up by a people of whom we know not today, but this is now seriously questioned by archaeologists. Waverly and Piketon had a long, bitter contest over the county seat question. When the Ohio & Erie Canal was first laid out, it passed through Piketon, but through Robert Lucas, speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives and later governor of Ohio and Iowa Territory, who had lands along another route, at Jasper, the canal's course was changed and left Piketon to one side. The canal gave Waverly a water-power and many advantages and that village soon had the seat of justice. Waverly, present county seat, is sixty miles south of Columbus, on COUNTIES OF OHIO - 411 the west bank of the Scioto River. It had a population in 1890 of 1,514 and in 1920 had 1,625. Other villages are Jasper, seven miles southwest of Waverly, and Beaver Village, or Beaver P. O., eleven miles southeast of Waverly. Governor Robert Lucas was for many years a resident of this county. The residence that he built near Piketon in 1826 is still standing and in excellent state of preservation. PORTAGE COUNTY Portage County, formed June 7, 1807, out of Trumbull County. Also "all that part of the Reserve west of the Cuyahoga and south from the townships numbered five was also annexed as part of the county, and the temporary seat of justice appointed at the house of Benjamin Tappan." The name comes from the old Indian portage path, about seven miles in length, between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas, which was within its limits. This county early developed successfully its dairy and live stock industry. Coal mining has also been a source of revenue. Agricultural statistics : In 1923 the county raised 23,000 acres of corn, producing 713,000 bushels ; wheat, 26,000 acres, 546,000 bushels ; oats, 27,000 acres, 1,080,000 bushels ; barley, 380 acres, 9,880 bushels ; rye, 950 acres, 19,000 bushels ; buckwheat, 440 acres, 8,800 bushels ; tons of hay, 53,000 ; potatoes, 5,360 acres, 444,880 bushels ; number of horses in 1924, 8,740; cattle, 26,310; cattle as dairy cows. 21,080 ; swine, 13,600 ; sheep, 10,420 ; land in farms in 1920, 286,070 acres ; the average size farm is 53.3 acres. In 1923 Portage County ranked first in the state in the production of silica sand, with an output of 171,336 tons. Civil townships : Atwater, Aurora, Brimfield, Charlestown, Deerfield, Edinburg, Franklin, Freedom, Garrettsville, Hiram, Mantua, Nelson, Palmyra, Paris, Randolph, Ravenna, Rootstown, Shalersville, Streetsboro, Suffield, Windham. The present (1923-24) county officers are as follows : Probate judge. Albert L. Caris; clerk of the courts, C. G. Herterode ; sheriff, Joseph Jones ; auditor, J. M. Parham ; county commissioners, E. Hollister, E. F. Whittlesey, L. V. Miller ; treasurer, W. H. Marsh ; recorder, N. B. Lozier ; surveyor, J. W. Walter ; prosecuting attorney, A. L. Heisher ; coroner, Rollin D. Worden ; county superintendent of schools, 0. E. Pore. Population by decades : In 1810 it had 2,905 ; 1820, 10,093 ; 1830, 18,826 ; 1840, 22,965 ; 1850, 24,419 ; 1860, 24,208 ; 1870, 24,584 ; 1880, 27,500, of whom 20,000 were Ohio-born ; 1890, 27,868 ; 1900, 29,246 ; 1910, 30,307 ; 1920, 36,269 ; population per square mile, 69.6. From an early date this section of Ohio was styled "Cheesedom." Cheese-making was the pioneer woman's work and usually her delight. The product was hard to get to markets, however. In 1826 much cheese was sent to Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee. Until after 1834, the Western Reserve cheese had entire control of the southern markets ; from that time on, other Ohio sections were lively rivals. The early settlement at Ravenna was effected by Benjamin Tappan, Jr., in 1799. Later he became United States Senator from Ohio. In making this settlement at Ravenna, he acted as the agent for his father, who was the chief proprietor. At that time there was only one other white person living within the county as now bounded—a Mr. Honey. About the same date Tappan made his settlement, other communities were being started in several other townships of the county. The first civil organization effected was in 1802, under the name of Franklin Township, embracing all of Portage, and parts of Trumbull and Summit counties. 412 - HISTORY OF OHIO These various settlements were not made without great hardships and also much trouble at times with Indians, but usually this occurred when the white men overreached in trade with the red men, not always, however. The first improvements in Palmyra were made in 1799, by David Daniels from Connecticut ; the succeeding year many others came. Ravenna, the county seat, was named from an Italian city and is thirty-four miles southeast of Cleveland. When the founder, Benjamin Tappan, in 1808, laid the foundation for his town, he offered a town lot as a prize for the first child born on the site. The prize fell to the son of David Thompson, born in 1810. A few years later quite a village had some into existence. Here it was that Jesse R. Grant, father of Gen. U. S. Grant, when a young man of about twenty-three years, carried on a tannery. The 1920 census gives the population of Ravenna: at 7,219. It has for many years been quite highly successful as a manufacturing place. Some of its products are carriages, hearses, novelties, chairs, rubber goods, paper boxes and flour. Kent, originally known as Franklin Mills, six miles west of Ravenna, on the Cuyahoga which furnishes unlimited water-power for a stream of its size. Franklin Township, in which the city lies, comprises 16,000 acres, and in 1798 was bought for 12 1/2 cents an acre, or $2,000. Aaron Olmstead of Hartford, Connecticut, purchased it. Kent, at the last (1920) census, easily passed into the city rank with a population of 7,070. It has water-power and railway machine shops ; it manufactures flour, rubber tires, concrete mixers, locks and a variety of hardware. It is the seat of Kent State Normal College. The present villages of the county, with population of each, are : Garrettsville, 1,119 ; Hiram, 453 ; Mantua, 764 ; Mogadore, 751 ; Windham, 314. Hiram is the seat of Hiram College, prior to 1867 known as the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute. Of this institution, before the Civil war, James A. Garfield was a student and president. Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, and Sidney Rigdon of the same faith held meetings at Hiram in 1831 and made many converts. Their presence here aroused bitter hostility and they were later tarred and feathered and driven from the place. Hon. Lucius Fairchild, who was long governor of Wisconsin, minister abroad, an officer in the Civil war who lost one arm at the battle of Gettysburg, was born in Franklin Township, this county. John Brown of Harper's Ferry fame, when thirty-five years of age, in 1835, with his father, was a short time a resident of this county. He was interested in some real estate ventures at Franklin Mills, now Kent, which resulted unfortunately. PREBLE COUNTY Preble County, taken from Montgomery and Butler counties, March 1, 1808, was named for Capt. Edward Preble, a Revolutionary commander. Numerous streams course throughout its territory and its soil is of almost every variety. The streams have been very useful as mill-driving currents, especially in pioneer days when flouring and saw mills were sought for more than in later times in this section of the country. The area of Preble County is 416 square miles and its population is 60.6 to the square mile. The quarrying of limestone has been very profitable. It is largely an agricultural district, as shown by the following statistics : In 1923 there were grown 74,000 acres of corn, producing 2,960,000 bushels ; wheat, 44,000 acres, 836,000 bushels ; oats, 5,000 acres, 125,000 bushels ; barley, 60 acres, 1,800 bushels ; rye, 860 acres. 12,212 bushels; tons of hay, 44,000 ; potatoes, 44,850 bushels ; number head horses, 1924, 9,650 ; cattle, 28,980 ; dairy cows, 12,200; swine, COUNTIES OF OHIO - 413 95,210 ; sheep, 7,980 ; number acres in plow land in 1920, 263,918 ; average size farm, 70.4 acres. The county's twelve civil townships are these : Dixon, Gasper, Gratis, Harrison, Israel, Jackson, Jefferson, Lanier, Monroe, Somers, Twin and Washington. In 1810 the county had a population of 3,304 ; 1820, 10,237 ; 1830, 16,291; 1840, 19,481; 1850, 21,736 ; 1860, 21,280 ; 1870, 21,809 ; 1880, 24,533 ; 1890, 23,421; 1900, 23,713 ; 1910, 23,834 ; 1920, 23,238. The present (1923-24) county officials are as follows : Probate judge, Byron A. Landis ; clerk of the courts, J. S. Barnheiser ; sheriff, C. R. Nehrley ; auditor, Spencer E. Hunt ; county commissioners, Elwood Coblentz, W. B. Cline, E. Rinck ; treasurer, H. T. Aker ; recorder, E. E. Mikesell ; surveyor Robert S. Fisher ; prosecuting attorney, Ralph G. Sever ; coroner, C. G. Stevenson ; county superintendent of schools, W. S. Fogarty. The first native male child of this county was Col. George D. Hendricks, who was born on the site of Camden, October 3, 1805. His was a varied and highly useful career-was a soldier under Sam Houston in the war between Texas and Mexico ; served in the Legislature ; was county auditor, sheriff and postmaster-good for a child born in the wilderness ! Eaton, the county seat, is twenty-four miles west of Dayton and nine east of the state line. It was platted in 1806, by William Bruce, proprietor ; born in Connecticut ; served in Revolutionary war ; navy agent for the United States. Eaton is within what for years was a well-known tobacco growing and manufacturing section. Is also noted for its fine mineral wells and springs. Population (1920), 3,210. Other villages of the county, with latest census population of each, are : Gratis, 372 ; West Elkton, 204 ; Lewisburg, 1,103 ; Verona (partly in Montgomery County), 317 ; College Corner, 348; New Paris. 907 ; West Alexandria, 944 ; Eldorado, 322 ; West Manchester, 409 ; Camden, 904. Preble County is historic ground. Over the land within its limits marched the ill-fated expedition of Gen. Arthur St. Clair in 1791; and over it later passed Gen. Anthony Wayne and his Legion on their way to "Fallen Timbers" and victory. Near Eaton in the winter of 17911792 was erected Fort St. Clair and near it was fought a battle with the Indians November 6, 1792. Not far away near Forty-foot Pitch, Lieutenant Mowry, Ensign Boyd and others fell ambushed by Indians October 17, 1793. The state has purchased the site of Fort St. Clair and adjacent grounds to be improved as a state park. A granite monument, with approporiate bronze tablet, has been erected to the memory of the soldiers who fell here by Coll. William Ortt, president of the Preble County Historical Society. It was unveiled with appropriate ceremonies, November 6, 1922. PUTNAM COUNTY Putnam County was formed from old Indian Territory, April 1, 1820, and named from Gen. Israel Putnam. In 1824, when Williams County was organized, Putnam, Henry and Paulding counties were attached to it for judicial purposes and, in 1834, Putnam was organized as a separate county. Like other lands in the Black Swamp district, this is flat, at times west, but exceedingly fertile and, since it has been drained, very productive. It has an area of 482 square miles. The civil townships, fifteen in all, are as follows : Blanchard, Greensburg, Jackson, Jennings, Liberty, Monroe, Monterey, Ottawa, Palmer, Perry, Pleasant, Riley, Sugar Creek, Union and Van Buren. Population of Putnam in 1830 was 230 ; 1840, 5,189 ; 1850, 7,221; 1860, 12,808 ; 1870, 17,081; 1880, 23,713 ; 1890, 30,188 ; 1900, 32,525 ; 1910, 29,972 ; 1920, 27,751; population per square mile, 57.6. 414 - HISTORY OF OHIO The county officers (1923-24) are : Probate judge, H. M Summers ; clerk of the courts, Joseph T. Deter ; sheriff, Roy N. McCollough ; auditor, John E. Roose ; county commissioners, H. H. Montoath, J. E. Deffenbach, Frank Giesken ; treasurer, D. R. Hinkle ; recorder, Joseph W. Hickman ; surveyor, Cort A. McDowell; prosecuting attorney, J. S. Ogen, Sr.; coroner, A. F. Sheibley ; county superintendent of schools, G. J. Keinath. The soil yields its annual products liberally, as will be observed by reference to the last bulletin issued at Columbus, by the agricultural department : It is shown there were grown in 1923, 69,000 acres of .corn, yielding 3,243,000 bushels ; wheat, 27,000 acres, 621,000 bushels ; oats, 35,000 acres, 1,225,000 bushels ; barley, 5,080 acres, 152,400 bushels ; rye, 850 acres, 18,020 bushels ; buckwheat, 26 acres, 520 bushels ; tons of hay, 48,000; potatoes, 73,150 bushels ; number head horses in 1924, 12,900; cattle, 25,200 ; dairy cows, 12,140; swine, 68,910; sheep, 10,940; lands in farms in 1920, 292,620 acres ; average size farm, 80.3 acres. The major part of the first settlement was made from Eastern Ohio and those of Pennsylvania extraction. The site of old Fort Jennings is in the southwest part. The first county seat was known as Kalida, meaning, in Grecian, "Beautiful." The county was early the home of very many of the Aymish or "Omish" religious sect. Ottawa, present county seat of Putnam County, is situated ninety miles northwest of Columbus. In 1866, the courthouse at Kalida having been burned, Ottawa by a majority of 455 votes was made the seat of justice. The present population of the village is now (census of 1920) 2,167. Following are the other villages of the county with population of each: Gilboa, 235 ; Fort Jennings, 275 ; West Leipsic ; 271 ; Continental, 1,093 ; Ottoville, 435 ; Glendorf, 499 ; Miller City, 195 ; Cloverdale, 180; Dupont, 270 ; Columbus Grove, 1,768; Pandora, 669 ; Kalida, 583 ; Belmore, 269 ; Leipsic, 1,788. RICHLAND COUNTY Richland County was organized March 1, 1813, and was named for the fertility of the soil found within its boundaries. Nearly every crop grown in this latitude thrives well here, especially the grains and grasses. The area of the county is 503 square miles. The civil townships, eighteen in number, are as follows : Blooming Grove, Butler, Cass, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Madison, Mifflin, Monroe, Perry, Plymouth, Sandusky, Sharon, Springfield, Troy, Washington, Weller, Worthington. Richland's first settlers emigrated from Pennsylvania, many of them being of German origin. There were also some Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. The settlement was first effected in 1809, on branches of the Mohican. The names of the first to invade this section for the purpose of home-making, were Henry M'Cart, Andrew Craig, James Cunningham, Abraham Baughman, Henry Nail, Samuel Lewis, Peter Kinney, Calvin Hill, John Murphy, Thomas Coulter, Melzer Tannehill, Isaac Martin, Archibald Gardner and James McClure. The population of the county by decades has been as follows : In 1820, 9,169 ; 1830, 24,007 ; 1840, 44,532 ; 1850, 30,879 ; 1860, 31,158 ; 1870, 32,516 ; 1880, 36,306; of the last number 27,251 were Ohio-born ; 1890, 38,072 ; 1900, 44,289 ; 1910, 47,667 ; 1920, 55,178 ; population to the square mile, 109.7. The present (1923-24) county officers are as follows : Probate judge, Wilbert J. Bissman ; clerk of the courts, Hoyt Johns ; sheriff, F. D. Sells ; auditor, John A. Howard ; county commissioners, Milton R. Robinson, A. B. Pulver, William H. Carter ; treasurer, R. D. Hall ; recorder, Charles Sweet ; surveyor, Albert L. Allen; coroner, Wayne COUNTIES OF OHIO - 415 E. Young ; prosecuting attorney, Allen S. Beach ; county superintendent of schools, L. C. Martin. Following are the recent farm product statistics : In 1923 there were grown 33,000 acres of corn, producing 1,221,000 bushels ; wheat, 43,000 acres, 731,000 bushels ; oats, 27,000 acres ; 945,000 bushels ; barley,. 180 acres, 5,580 bushels ; rye, 630 acres, 11,340 bushels ; tons of hay, 50,000 ; potatoes, 218,940 bushels ; head of horses in 1924 were 9,700 ; cattle, 24,550 ; dairy cows, 15,000; swine, 39,140; sheep, 36,660 ; number acres farm land, 321,000 ; of plow land in 1920, 240,000 acres ; average size farm, 74.4 acres. The county seat is Mansfield, about sixty-eight miles northwesterly from Columbus. It was laid out by James Hedges, Jacob Newman, and Joseph H. Lariwell, in 1808. All around was then a vast, almost illimit-able wilderness. The city of today (1920) has a population of 27,824. It is supported by many manufacturing enterprises, including mills and shops of great magnitude. Originally, this being within a fine forest belt of excellent timber, many agricultural implement factories started up and it has never ceased in its factory interests. Mansfield, according to the latest census survey, had 132 manu-facturing establishments employing 5,892 persons and a capital of $21,840,920. The annual product was valued at $31,877,551. The value of all property in the city listed for taxation in 1923 was $47,053,420. The manufactured goods include farming implements, stoves, machinery, boilers, carriages, brass goods, watch cases, sheet steel, chains and rubber goods. Mansfield was named after Col. Jared Mansfield. He was appointed surveyor-general by Thomas Jefferson. He had to do with all surveys of the great Northwest Territory. Shelby, the second city of the county, has a population (1920) of 5,578. It manufactures tubing, furniture, flour, spring hinges, candy, chewing gum and castings. It is a center for the shipments of grain and other farm products. The present villages in Richland County are as follows : Butler, Bellville, Lucas, Plymouth, Shelby, Lexington and Shiloh. No history of Richland County would be looked upon as complete without some mention of some of its illustrious citizens--earlier and later residents. But space forbids more than a mere mention that this county was the home of Hon. John Sherman, long an eminent states-man of Ohio. He practiced law at Mansfield and his life was inter-woven with the every interest of his city, state and nation. After the flight of a century from the time of his early and beneficent activities, the story of the life of Johnnie Appleseed still lives. It has a secure place in the history of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, and recently has found its way into romance and song. His real name was John Chapman. He gathered apple seeds, planted nurseries and orchards and may be regarded as pioneer horticulturist of the Ohio Valley. He was born in Massachusetts, 1775, and died near Fort Wayne, Indiana, March 11, 1843. For a time he lived in Richland County. A monu-ment, erected to his memory in Mansfield by the late Hon. M. B. Bushnell, was dedicated November 8, 1900. ROSS COUNTY Ross County was formed through a proclamation of Governor St. Clair, August 20, 1798, being the sixth county created in the North-western Territory. Originally it covered a vast area of territory, but other counties were from time carved from it, leaving its present size divided into sixteen civil townships as follows : Buckskin, Colerain, Concord, Deerfield, Franklin, Green, Harrison, Huntington, Jefferson, Liberty, Paint, Paxton, Scioto, Springfield, Twin and Union. The county takes it name from Hon. James Ross, of Allegheny 416 - HISTORY OF OHIO County, Pennsylvania. The agricultural resources, including an excellent and fertile soil, has been the base for the prosperity of the county and its thriving villages and towns. The county is famed for its fine cattle. Following are the farm products as shown by the late agricultural bulletins : In 1923 the county raised 83,000 acres of corn, producing 3,237,000 bushels ; wheat, 52,000 acres, produced 884,000 bushels ; oats, 2,000 acres, 66,000 bushels ; rye, 820 acres, 11,480 bushels ; tons of hay, 28,000 ; potatoes, 60,060 bushels ; horses on hand in 1924, 11,300 ; cattle, 27,300 ; dairy cows, 9,410 ; swine, 53,150 ; sheep, 9,900 ; improved land in farms in 1920, 263,830 acres ; average size farm is 92.5 acres. Population by decades : In 1800 it had 8,540 ; 1810, 15,514 ; 1820, 20,619 ; 1830, 24,068; 1840, 27,460 ; 1850, 32,074 ; 1860, 35,071; 1870, 37,097; 1880, 40,307—of the last named over 34,000 were Ohio-born ; 1890, 39,454 ; 1900, 40,940 ; 1910, 40,069 ; 1920, 41,556 ; area of county, 668 square miles ; population per square mile in 1920, 62.2. The richness of the soil and the beauty of its natural scenery as reported by Nathaniel Massie and others attracted the early settlers to this region. Rev. Robert W. Finley, of Bourbon County, Kentucky, and a large number of Presbyterians decided to emigrate hither. Many of them were opposed to slavery and this also influenced them to choose a new home in the Northwest Territory. Reverend Finley liberated his slaves preparatory to the venture. In March of 1795, after the Battle of Fallen Timbers, but before the conclusion of Wayne's treaty with the Indians, Nathaniel Massie and about sixty Kentuckians under Finley and Falenash went to explore the region at the confluence of the Scioto River and Paint Creek. In their march thither they suddenly came upon a small band of hostile Indians, to whom they gave battle. The Indians were defeated with a loss of two killed and a number wounded. One man of the attacking party was fatally wounded. The whites retreated, anticipating that the Indians in reenforced numbers would attack them in turn. This the Indians did, but were again defeated. Massie and his exploring party then returned to their homes in Kentucky. After the conclusion of Wayne's treaty with the Indians at Greenville, the Kentuckians, in April, 1796, again proceeded to the Paint Creek and Scioto valleys. Here they began their settlement, and here Chillicothe was platted by Nathaniel Massie in August, 1796. The town grew rapidly. On the removal of the seat of territorial government from Cincinnati to Chillicothe this frontier post became the scene of intense political activity. Here the struggle for statehood COUNTIES OF OHIO - 417 reached its conclusion in the defeat of Governor St. Clair and the triumph of the followers of Thomas Jefferson under the leadership of Tiffin, Massie and Worthington. Here the convention met that framed the first constitution of Ohio. Here the state government began under its first chief executive, with the inauguration of Edward Tiffin, March 3, 1803. In the War of 1812, Chillicothe was headquarters for United States troops. They were stationed at Camp Bull, a stockade one mile north of the town on the west bank of the Scioto River. Stern measures seem to have been necessary to enforce discipline. Four deserters were shot in this camp and a number of severe and unusual punishments were inflicted that would be considered barbarous today. A large number of British prisoners were held here. They planned to overpower their guards, proceed to the jail, liberate their officers confined there, burn the town, and escape to Canada. The plot was revealed by some of the British officers and it came to naught. In 1800 the seat of government for the Northwest Territory was moved by act of Congress from Cincinnati to Chillicothe. The first State House was completed in 1801—the first public stone edifice erected in the Territory. The town was incorporated January 4, 1802. It was the seat of the state government from 1803 to 1810. The sessions of the General Assembly of 1810-11 and 1811-12 were held at Zanesville, for two years the state capital. Afterward they were held in Chillicothe until 1816, when Columbus became the permanent state capital. In 1807 Chillicothe had fourteen stores, six hotels, two newspapers, two churches and 202 dwellings. In 1847 it had a population of 6,220 in 1920 its population was 15,831. The amount of capital invested in industrial establishments in 1887 was $640,000 and its annual output was valued at $1,035,300. The city has kept pace with the times and with other cities of Ohio. According to the latest census survey it had thirty-five manufacturing establishments, employing 1,893 persons and a capital of $5,164,695. The value of the annual products was estimated at $7,667,182. Among the items of manufacture are railroad cars and engines, paper, furniture, pottery, farming implements, shoes, automobiles, vacuum cleaners, canned goods, carriages, wagons, tile and cement. The value of property for purposes of taxation in 1923 was $22,191,820. 418 - HISTORY OF OHIO Chillicothe is the only city of Ross County. The following incorporated places are villages with the (1920) population of each: Bain-bridge, 862; Kingston, 800 ; Clarksburg, 420 ; Adelphi, 329 ; South Salem, 193. The present (1923-24) officers for this county are as follows : Probate judge, Elijah Curtright, Jr.; clerk of the courts, Madge West ; sheriff, Donald Sepston ; auditor, Robert Weaver ; county commissioners, Thad S. Hanson, Fred Putnam, Phillip Dunlap; treasurer, Latta Morrison ; recorder, George Spencer ; surveyor, George Bayne; prose-cuting attorney, Marshall Fenton; coroner, Everett Robins; county superintendent of schools, J. L. Fortney. Upland Cemetery of Chillicothe has a fine marble monument for the founder of the city, and the inscription reads: "Gen. Nathaniel Massie. founder of Chillicothe. Born in Goochland County, Virginia, Dec. 28, 1763; Died Nov. 3, 1813." SANDUSKY COUNTY Sandusky County was formed from a part of the old Indian territory, April 1, 1820. Its area is 413 square miles. The soil is fertile and for the most part is not too hilly to cultivate easily. Its western portion is within the Black Swamp district. Nearly all of its first settlers were from New England, but later many, came in from Pennsylvania and many- had their origin in Germany. The county is divided into thirteen civil townships as follows: Ballville, Fremont, Green Creek, Jackson, Madison, Rice, Riley, Sandusky, Scott, Townsend, Washington, Woodville and York. Hon. Lewis Cass in an address before the Michigan Historical Society once spoke of "the Neutral Nation." We extract this from his speech: "Upon the Sandusky River (near where now stands Fre-mont) lived a band of Wyandots, called the Neutral Nation. They occupied two villages. which were cities of refuge, where those who sought safety never failed to find it. During the long and disastrous contests which preceded and followed the arrival of the Europeans, in which the Iroquois contended for victory, and their enemies for exist-ence, this little band preserved the integrity of their territories and the sacred character of peace-makers. All who met upon their threshold met as friends, for the ground on which they stood was holy. It was a beautiful institution, a calm and peaceful Island looking out upon a world of waves and tempests." The population of this county for various dates since its organization has been as follows: In 1820 it had 852; 1830, 2,851 ; 1840, 10,182 : 1850, 14,305; 1860, 21,429 ; 1870, 25,503; 1880, 32,057; 1890, 30,617; 1900, 34,311 ; 1910, 35,171 ; 1920, 37,109; number of inhabitants to the square mile, 89.9. The county officers listed for 1923-24 were these: Probate judge, John B. Coonrod; clerk of the courts, Cyrus T. Bowers; sheriff, Will Wirt ; auditor, K. R. Richards; county commissioners, L. Lloyd Clark, F. J. Ritzman, R. G. Rogers; treasurer, C. F. Heid; recorder, Warren Keiser ; surveyor, L. H. Wismer ; prosecuting attorney, George C. Sheffler; coroner, W. H. Both; county superintendent of schools. D. L. Buchanan. The amount of produce from the farms of Sandusky County, as shown by the 1923-24 State Agricultural Department's bulletin, is as follows : In 1923 the number of acres of corn was 48,000, bushels harvested, 2,304,000 ; wheat, 43,000 acres, 989,000 bushels; oats, 30,000 acres, 1,170,000 bushels; rye, 10,080 bushels; buckwheat, 105 acres, 2,100 bushels; tons of hay, 26,000; potatoes, 1,810 acres, 208,150 bushels ; number of horses in 1924, 8,650; cattle, 19,490 ; cows in dairy, 11,120 ; swine, 38,000 ; sheep, 12,120; number of acres under plow in 1920, 240,257; average size farm, 74.6 acres. This is one of the large COUNTIES OF OHIO - 419 limestone producing counties of the state ; the output for 1923 was 1,099,342 tons. The City of Fremont, once known as Lower Sandusky, is about ninety-five miles from Columbus, on the Sandusky River. It is the county seat of Sandusky County and had, in 1920, a population of 12,486. It is a manufacturing city of considerable importance and had, at the last census survey, fifty-three industrial establishments employing 3,409 persons and a capital of $9,935,870. The value of the annual product was estimated at $12,915,095. The manufactured products include engines, farm implements, carriages, metal making machinery, cutlery, lime, furniture, and auto trucks. The value of property listed for taxation in 1923 was $18,878,330. This city was for many years the home of President Rutherford Birchard Hayes and his wife, Lucy Webb Hayes, who will always have a secure place in the affectionate memory of the American people. Their home life at Spiegel Grove was ideal and has called forth cordial tribute from all ranks of the citizenship of Ohio. In an address delivered here on Memorial Day, 1916, Hon. Frank B. Willis, then governor of Ohio, after paying eloquent tribute to President Hayes, said in conclusion : "Assuredly he has given us and the world a noble and inspiring example of the unselfish and uplifting service that even an ex-president of the republic may perform when he returns to the ranks of his fellow citizens. "His home life is a theme upon which we are tempted to dwell, but that is not necessary. It is known to the world. Who has not heard of the partner of all his joys and triumphs, the good and gracious Lucy Webb Hayes, whether in or out of the White House the first lady of the land? No words of mine can adequately portray her noble character or express the esteem and love that hallow her memory. From hospitals of the battle field to the cozy room yonder where the grim messenger found her plying the needle in a work of love, she was the friend and comforter of all who knew her. "It is fitting that this home, hallowed by two such spirits, should be preserved and cherished by the state that they loved so well, and that this memorial building, which we dedicate today, should be the permanent repository of the literature of Ohio and the middle west which General Hayes collected with discriminating care and which his children in a liberal and patriotic spirit have transferred to the keeping of our commonwealth. "May the gratitude of our entire citizenship continually bless this consecrated spot. May they in larger numbers turn their thoughts and steps hither as the years pass by." Spiegel Grove became the property of Col. Webb C. Hayes, son of President Hayes, who developed, improved and transferred it to the State of Ohio, under the custody of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society. The state makes annual appropriations for its support and has contributed money toward the erection of the memorial building. This property is now called Spiegel Grove State Park and is the best preserved home of an ex-.president of the United States with the possible exception of Mount Vernon. In the park is the tomb of President Hayes and his wife ; and in the memorial building and residence are the library, manuscripts and mementoes of President Hayes. Of the extent of this gift to the state Governor James E. Campbell said, in an address at the park, October 4, 1920: "Colonel Hayes spent large sums after the legal steps had been taken to invest this property in the Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society, in trust for the State of Ohio. The construction of the Hayes Memorial building cost when completed over $100,000, toward which the state paid $45,000 and also paid $10,000 for the state's share of the paving of the streets on the three sides of the Spiegel Grove State Park. Colonel 420 - HISTORY OF OHIO Mayes at various times and in numerous ways, in order to complete the building and bring it to the point of perfection which it has attained, expended $50,000 to that end, and to further add to its usefulness and beauty as a monument, he has provided for an addition to the building that will cost at least $35,000, the funds for which are now in the hands of a trustee appointed for that purpose. "Since Spiegel Grove has been dedicated by Colonel Hayes he has placed in the hands of trustees for the benefit of the society and the State of Ohio other lands contiguous to the grove which, when sold, the trustees are to place the proceeds thereof in a trust fund for the use and benefit of this institution. So far lands to the value of $35,000 have been disposed of, and that amount is in the hands of a trustee for the use and benefit of Spiegel Grove, as held by this society. The land, exclusive of Spiegel Grove, remaining unsold is worth at least $100,000, the proceeds of which, upon sale, will be held in trust for the use and maintenance of the Spiegel Grove Park and residence with any remainder for books for the Hayes Memorial Library. "On July 1st of last year Colonel Hayes placed $100,000 in trust to be used in the maintenance and upbuilding of this patriotic memorial. I am within a conservative estimate when I state that Colonel Hayes has disposed, for the benefit of posterity, in the form of the beautiful and attractive property which you see before you, at least $500,000: $250,000 in cash and securities for endowment funds, and $250,000 in real estate and personal property including the library Americana and collections. "Greater and more far-reaching than the vast funds which he has so consecrated to others and to the memory of those loved by him, is his magnificent spirit of unselfishness, of tender devotion to the memory of his father and mother, and of his desire to leave to future generations historic evidence of the past. Here the people of Ohio forever will come to view the evidences of a period of American history that will be to them a continuing lesson and an inspiring heritage." Among the distinguished citizens of Fremont was Sardis Birchard, whose sister was the mother of President Hayes. He did much to aid her in support and education of her children. Her husband died when they were young. Gen. Ralph P. Buckland, Civil war veteran and member of Congress, was for a time associated in the practice of law with General Hayes in this city. Sandusky County is one of the most historic in the state. In the Village of Clyde was born, November 14, 1828, James B. McPherson, the gallant Union general who lost his life before Atlanta, July 22, 1864. He was buried in his native village where a monument is erected to his memory. From Clyde went Burton Meek, the first soldier to fall in the war with Spain, and in the cemetery of this village rest his remains. Other villages than Clyde are Woodville, Greenspring, a part of Bellevue City, Lindsey, Helena and Gibsonburg. The early history of this county abounds with stirring events of the Indian wars and the War of 1812, culminating in the heroic defense of Fort Stevenson by the American troops under Maj. George Croghan, August 2, 1813. The site of Fort Stevenson was within the present corporate limits of the City of Fremont. On it has been erected the Birchard Library and a commemorative monument. SCIOTO COUNTY Scioto County was formed May 1, 1803. The name was originally applied to the river by the Wyandot Indians, but its true significance is not known to the writer. Its topography is very hilly and many of the hills are several hundred feet in height. In the eastern portion, the manufacture of iron was long a paying industry, while the general COUNTIES OF OHIO - 421 occupation of the residents, outside the traders and professions, is that of farmers. The county has an area of 623 square miles. The present (1924) county officers are as follows : Probate judge, Nathan B. Gilliland ; clerk of the courts, Wesley G. Carson ; sheriff, Henry M. Dunham ; auditor, Roy H. Coburn ; county commissioners, Joseph H. Appel, W. O. Shively, John B. Bennett ; treasurer, Henry B. Ruel ; recorder, Russell G. Ketter ; surveyor, Charles Noel ; prosecuting attorney, S. A. Skelton ; coroner, Virgil E. Fowler ; county superintendent of schools, E. O. McCowen ; agricultural agent, R. M. Thomas. The United States census reports since 1810 give the county's population as follows : In 1810 it had 3,399 ; 1820, 5,750 ; 1830, 8,740; 1840, 11,192 ; 1850, 18,428 ; 1860, 24,297 ; 1870, 29,302 ; 1880, 33,511, of which 25,493 were Ohio-born ; 1890, 35,377 ; 1900, 40,981; 1910, 48,463 ; 1920, 62,850 ; per square mile, 100.9. The civil townships composing this county are : Bloom, Brush Creek, Clay, Green, Harrison. Jefferson, Madison, Morgan, Nile, Porter, Rarden, Rush, Union, Valley, Vernon, Washington and Wayne. In 1749, the French explorer, Celeron De Bienville, made his expedition down the Ohio River to take possession of the Ohio country in the name of France. He landed at the mouth of the Scioto River. For years there had been here a Shawnee village, and with them a party of English traders. Celeron planted lead plates at the mouths of the streams, but none at the mouth of the Scioto. This point was a favorite place with the Indians from which to attack boats ascending or descending the Ohio. It is generally conceded that the first settlement in what is now Scioto County was effected by Thomas McDonald about February, 1796. He was followed by John Lindsay. McDonald built the first cabin here at a point two miles above the site of Plymouth. According to another account the first cabin was built in 1795, by John Belli, but it is certain he did not move his family there until a later date. In August, 1796, the families of Isaac Bonser, Uriah Barber, John Beatty, William Ward, and Ephraim Adams came to the valley of the Little Scioto River to make it their permanent home. The original proprietor of Alexandria was Col. Thomas Parker, who served in the Revolutionary war and located the land at the mouth of the Scioto. His brother, Alexander, in 1799 laid out the town. Portsmouth was laid out in 1803 by Henry Massie. 422 - HISTORY OF OHIO For many years agriculture was the leading occupation of the county. Now more than half the population is in the City of Portsmouth. That agriculture is still an important industry is attested by the following statistics : In 1923 there were 34,000 acres of corn raised, producing 1,326,000 bushels ; wheat, 11,000 acres, 176,000 bushels ; oats, 4,000 acres, 132,000 bushels; barley, none listed.; rye, 70 acres, 840 bushels ; tons of hay, 26,000 ; potatoes, 125,610 bushels ; number of horses in 1924, 4,980 ; cattle, 13,140; dairy cows, 7,200 ; swine, 10,410 ; sheep, 1,210; land in farms in 1920, 283,237 acres ; average size of farm, 46.1 acres. The county seat, Portsmouth, is situated on the Ohio River just above the mouth of the Scioto, at the end of the old canal, the same being ninety miles south of Columbus. For more than a half century its manufacturing industries have been important. In 1880 there was invested a capital of over one million dollars and the annual products that year were valued at $2,020,000. According to the latest government survey, Portsmouth had in 1919 sixty manufacturing establishments, employing 6,701 persons and a capital of $22,282,656. The annual output was valued at $36,645,736. The city has rolling mills, steel mills, railroad shops and large shoe factories. It also manufactures stoves and fire brick, and includes in its leading products building stone and fire clay. The value of its property listed for taxation purposes in 1923 was $53,270,750. The population of Portsmouth in 1920 was 33,011. It has all that goes toward making a progressive city of the modern type, and many objects to make one think of the long ago when Ohio was young. The other villages of Scioto County are : New Boston, with its 4,817 population ; South Webster, 604 ; Otway, 289 ; Sciotoville, 2,182. Old time villages include Lucasville, Buena Vista, Galena and Wheelersburg. The county has long been noted for its prehistoric earthworks and and mound builder remains. SENECA COUNTY This county was formed from land within the old Indian Territory, April 1, 1820, and organized April 1, 1824. It was named for the Indian tribe that held a reservation within its limits. The surface is level and the streams flow in deep cut channels. The soil is a rich loam. Its principal settlers came in from other counties of Ohio, from Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York, with quite a number of thrifty German families from the fatherland. The area is 550 square miles. A military post known as Fort Seneca, built in the time of the War of 1812-14, was nine miles north of present city of Tiffin. It was a stockade of rough timbers, surrounded by a ditch and occupying several acres on the bank of the Sandusky River. General Harrison and his troops were stationed here just before Perry's victory on Lake Erie. Harrison narrowly escaped being assassinated by an Indian. The townships of this county today are: Adams, Big Spring, Bloom, Clinton, Eden, Hopewell, Jackson, Liberty, Loudon, Pleasant, Reed, Scipio, Seneca, Thompson and Venice. The population at various periods has been as follows : In 1830 it had 5,159 ; 1840, 18,128; 1850, 27,104; 1860, 30,868; 1870, 30,827; 1880, 36,947 ; 1890, 40,869 ; 1900, 41,163 ; 1910, 42,421; 1920, 43,176; per square mile, 78.5. The Senecas of Sandusky, so called, owned and occupied 40,000 acres of land on the east side of the Sandusky River, nearly all within the present limits of this county. By a treaty concluded at Washington, February 28, 1831, these lands were ceded to the United States and the Indians were moved to other reservations west of the Missouri, on the Neosho River. COUNTIES OF OHIO - 423 The products of the farms in Seneca County may be summed up by these statistics : In 1923 there were raised 63,000 acres, producing 2,772,000 bushels ; wheat, 60,000 acres, bushels, 1,260,000 ; oats, 32,000 acres, 1,152,000 bushels ; barley, 1,720 acres, bushels, 49,880; rye, 440 acres, 8,800 bushels ; buckwheat; 70 acres, yielding 1,120 bushels ; tons of hay; 54,000 ; potatoes, 2,360 acres, bushels, 202,240 ; number of horses in county in 1924, 11,420 ; cattle, 25,550 ; dairy cows, 14,890 ; swine, 59,050 ; sheep, 45,450 ; the acreage of plow land in 1920 was 332,132 acres ; average size of farm was then 89.9 acres. The county seat is Tiffin, a well built city, on the Sandusky River. It is eighty-six miles north. of Columbus and thirty-four from Sandusky City. It was platted about 1821, by Joseph Hedges and was named from Hon. Edward Tiffin, of Ross, president of the convention which formed the constitution of Ohio, and the first governor of the state. The city is built on both sides of the river, including the site of the old Fort Ball. It is within a very rich farming district and an important shipping point for agricultural products. In 1880, the industrial products were valued at almost one million dollars. In recent years they have substantially increased. Tiffin had, in 1919, seventy-five manufacturing establishments employing 2,619 persons and a capital of $7;751,130. The value of their annual product was $10,516,369. Its manufactured products included iron and wood working machinery, agricultural implements, glassware, pottery, emery wheels, wagons and buggies, lime, brick, and tile. The value of its property on the tax duplicate for 1923 was $16,959,830. Population (1920) 14,375. General William H. Gibson, noted orator, was a resident of Tiffin. Fostoria is twelve miles northwest of Tiffin. The greater part of it lies within Seneca County, the remainder in Hancock and Wood counties. It has long been a railroad and manufacturing center. It is also within the wonderful natural gas belt. The lands here were thrown into market in 1831. When the first store opened there, and for ten years thereafter, the staple article sought for and supplied with was quinine. Nine out of every ten persons during these years had fever and ague, as a result of the Black Swamp conditions. A plank road was laid from Fremont to Fostoria in 1850. The first communication by railroad was in 1859 known as the Lake Erie & Western. The population of Fostoria in 1920 was 9,987. The city manufactures automobiles, pulleys, trucks, separators, spokes, bent wood products, 424 - HISTORY OF OHIO carbons, barrels, lumber, lime, overalls, screws, glass, wire, incandescent lamps, railway signals, carriages, underwear. It has stone quarries and brass and iron foundries. The value of its property listed for taxation in 1923 was $12,246,510. Fostoria was the home of Charles Foster, congressman, governor of Ohio and secretary of the treasury in the cabinet of Benjamin Harrison. Other towns and villages of the county are Greenspring village, New Riegelville, Bloomville village, Bettsville, Republic, and Atica. Rome and Risdon were early day hamlets and great rivals, but both have disappeared from recent maps. The present county officials are : Probate judge, Clyde C. Porter ; clerk of the courts, William E. Lautermilch ; sheriff, Joseph W. Parks ; auditor, Arthur W. Powell ; county commissioners, Fred W. Dudrow, Wilbert A. Jordan and Charles L. Park ; treasurer', Frank A. Mabery ; recorder, J. D. McConnell ; surveyor, H. Z. Hakes ; prosecuting attorney, Walter K. Keppel ; coroner, Frank Dildine ; county superintendent of schools, J. E. Sherck ; agricultural agent, J. P. Schmidt. SHELBY COUNTY Shelby County was formed from a part of Miami in 1819, and was named in honor of General Isaac Shelby, an officer in the Revolution, who was elected the first governor of Kentucky. The topography in the north is a flat table land, while in the southern part it is more hilly. Loramie's summit, in this county, has an elevation of 378 feet above Lake Erie—the highest of any point in this part of Ohio. It has a total area of 413 square miles. Its civil townships are as follows : Clinton, Cynthian, Dinsmore, Franklin, Green, Jackson, Loramie, McLean, Orange, Perry, Salem, Turtle Creek, Van Buren, Washington. Shelby County at various times has had a population indicated by the United States census reports as shown here : In 1820, it had 2,106 ; 1830, 3,671 ; 1840, 12,154 ; 1850, 13,958 ; 1860, 17,493 ; 1870, 20,748 ; 1880, 24,137 of whom 19,988 were Ohio-born ; 1890, 24,707; 1900, 24,625; 1910, 24,663 ; 1920, 25,923 ; population per square mile, 62.8. The present (1923-24) county officials are : Probate judge, Elmer F. Shoat ; clerk of the courts, William A. Dorst ; sheriff, F. W. Clark auditor, C. M. Fogt ; county commissioners, Ed S. McClure, J. F. Cole, and J. M. Klase ; treasurer, Alphonso Beery ; recorder, P. B. Stock-still ; surveyor, Oscar F. Schilling ; prosecuting attorney, Hugh Bingham ; coroner, Cyrul Hussey ; county superintendent of schools, W. E. Partington ; agricultural agent, R. M. Munger. The county produces good crops of all that is common to this climate. The bulletin from the State Agricultural department at Columbus for 1923-24 presents the following statistics : In 1923 the county raised 64,000 acres of corn producing 2,368,000 bushels ; wheat, 17,000 acres, 289,000 bushels ; oats, 36,000 acres, bushels, 936,000; barley, 1,230 acres, bushels, 24,600 ; rye, 990 acres, bushels, 15,840 ; tons of hay, 28,000 ; potatoes, 67,850 bushels ; horses in 1924, 10,100 ; cattle, 22,000 ; dairy cows, 11,420 ; swine, 45,888 ; sheep, 7,210 ; land in farms, in 1920, 245,769; average size farm, 80.2 acres. The early Indian history of this region is full of interest. Through it passed Celeron and his little army of French Canadians and Indians in 1749. A full account of his expedition is found elsewhere in this work. A French Canadian trader named Peter Loramie was the first white man identified with this part of the country. He established his trading post in 1769 at the mouth of the stream now bearing his name —Loramie. It is said this trader was bitter against the Americans. Later he, with a band of 200 Indians, settled west of the Missouri River. The village of Hardin now stands on the spot where his trading post was located.