HISTORY
OF
PERRY COUNTY
OHIO
BY
CLEMENT L. MARTZOLFF
PUBLISHED BY WARD & WEILAND
NEW LEXINGTON, OHIO
COLUMBUS, OHIO
PRESS OF FRED. J. HEER
1902
Entered According to the Act of Congress
in the Year 1902
BY CLEMENT L. MARTZOLFF
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress
at Washington.
"A few moments before crossing the far-famed battle field of Montmirail, I met a cart rather strangely Wen; it was drawn by a horse and an ass, and contained pans, kettles, old trunks, straw-bottomed chairs, with a heap of old furniture. In front, in a sort of basket, were three children, almost in a state of nudity; behind, in another, were several hens. The driver' wore a blouse, was walking, and carried a child on his back. A few steps from him was, a woman. They were all hastening toward Montmirail, as if the great battle of 1814 were on the eve of being fought.
I was informed, however, that this was not a removal; it was an expatriation. It was not to Montmirail they were going — it was to America. They were not flying to the sound of the .trumpet of war —they were hurrying from misery and starvation. In a word, it was a family of poor Alsatian peasants who were emigrating. They could not obtain a living in their native land, but had been promised one in Ohio." — From VICTOR HUGO'S "The Rhine."
To my Alsatian grandparents, paternal and maternal, who were among the pioneers of Perry county, and who may have been the ones seen by Victor Hugo, this volume is respectfully dedicated.
FOREWORD.
Apology for the existence of this book will not be hidden under the multi-repeated quotation, "of the making of many books," etc., or the "filling of a long felt want."
It is written because the author "wanted" to write it.
It is being published because friends have generously subscribed for it.
I believe that there is room for a small volume containing in brief, the main facts concerning the history and industrial development of this county.
We teach our children about happenings in remote ages, in countries of which they know nothing, and allow the occur-rences transpiring before them to pass by unnoted.
Every teacher can testify to the woeful ignorance of the youth, as to local affairs, while every school examiner can truthfully say the same about the teachers.
It is my belief that in this book has been collected much that will prove a source of information and interest to many. The subject is not in any manner exhausted. A vast amount more could have been written, but the aim has been to ex-clude all matter of secondary importance.
To acknowledge, individually, the assistance received from friends, in the way of data, would require more space than can be devoted to it. I am under the deepest obligation to them, and but for their suggestion and aid this volume would not have been possible.
CLEMENT L. MARTZOLFF.
New Lexington, Ohio, June 18, 1902.
SEARCH ENGINE
CONTENTS.