HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY - 275
CHAPTER VI.
ORGANIC HISTORY.
ON the organization of Ohio Territory, Washington County was established with its western
limits resting on the Scioto River and its northern on Lake Erie. In 1790 Hamilton County was
organ ized. In 1796 Wayne County was set off, and within the two following years five more
counties were established. In 1800 Fairfield and Trumbull were established. In 1803 the counties
of Gallia, Sciota, Franklin, Columbiana, Butler, Warren, Greene and Montgomery were added In
1805 Athens was formed from Washington County. In 1804 Muskingum was established; in
1805 Highland and Champaign; in 180 Ashtabula, Portage, Cuyahoga and Miami; in 1808 Stark,
Preble, Knox Licking, Delaware, Tuscarawas; in. 1809 Darke, Huron; in 1810 Pickaway,
Madison, Clinton, Fayette, Guernsey; in 181 Coshocton; in 1812 Medina; in 1813 Monroe and
Richland; in 1814 Hocking an Harrison.; in 1815 Pike; in 1816 Jackson, Lawrence; in 1817
Clark Logan, Perry, Brown; in 1818 Morgan; in 1819 Shelby and Meigs in 1820 Allen,
Crawford, Marion, Mercer, Hardin, Hancock, Henry
276 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY.
Williams, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Union, Van Wert and Wood. The last named
counties, including Allen, were set off from Indian Territory, and were not organized for years
after their establish. ment, and in the case of Allen County, not for fourteen, years after the treaty
of the Maumee Rapids.
The organic act of 1820 provided that the lands ceded by the Indians in the treaty of Maumee
should be divided into fourteen counties, viz: Townships 1, 2 and 3 south, in 1, 2, 3 and 4 Ranges
to form Van Wert; all of Ranges 1, 2, 3 and 4 south of Townships 1, 2 and 3 south, to form
Mercer; all of Townships 1 and 2 south, and 1 and 2 north in Ranges 5, 6, .7 and 8, to form
Putnam; and lastly all of the second townships to the northern limits of the organized counties to
form Allen County. This act further provided that Allen County be attached to Shelby County for
judicial purposes. Subsequently Allen was attached to Mercer until the organization of 1831. In
1829 Christopher Wood, of Allen, was nominated by the Legislature, with Justin Hamilton, of
Mercer, and Adam Barber, of Putnam, a Board of Commissioners to locate the seat of justice for
each of the counties which they represented. This was acco m pushed, and the organization of the
county followed in 1831. The progress made toward advancing the interests of Allen County, so
far as the Commissioners were concerned, is pointed out in the following resume of their
transactions. (In the history of Amanda Township the part taken by the Commissioners of Mercer
County is related.)
The County Commissioners, James Daniels, .John G. Wood and Samuel Stewart, with William
G. Wood, Secretary, met June 6, 1831. A petition for the organization of Jackson Township was
considered and granted. Authority was also granted to organize the township of Sciota. The
Assessor was allowed $1 for his services. A road from Section 12, Township 3 south, Range 8
east to the county seat, was authorized, and Francis Stephenson, John Cochran and Samuel
Jacobs appointed to lay out such road, with Justin Hamilton, surveyor. Joseph Crawford was
appointed to keep the standard measure for Allen County. A levy of 8 mills on the dollar was
ordered.
The meeting of August 27 merely contracted with Josiah Crawford to build the first court house
for $175. October 1, 1831, the Commissioners appointed Henry Lippincott to prepare plans for
"fixing some
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY - 277
place of confinement for Uri Martin, under arrest as an insane person."
Morgan Lippincott's name appears upon the roll of Commissioners in December, 1831, when a
meeting was held at the house of Absalom Brown at Lima. The construction of the State Road
and other matters were considered. Authority was also granted to organize the Township of
German. Christopher Wood, Director of the town of Lima, was ordered to sell out lots as
surveyed by James W. Riley.
The order to organize Auglaize Township was issued March 5, 1832. On the same day the
records made by Nathan Daniels, late Recorder, were ordered to be transcribed by John Ward,
then Recorder, on account of Daniels' ink not being good.
On June 4, 1832, Adam White was appointed County Treasurer vice Josiah Crawford who was
elected, but failed to give bonds. In December, 1832, John P. Mitchell took his place on the
Board at a meeting held at James Edward's house December 3, with Lippincott and Daniels. The
town of Scotia was disestablished, and that district attached to Auglaize Township for judicial
purposes.
The first meeting of the Commissioners in the new court house was held March 4, 1833. A
petition presented by Griffrth John praying for the enlargement of German Township was
granted. Authority was given to organize the township of Deuchoquette, election to be held at J.
Ayres' house in Wapakonetta. In June, 1833, authority was granted to organize Wayne Township,
as prayed for in a petition presented by Bazzle Day. July 1, 1833, the contraet for building the jail
was let to David Tracey for $179. Up to this date the amount realized from the sale of town lots
in Lima was $3,317.19 1/2.
In December, 1833, Griffith John, John P. Mitchell and James Daniels presided as
Commissioners. In March, 1834, a petition presented by Benjamin F. Cochran, asking for the
establishment of a new township off the north end of Amanda, was granted, and Marion
Township was ordered to be organized. At this session Town 5 south, Range 7 east, was set off
as a township to be named Union. The establishment of Perry Township, or Township 4 south,
Range 7 east, was authorized and an election ordered to be held at Joseph Crossley's in April,
1834. In April, 1834, James A. Anderson was appointed Appraiser to revalue the real estate of
the county in accordance with the Legislative Act of
278 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY.
February 24, 1834. Silas Faurot was Assessor. In June, 1834, Isaac Bowyer appeared before the
Commissioners and made oath that the sum of $96 was all he had out bearing interest instead of
$206, for which he was assessed. The Board placed the value on Tompkin's mill at $300 and a
like value on Lippincott's mill. The Capital of E. C. Case was reduced from $2,000 to $1,500 for
assessment, and the value of Barnett & Co's mill at Wapakonetta raised from $2.50 to $300.
On November, 1834, James H. Coleman, Griffrth John and James A. Anderson, County
Commissioners, appointed Samuel Black, Auditor. On December 1 a petition presented by E.
Hover asking that Township 4, Range 6, be set off into a separate township, was granted, and the
name Shawnee adopted. An election was ordered to be held at Ezekiel Hover's house, December
13, 1834. It was decreed that so much of original Township 4 south, Range 5 east, as previously
belonged to German Township, should be attached to Amanda. Town 6 south, Range 6 east, was
set off as Pusheta Township, and an election ordered to be held at Joseph Moyer's house on
December 20. Town 6 south, Range 5 east was set off under the name Washington, and an
election ordered to be held December 20, at the house of George Epperson. Owing to the change
in Jackson Township, so much of Township 3 south, Range 7 east, as belonged to Jackson
previous to alteration was attached to Bath Township.
The petition to have original Town 3, Range 8 east, set off as a separate township and to retain
the original name, Jackson, was granted. A petition to have original Township 6 south, Range 7
east, to be made the limits of township, and to be designated Clay, was granted. An election was
ordered to be held at James H. Coleman's house, December 20, 1834. A petition was presented
December 7, 1835, from the people of Township 5 south, Range 5 east, by Joseph Haskell,
praying to be set off as a separate township under the name Moulton. This petition was granted,
and an election ordered to be held at Joseph Haskell's house, January 30, 1836. In April, 1836,
throe Trustees and a Treasurer were elected to take charge of School Section 16, in Union
Township.
Henry B. Thorn, Griffith John and John Brand, Commissioners, Samuel Black, Auditor, and D.
H. Stuckey, Assessor, formed the Equaliza-
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY - 279
tion Board in 1836-37. In December, 1836, the township of Goshen was formed out of Wayne,
and an election ordered to be held at Eli B. Corson's house, December 17, 1836.
Michael Leatherman, Henry B. Thorn and John Brand opened the Commissioners' Court in
January, 1836. In May, 1837, D. D. Tompkins William Cunningham and Lorin Kennedy were
appointed Fund Commissioners, under the Legislative Act of March 28, 1837, to take charge of
the surplus revenue of the county. Throughout the years 1835, 1836 and 1837 the principal
business of the Board consisted in granting petitions for county and state roads and auditing
accounts.
In December, 1837, John Schooler, Henry B. Thorn and John Brand formed the Commissioners'
Board. The establishment of county roads and alteration of roads already established may be said
to have occupied the attention of the Board during the year 1838. James Spray replaced Henry B.
Thorn on the Board in December, 1838. The establishment of roads, alteration of roads, both
State and county, formed the main business of the Board. In December, 1839, John M. Wilson
replaced Commissioner Spray. March 17, 1840, the Commissioners adopted plans for a new
court house and jail, made by Chatfield, of Urbana and let the contract for building to Orlando
Boughton, of Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio, he binding himself to furnish material and to build
and complete the house for $13,325. Of the sum required the Fund Commissioners were to
furnish $10,000. The contractors were to complete the work by January 1, 1843.
In December, 1840, Henry B. Thorn took John Schooler's place on the Board. In July, 1841, the
pioneer court house and jail and Lots 88 and 130 were sold at public auction. In December, 1841,
Shadrack Montgomery and Charles H. Williams were sworn in as Commissioners and took their
places on the Board with John Brand. In December 1842, Charles C. Marshall took John Brand's
place on the Board and on the 7th of that month the Commissioners took possession of the new
court house. John M. Anderson was appointed Recorder vice John Alexander, Jr., resigned.
Matthew Dobbins took his seat as Commissioner, December 4, 1843, vice C. H. Williams, whose
term of office expired. During the ensuing year the Board transacted very important business
outside establishment
280 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
of roads. A settlement with Collectors whose accounts were in bad shape, one with bondsman of
Merchant Veil, who is stated to have made a false inventory with a view of defeating the objects
of County Assessor and Collector, a refund for the amount of counterfeit money paid out by one
of the Trustees of the Surplus Fund, and other measures of a like character were acted upon, such
as the correction of the deed given by the State for the town of Lima. In October, 1844, Nicholas
Zanglein replaced Montgomery on the Commissioners' Board. Jacob B. Haller replaced C C.
Marshall on the Board in December, 1845. During this session $250 were allowed to the editor of
the Argus for printing the delinquent lists of 1845. George W. Andrews was also ordered to
remove his printing office from the grand jury room, for which a sum of $25 per annum rental
was ordered to be retained out of the $250 due to him. During the winter of 1845-46, the debtors
room in the court house was used occasionally as a ball-room. In March, 1846, the
Commissioners had the subject brought before them and orders were directed to the Sheriff to
put a stop to such gaiety in that room. In March, 1846, the county was divided into assessors'
districts. District No. 1 comprised Jackson, Bath, Perry, Auglaize Townships; District No. 2,
German, Marion, Amanda and Shawnee; District No. 3, Deuchoquette, Moulton, Washington
and Pusheta; and District No. 4, Clay, Union, Wayne and Goshen. The Assessors appointed were
John M. Wilson, 1st District; Griffith John, 2d District; John Elliott, 3d District; Hugh F.
Rinehart, District No. 4. The amount of tax to be levied was estimated at $7,S78. In December,
1846, Samuel Walker replaced Matthew Dobbins on the Board. , In February, 1818, Thomas K.
Jacobs was appointed County Treasurer, vice Alex Beatty deceased.
REORGANIZATION OF 1848.
The Commissioners in session, February 28, 1848, ordained the following changes in the
township of Allen, consequent on the formation of Auglaize County: The south tier of sections
taken from Riley Township is added to Richland Township. The north tier of sections of German
Township is added to the south half of Sugar Creek and is organized into a township to be called
Sugar Creek, the balance of German Township to retain its original name. The south half of
Marion and
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY - 281
the north half of Amanda Townships are established as one township under the name of Amanda.
The north half of Marion and the south half of Jennings, taken from Putnam County, are
established as one township under the name Marion. The northeast quarter of Salem and the east
half of Jennings. taken from Van Wert County, are set off into one township to be called
Spencer. So much of Shawnee as is still left in Allen County is to retain its original name.
Monroe - Township is to retain its name and organization. The balance of Allen County is to
remain as already organized.
In June, 1848, the Commissioners ordered a tax of $8,082.68 to be levied, being 6i mills per
dollar on the valuation. In December, Samuel Rockhill and William Akerman joined Jacob
Haller on the County Board. In September, 1849, the question of subscribing to the stock of the
Great Western Railroad was before the Board. In December, 1849, Burgess Dickey replaced
Jacob Haller on the Board. During the session of that month the vote on granting $50,000 aid to
the Great Western Railroad was canvassed, when it was learned that 747 favored the subscription
and 457 opposed it. In June, 1850, the questions of vacating the old burial ground of Lima and
the establishment of the new cemetery were before the Board. A parcel of the old grounds was
reserved for the purpose of extending North Street. On June 1, 1850, bonds for $50,000 were
issued.
In 1851 Hugh Dobbins was appointed Recorder, vice John W. Thomas, deceased. Messrs.
Akerman, Rockhill and Dickey were the Commissioners.
In May, 1853, the Commissioners of Allen and Putnam Counties met and agreed upon the sum of
$3,848.76 as due by Allen County to Putnam, resulting from the changes following the
establishment of Auglaize County. In December, 1853, Christian Steman took his place on the
Board. The establishment and alteration of roads may be said to have occupied the solo attention
of the Board during the year 1853-54. Moses Patterson took his seat on the Board in December,
1854, Horace Bixby was sworn in a Commissioner in December, 1855, and Joseph Griffiths in
December, 1856. In May, 1857, the petition of the citizens residing within what is now known as
Ottawa, asking that it be set off under the name of Ottawa from Bath, Shawnee, German and
Perry, was
282 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY.
presented. This petition was granted and the little township of Ottawa was organized as a
division of the county.
The transactions of the Commissioners' Board, since 1858, have increased in just such measure
as the county has gone forward in the path of progress. Public enterprise, expressed through the
Board of our own times, has dwarfed the little dealings which marked the Board of olden days,
and in 1884 gave to the county a most substantial monument to her progress, to her prosperity
and to her enterprise.
COUNTY BUILDINGS.
In the history of the Commissioners' Board it has been stated that, on August 27, 1831, Josiah
Crawford entered into a contract with the County Commissioners to erect the pioneer court house
in consideration of a payment to him, during the progress of the work, ef $175. This meeting of
the Board was held at James Daniels' house. Again the Commissioners met at the house of
Absalom Brown, and in 1832 at Joseph Edward's house. On March 4, 1833, the first meeting of
the Commissioners' Board was held within the first court house, and there meetings were held
until 1842, when what is now known as the old court house was dedicated, and on December 7,
that year, was formally opened. In July, 1841, the pioneer court house and jail, together with Lots
88 and 130, were sold at auction,
The question of building a new court house was brought before the people in 1839, and on March
17, 1840, plans for a structure which would answer the dual purpose of court house and jail were
adopted by the Board. Orlando Boughton, of Wayne County, contracted with the county to
furnish material, build and complete the house, for $13,325. In the fall of 1842 the
Commissioners' Board accepted the building, and on December 7, of that year, held the first
meeting therein. This building, on the southwest corner of West Market Street and the Square,
stands a monument to the public enterprise of that day.
THE NEW COURT HOUSE.
The vote on the question of building a new court house was taken April 4, 1881. In the following
record of this vote D. represents the dissenters, and C. the contents, the former aggregating 1,014,
and the latter 3,333, a majority of 2,319 in favor of building.
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Bluffton Precinct, 120 D., 124 C.; Beaver Dam Precinct, 68 D., 105 C.; Lima, First Ward, 12 D.,
393 C. ; Second Ward, 6 D., 448 C.; Third Ward, 3 D.. 301 C.; Fourth Ward, 10 D., 108 C., or
for Lima City, 31 D., 1,250 C.; Monroe Township, 71 D., 208 C.; Sugar Creek, 45 D., 17 C. ;
Marion, 223 D., 370 C,; Spencer, 12 D., 137 C.; Amanda, 92 D., 81 C. ; German, 16 D., 124 C. ;
Bath, 25 D., 151 C. ; Jackson, 85 D., 186 C.; Auglaize, 33 D., 170 C.; Perry, 75 D., 141 C.;
Shawnee, 17 D., 152 C.; and Ottawa, 1 D., 14 C.; total, 1,014 D., 3,333 C. Commissioners W.
W. Williams, F. M. Clum and Jacob Crites, with S. D. Chambers, Auditor, were present, as
canvassers of this vote.
The Commissioners at once entered on the work of carrying out the wishes of the great majority
of the people. George W. Overmyer, then Probate Judge; D. L. Crites, Clerk of the Court of
Common Pleas; John Franks, Sheriff, and James Irvine, appointed by the Judge of Common
Pleas, with the Commissioners, formed the Committee on Plans and Specifications. J. A. States
took his place on the Commissioners' Board, December 5, 1881, vice W. W. Williams, whose
term expired; H. S. Prophet, Prosecuting Attorney, acted as Counsel for the committee.
The appointment of G. H. Maetzel, of Columbus, Ohio (whose plans were adopted September
20, 1881), as architect of the building, was made October 27, 1881; the plans and specifications
which he had previously submitted being accepted by the Building Committee. Bonds for
$142,500 were negotiated by one of the banking houses of Lima, and advertisement made for
proposals to build the court house, September 16, 1881. On November 10, 1881, the
Commissioners entered into the following contracts:
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