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AMANDA TOWNSHIP - 403 CHAPTER XVI. AMANDA TOWNSHIP. THIS division of the county was the first to fall into the possession of the American pioneer, and one of the first divisions of the entire Northwest to be occupied by United States troops. In the history of Ft. Amanda (vide Hist. of Occupation and Settlement), it is established that a fort was erected here in 812 by the troops of Col. Poague's command, who called the position 404 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY. Fort Amanda, in honor of the Colonel's wife. In 1817 a few settlers arrived, who occupied the block-houses within the stockade around this fort. They were Andrew Russell, who died five years later, and was interred in the military cemetery ; Peter Diltz who returned to Montgomery County, Ohio, in August, 1818, and revisited the place in 1821; and William Van Ausdall whose death occurred in 1824 and whose remains were placed next to the grave of Andrew Russell. The record of settlers, who came to the township immediately after the first trio of immigrants, were Henry Hartel, 1820, Dye Sunderland and family in 1821, William Stewart, George Kephart, Jacob Hartel, Peter Sunderland, (a revolutionary soldier, who died here in 1827), Wm. Sunderland, Benjamin Russell, Samuel Stewart, Joseph Sutton, Thomas Adams, Ferd. Miller, Solomon Carr, Samuel Washburn, William Berryman. and brothers, Daniel Hoak, 1824-25; James and John Crozier, Daniel Garde, Jacob and Silas Miller, 1825 or 1826; William Cochran, Samuel Moore, William Adams, William Durham, and Isaac Knoop, 1827-28; Archelaus Martin, John Ireland, William Winans, Fred, Tom and Josiah Clawson, Henry Harris, Saul and John Patton, Samuel and James Baxter, William Knuttle, in 1828-29. In the following list the names of the original purchasers of government lands in this township are given. With very few exceptions the buyers became residents here, and thus the list suits the dual purpose of an old resident's roll, as well as roster of original land buyers. U. S. LANDS ENTERED IN AMANDA 1822-54. Godfrey King, section 1, 1852. Amos Imbler, section 1, 1852, William Imbler, section 1, 1853. Simon Crites, section 1, 1853. Cyrus Crites, section 1, 1852. Jonathan Douthill, section 1, 1854. Philip Herring, section 1, 1854. John Sutton, section 2, 1852. Washington Cunningham, section 2, 1851 Matthew W. Burger, section 2, 1851. Samuel Hart, section 2, 1851. Bezel Culver, section 2, 1852. Levi Schock, section 2, 1850. Azarias Schock, section 2, 1850. Silas Mills, section 2, 1852. Squire Mills, section 2, 1850. John Coon, section 2, 1850. Samuel Knittle, section 3, 1853. Jacob Bressler, Jr., section 3, 1852 Peter Ely, section 3, 1852. Bezel Culver, section 3. 1854. Cyrus Hoak, section 3, 1849. John Culver, section 3, 1850. .Thomas Sutton, section 3, 1848. Jacob Fry, section 3, 1850. Jonathan Barrack, section 3, 1853. Peter Ely, section 4, 1850. Manuel Place, section 4, 1849. Amos Evans, section 4, 1850. Solomon Carr, section 4, 1834. AMANDA TOWNSHIP - 405 George Kephart, section 4, 1825. Jacob Harter, section 4, 1825. Osman Kephart, section 4, 1848. Archibald Sutton, section 4, 1836. Thomas Sutton, section 4, 1836. George Kephart, section 5, 1825. Daniel Garde, section 5, 1828. Washington Mark, section 5, 1846. Barnabas Koche, section 5, 1852. Nathan Hadington, section 5, 1852. Jacob Harter, section 5, 1845. Isaac Biggs, section 5, 1850. William Harter, section 5, 1847. Harter & Place, section 5, 1850. Jacob Harter, section 5, 1849. H. Osterhout, section 5, 1849. P. Ely, section 5, 1849. Robert Moody, section 6, 1835. Isaac Mills, section 6, 1836. Sylvester B. Wolsey, section 6, 1834. Jacob Carr, section 6, 1835. Robert Moody, section 6, 1835. Simon Perkins, section 6, —. Jacob Harter, section 18, 1835. William Stewart, section 18, 1836. William Wherrott, section 18, 1849. Zadoc Bice, section 18, 1849. James Stewart, section 18, 1836. Demas Adams, section 18, 1836. Jacob Harter, section 9, 1826. Samuel Stewart, section 9, 1825. William Stewart, section 9, 1825. John Harter, section 9, 1845. William Bice, section 9, 1847. Samuel Stewart, section 9, 1845. Isaiah Chamberlain, section 9, 1850. Charles Post, section 9, 184.5. Samuel Stewart, section 9, 1847. George Hainly, section 9, 1850. Thomas Berryman, section 9, 1848. H. Nelson Bermiss, section 10, 1835. John Young, section 10, 1835. Benj. Russell, section 10, 1827. Thomas Adams, section 10, 1834. Samuel Stewart, section 10, 1834. Amelia Post, section 10, 1822. Wm. Sunderland, section 10, 1826. Permenas Williams, section 1, 1853. Guisham Peffers, section 1, —. Charles Kemmer, section 1, —. Alexander Madden, section 1, —. John Foreman, section 1, —. Peter Young, section 1, —. James Bober, section 1, —. W. S. Coleman, section 1, — Nathan G. Platt, section 12, 1850. John Gaskill, section 12, 1849. George J. Coon, section 12, 1850. Squire Mills, section 12, 1848. Frederick Reece, section 12, 1849. Abrm. I. Decoursey, section 12, 1850. Isaac Coon, section 12, 1849. Joseph Babcock, section 12, 1851. Charles Haines, section 12, 1850. John Gaskill, section 12, 1850. George Brown, section 12, 1848. Henry Kridler, section 13, 1852. Joseph Babcock, section 13, 1851. James Willeby, section 13, 1852. Jacob Bower, section 13, 1851. Wm. Durham, section 13, 1827. John Brand, section 13, 1848. Wm. Blackburn, section 13, 1852 Joshua Sprague, section 13, 1850. Henry Sprague, section 13, 1853. Albert Tyson, section 13, 1853. George Sunderland, section 14, 1850. Valentine Bowersock, section 14, 1849. James Sunderland, section 14, 1848. James Bowersock, section 14, 1848. Daniel Sunderland, section 14, 1848. John Clink, section 14, 1850. Wm. Sunderland, section 14, 1848. Smith Cremean, Jr., section 14, 1850. Dye Sunderland, section 14, 1836. Dye Sunderland, section 15, 1822. Wm. Underwood, section 15, 1822. Andrew Russell, section 15, 1822. Jacob Shaffer, section 15, 1852. Peter Sunderland, section 15, 1848. Wm. Sunderland, section 15, 1857. Mary Ann O'Brian, section 15, 1850. Johnson Busby, section 15, 1853. Tobias Shaffer, section 15, 1853. Mary Ann O'Brian, section 15, 1850. Thomas Bereman, section 15, 1846. Jacob Shaffer, section 16, 1854. E. B. Fisher, section 16, —. Osman Kephart, section 16, —. H. B. Fisher, section 16, —. John Culver, section 16, —. F. Baum, section 16, —. T. K. Jacobs, section 16, —. Henry Miller, section 16, —. 24 406 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY. James Carter, section 16, —. James Mills, section 16, --. John Wolfinger, section 16, —. James Colter, section 16, —. Frederick Shoemaker, section 16, — Joseph Cockinger, section 17, 1850. George Hanley, section 17, 1851. Jacob Harter, section 17, 1852. Henry B. Dehart, section 17, 1851. Peter Frederick, section 17, 1851. Frederick Francis, section 17, 1852. Jacob Shaffer, section 17, 1852. Charles F. Shively, section 17, 1853. Samuel Thompson, section 19, 1850. Isaac Johnson, section 19, 1850. William Grooves, section 19, 1852. Zacharias Chamberlain, section 19, 1852 John Grooves, section 19, 1852. John Howard, section 19, 1854. Alexander B. Foster, section 19, 1850. John Badger, section 19, 1850. George Robinson, section 19, 1850. Resmond Willman, section 20, 1835. John Schiverer, section 20, 1835. M. G. Mitchell, section 20, 1834. William Mitchell, section 20, 1834. Simon Perkins, section 20, 1835. Benj. P. Southworth, section 20, 1834. John Snavely, section 20, 1835. Jacob Harris, section 21, 1850. Noah Poling, section 21, 1851. Phillip Herring, section 21, 1850. N. Strayer, section 21, 1850. S. Strayer, section 21, 1850. Fielding L. Miller, section 21, 1850. Jacob S. Baker, section 21, 1856. Cornelius Gardner, section 22, 1835. Jeremiah Hillyard, section 22, 1849. Henry Gillespie, section 22, 1850. Fred. Marquand, section 22, 1836. David Brinkley, section 22, 1849. Sebastian Eichs, section 22, 1849. Jacob Hittle, section 22, 1845. John Griffith, section 23, 1850. George Miller, section 23, 1846. Joshua Davidson, section 23, 1850. Addison Patton, section 23, 1852. Benj. Poling, section 23, 1850. Jacob Roush, section 23, 1849. Smith Baxter, section 23, 1852. Hiram Richards, section 23, 1850. Mary Barbee, section 23, 1850. Ferdinand Miller, section 23, 1846. Michael Bowers, section 23, 1848. Michael Bowers, section 24, 1834. James S. Connell. section 24, 1844. John Bates, section 24, 1839. Solomon Browne, section 24, 1844. Griffith John, section 24, 1834. James Johnson, section 24, 1839. Joseph Binkley, section 24, 1847. Thos. K. Jacobs, section 24, 1844. Lorin Kennedy, section 24, 1844. John Bates, section 24, 1839. John Bates, section 25, 1839. Jos. Binkley, section 25, 1847. Smith Cremean, section 25, 1847. Thomas Sylar, section 26, 1836. Wm. Bowns, section 26, 1847. Madison Hamilton, section 26, 1835. John Bowers, section 26,1849. Joseph Miller, section 26, 1848. David Goodin, section 26, 1847. Peter W. Cahill, section 26, 1847. James J. Westbay, section 26, 1849. James Morris, section 26, 1850. John Brenneman, section 27, 1850. George Himsaker, section 27, 1850. Joseph Shope, section 27, 1853. Fred Freisner, section 27, 1853. Jacob Sakemiller. section 27, 1853. Henry 0. Syfert, section 27, 1853. John Stotler, section 27. 1852. John Salters, section 27, 1851. Jacob Concklin, section 218, 1835. Isaac Conaway, section 29, 1852. Silas G. Swisher, section 29, 1850. Alanson Hayes, section 29, 1850. Oramel H. Bliss, section 29, 1845. Reuben Williams, section 29, 1852. Eckerd Peters, section 29, 1853. Jesse Miller, section 30, 1834. Jacob Miller, section 30, 1834. Theodore Strong, section 30, 1835. Lewis Strong, section 30, 1835. Simon Perkins, section 30, 1835. Samuel Forrer, section 30,1834. Samuel Miller, section 30, 1834. Elijah J. Brown, section 30, 1849. Henry Miller, section 31, 1850. Jacob Carr. section 31, 1848. Bernard Brockman, section 31, 1847. Wm. Tyler, section 31, 1845. Wm. Chaffee, section 31, 1850. AMANDA TOWNSHIP.- 407 Wm. Ryan. section 31, 1846. Geo. W. Briggs, section 31, 1846. Charles Emerson, section 31, 1850. Demos Adams, section 32, 1836. Samuel Marshall, section 32, 1834. Wm. Stewart, section 32, 1834. Benj. P. Southworth, section 32, 1834. Wm. Wolery, section 32, 1835. Sylvester R. Wolery, section 32, 1836. Thos. B. Van Home, section 32, 1835. Isaac Knoop, section 32, 1828. Samuel Moore, section 32, 1827. Washington Mark, section 32, 1850. Ormand Kephart, section 33, 1853. Jonathan Zerkel, section 33, 1853. Margaret Leffinwell, section 33, 1853. Wm. Trine, section 33, 1853. Jas. E. McFarland, section 33, 1853. Joseph Kibble, section 33, 1850. Washington Mark, section 33, 1846. John Brown, section 33, 1853. Thomas Sutton, section 33, 1853 Bazell Culver, section 33, 1853 Samuel Shope, section 34, 1851. Fred. Marquand, section 34, 1836. Gershon S. Williams, section 34, 1851. James Place, section 34, 1851. Lewis Herring, section 34, 1851. Henry W. Philbrock, section 35, 1853. Penrose Herring, section 35, 1853. Henry W. Philbrock. section 35, 1853. David Kitchen, section 35, 1853. Ezra Salters, section 35, 1851. George W. Hood, section 35, 1852. Penrose Herring, section 35, 1854. Phillip Herring, section 35, 1854. Abner Haverstick, section 35, 1853. Joseph Butterbough, section 35, 1853. Solomon Deen, section 35, 1853. John Bates, section 36, 1839. Abraham Brenneman, section 36, 1847. Joseph Kemp, section 36, 1848. John Ross, section 36, 1851. Elijah Riley, section 36, 1844. SCHOOLS. At an early period in the history of Amanda Township a log schoolhouse stood on the Eli Barfried (G. W. Richardson) farm, in which one Benham and subsequently William Knuttle taught school. In 1829 Archelaus Martin presided over a school of about fifteen pupils. The advances made in educational matters since 1829 are portrayed in the following statistics for 1884, which deal with the township schools: The amount of receipts for year ending August 31, 1884, was $3,884.74; of expenditures, $3,785.08. The number of pupils enrolled, 1,022-515 boys and 507 girls. There are nine schoolhouses, valued at $8,500, including grounds, etc. There were ten male and three female teachers employed, three of the former and two of the latter teaching the entire time. Gentlemen received an average salary of $41, and ladies of $35 per month. The Amanda separate school district gives the following report: Receipts in 1884 amounted to $609.718; the expenditures, $576. There is one school building valued at $1,700. The pupils enrolled number thirty-seven, twenty-eight boys and nine girls. CHURCHES. The Baptists had an organized society here as early as 1830, but their 408 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY. house of worship, the first in the township, was not erected until 1841. Rev. Joseph Hill and Rev. Charles Waddle were the first preachers in 1830. In 1866 the Baptists erected a church in the settlement known as Armstrong Village. The Methodist Episcopal Society was founded here at an early date, but the question of building a house of worship was not entertained until 1847-48, when a church building was erected on Section 24, at a cost of $1,000. The Methodists have two church buildings at present. The Christian Brethren erected a church on Section 9 immediately after the war, In 1868 the Christian Union erected a house of worship, and in 1875 the United Brethren built on Section 25. VILLAGES. The village of Amanda was platted in 1832 by Samuel Washburn, who married the widow of Andrew Russell. Armstrong Village may be said to date from 1842, when the flouring-mill was erected at that point by Tone & Co. The location on the southwest bank of the Auglaize is pleasant. Southworth, a little postal town in the northwest quarter of the township, is on the Miami & Erie Canal and Delphos & Indianapolis R. R. The post office known as Armstrong, Amanda Township, was moved to Conant, the nucleus of a new village on the Chicago & Atlantic Railroad, in 1884. ORGANIZATION. When the township was organized under authority granted by the Commissioners of Mercer County in 1830, there were only thirteen electors in the town, twelve of whom were present at organization. Samuel Baxter was chosen Clerk, and Daniel Hoak, Justice of Peace. William Stewart, Solomon Carr, Commissioner of Mercer County; Samuel Washburn, A. Martin and others were also elected to fill town offices. Previous to organization, however, the Mercer County authorities interested themselves in the improvement of this portion of Allen County. The orders issued, names of those to whom issued, dates, and amounts,— all given in the following abstract of Mercer County records relating to Allen County—show very clearly the action of Mercer toward Allen in the days of her rule. AMANDA TOWNSHIP - 409 No. 1. Order issued to Justin Hamilton, for five dollars and eighty cents, out of the three per cent funds of Allen County. July 20, 1830, $5.80. No. 2. Order issued to John Wyland, for three dollars and forty-nine cents, out of Allen County funds, for service, as commissioner of road, from Mrs. Flinns to Wapakoneta. Aug. 16, 1830, $3.49. No. 3. Order issued to John Wyland, for one dollar and seventy-four and a half cents, out of Allen funds, for service as packer on a State road, from Mrs. Flinns to Wapakoneta. Aug. 16, 1830, $1.74 1/2. No. 4. Order issued to John Wyland, for one dollar seventy-four and a half cents, out of Allen funds, for provisions. Aug. 16, 1830, $1.74. No. 6. Order issued to Isaac Applegate, for one dollar and seventy- four cents, out of Allen County funds, for service as chain carrier on a State road from Mrs. Flinns to Wapakoneta. Aug. 16, 1830, $1.74. No. 7. Order issued to Caleb Moyer, for one dollar and seventy-four cents, out of Allen funds, as blazer on a State road, from Mrs. Flinns to Wapakoneta. Aug. 16, 1830, $1.74. No. 10. Order issued to Justin Hamilton, for twenty dollars, out of Allen funds, per order of Christopher Wood, road commissioner. Aug. 28, 1830, $20.00. No. 12. Order issued to David Armstrong, for one dollar and seventy- four cents, out of Allen funds, for carrying chain on State road from Mrs. Flinns to Wapakoneta. Sept. 6, 1830, $1.74. No. 13. Order issued to Wm. Armstrong, for three dollars, out of Mercer and Van Wert funds, as auditor, and attending sales. Sept. 16, 1830, $3.00. No. 62. Order to Chris. Wood, for $255.39, of Allen County funds (three per cent), paid him as road commissioner. Dec. 7, 1830. No. 240. Issued to Calvin Denison, Joseph Greer and Joel Wood, $5.25 each for services as commissioners for State road from Ft. Amanda, Allen Co., to State road in Mercer County. Sam. Hanson, chairman, received $2.25; Lorenzo Roebuck, marker, $2.25; Justin Hamilton, surveyor, $6.75. Dec. 29, 1826. The grant to Justin Hamilton was in consideration of his survey of a road from Fort Amanda to Denison's Run in 1826. The northern end of Amanda was set off in December, 1833, as a 410 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY. portion of Marion Township. In December, 1834, it was ordered that so much of original Township 4 south, Range 5 east, as previously belonged to German, should be attached to Amanda. In February, 18418, after the reorganization of the county, the south half of Marion and north half of Amanda were established as the township of Amanda, the south half of Amanda as known previously, becoming a part of the new county of Auglaize. As the township stands at present, it comprises thirty-four sections—Sections 7 and 18 of original Township 4 south, Range 5 east, forming the southeastern part of Spencer Township, while Sections 19 to 36 of original township now belong to Auglaize County. MISCELLANEOUS. The population of the township in 1880 was 1,456. In August, 1884, there were 543 boys and 516 girls of school age in the township, a total of 1,059; the infant and adult population as estimated in 1884, is placed at 800, which would show an increase of 403 within four years. The Chicago & Atlantic Railroad passes from east to west through this township, and a narrow guage road skirts along the western side, dividing it from Spencer. The postoffices are: Southworth, Conant and Kempton. The physical characteristics are marked by fertile soil, forests of heavy timber and a net work of streams, which give a system of natural drainage. Although the township in point of settlement is the oldest in the county, its resources are still waiting development. The building of the Chicago & Atlantic Railroad and the tendency toward modern enterprise, all give promise of the township rising to that place which its natural wealth of soil and forests claim for it. |