350 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY ample drainage to the southern part of the township, while the north is drained by several nameless streams which had their rise in the swampy ground and found their way north to the Sandusky river. The soil mainly is very rich, deep and well adapted for modern diversified farming. The forests in the eastern and northern parts of the township were largely of dark walnut and oak, beech and hickory, and were almost impenetrable at the coming of the early settlers, and the choice of land of the first pioneers was the heavily timbered tracts and not the fertile prairie which was ready for cultivation, but was too wet, swampy and unhealthy. The deciding factor seemed to be the superior supply of spring water obtainable in the woods ; the health of the pioneer and his family being a first consideration in that age when medical men were few and far distant, and the roads were merely trails. Fortunate indeed was the family that escaped the malaria and chills that were so prevalent for many years; and few did, notwithstanding the abundant supply of calomel and quinine which was kept on hand at all tithes and used most extravagantly, together with the universal antidote for every ill—whisky. In the early days, little was done in the way of raising grain, owing to the absence of a market, just enough for family use. Horses, cattle and sheep were brought in from the East, and their sustenance was obtained from the prairie, where they were pastured and from which they obtained hay for the winter. The meat supply was largely wild, there being an abundance of ducks, prairie chickens, squirrels and deer. Honey was found in plenty. Hogs were brought in and permitted to run at large, and soon they were in a wild state and were a dangerous animal when brought to bay, the males in particular as they developed long tusks. They were long legged and lank and bore little resemblance to the well fed hog of later days. The rapid disappearance of game led to a remarkable change in hog life; from a roaming life in quest of food, they were brought home to receive careful consideration and live in fatted opulence. The stock industry developed into one of great importance, and with it the greater production of grain. In 1816 Robert Reid came with his family from Ireland to America, and settled near Newburg, N. Y., but soon afterward removed to Washington county, Pa., and was living there when the New Purchase was secured by treaty from the Indians. Fabled reports of the richness of this new land affected him as it did others, and leaving his family at Washington county he started on foot to investigate for himself. He came to Whetstone township and made his selection, before the land was open for settlement. In this trip the most extreme western pioneer was around where Galion now is, and from the last pioneer home he followed the Indian trail across the northern part of the plains and made his choice about two miles southwest of Bucyrus. He returned home, entered the land, and in 1824 came with his family to the site selected. He was not the first settler, but he was probably the first pioneer to enter the new purchase and select a home. This pioneer was born in 1771 and died on the morning of July 4, 1850, and the morning prior to his death, with others, he had assisted in laying out the grounds for a new church near the Stewart schoolhouse on the Mansfield road. The first settler to locate in the township was probably John Kent in 1819, as he had an acre or more of land cleared in 1820. In 1819 Seth Holmes came with the Nortons and spent the winter in Bucyrus, assisting Norton and Bucklin in the earlier work of making a home; but in 1820, he removed to Whetstone township, where he had a cabin on Kent's place, did a little fanning for himself and assisted Kent and others as they arrived in building their cabins and clearing their land, for all the early settlers selected their land in the forest, with the plains in easy reach to the south of them. Holmes sent for his parents, and after their arrival they made their home with him, he being an old batchelor. The faithful son died in 1825, and he was buried in the Cary graveyard just south of the present Catholic cemetery. In 1820 Martin Bacon arrived and entered land in both Liberty and Whetstone townships, but his home was in Liberty. Noble McKinstry, John Willoughby and Joseph Young also settled in Whetstone in 1820, the latter on April 15, 1821, being appointed by the Delaware commissioners as one of the two AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 351 justices of Sandusky township, the entire county being then but one township. Coming with Bacon in 1820, was Auer Umberfield, and after assisting Bacon to erect a cabin the next year he entered land for himself in Whetstone township. Other of the early pioneers in Whetstone were Zalmon Rowse, Asa Howard, Elias, Philander and Jacob Odell; George Hancock, Samuel Parcher, Daniel Jones, Samuel VanVoorhis, Martin Shaffner and John King in 1821 ; Heman and Abner Rowse, James Armstrong, Archibald and George Clark, John Beckwith, Benjamin Camp, William Hamilton, Christopher Bear, Henry Harriger, Ralph and Adam Klinger, Hugh Stewart and five sons, all young men, William, Joseph, James, John and Hugh; and Simeon, Benjamin, George, Lyman and John Parcher in 1822; John and Edward Campbell, Hugh and John Trimble, James Henderson, Cornwallis Reese Daniel Jones, George Poe, John Stein, in 1823; John Boyer, John Lininger, Charles Chambers, Robert Reid, Casper and Isaac Fichelberger, and James Falloon in 1824; J. A. Kiefer and Benjamin Warner in 1825. These pioneers, with hardly an exception, settled north of the central portion of the township. Thomas F. Johnson, Andrew Kerr, Henry Remsen, Abraham Steen, Valentine and Samuel Shook, Andrew Kerr, John Staley, and Robert Walker in 1826; David Savage, Frederick Wise, and Samuel Winters in 1827; John Brehnian, Oliver Jones, Isaac Boyer, John G. Diebler, Jacob Kester, Benjamin Hull, Samuel and John Roberts, John L. Heinlen and William Stuck in 1828; John Albright in 1829 ; George Deam, Samuel and John Sherer, Geo. Gibson, Samuel Ludwig, and Nicholas Myers, in 1830; Jacob Sherer in 1831; William Kerr in 1832; Tobias Rile and Martin Kehrer in 1833. Still others from 1826 to 1836 were Nathaniel Plummer, Edward Norton, Frederick Garver, Moses Dale, John Cone, Charles Gifford, John Harland, Wm. Cooper, Isaiah Scott and three sons, John and Peter Weidner, .Christian Null, _____ Ketchum, Jacob Tupps, Samuel Crow, Wm. Moderwell, Henry S. Sheldon, Jacob Hauck, John Kaun, Adam Bear, John Kehrer, and John N. Rexroth, the latter settlers mostly entering land in the southern portions of the township. The northern portion of the township first claimed the attention of the settlers, it being a number of years later before settlement began in the southern half. The present southern two miles of the township was a part of Marion county, until the division of 1845 placed those two miles in Crawford county, which was more convenient to the people, as their trading points were Bucyrus and Galion. There have been numerous descendants of many of those early pioneers of Whetstone whose names have been interwoven with the growth and development of the township and the county. Sons have succeeded their fathers in the discharge of the duties of citizenship, and these in turn have passed away to be succeeded by grandsons. Robert Reid was followed by his son George, who became a minister, preached in many churches, and frequently in the old Mission church at Upper Sandusky delivered the message of God to the Indians, sometimes making the journey on foot; several sons followed him, one, William MI. Reid, being prominent in the business and moral development of Bucyrus, mayor of the village, and for over a quarter of a century superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday School. He, too has passed to his reward, and still descendants are following in the footstep of their ancestors. The Rowse family, with Zalmon Rowse identified with every progressive movement in Bucyrus, and sons following and taking an active hand in the business enterprises of the city. The Stewarts, with Hugh the father coming into the county with five stalwart sons, to leave their impress for good on the generations that follow. The Parchers and the Trimbles and the Campbells. And men of the type of the Odells and Peter Wert, who conscientiously believed that the institution of slavery was a violation of the law of God, and no human law protecting it should be obeyed, and became important cogs in that "underground" road through which many a slave found freedom only when he reached the protecting folds of the British flag. Hugh Stewart, born in Ireland in 1757, came to Whetstone in 1822, from Cumberland county, Pa. With his family he left the latter place in 1821, making the trip to Mansfield, 0., in a wagon drawn by four horses. The 352 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY reports of the New Purchase were so favorable that Mr. Stewart left his family and hastened to Whetstone township, where he purchased 240 acres in section 8 for $300, continuing his trip to Delaware to enter the land. He returned to Mansfield, but soon again left his family, with the exception of five sons, William, John, James, Hugh and Joseph, and with them he came to his new farm. They built a round log cabin, 20 feet square, having one door and one window. The door was hung on wooden hinges, but the window contained four squares of glass; which was rather an innovation and distinction at that date. Mrs. Stewart came on in the spring accompanied by a widow, Betsy Anderson, who served as their housekeeper. The Stewarts brought some stock with them from Pennsylvania. The sons, all of whom had reached man's estate before their arrival, all married in the county, and with the exception of William, continued to live in Crawford county and were counted among the most substantial citizens. James Stewart was honored with numerous public offices. He served several years as associate judge with R. W. Musgrave and Samuel Knisely, Ozias Bowen of Marion being the presiding judge. About 1861, he moved to Mansfield, where he remained two or three years, then located in Bucyrus. His death occurred Aug. 6, 1871, aged seventy-six years, three months, and twenty-six days, and he was laid to rest in the Stewart Graveyard. Mrs. Hugh Stewart, the mother of this family, did not enjoy good health, died soon after arrival, and hers was one of the first deaths recorded in the township. John Campbell when he arrived in the spring of 1823, had practically nothing except a family. He had only money enough to pay for 80 acres, and after making his selection, and building a log cabin with one window which was covered with greased paper, and only one room, he walked to Delaware, paid all he had for the land, and returned to his farm. He had neither an ox nor a horse, and was compelled to farm entirely by hand. He not only prospered but stood high in the estimation of his neighbors, for in 1827 they elected him as justice of the peace, re-electing him for eight consecutive terms, and when in 1834 they sent him to the Legislature they still kept him in office as their justice. Soon after he arrived, an infant son, Samuel, died on Aug. 16, 1825; a little plot of ground was set aside, and this became the Campbell graveyard, the first burial place in the township. John Boyer came to Crawford county in 1829. He was married to Catherine Hunsicker in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania in 1815. In 1829 he set out with his family, crossing the mountains, and located on what became known as the Boyer farm, southeast of Bucyrus on the Galion road. Here he kept a house of entertainment known far and near in that early day as "Boyer's" or "The Blue Ball Tavern." The building still stands, an old frame with its weather beaten porch, a few rods south of the Middleton road, on the land now owned by Samuel Fouser. For many years it was the most noted and popular tavern in this section. Strangers were always hailed with a cheerful voice, warm hearty shake of the hand, and treated to the best that could be afforded in those days. Scenes of pioneer life, festivity and mirth were many. It was also a headguarters for political meetings. Boyer did all things well, whether rolling logs among the pioneer settlers, helping to raise a house, working on his farm, entertaining travelers or helping to build a church. He was the first man to take hold and the last man to quit. He was a powerful man, and with his bare fist could drive a nail into soft lumber, or break the nail between his fingers. Zalmon Rowse, a native of Massachusetts, came in 1821 from Wayne county, Pennsylvania, the northeastern county in that state, where he had lived from his sixteenth year. He walked the entire distance of five hundred miles, and after entering three tracts of eighty acres each, in Whetstone township, walked back to Pennsylvania. In October, 1821, he set out for his new possessions, accompanied by his wife and six children. He taught one term of school after his arrival, and served terms as county commissioner, county recorder, clerk of the court of Crawford county, and justice of the peace. He also bore the rank of colonel in the county militia. James Armstrong came in 1822; like all the rest of the early settlers he built his cabin of logs, and being a man of taste he took his time AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 353 to it and hewed the logs, giving it a more attractive appearance. He built, as did others, with a rough clapboard roof, and stick and mud chimney, but the first winter he occupied his leisure time in making shingles, and replaced the clapboard roof with the first shingle roof in the county. Not content with this he established a little brickyard on his place and made enough brick to replace his mud chimney with a brick one, the first brick chimney not only in the township, but probably in the county. He only made these modern improvements for his own personal gratification, but his neighbors not only admired his brick chimney but appreciated how much more serviceable it was and induced him to manufacture brick for them, which he did, the first brickyard in the county, small though it was. Mr. Armstrong soon discontinued the manufacture of brick, and it was taken up by John Boyer; later the first brick house built in the township was built on his farm. Samuel Parcher came with Ralph Bacon in 1821, being employed by the latter to drive an ox team from Painesville, Ohio. Parcher made his first money by making i0,000 rails for Bacon for which he received $5 a thousand, this money he invested in land. He was followed the next year by four brothers, and among them they acquired considerable land. In 1828 they built a horse-power saw-mill on their farm, and also started a still, but as they did not meet with the success anticipated, they were early discontinued. Peter and Elizabeth Cook came to the township in 1834, and all the money the husband had was only sufficient to purchase 37 acres. He was a tailor, and by working at his trade at odd hours he added to his land. John G. Diebler and wife came to Whetstone in 1828, with two other families. Each family owned a horse, but they had but one wagon, and the three families came in the one wagon drawn by three horses; they settled in the central part of the township. Diebler was a carpenter by trade, and many of the houses in that section were built by him. George Fouser was a shoemaker, and besides farming put in his time making and repairing shoes for his neighbors. John Gibson came in 1835, and purchased 80 acres of school land which is still owned by his descendants. He married Mary A. Kerr, a daughter of Andrew Kerr who came in 1826. Henry Harriger came in 1822, selected his land then went to Delaware where he entered it, returned to Wayne county and the next year came with his wife. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. His log house was built a mile east of Bucyrus, where the river road branches off from the Mansfield road. Valentine Shook, with his wife Nancy, came from Wayne county in 1827. They had an old fashioned covered wagon, which was drawn by an ox-team. They brought with them two cows and six sheep. He was a carpenter, and the family slept in the wagon until their first house was built. They were three weeks coming from Wayne county. Andrew Schreck came in 1825 with his wife Elizabeth, and when they reached Bucyrus their cash on hand was just $4, not enough to buy land. He settled on the Annapolis road east of Bucyrus. His wife was a skillful weaver, and a loom was put up in their little cabin, and in a few years they were able to buy a farm in Whetstone, and later they kept a store and hotel at Olentangy when a line of stages were running between Bucyrus and Mansfield. Daniel Savage, who with his wife Susan, came in 1828 was a shoemaker. Hugh Trimble came to the county in 1822, and entered 320 acres in the northeastern part of Whetstone, and the next year came with his wife and family settling on his purchase. His son John came with him, and in 1827, when he was 22 years of age, his father sent him to Delaware to enter another 80 acre tract, and the young man walked the entire distance there and back, and on his return his father made him a present of 20 acres of the tract. This started him in life, and on Jan. 31, 1828, he married Icy Parcher, who had come to the township with her father Daniel in 1823. During the winter the young man had built a little log house on his 20 acres, into which the young couple moved. John Albright and his wife, came to Whetstone township in 1829. They came from Pennsylvania with one wagon drawn by three horses, and were nearly a month on the way. He settled along the Galion road, east of the 354 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY township hall on a 73 acre tract. He was a shoemaker by trade, and for a number of years carried on his business in connection with farming. Mr. Albright prospered, and later moved to near New Winchester. In 1866, at 2 a. m., on the morning of May 1, his door was broken in with a post wrenched from the gate, and several men, all disguised, entered the house and demanded his money, as it was generally believed he kept a considerable sum about him. He refused and was clubbed into unconsciousness. His son John hurried to his father's assistance, knocked down two of the men, before he himself was hit with a club, and pounded into unconsciousness. As the women arrived they were scared into submission, and the robbers ransacked the house, and secured $300 in cash and what jewelry and other valuables they could lay their hands on, and left. Both father and son were badly bruised, the father so seriously that he died in August. Mr. Albright was living near New Winchester at the time of the robbery, and suspicion pointed to several parties who had hurriedly left that section immediately after the robbery. They were traced to Mt. Vernon, and here a clue was obtained to the perpetrators. A girl, who had left about the same tine, had been arrested for stealing. She had stolen some meat from a butcher shop, and not being accustomed to eating raw meat, had broken into a church, and stolen sufficient of the Sunday School library to cook the meat. She mentioned the names of several parties who had been guilty of a number of robberies in and around New Winchester, but no trace of them was ever found. Joseph Albright came to Whetstone in 1830, and settled in the northwestern part of the township, where he started the first brick yard on the Ludwig place, and here he manufactured the brick that went into a number of the early buildings in Bucyrus. George and Mary Beach, came from Germany, settling in Whetstone township, where they entered forty-four acres of land. He was a cabinet maker by trade. John and Catherine Crissinger came to Crawford in 1832. His grandfather, Leonard Crissinger, was one of the soldiers of the revolutionary war, that were compelled to walk barefooted a part of the time on account 0f lack of shoes for the army. Thomas and Nancy Kennedy, of Irish descent, came to Crawford county in 1832. John McKinstry was born in County Antrim, Ireland in 1773 ; came with his parents to America and settled in Pennsylvania. He was in the War of 1812, belonging to the organization, known as Light Horse Brigade. Martin Kehrer came to Whetstone in 1833, a young roan of 20, where he purchased his first land in the southern part of the township, between the Whetstone and Mud Run. He returned to Pennsylvania and the next year came back with his father settling on his purchase. The father, John Kehrer, came from Germany to America in 1805, and besides his son Martin, several other of his children came to this county. In 1838, Martin Kehrer made a second trip to Pennsylvania, and this time returned with his bride, who had been waiting until he could prepare a home for her in the western country. Henry S. Sheldon, was a cooper by trade, and after clearing a piece of land and building a little log cabin, he married Nancy Ridgley, one of the four daughters of Westell Ridgely who came to what is now Jefferson township in 1817. John and Frances Brehman came to Whetstone township in 1828; he was a wagonmaker, and besides clearing his land made wagons for his neighbors. When Ralph Bacon came in 1819 he located his land, 80 acres in Liberty and 160 in Whetstone; he then went to Delaware and entered the land. The next year he brought his family, traveling with two yoke of oxen and one horse. They came on through to Bucyrus, which at that time consisted of but two log cabins. It was through Whetstone township that the army of Crawford marched during their unfortunate expedition of 1782. They entered the township, perhaps a mile below the present village of north Robinson; they went across the township bearing to the south, crossing where the Galion road now is at some point between the Township Hall and Seccaium Park, and left the township a trifle over three miles south of Bucyrus. Their return route was the same, and it was when they had crossed where the Galion road now is they were compelled to stop to protect their rear, AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 355 and the battle of the Olentangy followed. Butterfield places this battle in the northeast quarter of section 22, on the high ground north of where the monument stands. The cast half of this section is now owned by Sarah R. Lust and the west half by J. B. Campbell. Along this higher ground, north of the Galion road, is where a hundred years ago the Indian trail was located from Galion to Upper Sandusky, crossing the Sandusky river south of the Mansfield street bridge, following the high ground through southern Holmes and crossing the Brokensword, about half a mile southwest of Oceola. The western section of Whetstone was a part of the Plains which the Indians used for their ring hunts, when they fired the grass and drove the game to a common centre, shooting the animals as they endeavored to snake their escape through the ring of fire. When the earliest settlers arrived there was an Indian village on the banks of the Whetstone, at or near where Seccaium Park now is, and in this section many Indian relics have been plowed up. Another camp or village of the Indians was between the Stewart graveyard and the river. In the centre of the township, along the Mt. Vernon road south of the present township hall, two brothers, Philip and Adam Clinger, had settled. Their land was on the plains, perfectly level, and here the militia of the county would assemble to go through their maneuvres, and the place became known as Clinger's Fields. Philip Clinger dug a number of wells for his neighbors, and eventually was killed, one of the wells caving in on him. In early days the southern portion of the township was covered with water, which some forty years ago was designated as the "Green Sea," by a man bearing the name of John James. In many places also a growth of wild grass, and a species of cane, called maiden cane, sprung up, and were of very luxuriant growth, often growing to a height of from 15 to 20 feet, and of such strength and thickness as to prevent persons from passing through, except by following beaten paths. In 1828 there was but one regularly laid out road through the southern part, and that was a road from Marion to Galion and Mansfield. It was by no means then opened up and made traversable. The settlers in going to either point mentioned, whether with a team or on horseback, generally abandoned the road as they found better traveling by following a winding track cut out over the highest ground available. There were one or two grist mills at hand—one owned and operated by Benjamin Sharrock, the other by Jotham Clark. But both of these were very small and very inferior. Many of the older settlers never expected to see this country settled, cleared, and put under cultivaton and some of them even thought it would never become properly inhabited. A man named Isaac Dickson came west in 1832, and entered land; not wishing to remain himself until the country was better cleared and more thickly settled he induced one of his Pennsylvania neighbors, a man named Tobin to take the land, and for clearing a few acres he was to have it rent free, and also have all of the crops. Tobin accepted the offer, Dickson helped move Tobin and his f amily to their new home, seeing them properly located in an old cabin that was on the property. Dickson then returned to Pennsylvania stopping to visit frends for a few days in Guernsey county. The first night Tobin spent in the cabin a violent wind storm swept through that section, tearing up trees along its track, hurling timber in every direction, and shaking the cabin to its foundation. The day before the storm the land was tangled forest, much of it covered with water, and the next morning the desolation was still more complete, and Tobin promptly sold all his goods except what he could take in the one wagon he had, and started back to Pennsylvania, and when Dickson arrived the first man to greet him was his disgusted and "busted" tenant, Tobin. It is reported Tobin died in Pennsylvania, never again being permeated with the western fever; others of his neighbors came west, and sent accounts home of their prosperity, but they never phased Tobin. Philip Hubbert was justice of the peace of Tully township, Marion county for eight years, the township south of Whetstone. One day in June a young man called to solicit him to perform the ceremony which should unite the young gentleman to his lady love in the holy bands of matrimony. The time was designated ; the place was mentioned, and after receiving the promise from the mag- 356 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY istrate that he would be on hand, the young man departed. Time sped, no doubt slowly for the lovers, but the day arrived for the consummation of the nuptials, and Mr. Hubbert drove over to the house of the expectant bride; but as the hour for the marriage drew nigh, it was discovered by the squire that the bride's residence was in Whetstone township, Crawford county, and it would be illegal for him to perform the ceremony in any other than the county in which he held his commission, and the marriage would have been absolutely void. To obviate all difficulties, and to have the marriage ceremony performed without any unnecessary delay, it was suggested that, as only a few rods intervened between the bride's home and the Marion county line, in fact, only the width of the road, the young couple should at the proper time step across the limits into the territory of Marion county and there be united, which was accordingly done. The ceremony was performed in a potato patch, in the presence of a number of guests, after which all returned to the residence, and partook of the marriage feast, and all went merry as a marriage bell. The first postoffice was established in Whetstone township in 1833. A few years previously William Fitzsimmons had purchased nearly 20 acres of land along the Galion road. It was the \vest half of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section z6, a part of the land that is now the site of the Crawford County Infirmary. Here he built a tavern and through the influence of the settlers in that section a postoffice was secured and William Fitzsimmons was appointed postmaster on Aug. 8, 1833. It was named Whetstone, after the township. In October, 1837, Mr. Fitzsimmons was elected surveyor of the county and he removed to Bucyrus to enter on his new duties, and no successor was appointed, the office being discontinued on Feb. 20, 1838. On removing to Bucyrus Mr. Fitzsimmons sold his tavern and the twenty acres to Andrew Failor for two hundred dollars. In 1830 the first census of the county showed that Whetstone was the most populous township in the county, having 750 inhabitants, which was 24 more then Bucyrus. The settlers in the northern part of the township had a convenient trading point at Bucyrus, so there was no demand for a village in this section, and the first town laid out was in the southern part, which was New Winchester, and at the time it was started it was in Marion county, and only became a part of Crawford in 1845. New Winchester was the first village laid out in Whetstone township, and was followed a few years later by Olentangy, now no longer in existence, and many years afterward by North Robinson. New Winchester was laid out by the surveyor of Marion county in 1835, on lands belonging to Benjamin Fisher, Samuel Lechner, William Stuck and Henry Wise. It was given its name after Winchester, the county seat of Frederick county, Virginia, a number of the early settlers being from that section. The farms of the four proprietors lay at the crossing of two roads, being at the corner of sections 4, 5, 8 and 9, township 4, range 17 east. A cabin had been previously built there by William Stuck, and he had a small blacksmith shop at the corners. After the town was laid out Israel Wise built a small cabin of hewed logs, and Samuel Winter built a cabin, and had a carpenter shop in connection. Soon there was a settlement of eight or ten houses, and Samuel Crow was induced to start a st0re, and he built a little log storeroom, and opened up with a stock of about $300, but it proved unprofitable and was soon discontinued. Adam Bear built a grist-mill on the Whetstone just north of the village, which at the start he ran by horse-power, and later steam was used. In the early days Peter Wert had charge of the mill, and it was a station on the Underground Railroad being the first point north of the Iberia station. About 1838 another store was started by Judge F. B. Merriman of Bucyrus. He started with a stock of $1,500, did a good business, and sold out to Henry Clark, who also prospered and at the end of six years sold to Plodner & Timson who eventually disposed of the stock and went into other business. But the little village was the centre of a prosperous community and there followed other stores and shops. John J. Rexroth had a blacksmith shop there in 1838, and Henry Aiker was also one of the early blacksmiths. Abraham Steen had a saw-mill north of the town on the river AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 357 which he ran successfully for twenty years. In 1835 John Kaun had a sac-mill on the river west of the town. He disposed of it to other parties, and the business increased to such an extent that steam was introduced, Jacob Cressinger was one of the early carpenters. George Cox opened the first saloon in the village, and it passed into other hands, grocery stores being run in connection, and both liquor and groceries did a good business, but when laws were introduced taxing saloons the tax became too excessive for the custom, and saloons were discontinued. Soon after the village was started the people asked for better postal facilities and their request was granted. Frederick Wise was the first postmaster, in 1836, and was succeeded by John Highly, Dec. 29, 1848; Robert Park, June 1, 1854, and he held the office until it was discontinued on April 24, 1855. It was finally re-established on Nov. 4, 1862 with Charles Hahn as postmaster, when he ran it for another four years and it was again discontinued on Dec. 5, 1866. It was not until after the T. & O. C. road was nearing completion, that the 0ffice was again re-established on May 8, 1878, with Josiah Keiter as postmaster. He was followed by E. B. Gleason, Aug. 12, 1889; C. W. G. Ott, May 6, 1890; Josiah Keter, April 25, 1894; C. W. G. Ott, March 12, 1898; William Mason Oct. 29, 1900. On May 13, 1905 it was again discontinued. Being on a railroad, several attempts have been made to have the office again re-established, but all efforts have failed, mail being delivered by rural route from Bucyrus daily, except occasionally in the spring, when the Whetstone overflows its banks to such an extent that the carrier is unable to reach the village until the flood subsides. About 1830 Barney and David Eberhardt built a saw mill on the Olentangy southwest of where the village of that name was later located. They had a log dam, filled in with mud, stones and brush, and the mill was run by water power, and while very slow, was kept busy by the demands for lumber. Michael Nye and Abraham Holmes also had small saw-mills along the stream. About 1838 Paul I. Hetich and his brother-in-law, George Sweney, prominent business men of Bucyrus, became owners of a saw-mill just -above the Eberhardts mill. They built a dam and a mill race, put in the best of machinery then available and it became one of the largest sawmills in the county. Several men were employed at the mill and in hauling the lumber to Bucyrus and Galion, the two principal points at which the lumber was sold. There were no facilities at the mill for caring for the teamsters and horses. The man who came to buy lumber had difficulty in finding sleeping quarters or even a place for meals, while the teamster returning during the night had to look up some farm house where he could receive accomodation. At that time there was no building near the mill which could be used to accommodate the workmen and customers, and many slept in the mill, and in summer in their wagons in the open air. One thing the proprietors of the mill did have, and that was lumber; it was cheap so they decided they would erect a tavern near the mill. Having decided upon this action it was not long before they extended their ideas and decided to lay out a town. The location was good; it was on the Bucyrus and Galion Road, half way between the two towns. The road was 0ne of the best traveled in the county, a line of stages going through to Bucyrus three times a week, and besides, this was on the principal road over which eastern merchandise was transported from Mansfield to Bucyrus and farther west. So Sweney and Hetich formed a partnership with William Snyder, a farmer and blacksmith living near the cross roads, and had a town laid out by Thomas C. Sweney, the county surveyor. The new town consisted of 41 lots, 21 on the north side of the road, and 20 on the south side. The plat was filed in the recorder's office at Bucyrus, on Nov. 16, 1840, and the location given was on "the north half of section 26, Whetstone township." The principal street was on the road from Galion to Bucyrus and this was called Main street; the north and south road was named Market street, and east of Market was a street which led from Main south to the mill on the Olen-tangy, called Mill street. The name of the town came from the stream Olentangy which passed south of the new place. The village started off well. Hetich and Sweney built their tavern on the southwest corner of Main and Market; William Snyder built his house 358 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY and blacksmith shop on the northwest corner Andrew Schreck it up a building on the southeast corner, in which lie opened a general store and also had a bar for the sale of liquor; George Seebler had a carpenter and cabinet maker's shop on the northeast corner. A school house was erected the first year the town was laid out, on the lot on which Shreck built his store. The town prospered for a time; later Schreck took charge of the tavern and did a prosperous business, with his hotel, store and liquor, and in winter it was headquarters for many sleighing parties from Bucyrus and Galion, where the belles and beaux had a bounteous supper and danced to a late, or rather early, hour. Valentine Smith owned a store there in 1852, and Robert Cowden was running it for him, and one morning walked from Galion, to his place of business at Olentangy, five miles, stopping at the old two-story hotel at "the Corners," west of Galion, where he got a box of cigars made by the hotel proprietor, the cigars being needed at the store. The growth of the town made a postoffice necessary and one was established there. William Snyder being appointed postmaster on March 3, 1840. He ran the office a little over two years when it was discontinued on Dec. 2, 1842. It was re-established on May 11, 1850, with Andrew Schreck as postmaster, but at the end of two years it was again discontinued on May 28, 1852. It remained closed for ten years when it was reopened on Oct. 30, 1862, with Andrew Schrock again as postmaster. It only had another two years' lease of life and was finally discontinued on Dec. 5, 1864. After the Ohio and Indiana road passed to the north, traffic over the stage road ceased and the town was on the decline. No longer were the many teams passing daily. The local settlers were not sufficient to make a store and tavern profitable and the few business enterprises of the town were suspended. When the war broke out little remained of the town except the school house and saloon. As the years passed, even the saloon discontinued for want of business; the school house had crumbled to decay and in its place had been erected a brick structure a few rods to the west. Nothing is on the four corners today; of the hotel and the store and the shops, not even the ruins are left; down Mill or Market street may still be seen the old decayed beans where the saw-mill once stood, and in the village itself all that remains is the schoolhouse on one side the road and across old Main street to the north is the handsome modern farm house of Francis Shook, with its spacious outbuildings. And the original owners and business then, like the old village itself, have long since crumbled into dust, and, prominent though some of them were, are only faintly recalled by the older settlers. When the Ohio and Indianar0add was built J. B. Magers, William Brown and William Magee started a steam saw-mill where the railroad crosses the boundary line road between Whetstone and Jefferson townships. John and William Burwell had a blacksmith shop, and a number of other buildings had been erected. J. P. Robinson secured the establishment of a postoffice there in 1854 and it was named North Robinson after himself. He came to the county in 1831, was one of the early County Commissioners, and when the railroad was built had a saw-mill and furnished ties for the road. When he came in 1831, he had with him was his one year old son,Williamn Robinson, now living at Crestline, and the secretary of the Crawford County Pioneer Association. The little village prospered, but the same trouble probably arose as in other places in the county, over the Douglas-Breckenridge fight for the presidency, for in 1860 the postoffice was discontinued, notwithstanding it was a thriving little village and on a railroad. The losing of the postoffice did not suppress the enterprise of Mr. Magers for on March, 1861, he had the county surveyor, Horace Martin, plat a town on his land on which there were already a number of buildings. The town was called North Robinson, and the boundary road was Main street. There was a street north of the railroad called Bucyrus, and two streets south called Mill and Walnut. After many lots had been sold and residence and business houses had been erected, a cloud on their title was discovered. Thereupon J. P. Robinson laid out a plat of lots on the east side of the original town, in Jefferson township, and the people moved over to them. Later AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 359 when the cloud was removed, the people largely returned to their original holdings. The first merchant was Frederick Newman, who did well, and other enterprises followed, including a hotel, dry goods and drug store, blacksmith shops, a cooper shop, a grocery and saloon, and a fine steam saw mill which was owned and operated by Warden & Tracht, and the flourishing steam tile-factory established by Sick-man, Fate & Co. of Crestline. After Magers bought out his partners in the saw mill, he added an addition in which he placed two sets of buhrs and modern machinery for the grinding of grain. The mill was the center of a grain growing and populous region, and did a good business under several owners, but was finally destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. In 1873 Mr. Magers erected a large elevator, which has continued under various owners. In 1862 John L. Caskey and Lewis Holker built a large factory, and went into the carriage business extensively, employing a number of hands, and half a century ago their carriage works were one of the important industries in the county. The first physician in the village was Dr. Frank Duff, On July 26, 1861, the post office was re-established in the Newman store with Frederick Newman as postmaster, and has continued ever since. Mr. Newman being succeeded by A. R. Warden, Oct. 29, 1861; James G. Patterson, Aug. 5, 1872 ;George Railing, April 21, 1875; George F. Darr, Feb. 10, 1881; J. W. Littler, April 25, 1882; E. G. Smith, June 15, 1889; J. W. Littler, June 27, 1893; Wilmina Warden, Sept. 14, 1897; E. R. Boyer, Sept. 26, 1901 ; Ida R. Frank, May 15, 1907. North Robinson has graded schools, their large brick having four rooms. There are two churches, the Lutheran and the United Brethren. North Robinson was the home of Rev. John V. Potts, who wrote several religious works. He was active not only in the U. B. church but also in all religious work, and in some respects was like the ministers of half a century previous ;—on horseback or on foot he traveled miles to fill some vacant pulpit. When the Marion commissioners erected Whetstone township in 1824, Heman Rowse and George Poe were the first justices elected in April, 1825, and their commissions were dated June 18 of that year. The following is the list of Justices of the Peace of Whetstone township : Heman Rowse-1825-28. George Poe-1825. John Campbell-1827-30-33-36-39-42-45-48- James Stewart-1832-35-38-41-44-47 John Highley-1845-48-51. Peter G. Rice—1850. Martin Bacon-1851-54 Nicholas Failor—1852. Joseph Meer—1853-56-59-62 John Gibson—1855. Josiah Keiter-1857-60-64. Isaac VanVoorhis—1858-61. Josiah Koler-1863-66-69. Charles Myers-1865-68-71. Benjamin F. Warden—1872-75 Isaac Snyder-1874. William L. Ferrall—1877-80-83. M. T. Mills-1878. J. R. Stewart—1880. D. T. Timson—1882-85.W . B. Cummings-1887-90 -93- 96-99-02-05-07-10. M. G. Nungesscr-1888-91-94. George Goldsmith—1897-1900-03-06-09. The settlement of the northern part of the township necessitated schooling for the children, and the first school was held in the cabin of John Beckwith. The cabin was of logs and consisted of but one room. And at one end of this room, the eating and sleeping side was given up to the school. The other end was the kitchen department where the meals were being prepared. The school teacher is unknown, but the fact is handed down that a definite line existed in the cabin, established by Mrs. Beckwith, over which no child dared pass; so the first school was held in the summer of 1824, with mental refreshments being served at one end of the room while bodily refreshments were being prepared at the other. During that winter no school was held, the larger children going to Bucyrus, and the smaller ones picking up what knowledge they could at home. That winter, however, the settlers, cleared a place and erected a small schoolhouse on the farm of Joseph Young, and the first winter it was taught by Moses Arden of Bucyrus. Two years later a log schoolhouse was built east of this. In these earlier schoolhouses time was not taken to square the logs; they were put in place, round as when they came from the trees, and what furniture they had was made by the settlers themselves. Proceeding southward, the center of the township began to be fairly settled, and here in 1828, a log schoolhouse was erected on 360 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY John Campbell's farm, and it boasted of two windows, and these windows had real glass to admit the light; the first two schoolhouses receiving their light through greased paper. Elizabeth Bair taught school the first summer, having 15 to 20 pupils. During the first session one June day a hurricane passed through that section while school was in session; trees were uprooted, and hurled against the building, some cabins were blown down, but the little schoolhouse was just on the edge of the storm, and although badly shaken, remained intact, and no damage done except the severe fright given the children.* The winter term in this building was taught by Henry Remson. The attendance increased and so crowded the little schoolhouse that an abandoned cabin was fitted up a mile and a half further south, which was attended by the scholars living in that section. The first Campbell schoolhouse was used about 12 years, when a large frame building was erected east of the first site. This was used not only for school purposes, but for religious services, and on account of its size was the place where all important public meetings were held. When Winchester was laid out a log schoolhouse was erected just north of the village which did duty until 1850, when it was abandoned and a new building erected west of the village: this was succeeded by another, and in 1878 the present brick building with four rooms was erected in the village. The Olentangy schoolhouse was first erected about 1840 in the eastern part of the village, and after being in use some years gave place to a frame structure near the same site, and thirty years ago the present brick was erected. It was about the time that New Winchester was laid out that the township was divided into school districts, and in 1845 when two miles were added from Marion county it added more school districts, and Whetstone today has fourteen districts. The first build- * On May 22, 1903 a similar hurricane swept across Holmes township. The Holmes Centre school house, a brick structure was in the track of the storm. School was in session at the time. Half of the roof was carried several rods, and the other half with the north wall thrown into the school room. The teacher and some children were struck by the debris, and yet nothing more serious occurred than a few slight bruises. All the roof and one wall were blown down, another wall but half remained. ings of course were logs, but some of the later districts started with small frame buildings, until today all are of brick, the buildings at New Winchester and North R0binson both being structures that would be creditable to villages more than double their size. The North Robinson building was erected in 1873; the first schoolhouse was a mile northwest of where the village now is; later a schoolbuilding was erected half a mile south of the present village; then North Robinson was laid out, became a center of business, and its importance demanded that the schoolhouse be in the village. The present building is of brick. Whetstone exceeds all other townships in the number of her school houses, having fourteen. The early settlers of Whetstone in the northern part could attend religious services at Bucyrus, yet many meetings were held in their cabins, ministers coming out from Bucyrus on Sunday afternoons to hold services. In 1823 Rev. John O. Blowers and his brother William had been licensed as ministers in the M. E. Church and they held frequent services at the cabins of the early settlers, and after the large Campbell schoolhouse was built it was in constant use by Methodists and the ministers of other denominations. At the start the Methodists were attached to the Mansfield Circuit, and Rev. Solomon Myneer was the first traveling missionary. He had six counties in his circuit, and it took him six weeks to make the round, so they could depend on their regular preacher for about eight visits a year. He had nothing to pay for food and lodging, any pioneer whether of his denomination or not being glad to entertain him. Some years he managed to collect as high as $40, and although this was net, there is no report of his having left any fortune beyond an honorable name to his heirs, and like hundreds of others of these faithful and self sacrificing spiritual teachers in the early days, he was satisfied with the blessings he received in the world below from those to whom he gave cheer and comfort, and consolation and hope, and reaped his reward in the eternity beyond. As early as 1832 the Methodists built a church in the northern part of the township in the Stewart neighborhood. Here Rev. Robert Reid was a class-leader for a number of years, and was one of the early preachers. AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 361 One of the active members in this church was Cornwallis Reese. Years ago this church was abandoned the members uniting with the M. E. Church at Bucyrus. Near this church was the Stewart graveyard, and here was buried James Scott, who died June 29, 1829, and the same year in August was the second burial of John Parcher, one of the five Parcher brothers who came to the county. Samuel and Simeon Parcher and others of that family are buried here. Here also lies Hugh Stewart, the venerable father of the Stewarts, who died July 29, 1854, aged 97 years. Another M. E. Church was built in the western part of the township, and later replaced by the present brick structure on the Winchester road on the farm of John W. Sherer Another is on the county line a mile southeast of New Winchester, known as the Sixteen M. E. When New Winchester was laid out the German Reformers had an organization with services at the various cabins, and these continued until the society was strong enough to build a church which they did in 1847 just vest of the village; it was a frame structure and cost about $900. Rev. James Kellar was the first minister, and preached in both English and German. Later the church was repaired. In 1835 the same denomination had a church a mile north of New Winchester, first a log structure, then followed by a frame building, and a few years ago the present brick structtire was dedicated. It is known as the St. John's Reformed Church and includes among its membership those who formerly belonged to the church west of New Winchester. A graveyard was started here before the church was built. Near this graveyard on the farm of John Weirick there still is seen a little graveyard, no longer used. It was originally on the farm of Archibald Clark, and in it is today the oldest gravestone in the county, almost illegible ; crumbling to decay it still marks the last resting place of his wife, Rachel Clark, who died Sept. 1, 1826. Here too is the place where rests Judge E. B. Merriman, the first business man in Bucyrus, and with Zalmon Rowse its most influential citizen in its early days. In 1822 he ran the first store in Bucyrus; at one time had a branch store at Annapolis, and in 1838 started one at New Winchester, and died there. Today no mark remains to show where he was buried, but old residents at Winchester stated years ago he was buried in the graveyard north of the village. There were but two, the Reformed graveyard and the private burial ground of his old friend, Archibald Clark, who had been with him in many business transactions. The German Lutherans organized later, holding meetings in the cabins and later erecting churches. They have two churches in the southeastern part of the township, one a mile south of Olentangy on the bank of the Whetstone, and the other, Holy Trinity Lutheran, a quarter of a mile southwest of this. The Salem Evangelical church is south of Wagner's Corners. North Robinson has a handsome English Lutheran Church, built in 1875, located on Main street, but on the Jefferson township side of the village . The United Brethren have two churches in the township, one at New Winchester and the other at North Robinson. More than half a century ago a church was built on the Galion road, just east of the Battle Monument. It was a little frame built by the Disciples and was generally known as the Campbellite Church. Services were held here for many years, but nearly all the members transferred to the church at Bucyrus, and services were discontinued, and as the building was falling into decay, about 1875 it was purchased by Elias Lavely, removed to his farm, and used as a farm building. Half a mile to the south of where this church stood is the Campbell graveyard, where the first burial was Samuel, infant son of John Campbell, who died Aug. t6, 1825. Here are buried many of the early settlers of Whetstone township, and here was buried Daniel Bender, who was murdered at Dead Man's Hollow, Sept. 28, 1836. CHAPTER XXIV BUCYRUS, THE COUNTY SEAT Origin, of the Name, Bucyrus—Arrival of Samuel Norton and Party, 1819—Cabinss Built and Crops Planted—First White Child Born in Bucyrus—Expert Spinners—Abundance of Game and Fish—Shortage of Bread Owing to Distance of Mills—Slow Milling—Arrival of Other Settlers—Col. James Kilbourne—Norton's Agreement with Kilbourne—The Survey and Platting of Bucyrus—Nanning of Streets—Sale of Lots—Bucyrus as Described in the OhioGazetteerr, 1826—Early Stores and Merchants—Prices of Various Products in the Early Twenties—Fever and Ague—Mrs. Lucy Rogers'Experience—Tanncriess and Grist Mills—The Carys—Early Industries—The First Taverns. —Price of Yhhiskey—IDlrs. Rogers Thrashes an Indian—Liquor Selling to the Indians—Law Against It—flow Evaded—Adventure of a Bibulous Citizen—Bucyruss Song. Then here, my friend, your search may end; For here's a country to your mind; And here's a town your hopes may crown, As those who try it soon shall find. Here fountains flow, mild zephyrs blow, While health and pleasure smile each morn For all around Bucyrus found, On fair Sandusky's rural bourn. —Kilbourne's Song of Bucyrus Bucyrus is an Egyptian word, the name being derived from Busiris, a city of ancient Egypt, and also a name given the old Egyptian kings. It was named by Col. James Kilbourne, who with Samuel Norton, the first settler, was thefounder off the town. The poetical lines relating to Bucyrus are found in Milton's Paradise Lost, book first: ....”When with fierce winds Orion arm'd, Hath vexed the red sea coast, whose waves o'erthrew Busiris and his Mephiann chivalry. When Samuel Norton reached Bucyrus in October, 1819, the party consisted of the following eighteen persons : Samuel Norton and Mary Norton, his wife; three daughters—Louisa, Catharine and Elizabeth; threesons—Rensselaerr, Warren and Waldo: Albigence Bucklin, (a brother of Mrs. Norton) and his wife and six children—Esther, Cynthia, Austin, Elizabeth, Almedaa and Pitt, and an adopted daughter, Polly. The eighteenth person was Seth Holmess, who had been through this region in 1812, as a teamster in the war of 1812, and who accompanied the Norton party as teamster and guide. On arriving here an old wigwam made of small saplings was found standing in the woods in what isnoww the court house yard. This the pioneers occupied for three days, while the three men built a log cabin. It was of round logs, unhewed, the cracks chinked with mud, and was built on the banks of the Sandusky, just west of the Sandusky avenue bridge, on the land now occupied by C. H. Shonert. This cabin, the wigwam and the wagons accommodated them. As soon as it was completed, a site was selected for the Bucklin cabin—also on the bluff on the banks of the river. It was built north of Mansfield street, just west of where the T. & O. C. embankment commences on its way across the river. At that time the river bed was at the foot of the bluff, passing just north off the brewery. A cabin similar to the Norton cabin was erected here for Mr. Bucklin and his family and the pioneers were as comfortably situated as possible for their first winter, the Nortons and Bucklins in their cabins, and Seth Holmes in the wigwam. Small sheds were erected for the stock, the pioneers having brought with them several - 362 - AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 363 horses and cattle, a few hogs and some chickens. They were fairly provided with cooking utensils, and the farming implements of those days. Mr. Norton had also brought with him a hand-mill for grinding corn or wheat in case of emergency. These pioneers were ten miles from the nearest settlement, which was at and near where Galion now is. The first winter was passed in clearing land around their cabins, and the spring of 1820 being a very early one, Norton planted his first crop in February, and in later years stated it was the finest crop he had ever produced. When Norton first settled on the land, it had been surveyed but was not yet entered for sale, and as soon as it was open for purchase, Norton went to Delaware on horseback, after leaving the plains being compelled to pick his way through the woods, to the land office at that place. Here, it is reported, some Quakers endeavored to persuade him that the land he desired to enter was not the land he wanted, but Mr. Norton insisted it was and entered 400 acres, on which the central part of Bucyrus now stands. One of these deeds was for 160 acres, the southwest quarter of section 1, township 3, range 16, of the district of Delaware, and was signed by James Monroe, Oct. 5, 1821. It was one of the earliest deeds for land in the New Purchase as it was recorded in Vol. 1, page 101. Returning home he gave Albigence Bucklin the 80 acres where he resided, he having promised him that amount of land, if he would accompany him to Ohio, as Mrs. Norton refused to come unless her brother and his family came along. The first planting of the settlers was principally wheat, corn, potatoes and flax, the latter being a necessary article, from which Mrs. Norton and her daughters made the clothes for the family. On one of his trips to the mills on the Mohican, at Fredericktown in Knox County, over 30 miles away, Mr. Norton stopped at the Quaker village of Friendsborough in what is now Morrow county, and purchased ten pounds of wool, the wool being spun into yarn, the yarn made into cloth, and the cloth into clothing by Mrs. Norton. The Norton cabin had one window which let in some light; this window was a hole cut near the door over which was placed greased paper. As the cabin was surrounded by woods, little or no rain or wind reached the flimsy window, yet from the first cotton woven, the window was covered with the cloth, which was a step in advance in house-building. The most important event which occurred the first winter was on-Feb. 11, 1820, when in the little cabin on the bank of the Sandusky was born to Mr. and Mrs. Norton, a daughter, Sophronia, the first white child born in Bucyrus. The Nortons had brought from Pennsylvania both a loom and spinning wheels, and the young girls soon became valued assistants of their mother in the manufacture of the goods for clothing. Mrs. A. M. Jones (Elizabeth Norton) while quite young, was the expert spinner of the family, and received so many compliments that she became a very zealous spinner from pride. She was so small that her father cut the legs of one of the spinning-wheels to make it more convenient for her. Each of the girls had a task allotted of so much spinning per day, and Elizabeth soon discovered that her expertness and her skill brought with it troubles, as on her the larger part of the spinning devolved. True, all girls in those days were expert spinners, some of them skilled at weaving; all good cooks, and all of great assistance in the family work. The clothing they wore was made by themselves. Game was abundant—deer and wild turkeys, rabbits and squirrel—and Mr. Norton reports killing five deer in one day, near Bucklin's cabin, about where the T. & O. C. crosses the Sandusky. Here there was in those days a salt lick, where the deer came. The skins were used for clothing and the meat stored away for winter use. In those early days, while the woods produced an abundance of game and the river yielded fish and an occasional hog was killed, the chief difficulty was the supply of bread, and the Norton daughters report that sometimes for days they were without bread, their diet being game, potatoes and honey, for there were many bee trees, and at one time Mr. Norton had over a barrel of strained honey in his cabin; in one day he found 23 bee trees. and the first hive of bees he had was a swarm of wild ones he secured in the woods. The nearest mill was at Lexington, on the banks of the 264 - HISTORY OF RAWFORDD COUNTY Mohican in Richland county. The largest was the Herron mill at Fredericktown on the Vernon river in Knox County. Although over thirty miles away, it was the safest as the pioneer was certain of having his grist ground, the water being sufficient to run the mill at all seasons of the year. An Indian trail led to that settlement, the Indians passing through Bucyrus and Whetstone township, across Morrow County and to Fredericktown and Mt. Vernon, the latter being one of the principal points where they disposed of their skins and cranberries. This trail was well-marked through the forest, and over this long route, Norton or Seth Holmes would take as much grain as the horse could carry, and return about a week later with it ground into meal. Four days was a quick trip. In spring the route was almost impassable, even on horseback, and then it was when the meal was low, that the family were thrown on their own resources, and the hand-mill was pressed into use —a very crude sort of coffee-mill, holding half a pint of grain, which was ground into meal. Then the mill was filled up and still more ground. The slowness of the process prevented a supply being gathered ahead. It was an evening's orkk at the mil], to secure enough meal for the next day's use. Another device was the punching of holes with a nail through a piece of tin, the bottom of an old bucket; and on the rough edges of the holes, an ear of corn was slowly and industriously rubbed, the meal falling through the holes. This was amusement of a winter evening, sitting beside the large fireplace. In a few hours enough meal could be ground this way to give all at least a taste of bread for breakfast. When the roads were had in the spring of the year, it can readily be seen why bread was a luxury, and potatoes and game the staple article of food. A corrected survey of the land showed that the Norton land did not extend to the river, but that his northern line was Perry street, so he built himself another log cabin on thesoutheastt corner of what is now Galen and Spring streets. This was a much larger house, known as a double log cabin. There were neighbors then, and they came to the raising and the new cabin was erected, with two rooms down stairs, two windows in the front, and a spacious loft. The chimney for six feet was actually built of stone, and above this was the balance of sticks and mud. Norton now had the palatial residence of the county, one that well became the future founder of Bucyrus. In the spring of 1820 some settlers arrived in a family named Sears, who lived for a time just west of the present site of Oakwood Cemetery and then moved away. Then followed the Beadles—David Beadle and two sons, Michael and David, Jr., and Beadle's son-in-law, John Ensley. Daniel McMichael followed with his family, and Joseph Young and family and others. Michael Beadle built a cabin on West Mansfield street, about where the property of the late Silas A. Bowers now is; south of him his father had 80 acres, his cabin being just north of the junction of Kaler avenue with Charles street. It was during 1820 that Col. James Kilbourne drifted north from Columbus, making a preliminary survey for a road from Columbus to the Lake. At that time a road extended from Columbus through Delaware, and as far north as Norton in Delaware county, near the Greenville Treaty line. When in 1817 this land, north of the treaty line, was opened to settlement, arrangements were made to extend the road to the Lake. Kilbourne, with a surveyor's instinct, saw at a glance the excellent location of the Norton land as the place for a town on this new road. ButMrn. Norton dial not favor it. He had come there because he liked the land; he had a good farm, it was fast being cleared, and it was too good a farm to spoil by being laid out into town lots. Kilbourne continued on his way to Sandusky City, drew up his plans for the road, and in 1821 returned to Bucyrus. He had established the town of Claridon in Marion County, about16 miles north of Delaware, and the Sandusky river sixteen miles further north was excellently situated for his next town, with the site of (Caroline) Attica selected still further north. The neighbors wisely prevailed on Norton to enter into an agreement with Col. Kilbourne and as a result the following contract was drawn up. TO ALLWHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Know ye, that James Kilbourne, of Worthington. in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, and Samuel Norton, of the county of Crawford, and State aforesaid, have agreed, and do agree as follows, viz.: The said James Kilbourne agrees to lay off a town for said Nor- AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 365 ton, on the southwest quarter of the first section of the third township south, and sixteenth range, of the public lands of the United States, the west line of which shall be forty-four rods from the west line of said quarter, and parallel thereto, and shall extend thence east one hundred rods, being bounded north and south by the quarter lines, so as to contain one hundred acres in said town plat of in-lots, out-lots and reserves. In laying off and establishing said town, the said Kilbourne shall do, or cause to be done at his own expense, the following particulars, viz. He shall make, or cause to be made, the preparatory survey and notes; project and make the plat; survey the town; cause the plat to be recorded; advertise, and attend at the first public sale of lots; draw all the writings for the sale; advertise the applications for such State and county roads as the proprietors shall, within one year from this date, agree to be necessary, leading to and from said town; draw petitions for said roads; circulate them for signers; present them to proper authorities, and attend the commissioners and viewers who may be appointed thereon, to assist in selecting proper routes for said roads; and, when the town shall be surveyed as aforesaid, the said Norton, his heirs or assigns, as principal proprietors, shall first choose and reserve one lot; the said Kilbourne, as projector, surveyor and minor proprietor, his heirs and assigns, shall next choose and reserve one lot; and the remainder of the town shall be the joint property of the said Norton and Kilbourne, their heirs and assigns, forever, in the proportion of three-fourths to the said Norton, and one-fourth to the said Kilbourne; Provided, however, that the said Norton may reserve twelve rods in width of the west side of said town plat, as the same shall be platted, surveyed and recorded as above, to his own proper use and disposal; for which the said Kilbourne shall receive and hold, throughout the other parts of the town plat, in addition to his fourth part thereof, an interest and right equal in quantity to one-fourth part of said twelve-rod reservation; so that the said Kilbourne's interest in the eighty-eight acres east of said twelve-rod reserve shall be as twenty-five is to eighty-eight, or, twenty-five acres in the whole; and the said Samuel Norton doth agree to appropriate the said tract for a town plat, to be laid off by said Kilbourne as above written, and upon the terms aforesaid; arid, so soon as the said Kilbourne shall have completed, all and singular, the obligations on his part, so far as that the town is ready for the public sale as aforesaid, the said Norton shall make and deliver to the said Kilbourne, his heirs or assigns, a good and sufficient warrantee deed of the said one-fourth part of the town plat aforesaid, provided he shall so soon receive the patent from the President for the tract of which the said town plat will be a part; and, if the patent should not be so soon received, then and in that case the deed shall be made and delivered as soon as the said patent shall be received as aforesaid. In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals, at Crawford county the fourth day of October, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one. JAMES KILBOURNE (Seal), SAMUEL NORTON (seal). In presence of SETH HOLMES, JR. BIRON KILBOURNE. The plat of the within described town, now named Bucyrus, is so changed to the west by laying off by mutual agreement as to leave but twenty-four, instead of forty-four, rods between said plat and the sectional line; and the reserve of Samuel Norton is extended on the plat to twenty-four, instead of twelve rods; there will, of course, remain but seventy-six instead of eighty-eight, rods, or acres, of said plat east of Samuel Norton's reserve, of which seventy rods, containing seventy-six acres, James Kilbourne shall receive his proportion of the town, in amount twenty-five acres, instead of the eighty-eight acres as within contracted. Said Norton shall have to his own use all the mill privileges, with no other consideration than that of the contents of the ground contained therein, toward his part of the out-lots of the plat; and the ground bought of Mr. Holmes, if retained, shall be laid out into lots by said Kilbourne and added to the town, on the same principles and proportions of mutual advantage as the hundred acres contained in the foregoing contract. December 15, 1821. SAMUEL NORTON. JAMES KILBOURNE. The foregoing contract is this day so changed by mutual consent that the part of the town of Bucyrus which is laid upon the lands of Samuel Norton is confined to such limits as to contain only the numbered in-lots, out-lots and public grounds, with the avenue, streets and alleys, containing fifty acres more or less; and the projector and surveyor of the town, James Kilbourne, his heirs and assigns, shall have and receive the one equal half part thereof, instead of the one-fourth part of the one hundred acres, as previously stipulated in this contract. Witness our hands and seals at Bucyrus, this 12th day of February, 1822. SAMUEL NORTON (seal). JAMES KILBOURNE (seal). This contract, with the amendments, occupied three pages of foolscap, and it will be observed that the final agreement was reached and the contract signed on Lincoln's birthday, that later distinguished American being at that time ragged and barefooted in his log cabin, probably passing the day without any presents to remind him that it was the thirteenth anniversary of his birth. On the same sheet of foolscap is written the final words: "The within article of agreement, with the two modifications of the original contract herein contained, being complied with by the parties, is fully canceled and of no farther effect. SAMUEL NORTON. JAMES KILBOURNE." Bucyrus, April 22, 1830." The plat itself that was filed at Delaware, Ohio, in the Recorder's office, was signed Feb. 11, 1822. The corrected survey showed Norton's land only extended as far north as Perry street. East of Sandusky avenue, the land between Perry street and the river was owned by Seth Holmes and Daniel McMichael, and west of the avenue by Abel and Lewis Cary. The sale of lots later shows Seth Holmes' land was bought, and certainly some 366 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY agreement was made with the Carys and McMichaels as the town extended to the river The amended plat as filed in this county shows that described by present boundaries the town started on the east at the Sandusky river, just half a block east of Walnut street, extending south to Middletown street, the line being half way between Walnut and lane streets, a part of this line having an alley, notably from the Pennsylvania road to Charles street. At Middletown street it ran west two blocks to the alley between Sandusky avenue and Poplar street; then north along the alley until it came to within one lot of Warren street, where it went west to Poplar street, including in the village lot 176 on the southeast corner of Poplar and Warren, now owned by the heirs of D. Picking. It event north on Poplar to Rensselaer street; then went half a block west, then north, along the west line of the present Presbyterian parsonage until within one lot of Mansfield street, when it went west across Spring street, and further west two lots, then north across Mansfield street, so as to include one row of lots on the north side of Mansfield. The line then ran east, at the rear of two lots on Mansfield street west of Spring, and at the rear of four lots between Spring and Poplar. On Poplar it went north to Galen, east to the alley between Poplar and Sandusky, then north to the river. The plat contained 176 lots, and of these lots 90 and 92 were set apart for a Court House, the present site; and lot 88 for the jail, and north of this lot 86 was donated by Norton later for school purposes, the lot adjoining the Pennsylvania road on Walnut street. The streets were named mostly by Samuel Norton, as they are after members of his family, modestly omitting one after himself. Sandusky avenue was laid out as an avenue, and was 5 rods wide (82 1/2 feet) called after the Columbus and Sandusky turnpike, but always popularly known and called "Main street." Mansfield street was called after the road leading to Mansfield. Walnut street was probably named by Col. Kilbourne, on account of a number of Walnut trees at the north end of the street. Poplar street was named from the number of Poplar trees on its northern end. Mary street was named after Mrs. Norton: Rensselaer. Warren and Charles. after the sons of Norton. All these streets were not named at the start, as Perry street was named after Perry Garton, the eldest grandchild of Samuel,, and Mary Norton, son of Louisa Norton who married Harris Garton Feb. 15, 1824. Middletown street was also named later, after the road leading from Bucyrus through that village to Mansfield. Galen street was also named later, the early history says, probably after some member of the Norton family but no Galen can be found in the family, and the probabilities are it was named by Dr. McComb, the first disciple of Galen who came in 1822; the street itself was partly through a swamp, at places impassable east and west, and as late as 1851 was in such a condition it was probably a relief to the citizens when the Ohio and Indiana road decided to use it for their track. Spring alley was named from a spring on the banks of the Sandusky, east of the avenue. East and West Alleys were named from being east and vest of Sandusky avenue. The lot sale took place in April. but prior to this parties had bought lots. When the sale took place, a large crowd was present, people coming from the country and from neighboring towns, and Col. Kilbourne was the auctioneer, and during the sale sang for the first time his SONG OF BUCYRUS Ye men of spirit, ardent souls, Whose hearts are firm and hands are strong, Whom generous enterprise controls, Attend ! and truth shall guide my song. I'll tell you how Bucyrus, now Just rising, like the star of morn, Surrounded stands by fertile lands, On clear Sandusky's rural bourn. In these wide regions, known to fame, Which freedom proudly calls her own; Where free-born men the heathen tame, And spurning kings—despise a throne. No lands more blest in all the west, Are seen whichever way you turn, Than those around Bucyrus found On clear Sandusky's rural bourn. The river valley, rich and green, Far as the power of sight extends, Presents a splendid rural scene, Which not the distant landscape ends. The bordering plain spreads like the main, Where native fruits its sides adorn, And nearly join the margin line Along Sandusky's rural bourn. First Norton and the Beadles came, With friends, (an enterprising band), Young and McMichael, men of fame, Soon joined the others, hand in hand; AND REPRESENTATIVE CITlZENS - 367 By various plans t' improve the lands, They early rise with every morn, Near where the town Bucyrus stands, All on Sandusky's rural bourn. There, teams of oxen move with pride, Obedient to their driver's word; There the strong yeomen firmly guide The ploughs which cleave and turn the sward; The dale around, with herds abound, The fields luxuriant are with corn, Near where the town Bucyrus stands, All on Sandusky's rural bourn. Rich meadows there, extending far, By nature for the scythe prepared, And boundless pasture everywhere, Is free for all and ev'ry herd. The deep'ning mold, some hundred fold, Rewards with flax and wheat and corn, Those who with toil excite the soil, Along Sandusky's rural bourn. In seasons mild their forests wild, Through hills and valleys widely spread, The streamlets glide from every side, Concent'ring to their common bed; Thence, fed by springs which nature brings, O'erhung by plum-tree, elm and thorn, Winds on the stream with dazzling gleam, Along Sandusky's rural bourn. When gathering vapors chin the sky, And clouds condensed their treasures pour; When showers descend, and lightnings rend The heavens above, and thunders roar; When growing rills valley fills; When gentle brooks to rivers turn Then moves with pride the swelling tide Along Sandusky's rural bourn. There, youths and maids along the glades Are often seen in walks around, Where flowers in prime, in vernal time, And where, in autumn, fruits are found, With manly face, with dimpling grace, Give, and receive kind words in turn— In roseate bowers, where fragrant flowers O'erspread Sandusky's rural bourn. Then, here, my friend, your search may end, For here's a country to your mind; And here's a town your hopes may crown, As those who try it soon shall find. Here fountains flow, mild zephyrs blow, While health and pleasure smile each morn For all around Bucyrus found, On fair Sandusky's rural bourn. Many times in after years when Col. Kilbourne visited Bucyrus he sang this song and others to admiring crowds. He was a great favorite among the sturdy pioneer settlers, who esteemed him for his many social qualities, and, when the knowledge that the Colonel was at the village spread throughout the neighborhood, they would assemble at Bucyrus to enjoy the rich season of fun which the old surveyor always planned and directed when he appeared. He had a few old cronies, who were seldom absent when the Colonel was willing to "make a night" of it with his boon companions. Brandy and egg-nog were Kilbourne's favorite beverages, and these special friends of his never refused to indulge when stray glasses containing liquid of this description were thrust into their hands; consequently, when Kilbourne planned a good social time at the public house with a few friends, these companions were always willing and anxious to assist in disposing of the various liquors furnished by the Colonel's hospitality. In those days when whisky was supposed to be a necessity in every household, nearly all indulged in strong drink and for a man to be under the influence of liquor was not so serious a matter as it is regarded at streamlets time. Even ministers did not object to an occasional glass; many were regular drinkers. But in the early days of the village, when ordained ministers appeared at irregular intervals, some of the early settlers, learning that Col. Kilbourne had formerly been an Episcopalian rector, requested him to conduct religious services. The Colonel consented in order that Bucyrus would obtain some credit for being a moral and religious village, and arrangements were made for him to preach on a certain Sabbath. The night previous, however, he assembled with his usual companions at the public house, and until after midnight the jolly crowd had a fine time. Many songs were proposed and sung by the Colonel ; the bar-tender's till received numerous contributions, and much of his liquid ware had been disposed of; consequently, when they adjourned, many were much th worse for liquor. But the Reverend Colone appeared next day ready for the religious exercises, and, in consequence of his early experience as rector, he conducted a very satisfactory meeting ; the effect of the previous night did not prevent him from preaching ar excellent sermon. Not so, however, with some of his companions who took part in the revelries at the public house; one of these misguided men, having learned that Kilbourne was to officiate at another meeting, seemed tc consider it a continuation of the "good time” started the night previous, and made haste to, assemble with the religious portion of that community. The poor fellow was too fat gone 368 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY to notice the difference in the assembly, but he heard the familiar voice of Kilbourne asking some one to propose a hymn for the oc- casion, and the erring man not knowing the horrid mistake he was making, arose and startled the congregation with one of the wild drinking songs of the night previous. The original numbers of Bucyrus on the Delaware plat, and on the Bucyrus plat, commenced at the Sandusky river, the odd numbers on the west side of Sandusky avenue and the even numbers on the east. They ran 1 to 7, Perry street; 9 to 17, Mary street; 19 to 27, Galen street; 29 to 35, Public Square; 37 to 43, Rensselaer street; 45 to 53 Warren street. This was as far as the original plat of the town filed at Delaware, contemplated, and south of this, starting two blocks wide was a triangular park, extending to a point at San- dusky and Charles street. On the east side of Sandusky avenue, commencing at the river are lots 2 to 8, Perry street; 10 to 18, Mary street; 20 to 28, Galen street; 30 to 36, Public Square; 38 to 44, Rensselaer street; 46 to 54, Warren street. On the east side of Walnut the numbers commenced at the river with No. 56 and ran to 95 and 97 on Mansfield street, which were the present Opera Block and the Hall property adjoining; on the west side they ran from 57 to 91 and 93, the Adams property on Mansfield street, now owned by Miss Lizzie Ostermeyer. The plat as filed at Delaware was signed on Feb. 11, 1822, by Samuel Norton, Abel Cary, Daniel McMichael, and Seth Holmes. It was witnessed by Joseph Young and Gibley (Polly) Bucklin, and was sworn to by Joseph Young, as Justice of the Peace. Later the plat was changed but it was never corrected on the Delaware records. On this Delaware plat a site is marked on the river, half a block east of the present Lane street (now out-lot 119) and marked Norton's Mill, showing Norton had in contemplation the building of a mill. On this plat the town stopped at Warren street, which was called Cherry alley. Of the park the plat says, "to be improved for parkage gardening as the corporation of the town shall direct, and until the town shall be incorporated the original proprietors will direct and dispose thereof at discretion." The plat further says: "The marks of the figure `o' denote the springs which issue from the high bank within the town." This spring was about half a block east of Sandusky avenue, on the high bank of the river, and a distillery was started there on account of the pure water that could be secured. There was also another spring on the river bank, between the railroad bridge and the Mary street bridge. On April 22, 1830, the contract was canceled as being completed, but this completion was made by Norton and Kilbourne having a division of the lots remaining unsold at that time. The lot sale took place in the spring of 1822, and there were many came from the surrounding country and from a distance, the sale having been well worked up by Col. Kilbourne. The first owners on record of each of the lots of the original plat filed at Delaware, with the prices paid, and date of giving the deed, are as follows: 1—Abel Cary to Lewis Cary, 1825 $50.00 2—Admr. Daniel McMichael to Ichabod Rogers, 1829 95.00 3—Abel Cary to Lewis Cary, 1825 50.00 4—Robert Moore to Ichabod Rogers, 1825 225.00 5—Abel Cary to Lewis Cary, 1825 50.00 6—Willianm Young to Ichabod Rogers, 1839 200.00 7—Conrad Roth to E. B. Merriman, 1828 600.00 8—Admr. McMichael to Ichabod Rogers, 1829 95.00 9—Samuel Norton to Wm. F. Seiser, 1853 500.00 10—Samuel Norton to Charles Merriman, 1826 50.00 11—Samuel Norton to Jefferson Norton, part, 1855 500.00 12—Samuel Norton to Hugh McCracken & French & Bowers, 1824 40.00 13—Samuel Norton to John Moderwell, 1828 50.00 14—Samuel Norton to Lewis Stephenson, 1823 40.00 15—Samuel Norton to John McClure, Pennsylvania, 1824 40.00 16—Samuel Norton to E. B. Merriman, 1824 30.00 17—Samuel Norton to John Miller, 1824 50.00 AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 369 18-Samuel Norton to Byron Kilbourne, 1830 nominal 19-Samuel Norton to J. S. Hughes, 1825 50.00 20-Samuel Norton to Andrew Failor, 1826 40.00 21-Samuel Norton to Henry Miller, 1824 40.00 22-Samuel Norton to Samuel Myers, 1827 60.00 23-Samuel Norton to Joseph McComb, 1829 50.00 24-Samuel Norton to Holm & Cronebaugh, 1830 nominal 25-Samuel Norton to John Forbes, 1830 80.00 26-Samuel Norton to Calvin Squire, 1823 25.00 27-Samuel Norton to James Houston, 1834 30.00 28-Samuel Norton to Janes P. Heath, 1823 40.00 29-Samuel Norton to John Yost, 1828 120.00 30-Samuel Norton to Johann G. Shultz, 1823 50.00 31-Samuel Norton to Samuel W. Smith, 1822 30.00 32-Samuel Norton to Ebenezer Dowd, 1822 60.00 33-Samuel Norton to Edward Billups, 1823 40.00 34-Samuel Norton to Horace Pratt, 1826 48.00 35-Samuel Norton to Henry St. John, 1826 45.00 36-Samuel Norton to Lewis Stephenson, 1827 42.00 37-John Miller to Jacob Culler, 1828 100.00 38-Samuel Norton to Abraham Hahn, 1828 100.00 39-Norton & Kilbourne to George Sweney, 1831 170.00 40-Samuel Norton to James Marshall, 1829 40.00 41-Nicholas Cronebaugh to Martha Hetich, 1833 250.00 42-Norton & Kilbourne to Jesse George, 1835 160.00 43-Samuel Norton to Jacob Drake, 1833 40.00 44-Samuel Norton to John McClure, Pennsylvania, 1824 40,00 45-Samuel Norton to Joseph McCutchen, 1827 80.00 46-Byron Kilbourne to Samuel Jones, 1837 250.00 47-Byron Kilbourne to James Kelly, north half, 1833 80.00 47-Byron Kilbourne to Wm. Early, south half, 1833 80.00 48-Byron Kilbourne to Joseph H. Larwill, half, 1834 50.00 48-Byron Kilbourne to Abraham Hahn, half, 1837 150.00 49-Byron Kilbourne to Madison Welsh, 1836 225.00 50-Samuel Norton to Josiah Boyce, half, 1833 100.00 50-Samuel Norton to Joseph H. Larwell half, 1834 150.00 51-Byron Kilbourne to Zalmon Rowse, 1835 180.00 52-Samuel Norton to Harris Garton, son-in-law, 1830 1.00 53-Samuel Norton to Russell Peck, 1827 25.00 54-Samuel Norton to John Miller, 1827 40.00 55-Daniel McMichael to Abel Cary, 1824 30.00 56-Daniel McMichael to Abel Cary, 1824 30.00 57-Daniel McMichael to Valentine Shultz, 1829 29.00 58-Daniel McMichael to Abel Cary, 1824 30.00 59-Daniel McMichael to Valentine Shultz, 1824 10.00 60-Daniel McMichael to Valentine Shultz, 1824 30.00 61-Daniel McMichael to Abel Cary, 1824 30.00 62-Daniel McMichael to Robert Moore, 1825 30.00 63-Admr. Daniel McMichael to Andrew Failor, 1826 60.00 64-Samuel Norton to John Miller, 1828 120.00 65-Samuel Norton to John Miller, 1828 120.00 66-Samuel Norton to John Moderwell . 1827 40.00 67-Samuel Norton to Zilisha Bucklin, 1837 100.00 370 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY 68—Samuel Norton to Byron Kilbourne, 1830 nominal 69—Samuel Norton to Harris Garton, son-in-law, 1830 1.00 70—Samuel Norton to Adam Kronenberger, 1851 200.00 71—A. C. Gilmore to John Mills, north half, 1834 115.00 71—Abraham Yost to Edith Smith, south half, 1835 78.00 72—Samuel Norton to George Shaffer, 1829 60.00 73—Samuel Norton to George Shaffer, 1829 60.00 74—Sainuel Norton to Holm & Cronbaugh, 1830 nominal 75—Samuel Norton to Holm & Cronbaugh, 1830 nominal 76—Samuel Norton to Holm & Cronbaugh, 1830 nominal 77—Samuel Norton to Frederick Myers, south half, 1835 50.00 77--Stephen Brinkman to Ichabod Rogers, north half, 1836 100.00 78—Samuel Norton to Holm & Cronbaugh, 1830 nominal 79—Samuel Norton to Holm & Cronbaugh. 1830 nominal 80—Samuel Norton to Byron Kilbourne, 1830 nominal 81—Samuel Norton to Christopher Brinkman. 1836 125.00 82—Samuel Norton to Trustees Lutheran Church, 1833 60.00 83--Samuel Norton to Trustees Lth and Ger. Ref.. 1830 43.00 84-----Samuel Norton to Byron Kilbourne, 1830 nominal 85—Samuel Norton to Barbara Cronbaugh, 1833 50.00 86—Samuel Norton to School Directors, 1834 donated 87—Samuel Norton to Holm & Cronbaugh, 1830 nominal 88—Samuel Norton to County Commissioners, 1828 donated 89—Lincoln Kilbourne to County Commissioners, 1854 500.00 90—Samuel Norton to Crawford County. 1832 donated 91—Norton & Kilbourne to William Sinclair, 1834 200.00 92—Byron Kilbourne to County Commissioners, 1832 donated 93—Samuel Norton to Rensselaer Norton, son, 1830 1.00 94—Samuel Norton to Elihu Doud, 1826 36.00 95—Samuel Norton to Trustees M. E. Church, 1831 125.00 96—Samuel Norton to Trustees M. E. Church, 1831 125.00 97—Samuel Norton to Byron Kilbourne, 1830 nominal Of the original lots sold in Bucyrus, No. 36, where the Quinby Block now stands, was sold to Lewis Stephenson for $42; the land is now on the tax duplicate at $45,850, and the buildings were about $30,450 more, giving the total valuation of this $42 lot at about $76,300. It is now owned by several different parties. Commencing at the east No. i is owned by the Hausleib Brothers; No. 2, by Judge Charles F. Schaber; Nos. 3 and 6, Fred \V. Mader; No. 4, the heirs of L. Mantle; No. 3, Charles Lake ; Nos. 7 and 8, by Mrs. Millie Geiger and Mrs. Mary Sarles. The lot has a frontage on the Square of 159 feet, with a depth of 66 feet. Until 1828 nobody wanted the Rowse Block corner; it was too far up town. "l he first business on the lot was in T827, when James McLean, a carpenter, erected a one-story building on the lot where he lived and made shingles. It was sold in 1828 to Jacob Culler for $100. Today the land is on the tax duplicate at $46,166, and the buildings at $25,806. making the total $71,972. It is the largest of the lots on the Square, being 165x67.2. It is now owned by the William Rowse heirs, Second National Bank, H. F. Miller, G. K. Zeigler, and the George Mader heirs. Lot No. 35, the Bucvrus City Bank corner. was purchased of Norton by Henry St. John for $45. It has a frontage on the Square of 165 feet, with a depth of 66 feet. The land is now on the tax duplicate at $46,713, with the buildings valued at $21,478. making a total of $68,191. The land is now owned by the Bucyrus City Bank, Judge J. C. Tobias, Fred W. Mader. the Mader heirs and Lewis Mollenkopf. Lot No. 38, the Deal House corner was sold to Abraham Hahn in 1828 for $100. It has a frontage on the Square of 159 feet, the same AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 371 as the Quinby Block, and with a depth of 67.2 feet. The land is now on the tax duplicate at $44,846, and the buildings at $10,931. It is now owned by P. J. Carroll, with the exception of the 22 feet owned by W. F Barth and occupied by him as a barber shop. The Deal House was originally a two-story brick about 45 feet front on the Square and about the same on Sandusky avenue. In 1858 it was extended on the Square as it is at present, and made three stories, the corner remaining as originally built, a third story being added. The Barth barber shop and the Martinitz bakery are as originally built over 70 years ago, no change except a coat of paint occasionally. When McCoy had the Deal House from 1853 to 1858 he owned the entire frontage on the Square from Sandusky avenue around to Mansfield street. Above the Martinitz bakery up to 1860 was the McCoy Hall which you eutered by the same outside steps that are there to this day, the only change being they are now-covered. Here the elite of Bucyrus assembled to listen to lectures, and minstrel shows and theatrical troupe which made a one night stop at Bucyrus. The stage was a platform about a foot high in the north part of the hall. In front were two or three rows of chairs, which were occupied by the more wealthy citizens as reserved seats at some select entertainment. when prices ran as high as 25 cents, or what was called a shilling in those days. Behind these chairs were benches without backs. Benches about 12 feet long on each side of the hall, with the aisle down the centre. Here the price was uniform, a sixpence. The other hall in those days was Denslow Hall. This was the third story of the brick, north of the Bucyrus City Bank. It was a very low room, not easy of access, and was not as popular as the McCoy Hall. C. D. Ward owned the building, and the hall was called after his middle name Denslow. Of the original lot owners not one is in the hands of any of their descendants. In 1828 Abraham Yost bought lot 29 for $120. John Deardorff had originally bought the lot of Norton and erected a house on it: he died before he had paid for the lot: so the first deed was from Norton to Yost. This lot remained in the possession of the Yosts until 1910, when it was sold to Dobbins and Geiger. The oldest lot owner in Bucyrus (in the point of time) is C. J. Scroggs, his grandfather, John Scroggs, purchasing lot 104 southeast corner Walnut and Rensselaer, in 1839; from John Scroggs, it descended to his son Jacob, and from him to his only son Charles, who still resides there. The same year 1839, but a month later, John A. Gormly purchased lot 6 in Carothers' addition to Bucyrus southwest corner Poplar and Warren; it passed from John A. Gormly to his son J. B. Gormly, and is still occupied by the latter as a residence. John E. Kilbourne in his Ohio Gazetteer for 1826, has the following: "Bucyrus—A lively post town laid out in 1822 on the south bank of Sandusky river, in the eastern part of Crawford county. It is the scat of justice for the count,. has two stores and several mechanics." It is a pleasure to notice that ill these early days Bucyrus had a reputation of being a "hustling" town. The fact that the editors uncle laid out the town, and was financially interested in it, may have made it advisable in the interest of peace at home that the young man give the town a good "send off." The two stores were those of E. B. Merriman and Samuel Bailey. The Merriman store was on the lot just south of the Electric Light Works, and was probably started iu 1822. Mr. Merriman was known as ''Judge" Merriman and "Bishop" Merriman. Of this store John Moderwell, who came in 1827, wrote in his pioneer reminiscences published in the Bucyrus Jourual in 1868: "Judge E. B. Merriman had the monopoly for some time of exchanging goods with the red and white people for deer skins, furs, beeswax, honey, ginseng, cranberries and other articles." It was not an elaborate establishment, and the business was mostly trade, very little cash. Even his goods were purchased mostly by exchanging the skins and farm products he had for the goods he wanted. James Nail, in his pioneer letter in the Forum of 1874, writes : "I now remember that the first goods I bought in a store at Bucyrus were from Bishop Merriman (1822 or 1823). As I was getting a few articles a Mr. Peter Clinger took his pencil and paper and commenced writing. Merriman asked him what he was doing. He said he was taking an invoice of his goods, and that the amount of his stock was $37.41. Merriman said he was not far out of the way.'' The prices current 372 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY in those days were wheat, 40 to 50 cents per bushel; oats, 12 to 18 cents; corn, 15 to 25 cents; potatoes, 12 to 25 cents; cranberries, 50 cents per bushel; pork 1 1/2 to 2 cents per pound; maple sugar, 5 to 6 cents per pound; butter 5 to 6 cents per pound; eggs, 3 to 4 cents a dozen; honey, 50 cents per gallon. Coffee was 50 cents per pound; salt $3 for 50 pounds; powder, 50 cents a quarter, lead 50 cents a pound, chewing tobacco, 50 cents a pound, and whiskey 50 cents a gallon. The other store was that of Samuel Bailey, the east side of Sandusky and the second lot south of Perry street. Bailey sold about 1824 to French & Bowers and they sold to John Nimmons in 1827, and the latter built the frame on the northeast corner of Sandusky and Rensselaer, and moved into it in 1828, the first store south of the Square. The several mechanics were probably Russell Peck with his blacksmith shop, northwest corner Sandusky and Warren; Lewis Stephenson, hatter, on Quinby Block lot; Joseph Umpstead, cabinet maker, whose shop was in his residence; Aaron Cary, who had a saddlery on his lot just west of the bridge; Adam Bair had a carpenter shop, and John Billups was a shoemaker. Besides this, Cary had a mill, Moore and Rogers each had a hotel and there were two physicians, Drs. McComb and Hobbs. The following shows the early settlers in Bucyrus: 1819—Samuel Norton; founded the town in 1821; kept a hotel in 1835. Albigence Bucklin; ran a farm and made mill-stones. Seth Holmes, came with Norton; had a log cabin southeast corner Galen and Sandusky, where he died about 1825. 1820—A man named Sears, who settled near Oakwood Cemetery, but left soon afterward. David Beadle entered land west of the Norton tract; built his cabin near the corner of Spring and Charles; his son David lived with him until he married two years later Mishael Beadle son of David, built a cabin on the Bowers lot on West Mansfield. Amos Clark, a farmer, who bought the land south of Norton, and had his residence near the W. H. Miller property 435 South Sandusky. 1821—Abel Cary, who built the first mill a few rods below the Sandusky avenue bridge. 1822—Russell Peck, blacksmith, shop, northwest corner Sandusky and Warren. Conrad Roth, blacksmith. Lewis Stephenson, hatter; first shop, centre lot, east side Sandusky between Perry and Mary; in 1826 moved to Quinby Block lot. Joseph Umpstead cabinet maker, north Sandusky; E. B. Merriman, merchant; first store was between the present G. K. Zeigler residence and the river; in 1824 moved to southeast corner Sandusky and Perry; with him came his brother Charles as clerk. Zalmon Rowse, who came to Whetstone township the year before; Ichabod Rogers, who started a tavern the next year; Aaron Cary who started a tannery and saddlery shop on the Shonert lot. Conrad Rhodes, who the next year ran a tavern on the Shonert lot. George P. Schultz, who kept a boarding house on north Walnut; Joseph McComb, a physician; Lewis Cary, who ran the first tavern on the Shonert lot; Robert Moore and Joseph Pearce, who later ran the tavern. Harry Burns, a friend of the Nor-tons, who was a hunter. John Deardorff, who built a cabin, on the southwest corner of Sandusky and Galen and was a farmer; Harris Garton and John Kent were also farmers. Others that year were Samuel Carl, John Kellogg and Samuel Roth. 1823—Adam Bair, carpenter; John Billups, shoemaker; Matthew McMichael, teamster; he came to the county in 1819, and in 1820 helped his father on the farm east of Bucyrus, and then came to Bucyrus. Moses Arden, William Blowers and James Martin taught early schools, the latter was the first auditor of the county in 1826. William Early, the first real estate dealer and an early justice of the peace, and Patrick Height and William Reeves. 1824—Samuel Bailey, merchant; John Funk, tavern keeper; Henry Miller, cabinet maker; John Marshall, surveyor; John T. Hobbs, physician; Thomas Alsop and John Blowers, who taught early schools, and John Huhr and Daniel Seal. 1825—John Bowen and James Marshall, blacksmiths; Hugh McCracken, John Bowman, and Andrew Failor, merchants: Adam Bair, carpenter, John H. Morrison, lawyer; Jonas Scott, teacher; George Hawk, shoemaker; Nicholas Failor, tailor: Daniel Miller, farmer, and James Houston, John Kanzleiter, and Hugh Long. 1826---Edward Billups, carpenter: William AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 373 Bratton, hatter; James McLain, miller; Jacob Bowers, John B. French, Henry St. John, Martin Barr and Henry Babcock, merchants; Isaac H. Allen, Michael Flick and Charles Stanberg, lawyers; Abraham Myers, teacher; Henry Minich, tanner; John Caldwell, contractor; Ebenezer Dowd and Samuel Myers, tailors; George Lauck and Capt. John hiller, tavern keepers; Thomas Johnston and James C. Steen, farmers, and Elihu Dowd, Jacob Drake, William Hughey and son William, William Marsh, Jacob Sigler and Joy Sperry. 1827—John Moderwell, cabinet maker; Eli Slagle, miller; Robert W. Musgrave, James Ranney, John Nimmons, merchants; Richard W. Cahill, clerk; Willis Merriman, physician: Horace Pratt, teacher; Emanuel Deardorff, tanner: Jacob G. Gilmore, tavern keeper; and William Farley and William Magers. 1828—Daniel Holm, brickmaker ; Adam Moderwell and Isaac Ritter, cabinet makers; James and John McCracken, millwrights; John Yost, gunsmith; Rev. David Shuh ; Abraham Hahn, jr., teacher; David and Abraham Holm, tanners; Henry Couts and John Heinlein teamsters; William R. Magill, printer; Abraham Hahn, tavern keeper; Peter Klinger, well digger; Lewis Heinlen, farmer, and William F. Ayres, Thomas Barnett, Jacob Forney, Daniel and John Holm, Christopher Noacre. 1829-Matthew Feree, blacksmith; Samuel Jones, cabinet maker; Benjamin Meeker, merchant; Jonathan Reeder, printer: Nicholas Cronebaugh and John Shull, carpenters; Josiah Scott, lawyer, Jacob Bash. 1830—Joseph Albright, brickmaker ; John N. Rexroth, blacksmith; Jacob Hinnan, teamster; David McLane, weaver; Eli Cronebaugh, carpenter; John Forbes, saddler; George Sweney, lawyer; Dr. Sinclair; and Dr. Samuel Horton; John and Jacob Staley. 1831—David H. Henthorn, carpenter: John Colerick, merchant: John Moore, shoemaker; William Crosby, printer; Samuel Ludwig, farmer; William Knous and James Tate. 1832—Israel Jones, saddler: Thomas Shawke, blacksmith; J. H. Douglass, J. H. and Jabez B. Larwill, merchants: John Smith, lawyer; Rev. F. I. Ruth, Samuel Peterman, teamster: Lorenzo Andrews. 1833—George Walter, clerk: Jesse Quaintance, miller; Daniel and Owen Williams, merchants; David R. Lightner, printer. 1834—Thomas Gillespie, registrar land office; Josiah S. Plants, lawyer; William Wise, cabinet maker; Christian Sexauer, shoemaker; Charles P. West, printer; Rufus Benson and Jonathan Timberline. 1835—George McNeal, carpenter; Charles Kelly, miller; Peter and W. W. Miller, merchants; Ludwig Assenheimer, weaver; James W. Armstrong, lawyer; Drs. Andrew and George A. Hetich and Dr. A. M. Jones; Rev. Frederick Maschop ; William White, teacher; Samuel Caldwell, farmer. 1836—John A. Gormly, and James P. Bowman, merchants. 1837—Charles and Paul I. Hetich, saw mill; Franklin Adams, lawyer; Rev. John Pettitt. 1838—F. G. Hesche, merchant; Dr. William Geller, and Revs. William Hutchinson, and Seeley Bloomer. 1839--John Scroggs, hatter and Henry Flock, farmer. Other early business men were John Davis, hatter; Christian Howenstein cabinet maker; Chris Brinkman, millwright; John Anderson, James Qumby, J. W. Bever, S. A. Magers, M. Nigh and J. Coleman, merchants; Frederick Schuler, shoemaker; Peter Howenstein and Lewis Kuhn, tailors; Samuel Picking, tavern keeper; Jesse George, wagon maker; and James Goodel, James Gilson, Jacob Howenstein and John Moody. In the early part of the summer of 1824, James Nail had finished his grist-mill near Galion, and in his letters in the Forum he says "At this time went to Bucyrus and engaged mill stones of a Mr. Bucklin, who was making them there out of a kind of nigger-head stones. After he finished them he gave me notice, and I went there for them with a wagon and two yoke of cattle. Remained one night at Bucyrus with Mr. B.. and as I could get no enclosure or stable I let the oxen graze on the plains. In the morning when I went for them they had started home, and it was about 10 when I found them and brought them back to town. In the street I met a man, Mr. Henry Smith. He asked me if I had had breakfast that day. I said no. He then said: `Nearly everybody in this town has the ague; go with 374 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY me and take your breakfast. He further said: 'I am the only man in the town that has any pork. 1 ou may fill your stomach with pork, then keep your mouth shut, and breathe through your nose, or you will have a shake of ague before you leave town.' After breakfast illy mill-stones were loaded. I hauled them home and had the ]pill started the same fall. I had been partially acquainted with some men around here before this time, for instance, two families by the name of Cary, Mr. Rogers, I think two families by the name of Merriman, Col. Rowse, Mr. Miller, Dr. McComb and others. East of Bucyrus I knew several families by the name of Kent, Holmes, Bear, Scott, Judge Stewart, the Parchers, and others, then settled along the edge of the Plains. Another settlement had commenced along the Plains near the Whetstone. Among them I knew Messrs. Hancock, Eyeman, King, Armstrong, Van Voorhis, Hamilton, Campbell, Poe, Mears, Clark and others." Mrs. Lucy Rogers tells of her sad experience with the ague in 1822. She says: " My busband took sick on one oceasion and was bedfast. He could neither eat or drink a part of the time. Meanwhile our scanty store of food was consumed until not a particle was left in the house for our subsistence. The last crust was gone. My prayer to God was that all of us, my young babe, my helpless husband, and illy starving self might all die together before the sun should set. That night was one of sleepless agony. Next morning I went through an Indian trail, unfit as I was to go through the tall, wet grass, which was then as high as a man's head, to William Langdon's, near Young's grist mill, and, between sobs, told my pitiful story to him, and begged for some flour to keep my little family from starving to death. He did not know me, and refused: but his wife—God bless her—spoke up and said: 'You shall not starve if it takes all there is in the house.' Her husband relented and weighed ma out nineteen pounds of flour, and then, blessing them for their charity. I returned home through the tall grass with the `bird of hope' again singing in lily bosom. How sweet the short cake, without meat, butter or anything else tasted that day. In the afternoon, Aunt Lois Kent. learning of our destitution, brought us a pan of meal. I got some mills of Mrs. Shultz and then made somc mush. Believe me, the tears of joy and sorrow rained down my cheeks when this meal was eaten. I then told Louisa Norton, who afterward married Harris Garton, how terribly we were distressed by want and hunger. She went home and told her father, Samuel Norton, who said : `This will not do; these folks have come to a new country, and they must be helped; they shall not starve in Bucyrus.' So every evening he sent its new mill:. fresh from the cow, and as we needed it a ham of meat. One day he sent Louisa over to u~ with a dressed pig. I never had a present that did me so much good. In a very few weeks lily husband recovered and then we fared better." There were very few cases like this, and it is to the credit of the pioneers, that in every case, a person really in need, found help and assistance, and Langdon, himself had reason to he suspicious when a w0man in need deliberately walked a mile and a half to seek assistance. When Norton first came lie started a little tannery on the banks of the Sandusky to tan enough leather for the family sh0es; it was on land which later he discovered belonged to Abel and Lewis Cary, Abel Cary came in 1821, and on the south bank of the river just below Sandusky avenue he built a small dam, and erected a grist-mill in 1822, and the long journey of the pioneers through the forest was a thing of the past. His brother, Lewis Cary, came in 1822. The latter had learned the tanning business in New Jersey, and came west to Jefferson county, where he went into the tanning business. Here lie married Rachel Kirk, and in 1822. came to Bucyrus, driving through in a "schooner wagon" with his wife and nine children. Arriving here, they occupied an old log cabin, until a cabin of his own was erected by him and the early settlers on the banks of the Sandusky, where Norton had first resided. This cabin was the first one erected in Bucyrus of hewed logs with a shingle roof and grooved floor. The others were simply the logs as cut from the trees, and puncheon floors or the bare ground. His brother's mill. lust west of him was not yet completed, and he was compelled to go through the woods the forty miles to Frederickto~v n AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 375 for flour, and stated later, that sometimes the supply at home was so small that the entire family were put on an allowance. Cary made a real tannery out of -Norton s first yard, and for years he conducted the business, in 1839 disposing of it to his son Aaron, who ran it until 1855 when he sold it to Richard Plummer, Chris Shonert had learned the trade of tanner under Aaron Cary, and a year after Plummer bought the yard, it was purchased by Chris Shonert; it later became the firm of Shonert and Haller, and a quarter of a century ago was abandoned. Cary made his vats by sinking large troughs in the ground, and prepared his bark by pounding, having no facilities for grinding. Later regular vats were dug, and the bark was ground. Lewis Cary only ran his mill a short time, the little dam being a crude affair was washed away at the first freshet, so it was moved to a better site up the river, at the north end of Walnut street, and was run by Eli Slagle. Later it passed into the hands of James Kelly, and a hurricane came and took away the roof ; this was replaced and in 1843 it was destroyed by tire. :A company was formed and it wasrebuilt at very large frame mill. A strong, serviceable dam was erected by John Gilmore, near the north end of Lane street, with a mill-race running to the mill which furnished the power at all seasons of the year. Kelly and James Mclean became the proprietors, and later JamesMesLeau,, who ran it until it was destroyed by fireoun Saturday night, April 9, 1870. It was never rebuilt, and nothing now remains to show where this large mill once stood : even the old mill race has long since been filled up. The Cary mill, estt of Sandusky avenue, was the second business enterprise in Bucyrus : the Cary tannery the first. In 1823 Daniel McMichaell and Ichabod Rogers started a small distillery on the land now occupied by the Electric Light Works, but after running a year or two it was abandoned. Henry St. John bought lot 3; northeast corner of the Square, where he erected a two-story frame, and started a store in1825; this building was also used as a store until in 1890, it was moved away to give place to the present brick building of the Bucyrus City Bank. In connection with his tannery, Lewis Cary had a work-bench in his house, and made shoes, of an evening, after working at his tannery all day. 'I he Indians frequently brought skins to him for tanning, which they made into moccasins—or, rather their squaws did. They occasionally had shoes made for them by Cary for they discovered that his shoes "squeaked," and they were always anxious to secure a pair of that kind, insisting with the order that he must make a pair that "talked." And they were also as proud of a shoe that "talked," as boys of a later generation were of red-topped boots. Cary was a Quaker, and the Indians were great admirers of him, and while they were insatiate thieves, laying their hands on everything lying around loose, they never stole from Cary. Aaron Cary settled in Bucyrus soon after his brother Lewis. He was a saddler and harness maker, and had his cabin and shop near his brother's tannery. It was a two-story log house and on the upper floor his daughter Sarah taught school. Lewis Cary died on Jan.9,, 1866, at Defiance, Ohio. Of his nine children, only one remained in Bucyrus, his daughter Isabel marrying Alexander Caldwell, who had their homes for years three miles southwest of Bucyrus, near the Little Sandusky road. When the Sandusky Pike was built, Abel Cary kept the toll gate a mile north of Bucyrus, and later moved to Indiana. John Bowen had a brick yard near thesouthwestt corner of East and Middletown streets, in 1825 and here he burned the brick, and erected for himself the first brick building inBucyruss: it was on the site of the present Blair and Picking Blocks, on Sandusky avenue, and was used as a blacksmith shop by him and later by James Marshall. The first frame building, was about 15 feet square. and was on Sandusky avenue, about where the Myers harness shop now is. It was later moved to West Mansfield street. and still later to the German M. E. church lot at the junction of Middletown and Galion, then occupied by Hon. A. M. Jackson, and on his property it was used as a woodshed, and torn down when the present M. E. church was built. In 1825 John Miller came to Bucyrus and worked at his trade of carpenter and cabinet- 376 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY maker, which he had learned in his early home in Pennsylvania. He was followed in 1827 by John Moderwell, in the same business, and Miller soon retired from cabinet-making and built a carding-mill, the first erected in Bucyrus, and his mill was a pronounced success, doing a large business for many years. He kept hotel a few years, and through his carding-mill went into the dry goods business. He became prosperous, purchased 80 acres of land of Amos Clark on South Sandusky avenue, and commencing about Narrow street, laid out a part of it, on both sides of Sandusky avenue, in town lots as an addition to Bucyrus. In 1830 he was elected sheriff of the county, serving two years, and singularly enough his successor as sheriff was John Moderwell, the other cabinet-maker of the village. Besides Miller's carding-mill a similar mill was also built by Jourdan Jones; this was on the present site of the Vollrath Mills, and was run by tramp-wheel power. A man named Kirk also had a carding-mill, and later sold it to Samuel Clapper, who with Dr. A. M. Jones went into the business on a large scale, and their mill later became the Bucyrus Woolen Mills. Jourdan Jones had a wagon shop, north of Perry street and east of Sandusky avenue, in 1835, after he disposed of his carding-mill. The earliest tannery was the family affair of Norton, followed by Lewis Cary, but the developing of the country and the plentitude of hark at their doors made the tanning business the industry of Bucyrus. One of the early tanners was Emanuel Deardorff, who came to Bucyrus in 1827 with his brother-in-law, George Myers; they came through in a one-horse wagon from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The farther west they got, the worse became the roads, and at Pittsburg they found the only way to get through with their one horse was to travel light, so they left all their bedding, and whatever they thought they could get along without, and came on to Bucyrus. Here Emanuel Deardorff bought 38 acres of land at $8 per acre, and started a tan yard on the river bank on the north side of West Mansfield street, present home of H. F. Miller. Getting the business started during the winter and spring, in 1828 he returned to his former home in Cumberland county to fill an engagement he had probably made prior to leaving for Ohio, for on March 13, 1828, he married Elizabeth Howenstein, and with a team the two started for their new home, at Pittsburg taking on board the bedding and household goods he had previously left there. The bridal trip took fifteen days, and they took up their residence at their new home on West Mansfield street. He ran the tannery until 1852, when he sold to John Engle. It burned down, was rebuilt and later was abandoned. When Mr. Deardorff retired from the tanning business he ran a saw-mill for eight years across the river where the Sandusky Valley Mills were later then disposed of it, and took a 200-acre farm in Whetstone, where he. remained until 1870. when he came to Bucyrus, retiring from business. Other early tanners were David Holm, who had a tannery in 1831, just north of Buffalo Run which crossed Sandusky avenue, through the present lot of C. Roehr. Across the street the creek continued its way, bearing north through the lot of Dr. Arthur McCrory. Here Henry Minich had a tannery. The Wieland tannery was on west Galen street, run by \Vie-land and Michael Walters. In 1826 William Bratton made hats in a little log cabin on the present site of the Quinby Block. Lewis Stephenson built the second house in the village on the west side of the Sandusky the centre lot between Perry and Mary, where he ran a hatter shop. George P. Shultz was the first German in Bucyrus and he built a house on Walnut street north of Perry, where he kept a boarding house for several years; he had an adopted daughter who kept house for him until she married Henry Miller, one of the early cabinet makers of the village. Dr. J. T. Hobbs came in 1824. and had his office adjoining the hat shop of Lewis Stephenson. Dr. Joseph McComb came in 1822 and had his office near Stephenson's hat shop, and later purchased a lot on the east side of Sandusky between Mary and Galen, the centre lot in the block, and in April 1825 he married Rebecca Kimble; later he neglected his practice and about 1835 died at the Fitzsimmons tavern in Whetstone township. AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 377 Harry Smith in 1823 built a cabin on the southwest corner of Perry and Walnut. Wilham Reeves built a cabin between Perry and Mary on the east side of Sandusky in 1823. Harris Garton came in 1822, and two years later married Louisa Norton, a daughter of Samuel Norton, and about 1827, bought out Albigence Bucklin, his wife's uncle, and later moved to Chatfield township where he kept a tavern and was postmaster; in 1853 he removed to his farm in Tod township where he died. Adam Bair came in 1823, and a cousin Adam Bair came in 1825 ; they were distinguished by calling the first Adam the bad Bear, and the second Adam the good Bear; these two built the first brick school house on Middletown street, two stories with a tower and contained three rooms, built about 1850, and torn down in 1868 to make room for the present central building. Ebenezer Dowd was the first tailor and purchased the lot where the Schaber-Volk Block now stands, and here he opened his shop. He had a brother and sister who came with him, as in August, 1825 Elihu Dowd married Polly Ketchum, and in December of the same year Eunice Dowd married James Dorland of Liberty township.  Harry Burns came about 1823, a former friend of the Nortons at Elk Hill, Pa., he devoted his time to hunting and after settlers became so numerous that game became scarce he removed to the west.  John Yost came with his wife, "Aunt Chloe" and three sons, Abraham, Jacob and Jerry; he bought the lot on the southwest corner of Galen and Sandusky, when he arrived, for which he paid $120, and it remained in the family of the Yosts for over 80 years. On this corner he lived in a log house, which had previously been built by John Deardorff, and from his doorway frequently shot the wild ducks that took advantage of the swamp on the northeast corner opposite.  John Moderwell came in 1827, with his wife, Aunt Betsy, and he purchased the lot on the southwest corner of Perry and Walnut for $40; he was a cabinet maker and millwright; he opened his first shop in a little log house about where the Pickering Block now is on North Sandusky; later moved to the south side of the Rowse Block lot; here he continued in business until 1833, when he moved to a larger building where the Hotel Royal now stands. He early took an active part in the affairs of the village and county; was sheriff of the county in 1833 and mayor of the village in 1837. To him more than any other man have historians been indebted for the most reliable information as to the early history of Bucyrus. He was a resident of the county for over fifty years, and then went to Genessee, Illinois, to make his home with his son, and died there. George Lauck came in 1826 and later purchased the lot on the northwest corner of Sandusky and Mary, where he ran a tavern until he was elected county treasurer in 1837 and again in 1839, later serving two more terms as treasurer from 1843 to 1847. When he disposed of his tavern he bought the original Bucklin land of Harris Garton, and the old brick at the crossing of the T. & O. C. and Mansfield street was always known as the Lauck homestead; he owned the land to Middletown street on the south and Whetstone street on the east. Hugh McCracken and Bailey came in 1825 and in April, 1826, Hugh McCracken became the first sheriff, on the organization of the county. James and John McCracken, cousins of Hugh, came about 1828 and had a carpenter and wheelwright shop on the square the eastern part of the Quinby Block. This they rented, but they were compelled to move, as John Smith took the site and built a frame building in which he ran a store; this frame was afterward moved to the northeast corner of Mansfield and Lane and used as a residence. The McCrackens bought of Edward Billups the lot where the Mader Block now stands, and here they built another shop. James McCracken had a residence on the same lot. With the McCrackens was their sister, Mrs. Phillips, a widow with two daughters, Samantha and Susan, the latter still living, the widow of E. R. Kearsley; the stage in those days from the east only came as far as Mansfield, so James McCracken had to take two days to go to Mansfield with a horse and wagon and bring 378 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY them to Bucyrus. On the same lot was a little old unused log house; this was fitted up and in it Sallie Davis taught school. Samuel Myers came in 1826 and bought the lot just south of the J. K. Myers corner for which he paid $60. Andrew Failor came in 1825, and bought the present J. K. Myers lot on the southeast corner of Sandusky and Mary, for which he paid $40. Here he started his first store, where he remained a few years when he bought the lot on the corner of East Mansfield street and the Square, and built the frame which is still standing, and here moved his store which he ran for many years with his brother and for a time with George Lauck. Mr. Failor took an active interest in the Ohio & Indiana road, devoted all his time to the securing of the road, his business being a secondary consideration. Bucyrus secured the road, but Mr. Failor, who up to 1850 had been a prosperous merchant, had very little capital left. He started branch stores in many of the smaller towns in the days of his prosperiy; he finally sold out and went to Iowa. Thomas Johnston came in 1826. He had stopped with his brother-in-law, George Walton, in Dallas township, and was a skillful cabinet maker, and after a short visit with the Waltons, came on to Bucyrus with his family. His wife, Martha Johnston, thus gives her description of Bucyrus at that time, it was in the spring of the year 1826: As they neared the Sandusky river they saw a few log cabins surrounded with water up to the very steps. Wild ducks were running at large within the corporation limits, having no fear of the few settlers. They approached a cabin, looking from its situation very much hke a river boat as it was surrounded with water. A large log reached across the ditch in front of the building and over this they went into the store which proved to be Bishop Merriman's. They were from the east and made a humorous remark about the limited stock of goods he carried. and Merriman replied : " If you had to wheel all this stock of goods in a wheelbarrow a distance of forty miles, as I did, and sleep on them at night to keep them from being stolen, you wouldn't think it was so limited." Johnston was offered the use of an abandoned cabin by Amos Clark on what is now South Sandusky. Into this he moved with his family, and from the cabin door could see the deer and prairie chickens wandering where they pleased, and frequently wolves sneaking through the woods and tall grass. He found plenty of wood for his cabinet work, but there was no way he could dry it suitable for fine work and he decided to go to Columbus, but his friends and relatives induced him to remain by making him a present of 80 acres in southern Whetstone. Babcock & Ranney kept store on the second lot north of Galen street, now occupied by the Vollmer restaurant ; Ranney later built a small brick on the northwest corner of Rensselaer and Sandusky, which was torn down when the present brick was erected now occupied by the First National Bank. Musgrave & Merriman occupied the present site of the Johnston Pharmacy Company in t 835. Daniel & Owen Williams had their store on the corner where the Rowse Block now is. William Reeves in 1823 built a log house on the cast side of Sandusky avenue between Mary and Perry. This is probably where Merriman had his store in 1826, and that year he sold the lot to Dr. Hobbs for $125, throwing in the house. The Rowse Corner was originally bought by Henry Miller of Samuel Norton, and in 182$ he sold it to Jacob Culler of Mt. Vernon, who erected a small frame on the corner, and a store was started. This came into the hands of J. W. Bener and later Nigh & Magers became the proprietors. Josiah Scott bought the store and placed his brother-in-law John Moderwell. in charge. Both these gentlemen had married sisters of James McCracken. While running the store Mr. Moderwell lived a few doors south. Scott sold the store to Daniel and Owen Williams. The first store started in the village was by E. B. Merriman. Other early storekeepers were French & Bowers, John Nimmons, Henry St. John. Coleman & Kerns, Caldwell & McFarlan, D. S. Norton & Co., Martin Barr, Jones & Butler, B. Meeker, O. & D. Williams, James Ouinby, Babcock & Ranney, Smith & Moderwell, J. A. Gormley, Musgrave & Merriman, John Beaver. Nye & Majors, Quinby & AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 379 Grant, Phillips & Anderson, henry Converse, Loring Converse and others. Beside the brick yard on the school house grounds, an early brick yard was the southwest corner of Sandusky and Warren, about where the Diller property now is, and just south of this was another brick yard ; farther south on Sandusky avenue and across the street, just north of Holm's tannery, was another. After the flour mill was removed to the north end of Walnut street it was run for a time by Elias Slagle, and when he left the milling business he started a pottery near the mill, at the north end of Walnut street on the east side. This ran for years under various proprietors, making only crocks and jugs and the coarser articles of pottery, and was discontinued in the early 60s. Elias Slagle also ran an oil mill, the seed being ground with a large circular tramp-wheel. In 1826 Ebenezer Dowd had a tailor shop just south of the southwest corner of Sandusky and Galen, the present site of Dobbins & Geiger's meat market. Jesse Quaintance built a mill on the Sandusky, near where the Buffalo run that passed through Bucyrus empties into the Sandusky, south of the extension of Rensselaer street. The first tavern in Bucyrus was a two-story log building on the Shonert corner, northwest corner of Sandusky and Perry, and when Abel Cary first located on this land he occupied the cabin built by Samuel Norton until he erected a larger structure for himself and family on the same lot. There was no special road in those days. but the old Indian trail going north to the lake was followed by settlers ; it crossed the river at Cary's residence. His being the nearest house to the ford, travelers stopped there. No one was turned away in those days, and Cary's place became known as the tavern, even if many of his guests did sleep on the floor or in their wagons. He increased the size of his log house and eventually it was a tavern. In 1824 Robert Moore built a tavern of logs across the street on the brow of the hill, just north of the G. K. Zeigler residence. This was a regular tavern, and in the office he had a bar the first in Bucyrus. The bar consisted of a shelf on which he kept the liquor and it was sold to customers at three cents a glass. Prior to this liquor was sold at the stores by the quart or gallon, the price being about 50 cents a gallon. All stores kept a jug at one end of the counter and beside it a tin cup, and customers on entering if they wanted a drink helped themselves. In April, 1825, Hugh McCracken married Martha Moore, a daughter of the landlord. Moore did a good business, until lie sold out to Ichabod Rogers. Samuel Roth took charge of the Cary tavern, which had been discontinued when Moore had his tavern completed. He ran it only a short tine, but was running it when the first Fourth of July dinner was given in Bucyrus. Ichabod Rogers had bought out Moore and was running the other tavern across the street, and Squire Roth engaged Mrs. Rogers to prepare the Fourth of July meal for a dozen couples, but when the day cane there were fifty to sit down to the table. The first Fourth of July oration was dehvered by James Martin. He was an Englishman, but his address was patriotic enough to suit the early pioneers, for a year or two later they elected him as the first auditor of the county. After Roth, Dr. Joseph Pearce took charge. The doctor in January, 1823, had married Mary Cary, and at the same time Charles Merriman married Susan Cary, both licenses being issued on Jan. 10. Licenses had to be procured in Marion, and the early records of that county show the young men about to he married must have made the trip together either on horseback or on foot, as in several instances two licenses were issued for Crawford county couples the same day. Dr. Pearce practiced medicine as well as running the hotel. . part of the practice of all early physicians w as the pulling of teeth, but for this no charge was made for many years. When Ichabod Rogers bought out Robert Moore, he enlarged the tavern; later built a large frame on the northeast corner of Main and Perry, and it continued as a tavern for fourteen years, until finally the business drifting south to the Square. and later still farther south the tavern was discontinued and used as a residence. The Indians received an allowance annually from the Government, which they spent occasionally for absolute necessities, but mostly for liquor. After pay day the money was soon 380 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY gone, but in the cranberry season the cranberries were exchanged for necessaries and liquor; in the winter racoon and deer skins were the articles of exchange. At one time Mr. Rogers reports fifty bushels of cranberries in the house and hundreds of coon and deer skins. The Indian trade was profitable, as at many places they could get no liquor, and naturally, they paid any price asked for it where it could be obtained. Two or three other places later sold to the Indians, as shown by the court records, where they were fined by the Court $5 and costs "for selling liquor to the Indians," and after paying the fine their tavern licenses were renewed for another year. But Rogers' old tavern was the headquarters for this class of business, and when some of the prominent citizens of the village had occasionally imbibed so freely that the taverns up town declined t0 furnish them any more, they wandered down to Rogers' tavern, where their wants were supplied ad lib. The trip to Rogers' tavern was not an easy matter prior to 1835; it was over very low ground, sometimes under water, and the sidewalk was only a long stretch of logs, massive fellows 18 inches square, and sometimes so wet and slippery that even a sober man. had to walk with care. But our pioneer ancestors were careful, for at times when navigation was difficult, partly on account of the sidewalk and partly on account of their condition, they used to send for Jedediah Scot, the well digger of the village. He responded promptly with his large wheelbarrow and the over-jubilant distinguished citizens, loaded up in a double sense and singing their bacchanalian songs, were wheeled down to Rogers', where they received a cordial welcome and all the liquor they wanted. There were other citizens who played jokes in those days even as is done today, and they once put up a job on one of these distinguished citizens. The aforesaid citizen, who had put in an afternoon at the tavern by the riverside, sent for his private wheelbarrow, but the sports had seen the charioteer and arranged with him for a good joke, and on the way up, just in front of where the Vollmer's cafe now is, the accident happened. Jedediah stumbled --quite accidentally, of course—the wheelbarrow tipped and the citizen was instantly floundering in two feet of water. He was not in a condition to extricate himself ; Jedediah was in almost a similar condition, and the jokers were compelled to cross the muddy street and wade into the swamp, and fish out the unfortunate, and thus was rescued one who a few year later became a pillar of the Methodist church. The first wedding in Bucyrus, of which any report is handed down, doubtless owes its preservation to the incidents connected with it. In the early days notice of a marriage had to be posted for fifteen days in some conspicuous place prior to the marriage. In this wedding the bride was Mary Inman, and it was she herself who tacked the notice to a tree on what is now North Sandusky avenue, and the report further says that some one through jealousy or from meanness tore the notice down, but the day of the wedding came, and with it the justice to perform the ceremony. The bride was there, and Samuel Carl, the groom, and while the Justice was also there, he had tarried too long with boon companions before the hour for the wedding, and could not read the ceremony. This difficulty was obviated by an accommodating school teacher (either Moses Arden or James Martin) who read the ceremony to the Squire, and he with difficulty repeated the words to the couple, who responded properly to the questions, and the ceremony was over. The people of today should remember that customs change, and it was not so severely criticized in the early days as it is at present if citizens sometimes carried their conviviality to excess. This was not alone in the villages but in the country. Attempts were sometimes made in early days to raise a cabin or barn without the inevitable whiskey, but if it became known that there would be no liquor. the raising was generally a failure for the lack of attenders. Squirrels were a nuisance to the farmers on account of their depredations on the planted grain, and squirrel hunts were organized, all in that region turning out. In one of these reported on the line between Crawford and Marion, it lasted two days and on the afternoon of the second day the scalps were to be counted and the prizes awarded, by a committee. The account states: "This committee, or some other committee, had provided a full supply of whiskey, maple sugar and eggs: whereupon another committee was appointed to AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 381 mix, mingle and commingle those three ingredients into a fluid which they called egg-nog. It was a time long to be remembered; and it has often been said that there was but one man who left that place sober, and that was Daniel Parcel!, who had never been known to take a dram." This second Daniel was a Marion county man. George Lauck came in 1826, and soon after he started a tavern on the northwest corner of Sandusky and Mary, which he ran until elected county treasurer in 1837. Samuel Picking started a tavern north of the Square, which was called the Spread Eagle, in front being a tall pole on top of which was the signboard with an eagle painted with wings outspread, and it was popularly dubbed " The Buzzard." This was a resort of the prominent local citizens, and with Lauck's were the taverns of the village. Neither would sell liquor to the Indians, running strictly law abiding places, the Indian custom going to the Rogers tavern. In 1828 Abraham Hahn came to Bucyrus, and he bought the lot on which the Deal House now stands for $i00; on this he erected a brick hotel of two stories with a gable front. The building was about 40 feet on the Square and nearly the same frontage on Sandusky avenue. It was completed in 1831, and the expense of its building must have been beyond his means as he adorned it with a mortgage of $1,000, which he borrowed of Samuel Ludwig. The hotel was called the Pennsylvania Coat of Arms, and on the corner was the post on top of which was the sign on which was painted the coat of arms of the State of Pennsylvania. A few years later Samuel Picking took charge of the hotel and changed the name to the National, paying $750 as rent from 1847 to 1850, $250 per year. When McCoy took charge in 1854 it became the McCoy House; two years later the Johnson House. Under Mr. Johnson it was enlarged to three stories and the addition built on the east. Since first transformed from vacant ground into a building, this corner has always been a hotel. The next proprietor was John J. Boeman, who had a son-in-law who had always been a great admirer of the ladies and parted both his hair and his name in the middle. Mr. Boeman was a very slow and methodical man, very neat, and the last man in the world to get excited over anything. He made his son-in-law manager of the hotel, and he was as successful a failure at that, as he had been at everything else, so Mr. Boeman quietly sold the hotel to John Sims without consulting his son-in-law. When the young man learned of the sale, he rushed across the street to his father-in-law's bakery and inquired if it was correct that he had sold the hotel. " Yes," said Mr. Boeman, "Mr. Sims offered me a good price, and I thought it best to let it go." The young man reached back in his hip-pocket, and drawing a revolver, heroically remarked, " Well, I guess there's nothing left for me to do now except blow out my brains." Mr. Boeman looked calmly at his son-in-law, and slowly drawled out: "All right, Pierce, but don't do it here; go out in the barn; I don't want my clean store all littered up," and he turned coolly around and went on dusting off the shelves. Mr. Sims ran the hotel for several years, calling it the Sims House; for a while it was Sapp's Exchange, and finally it was bought by Horace M. Deal and L. W. Hull, and became the Deal House, a name it has since retained under several proprietors. About 1829 Abraham Holm built the brick house still standing on the northeast corner of Sandusky and Charles. The brick were made in the Holm brick yard which was across the street, the next lot to the Wingert property. It was run as a hotel called the Oregon House; later passed into the hands of George Mader, and although the words "Oregon House" were seen painted on the building for half a century it became known as Mader's tavern, and under him was gradually discontinued as a hotel. In 1822 Samuel Norton sold to Russell Peck the lot on the northwest corner of Sandusky and Warren for $25, and here the owner had a little blacksmith shop, and also his residence. In 1828 the property was bought by Zalmon Rowse for $300. He lived there a short time and then concluded to build. The log house was removed to his land, the old Wm. Mon-nett farm on the south side of the Galion road; later this house was hauled to town, placed on the northeast corner of Rensselaer and East street. where the logs were covered with 382 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTYS weather-boarding, and it was used as a residence until it was torn down to make room for the present home of Frank P. Donnenwirth. On the west side of Sandusky, across Warren street, was a brick yard in which Mr. Rowse had an interest and here the brick were made for the new building. While it was building Miss Emily Rowse taught school in the room which afterward became the hotel office. In 1836, Mr. Rowse sold the building and the lot north to Messrs. Stone & Osborn for $2,000, but in 1838 it came into the possession of James Anderson, who named it the American House. He was a strong abolitionist, and in 1839 when the Rev. Mr. Streeter, a Protestant Methodist minister, was delivering an anti-slavery address, a shower of stones came through the window, and the rougher element rushed in, broke up the meeting, and in the confusion the minister made his escape. In 1842 Jacob Poundstone went into Partnership with Anderson, and under them the hotel reached its highest prosperity. It was the stopping place for the stages from Columbus to Sandusky and also the line that ran from Wooster to Bucyrus. Anderson built a small shop just north of the hotel and in this he ran a tin shop, and here one night about a dozen of the Abolitionists gathered to listen to a runaway slave give an account of his experiences in his flight for freedom. The meeting was unmolested. Anderson sold the hotel to Thacker and went into the stock business, but later met with reverses, and rebought the hotel which he ran until he sold it to Jacob Poundstone and moved to Illinois. In 1847 Poundstone leased the hotel to Abram Seitz of Seneca county, and started a boarding house in the building which stood where the Journal-Telegraph block now stauds, which was so well patronized he used as an annex the frame building still standing on the north. He built a stable at the rear of the lot and ran a livery. The Mexican War was then in progress and the house was called the Vera Cruz, after the battle of that name. Among his boarders was a voting law student in Josiah Scott's office. He wrote a poem about the house, one stanza reading He who in comfort here would snooze, Within the walls of Vera Cruz, Or dine at Jake's luxurious table, Or have a horse in his new stable, Must with the early dawn arise, And sweep the cob-webs from his eyes, The young law student was N. C. McFarlan: and later he went to Kansas, and in spite of his "poem" became Commissioner of the Land Office of the United States. Seitz sold the American to Henry Warner of Marion, and as that gentleman had three daughters it became a strong rival of the Vera Cruz for parties and dances, and in 1853 Isaac Russell leased it, and he was followed by Major Diller, who ran it awhile and in 18-,- Poundstone sold it to John Sims for $3,000 and in 1855 he sold the hotel hart of the lot to J. C. and H. Anthony for $1,000. When the Anthonys took control they built an addition at the rear in which they started a brewery, which they ran until it was destroyed by fire June 17. 1857. Mr. Sims rebought the hotel in 1860, ran it for a year as the Sims House, and then sold to L. D. Johnson and it became the Johnson House; it went through various hands, was reduced to a tenement house, and in 1875 ruiner sheriff's sale it went to Benjamin Sears for $3,002. It was refitted and William R. Shan took possession and ran a hotel restoring the old name of American. But its days as a hotel were over; N. Steen and Thomas Jones tried it, and under the latter it was discontinued. Old age and previous neglect had done its work and it again became a tenement house not worth repair, and on the night of April 13. 1883, the casings of the stone arch over the front door fell in. There was danger of the old building falling, and Mr. Sears ordered it torn down, and at that time its principal tenant was Sing Lee with a Chinese laundry. So passeg away the last of the old stage taverns in Bucyrus, which in its palmy days had its old fashioned sign post on top of which its creaking sign swayed slowly in the breeze; its covered porch in front, where in chairs, tilted back, idly discussing the politics of the Nation, the village loungers would sit for hours, chewing tobacco and drowsily passing away the long summer days, with nothing in sight but the deserted and dusty road, with its grass-grown borders and sidewalks made of hewn logs; the lifelessness of the street only disturbed by the AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 383 cackling of the busy bustling hens or the hogs anderingg lazily to their favorite spot where they could grunt their complaints of the heat in some comfortable mud hole, of which there was Ito lack; and the cows quietly chewing the cud under the shade of some neighboring tree. And when the cool of evening came, and the tavern loungers were brightened up by the dropping in of the Squire and the school master and the prominent men of the village, they could see fardownn the road a cloud of dust, and heads looked out from doors and windows along the street ; the landlord appears, as the stage dashes up the street at topmost speed, and the skillful driver throws the horses back on their haunches, and stops the coach immediately in front of the hotel entrance to the admiration of all. If the old American House could have left its written history behind, ,vat a tale it could tell of the political conclaves within its walls, of anxious citizens waiting for the latest news of an important election, when day succeed day and week followed week, before down the silent street comes a dashing rider, and as his horse goes by at full gallop, shouting the news that "Harrison is elected," and continues on in his wild race announcing the result of a presidential election. Three-score years have worked wonders in the town. The lot that Russell Peck once bought for $25 is worth today more than ten times over what Samuel 'Norton paid for the entire city. Grass grown graves in many states now cover nearly all of those who knew the house in its youth and in its pride, and when it was torn down its tenant was a native of that race to whom a hundred years are as nothing a race of which probably neither the builder of the block nor any inhabitant of the village had ever seen one of its members, and whose country with its four hundred millions of people was to them a fabled land. John Mderwell built for himself a shop and residence on the west side of the Square in 1833, the Hotel Royal corner, which he sold to Benjamin Meeker. In835, it was bought by Peter Miller and his son William W. Miller and they ran a general store and a hotel called the Western House which was burned down in 1848. Later it was rebuilt by Jonathan Kissinger, and Frederick F Feiring rats a hotel there called the Western House cause: a large two story porch occupied thefromt; the hotel passed into several hands and under the Alcorns became the Alcorn House; finally it became thepropertyy of John Stoll, who built the present brick addition and the name was changed to the Stoll House and later to the Hotel Royal. In 1840 William W. Miller dug the sulphur pump, in front of the building. The pike road was completed about 1834, but stage coaches had been running for several years previous between Columbus and Sandusky. Samuel Norton had built a large frame residence on West Perry street and Kilbourne suggested that he go into the hotel business. So Mr. Norton built a two story brick in 1834, the building still standing, and now a part of the Main street mills. This was opened with a house-warming, Col. Kilbourne being present to assist his old friend at the opening. It was called the Union Hotel. Here Franklin Adams stopped when he first came to the town in 1837 ; here also Gen. William Henry Harrison stopped when he spent the night when lie was a candidate for President in 1840; here also was Col Kilbourne's headquarters when he was in the city. When it was first started it was the headquarters for the Columbus and Sandusky Stage line, but they were later taken to the American. The latter hotel was the Whig headquarters while the National Hotel on the Square was the Democratic headquarters.. After a few years Mr. Norton tired of the hotel business and discontinued it. About 1838 one of his guests one night was Nicholas Longworth, the then wealthy Cincinnati merchant who was going through northern Ohio on a collecting tour. He and Mr. Norton were standing on the front steps of the hotel, where on the left could be seen the pretty river (for it was pretty in those days),, and on the right the little street, and Mr. Long worth complementarity said. "What a pretty site for a town.'' "Yes," said Mr.Norton,, andhee looked up the street with a sigh, and sail slowly, "Yes, but it spoiled a good farm." In the early days many of the pioneers brewed a mild beer which they kept for their own use. Besides this, cider was barreled annually for winter use. The first establishment for the manufacture of liquor in Bucyrus was a small distillery, started by McMichael and Rogers on the land of the former, where the electric Light Works are now located. This 384 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY only ran a year or two when it was discontinued. About 1850 a brewery was started on the Annapolis road by John Marcks, just west of where Lane street enters that road. Henry Anthony also had a small brewery at the rear of his hotel, the American, on the northwest corner of Sandusky and Warren. About 3 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 28, 1857, the brewery on the Annapolis road, owned by John Marcks, caught fire, and all efforts to save it were useless. The building and contents were consumed. The fire started from a defect in the furnace. A part of the loss was $2,000 in grain. The loss to the owner was too heavy, and the demand for beer too light in those days to make it profitable to rebuild. It was a bad year for breweries for on the night of Wednesday evening, June 24 of the same year, the Anthony brewery at the rear of the American House caught fire, and the building was destroyed with a loss 0f $1,500. This brewery was owned by the Anthony Brothers. After the fire one of the brothers saw no profit in the business, and declined to invest further in breweries. But Henry Anthony determined to continue, and bought of the Norton heirs the lot where the present brewery now stands. Here he erected a small building. He understood the brewing business, but he lacked capital. He had with him as clerk at the American, a young man, George Donnenwirth, who had come from New Washington and was his chief assistant at the hotel and brewery. Anthony suggested they go into partnership, and the offer was accepted. Anthony to put in his experience and Donnenwirth the money, which consisted of $180 which he had saved. The two young men went to work, sleeping at the brewery and putting in about 20 hours a day to make experience and $180 run a brewery. Mr. Anthony made the beer and Mr. Donnenwirth sold it, delivered it, and made the collections, was the purchasing agent, and paid the hills, sometimes in cash but when possible with notes and promises. With their limited capital, bills could not be met,, on the small output, and it was necessary to increase the plant or close down. In this emergency Anthony sold his half interest to George Donnenwirth, the father of his partner, for $500, and the firm became George Donnenwirth & Son. One fault with Anthony was his extravagance, and making no provision for the future, buying freely on time. The new firm were careful and provident, and kept within their means, extending the plant as their increased business justified it, and they soon had it on a paying basis. In 1882 the senior partner sold out to his son Frank P. Donnenwirth and the plant became G. Donnenwirtth & Brother. The new partner had had three years' experience in a St. Louis brewery, and took entire charge of the brewing. The firm continued to prosper and in 1894 they sold out to Frank Dick. The new proprietor further increased the plant, added an ice plant, and in 1906 sold to the Dostal Brothers for $120,000. The two-story brick, very low, still stands as originally built by the George Donnenwirth & Son, covered with vines from top to bottom, while around it and added to it are many large buildings and offices, made necessary by the increasing business each year. About 1830 Cornelius Gilmore built the brick on the northeast corner of Sandusky and Warren, which he used as a residence, and for years he had the handsomest home in the village. Later this building was used by Thomas Gillespie who was the registrar of the land office. Mr. Gillespie lived at the northwest corner of Sandusky and Charles in a two story frame built by him; he was the father of Mrs. Willis Merriman, and when the house was built the Jones and the Yost brothers assisted at the raising. Gillespie bought the land of Abraham Myers, the father of Gen. Samuel Myers, who lived in a small frame which he had erected on the lot. The little brick, now occupied by the Miller bakery, was built by Mrs. Martha Hetich in 1838. She was the mother of Charles and Paul I. Hetich, and 'Mrs. George Sweney. Thomas Shawke built the brick, the old Trimble house, in 1838, on the southeast corner of Mansfield and Walnut, where the Vollrath Opera House now stands. He had his blacksmith shop on the same lot; later the shop was moved across the street, a few doors east of East alley, and in this shop did the blacksmithing for the Ohio and Indiana road. When Mr. Shawke built his brick in 1838, Hugh McCracken lived on the corner where the Library now is and there were but three AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 385 buildings east of him on Mansfield street; the Methodist church nearly opposite; George Lauck's residence near where the T. & O. C. crosses the street, and Samuel Ludwig's residence east of Whetstone street. South of him on Walnut street were two houses, one the northeast corner of Charles street, occupied by Thomas Hagerman, and the other the house and blacksmith shop of John Rexroth, near Middletown street, where Mrs. L. C. Doll now lives. The old Merriman corner, now owned by the Eagles, was built by R. T. Johnston in 1840 for Dr. Willis Merriman. The brick now occupied by Berk & Hales was built as a residence by J. P. Bowman in the early '40s. It was two stories and remained as the Bowman residence for many years when it became the property of the First National Bank and was converted into business rooms, and recently came into the possession of P. J. Carroll, who remodeled it, and built the third story. The south end of the Deal House was originally a two story brick built about 1850 by Jerry Yost and used as a harness shop. Under John Sims it became a part of the Deal House and was made three stories. The present Rowse Block was built in 1858. Ten years previous a severe fire had swept away the buildings in this section, and the lot had remained vacant until the present building was erected. Not only were the brick made in Bucyrus but the iron pillars and cornices were made at the Kelly & Widgeon foundry, now the American Clay Company. The five eastern rooms of the Quinby Block were built in 1858 by George Quinby and the three western rooms in 1859 and at the time of its completion was one of the finest business blocks in northern Ohio. The iron cornices and pillars were made at the Wingert foundry which was at the northeast corner of Poplar and Charles streets. When the block was completed its first occupants were, No. r, the Exchange Bank; No. 2, Hall & Juilliard, dry goods; No. 3, Graham & Trauger, dry goods; No. 4, Fulton & Clark, drugs: No. 5, Zwisler & Howbert, dry goods; No. 6, Jones & Co., stoves and tinware; No. 7, Cuykendall & Weber, groceries; No. 8, Potter & Craig, hardware. No. 1 was the west room, and No. 8 the east. The little three-story brick north of the Bucyrus City Bank was built by C. D. Ward about 1848; in the low third story was the entertainment hall, where traveling troops gave entertainment to not over-critical citizens. The other hall was on the southwest corner of the Square, called the McCoy Hall; here the entrance was on the outside stairway, the same as it is today, and here as many as a hundred people could be accommodated. When the Rowse Block was completed the entire third story was Concert Hall, where all the principal entertainments were held until the building of the Vollrath Opera House, when Rowse Hall was given over to secret societies. In the centre of the Quinby Block was a large hall which was used for festivals and meeting purposes, religious, social and political. Sometime in the '30s the first public library was started in Bucyrus. The library was in the tailor shop of Peter Worst, which was in a little frame where the Schaber Block now stands. This library was a joint stock institution and was known as the Washington Library. It was started by books donated by the members. On Tuesday evening, Nov. 2, 1869, a meeting was held at the Lutheran Church and a Y. M. C. A. organized, with William M. Reid as president. They met in the Birk frame, southeast corner of Sandusky and Rensselaer, until they secured permanent headquarters in the west room, second floor of the Quinby Block, now occupied by Leuthold, McCarren and Leuthold law office. A library was started and eventually reached a thousand volumes, mostly donated by the members. Daily papers and magazines were kept, and such mild games as chess, checkers, and dominoes allowed. Later the reading room and library were moved to the second story of the Birk Block and after three years was disbanded. A permanent Y. M. C. A. was established when Mrs. E. R. Kearsley gave the building which had been known as the Deal residence. Subscriptions were liberally donated, and the building fitted up. In 1810, $17,000 was raised by the citizens and an addition made extending to the alley; the building now has a fine gymnasium, sleeping and bath rooms, and is on a scale equal to many larger cities. The ladies of Bucyrus started a movement 386 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY for a public library, and several thousand dollars were secured by them. The matter was brought to Mr. Carnegie's attention and he donated $15,000 for the building. The city donated the lot, and the present structure was erected. As the village grew the necessity of better fire protection was apparent. In case of fire people all responded, every available bucket was secured and a line formed to the nearest well where pumpers filled the buckets, and they were passed along the line and thrown on the fire, another line returning the empty buckets to the well. The citizens deemed it best that there should be an organized company, so they held a meeting at which J. H. Hutcinson presided, with Jacob Scroggs as secretary, and they selected J. E. Jewett, an attorney, as captain of the company; so on Aug. 11, 1848, the first fire department in Bucyrus was organized. The people breathed easier, and as for the new company they were pining for a fire. It came on the night of October 26, 1848, When the cabinet shop of Howenstein & Sheckler at the southeast corner of Sandusky and Galen was discovered to be in flames. The people turned out, and under the leadership of Capt. Jewett the people were shown what an organized company could do. Unfortunately before the fire was extinguished several other buildings were destroyed. More would probably have gone but there were no others within reach. However, the People's Forum, the only paper then in the village, demonstrated its loyalty to the town, and to the new fire company. by giving an account of the fire, and closing with the highly, complimentary remark: "Much credit is due the firemen and other citizens for their exertions to stop the progress of the flames." This read very nicely, but the citizens privately must have been aware that some better protection than "exertions" was needed, so a hand engine was bought, which was called "Rescue No. 1." In case of a fire, lines where still formed and the water poured into the little engine and then a crank was turned and the water forced through the hose on the fire. This was much better protection, and the little engine gave fairly good service, but something better was needed and in March, 1858, the town council purchased the Water Cloud for $1,282.50, and built a large cistern on the Square, and several others in the most important parts of the town. The officers of the Water Cloud Company were F. W. Butterfield. foreman; G. M. Lindsay, assistant foreman: M. Buchman, secretary, and J. G. Birk, treasurer. The Water Cloud had long handles on each side; in case of fire the engine was stationed at one of the cisterns ; a long heavy hose extended from the rear of the engine into the water; the hose was attached in front, and with a dozen strong men pumping on the handles on each side the water could he thrown to the top of the largest buildings. On July 4, 1860, the engine threw water a distance of 199 1/2 feet. With the addition of this machine the Reseue No. 1 was turned over to the young men, with Gaius C. Worst as the foreman; it was rechristened the "Let 'er Rip," as once filled with water, you let 'er rip. A hose cart and hook and ladder were added and it now became necessary to have a chief of the fire department, and E. R. Kearsley was the first man selected for that position. The Buckeye Hook and Ladder company was organized with A. E. Walker as foreman. At first the Rescue No. 1 was kept in a small building, at the rear of the Hotel Royal lot. In 1854 the County Commissioners bought the rear lot of the present court house yard, and in connection with the city, built a house for the fire department on this lot. III 1859 the City Council decided to build an engine house, and the present city building on East Rensselaer street was erected, and dedicated on April 30, 1860. On the evening of the dedication, Water Cloud No. 2 and Mazeppa Hose No. 1 turned out in uniform with torches, 71 strong, and paraded the principal streets of the village, and finally drew up at the engine house, where S. R. Harris presided, and Jacob Scroggs as mayor presented the new company the keys of the city, the response being made by F. W. Butterfield, the foreman. Every citizen who could talk made a speech, but the success of the evening was an original song, written and sung by Matthias Buchman, the secretary of the company; one of the verses was as follows: Please gif me your attention, I'll sing a leedle song; It is about our engine, And vont be very long. AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 387 Vait for the engine, The Vassar Cloud our engine; Vait for the engine Vich throws the vasser high. There were six other verses, and the song was the success of the evening, which was bad, as Mr. Buchman later wrote other poems on the Water Cloud, and sang them. A fireman's festival was also held at the Concert Hall and everybody was present and everybody made more speeches, and Miss Mary Ellen Moderwell on behalf of the ladies presented the company with a handsome flag, and the festival netted $100 for the Water Cloud. In 1869 the present steam fire engine was purchased for $5,100 and hose and other paraphernaha secured amounting to $i,000 more. Prior to the purchase of the steamer there was a craze swept over the country for firemen's tournaments, and the city was behind the times that failed to give a tournament. Bucyrus gave several and vast crowds assembled to witness the competitions. Later these contests eentered on the hook and ladder races, and the Buckeyes of Bucyrus gained a state-wide reputation. In 1871 they tied their sporting truck to a wagon and drove across the country to Findlay where the Northwestern Ohio Volunteer Firemen's Association held the annual meeting. The Buckeyes took first prize and the news was flashed home by wire and when the company returned a number of the factories and business houses were closed, and fully 500 people met the company at the edge of the town and escorted them to the public square where congratulatory speeches were made by Gen. Finley and others. In the years that followed the Buckeyes took part in twenty-two tournaments winning thirteen first prizes, four seconds and one third, besides three sweepstakes, their total winnings amounting to $2,480 in cash besides appropriate prizes. the race consisted of a run of 40 rods and placing a man on the top of a thirty-foot ladder. Their best time was at Crestline in 1883 when they did it in 344 seconds, a record which was never beaten. About this time the volunteer fire department was abandoned and a paid department took its place. For a time this was under the control of Frank Haman, but later the city again took charge of it and the present quarters erected on West Mansfield street, and singularly enough the department now occupies the site to which Christian Howenstein moved with his cabinet shop, after the fire which caused the purchase of the first fire engine by the village. When the water works were built, in 1883, nearly ten miles of pipe were laid and the engine was only used as a reserve, hydrants having been erected all over the city, to which the hose is attached in case of fire, and now several streams can be brought into play at the same time on any fire in the central part of the city. The department has a fire alarm system with seventeen signal boxes. There have been one or two humorous incidents in connection with the fire department. but with a serious ending. One very severe winter the thermometer had registered below zero for several days and some expressed a fear that the fire hydrants might be frozen tip. One of the men in authority, who knew little about the laws of natural philosophy, but did not forget the duties devolving upon him, took a wrench, and with the thermometer below zero faithfully went over the city and opened the hydrants to see if the water was running, and to his great delight found the water came out in a copious stream, not one being frozen up; unfortunately that night a severe fire broke out, hose was attached to hydrant after hydrant in the neighborhood and all were frozen up. The engine was hurried to the scene and finally succeeded in extinguishing the fire. At another time the city advertised for several hundred feet of new hose. There were a number of samples sent, the Council finally made their selection and took the hose to the Frey-Sheller shops where they were attached to the engine and pressure applied. One section burst, when the pressure reached 420 pounds. The council promptly wired the firm: "Hose refused; one section busted at 420 pounds pressure. What shall we do with the hose ?" The answer came back promptly: "Keep it; we only guaranteed 350 pounds." During the fall of 1859 a company was formed to organize a gas company, with Horace Rowse, president, S. R. Harris, secretary, and George Ouinby, treasurer. The works were built in 1860, by B. B. McDanald on their present site on North Sandusky avenue, 388 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY and the streets were lighted with gas for the first time on Tuesday evening, Oct. 23, 1860. The buildings were 32 by 68 feet in size, slate-roofed. The gasometer contained 9,000 cubic feet. There were two benches of retorts capable of generating 20,000 cubic feet of gas per day, with extra benches to provide against accident. The company started with 100 metres. When electricity came into use for street lighting, a company was organized here, in connection with the gas works, and the city was lit by electricity there being today a light on every other corner. The discovery of natural gas practically put an end to the gas works, and the entire plant is now known as the Electric Light works, the Logan Natural Gas Company furnishing the illumination for the residences, although very many houses and nearly all business stores have introduced electricity. In October, 1819, Samuel Norton and his party reached Bucyrus, and it is reported the first religious services to be held were as early as 1821, when a Rev. Mr. Bacon made occasional visits, preaching to the settlers in the cabins of Mr. Norton and others. It is known that in the fall of 1821, the Rev. Jacob Hooper was preaching occasionally in Bucyrus, and he stated that he delivered the first sermon ever preached in the village, and that the services were held under a large oak tree that stood where the Pennsylvania station now stands. He was appointed by the Methodist Conference to take charge of the Bucyrus station, which was attached to the Scioto circuit. His circuit was seven hundred miles, and he managed to. get around about once in eight weeks. Of course other missionaries came around, and the people being notified turned out to the grove, or to a cabin, or any large building, and it is probable there were services as often as every two weeks. After 1826, the little brick schoolhouse was used by all denominations, and after 1832, the court house was at the disposal of the people. About 1830 a large revival occurred under the Methodists, the services being held in the unfinished hotel under process of erection by Abraham Hahn. In summer camp meetings were held, the large barn of Martin Shaffner being used, situated on what is now the new Fair Ground. In 1822, Rev. Thomas McCleary had charge of this circuit and the increasing population reduced the circuit in size, so the only territory the new minister had to cover was Delaware to Mansfield, to Plymouth, to Bucyrus, to Marion, then back to Delaware, where if he had a family he could make them a ten minutes' visit and start on his round again. His route was mostly through an unbroken forest, following Indian trails, with an occasional crude road made by the settlers for their convenience. He traveled on horseback, and forded all streams, as there were practically no bridges. Each night found him a welcome guest at some cabin, and the neighbors were hurriedly summoned, and when a few were gathered together, services were held so the early minister had no idle time on his hands, and plenty of exercise. Among the earliest ministers 0f whom any account is given was a Presbyterian named Matthews. A pioneer states that "he stopped at Daniel Cooper's to stay all night, and proposed to preach to the people of that place that night if they could get together. Mr. Cooper immediately sent out word and by early candle-light had gathered in some fifteen or twenty men, women and children to hear the glad tidings from the man of God, as he was the first of the kind that had ever been through on that errand. The old minister made an appointment for four weeks later, and agreed to preach once a month during the year for $15. Even this small pittance he took out in dressed deer skins, which he said his good lady could use to `face the boys' pantaloons,' as seems to have been a common custom in those days in the backwoods." Goldsmith very beautifully describes in his deserted village the country clergyman and his home: Near yonder copse where once the garden smiled, And still where many a garden flower grows wild, There, where a few torn shrubs the place disclose, The village preacher's modest mansion rose. A man he was to all the country dear, And passing rich with forty pounds a year. The faithful Matthews had four stations, in such an unsettled wild region that he could only visit them once a month, and for this he received, if they paid, $60 a year, one-fifth the amount of his English brother, and no poetry to beautifully record his zeal and devotion to the Master's work. In those days, the hymns were found in the AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 391 old "Missouri Harmony," and among them the favorites were "Rock of Ages," "God Moves in a Mysterious Way," " Jesus I My Cross Have Taken," "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing," "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand," "Jesus My All to Heaven Has Gone." Unfortunately at that time "The Lord Will Provide," had not been written. It would have been most appropriate. People today little appreciate the hardships and privations, the faithfulness and self-sacrifice of these servants of God who dared all and suffered all that a great nation might be kept true to the Christian faith. Revs. John O. and William Blowers were two early ministers in the Methodist church, they were brothers, the former coming to the county in 1821, and the latter a year later, and were soon licensed to preach, being the first persons in the county licensed. Another early preacher was John Davis; he was a hatter, and his hat shop was first on the J. K. Ayers corner, and in 1833 he removed to the. present Shonert lot. He was of the United Brethren persuasion, and once he was delivering a sermon at the court house, and was vividly picturing the punishment that was certain to be meted out to the wicked. When he reached his peroration he drew himself up, and solemnly thundered forth : "Yes, sinners, you must all repent or you will all go to hell just as sure as I made that hat" (pointing to his well-worn beaver) "and I have plenty more at my shop which I will sell at two dollars apiece." In 1831 Samuel Norton sold to the trustees of the M. E. Church for $125, lot No. 96, Here a small brick church was erected, which was used by them until 1851, when on the same site the present building, was erected, now occupied by the News-Forum. This church was dedicated on Oct. 29, 1851, Elder Poe, a son of the great Indian fighter, preaching the dedicatory sermon; in the first building a Sunday School was started in 1834. In 1822 Bucyrus belonged to the Delaware Circuit, and in 1832 to the Marion Circuit, but in 1840 it became a circuit of its own, and the parsonage was built in 1841. The residence adjoined the church a story and a half brick on the lot now occupied by the post office, this and the church site being the original lot 96. The church of 1851 was used until the present handsome church was dedicated in 1890, the first year of its use being marked by the holding of the Methodist conference within its walls. Prior to 1825 the Presbyterians held services at the homes of the various members of that denomination, Rev. William Matthews frequently addressing them. A congregation was formed, but the services continued to be held in the grove where now stands the Pennsylvania station; in the little brick schoolhouse, where the Park House now stands, and later in the court house. Among the ministers, were Rev. Shab Jenks, and Rev. Robert Lee, the father of Robert Lee, probate judge of the county half a century later. The elder Lee is reported as being the first stated minister assigned to Bucyrus. Services were irregular, and the Presbyterians increasing a congregation was again organized in 1833 and the Columbus Presbytery enrolled Bucyrus on its list of established churches, the request having been made by thirty-three petitioners. Their first building was a little frame erected in 1839, on the present site of the church, lot No. 170, which was deeded to the trustees by Samuel Norton in 1843, this lot and the court house being the only lots in Bucyrus, transferred from the first owner, and never used for any other purpose than that for which it was donated or purchased. In the first church Rev. Wm. Hutchinson was pastor from 1839 to 1848. In 186o a new church of brick was built at a cost of $8,000 to $10,000. and April 7, 1907, this gave way to the present handsome structure. The Presbyterians started a Sunday School in 1835, and nearly half a century ago William M. Reid became its superintendent filling the position for a quarter of a century. Among the ministers was John H. Sherrard, who occupied the pulpit from 1867 to 1878. He was a grandson of John Sherrard, who was on the ill-fated expedition of Col. Crawford through this county in 1782. In 1829, the Evangelical Lutherans met at the little brick schoolhouse and organized a congregation with the Rev. David Shuh as pastor. They, too, had previously held services occasionally at the houses of those of that faith and in other places in the village as opportunity offered. For two years he acted as their pastor, and was succeeded by Rev. John 413 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY Stough, and he retired on account of his age and was succeeded by the Rev. F. I. Ruth of Ashland, who for three years filled the pulpit while his home was in that village, bhutin 1835 he removed to Bucyrus. The congregation continued to hold services in the schoolhouse and later in the court house, until in 1835 they bought the lot on Walnut and Mansfield streets, known as the Adams residence, and now the property of Miss Lizzie Ostermeier, Abraham Myers had purchased the lot in 1830 of Samuel Norton for $275. The corner stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies on Aug. 20. 1836 but it was not completed until more than a year later. Both the German and English Lutherans occupied the church, being one congregation, and services being held in both languages. In 1842 the German members sold their interest in the church to their English brethren, but both continued to occupy the building until 1857, when the German portion bought the lot on Poplar street, and erected a church of their own, which is still standing. and best known as the armory. It was dedicated Sunday, June 20, 1858. For over forty years this building was used, and the Lutherans built their present large structure, Good Hope Lutheran, with the highest spire in the city, at the corner of Poplar and Charles, which was dedicated Oct. 29 1893, and all the work of the building was done in Bucyrus. During the erection of their building in 1857. the Germans held their services at the baptist church. the lot now occupied by Frank T. Johnston on Walnut street. At the same time the Germans were building the English portion of the congregation also secured a new home. Their new structure was erected at the corner of Walnut and Rensselaer, the corner stone being laid July 2, 1857, and the church dedicated May 16. 1858 This served as a place of worship for fifty years, when the present structure was dedicated in September, 1903 The Lutheran Sunday School was organized April 5, 1828, and after the separation both churches kept up their schools, the German Lutherans being the first church in Bucyrus to have a Christmas tree for their scholars, and fifty years ago there was never a Christmas eve when the church was not crowded with the members of all denominations to see the pretty sparkling tree, and sometimes two trees. All schools non make the glad holiday season a time of entertainment for the children. The German Reformed congregation was organized about 1829, and for some years was a part of the Lutheran Church, being members of that denomination, and in 1835 they were with the Lutherans in the purchase of the church site opposite the court house. But that same year they secured the services of Rev. Gottleib Maschop, a minister of the Reformed church, and held services in the little brick schoolhouse. In 1840 he was succeeded by Rev. J. J. Miller, and during his pastorate of three years the court house was used. The pulpit was vacant until 1845, when Rev. Wasnich came for three years, resigning in 1848 to be succeeded by Rev. Abraham Keller, and during his pastorate they erected their first church, a one-story frame on the northeast corner of Rensselaer and Lane, the first church to be erected on land that was not a part of the original BIucyrus On the resignation of Mr. Wasnich in 1848 he was succeeded by Rev. Abraham Keller, who died in the parsonage adjoining the church in the fall of 1852, from cholera, that scourge taking away two of the Keller family and a number of others before its ravages were stopped. During his ministry a Sunday School was organized, although the proposition was bitterly opposed by some of the more conservative members of the congregation. It was a year before the congregation secured another pastor in the person of Rev. Max Stern, who served until the spring of 1876 when he resigned and was succeeded April 13, 1856, by Rev. Eli Keller. Twenty years ago the congregation had so increased as to necessitate larger quarters and the present brick structure, St. John's Reformed, was built and dedicated Oct. 12. 1890. The Keller's have had a number of Reformed Ministers all over the county, and the present pastor. Rev. F. H. Keller, is of the same family. The first meeting to organize a Baptist church was held at the home of William Kelly on Feb. 1, 1838, and later meetings were held once a month at the homes of William Kelly and William White and on July 29, 1838. the first sermon was preached to the new congregation by Elder William Stevens, and at its conclusion all repaired to the Sandusky river, where the ordinauce of baptism was admin- AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 393 istered to William Magers and his wife, Margaret Magers, and Sovena Norton. The church was not strong in numbers, but meetings were held once a month at the court house, schoolhouse or some private residence, and the organization was kept up. In August, 1839, an attempt was made to secure a regular pastor, Rev. Thomas Stevens being the choice of the congregation, but as only 54. could be raised, it was not sufficient to pay his expenses for coming once a month. But services continued with occasional volunteer ministers, and in the spring of 1842, the church purchased lot No. 107, on Walnut street, of David Arthur for $100. now owned by Col. C. W. Fisher, and during the years 1840 and 1841 the church was served by Revs. Newton and Samuel Wadsworth, and in 1849, one of the members added to the church was Sophronia Norton, the first white child born in Bucyrus. The first regular pastor was Rev. Jacob Thorp. who received a call on Oct. 2, 1841, which he accepted. A one-story frame was built on the church lot, and the Baptists now had a home of their own. On Dec. 2, 1843. Rev. Edwin Eaton was called as pastor, and the church became one of the strongest in Bucyrus, but July 5, 1845, he resigned and vent to Illinois, where he became one of the prominent churchmen of the west. Under Eaton. on April 0, 1844. a Sunday school was started, and a library purchased. Unfortunately for the church, Jame, Quinby died, but in his death he released the church of debt due him amounting to $250. but he had been a tower of strength to the struggling congregation. Many of the members were from the country, notably from Whetstone township. and when Elder J. G. Tunisian became pastor in September. 1845. differences arose, and on Dec. 6, the pastor retired and organized the Olentangy Baptist Church, near Parcher's Corners, of which he was pastor for several years. Many members withdrew and united with the Whetstone church. For ten years only occasional services were held, an occasional minister visiting the place, but the few remaining members were always striving to hold the church together. Finally, in 1858, the weekly prayer meetings were revived, services held at irregular intervals and on Feb. 5, 18519 eight members met and decided to reorganize their church. And while they failed at that time, the work was kept up and on June 4, 1864, regular services were resumed at Ouinby Hall, with Rev. S. D. Bowker as pastor. The Sabbath school was again started. During the three years' pastorate of Mr. Bowker the church was again built up to nearly 100 members, baptisms being had in the Sandusky and also in the old Buffalo run back of the residence of George Quinby. the latter having been one of the leaders of the church since the death of his brother, 35 years previous. Mr. Bowker was succeeded by Rev. Jay Huntington, and tinder this pastorate the Baptists bought the old Congregational church for $2,750, and removed to their present location. The new building was fitted up with a font for immersion, and the ordinance of baptism was administered within the chureh. The dedicatory service was held Sept. 27, 1868, conducted by Rev. J. R. Stone, of Springfield. In this church Dr. L. G. Leonard was one of the later pastors, and Rev. T. J. Sheppard, known throughout the nation as the "Andersonville Chaplain.'' having preached while a prisoner for nine momhs in that prison pen. Several years ago the present handsome stone structure vas dedicated July, 1906. The first German Methodist minister to visit Bucyrus was Dr. William Nast. In 1837 he was appointed to the first circuit laid out in this section of Ohio, a circuit so large that it took him five weeks to cover it. He would preach at Columbus, then start on horseback and hold services at Basil, and on to Thornville, where services were held on the second Sunday: then to Newark and lit. Vernon, reaching Danville for the third Sunday ; then to Loudonville, Mansfield and Galion, and to Bucyrus for the fourth Sunday; then to Marion and a German settlement near Delaware for the fifth Sunday, then to Worthington and Columbus, where he held Sunday services, and started again on his long round. In Bucyrus the services were held in the English Methodist church. This first minister was a man of high education, a zealous worker and of great force. and he was selected to take charge of the German Methodist paper in Cincinnati. In after years his biographer wrote of him : "Dr. William Nast is looked upon as the great head and leader of the German Methodists in the United States: he has frequently surprised the 394 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY country with his erudition, his ripe scholarship, and the vast extent of his knowledge." After Dr. Nast left Bucyrus, services were held every four weeks, in the M. E. Church, until 1850, the church constantly increasing in membership, and in 1854 the lot was purchased on Warren street, where the American Clay Works now are, and a frame building erected, which served for nearly 50 years when they removed to their present site, at the junction of Middletown and Galion streets, erecting a large brick structure, with the parsonage adjoining. The first church was dedicated on Sunday, Jan. 14, 1855, Dr. Warner of Columbus delivering the dedicatory sermon in English, and in the afternoon, Dr. Nast, who had preached the first sermon in Bucyrus to the congregation, delivering an address in German. The first parsonage was built on the church lot in 1863. About 1837, the first Roman Catholic services were held in Bucyrus, when Rev. F. X. Tschenhous celebrated mass at the residence of Dr. Joseph Boehler, at the southwest corner of Plymouth and Lane streets. Services were continued every month or two for several years at the Doctor's residence, until about 1842 the Doctor removed to Tiffin. This discontinued services until about 1849, when Catholic families became more numerous, and the church found it necessary to make Bucyrus one of their missions, and for ten years services were held at irregular intervals at the homes of various members of the church, priests from adjoining churches conducting the services, the most convenient points being Norwalk, New Riegel and Mansfield. In 1860, the old frame Presbyterian church was purchased from the Presbyterians and the building removed to the present lot on Mary street, which was purchased for $3 50. The building was dedicated by Rt. Rev. Bishop Rappe on May 26, 1861, and the Rev. Uerhart Kleck celebrated the first mass and preached the first sermon in the new church. The church was not regularly supplied with a minister and was attached to the Upper Sandusky mission, but monthly service and sometimes semi-monthly were held until 1869. Among the ministers supplying the church was Rev. Joseph Reinhard, who was stationed at Upper Sandusky. On Sunday, Feb. 2, 1868, he was riding on a freight train between here and Upper Sandusky and just west of Nevada, he was later found lying dead beside the track, and all particulars as to his death have ever remained a mystery. In 1869 differences arose between the German and Irish members of the Congregation, and it resulted in services being temporarily discontinued. Matters were finally adjusted, and on May , 1871, Rev. D. Zinsmayer was appointed to the Bucyrus church, the first resident pastor. The church, with a resident priest of its own, grew rapidly, and a parsonage was built on the lot adjoining the church on the east. In 1877, Rev. Zinsmayer resigned to take charge of the church at Shelby, and he was succeeded by Rev. H. Best, and one of his first acts in May, 1878, was to purchase nearly two acres of land on Tiffin street, for $200, to be used as a cemetery. The first interment was that of Mrs. Martha Doerfler, who died Aug. 17, 1878. The cemetery was consecrated by Rt. Rev. Bishop Gilmore on Oct. 19, 1880. When the present large brick church was erected, Rev. J. H. Kleekamp was the priest in charge; it was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Gilmore, May 28, 1888, and at its completion was the largest church in Bucyrus. In 1866, Rev. A. Spierings started a parochial school, but it was discontinued. The attempt was again made under Rev. Mr. Zinsmayer, but the expense was too heavy for the church to undertake at that time. When the present building was erected, the old frame was moved back and transformed into a schoolhouse. The church was now strong and prosperous, and a parochial school was started, which has continued ever since. As years passed the attendance became too large for the little frame and in 1910 lot N0. 70, on Walnut street, was purchased and the present structure was erected, the only school building of stone in the city, and the only school building erected on land which was a part of the original plat of Bucyrus. The corner stone was laid July 17, 1910, and that date was the "Ruby Jubilee" of the pastor, Rev. Charles Braschler, and it was also the 25th anniversary of the Catholic Benevolent Society. The school was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Schrambs of Toledo, Nov. 14, 1911. In December, 1875, eight persons met at AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 395 the home of Jeremiah C. Correll and decided to organize a Disciple church. The lot was purchased at the southeast corner of Warren and Lane, and by November, 1876, the basement was completed and services in the new church commenced. The second story was completed the following year, and the building dedicated Sept. a, 1877, Elder Isaac Errett having charge of the services. Elder George T. Smith was the first pastor. A Sunday school was organized immediately, and like the church has prospered. The cost of the building was $11,000, and the entire amount was paid before the church was dedicated. The United Brethren Church was organized in Bucyrus in 1892, by Rev. C. E. Hill with eleven members. They bought the lot at the corner of Middletown and East streets. This county has a large number of U. B. Churches, and many coming to the city from the country were of that faith, and the eleven members were rapidly added to. The frame church was bought when the Reformed Church built their new brick and it was moved to their lot, and regular services held, a Sunday school organized, and in 1901 the old frame was replaced by the present brick building, the frame being moved out Middletown street where it is still in use as a warehouse at the Smith & Fitzer coal yards. A few years later the parsonage was bought east of the church. In the past dozen years a number of citizens have removed to Bucyrus from the country, and among them many from Whetstone township, who were prominent in the Evangelical churches in that section. Some united with other churches while waiting a church of their own. In March, 1902, a number of the Evangelical faith met at the G. A. R. Post Room, and organized. The old German Lutheran church building on Poplar street was rented, and here services were held by Rev. W. H. Munk. The first Quarterly Conference was held June I, 1902, Rev. W. H. Bucks was the presiding elder, now editor of the Evangelical Messenger. A Sunday school was started. The church increased rapidly in membership, and in September, 1903, Rev. B. E. Reams became pastor of the congregation. He remained four years, and under his pastorate the present church was built on Galion street. It was dedicated in April, 1906. The First Church of Christ Scientists was organized in 1900. The first public lecture was given at the Opera House in March, 1901. In the fall of that year they opened their rooms on the second floor of the First National Bank building, where they hold regular meetings every Sunday. As early as 1874, an attempt was made to start an Episcopal Church at Bucyrus, Rev. J. M. Hillyar of Mansfield, who was the rector at Gahon, coming over on alternate Sundays, and holding services at the Y. M. C. A. rooms. An organization was effected, but the membership was not strong enough to support a church, and the movement was dropped. Still the organization kept together, and services were occasionally held, later developing into services every two weeks. Church property was bought on South Lane street, and a building fund started. No regular services are at present held, but the Church—St. John's Episcopal—still keeps up its organization, and services are frequently held in the Y. M. C. A. assembly room, and eventually a church will be erected. The present site of the Baptist church was once occupied by a two-story brick, which was built by the Congregationalists in 1855. For the previous 15 years Rev. John Pettitt had been holding services, and finally organized a congregation. The new church was dedicated on Sept. 28, 1855, and services continued under various pastors until 1864, when services became very irregular, and two years later the building was sold to the Board of Education. who used it for school purposes while the new school building was being erected. After the completion 0f the new school building it was sold to the Baptist church. In 1859 the Congregationalists installed the first pipe organ ever brought to Bucyrus. When the church was discontinued the organ was removed to the Methodist church. Rev. John Pettitt. the founder of the church, became a resident of Bucyrus about 1840, and filled many of the Bucyrus pulpits. He went to Benzie county, northern Michigan, in 1866, and in this sparsely settled region had several appointments which he filled winter and summer. On Sunday, May 11, 1879, he went on horseback to fill one of these appointments, and on his return was taken suddenly ill, and in half an 396 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY hour had gone to his reward, dying in the harness in the B0th year of his age, after half a century of faithful service. About 1830, Rev. Seeley Bloomer visited Bucyrus and delivered a sermon to the Protestant Methodists. He made several visits and was followed by other ministers of that denomination. In 1845 tinder Rev. Mr. Dally, a meeting was held at the residence of John Morfoot on South Walnut street, the house now occupied by Mrs. L. C. Doll, now 412 South Walnut. A church was organized, the lot on the northwest corner of Walnut and Rensselaer was purchased and a church building erected, a small frame. The first pastor was Rev. Mr. Samford, who held services every two weeks, filling stations at the same time at Wingert's Corners, Bear Marsh and (grass Run. Other pastors followed, the last, Rev. I. C. Thrapp, in 1856, and when he left services were discontinued. Later the building was removed to the present site of the American Clay Co., where it was a part of the machine shops of Frey & Sheckler, and was destroyed by fire on the night of Aug. 19, 1867, when the entire plant was burned, with a loss of $13,000. On Oct. 31, 1869. Rev. Alexander M. Cowan, a minister of the Southern Presbyterian church preached a sermon in the Court House, and organized a church of that denomination, the membership being composed almost exclusively of members of the Presbyterian church. The Quinby Hall was secured and services were held for several months, but interest in the new church became less and less and it was finally abandoned, the members again uniting with the Presbyterian church. About 1873 a number of the members of the Methodist church started what was known as the Christian Holiness movement, the doctrine being that once experiencing holiness, the convert could do no wrong, the minister himself being an advocate of the new doctrine. The next Conference quietly replaced him, and sent to Bucyrus, Dr. A. Nelson, one of their ablest men, and although the first meetings of the holiness believers were held in the basement of the church, later the church was denied them. They were still Methodists, and Dr. Leonard with Christian patience faithfully attended many of their meetings, endeavoring to give them counsel and advice and lead them to more rational views. On his departure, they became more zealous in their belief than ever, were generally known as "Sanctificationists," and with difficulty secured rooms for their meetings. They held tent meetings, on East Rensselaer street and really developed into martyrs for their belief, as the unruly element in the community disgraced the town by disturbing their meetings and eventually stopped the services by cutting down the tent. This left them no place to meet but at the homes of the members, and although they bought ground for the erection of a church, the members were poor in everything except religion, and the project was abandoned, and most of them gradually drifted into other churches, principally the United Brethren. The Salvation Army has established a headquarters here on several different occasions. their principal one being in 1894, when they used the basement of the vacant M. E. Church on East Mansfield street. This was during the time when the financial depression left hundreds of unemployed in every community, to be cared for by the citizens. They frequently met in winter at that time with little or no fire to warm the building, and although their food allowance was meagre, it is to their credit that they shared the little they had with any wandering tramp who applied to them for relief. It was in October, 1819 that the Nortons came, and in the spring of the following year came the Beadles, and in December, 1821 the town of Bucyrus was laid out. On September 1, 1822, the first death occurred, and the four year-old son of Mishael Beadle was taken away. There was, as yet, no graveyard in the village, so a site was selected on the extreme south line of Mr. Norton's land at the junction of Walnut and Middletown streets and here the little boy was buried. Three months later, on Dec. 30, 1822, as the old year was passing away, another little life was ended, and Jacob, the five-year-old son of John Kellogg was laid beneath the second mound in the graveyard. The next year John Deardorff, the first adult to pass away, was laid beside his little son, and the same year his daughter Margaret was buried there, and the next year her brother William. In 1824, a daughter of Rachel Kellogg died, and the year following John Kellogg AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 397 himself passed away. There are many others, as years after, the remains of many of these early burials were discovered here as improvements were made in the town, and all were transferred to the city graveyard on 'Tiffin street. Lewis Cary came to Bucyrus in 1822. aud two years later his wife Rachel, died. The graveyard south of the town was on the edge of the plains, covered with wild grass, and was bare of trees, and anything but a site that would he selected by the pioneers for the burial of their loved ones, and it was probably only taken when the emergency arose, making some burial spot necessary. When Mrs. Cary died her husband selected a pretty site on his land north of the river on the brow of the hill overlooking the Sandusky, and surrounded by trees. It was just south of the present Holy Trinity cemetery, and here Mrs. Cary was laid to rest. It had been partly cleared away, and in the httle clearing Johnny Appleseed had planted a few of his apple trees. The same year Mrs. Elizabeth Bucklin died, the mother of Mrs. Samuel Norton and Albigence Bucklin who had joined her children in the west in 1822. She was buried on this burial site. In 1825 the burials were Daniel McMichael, who came in 1820, built a mill up the river, and disposing of it had his home in a log cabin on the lot where the Finley residence now stands ; Seth Holmes, who came with the Nortons in 1819. Other burials there were the father and mother of Seth Holmes, Timothy Kirk and wife, and a colored servant of Lewis Car)'. Not many years ago, some of the stones were still standing in what was known as the Henry orchard, marking the site of the last restiug place of these early pioneers. In 1828 Amos Clark donated about an acre of ground north of the city to be used for burial purposes. It was across the road and a little north of the Cary graveyard. It was a pretty location, on high ground. overlooking the river. The graveyard was still in existence, owned and cared for by the city, and many of the tombstones can still be read that mark the last resting place of many of the first pioneers. Here Samuel Yost, a little boy of four and a half years was the first burial in May, 1827. In this graveyard is buried the founder of the city. Samuel Norton, who died April 18, 1856, and from an obituary notice in the Bucyrus Journal the following is taken "The death of Mr. Norton has left a vacancy among our citizens as well as in his family. which cannot be filled. Being the first settler. he was justly entitled to the name of the "Father of Bucyrus.'' In the autumn of 1819. when the country around was in a state of nature, and the dark glens of the forest reechoed the hoarse howlings of the wild beasts and the dread war-whoop of the Indians, this hardy pioueer left his quiet home in Pennsylvania to seek his fortune in the \W est. Attracted by the beauty of the surrounding country, he erected a tent of poles in which he spent the winter. His life for many years afterward was but a series of severe toil and exposure. which none but the most hardy and persevering could endure. For fifty years he was an exemplary member of the Baptist church, and through all the vicissitudes of his pioneer life. his spirits were kept buoyant by the hope of a future reward in the mansions of eternal glory. A large concourse of citizens attended his funeral and all expressed their regret for their much esteemed citizen, and sympathy for their afflicted relatives." Mary Norton, his wife. died _April 29, '5y, and was laid beside her companion of 52 years of wedded life. There resides today in Bucyrus, Mrs. Mary Jones Lemert, a granddaughter of the founder of the city; her mother was Elizabeth Norton Jones, daughter of Samuel Norton, who came to Bucyrus with her father in 1819. Alonzo M. Jones, great-grandson of the pioneer, son of Lorenzo Jones, and grandson of Mrs. Elizabeth Norton Jones. Fernando J. Norton, a grandson of Samuel Norton; his father was Jefferson Norton, who was horn in Bucyrus. These descendants all live on land that was purchased of the Government by their ancestor in 1819. In 1830 the Southern graveyard was laid out at the southwest corner of what is now Rensselaer and Spring streets, but then outside the village limits. This later became known as the Lutheran graveyard, and for thirty years the graveyard on the Tiffin road and the Southern graveyard were the burial sites of the city, but thirty years had crowded these silent cities of the dead, and a larger burial 398 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY ground was needed. A private corporation was formed composed of twenty citizens on Aug. 30, 1858, and it was called the Oakwood Cemetery Association. Grounds along the river, southwest of the city were purchased of Wilham Rowse, nearly 44 acres at $4 per acre, and the association organized with the following as their first trustees : John A. Gormly, president; S. R. Harris, secretary; C. \V. Fisher, treasurer; A. L Jones, J. H. Keller, George Quinby, R. T. Johnston, Hiram Fenner. Later additions were purchased, so that Oakwood Cemetery now comprises 65 acres, although all this land is not used for burial purposes, but will be added as necessity demands. The services of B. F. Hathaway, a landcape gardener, were secured and the grounds artistically laid out with the paths and drives, winding their way among the trees. The grounds were purchased in September, 1858, but before they were laid out, the first burial took place, a little grave was dug, and an Sunday, Nov. 21, 1858, a funeral procession made the first solemn march to the new cemetery, and Lillie Annie Craig, in all the innocence of childhood, consecrated the hallowed ground. The grounds were dedicated on Tuesday, June 19, 1859, with appropriate exercises. On March 6, 1882, the original owners of the cemetery incorporated the association, and gave the entire cemetery in charge of the Oakwood Cemetery Association, there being but two considerations, one that the graves of the original members should always he kept in repair, and the second was $3,000 in cash, the money however to be expended in building a reeciving vault, and the following year the vault was finished. During the time the association was a private company, all moneys received were devoted to the improving of the grounds, and the payment of the sums advanced for the purchase of the land, and when this was paid, without any interest, Oakwood Cemetery was donated to the public for their use, and it is now an association in which all moneys received must be used exclusively for running expenses and improvements. In 1888 the Lutheran graveyard was abandoned; and the remains of over three hundred who had ben buried there were taken up and transferred to Oakwood Cemetery. Bucyrus was organized as a village in 1833 and James McCracken was the first mayor. He was followed by John Moderwell in 1837. Peter Worst in 1840. Nicholas Failor, 1841. David R. Lightner 1842. James Marshall 1844. James McCracken 1846. James H. Hutchinson 1847. William M. Scroggs 1850. Stephen R. Harris 1852. George P. Seal 1853. Jacob Scroggs 1855. S. J. Elliott 1858 Jacob Scroggs 1858, Elliott having resigned to become probate judge. Henry C. Rowse 1860 S. R. Harris 1861. Wm. M. Scroggs 1862. E. B. Finley 1863. C D. Ward 1865. Wilson Stewart 1866. George Donnenwirth 1868. In 1810 at the April election the count showed the election of William M. Reid as mayor by 23 majority. Several days later a second count was held and this showed the election of George Donnenwirth by a small majority and he was sworn into office. The matter was carried to the Supreme Court, and that body, in March of 1872 rendered their decision, that when the votes had once been counted and the result declared, and the ballot box remained unguarded in the hands of the clerk for several days, a second count was not to be relied upon, and gave the certificate of election to Mr. Reid and he served as mayor for about two weeks. At the time of the election the opinion was so general that the second count was fraudulent that Gen. Samuel Myers, C. G Malic and William Rowland, three members of the council elected on the same ticket with Mr. Donnenwirth, denounced the entire transaction as unjust and declined to serve as councilmen. After Mr. Reid had served his two weeks the spring election of 1872 came on and James M. Van Voorhis was elected mayor. He was followed by C. D. Ward in 1876. Allen Campbell in 1880, C. D. Ward in 1884, M. H. Fulton, 1886; C. D. Ward. 1888; Charles Donnenwirth, 1894; David F. Fisher, 1896; C. F. Birk, 1898; H. E. Valentine, 1902; and E. J. Songer, 1907. In 1886 Bucyrus became a city, and was divided into wards. When Bucyrus was laid out as a village in 1822, it was receiving its mail at Delaware. Any responsible citizen having business there went to the postoffice and brought up the mail for people living within a radius of eight or ten miles of Bucyrus. Occasionally, one of the AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 399 settler's lent his horse to one of his neighbors to make the trip to Delaware and bring the mail. After the town was laid out the saddler's shop of Lewis Carey was the recognized headquarters for the mail. After several small shops had located in Bucyrus a petition was sent to the postmaster general requesting the establishment of a postoffice at Bucyrus, with Lewis Carey as postmaster. He was appointed on Feb. 2, 1824, and served for over five years, and during those five years the name of the office appears on the records at Washington as "Bucyrus" alias "Busiris". On March 4, 1828, Andrew Jackson became president and commenced his wholesale removal of public officials, giving as his only reason "to the victor belongs the spoils," and this principle laid down by Andrew Jackson has been followed ever since with Bucyrus postoffice appointments. During Mr. Cary's term of service the postoffice was in his building on what is now the Shonert property, adjoining the bridge on North Sandusky avenue. He was succeeded on July 20, 1829 by Henry St. John, who kept the office in his store, a two-story frame erected by him in 1825, on the northwest corner of the Public Square, which was torn down to make room for the present Bucyrus City Bank building. Henry St. John held the office for eight years, and on the election of Martin VanBuren John Forbes was appointed on June 26, 1837. Mr. Forbes was a harness maker and of the same political faith as Mr. St. John, but the latter was disposing of his store and removed to Tiffin. His harness shop was in a little frame on the west side of Sandusky avenue, the second lot north of the railroad. When the first postoffice was established in 1824, mail was brought by carrier on horseback once a week, and in the winter when the ground was not sufficiently frozen to bear a horse it was delivered on foot. In 1827 the line of stages began between Columbus and Sandusky, and mail was delivered three times a week. In 1834 a stage route was commenced from Bucyrus to Mansfield. The following was the mail facilities under Postmaster Forbes. The Tiffin mail left every Friday morning at 7 o'clock and arrived Saturday at 5 p. m. The Mt. Vernon mail left every Friday morning at 6:00 and arrived on Saturday evening at 7:00. The Fredericktown mail arrived every Wednesday evening at 6:00 and left every Thursday morning at 5:00. The Perrysburg mail left every Monday morning at 5:00 and arrived on Tuesday evenings at 6:00. The Kenton mail arrived every Wednesday noon and left the same day at 1:00 P. M. The New Haven mail arrived every Tuesday at noon and left at 1:00 P. M. the same day. The eastern mail from Pittsburg, through Mansfield, arrived every other evening at 6:00 and left the following morning at 4:00 o'clock. The northern mail arrived every other day between 1:00 and 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon and departed in twenty minutes for Columbus. The great southern mail arrived every other day (the same day as the northern) betwen 9 and 12 P. M. and departed in about 30 minutes for Sandusky City. It will be seen the last mail to arrive was about midnight and the first mail to leave was at four in the morning, so it must not have been the duty of the postmaster to keep as close a scrutiny of the mail as is done at the present day. He probably closed the sack and either hung it on the outside of the building, or the mail carrier had a key by which he could enter the office and get his own mail, while the postmaster was soundly sleeping, and dreaming of the emoluments of his office. The salary of Forbes in i84o, was $293.47. Up to this date Bucyrus was still the office of delivery for a large part of the county. The only postoffices in the county at that time being at Brokensword, Poplar, and one in Sandusky township. There were offices at Galion, Leesville, and Tiro in the Richland county part, and two or three in what is now Wyandot county. There was a change of parties by the election of William Henry Harrison in 184o and on July 13, 1841 James McCracken, a Whig, was appointed postmaster, and his office was in his shop where the Mader Block now stands. The Democrats again came into power at the next election and Alexander P. Widman was appointed postmaster in May 6, 1845, and continued the office at the same place, when he was succeeded by Dr. R. T. Johnston, Dec. 8, 1847, and the office was in his drug store where the Majestic picture show is now located. When Zachary Taylor was elected president the Whigs again secured the postoffice, and Henry Converse was appointed, April 4, 1840, The - 349 - Heman Rowse, a brother of Zalmon, set-