PAGE 416 - PICTURES OF GALION UNION SHCOOL HOUSE & BUCYRUS UNION SCHOOL HOUSE HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.- 417 CHAPTER X1.* (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) POLK, TOWNSHIP- ITS ORGANIZATION-FIRST ELECTION-TOPOGRAPHY,_ETC,-THE PIONEERS EARLY INDUSTRIES-INDIAN AND OTHER INCIDENTS-THE FIRST CHUCHES-SCHOOLS SANDUSKY TOWNSHIP was surveyed by Maxfield Ludlow in 1807. Like all townships of the Government survey, it was six mile square, and formed one of the western townships of Richland County. There were very few settlers before 1817. It remained up to this tine in an almost primitive condition, many of the Delaware and Wyandot Indians yet lingering, and little inclined to leave one of the finest hunting-grounds they lead ever known. Long and stubbornly had they contended for their homes against the white settlers and their encroachments. Here was name in the greatest profusion, and meat could be obtained in abundance, with such ease that hunting was always a pastime and not an arduous toil. The forests were heavily timbered with every variety of stately tree; streams of sparkling brightness flowed from innumerable springs; the plains and prairies on the west were the abode of large herds of deer. This was the home of Wigenund, and within this territory Col. Crawford had been captured. Bloody tragedies had been enacted all over this ground and through a thousand associations of fierce war and of gentle peace was this beautiful land endeared to these savage. Many maple groves were distributed throughout the township, and sugar was an article manufactured by whites and Indians. In 1812, the soldiers cut a road through the township, which passed north of the Olentangy near the present site of Galion. Another road further south had been cut out by * Contributed by Dr. J. C. McIlvaine. the Pennsylvania militia, when the settlers began to arrive; a few years later, they cut out roads for themselves. On the 12th day of February, 1818, the township was organized-twelve miles long by six wide and called Sandusky. The name is derived from "Sandusquet" of the old French traders and voyageurs; the Sah-un-dus-kee, clear water, or San-loos-tee, at the cold water of the Wyandots, from the clear, cold water of the springs near the south shore of Sandusky Bay, or it may have been derived from the Sa-un-dustee-water within "water-pools"- also a Wyandot word. At the time of the organization of Sandusky, it included within its limits the present townships of Vernon, Jackson and Polk; the former, with the remnant of Sandusky, remaining in Richland County. It remained in that shape until March 5, 1845, when the north half was taken from it and called Vernon Township. This left Sandusky six miles square again. About this time there was a mania for manufacturing new counties, townships and, especially, new county seats. This was a queer speculation, and outgerrymandered anything ever known of the kind before or since. The originally surveyed townships were divided and cut up and rejoined until they almost lost their former identity. Four tiers of sections were taken from the west side of Sandusky Township, Richland County, and passed into the possession of Crawford County, on the 3d of February, 1845. To the west side of this tier of four sections was 418 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. added what was known as the "three-mile strip." On the south was added a strip one mile wide from Marion County. From all this aggregation of pieces of townships, a strip of land three miles wide and seven miles long was taken from the south side, and named Polk Township. It is at present bounded on the north by Jackson and Jefferson, on the east by Richland County, on the south by Morrow County, and on the west by Whetstone Township. Polk was unfortunately situated as regards an outlet to market. After the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark Railroad was built, a majority of the farmers of Polk were trading in a county seat not their own. There was much dissatisfaction among the people on the eastern side of Polk; they had been pulled about in a ruthless manner, against their will; Crawford County was poor; many of her public buildings were yet unpaid for, and they thought their taxes would be increased to an enormous extent; especially was this the case with those who had formerly been within the limits of Richland County. This county was comparatively rich. The public buildings were mostly erected and paid for; the people felt as though they had been taxed to enrich the old county, and now that prosperity was dawning upon them, they were compelled to pay taxes in a poor county and assist in bringing them out of debt. Much excitement followed the act, loud protestations were made, violence and bloodshed were threatened. Nothing serious, however, occurred, and the people did the most reasonable thing under the circumstances that could be done. They sent Mr. Asa Hosford to the State capital as a lobby representative, and enjoined him to take care of their interests. He worked with fidelity, but failed in part of his mission. That portion of the new township which had been in Richland County, through their Representative, induced the Legislature to pass an enactment whereby they were released from the payment of taxes upon the county buildings of Crawford. The Representative was Mr. Hettrick. He presented the facts of the case, and earnestly demanded the enactment. This was apparently so easily done and with so little opposition, that Mr. Hosford asked that the same favor be shown to the strip coming from the south, in Marion County; Mr. Hettrick offered the resolution, but Mr. Gary, representing the citizens of this southern strip, objected on the ground that his constituents did not ask for it. This ended the matter. Previous to the formation of Polk Township, the elections were held south of Crestline nearly two miles, on Section 16, at the house of Mr. Fate. It was here that Maj. Robinson cast his maiden vote for Daniel Riblet, who was a candidate for Justice of the Peace. The Major was not quite twenty-one years of age: but this election, like all others, was of vast importance, and politics ran high. Galion was the center of interest in the new township, and for many miles around. The narrowness of the township placed Galion so near the line that, in many cases, those who did much for her prosperity and were interested in her growth, resided outside of Polk Township.* In an old book in the County C'lerk's Office at Bucyrus, there was one allusion to Polk Township, which is given as a resolution by the County Commissioners: March 6, 1845.-Board met pursuant to adjournment. Present, full Board. Resolution.-This day it was resolved, by the Commissioners of Crawford County, that the following fractional townships, taken from the counties of Richland and Marion, and those lying on the west side of said county of Crawford, according to an act of the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, passed February third (3d), 1845, to * In writing this history, we are compelled to depend much upon old settlers' and newspaper accounts. HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 419 erect the new county of Wyandot, and alter the boundaries of Crawford, was organized into separate townships, to wit: All that part taken from the county of Richland, and being in Township twenty (20) north Range twenty (20) west, and all that part taken from Township nineteen (19), with Range (20), and all that part taken from the county of Marion, and being in Township fifteen (15) with Range twenty-one 121) be, and the same is hereby, organized into a separate township by the name of Polk, and that the County Auditor be and is hereby authorized to cause notice to be given to the said township of the foregoing organization and alteration, according to the statute of Ohio in such case made and provided. JOHN CLEMENTS, HAMILTON KERR. Samuel LEE. Attest: O. WILLIAMS, County-Auditor. In selecting a name for this township, the first choice was for Jackson: it was Daniel Hoover's desire to so name it: but it was discovered in time that one of the new townships on the north half preceded them in the selection of the name Jackson. Mr. Polk being President at this time, his name was proposed and accepted. According to the resolution and orders of the Supervisor, Mr. James Robinson was ordered to post, in three conspicuous places within the township, notice. setting forth a list of office, then vacant and ordering the tine and place of election. The officers for Sandusky Township had already been elected, and when the election in Polk took place. soon after it was only to fill vacancies caused by the separation, those having been elected in Sandusky and residing in Polls were to hold over till the next annual election. A. Z Underwood was one of them, having been elected Justice of the Peace. The record of the first election is in the possession of F. A. Keen, and is as follows: At an election held in the Township of Polk, in the county of Crawford, State of Ohio, on the 7th day of April, in the year of our Lord 1845, Isaac Criley, Joshua Canon and Pharas Jackson, Judges, and Solomon P. Nave and Samuel R. Canon, Clerks, The following officers were duly elected and qualified: Trustees-Asa Hosford, Samuel P. Lee, Bartholomew Reed, Jr.; Clerk-Peter Cress ; Treasurer-John S. Davis; Assessor-Samuel R. Canon; Constables-John A. Loneus, Joseph Kimmel ; Supervisors-Eri Hosford, Joseph Diddy, Edward Cooper, David Thrush, William White, A. C. Jackson, Frederic Taylor, Jacob Stinebaugh, John Ashcroft, William L. Dille, Bart Reed, Sr., Andrew Reed, A. S. Caton, Phillip Ichorn, Phillip Zimmermaker, Isaac Nayer. At a meeting of the Trustees of Polk Township, held on the 26th day of April 1845, among other business transacted was the sale of James Sutton, a town pauper. He was sold to the lowest bidder for his keeping for one year from above date. He was taken by Jacob Steinbaugh, at $100, clothing and doctor bills excepted. They proceeded also to levy a tax, for poor purposes, of 2 mills on the dollar, and 3/4 of a mill for Township purposes. At a meeting held on the 6th day of September, 1845, present, Asa Hosford and Bartholomew Reed, they appointed the place of holding elections to be at the schoolhouse, in the borough of Galion, in said township. PETER CRESS, Township Clerk. To those who do not understand what is meant by the sale of paupers, we give in full a copy of a handbill found among the records. It must be remembered no county home existed at the time, and it was necessary to provide in some way for the poor; hence they were sold: Sale of Paupers.-There will be sold, on Wednesday, May 16, 1866, Mary Houk and Della Hengst, paupers of Polk Township, Crawford County, Ohio, to the lowest responsible bidders, for one year. Terms of pay for keeping said paupers, half in six months from day of sale, and the remainder at the expiration of the year. Proposals will be received from 1 to 4 o'clock, P. M. SAMUEL SHUNK, DANIEL HOOVER, JOHN LEMON, May 1, 1866. Trustees. There are twenty-one sections in Polk Township. of as fine land as exists in Northern Ohio. The timber was very heavy, and consisted mostly of beech, maple, oak, hickory, elm, black walnut and ash. The land, before clearing, has the appearance of being swampy and wet. This is caused by the high and generally level condition, there be- 420 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. ing no general slope to the land by which the water can run off at once. All over the township, there is evidence of immense deposits of drift; gravel-beds, mixed with iron and clay, with strata above or below it of fine and coarse sand, are abundant. The geological formation is such that, in the primeval days, the land in this vicinity formed shoals, and one can easily conceive that the great mountain glaciers coming from the icy North, freighted with their load of stone, gravel and clay, were wrecked in the shallow sea over this township, grinding and pulverizing the primitive rock that formed this rich soil. The Olentangy River meanders throughout the whole length of the township. It enters in the northeast portion, winds round in broad sweeps toward the south and passes out on the west side, on the farm of J. K. Sherer. All along its valley there are outcroppings of sandstone, of the Waverly group. There are at present, as far as we know, but two quarries in operation-those of John Flowers, and Dr. Coyle and James Green. The Olentangy waters the bottom lands of the whole township, and springs abound in profusion; this might seem contrary to the general expectation, or to any one not a practical geologist, when it is remembered that Polk Township occupies a part of the dividing ridge or crest that separates the slope to the lakes on the north, and the valley of the Ohio that slopes to the south; but so it is. Within the township are two springs but a few rods apart; the one on the north contributes its mite to Lake Erie, thunders with its waters over the ponderous Niagara, and wends its romantic way around and among the "Thousand Isles," and thence to the sea. The spring on the south side lingers slowly, clinging gently to its birthplace, as if in doubt as to which course it shall take. It finally takes its course toward sunny lands, and on through populous countries, rich meadows, gradually down to the "Father of waters," and thence to the Gulf of Mexico. Thus it can be seen that we are high upon a billow of land, and upon the very summit of the crest. When the first settlers came to Polk or Sandusky Township, the Olentangy was a beautiful stream; luxuriant groves existed on each side of it, and its banks were lined with a profusion of flowers and grassos; countless herds of deer drank of its sweet waters, and the red man loved and venerated the stream. Before the land was cleared up, the banks were tolerably full, and the stream never shrunk to its present proportions; year by year, numerous mills were erected upon its banks, and the falling waters turned the wheel of industry to the owners' profit and the great convenience of the settlers. Probably the first men who cleared any land within the present limits of Polk were Benjamin Leveredge and his two sons, James and Nathaniel. Most of the early settlers were from New York and Pennsylvania. No biography of this first family can be obtained, and very little is known of them previous to their arrival in this vicinity. They came in the year 1817, cutting their way to their land. The father built his cabin near the springs on Atwood street, Galion, on the quarter-section he had entered. James Leveredge erected his cabin on the ground now occupied by David Mackey's residence, and Nathaniel built his primitive dwelling near the center of the public square in Galion. The two former had water in abundance from the numerous springs in their vicinity, but Nathaniel dug a well near his cabin door. This was the well that was filled up about ten years ago, and traces of which were found within the present year (1880) by workmen while engaged in grading the square. In the year 1818, George Wood and David Gill arrived; they HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 421 settled north of the Olentangy, near the old military road, cut out by soldiers in 1812. These two families were from Pennsylvania, Wood and Gill being brothers-in-law ; Wood was a carpenter, and Gill followed school-teaching mostly; he was well educated for the time, and the general business man in the community. James Gill was a son of David and his widow still lives on the site of the farm owned by the former. Mrs. Fanny Bryfogle Mrs. Catharine Monnett, Mrs. Nelson Casey and the wife of Samuel Mosher were daughters of David Gill. George Wood had one son, George, Jr.; the two families removed to Missouri, where the older members died. and some of the younger returned to Galion. It was also in the year 1818 that Benjamin Sharrock came to Polk Township; he erected a temporary shelter near the Reisinger Corners for his family, while he made progress with his ax and saw on the farm south. On Saturday, September 19, 1819, Mr. Asa Hosford trudged afoot into Polk Township: he stopped over Sunday with Benjamin Leveredge. From the date of his arrival, Mr. Hosford became a leading citizen and was interested from that time on with the concerns of the township requiring tact and ability. In 1820 came Nathaniel Story and father Kitteridge, the latter living with the former, who was by occupation a hunter and trapper. Mr. Story erected his cabin near the crossing of Main street and the Olentangy, west of town. In the year 1822 came the Rev. James Dunlap, who went to fanning. but afterward entered the ministry and taught school. In 1824 came Nathan Merriman, who, in the year following, his arrival, erected a whisky distillery at the springs, near where the Leveredges lived. This was the first distillery in the township, and was known far and wide, and familiarly designated as "the still." Thus far we have given the date of arrival and the order of their coming of all that are known. There were others taking up land and settling throughout the township, but those above gained formed the nucleus around which clustered the new settlement. The first grist-mill in Polk Township was erected by Mr. Hibner, on the nanks of the Olentangy, near the railroad bridge, on the farm now owned by Mr. Burgener. A sawmill was built north of Galion: Hosford's and Park's grist-mill; and Sharrock's grist and saw mill were all within a few miles of each other and run by the waiers of the Olentangy, which is not now a romantic-looking stream. The lands which it drained have been cleared, and inany of the springs which fed it have become dry. Immense ditches, with the modern system of draining, with its miles of tiling. have all tended toward the destruction of the stream, and its banks are full only after the heavy rains or melting of accumulated snow: but a small rivulet carries the water from pool to pool: the waters are dark, filthy ands putrid. The wash from the city of Galion, with the washes of gas-making and dyeing, together with slaughter-houses, have contributed to the general nastiness. In some portions of the township, there is an approach to the formation of plains, but not extensively so; the soil is generally a gravely loam; at a slight depth there is found a clean-washed gravel, and under the gravel a dense hard-pan. This gravel is saturated with healthy water, and is the cause of the numerous springs where this gravel crops out to the surface. Among the topographical features of the township, there is one thing that deserves especial notice. About sixty years ago, a terribly severe wind-storm swept over the northwest portion; the storm entered the western portion of the township on what is now known as the Belts farm, passing in a northeast di- 422 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. rection, and out of the township near the farm of Hon. James Robinson. Its track was about one mile in width; every tree, almost without exception, was uprooted or twisted off, and prostrated in the most unimaginable confusion. The trees went down like grass before the sickle. Peter Snyder, now of Crestline, was at the time a boy, plowing in the field. Hearing the roar of the approaching storm, he made haste to find security: he entered an old-fashioned Pennsylvania log barn, set on a cobble-stone foundation; he repaired to the mow for safety, but hardly had he arrived there when the whole structure was raised three or four feet from the foundation. While suspended in the air, the roof gave way and flew across the field, and the barn settled back to its foundation. Debris of all kinds was scattered over the ground, and among them were found numerous boughs anal twigs of pine, which must have been brought from great distances. Deer and wild turkeys were killed and crushed and fearfully mangled, as were also many cattle belonging. to the settlers. Disberry Johnson had five head of cattle in the woods that were penned in by the fallen timber, but, strange to say, uninjured. It required five days of chopping and clearing to release them from their strange captivity. The year following this storm, fire broke out among the dried leaves and twigs in this windfall, and swept the whole length of it. The crops and buildings within close proximity were destroyed; for days the smoke was so dense that one could not see ten feet before him. Many times people would be obliged to prostrate themselves upon the ground to prevent suffocation. The settlers despaired of retrieving anything from the general wreck; many of them became despondent, and had they possessed the means, or any facilities, would have moved away from the blackened and charred ruins. The track of this windfall can at this day be traced in its course: where the trees were allowed to grow again, they are generally smaller; the trees going down and burning in the manner they did saved much logging and clearing; but on some farms it took every acre of timber from them. The soil of Polk Township is eminently adapted to the raising of corn, although excellent wheat crops are harvested. The farther west in the township the more it is adapted to grazing and crops of grasses; stock can be kept better nowhere than on the plains and prairies which commence in Polk Township and extend for miles westward. In the year 1822, William Murray, Maj. Jeffrey and James Dunlap rigged up a onehorse wagon with a pole in it for two horses. This was in what was called Ohio County. and is now in Western Virginia. They had rifles, ammunition, cross-cut saw, axes and several old quilts. They covered the wagon with a linen cover and started for the West. They crossed the Ohio at the mouth of Short Creek, above Wheeling, passed through New Philadelphia, in Tuscarawas County, through Wooster, on to Mansfield, a town then having three stores, two taverns and a blacksmithshop. On, west. they continued to a place they heard of as "Spangtown," " Moccasin," or " Goshen." There were five families between Galion and Mansfield. as follows: Judge Patterson, Alfred Atwood's mother, a widow lady, old John Edgington, John Marshall and John Hibner. Just as they came to where the Cleveland, Columbus &, Cincinnati Railroad crosses Main street. Mr. Dunlap told his companions that he though they were coming to a settlement, as he discovered sheep tracks. They laughed at him and said they were deer tracks, which they proved to be. They came on through the woods up to the square where there were two log cabins, in one of which PAGE 423 - PICTURE OF ASA HASFORD PAGE 424 - BLANK HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 425 lived Mr. Leveredge. At the foot of the hill, where Mrs. J. Gill now lives, was a cabin, where J. Dickerson then lived. Farther west, where J. R. Clymer's brick house now is, there was a double log cabin, owned by William Hosford, Asa Hosford's father; Horace Hosford had a blacksmith-shop on the Reisinger Corners, where he lived: Grandfather Kitteridge lived on the other corner. They went southwest to Benjamin Sharrock's house. They were twelve days making the trip of 150 miles; sometimes the mud was up to the wagon-bed. The next day, Mrs. Sharrock baked them some bread, and they went to their land to erect a cabin. On the land were twelve or fourteen Indian, who had been on a big drunk the day before; one of them had been. stabbed through the left side with a scalping-knife. The Indian bragged over it and said, "Me berry stout Injun-stick big knife through-no kill-wooh!" The emigrants were much annoyed through the night by the howling of wolves. In a few days, they finished their cabin and returned for their facilities. This Mr. Dunlap afterward entered the ministry, and. within ten years, has written a number of papers entitled, "Recollection of Crawford County." The settlers would espy a covered wagon corning, and cry out, "There comes another settler;" and start to meet him, and give him a hearty welcome, take axes and help to cut out a trail to his land and help him to select a good site for his cabin; all being agreed upon, they would chop and roll two logs together, kindle a fire between for the good woman to cook and provide something to eat, while they went to work clearing off a spot on which to erect a cabin. In two or three days, sufficient logs would be cut, and the cabin erected, and hole cut in one side for a door. Then the household furniture would be unloaded, consisting, generally, of two beds and bedding, a table, bureau, some chairs and kitchen furniture, piling them with the family, in the cabin, on the ground floor. A young married couple generally started in the same way being assisted by their parents. A necessary piece of furniture in the pioneer's cabin was a hominy block, which was made by taking a log twenty inches thick and three feet long, chopping it in from each end and shaping it like a goblet; then setting it on end. kindle a fire under it and burn it out like a druggist's mortar; then they take a small pole, with an iron ring on one end, put an iron wedge into it to pound the corn, put the corn in, pour on hot water to loosen the hulls, and pound with the wedge until cracked into hominy. While the husband is pounding his hominy at night, the wife is spinning flax-tow or wool for clothing for the family. The following pioneer reminiscence is pertinent to the subject: "I have seen a whole family, consist ing of father, mother, children, pet pigs, young ducks and chickens, all occupying the same room at the same time, truly equal to Barnum's happy family. Although some endured hardships almost beyond endurance-having large families to support and no money-meat could be obtained from the woods. The writer of these lines has seen the time, when he has brought home a sack of meal and did not know where the next was to come from; yet. trusting in God, and working day and night, has at length obtained a competency for himself and family, as many others have done. When I look back fifty years and see, this country a howling wilderness, thronged with wild beasts of various kinds, hardly a white inhabitant from here to the Rocky Mountains, I am struck with wonder and surprise at the progress of our nation. In 1825, we had a manufacturing establishment in Galion, Polk Township, erected, I think, by old Nathan or Bishop Merriman, of Bucyrus, to make whisky of our 426 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. spare corn and rye. About the same time, there was a horse-mill put up by old Mr. Snyder (I think his given name was Christopher), at Middletown, north of Galion two or three miles, where we could get grinding done. The farmers for miles around would put a bag of corn or wheat on a horse with harness on, take another, if he had it, and go to mill. If his turn came before night, all right; if not, he would hitch up in the night and keep himself awake by traveling around after his horse. If it was wheat, he could turn a crank attached to a bolting cloth, and get his flour bolted by hand, and when his flour was ground would come home whistling and singing as happy as a lark. Perhaps his wife would tell him they were out of meat; taking his gun and dog, he would go out and shoot down a fat deer, as a farmer now goes out to his field to kill a fat sheep." Soon after the war of 1812 James Nail Esq., was in Richland County: his father's was the seventh family in the county. Mr. Nail was born in Somerset County, Penn., November 9, 1797; he left his father in 1819 and came to Sandusky Township, and bought 160 acres of land (called Congress land), two miles north of Galion. In 1821, he married and settled on his land. When he first came, he knew of no neighbors but the Leveredges and his brother-in-law, Lewis Leiberger, with whom he lived till married. The next year, Leiberger moved away. Bee-trees were plenty at this time, and Mr. Nail and his brother-in-law started one morning on a bee hunt, taking a southwest course. They camped the first night on Sandusky Plains, half-way between Galion and Bucyrus, at a small stream; the neat day they hunted till evening, and camped on Sandusky River, two miles west of Bucyrus; they saw many deer and turkeys, many bee-trees, but not a human being or a settlement. By the year 1821, John Brown, Benjamin Sharrock, Nathaniel Story and Mr. Hosford had moved into the neighborhood. For a long time, the Indians had been in the habit of taking large quantities of cranberries to Richland County; they would sometimes be seen with eight or ten horses loaded down with bark boxes filled with cranberries; these boxes were slung over the back; of the horses. and each one led by an Indian, single file. They traded the cranberries for meal, etc. ; the Indians kept secret the place of their growth, but Mr. Nail, his father-in-law, Samuel Brown, Michael Brown and Jacob Miller, determined to find the place where they were procured. They went southwest till they struck the Pennsylvania army road, and followed it for several miles, which was easily distinguished; after going some distance. they thought they had better go farther north; this they did till they struck the Sandusky River, east of Bucyrus. As they came to the stream, they heard a man chopping a little above; Mr. Nail told his companions that Indians were around. or else some white man had got in: they rode up and found Mr. Daniel McMichael, a man they had never seen before; he seemed much alarmed, but was re-assured when Mr. Nail rode up close to him. This man gave then directions, and went with them a distance, showing them the Indian trail that led to the cranberry marsh. They camped out that night, and saw the camp-fires of several parties of Indians, but were not molested. The next morning, they gathered as many cranberries as their horses could carry. They reached home that evening; in passing over the military road, the weeds were as high as their horses' heads. They saw but one man during the trip. Mr. Nail states that their food, when he was young, consisted of bear's meat, venison, turkey, corn-meal, potatoes and hominy. Their clothing was generally buckskin and linsey-woolsey; the children mostly went bareheaded and barefooted HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 427 nearly all the year. They made some kind of linen from the nettles. Some time after Mr Nail and his brother-in-law had hunted and marked their bee-trees, they went after the honey. After it was all collected. they lacked a little of two barrels; Mr. Christian Snyder had moved to the neighborhood a little while before, and was about going hack for his goods: he offered to take the honey to Jefferson County for nothing, saving, it would there sell for $1 a gallon. In 1822, Mr. Nail sold his land and bought eighty acres on a branch of the Whetstone, or Olentangy, southwest of Galion. Michael Brown, .John Dunmeier and James Leveredge assisted him in putting, up his cabin about this tune, he had occasion to go to Mansfield on foot, which was twenty-two miles the way he was obliged to go; he got back at 10 at night: but as he readied the house his dog barked violently. The wife drew the blanket that covered the door to one side, when the dog ran in the cabin followed by a wolf, who, seeing a large fire, run back. Mr. Nail found his wife prepared for emergencies, sitting near the fire, the dog at her feet and the ax in her hand. About this time, Mr. Alexander McGrew came to Mr. Nail's from Tuscarawas County, and solicited the contract for erecting a mill which Mr. Nail contemplated erecting. A dam was made. and in six weeks' time, the frame and running gear were in order. The farm and mill were sold that fall to Mr. John Hauck, who was looking for a site for a carding-machine and fulling-mill. The settlers were too spare, and the project, was given up. Mr. Nail reserved the right to live in the cabin and use the mill for one year, which he did, furnishing lumber to the settlers. In 1822, he moved one-half mile below his saw-mill and in 1824 erected a gristmill. The mill-stones were made of "nigger heads" by Mr. Buckland, of Bucyrus. The market prices at this time were as follows: Coffee, 50 cents a pound: salt. 6 cents a pound; powder 50 a pound: lead, 50 cents a pound; chewing tobacco, 50 cents a pound; whisky 50 cents a gallon: and the two latter articles, Mr. Nail says, no family could get alone without. Mr. Nathaniel Story was a native of Oxford County, Me., and came with his father's family to Ohio in 1818. They stopped a short time at the Williamson settlement, east of Galion: they intended to buy some of the Virginia military school lands, but failed in their object and passed the winter of 1818-19 in a cabin of John Leveredge, situated southeast of the public square of Galion. Mr. Leveredge had been killed but a short tune previous to this, by a log falling upon him at the raising of John Williamson's new hewed-log cabin. When they came into the settlement. that hewed-log cabin stood up near the square without a roof and exactly as it was left when Leveredge was killed. In the spring of 1819, they moved into the house of Mr. Sturges, situated northwest of Galion, on the brow of the hill across from John G. Kraft's brewery, and where the residence of Jesse Purkey now stands. They lived there for four years. Mr. Story writes of the Indians as follows: ``I was acquainted with most of the Wyandots and Delawares. Among them the Walkers, Williams, Armstrongs, Dowdys, Johnny Cake. etc. Johnny Lake was a full-blooded Indian of much note. He was a well-developed man, of fine physical proportions, supple, athletic, and he possessed in an unusual degree the respect and confidence of all the white settlers of that day. His wife was three-fourths white, and an excellent woman for the opportunities that she had. There is a bit of romance connected with her history, which may be interesting to readers, as it has never been published except in the Bucyrus Forum. The mother of Johnny Cake's wife had been captured from her white 428 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. parents, somewhere in the eastern part of Ohio, by the Indians, probably during the war with Great Britain in 1812-15, and adopted into one of the Indian families on the Sandusky. Here she was courted and married in Indian fashion, by Abraham Williams, a half-breed Indian. The fruit of the union between this half-breed and white girl, was a beautiful daughter, who was courted and married by Johnny Cake. Johnny went with an exploring expedition in 1823, or thereabout, to the Great West beyond the Mississippi. He was a marked man in council or courage, and so regarded by all who came in contact with him. When his tribe removed from the Wyandot reservation in 1846, he and his wife went with them, and, when last heard from, in 1874, were living in wealth and good position among the Walkers, to whom he is related." The last time that Mr. Story saw Johnny Cake was in 1845 or 1846. His father, Nehemiah Story, and himself, were working on the frame of a house where the widow of James W. Gill, Esq., now lives, on Main street, west side of Galion. He stopped and talked with them a long time as he was passing through; he said that the Indians' hunting-grounds had been sadly interfered with by the white settlers, who killed or drove away the game, and for that reason he seldom came that way of late years. He seemed overjoyed to see and talk with them and revived many reminiscences of the past that had for years slumbered in their memories. At this time he weighed nearly two hundred pounds, and was a splendid specimen of a wild Indian of the woods, who was keenly alive to the great facts of "manifest destiny." Clearly foreseeing the future, he spoke in rapturous terms of the white man, who brought with him the all-conquering forces of a superior and higher civilization, but grievously mourned, in broken accents, the decay of his own Indian race, whose doom was "written in the setting sun of the West." Says Mr. Story: "We shall never forget the appearance and expression of this man-this thoughtful but untutored child of the forest-as he affectionately and tearfully bade us good-bye. He wheeled the head of his pony toward the Sandusky Plains, and was soon lost to our gaze forever." Mr. Story remembers the exciting; attempt of Tom Dowdy, a keen, small but sharp Indian, to murder a Canadian Indian. They were both in liquor, obtained at a tavern near where Galion now stands. A quarrel ensued over the whisky bottle (as it does now sometimes among white people), and Tom took out his scalping-knife and stabbed his Indian companion, with a terrible stroke, in the side. The two Indians were afterward seen at an encampment on Shaw's Creek, south of Iberia. The whisky was gone, and the two Indians sat on opposite sides of the fire, smoking in peace. Dowdy once brought information to the Storys, that there was a certain white-oak tree that had in it five raccoons and a porcupine. This was business for Story, and exactly in his line. They went with Dowdy and his squaw, who was an excellent chopper, and soon had the tree down and the game secured. Dowdy and his wife took three of the coons, and the Storys took two. The skins were purchased by James Nail. This Indian, Dowdy, died at Pipetown some time afterward, in the severity of winter, and, in accordance with the custom of the Indians, his body, with his clothing and hunting implements, was laid upon a scaffold, at a safe height from the ground. Here it remained until the warm sun in the spring had softened the soil, when his remains were deposited in the earth. The Indians had a burying-ground just north of where the Gill farm is, on the banks of the Olentangy. Here the dead from the Indian village were buried. The graves were generally quite shallow; they made some dis- HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 429 tinction in the graves, according to the social status of the person; some of the graves had forks erected at each end, with a pole across; on this were laid strips of bark and twigs, but it soon gave way and was not renewed. How long this spot had been consecrated by the Indians, is not known, but they continued to use it up to their departure from this vicinity. In an early day, young men opened the graves, with the vain hope of obtaining treasures. Some of the early doctors secured furniture from this ground for their offices. The graveyard had little reverence shown it, and it was only when the field was cultivated, and the graves plowed level, that it became safe from molestation. In the year 1825, Mr. Nail added a distillery to his grist-mill and continued grinding and distilling till the year 1835. Before mills were built in Polk Township the settlers went lone distances to get grinding done. In 1822, they were going to Spring hill, southeast of Ontario; and, even after mills were built along the Olentangy, some were obliged to go below Belleville, by reason of the scarcity of water in Polk Township. Corn-meal was more plentiful than flour. It was generally cooked in four different ways: A very common way of using it was to make mush and eat it with milk, when it was baked in a Dutch oven, it was called pone; When baked on a board, it was called johnny-cake; and when made into round balls and baked in the oven, it was called corn-dodgers. Mr. Nail relates that a family lived three miles southeast of Galion, by the name of Jackson; a little fellow of this family would often come to mill with a bag of corn to be ground; after the corn was ground, he would lift the little fellow- on top of the bag, of meal on the horse and start him for home. He generally had meal in one end of the bag, and a jug of whisky in the other end. Mr. Nail had no thought at that time that little Abner M. Jackson would be the portly man he afterward became, much less that he would become the Presiding Judge of our court. In 1835, Mr. Nail sold his grist-mill and distillery to Mr. Parks, who came from Beaver County, Penn. Mr. Dunlap stated that after he returned from Virginia, where he had been for his faintly, the settlers had increased in numbers from twelve to twenty-five. About the time of his return, there was a double log cabin one mile southwest of Galion, in which lived two families, one by the name of Erysman, and one by the name of Dun, or Doormise, who had a little daughter about four years of age. The mother was boiling sugar-water in the woods near by, and had the little girl by her. Thinking it time the little one was in the house, she went with her to the fence, lifted her over the inclosure and told her to amuse herself until the mother arrived. Nothing was ever seen of the little girl after that day. A number of strange Indians (called Canadians, because they belonged near the lakes where the settlers were French), had been roving around the settlements, and but a few hours before the child was missed. A party of four or five had been to Mr. Hosford's to purchase some whisky. But a few days before a party of Indians, supposed to be the same, had been to the house of Benjamin Sharrock, and attempted to negotiate for a young girl which they wanted to raise in their tribe, and be adopted as one of them. When the poor mother came in from her work and found that the little daughter had not come in the honse, she knew almost intuitively that the little one was lost. She was frenzied with horror, and a strange terror crept over her; in a frantic manner, she roved up and down through the woods, one moment calling in endearing accents the name of her little child, and the next the woods would ring with her piercing shrieks, her cries and 430 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. appeals to heaven. Word had been sent to Mr. Asa Hosford, and he came with men as promptly as possible; for three days and nights the woods were searched: parties of men were sent with information in every direction, but all of no use. The frantic mother suffered so much, that all the good-hearted old pioneers tried to think of some new expedient;: finally, they ceased their search in the woods and began to drag the creek. Men, women and children, with poles, rakes, grapnels, and every implement that could posibly be of use, were brought cut for the purpose. But hopes of the lost one died within them, and the search was gradually given up, and the bright little one was lost forever. The strange Indians were never seen in the vicinity thereafter. It was the theory of those most. thoroughly versed in Indian affairs that some chief was desirous of bringing up in his tribe a white squaw that should in time be the wife of one of his favorite sons, or his legitimate successor. The only mitigation of this horrible destiny was the fact that nearly all remembrance of her parents and her innocent childhood joys would be obliterated from her memory. Near the same place, a family by the name of Bashford had taken a little girl to raise. She went out to find the cows, which, by the ringing of a bell, she soon discovered: but she was confused about the route to be taken for the house; she kept cool, and determined to stay with the cows, knowing that when they were found she would be all right. She followed them around until they lay down; she crawled up and laid as near the back of an old cow as she could, for the sake of the warmth. In the morning, she was found rambling around with the cattle and her feet somewhat frost-bitten. She was much alarmed by the howling of the wolves through the night. There were hardly any roads, except Indian trails, and women and children were often lost in passing from place to place, and in some instances men were lost. A man by the name of Samuel Dany went into the woods to shoot a deer; he soon became lost, and wandered round and round until he was perfectly confused. At last he came in sight of a cabin, and a woman standing in the door; he walked up to the fence, and inquired of her where Samuel Dany lived. She laughingly told him he might come in and see. He was overjoyed to discover that it was his own wife and his own home. Mr. Dunlap, Owen Tuttle and James Amon went to the southeast corner of Polk, one time, and in less than two hours killed five deer on two acres of ground. In an early, a gentleman traveling on his way west, passed through Galion on a fine gray Canadian stallion. Some days after, the horse was found tied to a sapling on the Beltz farm; he had the appearance of having been there for several days, but no owner was ever found for horse, saddle or bridle; the traveler could never be traced beyond that place. A few years ago, while the roads were being worked, some human bones were turned up by a scraper on the hill at the end of the bridge over Whetstone Creek, just below Mr. Hosford's mill. This spot was not far from the trail traveled between Bucyrus and Galion at the time of the supposed murder. In connection with this supposed murder, we will give an account of one, that did occur, and one that chilled the hearts of early settlers with horror. With all the hardihood the white men in Polk Township, murder never entered their thoughts, and this occurrence cast a gloom over the settlement that was evident for years after. Mr. John Hammer and his brother-in-law Bender. walked from Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., Penn., across the Allegbany Mountains, and journeyed on foot to Wooster, Ohio, which, at that day(1836), was considered near the border. Ham- HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 431 mer had with him $200 to buy land, besides spending-money. Bender had from $30 to $40 also, but no money for land, as he went along only for company and to see the West. They went to the bank in Wooster and had the cashier examine their money, to see if it was all good; here they were discovered by two robbers, who followed them at a distance and unobserved. At Galion, they entered a grocery store, where Hammer and Bender were, and made their acquaintance; they casually asked them where they were bound for, when the men, suspecting nothing, replied that they were out looking over the Western country for some land to buy for a farm. The strangers stated that they were going that way, too, and could bear them company. They went on west together, till near the western boundary of Polk: one of the robbers secured a stout stick, and soon after they all sat on a log and talked awhile; when they arose, Bender and Hammer took separate paths, running parallel, and the robbers each followed one of the men. One then placed his pistol to the back of Bender's head and shot him: Hammer heard the crack of the pistol, but. before he could turn, he was struck over the head by a heavy green stick. He was terribly bruised and beaten, and but for the splintered condition of the club, would certainly have been killed. While Hammer was being pounded so unmercifully, his comrade was having his pockets rifled; his handkerchief was torn from his neck and his watch taken, but his money was securely hid in his vest. Col. Sweeny was at that time very near, getting out logs for a saw-mill. Just after the crack of then pistol, one of the men employed yelled in a loud manner to the oxen. This frightened the robbers and they fled through the woods. Nothing reliable was ever heard from them after. A stranger coming from Galion the next day, on horseback, discovered the dead man lying on his back in the mud, and yelled at the top of his voice for help. Mr. Sweeny and his men heard him, and immediately came up to the scene of the murder. Hammer was terrified, and ran in a southwesterly direction, until he came upon a man plowing in a field, whose name was Goodale; Hammer could speak no English, but the farmer saw plainly that the man had been badly injured. He begged to have his brother-in-law brought to him before burial, which was done. An inquest was held in the woods where the murder was committed. Abraham Hahn was the Coroner. The next day the body was buried in the Campbell graveyard. Mr. Hammer recovered, and in a couple of months, bought a farm near Bucyrus, and paid down his $200. He returned to Pennsylvania, sold out his interests there, and. in two years' time. moved on to his farm. Many years after, the papers had an account of the execution of a murderer, who at the last moment confessed that he had killed Bender near the Olentangy, in Crawford County, Ohio, and also a man in the Sherer neighborhood. While searching the records in the different Offices in Bucyrus;. we came across a book, in which were recorded a great many descriptions of "marks." Mr. Asa Hosford informed us that these books were kept in each township the Clerk, and that each owner of stock was obliged to lay claim to some mark for his cattle, and have it recorded in this book. The cattle were marked in accordance with the record, and was prima facie evidence of his property. There were left crops, right crops, long crops and short crops, whole crops and half crops, and dumb-bells in profusion and confusion. Besides the natural game in the woods, many hogs had a proclivity for going deep into the woods for mast, on which they fattened readily. Eventually they would breed in the forest, and the woods became full 432 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. of wild hogs without a mark upon them. In many places, the hunters would shoot these down with impunity, and without fear of being called to account. The great number of hogs in the forest was always a temptation to bears. These animals have a special liking for honey and pork. As bee-trees and wild hogs were generally to be found in the vicinity of settlers, so the bear was seen, perhaps, more often about settlements than deeper in the forest. Bruin would sometimes make bold to attack a pig in his own domicile; the peculiar cry made by the hog was generally recognized by the settlers, and they rushed out at once to "save their bacon." Sometimes men would steal to the woods and mark young cattle before the owner had an opportunity, and these were the pests of settlers. It was in these times that those who had no need of wholesome laws and legal restrictions, were necessarily often annoyed by lawless and disorderly persons. There was no absolute security for persons and property; personal courage and independent action were the greatest safeguards, and the moral law was predominant in its sway over the masses. The plea of self defense was more often heard than would be consistent in these times with a law-abiding people. As the settlers cleared up the lands, they began to sow some wheat. They had no near market, and there was not much inducement to raise more than was needed for home consumption. Up to 1825, there was much of the produce hauled to Mansfield; for wheat at this time, they generally received 25 cents per bushel, in goods. Common sheeting or calico, was worth by the yard a bushel of wheat. The women would often go to market with a crock of butter in each end of a bag, thrown across a horse, and a basket of eggs on her lap. There they received 6 cents a pound for the butter, and 3 cents a dozen for the eggs. Hearing that a better market existed at the lake, some of the settlers made the venture of hauling some grain there. The neighbors, hearing of the return of the adventurers, flocked in to inquire about the facilities of trading at Sandusky, market prices, roads, etc. At the new market they received 55 cents per bushel for their wheat, purchased salt for $5 a barrel, and other articles in proportion. The news soon spread, and the market was turned to the north. Asa Hosford was influential in getting the Columbus and Portland road to pass through Galion, which became the highway for all traffic to the lake for many years after. He came into Polk Township on the 19th day of September, 1819, on foot, in company with his brother Horace. This was on Saturday, and Mr. Hosford determined to pass the Sabbath in quiet, and rest himself from his weary journey. He stopped with Benjamin Leveredge, for there was no hotel in all that country, and the settlers were glad to receive any one who could bring them news and talk to them of the outside world. On Sunday forenoon, Mr. Hosford observed the arrival at the cabin of ten or twelve men and a few women; they took seats in the cabin, and he conversed with them concerning the land and such topics as bore upon the times and place; finally a tall, rawboned man appeared, dressed in linsey-woolsey shirt, wamus and pantaloons, moccasins on his feet, over his shoulder powder-horn and bullet-pouch, and around his waist a belt with a large knife suspended by his side. On his arm he carried a long rifle. Mr. Hosford was passing his first Sabbath in a frontier town; he had no conception of what would happen; he asked no questions and quietly awaited developments. The tall man deposited his accouterments in a corner and took a seat; all was hushed for a few moments, when Benjamin Sharrock, for he it was, arose, and sung an old hymn; then HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 433 he knelt and prayed, after which he stood up and exhorted after the Methodist fashion. Mr. Hosford was agreeably surprised, and this meeting made a lasting impression upon his mind. Mr. Sharrock had bought out the Mr. Hauck who had come from Cincinnati to start a mill, in 1822. He erected a saw and grist mill on the Olentangy. Many of his old accouterments are in the possession of his descendants, who value them highly, and prize them as worthy of preservation among the archives of the family. Mr. Sharrock remained on his farm for many years, until his death. within the present year (1880). This remarkable man was as old, if not older, than our republic, for he believed himself to be one hundred and five years old at the time of his death. He has numerous descendants through-out the county, and his name will ever be prominent among the pioneers of Polk Township and vicinity. When the first settlers came to Polk, they found a village of Wyandot Indians on the south side of the Olentangy, on ground that now forms the northern part of Galion. They were peaceful and well disposed toward the white settlers, and rendered them valuable assistance in the erection of their cabins, and at log rollings. At one time, Mr. Hosford had employed a number of them to assist in a log-rolling; in the evening, when the day's work was done, they all assembled in Mr. Hosford's kitchen; being slightly intoxicated, they were in humor for some demonstration of their pent-up spirits. Mr. Hosford, thinking to amuse all present, and desiring to witness some of their ceremonies, proposed that the Indians should give an exhibition of their war-dance. They readily acceded to his request, and immediately placed one of their number, by name "Buckwheat," in the center of the room, and commenced a horrible dance around him. Hideous as they were of themselves, they added to their repulsiveness contortions of body and countenance. They whooped and yelled and grew fiercer in their actions, till finally they dragged Buckwheat roughly from his seat and threw him violently upon the floor. One of the braves placed his foot upon Buckwheat's neck and went through the pantomime of scalping him; while others represented themselves as plunging their knives into the quivering victim. Buckwheat played his part well; he was personifying a white man in captivity; so realistic was this tableau, that a white man present became enraged at the apparent fear and trembling of Buckwheat, and it almost required the personal restraint of Mr. Hosford to prevent Buckwheat being killed. Mr. Hosford had reason to congratulate himself that before the exhibition commenced all arms and weapons had been concealed. This mimic dance and death of a white man at this period, made a lasting impression on those who saw it, and it brought vividly to their memories the horrible atrocities perpetrated in this near neighborhood but a comparatively few years before. As we have before stated, from Mr. Hosford's first appearance in the township, new life and energy were infused into the settlement. He at once became the leading spirit of progress and advancement: he was intrusted with many positions of responsibility, and engaged in many projects that were of permanent benefit to both Polk Township and Galion, he circulated petitions for, and was influential in, obtaining the two roads that cross at the Reisinger Corners. The importance of these roads, in the development of the township at that time, can hardly be estimated; comparatively it could only be equaled by the crossing of railroads in modern times. The first road opened was from Mansfield to Upper Sandusky; Main street in Galion was formed of that portion which passes through the cor- 434 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. poration. The road has been changed somewhat from its former course; originally, it angled northeast at the intersection of Main and Columbus streets, and followed the meanderings of the Whetstone. This change was made over fifty years ago, which gives to Main street a due east-and-west bearing. This road was a stage route, and hotels soon lined the wayside. After this came the road from Columbus to Sandusky; this road was surveyed by Col. Kilborne, of Bucyrus, and was originally known as the Columbus and Portland road, and many old deeds of land whose boundaries touched this road will be found to bear the above name. The tendency of a market on the lake was to make this road one of importance. The trip could be made in from five to seven days. Unless loaded coming back, the return trip was shortened. The farmers from the south, one hunched miles from the lake, all about Delaware and surrounding country, used this road as a highway for their produce. Hotels sprang up every three or four miles alone the route, and some of them have kept a hundred and fifty teams and men over night. A tavern, on the farm of Hon. James Robinson. frequently kept forty, and yet a majority of the farmers carried along their bread and food for themselves and horses, sleeping in their wagons. When they had passed over half the journey, they would hang up in a tree a portion of the horse-feed to be consumed on their return. Wheat was seldom more than 50 cents a bushel, and they were obliged to economize, or their produce would be absorbed by their expenses. We know of two men in Polk Township who marketed their grain on Sandusky and returned home at an expense of 6 cents each. These 6 cents purchased whisky, which was 3 cents a drink. Besides the traffic on these roads, the county began to be full of strangers; many men were hunting up lands, some for the purpose of settling and some for the purpose of speculation. So numerous were these travelers that hotel-keeping became one of the most honorable and lucrative occupations that one could engage in. So great was this spirit of speculation, so wild and reckless were the people, that it was almost universally indulged in by those who were capable. Poverty was all that debarred any one from the privileges. Polk Township being comparatively poor, but few were caught in the ruins of the crash; many plunged deeply in debt for land, supposing that the great number of broad acres then carried could, in the near future, be unloaded with immense profit. With 1837, came the inevitable ruin that follow, speculation and high prices: business of all kinds was stagnated, manufacturing ceased, and markets were almost closed. The Ohio Legislature went promptly at work, enacted measures of relief and stay-laws: the United State; had a surplus of money idle in the Treasury: this was divided among the States and subdivided in the counties according to population; it was then loaned out to farmers and others in sums of $100, in taking as security a mortgage on real estate for the five or ten years, with 8 per cent interest. This humane act was the means, of averting hardship and suffering from many homes and was of the utmost most good to those who were really poor. Mr. Hosford, seeing the travel that was likely to exist on the two roads that crossed west, of Gallon-one road of which was a stage route, and the other a highway to the nearest market-opened a double log tavern at the Corners. The settlement had never been regularly christened, but was known as "Moccasion," "Hardserabble." "Spangtown,""Goshen." etc. In 1824, in answer to a petition by the citizens, for a post office by the name of Goshen, the Postmaster General replied that there already existed more, than one town HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 435 by that name, and suggested the name of Galion. This was accepted, and Horace Hosford became the Postmaster of the Corners. James Nail says that he never heard any preaching in his life till long after his arrival in Polk Township. The first sermon he heard was preached south of his mill in a house belonging to a Mr. Straw. by Elder Jackson, the grandfather of Judge Jackson. There was a great turn-out of the settlers for miles in every direction. In 1826, the Methodists formed a circuit through the neighborhood, and Russel Bigelow appeared to preach the word of life. without money or without price. He was a good speaker, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures. He was large and muscular, had a voice like a lion, sharp, piercing eyes that when they became excited, seemed almost to burn like fire. All things combined to make him a very successful preacher; he was also a very exemplary Christian in his deportment, and had great influence with the people generally. An old minister preached in the neighborhood of Polk Township many years ago. His name was John Rhinehart and was born in the glades of Pennsylvania: he moved to Ohio when it was a Territory: his home was in what is now Jefferson County: it is not known at exactly what period he was here, but it is stated that John Rhinehart, of Blooming Grove, and his twin sister, the widow Winn. of Cleveland, were born while he was preaching in this vicinity in the log cabins of the settlers. He entered, at the land office in Wooster, the land now owned by Thomas Rhinehart and Peter Zimmerman. This early pioneer is the father of Mrs. Dr. Coyle, of Galion. . Many of his descendants are living in this vicinity. Mr. Hibner, as we have stated, erected the first grist-mill in the township; the mill was located east of town, where the old timbers may yet be seen jutting out from the bank at the railroad bridge on John Burgener's farm. Mr. Hibner had entered considerable land in the neighborhood. The buhr-stone of to-day was not procurable, and "nigger-heads" were substituted. It may easily be conceived that these primitive mills hall no great capacity, and yet the settlers were very thankful to have their grain ground for domestic use. There is a story, handed down by the Hibners, of an occurrence that took place while this family was living on the farm upon which the mill was located. Their log cabin was like all others at the time, and had the usual wall of stones back of the fire-place, with the little chimney occupying one end of the cabin. Mr. Hibner was away from the cabin, attending his work, and Mrs. Hibner was quietly attending to her household duties; but a short time before, she had placed the baby on a blanket on the floor, near the fire-place. Some time before, one of the stones forming the back wall of the fire-place, had been loosened, and jostled from its place. Hearing some unusual noise, she looked up hastily and saw with horror that a great black bear had thrust his paw through the crevice and was making desperate efforts to reach the baby. Happily, the bear could not reach the child, and the mother quickly removed the little one from the vicinity of the fire-place, when the bear hastily betook himself to the woods. Among those who should not be forgotten was Mrs. Brown, the wife of Samuel Brown, who had owned the northeast quarter of land that Mr. Ruhl had bought, and which now forms the northeast portion of Galion. The land was entered by Mr. Cracraft and sold to Samuel Brown. Mrs. Brown was known and beloved by all the families in the settlement. She spun and wove, and helped many families with their supplies of cloths, linen and yarn; many families never wove any, nor even pos- 436 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. sessed the machinery. Mrs. Brown generally took in such work for many miles around, and had an enviable reputation for good, clean work. She is reputed to have done the first weaving in Polk Township, and for many years the only weaving. Buckskin was a common article of wear; wool was very scarce, and cotton high. It was very difficult to keep sheep, on account of the wolves, and in many old accounts the article of wolves' scalps appears, for which the State paid a generous bounty. This bounty figures in accounts up to near the year 1840. Many other old settlers than we have named cleared land in Polk, and labored to conquer the wilderness, but we have given something of each one, as far as we could learn, and shall finish with Disberry Johnson. He was from Virginia, and was born about the year 1764. He was twelve years old at the breaking-out of the war of the Revolution, and remembered many incidents connected therewith that he was fond of relating during his latter days. He started with his family to Kentucky, about the year 1812, but was obliged to take refuge near Fort Pitt, now Pittsburgh. During the year, he went down the Ohio River, and took refuse in the block-house at Booneville till the war was over and peace declared. As soon as he was safe in doing so, he removed to Harrison County, Ohio; here his first wife died, and he married a widow lady by the name by Cooper. Mr. Johnson had six children by his first wife, the widow had six by her first. husband, and the couple were blessed by six more. As near as can be ascertained, Mr. Johnson removed to Polk Township in the year 1817. He took up the northwest quarter of Section 26, where he lived for many years. He was a Justice of the Peace in early days, and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. His second wife was the grandmother of James P. Throckmorton, of Galion and a numerous progeny have descended from their eighteen children. The old windfall, already spoken of, destroyed all the timber on their farm, and it was upon Johnson's land that five head of cattle were imprisoned among the fallen timbers. Mr. Johnson had two brothers captured by the Indians while lads, but by their own bravery they made their escape by quietly arising at night and tomahawking their two captors. Mr. Johnson died in the year 1868, and was buried in the cemetery at Galion. Many families throughout the country are descended from this old Virginia stock. A large bear was caught in a trap by Samuel Johnson; he found the trap down, and pieces of hair and fur attached to splinters of the trap, as also such evidence of scratching and clawing as only a bear could do. It was a mystery as to what had become of the bear, until one day soon after, while Asa Hosford, Mr. Johnson. Nat Story, James Nail and some others were working at a building. the subject was brought up. Mr. Hosford at once told the men present that, for several days, some, Indians had been carrying bears' meat along a trail near his house. He had noticed that they had a bear's head, but no pelt. It was proposed that the whole party should start from the Corners that night, follow the trail till they came to where the Indians were encamped, and secure the bear's pelt. James Nail was elected Captain of the squad, and they agreed to stand by his orders. The first adventure that they met with was just east of the Corners, where the water from the springs crossed Main street. In the center of the road the water was three feet deep, and had exclaimed that, as he had been elected captain, they must follow and obey him. He plunged through the water, while the rest followed after. It was quite dark, and they were wet on the first start, but this did not dampen their ardor, as they had already taken an antidote HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 437 against the dew. They suspected that the Indians were encamped a few miles east of Galion. They fired off their guns, and as they approached the Indian camp, they heard a general scrambling and also heard the dogs barking from the bushes in the woods, whither the Indians had fled in their fear and consternation. The party entered the cabin and discovered by the crackling of the coals that the Indians had taken the precaution to pour water over their fire before they took flight, hoping thereby that the intruders might think the cabin unoccupied and pass it by unmolested. Some of the men thought that the Indian, might have taken the pelt with them; Mr. Hosford, however, took down a pole which hung across the cabin, covered with numerous deer hides, coon-skins, mink, etc., and, rapidly throwing them aside, he soon came to a fresh bear-skin, which he knew by the long shaggy hair: they took the bear-skin and returned home in triumph. They shot several volleys, whooped and yelled much after the Indian fashion. thereby creating considerable alarm along the route. They disposed of the pelt for about $5 worth of whisky: this beverage cost, generally, 25 cents per gallon. Just north of Galion, where David Gill and George Wood settled. there can be seen the remains of their orchard; the young trees for this orchard were taken from one of Johnny Appleseed's nurseries. The west orchard. on the Clymer land, was raised from seedling; planted by the same man, as was also the orchard on the Sharrock homestead. Many such instances could be made known of settlers availing themselves of these fruit trees, but enough have been mentioned to show the usefulness of this strange man. He brought with him numerous varieties of seeds (to be sown through the settlements), mostly of a medicinal character; altogether, he was a strange, simple, good man, and worthy of all the praise that has been given in his memory. Asa Hosford came from Richfield, Mass. At the age of twenty-one, he left New York (where his father had emigrated) with his brother Horace; they arrived at Cleveland in the first boat that ever sailed on Lake Erie. They started afoot for the interior, and arrived at Galion September 19, 1819, on Saturday evening; they rested over Sabbath at the house of Benjamin Leveredge; they passed the winter in Huron County, and in the spring were met by their father's family; who were on their way to Galion; near the Corners, before any road was opened, and before any general travel was expected, the father erected a double log cabin. As settlers came in and travelers became numerous, Mr. Hosford, like all other settlers, was importuned for meals and lodging. All this while Asa Hosford was single, and working wherever he could find employment; he worked for some time with his brother Horace, who had a blacksmith-shop near his father's dwelling. He worked alone several years before he had saved $100, with which to procure a piece of land: the father never kept a hotel, but merely entertained those who could not find accommodation elsewhere, or had not facilities for camping out. Finally, Mr. Hosford sold the property to his son-in-law, but he never occupied it or used it for any purpose. In 1824, Asa Hosford opened a tavern in the double log house which he had bought from his brother-in-law; he was not yet married and he contracted with his sister to act as landlady; these duties she performed with success. Mr. Hosford was a year finding a landlady that would promise to remain with him for all time; he married Miss Alta Kent, of Bucyrus. He prospered in this tavern for eight years, at which time they sold out to John Ruhl; they have three children living -Rebecca, Eri and Stephen. In the year 1824, the Corners was known as Galion; it had a 438 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. commodious hotel. Here two roads crossed, one of which was a stage route, and the other was a highway to market for a hundred miles south of the lake. The settlement of Galion had a post office, a store with assorted goods, a blacksmith-shop, a schoolhouse, and a gristmill in the vicinity. George Wood was a carpenter and ready to put up such work as was wanted. Soon followed the distillery at the springs on Atwood street, which consumed some of the grain, and enabled the people to enjoy their whisky at 18 to 25 cents a gallon. Nathaniel Story was hunting and working "time-about;" hunters abounded all over the country, and some trapping was done. Three or four old beaver dams exist in the vicinity of Galion. but have never been inhabited since white men settled in the vicinity. It is quite probable that some of the old British fur companies had their trappers at work here years before; they certainly got large quantities of fur: these furs were, doubtless, traded to China for the very tea for which the Americans were taxed before the Revolution. Many persons at an early date engaged in bee-hunting. A Mr. Schauber sold enough honey to secure the purchase money on what is known as the Schauber farm. The beautiful forests abounded in bee-trees; it is surprising to see the countless swarms that spread over the West. The Indians considered them the harbinger of the white man, as the whites do buffalo and deer of the Indian, and note that as the larger game retires the bee advances. The Indians with surprise found the moldering trees of their forests suddenly teeming with ambrosial sweets, and nothing can exceed the greedy relish with which they banquet for the first time upon this unbought luxury of the wilderness. The honey-bee swarms in rnyriads in the noble groves and forests that skirt and intersect the prairies, and along the alluvial bottoms of the creeks and rivers. The hunters generally place a piece of comb on a tree, and await the arrival of workers. As soon as the bees have loaded themselves with honey, they take their flight straight for their own tree with their load. The hunters run after them with head erect and eyes aloft, frequently stumbling over obstacles at their fort; in this manner they track the bees to their individual colonies, mark the trees. and seek for more. They dare not cut down the trees until fully prepared to take away the honey, for the bears, skunks, raccoons and possums have sweet tooth and would soon devour any honey within their reach. The bear will gnaw for days together until they make a hole in the trunk. big enough to insert their paws. and then draw out honey, bees and all. Mr. Story states that in an early day, Dowdy, an Indian, with his squaw, cut down a bee-tree. The grandfather of Story was along; the honey was very fine; and the Indian. who was very fond of Mr. Store, sent him a large piece of comb on a piece of shellbark. Story was quite overcome by the generosity of the Indian. who, he says, was gentle in peace, while, desperate and brave in war. Altogether, this was a proporous community. Farms were being cleared in every direction, and there were no more doubts about the prosperity of the country. We have spoken somewhat of the attention the settlers paid to religion, and will now devote some space to education. Mr. Phous Jackson is credited by Mr. Dunlap as the first teacher in the township of Polk. This may be true, outside of Gallon, but David Gill was certainly the first teacher in Galion. However, we give Mr. Dunlap's statement, and when we write of Galion we will give the school history from beginning to end. He says that Phous Jackson, a cousin of Judge Jackson, had taught two months in the winter of 1825, in a private house, the first and only school that had ever HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 439 been taught in the township. In the fall of the next year, Mr. Dunlap concluded to teach; he held school for three months, at $1.25 per pupil. The people soon put up a log cabin, 12x14, seven logs high to the eaves, for a schoolhouse; they split some slabs or puncheons for a floor, spread some clapboards overhead for a loft, had foolscap paper greased for windows, had slabs for seats, and a board for writing desk. Among the first scholars who attended that school now living, are Dr. Story, of Iowa, a Free-Will Baptist minister: James Reeves, a preacher and Gen. George Row, of Marion, a lawyer. We cannot find the date of organization of school districts in the county, nor of subdistricts in Sandusky Township: at the first division, Galion formed Subdistrict No. 9, and it remained so some time. Galion was advanced to a borough in 1840, and elected her first Mayor, Joel Todd, but the school remained in the same order. The law under which school districts are formed is such that opportunities are ever present for making new districts or changing their form, adding to or taking from. Not even an attempt can be made to give the boundaries of old or new districts and their changes; their outline might present a geometrical figure, whose area a Newton would be puzzled to compute. The township was not settled in its different portions with the same rapidity, and while a "district" would be imperative in one part, perhaps the game area would have but a few families in some other portion of the township. However, they got along with their primitive schools and primitive teachers, and at this time have seven school districts and seven good brick schoolhouses. Nothing could be more prosperous than this condition of things. The reports of these schools show prosperity, and a full and realizing sense of the importance of education. The names of the schoolhouses in the several districts are as follows: Dice's, Rhinehart's, Hillgrove, Klopfenstein, Jackson's, Williams', Bergner's. These schoolhouses have each good furniture, and in every respect are models of neatness and comfort, and each district is strenuous in its efforts to secure good and efficient teachers. Certainly the youth of Polk Township have no reason to complain of a lack of educational facilities, as they will compare favorably with those of any other State. The earliest record of the schools of the township are dated 1843. There were at that time nine districts, Galion forming Subdistrict No. 9. The whole number of school children for the year was 397. The following is the annual report of the enumeration of youth between the ages of five and twenty ono years in Polk Township, Crawford County, taken and returned to the undersigned township Clerk of said township, by the Local Directors, between the first and third Mondays in September, 1863: The trade of Polk continued for many years along the Columbus and Sandusky City road. Small lots of goods were brought back by the farmers, such as salt, groceries, etc.; but many of the stores throughout the county brought their stock from Philadelphia and Baltimore, over the mountains. This was expensive and tedious, but paid better than to buy goods at the lake that had passed through so many hands. In the year 1840, a strap railroad was built from Sandusky to Monroeville; the cars were drawn by horses. After this, the 440 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. farmers of Polk and vicinity took their produce to Monroeville, thereby saving three or four days of time, this trip consuming on an average not more than three days. Eventually the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark road was built; as soon as it was finished to Mansfield and Shelby, the latter place became the market for Polk Township, as Mansfield had been in the beginning. There it continued until the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati road was brought to Galion. Then the era of taverns and long roads to market was ended forever, in Polk Township. The reason that. the Columbus & Sandusky road was not a stage route, was the fact. that, a north and south road, east and west of it, passed through the county seats, and those routes were selected for stage travel. The building, of the railroad was an era in the growth and development, of Polk Township as well as that of Galion; she took rapid strides in growth: for many years. the population of Polk and Galion was far behind Bucyrus and its township, but ere many years Galion and Polk led their rivals by a large majority. . The census of 1880 gives to Polk Township. outside of Galion, a population of 883. This is a gain of only 37 during the last, decade, We can hardly expect the population of Polk Township to ever rise to a very high figure. From the present geographical location of Polk it is evident that no other town will ever exist within its limits other than Galion. The whole township is given to agriculture, with almost no waste of untillable land, and no great interest can exist here. At the time the lands were mostly taken tip, there was pence throughout the territory, and everybody felt secure in making large purchases and investing all their means. The natural result of this method of buying has been to create large farms. Thus, from year to year, the forests have been cut away, swampy and wet land has been drained, and nearly all of what was once considered poor land has been reclaimed. Year by year the acreage has increased: each farmer has widened out his domain of tillable land, while labor-saving machinery has lessened the demand for working hands. The gain of thirty-seven inhabitants in the last decade, bears no relation whatever to the increase of productiveness and large gains of marketable produce. Two miles east of Galion are the tile works of Messrs. Weaver &: Reed. This factory was started in May 1879: they have n dry-kiln, 148 feet in length, with n commodious engine-house: there is a capacity for burning 2,500 tile at one time. They have five men constantly employed, who average 7,000 tile per day. There is a large and increasing demand for tile throughout this and adjoining townships: the draining of lands, by means of a system of tiling, has passed from the domain of experiment to that of an assured and valued success. There are on the Infirmary grounds, or county farm of Crawford County, about two and one- half miles of tiling. Nearly every farmer in the township is acquainted with the system, and is well informed as to its value, where needed. There is no doubt but that a permanent demand will be made for these tile, that will insure their constant manufacture The convenience of the factory to the farmers of Polk is a matter of congratulation, as it always is when the requirements of the farm can be produced in the near vicinity of their consumption. There is but one church in Polk Township, outside of Galion. This is what is known as the old Baptist Church, just east of Galion. A short trip through Polk Township in the spring of the year will reveal the fact that most of the wheat has been drilled in, and not sown broadcast. Good fences inclose all the farms, and the buildings are models of beauty PAGE 441 - PICTURE OF J. W. HOLMES PAGE 442 - BLANK HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 443 and utility. When the Grass is cut, yon do not hear the continual whet, whet, of the backbreaking scythe; but you do hear the rattle of machinery, and see the farmer comfortably seated on his mowing machine, driving his sleek and well-conditioned horses across the meadows: and, when the hay is cured and being collected for housing away, you see the horse-rake gathering in the scattered hay in a rapid and cleanly manner. Then, at the barn or stack comes in the horse-fork, which performs the work that has always been laborious and tedious to the farmer. This same fork, in combination with an improved hay-knife, enables the farmer to load his ricks with ease, and haul to market with a great saving of time and labor. Then comes the main. It was thought to be the acme of perfection, a few years ago, when wheat and grain were cut down rapidly enough to keep two rakers and binders busy behind a machine. Now. with the driver comfortably seated on the machine the grain is rapidly swept down, gathered up in bundles and tied, and when a sufficient number are accumulated can be dropped in one spot for putting up in shocks; and, suppose, under unavoidable circumstances, the grain be too dry to cut in this manner. They have only to take another machine, called the header, that will cut off the heads only from the straw. and the gain can be taken to the barn in tight wagon boxes. During the early days, wheat was threshed with a flail, or by tramping of horses and cattle; men went from farm to farm and contracted to do their threshing for them, generally at the price of one-tenth of the yield. The horse-power threshing machine involved considerable work and many hands and teams yet it was a great advance over hand-flailing and tramping, Now, after harvest, can be seen all over the country, wreaths of smoke curling upward. which mark the spot where some little engine, run by steam, threshes the grain much more perfectly than was ever done by hand. All hands are not obliged to stop and give the horses a rest; the motive power in a steam-thresher never gets tired. What a comparison: The farmers of Polk ride in carriages every week, that, sixty years ago. would have stamped them at once as aristocratic in the extreme. Polk Township as it now exists (1880) is a model, of what may be accomplished by patience and well-directed industry. The early pioneers who have labored over sixty years to make of this a vineyard to transmute the howling wilderness into a blooming garden, are worthy of praise, honor and emulation. They have received the reward of their daring enterprise, as far as material interests are concerned. The heavy timber and thick undergrowth have been cleared away; their orchards are abundant, and they blossom and bear fruit; broad acres of ripening grain redeem the promises of a full yield; an abundance of fine horses, cattle and sheep, with all kinds of stock. show well the luxuriousness; of their rich meadows; the large and well-filled barn, the beautiful country homes, with a thousand comforts and luxuries, above all attest that a bountiful harvest has succeeded from the first sowings of civilization sixty years ago. The experiences and necessities of successive generations have brought their legitimate results. From the first rude log cabin and barn, we can now see many beautiful mansions of frame and of brick, with spacious barns and outbuildings of the finest work. From the first rude schoolhouse, that was a wonder when it was built, we can now see seven well appointed brick schoolhouses. Not only these opportunities are ever present, but it is rapidly becoming a custom for the farmers to send their sons and daughters to a higher grade of schools when they have done with their own, and the barrier between the country and city bred, is 444 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. fast disappearing. Now it is a common custom for the wealthy and retired merchant to have his country seat, and the farmer, after years of toil and accumulation, bethinks himself of a city residence with its advantages of school and cultivation for his children.