320 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY CHAPTER VIII.* (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) BUCYRUS TOWNSHIP-TOPOGRAPHICAL-SOME OF THE EARLY DRAWBACKS -SETTLEMENT-WILD GAME AND PIONEER SPORTS-THE NORTON FAMILY-TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION-SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC. BUCYRUS TOWNSHIP is situated in the southwestern part of Crawford County. It is bounded on the north by Holmes Township, on the east by Whetstone, on the south by Dallas, and on the west by Dallas and Todd. Bucyrus Township was known in the original Government survey as Township 3, of Range 16. At the present time. this division is of regular legal size, six miles square, consisting of thirty-six full sections or square miles but, when first organized. it was considered a fractional township, for the reason that about one third of the present territory was then a part of the Wyandot Indian reservation. The township was named after the village located during the spring of 1822. in the northeastern corner. Two small streams form the water-course of this division of Crawford County, the Sandusky River, and the head-waters of one branch o the Scioto. The Sandusky enters the township at the northeastern corner, and winds along for nearly ten miles toward the southwest, until it leaves Bucyrus Township two miles north of the southwestern corner. The Scioto is formed by several rivulets, which drain the farms just South of Bucyrus corporation. For many miles this stream is a mere brook, which is frequently dry during the summer time. The general course of the Scioto is also toward the *Contributed by Thomas P. Hopley. southwest, while flowing in Bucyrus Township, and, winds along nearly parallel with the Sandusky River, and some two miles southeast; consequently the water-shed between the St. Lawrence Basin and the Mississippi Valley extends across Bucyrus Township from northeast to southwest. There are several buildings located on this water-shed, of which it is asserted the rain falling on one roof assists in forming the broad Mississippi, while that descending upon the other finds its way into Lake Erie. The land in Bucyrus Township is generally very level, but near the Sandusky River it is more irregular. and the line of small bluff's along this small stream are sometimes called hills by the inhabitants. The soil is very fertile and well adapted to farming. which is the principal occupation of the inhabitants, not of residents of the town. However, many of the farmers on the plains derive most of their income by raising cattle. When the country was first settled. these plains were covered with tall, rank grass of luxuriant growth, and numerous swamps abounded. Many old settlers assert that these plains were; fifty years ago, so low and wet during the greater portion of the year as to render them unfit for farming. Most of the township was originally covered by a forest of very heavy timber, which almost entirely prevented the sun's rays from reaching the HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 321 ground, this, in connection with the formation of the country and the nature of the soil, necessarily made very muddy roads, even with the little travel then passing on them. The general dampness of the country at that time produced fever and ague, which were also great drawbacks to rapid improvement. The total change in the appearance of the country to one who can look back half a century, seems almost miraculous, and, could one of the early residents return, after an absence of fifty years, he would find it difficult to recognize a single familiar landmark or half a dozen familiar faces. Most of the pioneers were men of small means ; their stock of cash being generally exhausted upon paying the Government price for eighty, or, at most, one hundred and sixty acres of land. The distance from grist-mills and other settlements, where necessary supplies could be obtained. was about the most serious difficulty with which they had to contend. For several years, nearly all the flour used had to be brought from the mills. on Mohican Creek, anal its tributaries in Richland County, thirty or forty miles distant. The earliest practice of the settlers was to make a trip in an ox-wagon, and in the vicinity of these mills purchase a small quantity, of wheat ; then have it ground, and carry the flour back to Bucyrus Township, the "voyage" consuming at times from a week to ten days. Many became discouraged at the hardships they had to encounter, and returned to their former homes in the East. Others would have followed their example could they raised the wherewith to take them there. This state of affairs, however, did not last long most of the settlers becoming entirely satisfied after a few years residence, the improvements of the early country each year making it more tolerable to live in, and giving increased promise of its future prosperity. Samuel Norton, the first settler of Bucyrus Township, was born within one mile of Congress Spring, near Saratoga, N. Y.. March 3, 1780. His father was of Scotch descent, and, many years previous to the birth of Samuel, had emigrated from Scotland and settled in Connecticut. Samuel Norton was married, January 1, 1804, to Miss Mary Bucklin, who was born in Coventry, Kent Co., R. I., October 31, 1785. The Bucklins were of English descent, and Mary Bucklin's parents moved from Rhode Island to Little Falls, N. Y., when she was about six years of age, and some twelve years afterward to what is now Susquehanna County, Penn., where she was married to Samuel Norton. The young couple settled near Elk Hill, then in Luzerne but now in Susquehanna County. This district is situated in the mountain regions of that State; the land is poor, and even at that time the country was very wild. It is said that at onetime, while Norton was still a resident of Elk Hill, he shot a panther which measured eleven feet and three inches. These wild beasts have never been seen in Crawford County since it was first settled by write men, and. although the first settlers of Bucyrus Township emigrated to a newer country, they did not, in some respects, fined a wilder one. Norton was dissatisfied with this wild rocky Pennsylvania land and. after residing there with his wife for over fifteen years, determined to seek a more congenial country. He took the Western fever and finally decided that his destination should he the land obtained by the New Purchase. His wife was opposed to this movement of the Norton family, and refused to go unless her brother Albijence Bucklin would go along. Norton finally succeeded in inducing Bucklin to accompany him with his family by promising him fifty- acres of land. Very late in the spring, of 1819, the pioneers left their home in Pennsylvania, and, after journeying about 600 miles in a big "schooner" wagon, reached the present site of Bucyrus some time in October, 1819. The party consisted of the following eighteen persons-Samuel Norton 322 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. and his wife, Mary Norton, their three daughters Louisa (now Mrs. H. Garton. of Todd Township), Catharine (now Mrs. J. Shull, of Bucyrus), and Elizabeth (now Mrs, A. M. Jones, of Bucyrus), their three sons, Rensellaer, Warren, (now a resident of Missouri) and Waldo Norton : Albijence Bucklin and wife. their six children-Esther, Cynthia, Austris, Elizabeth, Almeda and Pitt: , also Polly, an adopted daughter of the Bucklins and Seth Holmes. The latter was a Captain of teamsters during the war of 1812, and he always reported that the division he was in, which was commanded by Col. Morrison, passed over the land upon which Bucyrus is now located, and encamped for the night near where the Bucyrus Machine Works now stand. Holmes directed Norton and Bucklin to this section of the State, but, before they had finally determined upon a permanent location, the two families were left for a few days at the Harding settlement near what is now the city of Galion, and the three men visited different portions of the New Purchase. Of the eighteen members of this first settlement, seven are still alive - Mrs. H. Garton, of Todd Township; Mrs. J. Shull and Mrs. A. M. Jones. of Bucyrus: Warren Norton, of Kirksville, Adair Co.. Mo.-Esther and Cynthia, two of Bucklin's daughters and Polly, the adopted child. The three latter are residents of Western States. After reaching their destination, the two families lived for three days in an Indian wigwam which stood near the present site of the court house, and, during this brief period, the three men constructed a more durable residence. This first rude home was built of small round logs and erected upon the bluff of the Sandusky River, near the site now occupied be the residence of Mr. Christian Shonert. The two families moved into this log cabin, and, shortly afterward, another was constructed near where Thomas Hall's barn is at the present time, and this was the first home of the Bucklin family When these settlers constructed their first cabin, the nearest white neighbors were eight miles off, on the banks of the Olentangy and that settlement consisted only of a few squatters, who were generally as nomadic in habit as they were transient in location. It is reported., however, that at this time, Daniel McMichael and family who afterward occupied eighty acres north of Bucyrus, were residents of this same settlement on the Olentangy. In October 1819, there was not a .in single white man within what are now the limits of Crawford County, north and west of Norton's, but a few white families lived at Tymochtee, then in Crawford, but now Wyandot County. The Norton family occupied their first log cabin home during one winter and until July 1820. Ins this cabin was born, on February 11, 1819, Sophronia Norton (now Mrs. K M. .Johnson. of Chicago) who was the first white child born on what is now the town of Bucyrus or probable the first in the present limits of Crawford County. When a new survey of the land occupied, by these first settlers had been made it was discovered that Norton's cabin (on the site of the present Shonert residence) was just north of his land and so he built another log cabin on the site now occupied by Mr. W. H. Drought's s residence. This cabin was modeled after an improved style of architecture: it was known in those days as a double cabin house and had "stick chimneys," or chimneys with a foundation of stone and then built of sticks and plastered with mud. In this cabin, it is related by some of the inmates who are still living, the bark from basswood-trees was used for bed-cord, which was woven like chair-bottoms: but the family had plenty to eat, and were happy. At one time they had a barrel and a half of strained honey in the house, obtained from the wild bees of the woods. The physical privations which many of these early families suffered, and the straits to which they were sometimes reduced, are hard to real- HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 323 ize by citizens who, in the present day, have all the necessities, many of the conveniences and comforts, and a few of the luxuries, of life. In those days, many domestic articles designed for daily use about the household and farm were very rude and unhandy. Those early pioneer settlers could not always visit the market when they needed useful implements, and, consequently they pressed into service much material obtained from Nature's great storehouse. The fires. if permitted to go out. were relighted with punk and flint. Window-panes were made of oiled paper. When the Nortons arrived in 1819, the nearest flouring-mills were at Lexington, Richland Co., and the Herron Mills, near Fredericksburg. The man or boy who visited these mills walked the entire distance and led a horse loaded with two or three sacks of wheat. Sometimes there were many waiting and some customers could not secure a grist for two or three days. These mills were run by waterpower, and when the season was dry they were compelled to grind by hand. When the Norton family could not visit these mills, they secured flour, and meal by pounding the wheat or corn in a mortar, with a wooden pestle. The mortar used was a log hollowed out by burning a hole with fire until the cavity was large enough to hold half a bushel of grain. The meal was sifted with sieves of three different sizes, and three trades of flour were obtained. The finest was baked into bread: the coarsest was boiled and it sometimes required a whole day over the fire to soften it. When the wheat flour was all gone, the family subsisted on food prepared from corn meal, but frequently there was none of this in the cabin, and the mother of a family, busy with other household duties, was expected to provide a supper without even flour, corn meal, vegetables or meat. The father is away at work and will shortly appear, tired and hungry. The pioneer women were full of resources; they had an instrument they called a grater made by taking one side of an old tin bucket, punching small holes close together all over it, and, nailing it on a board in such a manner that the middle is curved upward two or three inches from the board. Meal could be made by industriously rubbing ears of corn along its surface ; and this must be done till sufficient meal is obtained to furnish food for supper, and breakfast next morning. The mother, then having nothing in the house for supper, says to her children:" Here, Louisa, you and Warren take this basket and go out to the corn-patch and bring in enough corn to grate for supper and breakfast." When the children return, the grater is taken down, and, after considerable hard labor, the meal was provided. If the corn meal was mixed and baked in a Dutch oven, it was called "pone; " if baked on a board. near or over the fire, it was called " Johnny cake ;" and if it was made into round balls and baked in the oven, they then called these balls "corn dodgers." A very common way was to boil the meal into mush and eat it with milk. But sometimes flour and corn meal could not be either pounded with a pestle or grated with their rude instrument, for the reason that no grains of this description were in the cabin, and the Nortons could not secure of their few neighbors either grain, flour or meal. It is reported by Norton's daughters that they frequently lived for weeks without bread, during which time the family subsisted upon honey, pork, potatoes, and game from the woods. Wild turkeys were frequently shot: they were cooked on a hook in the fireplace, with a pan underneath to catch the drippings, and these were poured over the suspended carcass with a spoon. The forests were for many years full of smaller game, upon which a meal could be made when other expedients failed. One winter, Mr. Norton killed five deer near the present site of T. C. Hall's barn. Deer-lick was situated near the river in this vicinity, and, when these animals visited this lick, they fell victims to the unerring shot of the first pioneer settler. Deer continued plenty in 324 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. the vicinity of Bucyrus until after 1830. In consequence of the industry of many swarms of bees, Crawford, at an early day, was literally a land abounding with honey, if not milk. The Indians, depending on nature to provide food, never wasted what they found in the forest, and, in obtaining honey, never secured at one time more than they wished to supply their temporal wants. Norton found, in one day, twenty-three bee-trees, and the honey secured from the woods was always a rich treat to the children, and more especially when the family larder was not filled with those articles which, at this day, every family considers a necessity. Norton also secured his first swarm of bees from the wild bees found in the woods. The hardships suffered by the Norton family were not only in consequence of a scarcity of food. It was necessary for the family to be clothed, and in 1820, Mose Emrich could not close out regardless of cost his entire stock of winter clothing to the few settlers of Crawford County. Sixty years ago, the county was without a clothing store, shoe store, dry-goods store or millinery establishment. Then the Norton family had to provide their own clothing and not only that but also make the cloth before the garment could be cut and sewed; nor was this all, for they frequently were compelled to spin the yarn with which they wove this cloth. The Nortons brought from Pennsylvania both looms and spinning-wheels; in those early days every young lady was taught to spin, and many added weaving to their skill as industrious and expert house-keepers; mothers frequently were expected to cook, wash, scrub, bake, sew, spin and weave for a large family of small children without any assistance. Mrs. Norton's elder children were valuable aid in providing clothing for their younger brothers and sisters. After the girls learned the art of spinning, they were made to finish so much each day. Mrs. Jones reports that, in order to encourage her, Mr. Norton cut the legs of the wheel and made it more convenient; that she soon acquired great skill and became an expert. At first she was quite proud of her handiwork, but soon found, to her sorrow, they appreciated the skill of the best spinner in the Norton family, for they increased her "stint " or task, and she had then less time for play. She relates that in her youthful days she frequently regretted ever learning how to spin because it was such tedious work. Shortly after Mr. Norton settled in Crawford County, he visited the Quaker settlement near Mount Gilead, and procured ten pounds of wool; this aided for some time in providing linsey-woolsey for winter garments. Flax was procured before many months, and linen garments were made for summer wear. Norton finally purchased forty sheep from settlers in Marion County, and brought these valuable domestic animals to his pioneer home, but in a few weeks they were all devoured by wolves. For many years, the settlers were not able to keep sheep in consequence of these same mutton-loving beasts. The early settlers were not fond of these ravenous animals; their howling and yelping made many a. night hideous, and for this and many other reasons it was soon decided that in order to civilize the county the wolves should be exterminated. A bounty was paid by the State for the scalp of each wolf, not that these scalps were valuable, but because each new scalp secured furnished additional proof that the mutton-crop of the future looked more promising. The latest statistics prove that Crawford County has at the present time over fifty thousand sheep, but then, for over forty years, the County Commissioners for satisfactory reasons have stopped purchasing wolf-scalps. The only bears killed in Crawford since the Norton family removed to the township were an old she-bear and two cubs that wandered into Whetstone Township some forty-five years ago from their former haunts in what is now Morrow County. The weather during HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 325 the winter of 1819-20 was very mild and yielded a bountiful harvest. Norton said in after years he never had a finer crop than the first one raised upon the soil of Bucyrus Township. In order to provide his family with shoes, Mr. Norton started a private tannery and for several years tanned all the leather necessary for family use: it was also necessary for him to manufacture home-made shoes, and consequently he was the first tanner and shoemaker that settled in the county when other men arrived. however, who were skillful at these trades, he retired from business and patronized them. Norton brought the seed. from which his first fruit trees were raised, from his old home in Pennsylvania. Within a few days after the Norton family arrived at their new home, they were visited by a band of Indians from the Wyandot Reservation, near Upper Sandusky. These savage neighbors were always peaceable, and never committed any acts of depredation upon the person of any of the early settlers. They sometimes visited Norton's cabin when the men were absent, and at such times took great pleasure in frightening the unprotected inmates. At first, Mrs. Norton could not conceal her terror during these visits. The smaller children would gather around her skirts for protection, but the appearance of the good lady was not encouraging to her elder children. Who were as much frightened as their mother. The savages always enjoyed these scenes, and, when they discovered the effect their very presence inspired they gave vent to their feelings by numerous whoops, and yells, which conduct on their part was not calculated to assure the frightened family that they were only the innocent victims for the harmless savage amusement which their unwelcome visitors were having. The Sandusky River was navigable for Indian canoes only at high water, but it is reported that numerous Indian trails traversed the woods, which were being constantly used by the red man. These primitive highways were generally worn deep into the soil, for the reason that in traveling the savages walked single file, and each member of the band stepped in the spot his predecessor's foot had been. One of these trails crossed over the site now occupied by the Bucyrus Machine Works, and during a fine day the Norton children were playing "hide and go seek" in this vicinity: one young lady concealed herself behind a log, and, while in this position, a company of the savages came along the trail. Charley Elliott, an Indian well known to many early settlers, was with this band at the time. When the natives saw the child, they raised a whoop, which caused the little girl suddenly to feel that the play for the time being might be postponed, and she made haste to vacate her place of concealment. The children all ran screaming toward home, and the savages, noticing the effect caused by their sudden appearance, gave vent to their satisfaction by numerous whoops, yells and grunts, which caused the children to make still better time in their endeavors to reach the cabin, although the delighted natives did not attempt to follow the frightened innocents. The spring after Mr. Norton's family removed to their new home, the Indians appeared in force at their sugar-camp, which was then situated on and near the present site of the public square. Many maple-trees were in this vicinity, and it had been the custom of these natives to visit this locality each spring for the purpose of boiling the maple sap down into sugar. At such times, they brought large brass kettles, which were furnished them among other supplies which they received each year from the Government, in accordance with the stipulations of a previous treaty. Most of these Wyandot Indians were great beggars. Each year the United States distributed among this tribe a certain amount of goods, consisting of food, 326 - STORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. clothing, and also many valuable utensils, which latter articles were furnished in order to induce the natives to adopt civilized customs. These annual supplies destroyed what little industry the tribe might have cultivated for several centuries, for it made them dependent upon the generosity of others: and. naturally if any additional articles were needed by them, they endeavored to secure these also from the whites by plaintive appeals. If their efforts proved fruitless, they sometimes brought dried venison, which they endeavored to trade to the settlers for pork, and they frequently appeared with bark baskets filled with cranberries, which they desired to trade for bread and pork. The Indians considered all the game in the forests their property, and, when they found the country was being rapidly settled by the whites, they frequently came into the neighborhood to hunt, in order that the game would not fall into the hands of white settlers. When the lands of the New Purchase were offered for sale by the Government. Mr. Norton visited the land office at Delaware and entered four hundred acres, upon two hundred and fort of which the principal part of Bucyrus now stands. This tract of two hundred and forty acres extended from a line running along Perry street on the north, to a line along the Middletown road on the south, and from the section line a short distance west of Spring street on the west to a parallel line three-fourths of a mile east, or one-fourth of a mile west of the Whetstone Township line. It is reported by Mr. Norton's daughters that a partyof Quakers desired this same land, and, when Mr. Norton visited the Government land office to secure his certificate, these Quakers tried to deceive him, endeavoring to persuade him that the lands he was about to enter, did not correspond with the tract he desired, but they were not successful. Mr. Norton gave Bucklin fifty acres off from the east of this two hundred and forty for coming West with him and after a few years Bucklin sold it to Mr. Harris Garton, son-in-law of Mr. Norton, and moved with his family to Michigan. The town of Bucyrus was surveyed on another fifty acres of Mr. Norton's land during the early part of 1822, and shortly after this Mr.-Norton returned to Lakeville, Livingston Co.. N. Y., and brought out to Bucyrus, his mother-in-law, Mrs. Elizabeth Bucklin and her daughter Elizabeth. Mrs. Bucklin was an educated lady. and had practiced medicine for forty years in Rhode Island. When she reached this new country she did not wish to continue her practice, but the settlers, when ill, would send for her, and as it was hard to refuse, she had an extensive reputation, if not a lucrative business. But the effect of a change at her time of life was not beneficial, and. several years after she arrived in the new country, she took sick and died. Her daughter Elizabeth married Louis Stephenson, a hatter, who worked at his trade for some years in Bucyrus. The Norton family lived in their double-cabin house until 1823, when another residence was erected on what is now a vacant corner between the Main Street, Mills and Perry street. This new building was an improvement on the round-logs double-cabin house: it was two stories high was built of hewn logs and occupied by the family for about eight years, until they removed to the brick house now occupied by the Main Street Mills; this building was erected in 1831, and used as a private residence about four years, but in December, 1835, he started a hotel in this block, at which time he gave a grnd opening that was attended by many old settlers. Col. Kilbourne was present and amused the company with many favorite songs. Mr. Norton, as landlord, entertained many prominent public men who visited the village, among whom was Gen. Harrison, when he passed through the place during the campaign of 1840. Samuel Norton was an Old School Baptist and in the early days of the town. Elder Pharez Jackson, from near Galion, HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 327 visited Bucyrus once a month and preached at Mr. Norton's home. Mr. Jackson also preached at the houses of Joseph S. Morris, Southeast of Bucyrus and James Scott's cabin. Elder Kaufman also occasionally held services at Mr. Norton's residence. Samuel Norton died April 18, 1856, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. From an obituary notice published in the Bucyrus Journal, the following extract 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, wen the country around was in a state of nature and the dark glens of the forest reechoed the hoarse howling, of the wild beasts and the dread war-whoop of the Indians, this hardy pioneer left his quiet home in Pennsylvania to seek his fortune in the West. Attracted by the beauty of the surrounding country, he erected a tent of pole, 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 his afflicted relatives." His wife, Mary Norton, lived three years after her husband's death, and finally passed away. April 29, 1859, and was laid beside her companion of fifth-two years of wedded life, in the graveyard northwest of Bucyrus. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Norton were the parents of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters viz.: Rensellaer, Louisa, Manford, Warren. Waldo, Catharine, Elizabeth, Sophronia, Harris P., Charles, Jefferson and William B. Many of these became the parents of large families, and the descendants of the first settler are very numerous. Although the families of Messrs. Norton and Bucklin were the first settlers of Bucyrus Township, they did not remain very long alone. The next spring a man by the name of Sears came and squatted on the land which lies just west of Oakwood Cemetery. Mr. Norton's, daughters relate that "the Sunday morning we were awakened by the crowing of several roosters in the southwest, and our ears were saluted by the welcoming of another pioneer's ax, which sounds secured seemed to us who had so often listened to the barking and howling of wolves; the sweetest music." The lonely pioneers were glad to have neighbors, and the Sears family were visited by Mr. and Mrs. Norton early in the morning and were assisted in the first task of building a log cabin: until this building was erected. the family slept in their wagon The Sears family did not like the new country, and, after remaining a short time, removed to another locality. But other settlers arrived who did remain, and before many months the neighbors were David Beadle anti his sons Mishael and David. Daniel McMichael and .Joseph Young, and those were followed by numerous other families. Col. Kilbourne, in, his "Song of Bucyrus." says: "First Norton amd the Beadles came With friends, an enterprising band ; Young and McMichael, men of fame. Soon joined the others, hand in hand." The Beadles were the second settlers to purchase land in Bucyrus Township. They located. about the spring of 1820, upon the eighty acres west of Norton's land. Previous to this they were residents of the Quaker settlement near Mount Gilead; it is reported by some that they were natives of New York State. The family consisted of David Beadle and his two sons, Mishael and David; also his son-in-law, John Ensley, who married Ann Beadle. It is reported by Mr, Norton's daughters "that at 328 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. first Mishael Beadle occupied the north forty of their first eighty-acre tract, and lived in a cabin which stood on the lot now owned by Mr. Silas Bowers, on West Mansfield street. David Beadle and his son David, aged about seventeen, occupied the south forty acres, and resided in a cabin situated a short distance southwest of the present end of Warren street. The Beadles did not remain in Crawford County, but, several years after they came into possession of this land, sold out to Samuel Myers and moved West." During the brief period these families resided in Crawford County, they occupied several different log cabins. Mrs. Rogers reports that at one time Mishael resided over the river a little south of where Joe Henry lives at the present time; old David Beadle then lived in the cabin formerly occupied by his son Mishael and John Ensley over the river near Mishael. During the summer of 1822, Daniel, the little son of Mishael Beadle, died this is the first death of which any satisfactory proof can he obtained that occurred in Bucyrus Township. The little fellow was buried on Norton's land; the exact site of this first burying-ground is the lot now owned by Hiram Fisher, at the corner of Walnut street and the Middletown Road. During the winter of 1822-23, Clarinda Beadle married a man some seven years older than herself; David Beadle was also married shortly after this, but did not live with his wife very long. Mishael Beadle also entered the Pettitt place now owned by Lorin Converse. which he resided on for several years, and .John Ensley afterward located east of this on what was afterward known as the Minich estate. The entire Beadle family was of a restless, roving disposition; they spent considerable time hunting and disliked hard labor. Samuel Myers, who purchased from them the eighty acres they first entered, at $6 per acre, reports that only eight or ten acres of the land had been cleared, notwithstanding it had been owned by the Beadle family for some six or eight years. The Beadles claimed to be Quakers, and the old man adopted the dress and language of this sect, but was never an honor to the Friends. It is related that he visited Zanesville for the purpose of buying a plow; the store-keeper did not wish to sell plows on credit so far from home, but Beadle talked so honestly that the plow-dealer finally consented. When the old fellow returned to Bucyrus he made his boasts that his broad brimmed hat had secured a fine plow: he never paid for this agricultural implement, and several years after he moved West, the Zanesville merchant visited Bucyrus for the purpose of collecting this bad debt: as he never succeeded, it is likely he never, after this experience with Beadle, trusted a Quaker who lived 100 miles from Zanesville. The Young family, who, according to Kilbourne's song "soon joined the others hand in hand," first settled in Section 5. Whetstone Township, on the farm now owned by William Holmes, in the Stewart neighborhood. The Young family, however, were large land-holders in Bucyrus Township at an early day. It is reported that the old gentleman, William Young, gave each of his children 160 acres of land; that George Black who settled in Bucyrus at an early day and married a Miss Young, received for his portion the fourth section, upon which the Sinn Mill is now situated previous to transferring this to Black, however Mr. Young built a flouring-mill at this point: for some time it was a horse mill, and customers could not secure a grist without they took their own horses, and were sometime, compelled to wait many hours before their turn arrived. The tax duplicate of 1830 proves that George Young owned this fourth section at that time, and John and Jacob Young each had 160 acres southwest of George Young's farm; they were all residents of the township at that time, and a few of the present citizens of Crawford County are descended from the Young family. Daniel McMichael settled in Crawford County HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 329 with his family about the year 1819. When Samuel Norton explored different portions of the county during the early fall of that year, the McMichaels were living near the Olentangy, some eight miles from the present site of Bucyrus. The McMichaels then moved into what is now Liberty Township, and were the first settlers in that division of Crawford County. Mr. McMichael resided in Liberty for some two years, during which time he erected the first grist-mill built in Crawford. He then removed to the vicinity of Bucyrus and put up a log-house on the site now occupied by Hon. E. B. Finley's residence. He purchased from the Government the eighty acres upon which his cabin was erected also eighty acres east of Norton's land and the eighty acres south of the Middletown road and east of Walnut street. For a few mouths he engaged in distilling whisky, the location of this establishment being the present site of the Bucyrus Gas Works. After residing north of Bucyrus for some two years he died about the year 1825. McMichael was of scotch-Irish decent, and it is reported he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Mary or Polly McMichael, as she was usually called. lived many years after her first husband's: death, December 9,1832, she was married by Rev. John C. Havens to John Shults, but she did not live a happy life with Shults, and they separated after several years. Two incidents are related of Aunt Polly: it is said by some of her grandchildren, that about the year 1825, she rode on horseback to Pennsylvania her former home, the sole companion being her youngest son Allen, then about six years of age. She then prevailed upon her mother. an aged widow lady, to accompany her to the new settlement. The old lady rode on one horse. and Aunt Polly occupied another with her child, and also a feather bed strapped on the horse behind her. It is also reported by Mr. Norton's daughter, that, when Gen. Harrison was in Bucyrus during the year 1840, Aunt Polly, then an old lady, visited him and reminded the General how she had cooked a meal for him some years previous. She told the General that he consented to hold her son David while she prepared the meal. The General recognized her and admitted the occurrence. This incident is reported to have occurred at the fort in Mansfield ; but it, like the fort, was situated at some point in Pennsylvania. Daniel McMichael and Aunt Polly were the parents of the following seven children: David, Matthew, William, Martha, Mary, Daniel and Allen. During the year 1821, Zalmon Rowse removed to Crawford County with his family and settled in Whetstone Township, but he became identified with the public business of the citizens at a very early day, and moved his family to Bucyrus Township. Mr. Rowse was a man well fitted for public trusts, and the citizens appreciated his natural abilities by electing him to many important positions. He was one of the first Justices of tile Peace in Bucyrus Township. and served in this capacity for nearly twenty years. In 1825, he was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Fourth Regiment of Ohio Militia. During the latter part of 1825 and until Crawford County was organized in l826, Col. Rowse served as one of the Commissioners of Marion County. When the new county was formed, Mr. Beardsley was appointed Clerk, but shortly afterward he resigned. and Col. Rowse was his successor. He served the people faithfully in this position for many years; at this time the recording of deeds and mortgages was part of the duties of Mr Rowse, and the fine records prepared by him which are on file at the Court House, are to this day a lasting proof that the confidence which the citizens frequently reposed in him was never misplaced, and it is not surprising that for the public interests he was re-elected many terms to the various positions he occupied. In 1826, Col. Rowse was one of the 330 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. charter members of the Columbus and Sandusky Turnpike; he assisted also in 1846, when the Bucyrus Lodge of Freemasons was organized of which society he was also a charter member. He purchased from the Government the farm now owned by Col. William Monnett, southeast of town, and erected upon it the brick residence now occupied by the owner. Col. Rowse also erected. in 1831, the American Hotel, situated on the northwest corner of Main and Warren streets. In early life, he was addicted to the excessive use of liquor this vice was then a more general custom among leading citizens of the county than at the present time. Many humorous incidents are related by early settlers in regard to the pranks played by Col. Rowse and his boon companion, Col. Scott, when these fun-loving men started out to have a "good time." About the year 1835, they both reformed under the preaching of the late Rev. L. G. Gurley D. D. Col. Rowse united with the M. E. Church, and Col. Scott with the Presbyterian: during the remainder of their lives, broth men were exemplary citizens and ornaments to the churches with which they were connected. Col. Rowse died August 15, 1854, having been a resident of Bucyrus Township over thirty years. During which time no one citizen had a greater influence than he in shaping the early interests of Crawford County. The year after Col. Rowse removed to this county, his brother, Heman Rowse, settled in Whetstone Township, and shortly afterward purchased from the Government eighty acres on the pike one mile south of Bucyrus; he continued a resident until about the year 1831, when he was killed while assisting at a barn-raising just southwest of the village. Seth Holmes, who caine with the Nortons in 1819, was an old bachelor, and. after living in the town for several years, died. previous to 1827. His brother Trunian was also an early settler, who moved to Bucyrus township with his family. Truman had four sons -Lyman, Harry, Elisha and Zalmon; some of these removed to Holmes Township, which received its name from this family. Truman Holmes' daughter married Rensellaer Norton. Elisha, Thaddeus, David and John Kent were early residents of the township. Elisha entered the eighty acres immediately north of Bucklin's land: this farm is now owned by James Kerr, of Pennsylvania formerly a resident of Bucyrus Township. Able Cary also an early settler, was a man full of oddities. He put up the first grist-mill erected in the township as early as 1821. Lewis Cary was another early settler of Bucyrus Township, who reached the present site of the city with his wife and family consisting of six sons and three daughters, during tile spring of 1822. Cary was born in New Jersey near Morristown, October 19, 1783: he was early apprenticed to a tanner, and, having learned the trade and also attained his majority, he removed to Smithfield, Jefferson Co., Ohio, where he established himself in business and married Miss Rachael Kirk, of that place. Their nine children were Susan, Abel, William, Aaron, Edmond, Isabel, Sarah, George and Benjamin. All of these grew to maturity: but at the present time only one, Isabel, now Mrs, Alex. Caldwell Sr., is a resident of Crawford County. The Cary family removed from Jefferson County in "schooner wagons," and. when they arrived at Bucyrus moved into an old building until a log cabin could be erected this first home occupied one of the lots upon which Christian Shonert's residence is at the present time. Cary put up the first hewed-log. house, with a shingle roof and grooved floor, that was built in Bucyrus: all the otlier cabins were made of round logs with a puncheon floor. Cary visited the grist-mill in Knox County for flour, and often the supply of food in the house was so limited that an allowance was made for each child of their large family. A few months after reaching Bucyrus, Cary HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 331 started the first tannery established in Crawford County, and for nearly sixty years the tanning business has been conducted at this same location. It is now owned by Messrs. Shonert & Haller. Cary provided vats by sinking some large troughs in the ground and it was necessary for him to pound his bark, as he had no facility for grinding it. His work was traded to other settlers, for home-spun cloth, and he tanned some leather for the Indians, which they male into moccasins. He was, also, a good shoemaker, and the Indians were great admirers of the work he produced : for, when they discovered that many of his shoes "squeaked," they were very anxious to secure a pair of this kind, always asking him to make for them "a shoe that talked." Cary was a member of the society of Friends, and possessed the good-will of all the Indians: other settlers were troubled these natives, occasionally, but the savages never molested any property belonging to their Quaker friend. It is related by Mrs. Alex Caldwell, that Susie Williams, an Indian squaw who carried wood to burn Col. Crawford some forty years previous was frequently in the village and related her personal knowledge of this sad tragedy to many early settlers: Cary purchased from the Government the 160 acres comprising the northwest quarter of Section No. 2: most of this land is now owned by Joseph Henry. About the year 1823, James Monroe appointed Cary first Postmaster of the village of Bucyrus. He served in this capacity during the administration of John Quincy Adams, and was removed by President Jackson for political reasons. Cary continued the tannery until about the year 1839, when he transferred the establishment to his son Aaron. Mr. Cary died January 9, 1866, at Defiance, Ohio: his wife, Rachael, died soon after they moved to Crawford Comity. about the year 1825, and was buried on her husband's land: the grave is in Henry's apple orchard and is marked by a tombstone hearing only the Words "Rachael Cary." This Henry farm was occupied by the Carys for many years. A short time after Lewis Cary removed to Crawford County his brother Aaron settled in Bucyrus. He was a saddler and harness-maker, but did not reside in the village many years. His cabin and shop was near Lewis Cary's 's tannery: his daughter, Sarah, taught school in the upper part of the building. Amos Clark entered the eighty acres lying south of Norton's land, and west of Main street. He resided near where John Keil does at the present time: after the year 1830 he sold his land and removed West. It is reported he afterward went deranged on account of Millerism. In 1830, he also owned thirty-eight acres north of town, and donated a sinall portion of this for the old burying-ground which is situated on the Tiffin road. The family of General Samuel Myers removed to Bucyrus in 1826, During the early days, he owned several valuable pieces of land: he purchased of the Beadles their tract just west of Norton's, and also another farm, which now lies in the southern part of Bucyrus corporation. Mr. Myers received a General's s commission in the Ohio Militia; he has always taken an active part in public affairs, and held many positions of honor and trust during the past fifty years. The Shroll family, were also very early settlers. In 1830, George Shroll owned 136 acres, upon a portion of which Oakland Cemetery was afterward laid out. .John Shroll owned 140 acres just west of his brother's land. George was an Elder in the early Lutheran Church. About July 1, 1835, he had occasion to go to Sandusky City, at which place at that time cholera was raging. After finishing his business he returned home, and in a very short time was taken down with cholera and died: his brother Daniel, a Deacon of the same congregation, having nursed him during his sickness, was shortly afterward prostrated by the same disease and died also. 332 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. The Lutheran Church met on July 12, 1835, and, after showing due respect to their memory, elected successors to fill the vacancy caused by their sad death. For many years after all the land had been entered in the vicinity of Bucyrus, the country south and west of town remained unsettled, and it was not until several years after 1830, that the greater portion of these farms were owned by actual residents of the township. Much of the lands on the plains were low and wet, and many citizens, in that early day, labored under the impression that, because timber was scarce in this section of the country, there would be great danger of freezing to death in the winter for want of fuel; that is, if any one were foolish enough to settle on these timberless plains, which are, at the present time, considered among the finest agricultural lands in the State. It is reported, by many, that fifty years ago a considerable portion of these plains were swamp lands, and, in exploring this country on horseback, settlers would be compelled to ride in mud and water which reached to the Saddlegirth. Some of the early purchasers of the lands in southern Bucyrus Township, speculators, who bought at $1.25 per acre and held on to the property until they secured a much higher price. Among these capitalists was a man by the name of Henry W. Delavan who was possibly the largest non-resident land-owner of Crawford Counts at an early day. Previous to 1825, he entered at the Government Office many valuable tracts of land lying in Crawford County. In 1830, he owned. in Bucyrus Township, all of Section 26: the east half of Section 35 and the west half, northeast quarter, and half of southeast fourth of Section 25: total 1,520 acres. He also owned 958 acres in Liberty township. Among the early residents of the country south of Bucyrus were the Marquis family William Vance Marquis was raised near Winchester, Va., and removed to Washington County, Penn., where he married Miss Mary Park, whose father was killed by the Indians. In 1801, he emigrated to Belmont County, Ohio, here he resided until 1829. Several years previous to this, he visited Crawford County and purchased several tracts of land, expecting to remove to this section of the State. The family reached Bucyrus November 12, 1829, and settled on the Plains three miles south of town, and at this time only two families lived between them and the village. John Marquis, son-in-law of William Vance Marquis, settled in Bucyrus Township, during the spring of 1828, on the farm near where David Marshal lives at the present time. Mr. William V. Marquis was an early member of the Presbyterian Church at Bucyrus and an Elder for several years. He died in l834, and Benjamin Beall's father bought the homestead from the Marquis heirs. Mr. and Mrs. Marquis were the parents of the following ten children four boys and six girls: Ann Margaret, Joseph, David, Mary, Susannah, Ruth, William Park, Cynthia and George. Joseph and David are now residents of Logan County. William Park of Seneca County, and George of Florida, Ruth Marquis married James McCracken, Esq., who was for nearly half a century one of the prominent citizens of Bucyrus Township. Over fifty years ago, several members of the Monnett family purchased land in Bucyrus Township, previous to 1830; Isaac, William, Thomas and Osborne were residents. Isaac Monnett owned several farms on the Plains in 1830. Col. William Monnett is a resident of Bucyrus at the present time: the other three are all dead. Rev. Jeremiah Monnett removed o Crawford County in 1835, and purchased the land then occupied by John Barney, whose daughter married Dr. St. Clair. Mr. Barnes's house occupied the site upon which Rev. Thomas Monnett's barn is now located. This hewn-log cabin was the home of Rev. Jeremiah Monnett's family until a more satisfactory residence was erected east of the pike road. PAGE 333 - PICTURE OF SAMUEL NORTON PAGE 334- BLANK HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 335 Abraham Monnett. Esq., Rev. T. J. Monnett and Mrs. Mary Royce, residents of the township at the present time., are children of Rev. Jeremiah Monnett. A man by the name of Dinwiddie settled on the farm some two miles south of Bucyrus, previous to 1830, and died a few years afterward. His only child married Lockwood Campbell and removed with her husband to Wood County. There were also several families of negroes settled on a section of land some two miles south of town, now known as the "Nigger Wood." They were formerly slaves and had been emancipated by their master, who resided in Virginia. It is reported by some that they formerly belonged to John Randolph who liberated and provided for all his slaves on his death-bed. However, as early as 1828, these negroes were sent to Crawford County, and given land to farm: but, under the black laws of Ohio in force at that time, they were required by the Overseers of the poor to give bonds in the penal sum of $500 each for their good behavior and that they would not become a township charge. Being unable to comply a portion of them were placed in a cart and sent back tothe Ohio River. Others left of' their own accord and but one family remained on the land. This was Old Solomon, who continued a resident of the township for some time : and when the old fellow died, his widow got married again. Among those who paid tax in 1830, on real estate located in Bucyrus Township, were the following persons: Thomas Adams, John Black, John Bowman, Isaac Fickle, Joshua Lewis, John Miller, Joseph S. Merris, Joseph Pearce, Jane Stephenson and Gottlieb John Schultz. These citizens were all residents of the township during 1830; the land they owned at that time, which had been purchased from the Government by early settlers previous to 1925, was located as follows; Thomas Adams, forty-eight acres, three miles west of Bucyrus, now owned by C. Wiseman; John Black, the eighty acres south of town, now owned by Henry Flock; John Bowman, eighty acres southwest of Bucyrus, now the property of William Magee; Isaac Fickle, one hundred and sixty acres one fourth mile west of Bowinan's, now owned by William Shroll; .Joshua Lewis, eighty acres south of Fickle's, now owned by G. Eckert; John Miller, eighty acres northwest of Bucyrus, now owned by F. R. Bittikoffer; Joseph S. Merris, the eighty acres south of the present fairground. now owned by C. Morfoot, and the heirs of Jacob Greenich: .Joseph Pearce, the eighty acres just west of John Miller's land; Gottleib .John Schultz eighty acres just south of Miller's, now owned by A. Yost and others; Jane Stephenson, one hundred and sixty acres two miles west of Bucyrus now owned by Messrs. L. W. Buck and P. A. Beard, also the quarter-section now owned by William Caldwell. There were also, in 1830, some thirty other settlers, not previously mentioned then living in Bucyrus Township, who paid tax on personal property; many of these were also land owners, but their real estate, if not in the village, was purchased from the Government after 1825. These early settlers were: .John Bowman. Jr., John Billups, Adam Bair, Thomas Bennett, Richard W. Cahill, J. Coulter, Isaac Ditty, D. and I. Dinwiddie, Nicholas Failor, William and Joshua Foreacre, William Fraley, Jacob Forney, Jesse Goodell, Jonas Gilson, Peter Hesser. Sr., George Hesser, William Hughey, Sr., and son William, Lewis Heinlen, John Kent, Christopher Noacre, George Oumiller, George Sinn, Daniel Seal, David Tipton, George Welsh, Frederick Wisman and others. For nearly twenty years after 1820, only two-thirds of the land in Bucyrus Township had been offered for sale by the Government. The eastern boundary line of the Wyandot Indian reservation was within three miles of Bucyrus village, and, consequently, extended into the township over two miles on the western side. About 1836, however, the Indians sold to the Government a 336 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. strip seven miles wide from the east end of their reserve. The land in this strip was sold by the Government at public sale in Marion. This tract included the land about the present town of Osceola; a considerable portion of this was purchased by a company, and Osceola laid out. An attempt was made by this company to have the county seat removed from Bucyrus to Osceola. and lots were sold in the little village with the expectation that it would soon be a larger town, than Bucyrus; this speculation, however, was spoiled by the creation of Wyandot County, with the county seat at Upper Sandusky. In 1830, eighty-two persons paid tax on personal property in Bucyrus Township, and the population of this division was about seven hundred. By the U. S. Census taken, each decade since then, the population of the township, including Bucyrus corporation, was as follows: 1840, 1,654; 1850, 2,315; 1860, 3,543; 1870, 4,184; 1880, 5,086. The number of inhabitants in the township outside the village, was as follows: 1830 about 200 ; 1840, 950; 1850, about 1,200 ; 1860, 1,336 ; 1870, 1,118 ; 1880, 1,238. The citizens of Bucyrus Township were organized with a special civil government at an early date. Zalmon Rowse was the first Justice of the Peace, and he undoubtedly received his first commission during the spring of 1823, as his second one was dated April 15, 1826, and at that time he had already been serving as Justice for two years. The Jurisdiction of Col. Rowse extended over both Whetstone and Liberty Townships; and it is doubtful if two Justices were elected for this territory until Enoch B. Merriman was chosen, in April, 1824. Merriman soon resigned the office, and his successor was elected October 12, 1824. The first strife for office that occurred in the township, of which we have any positive proof, took place at this election. The result was as follows: Total number of votes cast, 49; of these, Conrad Roth had 26, Michael Beedle, 22, and Conrad Roades, 1. Calculating five citizens to each voter, the population at that time was about 250. Zalmon Rowse. the first Justice, served nearly twenty years. Roth served three years, and was succeeded, in September 1827, by Edward Billups. and in April, 1828, by James McCracken, who served for six years. McCracken was also elected to the same position in 1836, and again in April, 1845. Since 1834, the following, additional persons have been commissioned for this office in Bucyrus Township: From 1834 to 1840-William Earley, Peter Worst, James C. Steen: from 1840 to 1850-Steen (for second term), David Holm, S. S. Caldwell. Jacob Howenstein, Jonas Stough, James Marshall: 1850 to 1860-Howenstein (for second and third terms). Stough (for second and third terms), John Byers, John Smith, Christopher Elliot ; 1860 to 1870-Elliot (for second term), C. D. Ward, William M. Scroggs, Wilson Stewart, George Donnenwirth, Samuel S. Caldwell: 1870 to 1880-James M. Van Voorhis, Caldwell (for second term), John C. Jackson, Chapman D. Ward and Allen Campbell. Messrs. Ward and Campbell are the present incumbents; Campbell's first term will expire in April. 1881, and Ward's second term in October, 1881. Impartial justice has generally been dispensed to those who, during the past fifty years, have brought cases before these township courts. Many amusing cases have been tried and strange verdicts have sometimes been rendered; but these Justices were all fallible and may have made mistakes. Their motives were, it is to be hoped. pure, and if any unjust rulings were made by them, these were undoubtedly errors of the head and not of the heart. Albijence Bucklin and Elisha Kent were, in an early day, disputants before Squire Rowse. The verdict was in Kent's favor, and of course Bucklin was dissatisfied and very angry. The defeated contestant then poured out upon his opponent the vial of wrath he had treasured up, and scolded, abused and cursed HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 337 him in a shameful manner. Having exhausted upon Kent all the words found in the latest vocabulary of profanity and vulgarity, Bucklin appeared satisfied with the result, and calmed his excited feelings. Squire Peter Worst, one of the early Justices, was a tailor by trade, and generally heard the cases while sitting cross-legged on his office bench, seldom pausing in the work upon which he was occupied. It is reported that one day a case was brought before him, and he continued sewing while the plaintiff's side was being argued after which he quit work for a moment. grabbed his docket made several entries upon it and continued his task. The counsel for the defendant was anxious to make a plea, and, growing impatient asked. "Doesn't the Court wish to hear any evidence on the other side? " "Oh, yes," replied the Square, "you can talk just as long as you please, but I have decided the case in favor of the plaintiff." It is unnecessary to write of the details in this case, but the remark was characteristic of Mr. Worst, who was one of the early settlers of Bucyrus Township. He was born in Cumberland County, Penn., November 6, 1802 and died at his residence on the lot now occupied by W. P. Rowland's new home, May 20, 1873. Worst was early apprenticed to learn tailoring and May 29, 1828, married Miss Hannah M. Ely. They were the parents of six children: three sons and one daughter are still living. Shortly after marriage, the young couple started West, and reached Bucyrus several months afterward, having walked all the way from Harrisburg, Penn. During the journey they stopped in several towns. in which for afew days, Worst worked at his trade. Mr. Worst was a resident of the county for nearly forty-five years, and held various township and corporation offices during this period. He was a citizen of strongly marked character, peculiar and quaint fond of harmless fun and ever ready with an original remark or an innocent jest, but never with any unkindness or sting in his cheerful mirth. In such high estimation was his character held that he was the standing administrator appointed to settle estates, and recognized by all as the best person for important trusts of this kind. There have been few persons in Crawford who have settled so many estates as "Old Peter Worst." It is reported that Judge Lawrence Hall, during his life, exclaimed, "When I die, I want Peter Worst to settle my estate!" rounding the remark off with a characteristic oath to give it emphasis. When the gifted Judge died, several years after, his wishes were regarded. In his seventeenth year, Mr. Worst experienced religion and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He led an exemplary life and, it is said occasionally asserted that he had never attended a theater, circus, or any immoral entertainment hall never placed cards or witnessed persons dancing. He deemed such amusements frivolous and sinful. The next morning after President Lincoln was assassinated. Mr. Worst was hastening to town with his head thrust downward. While near Main street bridge he met a friend, who told him the sad news. He stopped, asked some questions in regard to the tragedy, and. when he was told the murder was committed in Ford's Theater, exclaimed. "He had no business to be there!" and continued his quick walk in the same peculiar manner. Although a strong Republican and an ardent admirer of President Lincoln. Mr. Worst would not, with his religious ideas, excuse the President for being in what he considered an improper and sinful place. Bucyrus Township was not regularly organized with the various township officers until about two years after the first Justice of the Peace was elected. The proceedings of the Commissioners of Marion County forr December 7, 1824, contain the following entry: "On application of citizens of surveyed fractional Township 3, of Range 16 an order was issued to organize the original fractional Township 3, 338 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. of Range 16." It is not known who the first township officers were; if any records were kept previous to the year 1833, they have all been destroyed. Col. Zalmon Rowse was possibly the first Clerk, for, in those days of limited school privileges few men could write a good hand and the Colonel being one of the few, was frequently chosen to occupy positions in which his fine penmanship was called into service. When Judge Scott settled in Bucyrus, the citizen; then secured another excellent penman upon whom they could depend, and he was elected Township Clerk in 1832. He started a new record book, and the township is indebted to him for a model record which has been a guide for his successors. The business transacted by the Trustees in those days was not extensive, and the following detail of the proceeding at the first annual meeting on record is given, in order to show the character of the early public business: "March 4, 1833-The Annual Meeting of the Trustees was this day, held at the court house in Bucyrus. Present, a full board. Settled with Samuel Myers, Supervisor of Road District No. 1, and find fourteen days and a half of road labor unperformed within his district. Settled with William Earley, Supervisor of the Third District, and find the labor charged to his district to be performed. Settled with James Coulter and John Marquis, Supervisors District No. 4, and find the labor charged to their districts to be performed, and issued an order in favor of James Coulter for 75 cents, and also one in favor of John Marquis, for $1, for their services as Supervisors of said district. Settled with George Hesser, Supervisor of the Fifth Road District, and find the labor charged to his district all performed. Also settled with Abraham Hahn, Treasurer of Bucyrus Township, and find in the treasure one note of hand against John Staley and Jacob Staley for $14.56, payable March 12, 1833; one note against James Coulter and Henry St. John. for 75 cents, and one note against Joseph S. Merris and Z. Rowse for $5.31, due June 1, 1833 ; and $3.15 cash-making a total of $23.77. Issued an order in favor of said Hahn for $1.48, for the percentage on moneys by him collected during the year 1832. Issued an order in favor of William Earley for 75 cents, for services as Supervisor during the last year. Also one in favor of James McLean. for advertising the township election in the spring of 1831, and notifying the officers of their election, for $1.55. Also issued one in favor of John S. George fur $, for services as Trustee. One in favor of Henry Minich fur $1.50 for similar services. One in favor of Nicholas Failor for $1.50 for services as Trustee. One in favor of Josiah Scott for $2.25, for services as Clerk of the township, and one in favor of E. W. Musgrave and Company for 75 cents, for a blank book for the use of the township, and thereupon adjourned. Attest J. Scott. Township Clerk." These proceedings prove that fifty years ago the township officers must have served for the good of the public. They could hardly be accused of "stealing" by rival candidates (if any) when the treasury contained only $23.77, and of that amount all but $3.15 consisted of notes. Considering the Treasurer received only $1.48 for his trouble, it is not strange that at the next election for no person was chosen to this lucrative (?) office. The first election for township officers of which any record has been preserved, was held April 1, 1833, at the court house. The following persons were chosen: Trustees-Nicholas Failor, John Magers and John McCullough; Clerk - Josiah Scott: Constable - Jacob Hinnen; Overseers of the Poor - John Nimmon and Enoch B. Merriman; Fence Viewers -George Shaffer, John Cronebaugh and Lewis Cary; Road Supervisors-First District, Samuel Myers ; Second District, John Barney; Third District, Emanuel Deardorff; Fourth District, George Welsh; Fifth District. George Hesser, No Treasurer was elected, and only one Con- PAGE NOT NUMBERED - PICTURE OF MARY NORTON HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 339 stable was chosen: the Trustees appointed Abraham Hahn for the former position, and also James McLean as an additional Constable. In those early days, township offices were generally chosen regardless of the views held by them on national and State politics, and men of both political parties were elected. The political character of the township during the past thirty-two years can be determined by the votes cast for the different Presidential candidates during that period, and the result of each national political contest was as follows: 1848 - Cass, Democrat. 207 : Taylor Whig 214: Van Buren, Free-Soil 14; 1852 - Pierce, Democrat. 282: Scott. Whig, 212; Hale, Free-Soil. 7; 1856-Majority for Fremont Republican. 95; 1860-Douglas Democrat, 32 : Lincoln, Republican, 419: Breckenridge, Democrat. 16 : Bell. Unionist, 5; 1864 -Majority for McClellan. 93. 1868-Seymour, Democrat 535; Grant, Republican 361; 1872 - Greeley Liberal. Republican and Democrat, 572:Grant, Republican 394. 1876 - Tilden, Democrat, 683: Hayes, Republican 375; Green Clay Smith, Prohibition, 8, 1880--Winfield Scott Hancock, Democrat. 728; James A. Garfield Republican, 476: Neil Dow, Prohibition. 11. The first settlers of Bucyrus Township and this section of Crawford County generally, reached their new homes by following the route of the old army road which entered the Township just north of the point where the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad crosses the line between Bucyrus and Whetstone Townships. It is said that this rough military road was made by Gen. Crooks, who marched through this section, with his army in 1813, en route for Fort Meigs. This "old army road" could be clearly distinguished for many years after Crawford County was first settled. In the year 1822, a county road was established from the southeast corner of Section 13, now a part of Sandusky Township, to Bucyrus; total length nine miles and two hundred and seventy-six rods. John Marshall was the Surveyor, and Marshal Beadle, Joseph Young and David Palmer were Viewers."This is the road in Southern Liberty Township, south of the Sandusky River and is; possibly, the first surveyed and located from the eastern part of Crawford County to Bucyrus Township: for several years, however, this highway was in an unfinished condition. In the same year, 1822, a State road was located from Norton, in Delaware County, to Sandusky City, in Huron County; this extended through Bucyrus Township, along what was afterward known as the Columbus and Sandusky pike, but the first road was never finished. .James Kilbourne was the Surveyor and Solomon Smith and Luther Coe were the Commissioners. June 8, 1824. the Commissioners of Marion County established another road. -- beginning at the east end of Crawford County at the crossing of the road leading from Wooster to Upper Sandusky on the line of said county, thence on the nearest and best ground to Bucyrus, making McMichael's mill a point. Joseph Young and Abel Cary were Viewers." This road was north of the Sandusky River, in Liberty Township, and much of the route has since been abandoned. The same day this road was located the Commissioners authorized another "from a point on the Marion and Upper Sandusky road, near David Tipton's, thence on the nearest and best route to Bucyrus making Benjamin Salmon's peach orchard. Benjamin Fickle's farm and David Bryant's, point; on said road Lewis Cary, Daniel Fickle and Samuel Norton wee Viewers." This extended through Bucyrus Township, from southwest to northeast, and was near the present location of the Little Sandusky road. During the year 1824, what is now known as the Bucyrus and Mansfield road was located : Amos Earl, Amos Utley and .James Perfect wore Viewers, and John Cassaday was the Surveyor. The next 340 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. year, 1825, the road from Marysville to Marion and Bucyrus was laid out and, shortly afterward, cut through the country. The most important road, located through the Township; at an early day was the Columbus & Sandusky Turnpike. In 1826, an act was passed by the Legislature, incorporating seven gentlemen, of Franklin County. Judge E. B. Merriman and Col. Zalmon Rowse, of Bucyrus Township and seventeen others named in the act and residing along the proposed line of the road, and their associates, by the name of the Columbus & Sandusky turnpike Company. The capital stock was $100,000, and divided into shares of $100 each. The Company was governed by nine Directors. The Charter, granted by the Legislature, was accepted by the company and in 1827 Congress granted 32,000 acres of land to the State of Ohio, in trust for the use of said company to aid in constructing this important highway. Shortly afterward, the incorporators met in the brick schoolhouse at Bucyrus, and completed the organization of the company. Col. Kilbourne was appointed Surveyor and Orange Johnson was one of the Locating Commissioners and the principal agent while the road was under the control of the company. Some seven years were required to complete this turnpike: it was finished in 1834, and was 106 miles in length from Columbus to Sandusky City The average cost was a little more than $700 per mile. It was a splendid road when dry, but, being only a clay or mud pike, in the spring or wet season of the year, it was in some places, almost impassable, and at times citizens were very indignant when toll was demanded by the gatekeeper. Some rough travelers, occasionally, threw down the toll-gates and drove through without paying. It is reported that one rough customer became so enraged because toll was demanded that he hitched the gate behind his wagon and dragged it several miles. The funds derived by toll were only sufficient to pay the gate-keepers, and the dividends to stockholders were few and far between. The road was permitted to run down and. finally, in 1843, the Legislature repealed the act incorporating the company; the corporation was not satisfied, and a case was brought before the General Assembly at each successive session. until 1856, when the Senate passed a bill authorizing the company to bring suit against the State: but this act was lost in the House, and the matter was dropped. An act incorporating the road from Bucyrus to„ Upper Sandusky was passed March 3, 1834, and the road from Bucyrus to Galion was laid out July 18, 1834. Most of those citizens who have died in Bucyrus Township during the least sixty years were buried in the graveyards now within the limits of Bucyrus corporation: however, several cemeteries have been established in the country during this period. The Shroll burying ground, located about one mile southwest of Oakland Cemetery was started about 1830. Several years afterward a man by the name of Hesser who resided in the southern part of the township was buried on his farm, which he purchased from tile Government. No stone was placed over the grave to mark the spot, and the site has since been plowed over: the land is owned by Jonathan Carmean. Some forty year's ago. Wooster Racy, a former proprietor of the farm now owned by G. H. Stewart, buried his wife and child on this land. The largest cemetery in Bucyrus Township, outside the city limits, is at Monnett Chapel This burying-ground was established at the same time the church was erected. The first interment was Margaret Slagle, wife of Michael Slagle, who died August 22, 1841, aged twenty-five years. The next was Simeon, son of Samuel Slagle who died July 19, 1844. The graveyard at Mount Zion Church was started about the year 1868, a short time after the old Wilson Schoolhouse had been purchased for church purposes. HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 341 The children of many early settlers of Bucyrus Township had very little school instruction ; especially was this the case of those whose parents occupied land outside the village of Bucyrus. When the Marquis family settled on their farm three miles south of the town, in November 1829, there were no schoolhouses in the southern portion of Bucyrus Township. Thomas Shawke asserts that when he moved to Bucyrus. in 1832, none had been erected between Bucyrus and the Marion County line. This dearth of school buildings for the farmers' children continued for several years after 1830, but in a few neighborhoods small private schools were occasionally held. The first building devoted to educational purposes which was put up outside the village was located very near it at the western end of Warren street. It was built of logs about the tear 1833. and is now used as a woodshed on the same lot. Previous to 1834, there were but four school districts in the township: March 12 of that year; the Trustees formed District 5, from Sections 25, 26, 35 and 36 (this is the same territory now embraced in the Wright District). Three years later, on June 5, 1838. it was re-divided and eight districts were formed: four occupied the territory now embraced by Bucyrus Special District. the boundary lines being Sandusky avenue and Mansfield street: these four were Districts 1, 6, 7 and 8. District 2 was immediately south of these four and two miles square; District 5 was the same as in March, 1834: District 3, comprised all of the township south of the river, west of 2 and 5, and east of the Indian reservation; this district was over four miles long, and nearly-two miles wide. District 4 was north of the river. In October, 1838. an enumeration of the school children in these districts was taken, with the following result: First. 82 ; Second, 70; Third, 72 ; Fourth, 31 : Fifth, 41: Sixth, 51; Seventh, 107 ; Eighth. 75; total 529. The officers of the township during 1838, appointed three directors for each district, but many of these men refused to be qualified, and the attempt to perfect the educational organization for the township was ineffectual. The next years the districts were changed, and many who were appointed as directors consented to serve. At an election held April 6, 1835, sixty-two votes were cast in favor of selling Section 16 land, and only one vote in opposition. The total amount of school funds for the different districts in 1840 was for $1,419.63. In most of these districts the first schools were held in vacant log cabins which were pressed into the service for educational purposes. In what is now the Wright District, a special building was not erected until after 1840, but for several years previous to that schools were conducted. Misses Susan Bovee and Harriet Huntley taught in this district in a vacant log cabin which stood south of the present residence of Bruce Monnett, as early as the year 1836 ; Eliza Chapman, and Mr. Canaf, who had only one leg, taught previous to 1840, in the old log church, which occupied the present site of Rev. T. J. Monnett's barn; at this time there were, possibly. more children in the district than at the present day. The householders of what is now the Beall District, No. 5, met at the cabin of David Dinwiddie, March 22, 1834, and resolved to erect a schoolhouse on the southwest corner of Silas Sweeney's land. This building was not erected for several years, and then it was placed on Andrew Kerr's farm, now owned by Benjamin Beall. Among the first teachers of this district were Casper Rowse, Harriet Robinson, Abraham Myers, Sarah Butler and others. The first rude log school buildings of these country districts were replaced by fine frame houses, and these in turn are now being torn down and fine brick edifices erected. Six brick buildings have already been erected in the country districts of Bucyrus Township, viz.: In District No. 8, during 1876: in No. 5, during 1877; in 342 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. Nos. 1 and 3 during 1878 ; in No. 6 during 1879 and in No. 4, during 1880. The first public religious services conducted in Bucyrus Township were held at the village and immediate vicinity, which place has been for nearly six decades the center of most of the moral and religious movements inaugurated in Crawford County. For many years after the township was settled, no attempts were made to organize into a separate congregation the religious element of the country south of town, and it was not until Rev. Jeremiah Monnett moved into that section of the county that efforts were made to establish regular religious services for the settlers on the Plains. At the present time, thirteen congregations of the various religious sects are established in Bucyrus Township on a permanent basis: ten of these societies have houses of worship in the corporation and the other three congregations have erected churches in the country. These three churches are the Monnett Chapel, situated some four miles south of Bucyrus, the Scioto Chapel. located near the Marion road, about six miles southwest of the city and the Mount Zion Church. one mile west of the Little Sandusky road and five miles southwest of Bucyrus. The Monnett Chapel was erected by the M. E. congregation of the Plains during the year 1840. The early church history of the southern part of Bucyrus Township is similar to that of all other early ecclesiastical efforts in the pioneer days, having its rise in log-cabin prayer meetings. The first of these humble meetings were held at the home of Isaac Monnett, Sr., then a resident of Section 36. During the year 1836, Rev. Jeremiah Monnett erected the homestead now standing opposite the palatial country seat of the Rev. Thomas J. Monnett. The cabin from which he moved on the west side of the Columbus and Sandusky Pike, was immediately dedicated for school and church purposes. For nearly twenty years this congregation was on the Bucyrus Circuit and under the charge of ministers who preached in Bucyrus. Under the preaching and religious revival work of Rev. John Hazzard. the number of worshipers increased to such an extent that the congregation discussed the propriety of building a country chapel, and the necessary preliminary arrangements were taken. The work however, was delayed until the spring of 1840 at which date the present neat church edifice was erected. The building is situated a short distance east of the Columbus and Sandusky Turnpike, and four and one-half miles south of Bucyrus. The men who contributed the fund raised for building the church were : Rev Samuel P. Shaw, Ely Shaw, Charles W. Shaw, Rev. Jeremiah Monnett, Osborne Monnett, Abraham Monnett Sr., William Monnett, Thomas Monnett. Sr., John Monnett. Sr., Jeremiah Morris, David Sayler. .J. W. Shaw and John Monnett. Jr. The ground upon which the church was erected. and the plat of the cemetery was donated by Rev. Jeremiah Monnett, in honor of whose Christian efforts in the community, and his liberal support of all church work the Trustees unanimously decided the church should be christened " Monnett Chapel." At the close of the pastoral labors of Revs. Stephen Fant and George Moore, who were appointed to the Bucyrus Circuit in September 1853 the Bucyrus M. E. Church was made a special station, and "Monnett Chapel" was incorporated in Caledonia Circuit of Galion District. Since this time the following appointments have been made for Caledonia Circuit, the pastorate of each successive appointment commencing after fall conference, held in September: 1854 to 1856 - Rev. Amos Wilson: 1857 to 1859 - Revs. William Boggs and Richard Lawrence: 1859 to 1861- Revs Thomas J. Monnett and Stephen F Fant; 1861 to 1863 - Revs. W. S. Paul and Benjamin Herbert; 1863 to 1865 - Revs. Reuben D. Oldfield and D. D. S. Reagh; 1865 to 1866 - Rev. Reu- HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 343 ben D. Oldfield. with a supply; 1866 to 1868 - Revs. John Graham and Stephen Fant: 1868 to 1871 - Rev. Daniel Conant; 1871 to 1873 - Revs. B. F. Bell and E. A. Berry: 1873 to 1874 - Rev. W. D. Culison: 1874 to 1877 - Rev. Stephen Fant: 1877 to 1879 - Rev. Newell J. Close; 1879 to 1880 - Rev. G. E. Scott; 1880 - Rev. T. J. Gard. During the past twenty-three years the following persons have been appointed Presiding Elders of the District: 1857 - Rev. Henry E. Pilcher ; 1859 - Rev. T. H. Wilson: 1863 - Rev. L. B. Gurley; 1865 - Rev. A. H. Harmont: 1868 - Rev. H. Whitman 1872 - Rev. John Whitworth: 1876- Rev. Samuel Mower. The congregation at the present time numbers thirty-six members with preaching ever alternate Sabbath. The clutch was first dedicated by Rev. Adam Poe, during the winter of 1840-41: during the pastorate of Rev. D. M. Conant, the edifice was repaired, greatly improved, and re-opened with dedicatory services, conducted by Rev. A. Nelson, D. D. The Sabbath school at Monnett Chapel is at the present time under the efficient management of Mrs. T. J. Monnett formerly- principal of the Bucyrus High School, and much effective instruction is being impressed upon the minds of the children of the neighborhood and the school ranks among the first in Crawford County. Scioto Chapel was also erected by citizens belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church, during the year 1874. At that time Messrs. E. B. and M. J. Monnett and their wives were the only members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in that vicinity. Two business meetings were held in May 1874, at the residence of E. B. Monnett. and it was decided to erect a church building. Suhscription papers were circulated and E. B. Monnett, F. A. Harvey and G. H. Welsh appointed a building committee. The contract was let to Christian Walters, of Bucyrus, and the building was completed by October 1874. The entire cost was about $2,000. The dedicatory sermon was delivered by Elder Wilson, of Kenton, Ohio. The first members of this congregation were E: B. Monnett and wife, M. J. Monnett and wife, Isaac Shearer and wife, J. P. Beall. his wife and their two daughters, Oliver Monnett and wife, Benjamin Shearer and wife, E. Monnett and wife, G. H. Welsh and wife, Bishop Scott and wife. Rev. Stephen Fant was the first Pastor he was succeeded in 1876 by Rev. Newell J. Close, and in 1878 by Rev. G. E. Scott. Scioto Chapel is now apart of Claridon Circuit, and the congregation has increased in membership since it was organized. notwithstanding many members have removed from the neighborhood. The present United Brethren in Christ congregation, at the Mount Zion Church, is the outgrowth of religious instruction implanted in the neighborhood some twenty-five years ago, by ministers of this denomination. Among the early ministers who preached to those who formed this society were Rev. Downey and E. Berry. Services were held in the schoolhouses of the neighborhood for many years previous to the time at which the present church building was erected. The churchyard, comprising some two acres of ground. was originally purchased from John Newell. and a vacant schoolhouse removed to this lot: for several years, this building was used as a cooper-shop. About the year 1868, the United Brethren congregation purchased the house and lot, and it served as a meeting-house for some two years. The present church edifice was erected about the year 1871, at a cost of some $1,300. Daniel Parcher was the contractor and Rev. David Hart was Pastor when the church was dedicated. Since that time, the following persons have been his successors: Rev. Levi Moore; Isaac Ley, W. A. Keesy, A. J. Klingle and N. P. Long. Since the church was built it has been opened for preaching every other Sunday, and each alternate Sabbath the class leaders conduct services. At the present time, 100 persons are subject to 344 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. The discipline of the church, and the following members are Trustees : Leonard Starner, Nathaniel Eckert, J. M. Gunder, John Harmon and Charles Sharrock. The Sunday school in connection with this church has been established for some twenty years: during the decade just past, it has received considerable aid and encouragement from gentlemen connected with the Crawford County Sabbath School Union. Among those who have had charge of the school in late years are Messrs. J. S. Cook, Andrew McElwain, Leonard Starner and others. The Superintendent at the present time is Christian P. Shoffstall, and the average attendance is about fifty-five. Bucyrus Grange. No. 705 of the Patrons of Husbandry, was organized March 17, 1874, at the residence of Daniel Boyer, in Whetstone Township. The first officers chosen were as follows: Master. D. C. Boyer; Overseer, J. H. Beard; Lecturer, G. H. Wright; Steward, J. P. Bean: Assistant Steward, Charles W. McCracken: Chaplain. J. P. Boyer, Treasurer, Abraham Frost; Secretary, W. T. Minich ; Gatekeeper, William George: Ceres, Mrs. M. E. Wright; Pomona, Mrs. C. A. Beard: Flora, Mrs. E. Harvey; Stewardess. Mrs. M. A. Minich. The Society occupied the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association, in Birk's Block for some three years, and then removed to their present quarters at the east end of the second store of the Fisher Brothers' Block. About fifty persons are connected with this Grange at the present time.