300 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY The first pubbic works project of corporate Archbold was that authorized by one of the first ordinances of the first council, said ordinance authorizing the construction of a sewer, on the east side of Defiance Street, and stipulating that "said sewers shall be made of good white, or Burr oak planks, two inches thick, and twenty inches wide ........ and made one foot under the common level of the ground, even with the outer edge of the sidewalk." Apparently this sewer was an open one, and construction, seemingly was not at once begun, for it appears that the first sewer was not completed until March 31, 1873. That wooden sewer was dug up in 1896, when the sidewalks were prepared for paving. BUILDING OF THE JAIL It was ordained, on April 20, 1867, "that a 'building shall be built for the safe keeping of unruly characters." The specifications called for a building "two floors, 12x12 ft., 7 ft. high between floors, the lower to be made of 2 inch oak planks, the walls of 1 1-2x4 inch planks, spiked together, the foundation to be of oak timbers, 8 inches square, the building to have two window holes, firmly barred with iron, crossways, 10 inches square. Door 3x6 ft., made of 1 1-2 inch planks, double, hung with good strap hinges and good dead lock." A tax of $100 to build the jail was levied on June 7, 1867, and it was ordained, on June 8th that the jail "shall be built on Lot No. 28, in Hayward's Division, and be completed before July 3, 1867." Whether the jail was constructed in time for use in a possible Fourth of July requirement is not on record, but obviously it was built in that year, for on December 24, 1867, an order on the village treasury was given to Messrs. Shrenk and Richtor; for $150, in payment for building and the materials for jail," and the mayor was authorized‘ to take $50 out of the Well fund, and apply it to the Jail fund. THE WATER SYSTEM On June 1, 1867, the councilmen, in session resolved to levy a tax of $100 "to build a jail and a tax of $200, to build a public well for the use of the village," which evidently had grown sufficiently to need the supplementing of private water provisions by a municipal supply. At a council Meeting of July 25, 1868, it was decided to get the public well dug by August 10th of that year, the well to be "six feet in diameter, inside to be bricked up, depth twenty feet." The contract for the digging of the town well was let to Felix Druhot but on August 4th he was released from his contract, and the digging of the well was apparently completed by the corporation. By various provisions, the civic authorities have been able to always meet Archbold's demands for water; and it now has a fine system, the present municipal water plant consisting of two eight inch wells, 160 feet deep; and a tower 110 feet to base of tank, which has capacity for 60,000 gallons, giving a pressure of 50 to 57 lbs. Two motor-driven pumps each throw fifty gallons a minute; there are 156 customers, and the Hersey meter system meets the recording needs. The plant was completed in 1915, at a cost of $22,000, George Britsch, president of the water board, putting in the first tap on May 21st of that year. HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 301 The plant is economically run, the power bill averaging $40 to $45, monthly. CEMETERY Unfortunately the cemetery records have not been kept, and it is not possible therefore to review its history. It has been stated that the cemetery now in the guardianship of Archbold civic authorities was established in 1872. There is only one record in the early minutes of the council of Archbold, said record, of May 12, 1875, referring to the completion of "a contract with Joseph Smith, for land for a burial ground," the notation stating that the clerk had given "an order on twp. funds for $37.60 for said land." The cemetery situated about three-quarters of a mile south of Archbold is controlled by that municipal corporation, and the cemetery situated about one mile west of Burlington and known as the Johnson Cemetery is the property of German Township. Archbold has some thriving industries, including the level factory, and the glove factory, which are both growing industries. Mainly, however, its prosperity and trading is due to its central position in a rich agricultural district. The farmers of German Township are characteristically loyal to one another, and do most of their buying in their own township. To those public-spirited citizens of Archbold who have given so much of their time to civic responsibilities is due much credit. The offices are practically honorary, the remuneration being now not much more, proportionately, than in 1871, when, for instance, the council records noted the presentation of a claim, by John B. Schnetzler; of $4.50, the sum representing remuneration due to him for six months service as mayor, at fifty cents a month. At the same time Henry Bredt, town clerk, claimed a similar monthly stipend. John B. Schnetzler served in mayoral office longer than had, or has, 302 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY any other fellow-townsman and Henry. Bredt was town clerk for many, years. August Ruihley, who now is in his third term as mayor, has been identified with the town and township administrations for much more than a generation. In addition to his other offices, he was clerk of the Township Board of Education for seventeen years, and although he never attended law school, he prepared more legal documents it has been stated than any other man in the .township. In 1913, on Saturday night and 'Sunday morning of August 30 and 31st, Archbold was the scene of a disastrous fire, which laid a block in the business section in ruins, doing damage totalling to more than $150,000. Everyithing in the business block excepting the fireproof bank building was razed. The local fire-fighting equipment was totally inadequate to cope with the conflagration, and engine and hose companies came from Bryan, Wauseon, and Toledo. Regarding the local equipment one of the papers reported: "Archbold's old Phoenix, purchased 35 years ago, was put to work at the cistern, near the opera house,. and was throwing two streams of water at a good clip. At the most important moment, however, and just as the fire was being gotten, under control, the engine baulked. The valves failing to work, it was abandoned, and bucket brigades formed until the other engines from the surrounding towns could be put to work." Further, the paper reported: "An old-fashioned. hand pump, .manned by volunteers, and a small size of hose,, was all 'the equipment the village had. As the engine had not been tested out for several years, it was badly in need of repairs before rapid work could be done. As the pay of the engine-house keeper .had been reduced he did not receive enough to make it worth his while to look over the engine." The Archbold Fire Department has since been reorganized, and now, under Chief. Henry Nofzinger, seems capable of handling and subduing all 'but every serious conflagrations, in Archbold, and the vicinity. ARCHBOLD PUBLIC LIBRARY A little space must be given to the recording of a commendable public service, yet in its infancy. On. April 3, 1916, the Women's Reading Club, of Archbold, decided to organize a public library, "to promote the. reading of good books and literature." A. committee of five called on the mayor and council, and were readily wanted permission to use one of the rooms of the Town Hall for library purposes. In various ways, by entertainments, socials, and such:like means, the promoters raised for library purposes in the first year $414.57. On August 1st, the Women's Reading Club formed an independent organization, called the Archbold Library Association, and transferred to it all the property and funds collected for library purposes: On October. 11, 1916, the first quarterly meeting was held, and on Febuary 22, 1917, an open reception andbook shower was held. ft brought to the library donations amounting to $157.43, and 680 books. On January 1, 1920,. the library owned 4016 volumes, and had a further 500 volumes supplied annually by the state, which latter supply is. changed yearly. HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 303 The growth of the Archbold Public Library has been creditable to its early workers, which include Mrs. Levy. Miss Sarah Levy is librarian, and Miss Emma Vernier assistant. POPULATION In point of population of incorporated places of Fulton county, Archbold comes fourth, but it is nevertheless healthily developing. The federal census figures for 1860 are not available, but the official statistics for the last five decadal periods are 1870, 373; 1880, 650; 1890, 780; 1900, 958; 1910, 1082; and 1920, 1125. This last figure is subject to correction, the "Preliminary Announcement of Population" being the only information yet released of the 1920 census. The population statistics for German Township, including Archbold village, are as follows. 1870, 2479 ; 1880, 3033; 1890, 3103; 1900, 2989; 1910, 3088; 1920, 3137. All historians; J. W. Roseborough (1870), Albert S. Fleet (1876), Verity (1888) and Mikesell 1905), agree that the first school in German Township was that established by Samuel B. Darby, in 1839. The schoolhouse was situated on the state road, one-half mile west of Burlington. It was a log .house, with appropriate primitive furniture. S. B. Darby taught the winter term of 1839-40. Other pioneer teachers were. Milton Zouver, Harriet Schnall, daughter of the pioneer John J. Schnall, of Dover, Miss Baker, Miss Shipman, Miss Mary Ann Prettyman, Miss Geesey and Miss Darby. Regarding the pioneer schools and school teachers, Judge Verity wrote: "At the time, the wages of female teachers was from one to two dollars per week and board, while the wages of the men were from ten 'to fifteen dollars per month and board, and all usually had to teach 26 days for a month, and later 24 days for a month. 304 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY In the first building of school houses, when of logs, it was customary, if possible, to get slabs for seats, and if not to make them from split puncheon, smoothed, upon the top with a broad-ax and holes bored, and legs put in with the ax, and the desks made in the same manner and placed against the wall of logs. They answered a very good purpose In those primitive times; and further, do not fool yourself into thinking that the teachers were no better or as primitive, as the house in which they taught and the wages they got; many of them had splendid educations, acquired in the schools of the east." Township trustee records show that in 1846, the township school districts were numbered up to 5, but only four had been organized. Prominent school directors then were Samuel Barr, John Leminger, Jacob Gaiman, Nicholas King, John Wyse, Christian Lauber, Peter Wyse, John King and Jacob Nofzinger. In 1853, there were ten school districts, and the representatives on the township Board of Education then were, respectively : Henry Lutes, Jacob Gasche, Wm. Albright, Albert S. Fleet, L. Markley, Christian 'Shantz, Phineas Vernier, Jacob Barr, S. O. Daily, and Christian Klopfenstein. On January 25, 1854, contract was placed with Solomon Rogers, "for building a schoolhouse (for district No. 2) 18x26, to furnish material and do the labor, for $160.00, furnished, with the exception of a little painting." In that year four more districts were organized, and the total enrollment was 537 scholars. There were seventeen schools in 1859, and 408 male scholars and 338 female. School 'property was then valued at $2360. Although the average value of al schoolhouse was 'then placed at not much more than $130, it would appear that the Board of Education of German Township . was somewhat extravagant in establishing school districts in the late 'fifties. But the mode and manner of travel, the state of the roads, and the difficulties of transportaion undoubtedly actuated the early school administrators to place simple schoolhouses wherever there were grouped a small number of children who could not attend other schools. However, as the state of the roads increased, so did the number of schools decrease, and the character of those used change. The log schoolhouse passed away, the cheap badly ventilated frame buildings in many cases were abandoned, and substantial airy brick schoolhouses took their place. In 1875, Fleet states, the enumeration was 770 pupils, and that there were eleven school districts, conducted at a total expense of $3538.10. Among school teachers in the 'sixties were Hattie E. Schnall, T. H. Brown, Catherine R. Gettings, G. W. Griesinger, Catherine Fairfield, Daniel R. Morrison, Ardella Fleet, J. B. Lutes, R. Raymond, J. C. Long, Armida Wilden, and Esther P. Clifton. And among the men who exerted a powerful influence in the standard of education in German Township in early decades were A. Daily, George R. Betts, Benjamin Brown, Hon. L. W. Brown, Julius Whitehorne, and John W. Roseborough. These men, and others, laid the basis of the excellent educational system now possible in the public schools. At present (1920) there are twelve one-room schoolhouses in German Township, the twelve, with equipment, being valued at $15,775. They served 347 scholars during 1919. In addition there is an eight-roomed schoolhouse, valued at $28,100, in Archbold, attended by about 190 scholars of elementary grades, and by sixty high school students. There is also a rural school at Elmira, and a consolidated school at Pettisville. HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 305 The board .of education of the four districts axe: German Township : Wm. H. Miller, president; 0. C. Lauber, clerk; Wm. Leininger, Frank Winzeler, S. R. Shaffer, and Geo. S. Leininger, directors; Archbold Village: Dr. E. A. Murbach, president; H. J. Walters, clerk; P. C. Burkholder, A. G. Siegel, and David Snyder; Pettisville: W. J. Weber, president; Geo. McGuffin, clerk; A. J. Lantz, F. D. Lehman, Adam Britsch, directors; Elmira: S. D. Nofzinger, president; J. A. Rupp, clerk ; Ed. Crossgrove, Chas. Siegel„ and W. A. Spengler, directors. Further reference to German Township schools will be found elsewhere in this volume, in the general chapter regarding "The Schools, 1835-1920." CHURCHES Undoubtedly, the first church society to be formed in German Township was that of the Mennonite Church. There was, in all probability, regular private worship by individual families in. 1834, for such is one of the religious practices faithfully observed by devout people of the Mennonite Church, but the first gathering of settlers for religious worship of which there is record was in the fall of 1835, when services attended by Amish brethren were conducted in the log house of Christian Lauber, by Christian Beck, who later became a prominent minister and public worker in German Township. There are several branches of the Mennonite Church in Fulton county, all off-shoots of the Amish body, which is the strongest church organization in German Township. It has always been so. Albert S. Fleet wrote, in 1876: "The Mennonite Church has the largest membership of any in this township today—membership, 265; church property, $2,500. They pay no salary to preachers. Preacher in charge, Nicholas King; subordinate ministers, Jacob Naufsinger, Christian Fryenbarger, Christian Stuckey, John Wyse; directors, Christian Wyse and Christian Schantz." The Fulton county circuit, or diocese, of the Amish Mennonite Church is referred to in "The Mennonites of America," a somewhat recent publication, as follows: "* * * another colony, composed mostly of immigrants from near Muhlhausen, was established in Fulton county. From 1834 to 1850 many families settled in what is now German township. Among the earliest settlers were Nicholas King, Jacob Binder, Christian Lauber, Christian Rupp, Henry and Jacob Roth, and John Gunday, who came in 1834. These were followed in 1835 by Peter Rupp, Christian Beck and others, and in the following years by those bearing the names Burkholder, Rivenaugh, Stutzman, Schmucker, Klopfenstein, Stuckey and Wyse. The congregation has since grown to large dimensions, and although it has within recent years furnished a number of recruits for the Egli branch of the church, it still contains a membership of about six hundred." As at present constituted, the Fulton County Amish Mennonite Central Church has three places of worship, or church buildings. The largest building is in German Township. It is generally known as the Central A. M. Church, and it serves the largest group of Amish brethren. There is one church in the western part of Clinton Township, not far from the border line with German Township; and the third is 306 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY in reality not in Fulton county at all, being in Williams county, Brady Township, just across the line from German Township. The three churches are in the Fulton county diocese, of which Elias L. Frey has been bishop since March, 1908. The present ministers are Daniel J. Wyse, Henry Rychener, S. D. Griesier and Elias Rupp; and the present deacons are J. C. Frey and Daniel Sauder. The membership of the three churches is now almost nine hundred, and the property is all deeded to the Fulton County Amish Mennonite Central Church. It exercises a powerful influence for good, and the Mennonite Church has been one of the most distinctive and stable factors in the development and propsperity of German Township. Believing, as they do, in I. Tim., 2, 9 I. Peter., 3, 3 Rom., 12, 2, I. Cor., 11, 5, and similar scriptures, its members are distinctive in dress, and are unique in many religious observances that come into their general every-day life. The members of the Mennonite Church undoubtedly have earned an enviable reputation for honesty, thrift, hospitality and industriousness. Unfortunately there is very little historical information presently before the compiler, by which he could review the history of the other branches of the Mennonite Church in German Township. The Egli, or Defenceless Mennonite branch is of long standing; and the New Mennonite Church had a membership of forty-five in 1875, when its church property was valued at $1,500. The minister in charge then was Benedict Meister, and the trustees were Jacob Bender and Christian Allion. Methodist Episcopal Churches. Henry and John Lutes, who settled in German Township in 1837, were both local preachers of the. Methodist Episcopal Church. So also was Joel Smith, who came in the next year. The first religious meeting conducted in English in German Township was that held in the log cabin of John Reynolds in 1837, Henry Lutz officiating. In that year, he was authorized to preach, and in 1838, at Defiance Joel Smith was licensed to preach. Traveling ministers of the M. E. Church were early in the township, among the first to come being Austin Coleman and McEnder Capp. The first quarterly meeting was held in German Township in 1837, and John Jones was presiding elder. "The first organized English church in the township" was, stated Fleet, the Methodist Episcopal, at Burlington. Another historian states that the M. E. Church at Burlington "was the first organized body of that faith in the township." It had thirty members at organization, and in 1876 had thirty-seven. Its property was then valued at $600. The trustees were James F. Rogers, J. W. Roseborough, Henry Pike and L. W. Brown. The M. E. Church at Archbold was established in the sixties, or early seventies. Prominent among the founders were J. C. Whitehorne and Frederick Stotzer. Soon after organization, a frame church was built at Stryker street, Archbold, at a cost of $1,800, which was a commendable undertaking by the early members, their numbers being so few. In 1876 there were only ten members of that church, and the services were conducted by the Rev. John Poucher, of the Burlington church. He received a yearly salary of $100 from the Archbold body, and $150 from the Burlington church. Later, John Poucher, who was a capable and energetic minister, entered the milling business at West Unity. By birth an Englishman, he was much respected in German Township. The Methodist Episcopal people at Archbold still us. for their HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 307 services the frame church building originally erected; and it still stands on Stryker street. About twelve years ago it was remodelled. At present the Archbold church has about fifty members. The pastor is the Rev. F. Money, while Arthur Siegel is the active superintendent of a well-attended Sunday school. In 1838, Lilley Bridge preached as a missionary of the United Brethren order. In 1875, the United Brethren society in German Township consisted of eighteen members, but they had no church, and no regular pastor. Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church was worthily active in missionary work in the earliest pioneer days in Northwest Ohio. Missionary priests from Cincinnati came into the wild territory as it became settled, and served the religious 'needs of people of that faith wherever a few could gather together in a log cabin. To the Catholic people of German Township belongs the distinction of having erected the first building in the township that was set apart exclusively as a place of worship. The early records state that that church was situated near the center of the township. Eventually a larger church was built at Archbold, and it was the center of clerical activities of the Roman Catholic Church in Fulton and William counties for many years. In 1876, the Rev. H. Delbaer was pastor of the Archbold Church, and A. T. Moine and Peter Grim trustees. Church property was then valued at $4,000; the pastor's salary was $700 ; and the membership totalled 120. The Rev. Wm. J. Carroll, present pastor of the Archbold church has, very considerately, undertaken research in early church records, and thus has been enabled to furnish for this review, the following data: "Archbold, Ohio, was the first of the Fulton county towns to have a resident pastor. This occurred in 1875. It was his duty to look after the needs of all the Catholic people living along the 'Air Line' (the N. Y. C. R. R.) from Swanton to Edgerton, the territory including Swanton, Delta., Wauseon, Archbold, Stryker and Bryan. The records of priests go back to 1850 and baptisms, marriages, burials, first communion, and of confirmation, to 1859. The following priests have served Archbold and missions : About 1850, Rev. Thibieres ; 1858-65, Rev. A. Hoeffel ; 1865-67, N. Kirch ; 1867-69, P. Baker (who built the second church, a frame structure, used until 1906) ; 1869-70, I. Eyler and Monsignor Rappe; 1870-73, Charles Braschler ; 1873-75, L. Vogt; 1875- 77, H. (one record says Andrew) Delbaer, the first resident pastor. (He also started a parish school in his home. School was discontinued after his removal) ; 1877-81, N. S. Franche; 1881-82, F. Nunan ; 1882- 83, Prim ean ; 1884-86, G. C. Schoenemann ; 1886-98, F. H. Muehlenbeck ; 1898-1920, P. H. Janssen ; 1920, Wm. J. Carroll. "Construction of a new church was begun in 1906, funds then on hand, or promised, totalling to $13,000. The architect was W. Dowling, of Toledo, and construction was placed in the responsibility of a Napoleon contractor, a Mr. McComb, who however was unable to complete the work, the contract being eventually taken over by a Mr. Herman, a Toledo contractor. Cornerstone was laid on July 29, 1906 by the Rev. F. Muehlenbeck, and work was finished at Easter time of 1907. The church was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Koudelka on October 7, 1908. The cost of church building, exclusive of site, was $16,800. Other improvements to church and cemetery property were made dur- 308 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY ing Father Janssen's pastorate. During his many years at Archbold, he had endeared himself to his people, and was much respected in the town and township. On June 29, 1916, Father Janssen celebrated his Silver Jubilee of ordination to the priesthood. The day was made most happy for him by the people of Archbold, Catholic and non-Catholic alike. He left Archbold in February, 1920, for Landeck, Ohio." His successor, the Rev. Wm. J. Carroll, is a very much younger man, but of noticeable energy. He is striving to quickly clear the church indebtedness, and to establish a parochial school in Archbold; and there are indications that his popularity with his congregation will gain him their cooperation in such endeavors. St. Peter's is one of the beautiful church edifices of Archbold, which is noted for the artistic splendor of its churches. St. John's Reformed Church is another of the beautiful churches of Archbold; indeed it is claimed to be one of the finest, architecturally, in the county. It was built in 1914-15, during the pastorate of John J. Vogt. The architect was Abraham Bagley, and the dedicatory services were held during the week May 16th to 21st, 1915. The building committee included J. H. Miller, chairman and treasurer; R. S. Rodenhuis, secretary; David Snyder and George H. Rutz. The officers of the church at that time were : J. S. Schlatter, Daniel Snyder and Barnet R. Kutzli, trustees; Frank Winzler, Barnet B. Kutzli and Emil Spiess, deacons ; J. J. Spiess, William Buehrer, and J. S. Schlatter, elders. The Archbold church was founded in 1852, and in 1876 had a Membership of seventy-five. It then had church property valued at $2,325. The pastor then was John Neafoff, who received a salary of $400. The trustees were V. Theobald, M. Buerer and Jacob Zico. The Evangelical Lutheran St. Martin's Church at Archbold, celebrated its fiftieth anniversary on June 25, 1916, when a historical review of its development during the period was read. The paper was as follows: "Previous to the year 1866, Rev. K. Strauss, who resided near Okalona, Ohio, would occasionally come to Archbold, which at that time consisted of but a few houses, and conduct services for a number of Lutheran families who resided in and near Archbold. In the spring of 1866, a meeting was held for the purpose of organizing a Lutheran congregation. In a subsequent meeting a constitution was adopted. Thus the St. Martin's Lutheran Church came into existence. The charter members were: Karl Dimke, Jacob Huit, Gust. Dimke, John Brodbeck, Dan Burkholder, Peter Eva, Pr. Wetzel, Valentine Theobald, Fr. Brandt, Michael Weber and N. Waefel. The first officers were : N. Waefel, elder; Karl Dimke, secretary; and Jacob Huit, trustee and treasurer. In the same year, the newly-formed congregation erected a church building, the first church built in Archbold. In 1869, the congregation got its first resident pastor, the Rev. A. Beroset, who served to the year 1879. He was succeeded by Rev. C. ,Schleicher, who was pastor to the year 1883. Rev. C. Schink was then called. Rev. T. Kluepfel took charge of the congregation in August, 1886, but died three months later. Rev. J. Kramstroh filled the vacancy, serving until July, 1887, when the present pastor, then a theological student, was called." A parsonage was bought in 1883, but it was inconveniently located, and eventually the congregation bought two lots on S. Defiance street, HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 309 on which site they caused to be built in 1896 the present parsonage, at a cost of $1,782. The original church building served for thirty-nine years, but in 1905 a new church was built, at a cost of $5,000. It was renovated and enlarged, in seating capacity, in 1916, and adequately meets the needs of the church. The church property is entirely free of debt, and the church is in a vigorous state. There are about 34 voting members and 101 communicant members. The Apostolic Christian Church of Archbold, or the Imthurn Baptist Church as it is sometimes called, was organized about sixty-five years ago. In 1875, the church had an active organization, having a membership then of fifty-five, and owning a church building at Lauber Hill valued at $600. Andrew Brown was the minister, and Adam Imthurn was deacon. Adam. Imthurn was the first man to be baptized into that church in Fulton county. The immersion took place in Bean Creek. He eventually became the strongest pillar 'of the church, devoting his life to its affairs, and preaching over a wide area. He was elder of the church for twenty-five or thirty years. He is now infirm, being eighty-seven years old, and others have taken up his work, but the history of that church will always 'be associated with Adam Imthurn. He is an honored resident of Archbold and now its oldest resident. He had a tailor shop on the west side of Defiance street before the incorporation of the village. The early churches of German Township served societies of many denominations. The first church erected in Pettisville, on the Clinton side, was for the Baptist society. That must have been built before 1855. On the German side of Pettisville there were two churches in 1875, the Disciples in Christ and the German Reformed congregations having buildings. The Methodist Episcopal society also was active in the village at that time. There were quite a number of religious societies that were comparatively strong in German Township in its early decades, but not strong enough to need separate church buildings for their meetings. Among these early societies were Holdermanite, Free Methodist and United Brethren organizations. There were many with well-built substantial church buildings and among those standing in 1876 and not hereinbefore referred to were : the Lutheran brick church one mile north and 2 1-2 miles east of Archbold. It was valued at $4,000, and then had a membership of. twenty-four, the Rev. R. Kraft being the minister, and Fred Kraus, Jacob Leininger and Fred Schultze being the trustees; and the New German Baptist church, which property was valued at $1,000, and was erected by a strong society which, in 1875, stood at about one hundred members, under Sebastian Lipe and Michael Tyler, ministers, who were paid no salaries. And through the decades of progress in German Township these many church organizations have been the stabilizing power. The Hon. O. B. Verity, in a "History of German Township," published in the Archbold "Herald" in March, 1888, wrote : "It has been well said: 'As a tree is judged by the fruit it bears, so is the enlightenment of a people and their prosperity gauged by the extent with which religious instruction is carried on.' These churches have not been merely for the sake of ornament, but for the convenience of true Christian family worship, and in furtherance of the Gospel cause, qualities which go to make up a membership. The form of   310 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY church government in the most of them is congregational. They are policemen to arrest evil-doers, soldiers to quell riots, and courts to adjust difficulties. They are the visible monuments of a people's reverence for God, and a resort for young and old, to assist in beating back the tide of infidelity and the enemy of home." ORIGIN OF PETTISVILLE Pettisville has to an extent suffered by its geographical position, situated as it is between and in close proximity to two larger towns, Archbold and Wauseon, the county seat. The fact that it is in two townships, Clinton and German, has also perhaps acted as a deterrent to general interest, and natural growth. It nevertheless. is a thriving Village, and has several alert and enterprising residents. Probably, to one John Dyer belongs the honor of having founded Pettisville. He orginally laid out 'a town 'there, and built the first house, locating it on the west side of Main Street, on the, south side of the railroad track; after which Hope and Radcliffe bought a section on the south side and east side of Main Street, and laid out the town in 1857. It seems that the village "takes its name from, one Mr. Pettis, who no doubt was a favorite man and a sub-contractor in grading the road under Benjamin Folsom, the builder of the railroad" stated Brown's "Gazetteer" for 1868, adding that "At this point it is said Mr. Pettis erected several shanties for his men, while grading the, road bed." The population of Pettisville in 1868 was estimated to be "about 500"; and the village then had one school and three church organizations, Methodist, Disciples and Lutheran, the Chronicler stating that "Steps have been taken towards erecting a church building this summer." There were three comparatively important industries in Pettisville in 1868, probably the most important being the Pettisville Woolen Mills, owned and managed by James McFellen, who manufactured "Satinets, Flannels, Jeans, 'Cassimeres, and other woolen goods." His mills were on Front Street. Then the Starr Flouring and Saw Mills, situated on the west side of Main Street, and owned by Edward G. Gowdy and Peter G. Gaiman, did good business. The third industry was that of M. Britton and Company, on Dame Street. They were oar and hand-spike makers, the partners in the enterprise being Mason Britton, T. C.. Turner, and E. R. Phinney. Amos' Broughton and Jas. M. Waddick were resident physicians, Dr. Waddick also being partner with Quincy Fairbanks in a general store business on Main Street. Grocers and storekeepers in the village were Frederick Barbier, Sereno Breeinard, Edward T. Graetz, Thomas Ratcliffe and the firm of Fairbanks and Waddick; James Killin conducted a millinery establishment, and was also a justice of the peace; a wagon-maker, Daniel Clark; had a shop on Summit Street; and there were three blacksmiths in the village, William Cline, William Dimke, and Gottlieb Laher; while hostelries were represented by Mrs. Luticia M. Sullinger, proprietress of the Mansion House, which was situated on the east side of Main Street, at the corner of Summit. Theo D. Fenton and his brother, Henry R., had a drug store on Main .Street; John Narthein had a furniture shop on Dame Street; and Jacob Gaiman conducted a saloon on west side of Main. Julius A. Graetz was station agent HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 311 Albert S. Fleet, in 1876, described Pettisville thus: "A railroad town a place of some business. Of churches there are two—Disciples and German Reform; saloons, two; business places, seven; cabinet shops, one; physicians, two ; intelligence office, one; one grist mill and one saw mill." Some Pettisville history is embodied in the chapter on Clinton Township; while Pettisville school history is reviewed partly in the general chapter on "The Schools, 1835-1920", partly in the Clinton Township Chapter and early in this chapter. The development of the Pettisville Bank is reviewed in appropriate place in the financial chapter. CHAPTER XIV HISTORY OF AMBOY TOWNSHIP Amboy is one of the pioneer townships of Fulton county. Its settlement began in 1833, and its early history and eventual development redound to the credit of the pioneer settlers ; so much so, indeed, that descendants undoubtedly may be proud of the records of their ancestors. Yet, singularly enough, the ancestral homes have, with one exception, all passed. out of the possession of the pioneer families of Amboy, in which noticeable particular it differs strikingly from other townships of Fulton county, which today is peopled,. in unusually large proportion, by the descendants of the pioneer settlers; and in very many cases the descendants still till the land, now rich and desirable, that once was swamp or wilderness, and was won to fertility and agricultural production by the brow-sweat of their forebears. The lands of Jared Hoadly, the pioneer settler of Amboy, of the Steadman, Blain, Roop, Gilson, White, Bartlett, Hallett, La- Bounty, Purdy, Welch, Lewis, and Richey families, all worthy pioneers of Amboy Township, have passed to strangers. The only farm in the township that has not' in transfer passed out of the family of the original settler is, it is believed, the Tripp Farm, on section sixteen. It was in 1838 that Norman N. Tripp entered wild land in that section, the property passing at his death to his son, Henry, whose widow still resides on and owns the estate, which is a rich one. Part of Amboy Township in the first years of its settlement was in "the disputed territory", the Territory of Michigan and the State of Ohio claiming it, as has been elsewhere explained herein. Until the dispute was finally settled, all residents within the disputed strip had to recognize the authority of the Territory of Michigan, and consider themselves as being resident in Fairfield .township, Lenawee county, and Territory of Michigan. The map made' in 1834, one year before the organization of Lucas county, shows the territorial line. All parts of Amboy north of the "Fulton line" were accountable. to Michigan, and until December, 1836, when the whole of the disputed strip be value an integral part of Ohio, under the jurisdiction of Lucas county, the settlers were forced to transact their legal business and pay their taxes at the city of Adrian, county seat of Lenawee county. The township of Amboy was organized on June 4, 1837, by taking all of town nine south, range four east, south of the Harris line, now the State line of Michigan, and all of fractional township ten south range four east, extending to the Fulton line, south. On March 1, 1841, Fulton Township was organized, Amboy losing to it all of town ten south, range four east, and in 1846, upon petition by Fulton Township, further territory, to wit: sections 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, being the south tier of sections of town nine south, range four east. Amboy thus was reduced to an area of 16,677 acres, or twenty-six full sections of land ; - 312 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 313 and since 1846 there has been no change in its boundaries. The map shows its position sufficiently to make further verbal description unnecessary. In early days the territory was a favorite hunting ground for the Indians, who remained in the territory for several years after settlement by whites had begun. It has been stated that bears, panthers, wolves, and wild-cats abounded in the dense forests of Amboy; while the settlers found in the deer and wild turkeys welcome sources of food. Ten Mile Creek runs through Amboy Township, emptying eventually into Maumee Bay. Smaller streams empty into Swan Creek. The land is mostly level, at the highest point being only 140 feet above the level of Lake Erie. SETTLEMENT It was generally acknowledged among the pioneers that Jared Hoadly was the first to settle in the township. He entered his land in the month of July, 1833, and "late in the fall of that year" took up his abode on the land, which was in section seven. It is understood that he built a log cabin thereon in the early part of January, 1834. Many other settlers are supposed also to have come into the township in the year 1833, among them David Steadman and his sons Alvah and Aaron, Frank O'Neil, Charles and William Blain, John and Joseph Roop, and Alfred Gilson. In 1834 came John Blain ; Jerry and David Duncan ; Lorenzo Abbott; Seneca. Corbin; Park White and his son David; Jonathan and Clark Gilson, James Hallett, John LaBounty ; Samuel Purdy, Joseph Richey; Nathaniel and Harry Welch. In 1835 Hiram Bartlett, Calvin Skinner, Cyrus Fisher, Horatio 314 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY Stevens and Caleb Remilie are stated to have come into Amboy and settled.. And George Barnett is grouped with the incoming settlers of that year, as are also the Chapman, Griswold, and Koons families. During the next five years many others came, including Job Duvall, Tunis and John Lewis, Charles Welch, Joseph Richey, William Irwin, Charles C. Tiney, Norman N. Tripp, and possibly others; while during the succeeding decade those who took up residence and began the clearing of land they had acquired were Morey S. Potter, Sullivan Johnson, Hezekiah Culver,. Caleb Satterly, Thomas Cahoe, George Hackett, and his brother, and possibly, nay probably, many others. The activities of these men made Amboy quite a consequential township even before the organization of Fulton county. The village of Metamora was beginning its career at that time, and although its claims to consideration were not convincing there were some who thought, or perhaps hoped, the village might be chosen as the county seat of the new county. Regarding the early settlers there is little biographical material on record. Jared Hoadly was one of the most influential men of Amboy in its first decades. He took directing part in most of the public affairs of the township, and came successfully through the first trying period, during which the settlers had to take their grain to Tecumseh, a journey of three or four days duration for an ox-team, for grinding. After many years of residence in Amboy, Mr. Hoadly moved into Michigan. Alvah Steadman was, it is generally conceded, the second settler, closely followed by John and Joseph Roop. Alfred Gilson settled on section nineteen. The Blain family was a notable one among the pioneers of the first and second years. Charles and William, originally from Lodi, Onondaga county, New York, came via Toledo in the late fall of 1833. John Blain came with the Duncans in 1834. All were from Lodi, N. Y., and became worthy settlers in Amboy, the Blains raising large families and clearing the greater part of sections eighteen and nineteen. Sarah, mother of the Blain brothers died in Amboy Township in 1874, having reached the unusual age of one hundred and four years. Joseph Roop, was an enterprising and industrious man ; he was the first to make brick in the township, and he carried on that industry extensively for many years. Frank O’Neil is looked upon as the pioneer settler within the limits of the village of Metamora, although the log cabin he erected there in 1833, or 1834, cannot be considered to have had any connection with, or to have been the commencement of, the establishment of that village, which really did not come into existence until fifteen years or more had passed. Frank O,Neil was the first white settler in the northeastern part of Amboy, and for many years had no near neighbors. Hiram Bartlett was originally from Cooperstown, N. Y., but spent about nine years in Port Lawrence (Toledo) before settling in Amboy, in 1835. He died in 1875. His three daughters all married pioneers of Amboy Township. Elizabeth married Solomon Keeler, son of Samuel Keeler, who settled here in the same year as did Bartlett; Julia Ann married Norman H. Tripp, who first visited Amboy in 1838, stayed a short time, but did not permanently settle until 1847 ; and Hannah F., who became the wife of George Gale. HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 315 Horatio Stevens, who came at the same time as Calvin Skinner, Cyrus Fisher, and Caleb Remilie, all from Niagara County, New York, settled upon section twenty-nine, his farm later passing to Stephen Houghton. Joseph Richey and Marmaduke Bunting also settled in the township in about the same year. Lorenzo Abbott came through from Maumee, directed through the dense forest by a small pocket compass. He entered the land he chose, and lived upon it for about seven or eight years, selling, in 1843, to Sullivan Johnson. One record states that 'Sullivan Johnson settled in Amboy in 1838 ; another, that he came in 1843. He was a native of Vermont; came to Ohio when a young man ; married Adelia Worden in Toledo ; and soon thereafter came into Amboy Township. He interested himself much in public affairs, and at different times held practically every township office. For thirty-six years he was a justice of the peace, and for four years was sheriff of Fulton county. He died in Metamora in 1897, aged eight-three years. ESSENTIALS OF THE PIONEER HOME. One of the noted hunters of pioneer days in Amboy Township was David White, son of Park White. Eventually, as the settlers cleared the forest, and hunting and trapping became unprofitable in consequence, David White moved to wilder parts in northern Michigan. Job Duvall (Davoll) settled upon section nine, and the family has for many decades been a prominent one in Amboy Township, He came originally from Erie County, N. Y., settling in Amboy, according to one chronicler, in 1845, and, by the rendering of another, between 1836 and 1840. He died in 1869, aged 54 years, generally respected, "having been one of the influential citizens of Amboy Township, of which he served as treasurer for four years:" E. S. Davoll, now of Metamora, and president of the Home Savings Bank of that place is of the same family. Joseph Ritchey settled in Amboy in 1836, with his wife, Rebecca Young, and their children. He cleared eighty acres, and raised a 316 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY family of ten children. John W. Ritchey, his son,. became one of the large landholders in Amboy Township, and eventually took up residence in Metamora, where from 1888 until the year of his death, 1900, he was a successful merchant. Charles C. Tiney settled on section 30, in 1838, William Irwin, on section 14, and Joseph Ritchey on section seventeen. Morey S. Potter, and Minerva, his wife, were the progenitors of many of that name who eventually became responsible and useful citizens in Fulton county. Calvin H. Potter, their son, who was in the first vigor of young manhood when the family came into the township in 1842, is said to have cut and brushed six miles of road, four rods wide, through heavy timber, and to have eventually himself cleared the greater part of his farm of one hundred acres. The family came from New York state. METAMORA. As before narrated, Frank O’Neil, in the 'thirties, built the first house, or log cabin, within what eventually became the boundaries of the village of Metamora, but no movement toward founding a village began for many years. Hezekiah Culver and Delbert Compton may be given the places of honor as the main founders of Metamora, although Jonathan Saunders was stated to have been one of the original proprietors of the village. It was in 1845 that the first impetus came in the erection then by Culver and Compton, or by Culver with the assistance of Compton, of a grist mill on land belonging to Culver. This enterprise, the first grist mill in the township, necessarily drew the HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 317 attention of the settlers to the locality, for formerly they had to take their grain to Tecumseh for grinding; and it was only a matter of a short time before it became a center of trading. Lewis S. Hackett, now of Pittsford, Michigan, but seventy years ago a resident in Metamora, wrote "Metamora History" in 1912, the review, which appeared in the Metamora "Record" of January 19, 1912, issue, reading: "On the 10th of September, 1849, my father, mother, and three children, left Macedon, N. Y., for Ohio, going by canal and lake to Toledo, arriving the morning of the 20th, and was. until noon getting to Sylvania by rail. We reached the home of my uncle, George Hackett, in Amboy Township, at 6 in the evening, having passed through the village of Metamora about 4 o,clock. The village at that time consisted of one grocery store, about 14x20 feet. H. Culver was proprietor, and he also owned a saw mill, and the land where the village stands. The grocery was about where the Home Savings Bank stands, and the mill about fifteen rods north and east, across the road, on the creek bank ; and about the mill was a yard for logs, except two small plank houses where Russell Packard and Delbert Compton lived, and operated the saw mill for Culver. There was one house on the west side of the creek, where Augustus Ries now lives, owned and occupied by Dr. Pomeroy, and that is the only building left in the village that was there at that time. About all kinds of groceries were kept in the little grocery, and a barrel of whisky in the corner. H. Culver was just building a larger store on the corner, about 20x40 feet, 1 1/2 stories high, where Pegg,s Hardware is, and moved in that winter. In the fall of 1851 he built a hotel on the west side of the street (Bleyer,s place). It was late in the fall when it was raised, and I remember it well, as I was there barefooted My brother John was also there, and he was about five years old (Lewis was about two years his senior). There were only five houses and five families there then, but soon afterwards a blacksmith,s shop was built, an ashery was put in by Garry Vrooman, and several houses were built. In 1852, or 1853, a plank road was built from Toledo to Morenci, and on the same road now paralleled by the T. & W. electric line. In fact, this road, or very little if any of it, has not been changed from Morenci to Toledo. This plank road was a. great thoroughfare from the West, as all products were sent to Toledo, and the merchandise of all kinds used west, as far as Morenci and Fayette passed through Metamora. Hotel business was good, and soon another was built. G. Vrooman built a new store on the north side of the road where the Metamora Hardware now stands For several years before the electric road was built, it (Metamora) did not improve very fast. Metamora has had several losses by fire, but each time it has seemed to be a benefit to the village, for larger and better buildings were put up to replace the ones burned. Since the T. & W.. was built, the village has steadily improved, and today is a very prosperous and beautiful place, surrounded by good farms, and as good enterprising citizens as any place in Ohio, or Michigan, I believe. Most, if not all, of the older class that started in Amboy Township have passed away . . . . . . L. H. Clendenin is the oldest person in Amboy Township, living on the same farm that he did at the time (they first settled) and he at the time was twelve years old. Horace Tredway was another schoolmate of mine. He still lives on and 318 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY owns the old home, but he is just over the county line, and not really a citizen of Amboy Township." The grist mill owned by Hezekiah Culver eventually was acquired by Eli Bunting, who ran it for many years. William Bailey is stated to have been the pioneer physician of Metamora. He settled near the German Church, about two miles to the westward of the village. And Dr. Pomeroy, who actually lived in the village, was early in practice, and at the time of the coming of Lewis H. Hackett was then an old man. After a few years of practice in Metamora, he died and was there buried. Jonathan Saunders, one of the proprietors of the village, lived there until his death. His son, Clark, established himself as a druggist in Metamora, and the Saunders family still has good business interests in Metamora. How Metamora came to be so named is not on record. For very many years it was the only post-office in the township; in fact until 1880, when Siney post-office was established to serve the western part of Amboy. The post-office for the eastern half of Amboy, and the first to be established was situated about one-half mile west of Metamora, stated Lewis IS. Hackett. Continuing, he gives the information that: "Morey S: Potter was postmaster. This office supplied mail to patrons for several miles away, in all direction. We (the Hackett family) lived six miles southwest, and each and every Saturday that was my job to go and get the Albany 'Argus,, a paper printed in Albany, N. Y, There were not many letters passing in the mails in those days, for the postage on a letter was twenty-five cents. The Toledo 'Blade, was then published in Toledo, but very few copies came to our post-office." Metamora in 1858 was probably as Widely known throughout the county as it is today and it seems to have been quite accessible, if one may draw inferences from a circular printed in that year. The interesting paper was discovered in 1913, while A. L. Guthrie was taking out a. window in the farmhouse of W. S. Edgar, near Seward; and printed on it was the following invitation : Your company is solicited to attend a Ball at the Fulton House, Metamora, kept by H. Culver, on Friday evening, October 8th, 1858. COMMITTEE Wm. Warren, Sylvania; A. Mace, Morenci; A. Randolph, Mon enci J. R. Newcomer, Ottokee ; E. Stow, Ottokee ; A. J. Allman, Centerville; J. Gample, Centerville ; George Nort, Delta; James Packard, Madison ; L. Mason, Fairfield; Dr. Grandee, Fairfield ; R. Carter, Ogden ; M. Richardson, Royalton ; G. F. North, Blissfield Dr. Hill, Royalton Jas. Vaughn, Ai; E. S. Blake, Ai. ROOM MANAGERS W. D. McCan, J. H. Guernsey, J. D. Gistwite. Music by Hancock,s Quadrille Band. Tickets, $2.00." Industrial Metamora, in 1888, embraced : "One saw mill one hotel, kept by Peter Holben ; four dry goods stores, owned by James Garnsey, Edward Duvall, and Fred Prickett; one barber shop." A large cheese factory was also in process of establishment. And the physicians then were Drs. S. M. Clark, Foster, Tompkins, and Markham. HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 319 As now constituted, Metamora is a thriving, self-contained, town ; has an elevator and a 'cement block factory; two good banks, which are referred to in the general chapter on Fulton county banking; two churches; an excellent high school; some up-to-date and completely-stocked stores; a live newspaper; a hotel ; and two restaurants. It is satisfactorily served by the Toledo and Western electric railway. The village of Metamora was granted corporate' powers on June 1, 1893. Its first mayor was James H. Garnsey, George F. Frasch acting at first as clerk, but his duties being soon assumed by F. A. Seeley, who during the last generation has been one of the prominent residents of Metamora. J. Ott, Jr., was elected mayor in 1899; Carson Garnsey, in 1900; H. D. Robinson, in 1901; E. S. Davoll, in 1904; S. A. Morse, in 1908; H. H. Tredway, in 1914; S. A. Morse, in 1916; J. C. Smith, in 1920. H. H. Tredway became village clerk in 1904; J. J. Malone, in 1908; Fred V. Myers, in 1914; and Charles J. Malone in 1920. There are no township records earlier than the current books now in the possession of the present township clerk, and the earlier records cannot be traced; consequently it is not possible to more than state the names of the present township trustees, L. M. Ries, Jacob Schug and Nick Mossing, and present clerk, A. D. Franklin, and to record the information that the first township election was held in 1837, in the log house of David Duncan. One of the early industries of the township was the cheese factory established on section seven, in 1868, by Benjamin Davis, of Royalton. He conducted it for very many years, as the Amboy Cheese Factory, and did a flourishing business, as was to be expected, situated as it was in a growing agricultural district which had practically no other convenient way of marketing its milk product. Conditions have radically changed, since the establishment of the huge evaporated milk plants in and near Fulton county. 320 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY SCHOOLS OF AMBOY TOWNSHIP Early data regarding the Amboy Township schools is not available from official records, all early records having been destroyed, or lost, but Lewis S. Hackett, who passed his boyhood and early manhood years in Amboy, and has maintained a close interest with Metamora and the township, has contributed the following "Recollections of the Schools of Amboy Township seventy years ago." .He writes: "There were only four schoolhouses in Amboy Township in the fall of 1849: one near Metamora; one on a farm now owned by George Davoll, and called Davoll School; one on the town line west, near Santee Corners; and one on east and west road,, west of Bartlett’s Corners, at the intersection of an angling road from Metamora, s. w. to said east and west road. That angling road now only follows where it then did for about forty rods of the six miles of angling road, i. e., for forty rods north of the Petter Berry farm. "The schoolhouses were of log, and very crude at that. I shall never forget my first day at school. We got to my uncle,s, George Hackett, on 20th of September, and the next day, being the last day of school, in the Bartlett School, I, being company, was invited to go with my two cousins, Samuel and Ann Hackett. Miss Melvina Howe was teacher. She ad one small table, about 20x36 inches, having one small drawer. The teacher had a common splint-bottomed chair for herself, but the scholars sat on split-log benches that had no back. There were no desks. "In the fall and winter, of 1&50-51, a new schoolhouse was built about one-half mile west of this one. It was of frame. Margaret 'Fullerton was the first summer teacher, and Naaman Merrill followed in the winter. The school books use'', at that time were: Sander’s Readers, Elementary Spelling; Adams and Colburn’s Arithmetic; Mitchell’s Geography; and Brown’s Grammar. "There was another new schoolhouse built in the Davoll district, about a year later; and also a frame schoolhouse about one-half mile east of Metamora." In about 1861, or 1862, Lewis .S. Hackett commenced teaching in a schoolhouse situated on the town line between Amboy and Fulton townships. That served the children of both townships and the district was known as the Everett, or Sipe, district. Regarding that experience, Mr. Hackett writes: "There was not much difference in wages, then and now. I taught 22 days for a month, and earned $56.00 in four months, or $14.00 a month. The following winter I got $16.00 a month for five months of teaching in the same school, What I lacked in cash for my work was made up to me in my board, as I boarded around the district, as all the teachers did at that time. "At that time (1862) there were seven schoolhouses in Amboy Township. It was quite a habit to have spelling schools, old. fashioned. We would go for miles to one; would choose sides and spell, then spell down, the one last standing being the winner." In 1888, there were five school districts in Amboy Township, sections 4, 7, 16, 26 and 29 each having a schoolhouse; and in addition there was a good village school at Metamora. As redistricted in recent years, the schools of Amboy Township HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 321 include: four one-room elementary schools, valued at $3,700, and affording education to about seventy-two children for a term of 32 weeks; a special rural district, known as Amboy-Richfield, to which go about eighteen children of Amboy Township ; another fractional school district, the Amboy-Fulton, which enrolls about seventeen Amboy scholars; and the Metamora school which is valued at $30,000. It has four rooms for elementary grades, and four for high ; and for the 1919 session one hundred and sixty-six pupils were enrolled, fifty-seven of them for the high school course. C. A. Hudson, district superintendent is a capable educator. In addition, there is the well-attended parochial school at Caragher. CHURCHES OF AMBOY In 1850, stated Lewis S. Hackett, "there was only one church, or meeting house, in our vicinity, none in Amboy Township ; but on the town line between Amboy and Royalton there was a log church, on the Royalton side. It was many years after that that there was one in Metamora." The Methodists were active in Amboy from its early days. The Methodist church referred to by Mr. Hackett as being on the Amboy-Royalton line is probably that to which Historian Verity refers. The last-named authority records the building of a church in that locality in 1867. That probably was a frame edifice built to take the place of the orginal log meeting house. The Metamora M. E. Church history began in 1854, when a Methodist society was organized, the members of which worshipped in a house situated about one mile to the eastward of Metamora. The circuit was composed of Sylvania, Richfield. Centre, Metamora, Tiney, and the Red Schoolhouse, near Lyons. John R. Colgan and Henry Boyers were the visiting ministers, one living in Sylvania, and the other in Swanton. Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Tredway, Mr. and Mrs. 322 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY Simon Ford, Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Parker, Mrs. Winchell, and Mr. and Mrs. Kellogg composed the original membership. The first church building was erected in 1866, in Metamora. That eventually was displaced by the present church, which was built in 1894, at a cost of $4,000. D. B. Nelson is the present pastor. He succeeded G. A. Edmunds. The Reformed Church of Zion was built by German residents in 1870 on section nine. The most prominent pioneer member was Peter Kohl. The United Brethren society at Metamora built a church in 1874, and for many years had a strong membership. The Congregationalists have also within recent years been active in the village, and its Sunday school is a thriving one. Then there is of course the Catholic Church at Caragher. THE HAMLET AND PARISH OF CARAGHER The development of the little village of Caragher is of course closely identified with the history of the Catholic Church of that place, a review of which has been written for this work by the present pastor, the Rev. H. P. Waechter. The review reads, in part: "The Catholic Church of St. Mary,s Assumption, at Caragher, Ohio. is situated three miles south of Metamora, and twenty miles due west of Toledo, on the Central Avenue road. "Members of the Catholic faith began to settle in Amboy Township as early as 1850 . . . . . . . For a few years divine services were held in the homes . . . . . . . by priests, who came from Toledo, Maumee and Providence, at irregular intervals. The first mass in this section was said in 1853, by Rev. F. Foley, in the home of Mr. Forester, about six miles west of where the church now stands. "When the Rev. Barbier was appointed first resident pastor of Six Mile Woods in 1863, he was also given charge of the Catholics in Amboy Township Eventually a movement was started to build a church and organize a regular parish. Accordingly two acres of land were donated in 1867 by Jacob Berrens, for church and cemetery purposes, where the present hamlet of Caragher now lies In the same year a church (frame) 45 x 28 feet, of simple design, was erected, but lack of funds prevented its completion until 1869, when it was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Rapp, Bishop of Cleveland, O. The parish continued to be a mission of Six Mile Woods until 1872. For the next three years, it was served by the Jesuit Fathers from Toledo. When the Rev. J. G. Vogt was appointed pastor of Six Mile Woods in 1875, he was given charge of Caragher parish, the Catholic families of which had by that time increased to thirty-five, and they petitioned the Bishop for permission to build a parochial residence A frame house of humble appointments was built in the autumn of 1876, and it has ever since served as parochial residence. "With a parish of fifty-six families, and enjoying a constant growth, the people petitioned the Bishop to send them a resident priest . . . . . .The bishop finally appointed the Rev. F. Gauthier, D. D. . . . . . to take office on February 8, 1877 . . . . . . . . Bishop Gilmore visited the parish in 1879 and consecrated the cemetery. Soon it was necessary to enlarge the church, by building galleries along both sides. Father HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 323 Gauthier ended his pastorate in December, 1880, and for the next few years, the Revs. Kelly, Mueller, and Norman had charge, successively, of the parish. On August 1, 1883, the Rev. Thomas McGuire was appointed. . . . . . .In 1888 . . . . . . .Msgr. Boff laid the corner-stone of the new church . . . . . . . .and first services were held Feb. 17, 1890 and on November 8th, the church was solemnly dedicated. "The church is a brick building of graceful lines, with stone trimmings 80x40 feet, and has a steeple 90 feet high. In 1892, the parish again became a mission of Six Mile Woods, but a year later, the Rev. John Schaffeld was appointed pastor of St. Mary,s, and remained until 1901, during his pastorate he entirely cleared the church of debt; had the church refurnished; a pipe organ installed; and other church furnishings were placed in position. He was succeeded by Rev. Tom Fahey. A year later, the Rev. W. S. Agle was appointed. He at once began to enlarge and to beautify the parish cemetery. In 1902 the old frame church was remodelled and converted into a parish hall. . With an ever-growing parish, it became necessary, in 1906, to enlarge the brick church, at a cost of nearly $10,000 . . . . . . It now has a length of 127 feet. "Father Agle next sought to establish a parochial school, and . . . . . . accordingly a frame dwelling was built in the rear of the church in the fall of 1909 . . . . . . to serve as a teacher’s residence . . . . . . .It cost less than $2,000. The parish hall was fitted up as a school building, and on Feb. 1, 1910, the parochial school opened with fifty children in attendance. The school has eight full grades, and is taught by the Sisters of St. Dominic. Father Agles, pastorate ended November 27, 1912. He was succeeded by Rev. J. A. Christ. Two years later, the Rev. Albert Zemp was appointed. By this time, the school had outgrown its quarters, and at a meeting of the parish in January, 1915, it was decided to proceed with the erection of a modern brick school building. . . . . . . . . . . A substantial concrete and brick building was erected and solemnly dedicated June 8, 1916, by Bishop Schrembs, D. D. An electric lighting plant was installed, of power adequate to supply all the buildings of the parish with light. The school, electric light plant, and other minor improvements cost about $18,000." Father Waechter became resident pastor in 1917, and at that time the parish was heavily in debt. Chiefly by his efforts and persuasive influence, however, the debt was wholly cleared before the end of last year. The parish now numbers 140 families, and about 110 pupils attend the parochial school. Undoubtedly, St. Mary,s Parish, and the hamlet of Caragher, has grown sturdily. SOCIETIES Apart from the argicultural organizations, there appears to be only one society in Amboy Township, that at Metamora which continues the Sanders Tent, No. 421, of the Knights of Maccabees, organized on January 22, 1900, with the following named Metamora residents as first officers: Everett C. Saunders, corn. ; H. A. Barrett, lt. com. ; John M. Horton, rec. kpr.; Peter Biehl, F. K. ; George F. Fritsch, chaplain; Fred H. Mobus, mat. a. ; Chas. W. Henrick, sent.; Orrine E. Henrick, picket. The chief officers for 1920 are: Justin 324 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY Bartlett, corn.; Melvin Luke, lt. com.; U. D. Saunders, r. k.; Peter Myers, chaplain. POPULATION Previous to the last three decadal census tabulations, the population of Metamora was not made public separately from the figures for Amboy Township, but for these three census years, the figures given for Metamora were: 1900, 263; 1910, 475; 1920, 484. The statistic for Amboy Township for the last fifty years are: 1870, 1089; 1880, 1264; 1890, 1450; 1900, 1423; 1910, 1590; and 1920, 1522. These figures are inclusive of Metamora population, and the 1920 figures are subject to correction, being the "Preliminary Announcement of Population" released by the Bureau of the Census, prior to verification of totals.