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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 75 the campaign of ,56, the Republicans rather got it on us, for the Losure boys, of Wauseon, organized the toughest looking gang you ever saw, armed with clubs and old guns, and they marched up to Ottokee in Quite a procession, with a banner labelled : 'Border Ruffians of Kansas.' That was considered quite unkind. But the great celebration was after election. Then old Ottokee just bloomed. I could not in a half-hour tell of all the deviltry that used to be practiced by winners, on the losers, in old Ottokee after an election. The side that won would form a funeral procession, and get a cabbage head, or beet, or something of that kind, and march to the home of the defeated candidate, with a sheepskin band at their head, and after making the candidate get up, they would proceed solemnly to bury the cabbage, or beet, as an emblem of the defeated one, and hold solemn rites over his grave .,. ...The first modern sort of campaign I remember was in ,60, when the Wide-Awakes were organized, and their torch light procession. They were too many for us then, but we Douglas kids organized the Hickory Sprouts, and gave them the best we knew. And then came the war and many of the jovial spirits forgot politics and political campaigns, and, seeing only that the old flag was endangered, turned their faces south, and marched shoulder to shoulder to the front of battle, many of them never to return; and old Ottokee was gone forever. A different Ottokee took its place I drop a tear in memory of old Ottokee, and in its place there comes a smile of gratification that I ever knew the old town as it really was Old Ottokee contained the choicest collection of good spirits and good men that it has ever been my good fortune to know in the same number of inhabitants." Such were some of the activities that centered in Ottokee during its era of county importance. Other much larger and more promising villages were envious of Ottokee, and" tenaciously pursued the thought of drawing away from it the coveted seat of justice. That could not of course be accomplished without justifiable reason, but as the years passed and both Delta and Wauseon far outstripped Ottokee in business importance and in population, their arguments became more convincing, and that of Wauseon eventually prevailed over Ottokee,s only logical claim, that of its central situation. Wauseon, in 1863, sought to secure the passage of an act by the State Legislature by which the seat of justice would be transferred to itself, if a majority of the citizens voted in favor of such removal. It secured the passage of the act, but the resulting public vote did not bring a majority to Wauseon. In the next year, 1864, Delta, acted similarly, and with like results; excepting that in that year, the agitation was made notable and memorable because of the destruction of the court house, by fire, while the agitation was at its highest. Of course, the razing of the Court House, which had cost the county about $4,000 or $5,000, was regrettable, and some people asserted that it was due to incendiarism ; but the destruction of the whole of the early county records in the conflagration was a more serious loss. The records were lost for all time, but the building could be replaced, as in fact it was, Hiram Pritchard, in 1865, building a new court house, of brick. It was not so commodious as the first frame building, but, it served for court purposes, and a separate building, on adjoining land, was used for offices and apartments of county officials. The transaction of legal business was however accomplished only by 76 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY much unnecessary inconvenience, and Wauseon continued its efforts to secure the county seat. In 1869 another "enabling" act was passed by the State Legislature, and provided that in case a public vote proved that the majority of the people favored such action, the seat of justice could be transferred to Wauseon, if private citizens of Wauseon bore $5,000 of the $25,000 the erection of a new court house and county jail would entail. The responsible leaders of the faction which favored the removal entered upon an active campaign throughout the county prior to the voting date, the campaign committee being composed as follows: N. W. Jewell, chairman ; J. R. Hibbard, secretary ; Alfred C. Hough, John Newcomer, John Spillane, Joel Brigham, Alanson Pike and Anson Huntington. They took advantage of the publicity possible in the local newspapers, the Wauseon "Republican" 'publishing in its columns many explanatory articles. Those who opposed the removal raised the question of the loss to the county, in case of removal, of the land at Ottokee deeded to it by Burdick Burtch, Alonzo Knapp, and William Jones, but opinions, by Judge R. C. Lemmon and Chief Justice Waite, were published to show that by the terms of the deeds the county would still hold the land, even in the event of the removal of the county seat from Ottokee. Livermore and Munn, on September 29, 1869, wrote, for publication in the local newspapers, a letter which promised to "give to the County Commissioners the right to erect the county buildings on our Park, at the south end of Fulton Street, (Wauseon) free of cost to the county" ; and E. L. Barber and John H. Sargent, orginal proprietors of Wauseon, offered to donate lots upon which the court house and county offices might be built ; while the county commissioners, Joseph Ely, A. B. Gunn, and M. C. McCaskey, estimated "that a building suitable for offices and court room can be built at a cost not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars; and that the entire cost of court house and jail will not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars." They also invited "a candid consideration of the facts and figures" proving that a levy of seven mills would be sufficient to cover the cost entailed by removal of the county seat from Ottokee to Wauseon." Thus presented, the question went before the voters; and on this occasion Wauseon received a safe majority of the votes cast. The five thousand dollars demanded of those who desired the change was quickly subscribed and handed to the county commissioners, as was also deed for lots 149 and 189 of the original plat of Wauseon, which lots were situated on the southwest corner of Fulton and Chestnut streets. The contract for the building of a court house was soon afterwards let, to F. M. Brooker, who however failed to give the required bond. The construction was therefore entrusted to Alexander Voss and H. B. Bensman, whose bid was $44,350. This, of course, was far in excess of the estimate made by the commissioners, but apparently the specifications called for a much more pretentious and substantial building than they had had in mind. The court house is, as it quite appropriately should be, one of the finest buildings in the county. It is of brick construction throughout, with tower and belfry, and its interior, even now after a lapse of fifty years, appears adequate for county purposes. The building was first used for court purposes in the early part of 1872. J. W. Roseborough, above date of May 18, 1871, and under the cap- HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 77 tion : "The Last Court at Ottokee," wrote as follows: "The Court of Common Pleas of Fulton County, for the year 1871 has closed its Spring term. Ottokee, for the last time in all probability, has witnessed the people of the county assembling in its limits to attend a county court, and to transact the business pertaining to the highest judicial tribunal of the county. The term was a short, but busy, one. A feeling very similar to that experienced when about to remove from an old house to a new mansion, seemed to be generally felt. Still, it is very doubtful whether the cause of impartial justice can be any more promoted in Wauseon than it has been in Ottokee. But it is probable that Wauseon will be a more convenient and pleasant place for dispensing justice." Evidently, it was not the last term of court at Ottokee, for the same writer, in a letter, addressed from Wauseon, Fulton County, February 22, 1872, begins: 78 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY The county seat in this county has been removed from Ottokee to this place. On the thirteenth of this month, the first term of the Court of Common Pleas commenced here. It was held in the new magnificent court house, and continued one week. There was more than a usual amount of business done by the grand jury." However, the inevitable had happened, and although the county jail continued for some years to be situated at Ottokee, that also eventually was located at Wauseon, its situation being in Chestnut street, immediately in the rear of the court house. Fulton county was making rapid strides. On August 19, 1872, under the nom de plume of "Ranger," a prominent resident wrote to the "Republican" as follows: "To a person who had visited and traversed this county twenty years ago, and who should now do so, the changes that have been made would seem very great. It is doubtful whether another county in the State has made during that time greater and more lasting rural improvements. Large quantities of land which twenty years ago few men would have taken as a present, owing to the wet and swampy condition of the same, has been converted into tillable soil of the very best quality. On the 'openings,' where it used to be said that it would require three acres to grow a single onion, we now see splendid crops growing. Those used to black soil, and accustomed to associate that color with fertility, and vice versa, are surprised to see the yellow sand of these openings producing abundantly every kind of grain. All over the county, the land, the most difficult of cultivation, either has been, or is rapidly being put into a tillable condition. "Everywhere, on the 'openings,' neat residences are being erected, fences built, grounds cultivated, orchards planted, etc., and the whole changed from what once seemed barren desolation, to an appearance of thrift and prosperity. "The extensive and judicious system of drainage, which has ob- 80 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY tained in our county, has been of incalculable service in developing and making available the intrinsic wealth of our soil. The evidence of individual industry and general prosperity, that one everywhere meets in passing over our county, is most cheering. "When we consider the richness of our soil, the intelligence of our people, the number of our churches and schoolhouses, post offices, market and railroad facilities, we have reason to be proud of our county." The reclamation of the Black Swamp has been one of the worthwhile contributions of the state and nation. The pioneers of the county, either in their separate individual capacities, or severally, under the direction of township, and county administrations, undertook a stupendous work, and carried it through to complete success. Ditch draining was begun in 1859, in accordance with the provisions laid down by the State Legislature, and this system has been supplemented by much tilling, individual land owners spending much money in such improvements. The streams of Fulton County are not large, the principal ones being : Bean Creek, or Tiffin River, the largest watercourse in the county. It follows a southwesterly course, through Gorham, Franklin and German townships, having many tributaries which facilitate drainage ; Mill Creek, in northeast Gorham, a small stream ; Brush Creek, which passes through Dover, Clinton, and German townships; Bad Creek, which rises in Pike, touches York, and passes through Swan Creek township, into Henry County, in the south ; Swan Creek, the source of which is in Fulton township. It flows south and east, through Swan Creek Township, into Lucas County ; Blue Creek, which originates in central Swan Creek Township, and flows south, and east into Lucas County ; Ten Mile Creek, which passes through Amboy and Royalton townships, running east and northeast into Lucas County. Fulton County, at its highest point is scarcely 250 feet above lake level, and much of it is low-lying, and the work of reclamation at one time proceeded at such a rapid rate that "at least 100 miles of ditch., ing" had been carried out within the first ten years, from 1859. Ditching projects were begun in 1859 in Royalton, Pike, York, German, Clinton, Franklin, and Swan Creek townships; in Amboy and Fulton townships in 1862; in Chesterfield and Dover townships, in 1864; and in Gorham Township in 1865. And the benefit arising from such work was soon evident throughout the county, very little of which remained uncultivated. Geological, meteorological and phenological conditions in Fulton County have been extensively reviewed in former county histories, especially in Thomas Mikesell,s work (1905), so that it will be unnecessary here to give space to such records. Details of the destruction caused by the most recent tornado- will be found in the chapter devoted to the recording of the history of Swan Creek Township, which suffered so severely from the tornado of 1920. Enterprising pioneers early saw the advantages that would follow improvements in transportation facilities, and even before the erection of Fulton County its pioneers sought to interest capitalists to support the laying of a railroad through the county. In 184647 several supported a project to build a railroad from Cleveland or Norwalk, running westward, and crossing the Maumee River at the foot of the rapids, the intention being eventually to connect with Chicago market. Much work was done, and the abutments of bridge which was to span the HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 81 Maumee began to appear, at least on the southern bank, and surveys had already been undertaken in Fulton County, with the consequent wide discussion such preparations would prompt among a people which had hitherto been denied railway facilities. However, the corporation was evidently not financially strong, and although much of its stock was taken by people of Fulton County, it never carried through the project. Possibly that project, which was known as the Junction Railroad, was abandoned mainly because of the laying of another railway, known as the "Air Line," which was decided upon and carried through with comparatively great rapidity by a much stronger railroad corporation than was that which began the work of laying the Junction Railroad. The coming of the "Air Line" railroad to Fulton County is fully described in the Clinton Township chapter of this work and reference is there made to later railroad developments in the county, making it therefore superfluous to review it further here. Politically, Fulton county in its earliest days, when the principal parties were whig and democratic, was distinctly democratic, the pioneer elections returning only democrats to office. There were however few elective county offices under the old constitution, which placed with the State Legislature the power to appoint county officials other than sheriff and coroner, or to prescribe the mode of filling such offices. It seems that in Fulton County pioneer elections, the elective offices were those of sheriff, auditor, recorder, treasurer, and the three commissioners. The offices of associate judge, clerk of courts, and prosecuting attorney, were appointive. However the new constitution of the state of Ohio came into effect in 1851 under which the offices formerly appointive became elective. Another change was the creation of the office of probate judge, such work under the old order being within the jurisdiction of the common pleas judges. Fulton County does not appear to have elected a coroner until 1864. The whig party was never strong in Fulton county, but a change soon came. James S. Riddle, in his "Short History of Fulton County, Ohio," states that: "The Democratic Convention the same year (1854) nominated Martin H. Butler, of York, as Auditor; Isaac Springer, of Fulton, as Treasurer C. D. Smith, of Royalton, as Sheriff; Wm. Dye, of Clinton, as Commissioner. Some were dissatisfied, and a. people,s convention was called, which nominated M. D. Hibbard, of Dover, as Auditor; Wm. Jewell, as Treasurer; Geo. Taft, of York, as Commissioner; and E. Herrick, as Sheriff. M. D. Hibbard was elected Auditor, and Geo. Taft as Commissioner, the balance of the Democrats were elected by. from 25 to 90 votes." So, the democratic stronghold in Fulton county was undermined, the passing of the whig and the organization of the republican party effecting a distinct change in local politics. Mr. Riddle records that: "In 1856, the republican party was organized, and elected all their officers, except Auditor A. C. Hough, who was elected to that office, being the only successful candidate on the democratic ticket In 1858, James K. Newcomer was elected Recorder on the democratic ticket. That was the last democrat holding a county office until 1880, when George Gasche was elected Commissioner." The republican predominance has continued almost uninterrupted to the present. 82 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY FULTON COUNTY'S CIVIL LIST Although, it is not necessary here to give biographical reviews of those prominent and capable citizens who have participated in the administration of the county, biographical reference being made to many in the township chapters, and extensively to some, in the second, the biographical, volume of this current historical work, it would be proper to list here the names of those who undertook county office. Review of the judiciary and legal offices is made in another chapter, which, with the following statistics will complete the list. Congressmen, and state senators are not listed, the districts covering a greater area than that of Fulton county, and those elected consequently being not always men of Fulton county. It may, however, be stated that the following leading citizens of this. county have held senatorial -office: Dresden W. H. Howard, John A. Wilkins, Joseph H. Brigham, 'William Geyser, John C. Rorick. Beginning, therefore, with state representatives, the statistics are: STATE REPRESENTATIVES 1852, Lucius B. Lathrop ; 1854, Samuel Durgin ; 1856, Lucius H. Upham; 1858, Samuel A. Raymond; 1860, Dennison Steele; 1862, Ezekiel Masters; 1864, Octavius Waters; 1866, E. Masters; 1868, Amos Hill; 1872, Ezra Mann ; 1876, John Fenton ; 1880, Charles L. Allen; 1884, Albert Deyo; 1888, Estell H. Rorick ; 1892, L. G. Ely ; 1896, William A. Scott, Jr.; 1900, Charles L. Allen ; 1904, Frank Briggs; 1908, Arthur B. Canfield; 1912, Frank H. Reighard ; 1918, C. K. Miller. RECORDERS Carl Allman, four years; Joseph Jewell, two years; S. B. Darby, four years; R. H. Howard, three years; J. K. Newcomer, three years; W. H. Stevens, Jr., nine years; Richard Taylor, Albert S. Bloomer, Harrison E. Randall, A. M. Lee, George Lee. II. E. Prentiss, Frank W. Zerman, John Theobald, four years; C. L. Reed, four years; and Ralph Robinson, present occupant. AUDITORS Mortimer D. Hibbard, April, 1850; Alfred C. Hough, October, 1850; Mortimer D. Hibbard, 1854; A. C. Hough, 1856; Jason Hibbard, 1858; Ozias Merrill, 1866; L. G. Ely, 1870; Isaac Springer, 1877; A. W. McConnell, 1883; Thomas Kelley (by appointment), A. W. McConnell, 1888; Wm. W. Croninger, 1889; Harrison W. Ely, 1895; James E. Merrill, 1901; Charles J. Ives, 1908; Wm. W. Ackerman, 1912; Fred E. Perry, 1916-20. COMMISSIONERS Dates up to 1864 cannot, unfortunately, be given, for the records were destroyed in the gutting by fire of the court house, on July 15th of that year, but James S. Riddle gives the terms in office of the early commissioners as follows: Christ. Watkins, six years and six months; HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 83 William Sutton, five years, eight months; Jonathan Barnes, four months; Warren McCutcheon, three years, four months; Stephen Houghton, six years; E. Masters, three years; Joseph Ely, fifteen years (part of which presumably comes into the record after 1864) ; A. B. Thompson, nine years; A. B. Gunn, six years; George Taft, three years; Joel Brigham, five years; James Cornell, ten months; William Dye, six months; Henry Jordan, three years; Elias Richardson, six years. Elias Richardson, apparently, entered upon his second term of three years in 1864, and the record from that year is : Joseph Ely, 1865; A. B. Gunn, 1866; Milton O. McCaskey, 1867; Joseph Ely, 1868; A. B. Gunn, 1869; A. B. Thompson, 1870; H. A. Canfield, 1871; Joseph Shadle, 1872; A. B. Thompson, 1873; D. B. Allen, 1874; Joseph Shadle, 1875; A. B. Thompson, 1876; E. L. Barber, 1877; Richard H. Scott, 1878; Charles Blake, 1879 ; E. L. Barber, 1880; Richard H. Scott, 1881; Charles Blake, 1882; Charles H. VanOstrand, 1883; James C. Vaughan, 1884; Henry H. Williams, 1885; Sylvester W. Baum, 1886; James C. Vaughan, 1887; Daniel T. Biddle, 1888; George W. Walters, 1889; Jonathan C. Cornell, 1890; Daniel T. Biddle, 1891; George W. Walters, 1892; J. C. Cornell, 1893; William A. Fenton, 1894; James K. Campbell, 1895; Leander Buxton; 1896; William A. Fenton, 1897; James K. Campbell, 1898; Leander Buxton, 1899; Edgar Ritchie, 1900; George D. Newcomer, 1901; Charles H. Stutesman, 1902; E. H. Ritchie, 1903; George D. Newcomer, 1904; C. H. Stutzman and John Robasser, in 1906; G. R. Shaffer, E. B. Robinson and C. H. Stutzman, in 1908; G. R. Shaffer, A. Q. Price, and E. B. Robinson, in 1910; A. Q. Price, John Barden and Frank Griffin, in 1912; John Bardin, Frank Griffin and Clark Aumend, in 1914; Clark Aumend, Albert Edgar and E. E. Spring, in 1916; and Charles H. Leist, Albert Edgar, and E. E. Spring, in 1918. TREASURERS The destruction of county records in 1864 makes it impossible now to state the years of office of the first three county treasurers. Nathaniel Leggett took office in 1850, being elected, unopposed, at the April election of 1850. He was treasurer for five years, but whether for five successive years is not clear. Isaac Springer succeeded him, and was treasurer for four years. Next, in order of election to the treasureship was Julius March, who served for four years. L. L. Carpenter was in office in 1864, and altogether served four years. The succession since has been: A. B. Canfield, 1866; David Ayers, 1870; Hiram L. Moseley, 1874; Jared M. Longnecker, 1878; Thomas A. Kelley, 1879; James W. Howard, 1881, John B. Schnetzler, 1885; Jacob S. Newcomer, 1889; A. C. Daniels, 1893; J. F. Grove, 1897; C. E. Guilford, 1901; G. W. Howard, 1905; Dorr S. Knight, 1910; G. Scott Roos, 1914; and C. F. Orth, 1918-20. CORONERS W. M. Schnetzler, 1864; Josiah H. Bennett, 1865; John Fenton, 1866; Charles M. Canfield, 1868; John Odell, 1871; S. T. Worden, 1875; Charles E. Bennett, 1879; George W. Hartman, 1883; L. E. Miley, 1887; S. Odell, 1892; Hal M. Parker, 1896; J. Howard John- 84 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY son, 1901; Louis C. Cosgrove, 1908; Henry W. Shaffer, 1910; C. F. Hartman, 1914; Park S. Bishop (appointed), 1917; John A. Wilkins, 1918. SURVEYORS John Spillane, 1865; 0. E. M. Howard, 1868; Anthony B. Robinson, 1871; Lucius B. Fraker, 1883; M. B. Hoyt, 1892; Frank H. Reighard, 1895; John F. Hettinger, 1902; 0. U. Griffin, 1909; Clyde O. Castle, 1913; Cornelius P. Weber, 1917; R. I. Bernath, 1919. Further statistics will be included in the capter on the Bench and Bar of Fulton county. To close this chapter, it might be appropriate to give census statistics, as far as there is record. The 1840 figures of course are not of Fulton county, but of eight townships of Lucas county, and probably do not include the figures for those portions of Williams and Henry counties ceded to Fulton county when the latter was erected in 1850. And the 1920 figures are only those of the "Preliminary Announcement of Population" issued in June, 1920, by the Bureau of the Census, Washington. However, so far as it is possible to give the statistics, the POPULATION OF FULTON COUNTY According to the decadal census since 1840, is as follows: 1840, 3,190; 1850, 7,780; 1860, 14,043; 1870, 16,089; 1880, 20,114; 1890, 22,023; 1900, 22,801; 1910, 23,914; 1920, 23,445. The township statistics for 1920 are: Amboy, 1,522; Chesterfield, 1,012; Clinton; 4,778; Dover, 990; Franklin, 926; Fulton, 1,677; German, 3,173; Gorham, 2,076; Pike, 1,001; Royalton, 1,135; Swan Creek, 2,356; and York, 2,835 These figures include the population of the incorporated places of the county. The separate figures for these incorporated places are: Archbold, 1,125; Delta, 1,543; Fayette, 936; Lyons, 329; Metamora., 484; Swanton, 1,243.; and Wauseon, the county seat, 3,035. CHAPTER V FULTON COUNTY'S WAR RECORD Fulton county was not organized until 1850, and was not settled until 1833, anterior to which its inhabitants were of Indian tribes. Yet, Fulton county may claim that its military history began with the Revolutionary war, for at least one of its ultimate residents saw national service in that portentous struggle which was destined to give the United States a place among nations.. Ephraim Pennington, who came with his son, William to Fulton county in 1847, and settled in Chesterfield Township, where he died at the venerable age of ninety years, was a soldier of the Revolution, and as such is en-titled to the place of honor in the record of the patriots of Fulton county. Next, chronologically, come those patriots who offered and gave their services to the nation in the War of 1812. Names listed below are those of veterans of that war who later became residents of Fulton county, and were eventually buried within its borders. There were twenty-two, in all: Abbott, Henry Knapp, Archy Shepler, Martin, Barden, Jacob Lamb, Avery Smith, William Briggs, Alanson Marks, Comfort Tiney, Richard Bundy, Caleb Robinson, William Trowbridge, Willard Carpenter, Samuel Root, Jesse Wilbur, Radford Culver, Timothy Saulpaugh, Philip R. Wilson, William M. Huntington, Alanson Sheely, Andrew Wilbur, John Morse. Gorsuch, Nathan Then there were those resolute men, of the actual early settlers in what is now part of Fulton county, who rallied to the call of the state; when it seemed that war with Michigan would result from' the boundary dispute in the '30s, but the names of those mobilized men can hardly be brought into this record, 'for war did not then come, fortunately. THE CIVIL WAR The great test of patriotism came in 1861-65, and in the records of that dark time of civil war Fulton county has a glorious place, giving practically all of its physically-fit man-power to the Union. When it is known that the population of Fulton county in 1861 was only about fourteen thousand, and that during the years of war it sent into the field much more than a thousand men it will be realized how strong was the spirit of patriotism, and how brave the hearts, within the sturdy frames of the pioneer settlers of Fulton county. During America's part of the World war, 1917-18, Fulton county sent into service about eight hundred men, out of a population of 86 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY more than 24,000. The Civil war period will be thus, in this respect, the most glorious in the war history of Fulton county. Space is not here available, unfortunately, to enter as fully as former historical works have into the restating of the deeds of the various military units in which Fulton county men were during the Civil war. It is therefore pleasing to know that complete record has already permanent place in county and national historical works, and that thus the sacrifices and triumphs of the noble men who marched away from Fulton county to emancipate the slave have been placed in proper record for posterity. Briefly reviewing the Civil war period of Fulton county history, it should be stated that, according to former county historians, 2,207 Fulton county men actually entered the service, and that of that number 1,457 men were mustered into the service for three years; 102 men for one year of service, 94 men for six months of service; 216 men for three months; 254 for an enlistment of 100 days; and the remainder for miscellaneous periods in various regiments. Those statistics are taken from the military chapter, written by Maj. Moses R. Brailey, for the "History of Henry and Fulton Counties" (Aldrich, 1888). There probably, however, was some duplication, and the names of some would appear in the rosters of more than one regiment, or unit. Consequently, for the present recording, the list compiled for the purposes of the Fulton County Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial and Monumental Association, by Allen Shadle, commander of the Losure Post, No. 35 (Wauseon) of the Grand Army of the Republic, will be taken. Said list shows the names of only 1,318 men, but it was patiently and painstakingly compiled, with a particular and important object in view, and may be assumed to be the most authentic list extant. It opens with the names of Fulton county men who saw service with the SIXTY-EIGHTH INFANTRY, which was recruited in the counties of Defiance, Fulton, and Henry, Paulding and Williams, during the autumn and winter of 1861-62. The regiment commenced to rendezvous at Camp Latty, Napoleon, Ohio, on November 21, 1861. On January 5, 1862, the regiment moved to Camp Chase, where it remained until February 7th, when it was transferred to Fort Donelson, Tennessee, at which station it arrived on the 14th. It took part in the operations there, being assigned. to Gen. Charles F. Smith's division. After the surrender, the regiment encamped near Dover until the 15th of March, when it moved to Metal Landing, on the Tennessee, and from there to .Cramp's Landing, and thence to Pittsburgh Landing, in this time being reduced in numbers, chiefly by sickness, from 1,000 to 300 men. At Pittsburgh Landing it was part of Gen. Lew Wallace's division. It took part in the operations before Corinth, and after the evacuation was stationed at Bolivar, Tennessee. The regiment closed the campaign of 1862 by forming the advance of an expedition which attempted to get into the rear of Vicksburg, by way of Holly Springs and Granada, Mississippi. After the surrender of Holly Springs, the Sixty-Eighth returned to Memphis. During the campaign in Mississippi. the regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade, Third Division HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - 87 Seventeenth Army Corps, as a unit of which it remained until the close of the war. During its term of service, the regiment was on the "sacred soil" of every rebel state except Florida and Texas. It marched over seven thousand miles, and travelled by railroad and steamboat over six thousand miles. Between 1,900 and 2,000 men belonged to the regiment, and of these ninety per cent were native Americans, the others being German, Irish, or English. The muster out rolls were signed on the 10th of July, and the regiment was ordered from Louisville, Kentucky, to Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, for payment and discharge, which was accomplished on the 18th of July, 1865. The record of the regiment was a worthy one. The regiment was organized in the State of Ohio, at large, in October, November and December, 1861, to serve three years. On the expiration of its term of service, the original members, except veterans, were mustered out, and the organization, composed of veterans and recruits, retained in service until July 10, 1865. The list of battles "compiled after careful research, credits this regiment with participation in the following: Thompson's Hill, Mississippi, May 1, 1863; Champion Hills, Mississippi, May 16, 1863; siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, May 18 to July 4, 1863; Clinton and Jackson, Mississippi, February 5, 1864; Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia, June 9 to 30, 1864; Big Shanty, Georgia, June 15, 1864; Kenesaw Mountain, general assault, June 27, 1864; Atlanta, Georgia, (Hood's first sortie) July 24, 1864; siege of Atlanta, Georgia, July 28 to September 2, 1864; Jonesboro, Georgia, August 31 to September 1, 1864; Lovejoy Station, Georgia, September 2 to 6, 1864. As will have been noticed, the Sixty-Eighth Regiment took part in Sherman's famous march to the sea. Many Fulton county men stayed with it until the final muster out, but individual service records cannot be here stated. The Fulton county men of the Sixty-Eighth Regiment were: |
Austin, James Bates, Charles Biery, Samuel Bartlet, Jacob Baer, Abe Brink, Watson Belding, Mortimer Bayes, Thomas Barnes, F. M. Burk, F. M. Burk, J. Clark, W. B. Cornell, Charles W. Cox, .S. Culbertson, J. Coleman, John Coleman, Benj. Coleman, Oscar Creglow, Noah Dickson, C. Eaton, Ezra |
Emerick, J. P. Fowler, John Fowler, Ben Fouty,S. Foster, D. Ford, Henry F. Galman, Joseph Galbraith, James Graetz, F. L. Grice, F. Hall, Morgan Highshew, W. H. Hart, Julius Hayward, R. D. Hall, L. Hoffmire, J. R. Higby, W. Hutchins, M. Hale, Smith Jones, D. W. Losier, J. J. |
Lyons, E. Lorimer, L. L. Lyon, S. Lingle, B. Lingle, Elmer Y. Lingle, W. A. Mattison, G. F. Miller, S. A. Markley, G. H. Mikesell. J. B. Miley, Ben Miller, Warren T. Myers, Lorenzo, Myers, Herman Myers. George W. Miller, Eli Moyer, Daniel Osborn, Geo. Oldfield, Gilbert Onweller, James Palmer, Martin |
88 - HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY |
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Pontious, David Pomeroy, Timothy Pannel, J. Purdy, A. Purdy, J. Rashley, Solomon, Richards, Israel Richards, W. S. Richards, Curtis Reece, S. Reece, C. M. Remo, Fred Radcliff, T |
Raker, Oliver Rosey, Joseph Roger, Elmer Robinson, Frank B.. Robinson, Lorenzo Sommers, Martin Shank, H. Skeels, Nelson Sheelenberger, D. Sweeney, Elijah Scott, Caleb Stewart, J. C. Schenk, Henry, |
Schenk, Conrad Stites, J. B. Stites, Amaza Tator, Hiram Turpining, W. Warner, D. Warner, 0. B. Wilcox, Willian Waters, W. A. Wilcox, A. Williams, Wm. Wright, Nathan |
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The majority of these men belonged to 'Company E. which was commanded by a gallant Fulton county man, Nelson A. Skeels, until. he was killed in action, in the battle of Atlanta, Georgia, July 22, 1864. Next on the list is the EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY which was recruited from the northern counties of Ohio, for a sere ice of six months. Fulton county contributed one whole company. Company H. The regiment was organized at Camp Cleveland, and recruited to a full regiment in the months of June and July, 1863. At about the time of its organization, the rebel general, John Morgan, was making his northern raid through Indiana into Ohio. The regiment therefore went at once actively into the field, and on arrival of the unit at Zanesville, 200 men, under Lieutenant-Colonel McFarland, were sent to Eagleport, where it was thought Morgan would attempt to cross the Muskingum. The detachment arrived just in time to witness the crossing of the rearguard. Colonel McFarland, by skirmishing detained the enemy, thus helping General Shackleford who was pursuing. The remainder of the Eighty-Sixth were soon on the spot and joined in the pursuit, the rebels eventually being overtaken and captured, near Salineville, Columbiana county. Thus, the Eighty-Sixth, in its "Baptism of Fire" acquitted itself creditably. It did much other useful service during that year, particularly at Cumberland Gap, and on the 16th of January, 1864, the time for which the regiment was enlisted having expired, the unit began its march to Ohio, after seven days reaching Nicholsville. It arrived at Cleveland on January 26, 1864, and was mustered out on the 10th of February, of that year. The list gives the following names as those of Fulton county men who saw service with the Eighty-Sixth Regiment of Infantry :
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