(RETURN TO THE HENRY & FULTON COUNTY INDEX) 300 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES, ness is remarkable, rendering it quite impossible with the eye to discover the direction of their slope. The beach ridges have but a small area, but crossing many farms otherwise destitute of sand, they form a desirable variety. Besides the upper ridge, the position of which in Gorham has been described, another, constituting the third beach, is well defined. Beginning on the Michigan line three miles west of Metamora it curves abruptly, first east and then south. Proceeding nearly south to the village of Ai, it then curves so as to take a course a little west of southwest, touches the northwest corner of Swan Creek township, passes through the village of Delta, and leaves the county near the middle of Clinton township. In its general character it is sandy, but at several points where its dimensions are small, it is formed of fine gravel. These gravel and sand ridges are desirable for roads, and are used at numerous places. In the northeast part of German township are several parallel ridges of fine sand, that are possibly beaches. They run from the edge of the central sandy plateau southwest over the clay plain, in which they are finally lost. In the regions of the deep sand a large part of the surface consists of a succession of knolls, or dunes, and short ridges, the latter being, occasionally, traceable for some miles. Interspersed with these, and enclosed by them, are numerous marshes, or wet prairies, large and small, which are slowly building up their surfaces with accumulating muck. When first occupied by the whites the only trees on these tracts were oaks, and these so sparsely set that their tops, as a rule, did not meet, and a wagon might be driven in nearly any direction. From this fact the county became known as the " oak openings." With the discontinuance of the annual fires set by the Indians, a dense growth of oak sprung up in many places, but the lightest of the sand acquired only a scrubby undergrowth. The more dry parts of the prairies became grown thickly with aspens, which also dates from the cessation of the fires. These deep sands cover a fourth part of the county. The principal tract is central, including central and southern Chesterfield, the western half of Pike, and a small area in southwestern Royalton. In the southeast the county limits include a portion of a much larger district that forms a broad belt in Lucas, Henry and Wood counties. In this county it covers the southeastern two-thirds of Swan Creek township, and a small portion of York. There can be no doubt that this sand, of whatever depth, rests on clay, and all around the margins of these tracts are belts of country, often several miles in width, where the sand is thinner, so that the underlying clay may be met in digging a few feet, and forms an impervious subsoil that checks largely the leaching tendencies of the sand. These belts have been as well timbered as the clay lands, and at their margins pass gradually into them. The depth of the drift as shown by examinations made in various localities, is about as follows : Archbold, one hundred and forty-six feet ; at Wauseon, one hundred FULTON COUNTY - 301 and sixty-six feet ; at Delta, eighty-five feet ; at Phillip's Corners, one hundred and fifty feet ; at Matamoras, one hundred and forty-five feet ; Fulton township, eighty feet. The water supply in the deep sand district is derived by shallow %veils from the sand. Elsewhere recourse is had to the deep-seated reservoirs in the Erie clay, and these are reached by boring. In frequent instances the clay has been penetrated to its base, but no supply obtained ; still more commonly water is found at the base, and even above it. There exist no surface indications, nor other data from which to anticipate results, and it is a notorious fact that of two holes bored but a few rods apart, one may furnish an abundance of water, and the other none. When reached, the water generally rises nearly to the surface, and in some limited districts overflows, making artesian wells ; the belt of these, already described as crossing Williams county between the Ridge and Beam Creek, crossing Franklin and terminating in Gorham township. A fountain well is known in Clinton township. The water has the same general character, and the same variety, as that of Williams county. Clay, suitable for making brick, can be found in abundance in every township, and a quality adapted to the manufacture of tile is not uncommon. Bricks are made to some extent, and the manufacture of drain-tiles, although a comparatively recent industry, it is now large and still growing. The people realize the importance of a thorough under-drainage to accomplish the best results in agricultural pursuits. This is all the more apparent in this county where the land is very flat. The excessive moisture became an evil, but unstinted ditching under competent direction, together with the free under-drainage system that has marked the county during the past ten years, has made it one of the richest and most productive counties of the northwest territory of Ohio. Endowed with no natural facilities for manufacture, she has had of necessity to become almost purely a farming county, and readily and heartily have her people responded to this necessity, and its results are shown in the full and abundant crops of each season. The deposit known as peat or muck, is found in moderate quantities in the marshes of the sand districts. This is serviceable as a top-dressing for the light sand lands. Marl is also found in the marshes, upon the borders of the sand areas, where there has been some drainage from the clay land. Bog iron ore has been found in similar situations, and, possibly, may be found to exist in considerable quantities. The existence of petroleum in this and adjoining counties is a known fact, but that it need not be sought or expected in paying quantities in this locality, is indicated by the experimental borings that have been made. Still, this nonsuccess, is not a sure guarantee that valuable oil deposits are not underlying this county. It was thought that in earlier days there were sure surface indications that would denote the presence of this product, but later theories, and later results, have exploded this fallacy. Borings for water that reached the 302 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. underlying black shale have, in several instances, penetrated at the bottom of a gravel saturated with oil, and the discovery of a local deposit would not be remarkable. Still, a practical and well informed oil producer would naturally be inclined to the belief that this region is " off the belt." But this theory proves nothing, as oil, in limited quantities has been obtained, and whether it exists in quantities sufficient to warrant its production, remains for future demonstration. An accurate record, kept by M. Britton, during the process of boring at Wauseon, the depth attained being over twenty-one hundred feet, will show through what deposits the drill passed, and the thickness of strata. From the surface to the shale or slate rock, the drift measured one hundred and fifty-six feet, and from thence downward as follows : Black shale, 94 feet; soft limestone, 30 feet ; black shale, 70 feet; lime, 27 feet ; hard brown lime, 15 feet ; soft lime, 20 feet ; soapstone, 5 feet ; hard brown lime, 15 feet; white lime, 60 feet ; brown hard lime, 45 feet ; magnesia, 5 feet ; light brown lime, 15 feet ; lime and magnesia, 10 feet ; chalk, 5 feet ; light lime, 20 feet ; dark hard lime, 15 feet ; white pebble sand, 20 feet ; light slate, 15 feet ; hard white lime, 65 feet ; floating sand over coal, 1 foot ; coal, 8 feet ; soapstone, to feet; water lime, 70 feet ; drab lime, 35 feet ; hard lime with iron, 130 feet ; water lime, 45 feet ; brown hard lime, 48 feet ; dark drab lime, 25 feet; white marble, 110 feet ; dark lime, 90 feet ; colored marble, 120 feet; dark lime, 53 feet; slate, 93 feet ; dark slate, 280 feet ; black slate, 3 t0 feet ; slate and Trenton rock, 30 feet. CHAPTER XXXIII. Showing Titles, Grants and Survey s. Native and Foreign, to the Soil of Fulton County. THE territory now known as Fulton county, and now included in Ohio, was first explored, with its contiguous territory, by Chevalier Robert de la Salle, a French fur trader, who came to the valley of the Maumee in 1679, and where, in 1680, he built a small stockade fort at Miami, just below the present site of Maumee proper. The French claimed the country, and repelled by force of arms, every counter claim of the English-speaking settlers, who held under grants from Kings George or James of England, until 1763. For generations after the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, in October, 1492, the country was the subject of wild conjecture and tales of wonder by the whole European world, and its visitors and explorers were but civilized ruffians whose only object was gain of gold and diamonds, and favor of their superiors. FULTON COUNTY - 303 It is quite probable that this northwestern territory was first visited and settled by white men (French) a few years earlier than the visit of La Salle. Father Marquette, a French Catholic missionary, visited the Upper Lakes in 1668, and founded missions at Detroit and other places. Father Marquette has undoubtedly the credit of being the first white settler west of the Ohio. Yet history says, " early in the seventeenth century, before the landing of the pilgrims on Plymouth Rock, the northwest, and more particularly the Upper Lakes, were visited by French explorers, missionaries and fur-traders, and this whole country west of the Alleghanies at once became familiar to them, a race of semi-vagabonds, acting in the interest of the French fur-trading companies. This knowledge of the country gave to the French what they claimed a pre-empted right to this whole country west of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi River, and north to the Arctic Ocean," over which they placed rulers as early as 1663. Robert de la Salle was the first to set up the tri-color of France, under a commission from Louis XIV, its king. This whole vast wilderness region was under the control of France just one hundred years, when the whole territory passed into the hands of the English by the treaty of Paris, 1763, France ceeding all her American possessions east of the Mississippi River to the North Sea. Thus finally ended French jurisdiction over the vast western domain, of which they had claimed ownership, by right of discovery, for at least one hundred and sixty years and during this time of ownership by the French, it was recognized as the Province of Quebec, of which the city of Quebec was the capital. Soon after that territory passed under British rule, the most of the Indian tribes in the west were dissatisfied with the English and preferred the French control, who, under the lead of Pontiac, an Ottowa chief, who lived on Pechee Island about eight miles above the city of Detroit, and who at this time was Grand Sachem of all the Indian tribes in the west, some twelve in all. In May, 1763, they made a simultaneous attack upon several forts, among them was Forts La Boeuf, Venango, Presque Isle, Michillimacinac, St. Joseph, Miami, Green Bay, Ouitonon, Pittsburgh, Sandusky, Niagara and Detroit, and by the secret aid of the French, the attack resulted in the most frightful massacre of the English garrisons at all the points except Detroit, Pittsburgh and Niagara. Those conquered fell into the hands of the savages. This success upon their part led to a succession of hostilities, which for a time retarded any rapid occupation of this country by the whites. No acme of peace was established until August 20, 1794, when occurred the final struggle between the Indian and American forces, the latter under General Anthony Wayne, on the lower Miami (or Maumee), which broke the strength of Indians and their white allies. But to return to our historical intentions of titles etc., in connection with events as they transpired. A little over one hundred years ago at a regular session of the House of Burgesses of 304 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. the colony of Virginia, March 1, 1784, by an act that body ceded all the territory northwest of the Ohio River, to the United States. Then, thereafter, by subsequent acts of the Federal Congress, the cession was ratified July 13, 1787, which is generally called the "Ordinance of Freedom;" aside from some minor titles, Virginia had claimed title to the whole of this northwestern territory, by its several charters granted by James the I, of England, bearing dates respectively April 10, 1606; May 23, 1609; March 12, 1611, and likewise by subsequent conquest. That Virginia had a paramount title above all other claims, when the prehistoric facts are all set forth, is undeniable, Under these she asserted ownership and exercised a nominal jurisdiction over the whole territory, as early as 1769, on the western boundary east of the Mississippi River. But whatever the claim was founded upon, the State legislature of Virginia waived all title and ownership to it (except to the Virginia military district) and all authority over it by directing the representatives of said State (Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee, and James Monroe) to cede to the United States all right, title and claim, as well of sale as of jurisdiction, excepting as above, to the secretary of said State, lying and being to the northwest of the Ohio River. New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, soon after the treaty of peace of 1784, and for some time before, had asserted claims to a portion of this northwest territory, and now composing the State of Ohio, although it was at once apparent that said claims were overlaping those of James I to the colony of Virginia, as facts seem to determine. Smucker, in his paper in the Ohio statistics of 1877, says: " The charter of Massachusetts, upon which that State's title was based, was granted within less than twenty-five years after the arrival of the Mayflower, and that of Connecticut, bearing date March 19, 1631, both embracing territory extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean; and that of New York, obtained from Charles the Second, March 2, 1664, included territory that had beenpreviously granted to Massachusetts and Connecticut ; hence the conflict of claims between these States, their several charters covering, to some extent, the same territory ; and hence, also, their contest with Virginia as to a portion of the soil of Ohio." Probably the titles of some, or all, of the aforesaid contesting States were in some way affected by the provisions of treaties with the Iroquois, or by the fact of their recognition by them, as appendants of the government of New York. New York's deed of cession was considered and favorably reported upon by a committee of Congress, May 1, 1782; and by like acts of patriotism, magnanimity and generosity to those of New York and Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut soon followed by similar acts of relinquishment of title, or by corresponding deeds of cession to the United States. The Legislature of Massachusetts, on the 13th day of November, 1784, authorized her delegates in Congress to cede the title of that State to all the territory west of the western boundary of the State of New York to the United States, and the measure FULTON COUNTY - 305 was consummated in 1785. Connecticut, in September, 1786, ceded all her claims to soil and jurisdiction west of what is now known as the Western Reserve, to the United States. Five hundred thousand acres of the western portion of the Western Reserve was set apart for the relief of the Connecticut sufferers by fire, during the Revolution, since known as the Firelands,' the Indian title to which was extinguished by the treaty of Fort Industry (now Toledo), in 1805, Charles Jouett being the United States commissioner, and the chiefs of the Shawnees, Delawares, Wyandotts, Chippewas, Ottawas, and some minor tribes, representing the interest of the Indians. The remainder of the Western Reserve tract, amounting to about three million acres, was sold, and the proceeds dedicated to educational purposes, and has served as the basis of Connecticut's common school fund, now aggregating upwards of two millions dollars. Jurisdictional claim to the Western Reserve was ceded by Connecticut to the United States, May 30, 801." So ends all the conflicting claims by grants or right of discovery, and the ordinance of Virginia, fully and unequivocally, and forever, places the great Northwest from under the shadows of these accumulated claims to territory, as far as the white race is concerned. We yet have to deal with the claims of the red man. As we must all admit, he was here before the advent of Europeans upon its soil ; that he has, at least, a possessory right. To this land he held the right of preemption, " the time whereof the memory of man ran not to the contrary ;" and superadded to this, "a patent from the Great Spirit, which established his right on solid ground." The first adventurers held that their Christian civilization gave to them a supremacy, and that the pagan world had no rights which they were bound to respect ; a doctrine they fully carried out in the first two hundred years after the discovery of America. When we reflect on what has been done, and view these past centuries over, and that now, in our greatness and acme of boasted civilization, the words of Cowper may justly apply to us : " O, could those ancient Incas rise again, How would they take up Israel's taunting strain ! Art thou, too, fallen, Iberia? Do we see The robber and the murderer, weak as we ? Thou, that has wasted earlh, and dared despise Alike, the wrath and mercy of the skies, Thy pomp is in the grave, the glory laid Low in the pits thine avarice has made. We come with joy from our eternal rest, To see the oppressor in his turn oppressed. Art thou the God, the thunder of whose hand Rolled over all our desolated land ; Shook principalities and kingdoms down, And made the mountains tremble at His frown ? The sword shall light upon thy boasted powers, And waste them us they wasted ours. 'Tis thus, Omnipotence, his law fulfills, And vengeance executes what justice wills." 306 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. Now, as the treaty of Paris, of 1763, had adjusted all the disputes between the two rival governments for the possession of American territory, at which time all of the vast French possession, east of the Mississippi River, passed to and under the control of the government of Great Britain, and aside from her charter titles named, she based further claims by treaties with the great Iroquois, or Six Nation Indians, who claimed to have conquered the whole country, from the Atlantic Ocean on the east, to the Mississippi on the west, and from the lakes, north, to the Carolinas, south, and hence claimed that they were owners and had full power to dispose of the same. Great Britain, from 1763, retained possession until the close of the War of the Revolution, when by the treaty of Paris, in 1783, and so ratified by the American Congress in January, 1784, possession and government passed to the United States in October, 1784. That prior to this treaty with the British government, it is understood that by the terms of the treaty held at Fort Stanwix, that the principal chief of the Six Nations confirmed the Fort Stanwix treaty of 1784. As the Six Nations, having taken part with England in the Revolution, when the king's power fell in America, the Indian nations were reduced to the miserable alternative of giving up so much of their country as the Americans required, or the whole of it. That in said treaty the title of the Six Nations was extinguished through all the valley of the Ohio, and by them Great Britain claims to have acquired a full right to soil and complete and undisputed jurisdiction. That the treaties of Fort McIntosh and Finney, alone, held respectively in January, 1785 and 1786, the Indian titles to all this territory west of the Cuyahoga River, and east of a line directly south from the mouth of the Maumee at its confluence with Lake Erie ; that in this soil and jurisdiction passed as well as the good will and perpetual peace of said nation. It is conjectured, and perhaps well, too, that the Indians were held in the military arena of this country by a few unprincipled speculators, and that they were the moving springs for their tardy adherence to treaties made and concluded at different times and places ; that the principal of them were McKee, Simon Girty and one Elliott, who, for gain, conceived that if the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers were made the boundaries in settlement, it would be no difficult matter for them to purchase it with trifling articles, and the worst of all fire water (whisky), of which they largely dealt in at their trading- post, Detroit. The conclusions of these treaties were anything but satisfactory to them; and with the battle at Presque Isle (Erie, Pa.), forever resigned their hopes. They had seen the Indian nations hopelessly defeated in all their contending conflicts with the white, which proved to be the Indian's destruction. It is from these three men and their teaching, that most of the inhuman barbarities of the Indians came, in the West. Immediately after the severe campaign of General Anthony Wayne, upon the Maumee, and the successful defeat of the Indians at the battle of Fallen FULTON COUNTY - 307 Timbers, August 20, 1794, just above the rapids on the Maumee, and the removal of their British allies, peace again smiled, and men again appeared in their genuine manhood as worthy of the heroic age of the West ; as having secured peace with the savages, and relief from their horrible atrocities. The government took immediate steps to secure a further gratuity of relief by the treaty of Greenville, which was concluded August 3, 1795, in which the Indians agreed to a permanent peace. The Indians, as a price of their further peace, gave up an extensive tract of country, south of the lakes and west of the Ohio, and such other tracts as comprehended all the military posts in the western region. And, as a guarantee, the government, as a gratuity, gave them $20,000 in goods, and further agreed to pay them $9,000 a year, forever to be divided among the twelve tribes, then in council, in proportion to their numbers ; and further agreed not to sell or dispose of their right to soil, or pass jurisdiction to any person or persons, or power other than the United States, which gave permanent peace to the country until the War of 1812. Long before the white man had put foot upon the valley of the Maumee, or its adjacent territory, there dwelt and roamed over this unbounded forest a powerful tribe of Indians, known as the Pottawatamies, with the fragment of another tribe named the Tawas, who had long been accustomed to hardships in every form, and taught to consider themselves invincible. They had learned to regard life as valueless, if its price was victory. Their hunting grounds were boundless, and game was plentiful from Lake Erie to Lake Michigan. Let it be said, to the honor of these Indians, that their white brethren were very seldom molested. Hull's Treaty.—In the year 1807, at a council held with the dusky sons of the forest, at Detroit, November 17th, called by Governor Hull, who was then governor of the northwestern territory, they ceded the lands in the south part of Michigan, and the northern part of Ohio, to the whites. The tribes in council were the Chippewas, Ottawas, Wyandottes and Pottawatamies, who were the original owners. Boundaries. —The boundaries fixed by that treaty were as follows: Beginning at the mouth of the Miami (now Maumee) of the lakes, running thence up the middle of said river, to the mouth of the great Auglaize River; thence running due north one hundred and thirty-two miles, until it intersects a parallel of latitude to be drawn from the outlet of Lake Huron, which forms the River St. Clair ; thence northeast, the course will lead in a direct line to White Rock, Lake Huron; thence due east until it intersects the boundary line between the United States and Upper Canada, in said lake, through the river St. Clair and the Detroit River into Lake Erie, to a point due east of the Miami River ; thence to the place of beginning, now embracing about two hundred and sixty townships of Ohio and Michigan. This treaty did forever extinguish all the Indian titles within said boundaries and no subsequent Indian claims have been attempted. 308 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. Treaty of Chicago. —In 1821 a further treaty was made at Chicago, by which the Indian title to all the lands in the territory south of the Grand River was relinquished to the government of the United States, which cleaned out all the Indian titles west of the west treaty line, made by Governor Hull, at Detroit in 1807. These treaties comprehended all the lands in central and southern Michigan, and a large area in northern Ohio, and relinquished every vestige of Indian titles to all the lands now within the limits of Fulton county, except a special grant of a few sections in the southeast corner of said county, which was afterwards sold to the white settlers. That after the acts of cession from the Virginia colonies were fully completed and confirmed by the Congress of the American colonies, July 13, 1787, that same Congress appointed Arthur St. Clair governor of the Northwest Territory, who arrived at Marietta, July 9, 1788, nearly one year after the cession, and entered forthwith upon the duties of his office. On July 27, 1788, Governor St. Clair by proclamation, established the county of Washington, including all the territory east of the Sciota River, north to Lake Erie. The balance of the present limits of Ohio, reaching south to the present center of the State, was considered unorganized territory. On August 15, 1795, it, with the whole peninsula between the lakes, now called Michigan, was organized into one county, called Wayne. The county seat of the same was fixed at the city of Detroit (then but a military post), and remained so until Ohio was admitted into the Union, February 19, 80-3, when the boundary line upon the north between it and the unorganized territory was established, at what is now termed the " Fulton line," which was afterwards run as established by the ordinance of 1787. Before this Northwestern Territory was subdivided into independent government divisions, the seat of government was at Chillicothe, 0., to which Wayne county sent one delegate until the year 1800. In this year the Territorial Legislature convened at Cincinnati, at which the county of Wayne was represented by three citizens of Detroit, to wit, Solomon Sibley, Jacob Visgar and Charles F. Chohart de Joncaire. It was in this year that the Northwestern Territory was divided into two governments called "the Eastern and Western Divisions." The western was called Indiana, and the eastern the "Old Government of Ohio," The county of Wayne was, however, excluded from any representation at Cincinnati in 1800, in forming the first constitution of Ohio, or in the organization of the State ; nor had the Maumee country any representation in the first Legislature of Ohio, which assembled at Chillicothe on the 1st day of March, 1803. It was at this time that all of the unorganized territory (after the State of Ohio assumed State relations), was organized under the name of the " Indiana territory." In 1805 the Indiana Territory was subdivided, and the northern part (all north of the Fulton line, the boundary line of the ordinance of 1787), FULTON COUNTY - 309 was organized into the Territory of Michigan, which gave the northern half of the present limits of Fulton county to the jurisdiction of the Territory of Michigan, which she as a territory controlled and held under government relations for thirty years or more, until December, 1836, when the question of jurisdiction was settled in Congress, by the Territory of Michigan relinquishing all right to soil and jurisdiction south of what is called the " Harris line " (the present line of the State). This territory remained the county of Wayne until 1817, when the Territorial Legislature of Michigan organized the county of Monroe, and established the county seat at the city of Monroe, at the mouth of the River Raisin, and so held jurisdiction for nine years. In 1826 the county of Monroe was further subdivided and the western portion erected into the county of Lenawee (an Indian name signifying man), and so remained until the transfer of this territory to Ohio, in December, 1836. Tecumseh was fixed as the county seat. This county to the Fulton line, was surveyed by one Joseph Fletcher, in 1819, and finished when, by a proclamation of the president of the United States, March 15, 1820, it was ordered to be sold at public sale, July 4, 1820. (Where the sale took place we are not informed.) Thus, while Michigan was under territorial rule from 1805 to 1835, she was ruled over; by the following governors respectively : William Hull, from 1805 to 1814; Lewis Cass, 1814 to 1832; George B. Porter, of Pennsylvania, 1832 to 1834; Steven T. Mason, 1834 to 1835 ; John S. Horner, 1835; Steven T. Mason, from 1835 to its admission as a State. It was during the territorial government of the last named governor, Steven T. Mason, that occurred what is known in history as the " Toledo War," which was caused by a misunderstanding about the boundary line between the State of Ohio and the Territory of Michigan, and culminated in calling out the militia upon both sides, in September, 1835, by an attempt of Ohio to resurvey the Harris line. Prior to this difficulty the General Assembly of Ohio, in 1807, under a resolution from that body, instructed its representatives in Congress to use their influence to obtain the passage of a law to ascertain and define the northern boundary line of the State, and fix the same agreeable to the proviso. In 1812, the surveyor-general of the United States caused two lines to be run, one in conformity with the enabling act of Congress, and another as called for by the proviso. It was not until 1816 that William Harris concluded his survey, to which Ohio claimed as by the proviso. In 1818 John A. Fulton, under instructions from the surveyor-general of the United States, completed his survey under the enabling act of Congress, which is known as the "Fulton line," and claimed by Michigan. That the Fulton line was recognized as the true line by Ohio for a long 310 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. period of time, there is no doubt, as that State afterwards made and completed her congressional surveys up to said line, and there stopped, while the United States completed the survey of the Michigan territory down to the Fulton line, and established in its survey the meridian line of the State down to said Fulton line, which was the western boundry line of Hull's treaty with the Indians at Detroit in 1807. In the attempt of Ohio, under Governor Lucas, to resurvey the Harris line in 1835, this act fired the heart of the young governor, Stevens T. Mason ; his loyalty and zeal would not brook such an insult. The militia at his disposition was called into requisition early in the spring of 1835. They were first put upon the trail of the commissioners and actually routed them, and took several of the party prisoners on the line some ten miles east of Morenci (near Phillips's Corners, in Royalton township, this county). These they held for a few days, then discharged some on parole, and others on bail, to answer in the district court." But the end was not yet. A majority of those living on the disputed territory in Monroe county were late emigrants from Ohio and Pennsylvania. They were thoroughly impressed with the importance to them of being a part of Ohio. The port of Toledo was just opening to the traffic of the lakes. The States of Ohio and Indiana were ready to bring in the great Wabash canal, provided it could tap the lake on Ohio soil, and besides Ohio was already quite an old State and would be able to develop the territory much quicker. The territorial interest was all centered at Detroit, and Toledo, if it remained to Michigan, would only be a dependency paying tribute. With these sentiments prevailing the governor of Ohio was induced to put in force the laws of the State. Proclamation was issued giving boundaries to towns and counties, and for the election of civil officers. The election was held, officers chosen, and they assumed their duties. The militia was organized and commenced drilling. In short, we had two active and efficient governments, each striving to excel, and, as may be naturally inferred, the relations between them were not of a very friendly nature. The one acting as informers to Governor Mason, and the other mostly engaged in procuring bail to be relieved from arrests, preferring to have their transgressions settled by the courts to an open and violent conflict of arms. The governor's quick, impulsive nature would brook this double entendre no longer. The general government did not respond to this call; Ohio would not stop at his bidding ; the subjects were disloyal and refractory in their every act ; therefore it became him as governor to put a quietus on the whole difficulty. He called out the militia of the territory, to the number of about one thousand five hundred, early in the month of September, 1835, to prevent any further inroads upon the territory in dispute, and particularly to prevent the holding of Circuit Court in Lucas county, which had just been organized,. with Toledo as the county seat, where the first session of the court was appointed to be held. FULTON COUNTY - 311 This call was responded to readily in many parts of the territory, but by a very few, perhaps, from this county. They rendezvoused in Monroe county, and from there marched to Tremainsville on the afternoon before the court was to convene, where they bivouacked for the night. They were here three miles out from the objective point, and much hard work was to be done in a very short time to meet the emergency of the morrow, for an army was to be organized out of the material presented. Upon inspection it was found that some had muskets, others had clubs, but most had trusty rifles. These were assigned to companies and battalions, and in the morning marshaled for inspection by the commander-in-chief. They were by him pronounced competent, and ordered to March to the scene of the conflict. In entering the city they actually marched by the door where the court, of which they were in search, was in full operation, without knowing it. They had expected to find it guarded by an army that would be worthy of their steel. But where could they be ? They certainly could not be in Toledo, for the great army of our noble commander-in-chief covered the whole city and some of its suburbs. There could be but one conclusion. They had of course hied themselves to the spot from whence they came, and must be now on their way through the defiles of the Black Swamp. A council of war was held. The surroundings looked dark. They had come for blood, and without it there could be no remission, the enemy having ignobly fled the field. The usages of war would therefore make their way clear, and reprisals would be in order. If they would not let the issue be decided by force of arms, they could expect nothing less, and must abide by these rules which had been recognized by all nations. In this strait it did not take the brave commander long to decide. His forces were soon marshaled — formed in two batalions, the one ordered to make an attack on the cellars and larders of the inhabitants, the others to move upon the magazines and commissary of the enemy, that a wag had informed them was stored in a barn owned by Platt Card, who was known as one of the moving spirits in the rebellion, and who was then in bonds to answer for what he had heretofore done in inciting it. This last work was not to be trusted to raw recruits, or committed to an inferior officer. It was virtually the conquering of an army, and none knew how strongly it was guarded within, or what might be the dangers of approach. That the work might be quick and effectual it was decided that the brave commander should lead the charge. In reconnoitering the premises all was still, yet there were certain holes in the walls, reminding them of the post holes in ancient forts, and in which they fancied they saw grim messengers of death staring them boldly in the face. This could be endured no longer, the order was quick given and a broadside was poured into the pine siding of the barn, approaches were made stealthly and cautiously until they reached the 312 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. door, which obeyed the mandate of the hand, and readily swung on its hinges To the surprise of the noble commander and his comrades in arms, they found they had captured a very fine horse, as the warm blood flowing from many bullet holes attested. They had come for blood as a sacrifice to sprinkle upon the altar of their loyalty and devotion to their country, and who will deny at this late day that they found it? Returning to head-quarters it was found that the other battalion had made a successful raid, especially in the line of Major Stickney's wine-cellar, and from some others that gave a more exhilarating beverage, sufficient was obtained, with which to wash down the hard army biscuit of which their knapsacks contained an ample supply. Night approaching, each drew his cloak around him and gave himself to pleasant dreams over the experiences and escapes of the last twelve hours. On the following morning an order was issued from the governor disbanding the forces, allowing each to find his way home as best he could. Thus ended the great Toledo war and all strife on the disputed tract. The people of Michigan having called a convention and framed a State constitution, petitioned the Congress of the United States to be admitted into the Union, claiming as a part of their territory, the tract in dispute with Ohio. Congress, however, decided in favor of Ohio's claim to said tract and gave in compensation, as a compromise, to Michigan in place of this fertile strip along her southern border, about twenty-five thousand square miles of territory along the southern shore of Lake Superior, then only valuable for its wilderness, but now known to be rich in mineral wealth. Michigan came into the federal Union as the thirteenth State, January 26, 1837, and this strip of land so long in dispute, forever after became an integral part of Ohio and was attached respectively to the counties of Lucas and Williams. It was out of the throes of this very eventful struggle that Lucas county was formed, in the year 1835, from portions of Wood and Sandusky counties, in Ohio, and of what had been Monroe and Lenawee counties in Michigan, over which territory, however, Wood county had exercised jurisdiction from April 1, 1820, then being one of the fourteen counties at that date, by the legislature, organized from Indian territory, the county seat being at Perrysburg') on the Maumee River. In the year 1849, there arose a demand for a new county in northwestern Ohio, the projectors of which were such prominent men as Nathaniel Leggett, of Swan Creek ; William Hall, Hon. A. C. Hough, of Chesterfield ; Stephen and. Isaac Springer, Samuel Durgin and others, of Fulton; Michael Handy, Hon. D. W. H. Howard, Robert Howard and Lyman Parcher, of Pike ; Mortimer 1). Hibbard and Reuben Tiffany, of Dover; Ezekiel Masters and Joseph Ely, of Franklin; William Sutton, Israel Mattern, FULTON COUNTY - 313 W. A. Mace and Oliver B. Verity, of Gorham, to be composed of parts of Williams county, Henry county, and the larger part from Lucas county. Accordingly the necessary legislation was had in the general assembly of Ohio, and in the winter of 1850, February 28, the Legislature of Ohio set off and erected into a new county, the following described territory: Beginning on the State line between the States of Ohio and Michigan, at the northeast corner of township nine, south of range four east, of the Michigan meridian. Thence south on the township line, to the southeast corner of township ten, south of range four east, on the Fulton line; thence west on said Fulton line, to the northeast corner of township eight north, range eight east; thence south to the southeast corner of section number twelve in township six north, range eight east, Ohio survey. Thence west on section lines to the southwest corner of section number seven, in township six north, range five east, on the county line, between the counties of Henry and Williams; thence north on said line to the southeast corner of township seven north, range four east; thence west on said township line to the southwest corner of section number thirty-five in said township seven north, range four east, (leaving the county of Defiance intact); thence north on section line, to the Fulton line (being the original line between Ohio and Michigan), to the southwest corner of section number eleven, in township ten south, range one west of meridian ; thence north on section lines to the State line (called the Harris line) ; thence easterly with said State line, to the place of beginning, and named it the county of Fulton, in honor of Robert A. Fulton, the inventor of application of steam for power. Nearly one-half of this county was of the Michigan survey, which had become an integral part of Lucas and Williams counties; hence the greatest part of the territory was originally from Lucas when organized into the county of Fulton. The act of February 28, 1850, creating the county of Fulton, gave all civil and criminal suits which were and should be pending in the counties of Lucas, Henry and Williams on the first Monday in April, 1850, to the respective counties, and were to be prosecuted to final judgment in said counties as though the said county of Fulton had not been erected. All justices of the peace were to hold their offices until their services expired, or until their successors were elected or commissioned for the county of Fulton. All writs or other legal processes were to be styled as of the county of Fulton and after the first day of April, 1850. The legal voters residing within the limits limits of said county, were to assemble on the first Monday in April, 1850, to elect officers of the county, to serve until the next annual election in October, 1850, and the courts were to be held in the township of Pike, at some convenient house (place to be designated by the associate judges of said county), until a permanent seat of justice should be established within and for the said county. Lawrence Dewey, of Franklin county, Mathias H. Nichols, of Allen county, 314 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. and John Riley, of Carroll county, were appointed by the Legislature of Ohio, commissioners to fix and locate the seat of justice in said new county of Fulton, Pending said location, the associate judges, who had by said act been appointed, to wit: John Kendall, Alfred C. Hough, and Socrates H. Cately, fixed the courts at the house of Robert A. Howard, of said Pike township. After the creation of the county of Fulton, and until the change in the constitution of Ohio, Nathaniel Leggett, of Swan Creek, John Kendall, of Franklin, Socrates H. Cately, of Swan Creek, Alfred C. Hough, and William E. Parmelee, of Chesterfield, and B. W. Fleckinger, of Gorham, severally served as associate judges of the court of common pleas ; Saddler, president judge. At the April election of 1850, the following named officers were elected and entered upon the duties of their respective offices under the act to-wit : Mortimer D. Hibbard, auditor; Nathaniel Leggett, treasurer; George W. Brown, of Royalton, sheriff; Carl C. Allman, of Delta, recorder; John H. Reid, of Pike, prosecuting attorney ; William Sutton, of Gorham, Christopher Watkins, of Fulton, and Jonathan Barns, of German, commissioners ; Samuel Durgin, of Fulton, was appointed clerk of courts. (Then the common pleas judges had probate jurisdiction.) The locating commissioners appointed by the Legislature of Ohio, in the summer of 1850, came to the county for the purpose of designating the county seat, there being several points to them presented by the people of the county as their choice. One the center of the county ; Robert A. Howard's, in Pike; Etna, in Pike ; Fluhart Corners, in York ; Delta, in York ; and Spring Hill, in Dover. The commissioners after carefully examining all the points presented, and hearing the statements of citizens, pro and con, decided upon the center of the county, and accordingly stuck the stakes, and at the suggestion of D. W. H, Howard, named the place Ottokee. (After an Indian chief of that name, who once resided and roamed over this territory of the Ottawa tribe.) The question yet had to go to the people for their endorsement, and after two strenuous trial by ballot by the people, the action of the locating commissioners was confirmed and Ottokee was established as the seat of justice of the county of Fulton, anc suitable temporary buildings were by the county commissioners forthwith pro. vided for the county offices and the holding of courts. Proposals for the build. ing of a court-house were given out by the commissioners, and at the time fixed bids were opened, and it was found that A. H. Jordan, of Royalton, was the successful man, who immediately entered upon his contract to build a court. house, which was duly completed in the season of 1851, at that day, a nice and very commodious structure of the kind, built entirely of wood, stone foun• dation ; and for a time Ottokee seemed to bid fair for a large county town, bu the construction of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railroad (now Lake Shore), seemed to check its growth and prospects, and Wauseon soon after 1854 became a prominent railroad point in the county four miles FULTON COUNTY - 315 south of Ottokee, and thereafter became a strong rival for the county seat, which was thereafter for a time upon the wing. In the winter of 1864 the Legislature of Ohio passed an act fixing the seat of justice at Delta, and the submission of the question to a vote of the people at the next general election in October, which was largely defeated. During the contest between Delta and Ottokee, the court-house was burned, together with all the records of the county. The fire occurred about midnight of July 15 and i6, 1864, and was supposed to be the work of an incendiary. This same season the commissioners caused to be constructed a large line of brick offices for the county, and on December of the same year, the several officers of the county took possession of the same, tinder the approval of the commissioners. In the summer of 1865, the commissioners caused to be further erected a new court-house of brick, Hiram Prichard, contractor, and completed the same so that the October term of the court of common pleas was held therein the same year, Judge Alexander S. Latty, of Defiance, presiding. In the winter of 1869 another enabling act was passed by the Legislature of Ohio, fixing the seat of justice at Wauseon. At the October election of 1869 the people decided by a very small majority upon removal ; whereupon in the spring of 1870 the commissioners of Fulton county to wit, Joseph Ely, of Franklin, Alfred B. Gunn, of York, and Milton McCaskey, of Fulton, fixed upon the present site, and commenced the building of a court-house at Wauseon, which was completed and accepted and declared ready for occupancy about the first of January, 1872, and all public records and business of officers were removed from Ottokee to Wauseon, in that month and year. That the old buildings so vacated at Ottokee, were, by the commissioners of the county, in March, 1874, set over to the county for an infirmary, and after purchasing in addition somewhere near three hundred acres of land, and building a large and commodious barn, got the same ready for occupancy May 1, 1874, whereupon they appointed James S. Riddle, of Franklin, Oscar A. Cobb, of Dover, and Robert P. Lewis, of Swan Creek, as directors, who thereupon qualified, and all further business was by the commissioners turned over to them, and they immediately made choice of Oliver B. Verity and his wife superintendent and matron respectively, who entered upon the duties of their position, May 2, 1874, and served until March, 1880. 316 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. CHAPTER XXXIV METEOROLOGY OF FULTON COUNTY. (1) IN all ages of the world, and in all conditions of hfe men have been led, from interest or necessity, to study the appearance of the atmosphere and sky to arrive at some conclusion as to what the weather will be, It is not my province to give a treatise on the science of meteorology, but only to give a compend of my observations during the last eighteen years. My place of observation is in north latitude about 410 36', west longitude 1840 7', and elevation above sea level, 800 feet. The instruments used are a barometer, thermometer, rain- gauge and wind-vane. Observations are made three times each day, at 7 A. M., 2 and 9 P. M. All readings of the barometer are reduced to the uniform temperature of 320, corrected for instrumental error, and reduced to sea level, so as to make them comparable with observations made at other places. The following is a brief synopsis of the more important of my observations for the entire period from January, 1870, to July, 1887, inclusive : The average mean temperature for each month during the years 1870 to 1887, inclusive, was for January 22.5, February 25.6, March, 32.4, April 46.3, May 59., June 68.4, July 72.8, August 69.6, September 62.8, October 51.3, November 35.5, and December 26.3 degrees. The annual mean temperature was 4i.7; Winter 24.9, Spring 45.9, Summer 70.1, Autumn 49.9; from November 1st to March 31st 28.5, from May 1st to September 30th 66.4, and from April 1st to October 31st 61.4 degrees. The average range of temperature from 1870 to 1887, was for January 64.1, February 61.5, March 60.8, April 63.2, May 58., June 51.5, July 47.6, August 49.9, September 56.8, October 59, November 58.1, December 61.4 degrees. The annual range of temperature was 116.2 ; Winter 74.3, Spring 85.8, Summer 56.7, and Autumn 83. degrees. The highest temperature occurring in any one month from 1870 to 1887, was on January I, 1876, 69.5, February 27, 1880, 62.7, March 31, 1875, 79.5, April 26, 1872, 87., May 29, 1874, 103.2, June 28, 1874, 99., July 7, 1874, 104.5, August 20, 1874, 102., September 5, 1881, 100.3, October 4, 1884, 87.7, November 11, 1882, 74.6, December 31, 1875, 70. degrees. The highest temperature during this period, 104.5 degrees, occurring on July 7, 1874. The lowest temperature occurring in any one month from 1870 to 1887, was January 25, 1884, -31.7, February 13, 1885, -24.3, March 20, 1883, -17.4, April 5, 1881, -5.2, May 3, 1885, 21., June 1, 1883, 34.5, July 20, 1871, 43.2, August 24, 1884, 38.9, September 30, 1871, 24.9, October 14, 1874, 12., No- . (1) Compiled specially for this work by Thomas Mikesell, esq., of Wauseon. FULTON COUNTY - 317 vember 19, 1880, -8.5, December 19, 1884, -32.4 degrees. The lowest temperature, -32.4 degrees, occurring December 19, 1884. The average mean temperature of the warmest days from 1870 to 1887, was January 1, 1876, 63.3, February 28, 1880, 56.1, March 31, 1875, 64.2, April 26, 1872, 73.4, May 3o, 1874, 80.7, June 28, 1874, 88.5, July 7, 1874, 86.6, August 11, 1874, 85.2, September 6, 1881, 84.7, October 5, 1884, 76.6, November 11, 1882, 66.1, December 31, 1875, 62.8 degrees. The average mean temperature of the coldest days in each month from 1870 to 1887, was January 9, 1875, -16.4, February io, 1885, -12.6, March 4, 1873, 2.5, April 4, 1874, 17.3, May 21, 1883, 33.9, June 4, 1882, 49.6, July 20, 1871, 57.9, August 27, 1885, 53.2, September 27, 1876, 42., October 31, 1873, 25.8, November 21, 1880, 3., December 29, 1880, -13.8 degrees. The average rain fall, including melted snow, for all the months from 1870 to 1887, was for January 2.20, February 2.77, March 2.99, April 2.52, May 4., June 429, July 4.05, August 3.03, September 2.53, October 2.95, November 3.05, December 2.37 inches; the annual average was 38.07 inches; the average from December 1st to February 28th was 7.42, from March ist to May 31st was 9.68, from June 1st to August 31st was 11.37, September 1st to November 3oth was 8.53, and from April 1st to September 3oth was 20.86 inches. The average monthly snow fall from 1870 to 1887, was in January 11.9, February S., March 11.6, April 2.9, May .4, October .2, November 6. and in December to .9 inches. Average amount per year 52.9 inches; average depth per winter 51.5 inches. From January, 1870, to July, 1887, the latest killing frost occurred June 1883, the latest frost June 3o, 1871, the earliest frost August 3, 1886, the earliest killing frost September 2, 1885, the latest snow of one or more inches April 28, 1874, the latest snow May 22, 1883, the earliest snow October 6, 1871, the earliest snow of one or more inches October 21, 1873, the earliest thunder storm January 17, 187o, the latest thunder storm November 21, 1883, the latest freeze May 29, 1884, the earliest freeze September 2, 1885. Highest barometer from January, 188o, to September, 1887, was on January 22, 1885, 30.784, February 4, 1887, 30.871, March 4, 1887, 30.651, April 8, 1887, 30.513, May 29, 1884, 30.376, June 27, 1887, 30.389, July 23, 1882, 30,247, August 9, 1884, 30.364, September 14, 1884, 30.461, October 16, 1883, 30.550, November 23, 1880, 30.727, December 12. 1885, 30.748. The lowest barometer from January, 1880, to September, 1887, was January, II, 1885, 29.204, February 18, 1887, 29.179, March 20, 1886, 29.084, April 15, 1884, 29.148, May 14, 1883, 29,400, June 6, 1880, 29,446, July 12, 1883, 29.630, August 3, 1885, 29.454, September 8, 1885, 29.477, October 29, 1883, 29.236, November 17, 1886, 29.273, December 9, 1885, 29.113. 318 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. TORNADOES. A tornado is that peculiar form of storm, characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud, small end down, whirling with immense velocity in the direction from north to west, and south, and east, and having a forward motion to the eastward. Wherever it descends to the earth it destroys whatever may be in its path. It is generally very small, and the greatest destruction occurs at the center. It is not the same as a cyclone, which is a storm at sea, of from l00 to 1,000 miles diameter, whose center is a dead calm and the destructive winds toward the outside. The first tornado in this county of which I have heard anything, occurred about the year 1824. This I get from Mr, D. L. Buler, who, in the winter of 1836-7 came upon the windfall " over the line in Michigan ; and having a curiosity to know how long since it happened, cut some of the new growths and found them about twelve years old. Doubtless it was the same windfall which started in the north part of this county and extended to the northeast. The track was several miles long, but not very wide. June 20, 1834, a tornado crossed the north part of York township. It first came down near the northwest corner of the township, about 2 P. m., and moved directly east nearly four miles, and then to the east southeast. The track was about three-fourths of a mile wide and six miles long. It was above the timber part of this distance. Near where it first descended Wm. Jones and others were camped. They ran into the open prairie, and, lying down, held on to the grass till the storm passed. They left their oxen tied to a tree, and after the storm found them completely hemmed in by fallen trees, but unhurt. John King and his son, William, had arrived on the bank of Bad Creek, on the 19th, and made a shelter by setting poles against a large tree, and covering them. They were in the track of the tornado, and after it had passed they found all the timber down around them except the tree their shelter was against. Only the providence of God saved them. Settlers who came later were three days cutting a road through this fallen timber. The trees were turned out by the roots, tearing up great quantities of earth, which are not yet leveled down after years of cultivation. The storm (of which this tornado was a part), was felt in Indiana, in the forenoon of the same day, and by 4 P. M. it had reached Wayne county, 0. A separate tornado occurred the same day as the above, and about the same hour, about two miles to the north of this one. It was about one hundred feet wide, and took everything clean as it moved to the east southeast. In June, 1842 (this date is uncertain), a tornado passed over this place at an altitude of three hundred or four hundred feet, making a loud, buzzing roar. It was almost clear at the time. The cloud was funnel-shaped, very black, and the tail hanging somewhat behind and some distance below the body of FULTON COUNTY - 319 the cloud, which was not very large. It did not affect the wind at the ground, and there was no rain or hail from it here. It moved directly eastward about as fast as a man can run. It was not known to descend till it reached Maumee City, where it demolished a brick building that was not yet finished. Two little girls, one white and the other colored, who ran up to the building to get away from the storm, were killed. It is possible that this was the same cloud which A. S. Fleet saw pass over North German township about that time. He says it was nearly clear except this one small, black cloud, from which hail fell thickly while it was passing. The hailstones were nearly three inches across by over half an inch thick. It was going to the east. About the first of June, 1844 (this date may not be correct), there was a tornado in the northwest part of German township, at about 1 P. M. It moved to the east-northeast, and cut a road about half a mile wide and three miles long. Sound white oak and walnut trees, three feet through, were twisted off or torn out by the roots. Everything was destroyed in its path. About the middle of August, 1852, at about 5 P. M. a tornado descended on the prairie along Bean Creek, nearly west of where Peter Powers lives. On coming to the timber it leveled a strip about eighty rods wide. It destroyed the house and barn of John Martin, and carried a new wagon, belonging to Peter Powers, twenty or thirty rods, and dashed it to pieces against a log building. Its last work was on the farm of Lyman Bebee, and as it rose it twisted off large trees twenty to thirty feet from the ground. The whole length of the track was about seven miles. It moved to the east-northeast, making a fearful roar, and was accompanied by heavy rain for several miles on each side. In April (about the 19th), 1856, another of these aerial monsters visited this county. As it descended it struck the house of Nathaniel Jones, in the northwest part of Clinton township, and took everything clean to the upper floor,—roof, timbers, bedding and furniture. The bedding was scattered for half a mile to the southeast, in the woods. It destroyed a part of his log barn and took part of the roof off the frame barn. Continuing on its course, which was southeast, it raised and passed over a piece of timber and came down in Isaac Tedrow's field, tearing the fence to pieces and even carrying the ground chunks away. Further on it caught William Tedrow, and the horse he was riding, and turned them completely around and dropped them. Then it raised till it passed on to the York Centre road. At this place C. H. Lozer was in the road, driving a team of oxen. His wool hat was taken off by the wind and rolled along the road several rods, and then suddenly caught up and carried to the southeast about a quarter of a mile, where it was found wedged in the fence. Mr. Lozer was blown along for a short distance; and then a pail containing eggs, which he was carrying, was jerked from his hand and dashed to pieces against a stump at the side of the road (just in front of where I. E. Bayes now lives), and himself lifted and carried about five rods, only touching a foot to the 320 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. ground once in that distance. It then raised and passed over the timber, and when over Wauseon it descended low enough to unroof some buildings, and move on its foundation the warehouse of E. L. Hayes, which contained a stock of hardware and about two tons of iron. This was the last heard of it. It was about twenty rods wide, and the whole track was about three miles long. The in rushing winds damaged several buildings and leveled much fence. On the left-hand side it took part of the roof off T. J. Case's barn ; and on the right, part of the roof from Isaac Tedrow's barn, part of Wright Bayes's barn roof, and racked Samuel Lozer's house. There was heavy rain with it. Between 1 and 2 P. M., on the 2d of July, 1864, Dover township was visited by a tornado. It crossed over the farm of L. C. Cook and came down on C. B. Carter's, west of Ottokee, destroying a strip of timber about twenty rods wide. Its course then changed from southeast to nearly east, and passed on, not doing much damage till it reached Ottokee, where it unroofed several buildings, among them the court-house. It then raised and disappeared. It was followed by heavy rain. June 5, 1867, one of these storms crossed Clinton township, about noon. It took the top off Barton's house, west of Lena, and east of this destroyed a barn. At Lena it scattered the lumber in the mill-yard. A boy at this place narrowly escaped being killed by the flying lumber. It leveled much valuable timber on John Miley's farm, and nearly all the fences for a mile wide, were blown down by the inrushing wind. The tornado track was about twenty rods wide and three miles long. It traveled a little to the north of east. About 4 P. M., on the 31st of May, 1880, a tornado passed over the north part of Clinton township. It uprooted part of Colonel J. H. Brigham's orchard, and going to the east, it destroyed part of Ambrose Clark's barn and moved the house on the foundations, having passed between them. At this place a calf was blown over the board fence to which it was tied. Clark's orchard was nearly all destroyed. Further on it twisted large white-oak trees off and blew down much timber. A considerable timber and a great part of the north and south fences for over a mile on the south side, and some distance on the north, were blown down. The wind blew at the rate of about fifty miles an hour here, a little over half a mile south of the tornado track. The barometer reduced, stood 29.844 inches. The track was about eighty feet wide and two and one-half miles long. There was heavy rain with it. The ranifall here was 1.19 inches in less than one hour. June 6, 1880, at about 3:30 P. M., a tornado passed to the east-northeast, a little south of the county line, in Henry county, straight south of Wauseon. It was about fifty feet wide and passed between Bogart's house and barn, taking the end off the latter. A half mile east it destroyed the house and barn of Eli Zull, and further on another barn. The track was about two miles long. This storm passed about seven and one-half miles south of here, and the wind FULTON COUNTY - 321 blew here at about thirty miles an hour. The barometer stood at 29.476 inches. On the 24th of June, 1886, a tornado struck near the north line of this county. About 2:30 P. M. a cloud came from the southeast and another from the west, and when they met the tornado was formed. There was a thunder and hail storm a few miles to the west at the time. As it descended it unroofed the house of J. Stahl, south of Lyons, and crossing the road came to 0. P. Barnes's house (which stood just north of the center of the track), and took the south side to the floor, but left the north wall standing. The house was made of plank, and the part taken off was dashed to splinters. A part of the roof of his barn was blown off. Mr. Barnes, who was in the yard, was jerked from the ground and carried about one hundred feet, passing over two apple trees, and falling in the third. A boy who was with him was thrown under a sled and a corn-crib dashed down over him. Another boy was lying on the lounge when the house was struck and was rolled off and the quilt carried over half a mile to the east. Mrs. Barnes was struck by something and seriously hurt. As it moved on it destroyed nearly the whole of Mr. Barnes’s orchard, and then raised. The path of destruction was about ten rods wide by twenty rods long. Household goods were carried about four miles east and one mile north. The direction was a little north of east. It was funnel-shaped and moved forward with great velocity, being not over two seconds in passing a given point, and made a terrible noise. It was followed by rain and a little hail. The air was still till the tornado struck. It was about ten miles northeast of here. Barometer stood 29.698 inches. About 1 P. M. on the 2d of May, 1887, the last of these terrible visitors came into our midst. It first descended about three miles southwest of Wauseon, at the barn of Dr. D. W. Hollister. It did not get low enough to demolish it, but lifted it clear from the foundation and swelled the sides out like a barrel. It passed over the house without damaging it. About half a mile north of here (the storm moved north 200 east) it struck the brick schoolhouse at the cross roads. This was completely demolished, the east, west and north, and bottom of south walls being blown outward by the instant expansion of the air inside the house when the tornado removed the pressure from the outside. The top of the south wall fell inward, and the roof was thrown from three to thirty rods to the northwest. The joists were dropped at the north end of the floor, falling on two boys, one of whom, Benton Gasche, was killed, and the other seriously injured. There were fifteen persons in the house at the time and the teacher and six of the children were hurt, besides the one killed. The tornado, at this point was less than forty feet wide. From the school-house it began to raise, and passed over Isaac Springer's barn, shaking it violently. A little further on it turned to the northeast, passing over Wauseon high enough not to do much damage. 322 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. The in rushing winds did considerable damage on the right hand side, blowing down nearly all the fences for over half a mile wide, by about four miles long, which were standing across the wind (which blew the direction the tornado moved), while fences in line with the wind remained standing. Amos Turney was driving out of town at the southwest with a load of tile, and he and his son were blown from the wagon, which, with the team, was carried across the ditch at the side of the road. Part of the roof was blown off T. Edington's barn, near the school-house, and John Haumesser's barn, just south of Wauseon, was blown from the blocks on which it stood, and crushed by the wind and fall, together. Northeast of town part of the roof was taken from Marion Fashbaugh's barn. On the left hind side very little damage was done. There was heavy rain with the tornado, and hail in some places. This tornado passed about a mile south of my place of observation. As it passed the wind blew here at the rate of about forty miles an hour. It rained here, .36 inch. The barometer stood at 29.897. NOTABLE METEOROLOGICAL EVENTS. The following are some of the notable meteorological events of this county from the earliest settlement. In these some of the dates may not be correct, as it is very hard to get such things now, but so far as possible I have verified the dates from several sources. For this information I am indebted to many of the pioneers of this county, who have taken great pains to be as accurate as possible. The first notable event, alter settlers began to come into what is now Fulton county, was a tornado, which occurred June 20, 1834 (see account in " Tornadoes.") The first day of March, 1840, was so warm that men came in their shirt sleeves from miles around to a meeting which was held at my father's house. Grass in the prairies was large enough for cattle to live out at that time. The winter of 1842-43 was a long one. Snow fell the latter part of November, and sleighing continued from that time till after the spring election, April 3, which day it began to thaw. It came came off warm then and spring set in at once. The spring of 1844 was very early, and on April 12 peaches were blossoming. On the 25th of April, 1845, a hail storm passed over the southern part of this county, the heaviest ever known here. For about two days there had been almost constant rumblings of thunder in the west, and when at last it came, it deluged the earth as it is seldom done. It reached here just after dark, and continued about an hour. Hailstones of all sizes up to the size of hen's eggs, fell to the depth of several inches, and the ground, where there was no water, was covered yet the next morning. They fell down the chimney of FULTON COUNTY - 323 my father's house so thickly that they were scattered all over the floor. When the hailstorm slackened rain fell in torrents till nearly midnight, and low ground everywhere was covered with water. There was not much wind with this storm. Some stock was injured, and roofs were damaged. Jared Beebe, then a resident of this county, was out in the storm, and the horse he was riding was knocked down. There were marks made upon fences and logs that remained visible for more than a year. It is probable that a tornado passed at the same time as this storm, a few miles further south. In June (about the 2d), 1845, there was a frost which killed the wheat which was then in head, and corn, which was ten to fifteen inches high, was frozen to the ground. However, the corn was not destroyed, but sprung up and made a good crop. At harvest that year, one morning there was so much frost on the wheat that men had to wait for it to melt before going to work. There was frost every month that year. In 1848 there were eleven consecutive days of rain, beginning July 4. Some days the rains were very heavy, and the streams were all overflowed. Wheat harvest had just begun, and much of the wheat sprouted before it was cut. The winter of 1854-55 was very warm till in February, and no snow. January 1, 1855, was a warm, pleasant day, like Indian Summer, and wild geese flying over. In February a heavy snow storm, accompanied by thunder and lightning came, and then it was cold, and the snow remained on for several weeks. May 13, 1855, snow fell one-half inch deep. The summer of 1855 was so wet during July that very much of the wheat was so grown that it was nearly worthless. It made what was called " sick wheat." The month was very hot also. The winter of 1855-6 was a long, cold one, snow laying on from November till late in March. In the spring of 1856 there was a fearful hailstorm passed over the north part of the county. It came with a high wind from the northwest, in the afternoon. Hailstones as large as a watch fell so thickly that there was no escaping them, only by getting under cover. It was followed by heavy rain. The hail made, dents on the siding of George Roos's barn, which remained there when the boards were removed thirty-one years afterward. Stock was badly injured, some animals being nearly killed. (The date of this storm I have been unable to fix, but it is very probable that it accompanied a tornado which passed across the county about the 19th of April). About the 12th or 14th of May, 1856, a sleet and snow storm, with much rain, occurred, and corn planting was thereby delayed about two weeks. The fall of 1856 was very dry and smoky. Muck beds dried out so that they burned from one to two feet deep. C. H. Lozer found fire in the muck on the farm he now owns as late as January 1. 324 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. June 6, 1859, there was a frost which killed the early wheat. Many fields were not worth the cutting. Late wheat, and that protected by forests, was not much hurt. The whole month was rather cool. The summer of 1862 was very dry and hot. Oats were hardly more than a foot high on the clay, and yet yielded about forty bushels per acre. September was very hot at seeding time. The great frosts of 1863, which killed the corn all over the county, occurred Monday and Tuesday mornings, August 31 and September 1. The whole summer had been rather cool, and consequently corn was rather backward. The cold New Year's day was January 1, 1864. The day before had been very warm (about sixty degrees), and raining, but toward night it turned cold, the rain changed to snow, and the next morning the temperature was twenty-four degrees below zero. This was a change of over eighty degrees in about eighteen hours. April 22, 1865, about five inches of snow fell. It melted the next day. August of this year was rather cool, the mean temperature of the month being about three degrees below normal. The highest temperature of the month was ninety-six degree; on the 31st. September was very warm, about four degrees above normal. The first killing frost occurred October 4. During March, 1866, there was almost continuous freezing and thawing. It froze every night except eight, and thawed every day except two. This was followed by a very warm and dry April, and, as a consequence, wheat was nearly all killed, and the crop that year was a failure. We had twelve bushels from twelve acres of good wheat land. July that year was warmer by about three degrees, than the average, and August was five degrees cooler than the average. Oat harvest was a little late, about the 5th of August. On the 6th of August, 1866, there was a solar halo consisting of seven circles, some of them almost as bright as any rainbow. It began to rain that day and rained every day for six days. The fall of 1867 was very dry, and muck beds burned till about Christmas, when the rains flooded them. July 4, 1869, there was a heavy rain in the vicinity of Wauseon, which flooded all the low grounds and floated some of the sidewalks away. October 23, 1869, about eight inches of snow fell and remained on the ground till about November i. The snow was very wet, and hung on the trees, breaking them badly. Many people had not taken care of their apples yet. In 1870, April, May, June and July were about three degrees warmer than usual; August was nearly seven degrees colder than usual, and September about four degrees warmer. The fall of 1871 was very dry, only 1.50 inches of rain in September and October. I sowed wheat on the 9th of September, and very little of it was to FULTON COUNTY - 325 be seen till the snow went off, the next March. By the way, that wheat averaged twenty-six bushels per acre on thirteen acres. July, 1872, was very wet,-7.26 inches of rain during the month. It made it very difficult to save wheat. The 29th of January, 1873, was the coldest known here to that time, 29.2 degrees below zero. April 6, 7 and 8, 1873, there were heavy rains,—about four inches in the three days. Rain fell on nineteen days that month. October 21, 1873, there fell about eight inches of snow, which melted the next day. June 9, 1874, a heavy rainstorm passed over here, and 3.82 inches of water fell in less than seven hours. July 22, 1874, there was some frost on muck. January 9, 1875, was the coldest day I have ever known. The mean temperature of the day was 16.4 degrees below zero, and the highest during the day was 10.3 below zero. To make it worse the wind blew from fifteen to twenty-five miles per hour all day. The whole month was very cold. The mean temperature of February, 1875, was only 1 1.3 degrees. The mean temperature for the first twenty-one days was only 6.9 degrees ; and for the fifteen days ending with the eighteenth, 1.5 degrees. October 29, 1875, a terrific thunder storm passed over here from 1 1:30 till about 12:15. It rained .66 inch in about half an hour. It was so dark that lamps had to be lighted to see to eat dinner. December 31, 1875, and January 1, 1876, were days like May. The temperature ran up to 70 degrees on the 31st, and to 69.5 degrees on the 1st. The mean temperature of the whole two days was 63 degrees. Frogs were out in abundance, and so were the bees. March, 1876, was colder, on the average, than either January or February. December 21, 1876, a large meteor passed over, a little south of here, going to the east, with great velocity. It made a noise like thunder, the sound continuing to be heard about fifteen minutes. The agitation of the air shook houses, and the light exceeded the full moon, though it was cloudy at the time. During February, 1877, there was only .8 inch of snow fell, and the rain and melted snow was only .12 inch. The month was generally warm, having thawed every day except two. In March, 1877, 41.7 inches of snow fell, 13.5 inches of which fell on the 12th, and 10.5 inches on the 16th. This snow nearly all melted on the afternoon of the 30th. October 19, 1877, 2.77 inches of rain fell. Frogs were out the 19th of December, 1877. October 2, 1879, I saw that rare phenomenon, a lunar rainbow ; the only one I have ever seen. The night of the 4-5th of March, 1880, a terrific thunder storm, accompanied by high wind, passed over here It blew down considerable timber. During the last thirteen days of May, 1880, 5.56 inches of rain fell, 3.18 inches of which fell in the last two and a half days. On the 18th of February, 1881, 10.2 inches of snow fell till noon. 326 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. June, 1881, was a very wet month, there having been 8.43 inches of rain. On the 8th there were over 2 inches of rain in about an hour and a half; and about three and one-half miles northwest of here this storm was far heavier. About seven inches of water fell in an hour and a half. It flooded a tract of land about half a mile wide by nearly a mile long, to the depth of eighteen inches to two feet. September 5, 1881, the temperature ran up to 100.3 degrees ; on the 6th, to 100 degrees ; 7th, to 98 degrees. The mean temperature of the three days was 84 degrees. October, 1881, was the wettest month in my record,-8.92 inches of rain, an average of .29 inch each day. November 17 and 19, 1882, there were the most brilliant auroras that have been seen in many years. March 8, 1883, was very warm till 2:20 P. M. The temperature rose to 69.1 degrees, but by 4 P. M. it was freezing, and at 9 P. M., eight hours after the highest was reached, the temperature had fallen 55.2 degrees ; and thirty- two hours later it had fallen to 17.4 degrees below zero ; a change of 86.5 degrees in forty hours. On the 18th and 19th 12.1 inches of snow fell. May 21, 1883, sleet and snow fell to the depth of 6.5 inches. The summer of 1883 was very cold, so much so that crops were held back. Wheat harvest did not begin till July 12. On the 23d of July .63 inch of rain fell in thirteen minutes, and on the 25th .70 inch in fourteen minutes. During the fall of 1883 there were the most brilliant sunsets and sunrises that it has been the privilege of this generation to see. There were great changes in the barometer on the 19th to 21st of February, 1884. It raised 1.070 inches in the fourteen hours ending at 10 A. M., of the 20th ; in the next twenty-two hours it fell .582 inch, and then in thirteen hours it raised .616 inch. July 29, 1884, there was a heavy hail storm a few miles west of here. Hail fell to the depth of about four inches. Much damage was done to crops over a small tract. The evening of the 30th 2.34 inches of rain fell in two hours and a half. The morning of December 19, 1884, was the coldest recorded here, 32,4 degrees below zero. April 6, 1886, 15.7 inches of snow fell. It was one of the stormiest days I have ever seen. In the afternoon of the 24th of June, 1886, there was a heavy rain and hail storm in the north part of the county. It was in connection with the tornado of that date. The hail fell to the depth of several inches some places, and cut crops badly. Corn was stripped of the blades, and much fruit knocked off the trees. The storm extended over an area about five by fifteen miles. In July, 1886, we had only .31 inch of rain. October 14, 1886, was a very windy day. The wind blew from thirty to forty-five miles per hour, arid took the roof off W. R. McManus's barn, and part of the roof from the FULTON COUNTY - 327 county jail, grist-mill, and some other buildings in Wauseon. Large trees were blown down in the forests. As this storm passed away the barometer raised 1.264 inches, in forty-four hours. CHAPTER XXXV. Early Settlement North of the Fulton Line---Recollections of Pioneer Life. THE pioneer settlement of Fulton county was commenced more than a quarter of a century before the county, as such, had a separate existence; even long before the proprietors of the enterprise of creating a new county of this name had an idea of such an event. It began while the territory now embraced by it was known as Wayne county, and several years prior to the erection of Lucas county, from which it was, in the main, directly taken. The county of Wayne was established by proclamation of Governor St. Clair, on the 15th day of August, in the year 1796, and was the third county formed in the northwestern territory. Its original limits were very extensive, and were thus defined in the act creating it; "Beginning at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, upon Lake Erie, and with the said river to the Portage, between it and the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskingum ; thence down the said branch to the forks, at the carrying place above Fort Laurense; thence by a west line to the east boundary of Hamilton county, (which is a due north line from the lower Shawnese town upon the Sciota River); thence by a line west and northerly to the southern part of the Portage, between the Miamis of the Ohio and the Saint Maryls River ; thence by a line also west and northerly to the southwestern part of the Portage, between the Wabash and the Miamis of Lake Erie, where Fort Wad ne now stands; thence by a line west-northerly to the southern part of Lake Michigan; thence along the western shores of the same to the northwest part thereof (includrng the land upon the streams emptying into the said lake); thence by a due north line to the territorial boundary in Lake Superior, and with the said boundary through Lakes Huron, Sinclair and Erie to the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, the place of beginning." The lands embraced by these boundaries formed a part of what Ii now the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and all of Michigan. When this erection was made there could not, of course, have been any settlement within the boundaries of this county, which was included within, but formed a very insignificant portion of the territory named. Such of the pioneer settlement as was made in this locality, or within the limits of that which is now Fulton county, was accomplished just prior to and about the time of 328 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. the erection of Lucas county. In fact this county was largely taken from Lucas county, and the portion thereof that was taken, was embraced in a single township, called York. The counties of Henry and Williams also contributed of their lands to the new formation of Fulton, although in a comparatively small degree. York township was subsequently subdivided into several smaller townships, and the original name is now represented in one of the southern tier of the county's townships. The subdivisions of York, Amboy, Chesterfield, Clinton, German, Gorham, Royalton, Swan Creek, York, Franklin, Dover, Pike and Fulton were all made and completed while this territory was a part of Lucas county, excepting the original York, which antedates Lucas county, and the small portions from Williams and Henry counties which were annexed to the townships nearest which they were situate. This county was not organized until the year 1850, and with its erection it at once acquired a considerable population, Amboy having in 1840, four hundred and fifty-two; Chesterfield, three hundred and one; Clinton, three hundred and three; German, four hundred and fifty-two; Gorham, three hundred and fifty two; Royalton, four hundred and one; Swan Creek, four hundred and ninety-four and York, four hundred and thirty-five. Each of these townships was organized prior to 1840, and each of the others was formed between that date and 1850. While the pioneer settlement of these townships is necessarily a part of their separate history, a general mention of the names of some of the pioneers will be found of interest and not out of place here. The question of land titles will be found fully discussed in another chapter in this work, and to speak of the settlers north of the old state line, the meaning will be fully understood. It is of these settlers that the principal mention will be here made. In the early part of the year 1832, Eli Phillips, with his young wife, came to the "disputed land." They were former residents of Michigan, in the vicinity of Adrian. Mr. Phillips located on sections ten and eleven, town nine south, range three east, on the ioth day of June in that year. He still lives at an advanced age, enjoying the distinction of having been one of the very first settlers in this then almost unbroken wilderness. The deed for the lands occupied by this pioneer was signed by Andrew Jackson, president of the United States. Upon this land he still lives, aged about eighty-three years. He has lived to see the forest lands almost entirely cleared of their timber, and where once was timber and marsh in nearly endless extent, are now beautiful, well cleared and excellent producing farms. He stands to-day almost the sole living monument of pioneer days. Eli Phillips was followed soon after by other pioneers, among the names of whom ,7:re found Samuel Stutesman, Butler Richardson, Hiram Farwell, John Jacoby, Warren Dodge, Benjamin Davis, Chesterfield W. Clemens, George P. Clark, Daniel Berry and his son, Nicholas FULTON COUNTY - 329 Berry, D. Barnes, David White, A. H. Jordan, Valentine Winslow and David Severance. These certainly were here prior to 1835, and there may be, possibly, others whose names are now out of memory. The year 1835 witnessed a considerable settlement by other families, most of whom came from the States east of this. These came to build for themselves homes and farms in the new country which was then, among eastern people, considered to be in the far West, and on the frontier of civilization and settlement ; and so it was, at the time, the now known western country being a vast, uninhabited tract, occupied only by the American Indian and an occasional trader, who had ventured so far from the center of settlement, for the purpose of barter among the tribes that swarmed over the region. Among those that made a settlement north of the Fulton line, during the year 1835, are found the names of Charles B. Smith and family ; John S. Butler and his father, Asa Butler; Garner Willett, Amaziah Turner, Ami Richards, Alexander Vaughan. Alanson Briggs, Joseph Cottrell, Erastus Cottrell, Gorham Cottrell, senior. Sardis Cottrell, James Baker, Freeman Coffin, Clement Coffin, Martin Lloyd, Stephen Chaffee, Phillip Clapper, William Lee and others. In this year the " Vistula Road," from Toledo west through the disputed lands was laid out and built by the government. This thoroughfare has otherwise been known as the "Old Territorial Road." This construction opened an established route of egress and ingress for the sturdy pioneers of the region, by which they were enabled to convey their products to market, and returning, carry to their homes such commodities as were needed in the new settlement. It opened, furthermore, into the heart of the country, a route which was easy of access and travel for hundreds of new comers, who were seeking homes in the land now being rapidly developed and occupied. There came to the region in the year 1836 a number of families, among whom are to be found the names of Ansel H. Henderson, Harlow Butler, John P. Roos, John B. Roos, Asher E. Bird, sr., John McLaughlin, Daniel Donaldson, John Donaldson, and perhaps others. After the coming of these families, and subsequent to the year 1836. the lands became rapidly taken up and settled, so that their settlement becomes lost in the general growth of the community. " These early pioneers, the advance guard of a new civilization in the wilderness, were the blood and brains of the Eastern States, which formed the main composition of this growing territory; whose fathers had educated their sons and daughters for the practical work of life, and they have, in turn, left their impress upon the country by their determination, energy, perseverance, thrift, and their stern political integrity and loyalty to government." Of like disposition and character were the pioneer families of the various other localities of the county, but it is a generally conceded truth that the lands in the northern part of the county were first ,taken and occupied—the land on the disputed tract, which will be found fully discussed elsewhere in this volume. 330 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. James C. Vaughan, now one of the commissioners of the county, was undoubtedly the first male white child born on the disputed tract, and Martha Turner, daughter of Amaziah Turner, was the first female white child born thereon. RECOLLECTIONS OF PIONEER DAYS. The pioneers are passing away. In fact, so many of them have already gone, that with regret we note their vacant places, and realize that the inevitable years will soon gather them all. They, in a general way, have written their own history, and have built their lasting monuments on every farm and in every village of this county, but thousands of unwritten incidents and deeds worthy of record have passed from the memory of the living, and can never be recalled. The men and women who built the first homes for the white race in this important part of a great State, were not common people. They wore not broadcloth or silk, and fashion and useless polish were strangers to them. In their plain homes and primitive surroundings, with open hands and open hearts, they met upon one common social level; nevertheless they were an uncommon people. From the refined homes and cultivated fields of the east the bravest and the best went out with a determined purpose to build among difficulties for civilization, and to sow for posterity to reap. No ordinary people could do what the pioneers of this county have done. But a few short years ago, compared with the age of the State, they commenced the magnificent task, and by constant toil, seeking not for ease, through trials incessant, bravely facing calamities, after long and weary waiting they saw gardens crowd away the briar and the thistle, and grain and grass wave where once was tangled marsh. All through these long years they were unconsciously weaving webs of a history which spoke the doings of an interesting band, every word of which ought to be cherished by us, and every possible fragment gathered and saved in memory of our fathers and our mothers, and to the honor and for the benefit of ourselves and those who may live after us. It may be true that no tongue can ever tell, no pen can ever write the words which bring back in realistic form the weary, homesick feeling, the anxieties, trials, hopes and fears of the dark days, or the happiness and sunshine of the bright days of the pioneer's struggle for better homes and a higher civilization ; but it is equally true that the incidents of his career are sacred facts, and that his victories in the great battle of an unselfish life are as worthy of our remembrance as are the deeds of the men who fought the battle of Sedan, or led the famous march to the sea. The true benefactors are they who penetrating the wilderness drove back all features of barbarism, and built refined homes, and created broad harvests to enrich the world ; and it was a true heroism which enabled them to endure the privations and hardships of the past, which are fast being forgotten midst the comforts and luxuries of the present ; for incomprehensible were the noble motives and splendid purposes of the true heroes who built the primitive cabins. FULTON COUNTY - 331 CHAPTER XXXVI. SOCIETIES OF THE COUNTY. IN the county of Fulton there appears to be in existence three established organizations, the interests of which are dependent upon the county for support and maintenance. They are the Fulton County Agricultural Society ; the Fulton County Pioneer and Historical Association, and the Northwestern Ohio Fair Company. The last named, the Fair Company, is a corporation. and while hardly to be classed as a society of the county, it draws support largely from the county by way of attendance at its meetings, but its expenses are met by the stockholders, and who also participate in its profits, and while it may not be strictly termed a county society, it is, nevertheless, sufficiently such in its nature for the purposes of this chapter. The Fulton County Agricultural Society. This society was organized in the year 1858, and is wholly owned, or controlled, by the county. The object of the society is similar to like institutions throughout the State, having for its chief object a friendly competition among the people, especially in the production of farm and garden supplies, by offering prizes, or awards for the best of each class. This also extends to all articles, not farm and garden produce, such as works of art, useful and ornamental, and in fact nearly every branch of trade or occupation is, or may be represented at the exhibitions of the society, and prizes given for superior excellence in each. The result is wholesome and beneficial, as it stimulates the farmer to greater effort in his pursuit that his products may be of the best ;, and as it applies to farm production so it does to the results of other pursuits. The first meeting or exhibition of this society was held in the fall of the year 858, on a ten acre-tract of land which the society held under a ten year lease. The place of meeting was at a point in Dover township, about a half mile east from Ottokee, then the county seat. Suitable buildings were here erected for keeping the exhibits, and the other purposes of the society. The grounds were laid out with a trotting course for competition in trials of speed of horses. The result of ten years of existence in this locality, and on this limited tract of land, was beneficial to all die people, and at the expiration of the lease the society purchased a tract of about forty acres of land situate on the " west road," leading from Wauseon to Ottokee. The land was marshy and had no improvement, much of it being covered with timber. The improvements for the first year were made at an expense of about fifteen hundred dollars. This site was procured for the society by D. W. H. Howard, Oliver B. Verity and L. L. Carpenter. The erection of buildings, fences and enclosures, and the con- 332 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. struction of the track for exhibition of stock and trials of speed, cost the society several thousand dollars. Of recent years the society has confined its ex hibitions mainly to the display of farm products, stock and art work, rather than to horse trotting, the latter being now incident to the meetings of the Northwestern Ohio Fair Company. The present officers of the Fulton County Agricultural Society are as follows ; L. G. Ely, president ; L. W. Brown, secretary ; J. W. Howard, treasurer ; executive board, A. C. Daniels, Adam Kanauer, H. S. Persing, James Fenton, J. H. Brigham, S. H. Cately, L. W. Brown, George Gasche, A. M. Lee, Peter Schug, D. W. H. Howard, W. A. Blake, William Waffle, E. H. Patterson and L. G. Ely. To the encouragement and support of the objects of this society the State provides a fund of one cent per capita of the county's population. This fund now reaches something like two hundred and ten dollars. Should there be a surplus of receipts over expenses the same is used in making improvements and premium awards. Any person may become a member of the Fulton County Agricultural Society by paying annually into the treasury the sum of one dollar. This not only makes them members, but in addition thereto, entitles such person to a voice in the administration of the society, and to four admission tickets to the exhibitions of the same. The Fulton County Pioneer and Historical Association. For a period of several years prior to the actual organization of this association its necessity was recognized by the older residents of the county. It was felt that to the pioneers, who at an early day located in this region, and who, by their lives, privations, toil and industry, succeeded, through a period of alMost incredible hardships and sufferings, in laying the foundation upon which the superstructure of the county has since been built and enlarged by new camers and later generations, there should be erected in sonic suitable manner, a monument to their memory, and the memory of their deeds and lives ; a monument, permanent and imperishable, that the children of all coming generations might know to whom the honor and credit of the early settlements of the county is actually clue. It was therefore considered advisable that a society should at once be organized, the object of which should be to gather while possible, the facts and incidents relative to the pioneer days of the county, and to record them in substantial form for future use and reference. It was deemed important, too, that this work should be done, if ever, during the lifetime of the pioneer, while a complete and accurate record could be made. To this end, and for the accomplishment of the purpose expressed, a call was made upon the older residents of the county, inviting them to meet at the court-house, at Wauseon, on the 22d day of February, in the year 1883, that there might be a full and free interchange of views on the subject, and complete organization effected. FULTON COUNTY - 333 In obedience to the invitation there was a large attendance upon the occasion, February 22, 1883, and for the purpose of temporary organization, Michael Handy, esq., was made chairman and L. G. Ely, secretary. The object of the meeting was then fully and carefully outlined by Hon. D. W. H. Howard, substantially as set forth in the early part of this sketch, after which a committee on constitution and by-laws was appointed as follows : D. W. H. Howard, Albert Deyo, Joseph Shadle, L. G. Ely and James S. Dean. Upon the report of the committee the constitution and by-laws were adopted, and the society to be known as the " Fulton County Pioneer and Historical Association," was brought into existence. It was provided that the president should be the person who had resided the greatest number of years in the county, and that the vice-presidents should be the persons who had the longest residence in the townships from which they were respectively chosen, it being provided that there should be one vice-president from each township in the county. Hon. Dresden W. H. Howard being the oldest resident of the county was made president of the association, an office he has filled most acceptably and capably to the present time. The vice-presidents were as follows: John Jones, York; J. M. Williams, Clinton; John S. Butler, Chesterfield ; Heman A. Canfield, Gorham ; J. S. Riddle, Franklin ; David Ayers, Dover ; John McQuillen, Pike; James Fenton, Fulton ; Socrates H. Cately, Swan Creek ; George R. Betts, German ; Dallas Brown, Royalton; John Clendening, Amboy. The other officers were L. G. Ely, secretary ; Socrates H. Cately, treasurer ; Levi W. Brown, S. C. Biddle, Michael Handy, Ozias Merrill and J. P. Roos constituted the executive committee, and Hon. Oliver B. Verity was chosen as the historian of the association. Meetings were appointed to be held on the 22d day in the months of February and August of each year. The object of the association being so worthy, has met with marked success during its brief existence, and from the first has steadily increased in membership, until it now numbers nearly all the old substantial pioneer element of the county. Its present officers are as follows : President, Hon. Dresden W. H. Howard ; secretary, Thomas Mikesell ; treasurer, Socrates H. Gately ; executive committee, S.. C. Biddle, Rufus Briggs, Ozias Merrill, J. P. Roos and O. A. Cobb ; historian, Hon. Oliver B. Verity. The vice presidents remain, one from each township, as stated and given heretofore. The Northwestern Ohio Fair Company. This association was organized in response to a feeling that existed widely that Fulton county ought to have a place for annual meetings and exhibitions, at which premiums and purses were to be awarded, and which was situate within a convenient distance of the county seat and a railroad station. The fact that the grounds of the Fulton County Agricultural Society were distant some miles from the railroad, and could only be reached by carriage conveyance ; that the grounds of that 334 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES society had no ample accommodation for stabling horses, and that there -no hotel, or public house within several miles of the place ; and front the tics that there was a general demand on the part of many persons who were in the habit of attending exhibition; of this character, both residents and non-residents, a number of the substantial citizen; of Wauseon and vicinity caused to be incorporated, in the year 883, the Northwestern Ohio Fair Company, having for its object the same, substantially, as it set forth concerning the Fulton County Agricultural Society. W. C. Kelly was elected president; J. S. Newcomer, secretary, and E. S. Callender, treasurer. The grounds of the company are situate just north of Wauseon, easy of access and within a convenient walking distance. The lands comprise something like fifty acres and are arranged with reference to convenience and good order. Substantial buildings and enclosures are erected for the display of exhibits of all kinds, while the trotting course (half mile) is one of the best in northwestern Ohio. The society is in good standing in the region and well supported. Its present officers arc Frank E. Blair, president ; A. S. Bloomer, secretary ; E. S. Cal. lender, treasurer. The meetings of the company are held annually. CHAPTER XXXVII. Military History of Fulton County---Early Militia Organizations. THE early military history of Fulton county is so obscured by time that no statistics relative to the early organization can be found, and we have been compelled to rely wholly upon the memory of some of the early settlers of the county, among which we have received much information from Samuel Carpenter and A. H. Jordan. esq., of Royalton township. Before this county was organized, in 1850, most of the territory embraced in Fulton county was within the limits of Lucas county, and the military organizations were called Lucas County Militia. There was a full regiment, five companies of which belonged to Lucas county and three. namely, Company A., captain, Lyman Parcher, first lieutenant, Samuel Stutsman; Company B. Charles Smith, captain, Elias Richardson, first lieutenant, and William Sawyer, second lieutenant. Company C., commanded by Captain Treadwell; Peoli Alwood, first lieutenant, and John Viers, second lieutenant. The regiment usually had two general musters each year, which were high old times, lasting three days, the last of which was usually, after roll call in the morning, turned over to general sports, such as shooting at a mark, running foot races, pitching the iron bar, throwing the maul, wrestling etc. ; and as whisky was cheap in FULTON COUNTY - 335 those days, only twenty cents a gallon, a great quantity of the "creature" was usually disposed of on these occasions. About the year 1844, it being this part of the county's turn for the "general training," as it was called, Colonel Briggs ordered the regiment to assemble at H. C. Jordon's corners for a one day muster. The order was generally obeyed, and as there was a vacancy of a lieutenancy in one of the companies, an election was ordered to fill it, which resulted in the election of a young soldier from Maumee. After his election he was required to make good his footing, which was to treat the whole regiment, but the newly elected lieutenant not having the necessary money and having forgot or neglected to bring along a coon skin, the regiment became violent and were about to declare the office vacant and proceed with a new election, when A. H. Jordon, good soul as he is, and always was, came to the rescue and furnished the thing needful. The boys had become so thirsty by this time that it took five gallons to go around. The regiment was then ordered into line and commenceo training, but as they warmed up with the drill, the whisky also warmed up, and before noon about one half of the regiment were under arrest for disorderly conduct, and as it took the other half to guard those under arrest, this meeting was adjourned to meet at ?Etna (now Winameg) about one month thereafter. It met according to the adjournment for a three days' drill. It had a fine time at this meeting and was inspected and reviewed by Major General Charles W. Hill, of Toledo, who highly complimented the command for its proficiency in drill and good soldierly bearing. During the night of the second day's drill Colonel Briggs had occasion to be outside the guard line, and as he rode up to where True Whiteman was standing guard, the latter halted him and told him to dismount and give the countersign, but the colonel had forgotten the countersign, and feeling his oats somewhat, endeavored to force his way past the guard, but True was "true blue," and understood his duty, and, as the colonel rode up, persisting that he was Colonel Briggs and had a right to, and would pass at all hazards, the guard thought differently, and clubbing his rifle, promptly knocked the horse down on which the gallant colonel was riding and made him a prisoner until the adjutant was sent for, who communicated the countersign to the colonel, which he then gave to the guard and was permitted to pass. This was the last general muster in this county in ante-bellum days, although the regiment met after that at Maumee and other places in Lucas county. THE WAR OF 1861-75. At the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, Fulton county, in point of numbers, was one of the smallest counties in the State, number ing at that time, in round numbers, about twelve thousand population. There were, at that time, no villages in the county numbering one thousand inhabitants, Delta being the largest with a population of only a few hundred persons, and 336 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. all the other villages combined reaching less than twelve hundred. The country was sparsely settled, and by a strictly farming people. As soon as Fort Sumter had been fired upon by the rebels, the people of this county, with one accord, sinking party affiliations for the time, sprang to the defense of the Union ; public meetings were held all over the county and, in a few days, tw, full companies were raised, under the call of President Lincoln for seventy-five thousand men Owing to the rapidity with which Ohio's quota of the seventy-five thousand was filled, but one of Fulton county's companies could be accepted. This company, ninety-seven strong, commanded by Captain E. L. Barber, of Wauseon, was mustered into the Fourteenth Regiment as Company H, and rendered good service in that regiment during its term of enlistment. The other company was ordered to Camp Herrick, in Swanton, where, after being drilled for about one month, it was mustered out and paid off by the State. After Congress met in July, 1861, the president issued his second call for three hundred thousand troops for three years' service Ohio's quota was quickly filled ; the Fourteenth and Thirty-eighth Regiments were raised in the northwestern counties of the State ; Fulton county contributing to the three years Fourteenth Regiment at muster in, forty- seven men, and sent to the regiment as recruits, seven men, making a total of fifty-four from Fulton county, for that regiment. Fulton county furnished for the Thirty eighth Regiment two full companies: Company I, Captain M. R. Brailey, and Company K. Captain R. A. Franks. These two companies had an aggregate of two hundred men, and forty-one men mustered into other companies of the regiment ; a total at muster in of two hundred and forty-one men from Fulton county. The county, during the war, also sent one hundred and nine recruits to the Thirty-eighth Regiment, making a total of three hundred and fifty from this county for the Thirty- eighth. The county furnished to the Forty seventh Ohio Regiment fifty-three men. This was a squad of men raised for other regiments, but they being full, the men were mustered into the Forty-seventh. There were recruited for the Sixty-seventh Ohio Infantry two hundred and eleven men, who were mustered in at the organization of the regiment from Fulton county, and the county sent them forty-nine recruits during its term of service, making a total of two hundred and sixty men from this county. The county furnished for the Sixty-eighth Regiment one company of ninety-seven men ; for the One Hundredth Regiment, one company, H, was wholly recruited from Fulton county, added to which the county sent sixteen recruits. The county also furnished twenty other men for this regiment, who were mustered into other companies, making a total of one hundred and thirty- six. For the One Hundred and Eleventh Regiment Fulton county furnished sixty-two men, most of whom were mustered into Company K. FULTON COUNTY - 337 The county furnished one whole company, D, which was mustered into the Forty-fourth Illinois Regiment of infantry. It also sent to the regiment, while at the front, twenty-seven recruits, a total of one hundred and twenty-four. Eighty-four men from the county enlisted and served in Michigan regiments. For the Third Ohio Cavalry there were were fifty-five men recruited from Fulton county, who served with that regiment during the war. There was recruited in this county for the Thirty-seventh German Regiment twenty-six men ; and for other three years Ohio regiments, one hundred and fifty-six men, making a grand total of three years men who went into the service from this county of one thousand four hundred and fifty-seven. Fulton county furnished for the One Hundred and Eighty second Regiment sixty-one men, forty-five of whom were mustered into Company B, and sixteen into Company K, of that regiment. This county also furnished for other one year regiments, forty-two men, who were mustered into the following one year regiments, viz. : the One Hundred and Eighty-fourth, the One Hundred and Eighty-ninth, the One Hundred and Ninety. first, the One Hundred and Ninety-Third and the One Hundred and Ninety-fifth, making a total of one hundred and two men for the one year service. Fulton furnished for the three months service, ninety-seven men, mustered into Company H, Fourteenth Regiment ; and ninety-eight men, who were mustered into Company G, Eighty-fifth Regiment, and twenty-one men, who were mustered into different companies of the Eighty-seventh Regiment, making a total of two hundred and sixteen, furnished by this county for the different three months organizations. In the spring of 1864, when General Grant assumed the command of all the armies of the United States, and was about to begin his famous advance against the army of General Lee, it being necessary that he should have all the veteran troops of the Army of the Potomac for that purpose, President Lincoln called together, at Washington, the governors of all the loyal States for consultation, and to devise means, if possible, to raise recruits for a short period, to guard Washington, and to do other guard and garrison duty in and about that city, and to hold places captured in rear of the line of march of Grant's army, and to guard the supply and ammunition trains for his army, so that all the old, available troops of the Potomac Army could be at the front. The loyal governors assembled, and, after consultation, Governor Brough, of Ohio, suggested to the president and State governors, the idea of calling out one hundred thousand men for one hundred days service, pledging Ohio for thirty thousand of this class of troops. President Lincoln immediately agreed with this proposition, and, after a short conference, the other governors agreed teats proposition. It is needless to say that thirty thousand was much larger that! Ohio's quota, yet the whole number was speedily raised, and about three 338 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. thousand surplus. The first regiment to respond was the One Hundred and Thirtieth, or First Ohio National Guards, wholly raised in the northwest corner of the State. Fulton county reported with three companies, but, as there was a total of eleven companies reported, one company from this county was distributed among other companies of the regiment. Fulton county furnished for the One Hundred and Thirtieth Regiment two hundred and fifty-one men. Although the one hundred days men did but little fighting, they were of inestimable value in holding the rear of Grant's army, preventing raids on Washington, and giving to General Grant all the good fighting men of his army. For the cavalry service Fulton county did not send a great number to the field. It did, however, furnish for the Third Regiment of Cavalry fifty-five men, most of whom were mustered into Company H, of that regiment. There were also enlisted in this county and mustered into other cavalry regiments forty- three men, making a total of ninety-eight from Fulton county for this branch of the service. In addition to the foregoing, thirty men from Fulton county volunteered, and were mustered into the First Regiment of Ohio Light Artillery ; thirteen men went into the Sharpshooters, twenty-three enlisted and were mustered into the different Ohio independent batteries, and eleven into the United States Regulars, making a total of eighty-seven men mustered into these miscellaneous organizations. Recapitulation. —Fulton county sent to the field and had mustered into the service for three years, one thousand four hundred and fifty-seven men. For the one year service this county sent to the field one hundred and two men; for the six months service Fulton county sent to the war ninety- four men ; for the three months service there were recruited in this county and sent to the field two hundred and sixteen men ; for the one hundred days service this county sent two hundred and fifty-four ; miscellaneous organizations, eighty- seven men, making a total, for all armies of the service of two thousand two hundred and seven men that actually entered the service. It will be observed that in many instances no company roster is given in connection with the history of the command. In explanation of this absence it may be stated that no reliable record of individuals could be obtained of many of the companies that entered the service later than 1862 ; and even for that year all do not appear. Memorials and muster-out-rolls have been found from which an incomplete record could be made, and, in such cases, care has been used to make the data as reliable as possible. Again, in frequent cases, it appears that only a small portion of a company was from the county, and in order to give a complete roster, each name should appear, and it has been found impossible to determine just who of the company were from Fulton. THE FOURTEENTH INFANTRY -THREE MONTHS SERVICE. There was not at any time during the progress of the war against the Rebellion, a more hearty response to the president's demand for volunteers than FULTON COUNTY - 339 under the first call for seventy-five thousand men for three months' service. Indeed, so promptly and so faithfully did the men of Ohio answer to the necessities of the occasion, that less by far were required than had volunteered for the service. Ohio had overrun her quota by the thousands. In no place was greater patriotism and greater loyalty to the Union shown, than in the then young and struggling county of Fulton. Epaphras L. Barber, then a resident of Wauseon, engaged in the real estate business, at once signed the enlistment roll, and his action was immediately followed by others so rapidly, that on the 23d day of April, just four days after the enlistment began, the company, one hundred and twelve strong, went to Toledo. In perfecting the company organization, E. L. Barber, was elected captain ; Thomas M. Ward, first lieutenant; and Reason A. Francks, second lieutenant. Arriving at Toledo, the company was attached to the Fourteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and made Company H. The regiment was fully organized by the election of the field officers as follows: James B. Steedman, colonel ; George P. Este, lieutenant-colonel ; Paul Edwards, major. The Fourteenth, having close to one thousand men, left Toledo for Cleveland where they arrived on April 25th, and went into camp. Two days later, April 27th, the regiment was mustered into service. The regiment was raised in what was then the Tenth Congressional District, embracing the country in the vicinity of Toledo. So great was the enthusiasm of the people, that many of the companies were more than full. This was the case in Company H, under Captain Barber, by whom a portion were sent back home. In this the captain exercised good judgment, and returned those whose presence was most needed at home, such as men having families dependent on them for support. Company H, as will be seen from the appended muster-roil, was made up mainly of young men, strong, sturdy fellows, taken from the farms and shops of Fulton county, and not a man of them but fully realized the serious business in which they had enlisted; and although their term of service was short, and their battles few, they were, nevertheless, capital soldiers, and rendered such service as was required of them promptly and well. When mustered into service the Fourteenth went into Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, for drill, and in this they were exercised to an abundant degree. In fact, there were here, as well as subsequently, numerous complaints on the part of a few of Company H, that they were being too much drilled, but later in the service (for most of the men became veterans), they profited by the drill and discipline they received from Captain Barber, as is shown by the fact that out of his company alone, twelve men became commissioned officers in other commands. On the 22d day of May the Fourteenth left Cleveland for Columbus, where they received their clothing, arms, and all necessary equipments, and on the 340 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. next day, the 23d, proceeded to Marietta, at which place they were joined by the First Ohio Battery. They then on the 27th moved on toward Webster, sometimes riding, and frequently being compelled to march, acting as pioneer and construction corps, for the enemy and southern sympathizers had destroyed roads and bridges. At Webster the regiment was joined by the Sixth, Seventh and Ninth Indiana troops. The regiment then marched for Philippi, Va., which was performed on a dark and stormy night, and brought up in front of the place soon after daylight on the morning of the 4th, and at once a volley from the battery was fired into the town. Had the plan been executed according to its original conception, Philippi would have been captured ; but through some blunder on the part of one of the commands, the scheme failed of its main purpose. The rebels, however, quickly abandoned the town, which was immediately occupied by the Union forces. The rebel stores, and several wagon loads of arms and ammunition fell into the hands of the Union soldiers. The regiment then went into camp at Philippi, where they lay a few weeks, sending out occasionally skirmishing parties to attack and free the country of roving bands of guerillas that infested the country. On the 2d day of July, the boys received their first pay, in gold and Ohio currency. From this place, in early July, the Fourteenth marched to Bealington, on Laurel Hill, where the rebels had gathered in considerable force under command of General Garnett. The enemy's pickets were driven and they suddenly evacuated the place, closely pressed by the Union troops, the Fourteenth being in the advance of the pursuing forces. They followed on to Carrick's Ford, where the rebels made a determined stand to save their trains of supplies. The Fourteenth received the first fire of the enemy, but returned it even before the second could come from the rebel guns. The battle raged fiercely for about twenty minutes when the rebel line was broken, their force routed, and fled in confusion, leaving their wounded, stores, ammunition, colors and supplies, all in the hands of the boys in blue. They captured here, also, two hundred and fifty prisoners. This was the only engagement in which the Fourteenth was actually under fire, and not a man flinched nor wavered, but stood bravely to their work. The regiment returned to Laurel Hill, where they camped for a short time, after which, their term of enlistment having expired, they returned to Toledo, and were mustered out of service. Many of the men, after a few days of rest and'enjoyment at home, re-enlisted in various regiments then forming for the three years service ; but here the history of the Fourteenth—three months men—ceases, and their future reward belongs to other commands. It appears from the muster out roll of Company H, that the men joined for service on the 22d day of April, 1861, at Wauseon; and that they were mustered into service at Cleveland, on the 27th day of the same month. The following roll will show the name of each member of the company, both officers FULTON COUNTY - 341 and privates, their age at time of enlistment, and their town or township of supposed residence or address at time of muster out, although in giving the place of residence errors may appear. The list is compiled from the muster out roll, and such errors as appear thereon are copied here : Epaphras L. Barber, captain, age 30, residence, Wauseon ; Thomas M. Ward, first lieutenant, age 45, residence, Ottokee ; Regin A. Franks, second lieutenant, age 26, residence, Wauseon ; Hiram McClatchie, first sergeant, age 27, residence, Medina, Wis. ; Jacob Bartlett, second sergeant, age 33, residence, Pike township ; Erastus W. Briggs, third sergeant, age 26, Emmett Lusure, fourth sergeant, age 24, Worlen B. Leggett, first corporal, age 24, Albert R. Stranahan, second corporal, age 19, residence, Wauseon ; Emanuel B. Cantelbery, third corporal, age 21, Samuel Hanley, fourth corporal, age 33, residence, Pittsville ; Itham Culbertson, drummer, age 20, John B. Mikesell, drummer, age 23, residence, Wauseon. Privates.-Lewis Butler, age 23, William C. Barnes, age 22, Isaiah Hayes, age 24, residence, Wauseon ; Robert H. Betts, age 19, residence, Archbold ; Ezra F. Bragg, age 25, residence, Pike township ; George Burer, age 26, residence, Archbold ; Sumpter Beckem, age 20, residence, Chesterfield ; Charles Courier, age 26, residence, Archbold ; Calvin Cass, age 26, Franklin D. Cass, age 18, Howard Cass, age 21, residence, Tedrow; Allen C. Clark, age 26, residence, Pittsville ; Oscar Coleman, age 21, residence, Chesterfield ; Nathan R. Chudle, age 18, Charles W. Cornell, age 26, residence, Wauseon ; Thomas I. Childs, age 21, died at Marietta, 0. ; Weber I. Colt, age 22, John 0. Dowell, age 23, residence, Wauseon ; George W. Ellsworth, age 23, Christian Funkhouser, age 24, Emanuel Freistone, age 20, Jacob Gilbert, age 19, residence, Archbold ; Shelly A. Gish, age 18, residence, Wauseon ; John R. Gallop, age 19, residence, Ottokee ; John A. Garberson, age 22, William Hamp, age 20, residence, Ai ; Orrin Hamp, age 18, John Hine, age 8, Josiah P. Hodges, age 21, Samuel D. Hodges, age 25, residence, Wauseon ; Josiah Hodges, age 23, sick at home at muster out ; William H. Hishoe, age 20, Oscar I. Hale, age 23, Ezra Harger, age 19, Martin Hinckle, age 20, John G. Jewell, age 34, William S. Jones, age 19, residence, Wauseon ; George W. Jones, age 23, Emanuel Krouty, age 27, residence, Pittsville ; Frederick Konnaker, age 28, George W. Kobble, age 23, Jacob B. Lepley, age 22, William Losure, age 26, Marion Losure, age 20, Marriott Losure, age 20, Paul Lingle, age 19, residence, Wauseon ; Silas Lingle, age 8, residence, Tedrow ; Wesley Lewis, age 20, no address given ; Sylvester Lyon, age 27, Lorenzo Lyon, age 20, John W. Miller, age 23, Hiram Miller, age 19, David Miller, age 23, residence, Wauseon ; John Miller, age 27, residence, Archbold ; William R. McManus, age 23, Horace Mixler, age 26, La Fayette B. Price, age 22, William H. Pelton, age 27, Wesley Pontius, age 21, residence, Wauseon ; William Rogers, age 20, residence, Archbold ; George S. Royce, age 38, residence, Ottokee ; John Renaugh, age 23, Frederiok Renaugh, age 21, 342 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. residence, Archbold ; Albert B. Smith, age 21, Henry T. Smith, age 23, George Struble, age 21, William S. Struble, age 24, residence, Wauseon ; Joseph Snyder, age 38, residence, Pittsville ; Richard Shadle, age 21, residence, Ottokee ; William R. Saums, age 28, residence, Wauseon ; William Shoemaker, age 23, residence, Archbold ; William S. Skeels, age 20, Edward F. Summers, age 20, Uriah Todd, age 22, Leander Taber, age 19, Augustus A, Wood, age 24, Henry L. Waldron, age 19, Samuel Wellman, age 23, William Wier, age 26, John S. Wise, age 23, residence, Wauseon ; George W. Williams, age 18, residence, Archbold ; Linas P. Woodward, age 21, Virgil Weeks, age 21, Henry Yeager, age 20, residence, Wauseon. THE THIRD CAVALRY. The Third Ohio Volunteer Cavalry was organized at Monroeville, 0., in August and September, 1861. The regiment is purely a Northern Ohio organization, fifty five men of which volunteered from Fulton county, mostly of whom were mustered into Company H, and the remainder in Companies A, C, F and I. In February, 1862, the regiment reached Jeffersonville, opposite Louisville, Ky. On the 8th of March it arrived at Nashville, Tenn., and on the 29th left for Pittsburgh Landing. On the 4th of April the first battalion was detached by order of General Buel and sent to Lawrenceburg, Tenn. Here the battalion to which Company H was attached, met Beffle's rebel cavalry and drove them out of Lawrenceburg, killing one and wounding several others and capturing six horses. On the 6tb a detachment under command of Major John H. Foster, seized a large quantity of bacon belonging to the rebels. It arrived at Pittsburgh Landing on the 25th. On the 4th of May while on a recconnoissance, it met the enemy's advance at Chambers Creek and drove them back to their main body. At a point about ten miles from Corinth, Major Foster's battalion, while making a reconnaissance, had a spirited encounter with the enemy, but was finally forced back by the overwhelming number of the rebels. In this fight the rebels lost twelve men killed, among which was Lieutenant-Colonel Ingram. For the next two months the regiment was constantly on the march and doing picket duty, with frequent skirmishing with the enemy. On the 29th of July Major Foster, with the first battalion of the Third Cavalry and ten companies of infantry, was sent on a foraging expedition to Salem, and meeting a squad of the enemy with eighty-nine head of beef cattle immediately attacked them and captured the cattle. The regiment, with its divisions, left Winchester on the 14th of August, and arrived at McMinville on the 29th and was ordered across the Cumberland Mountains to Dunlap. When half way up the mountain the enemy's messengers were met and captured with their dispatches from General Bragg to General Wheeler; thence proceeding, Major Foster drove in the enemy's pickets, killing and wounding six, and then returned to his division with the or- FULTON COUNTY - 343 ders captured from the rebel messengers. On the 3d of September the division marched for Nashville, thence to Gallatin, and from there to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where it arrived on the l0th, and from Bowling Green the Third Cavalry went to Mumfordsville, Ky., where the first battalion had a lively fight with three times its number, but after making three separate charges the rebels were driven inside their works. In this encounter the battalion lost two men killed and twelve wounded. The enemy's loss was twenty-eight killed and sixty wounded, among which was Lieutenant-Colonel Brown. The regiment reached Louisville on the 25th of September, and on the 1st of October joined in the pursuit of Bragg, and near Bardstown the first battalion of the Third Cavalry, reinforced by two companies of the Second Ohio Infantry and Third Kentucky Cavalry, attacked the enemy, twelve hundred strong, but was forced to fall back with a loss of six men killed, twenty wounded and seventeen captured. Among the wounded was Major Foster. The Second, Third and Fourth battalions of the Third Ohio Cavalry, under Colonel Zahm, were stationed most of the summer at Woodville, Ala., guarding the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, and was repeatedly attacked by guerillas from the mountains of Alabama. An expedition, by order of General Buel, under Major Paramore, was sent out and succeeded in driving the rebel guerillas from this section of the State. In this affair the detachment lost six men killed, and about twenty wounded ; the loss of the rebels was much more severe. About this time the second and third battalions of the Third, were attached to the Second Brigade of cavalry, commanded by Colonel Lewis Zahm, of the Third.. With this brigade they formed the rear guard of Buel's army in its march from Nashville to Louisville, after Bragg. On this march they were almost daily attacked and harassed by the enemy, but they brought all the trains through in safety, and for so doing were highly complimented by General Buel. They engaged the advance rebel cavalry force of General Kirby Smith, at Shelbyville, Ky., and drove them from the town, capturing a large number of prisoners. During the battle of Perryville the Third was engaged with the enemy at the ford of the Kentucky River, near Paris. After the battle, the Third went into camp at Danville, and on the 19th of October, a detachment under Major Seidell, with a detachment of the Fourth Cavalry, numbering in all two hundred and fifty men, were sent, under orders from General McCook, as an escort to special couriers to Lexington on a forced march of over forty miles While in camp near the old Henry Clay home, at Ashland, early on the morning of the l0th, the camp was completely surrounded by John Morgan's forces. They made an obstinate resistance, but were overpowered by force of numbers, and after being stripped of their valuables and horses, they were paroled by General Morgan, and sent into time Union lines, and from there sent to Camp Chase, 0. An incident occurred 344 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. here worthy of note. Private Weis, of the Third, enquired for Morgan, and a person among the rebels was pointed out to him as the guerilla chief. Weis immediately drew bead on that officer and before he could be disarmed, shot and the reputed Morgan fell dead. It proved to be Charles Morgan, a cousin of the general. The private was immediately killed by Morgan's men, From Danville the Third marched to Howling Green, and were ordered to guard the railroad between that place and Gallatin with headquarters at Fountain Head Station. Morgan's forces at that time were at Gallatin. Colornel Zahm sent out a detachment of the Third to reconnoiter and learn the position and strength of Morgan's command. The rebel pickets were captured and the desired information obtained. The next morning the cavalry under Colonel Zahm, supported by a brigade of infantry from General Wood's division, commanded by Colonel Harket, attacked Morgan's camp and captured it, together with his camp equipage, and a large number of prisoners. During the winter a detachment of the Third under command of Captain E. M. Culier, under orders from Colonel Zahm, went up the Cumberland River to intercept a large drove of mules, and quartermaster's stores, which were being removed by the rebels, accompanied by an escort of Morgan's force. After a chase of twenty-six miles they succeeded in capturing the entire train, and drove off one hundred and forty-six mules, routing the escort and killing three and capturing seventeen, among whom were two rebel quartermasters and one paymaster. On the 27th of December the second attack was made on Franklin, in which the rebels were completely routed and driven from the place. The regiment then moved towards Triune, and before night again became engaged with the enemy, and on the 28th the enemy was again engaged by the brigade and was driven seven miles with great loss. After skirmishing during the day, on the evening of the 30th the Third was assigned a position on the extreme right of General Rosecrans's army. At two o'clock on the morning of the '31st, the first battalion of the regiment being on picket duty, apprised Colonel Zahm of the advance of the rebel forces. The colonel immediately placed his brigade in line of battle and notified General McCook, commanding the right wing. The third battalion of the Third Cavalry were thrown out as skirmishers. At four o'clock in the morning the skirmish line was driven in and the brigade attacked by Wheeler's rebel cavalry. After two hours' hard fighting against a rebel force, numbering more than two to one, the brigade was forced from the field, it having suffered severely in loss of officers and men. During the morning of the 31st, the rebels having captured General McCook's corps ammunition train, were removing it from the field when the second and third battalions of the Third Cavalry, which had already stood the shock of the morning, and remained at their posts, made a dash at the enemy and recaptured the train, taking one hundred and forty prisoners and killing a number of rebels, and horses. During the afternoon the regiment lost, in sustaining a rebel charge, thirteen men killed, and forty-nine wounded. FULTON COUNTY - 345 On January 1, 1863, the Third Cavalry was detailed by General Rosecrans as guard to a train of four thousand wagons, for Nashville after supplies. The train was attacked by Wheeler's Cavalry, at Stewart's Creek. The Third being supported by the Tenth Ohio Infantry, repulsed the rebels with heavy loss. Later the same day the train was again attacked by the same force, and eight hundred men of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry forming the rear guard, were completely routed. The Third Ohio Cavalry coming up, a sharp fight ensued, lasting until after dark, when the rebels were again driven back. The train was safely taken to Nashville, loaded with supplies, and returned to Murfreesboro in safety. After the battle of Stone River the regiment went in pursuit of the enemy ; his rear guard was overtaken near Middleton, Tenn , and one of his trains captured and brought back to Murfreesboro. While the Third was in camp at Murfreesboro, in the winter of 1864, a detachment of the Third battalion, while on a scout under command of Lieutenant Brennard, were surrounded by the enemy who demanded their surrender, which was refused. Lieutenant Brennard then ordered a sabre charge and successfully cut his way through the enemy's lines with small loss, at the same time taking a number of prisoners. After the battle of Chickamauga, in which the regiment took an active part, the command moved as the advance of General Crook's forces, in pursuit of General Wheeler's cavalry, and engaged them at McMinville and Farmington, at the latter place completely routing Wheeler’s forces, large numbers of the enemy being killed and wounded. In this engagement the regiment lost two men killed, and twenty-three wounded. In November, Captain R. 0. Wood, of the Third, had a tussle with the enemy near Dalton, Ga., in which he, Wood, was killed. In January, 864, the Third Cavalry re-enlisted for another three years, and, at this time, out of the original thirteen hundred at organization, only four hundred were left. It left Nashville for Ohio on the 4th of February, and returned after two years' absence to its old camp at Monroeville. On March 2d it reassembled at Camp Monroeville, it having enlisted over one thousand new recruits while on veteran furlough, and on its return to Nicholsville, Ky., it numbered over fifteen hundred men. It was re-equipped, armed, and mounted, and went into camp at Columbia, Tenn. It acted as advance guard of the Seventeenth Army Corps from Decatur to Rome, Ga. It was in the fight at Courtland, Ala., and routed the rebels under General Roddy's command, with a loss of a lieutenant-colonel, major, and upwards of thirty men killed and wounded. It was surprised before daylight at Moulton, Ala., the next morning, but rallied and drove the enemy from the field. At Rome the regiment was assigned to a position on the left flank of Sherman's army, and did good work in the engagements at Etowah, Kenesaw Mountain, Noody Creek, and the crossing of Chattahoochie River. It went to Roswell, Ga., and ,destroyed the rebel stores and factories at that place. On the 9th of July four 346 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. companies of the Third, commanded by Major Culver, had a severe fight with a superior force of the enemy, killing eight, and wounding a large number, and capturing a great many prisoners and horses. It was engaged in the battles of Peach Tree Creek and Decatur, and made a raid to Covington and Stone Mountain. In the Kilpatrick raid the regiment was in the brigade in the advance till the rear of Atlanta was reached. It was also in the Stoneman raid, under General Garrard, and suffered severely. In the flanking movement on Jonesboro, the Third was the first to attack the enemy at Lovejoy Station, taking possession of the railroad, after the capture of Atlanta. The regiment followed up Hood harassing his rear as far as Columbia, Tenn. At Franklin the Third was engaged with the rebel cavalry. It was also engaged in the battle before Nashville, and after Hood's defeat it followed his retreat across the Tennessee River into Alabama. It was engaged in the Wilson raid through Alabama and Georgia, and in the battles of Selma and Montgomery, Ala., and Macon and Griffin, Ga. It was sent home, paid off, and mustered out on the 14th of August, 1865, having been in the service nearly four years, and engaged in more raids and fights than any other cavalry regiment in the service from Ohio, and having actually captured over five thousand prisoners. THE THIRTY-EIGHTH INFANTRY. This regiment was organized at Camp Latty, at Defiance, and was recruited from the counties of Fulton. Henry, Defiance, Paulding and Williams. Companies I and K were wholly recruited from Fulton county, which also furnished nine men for Company C ; twenty one men for Company E , five men for Company G, and three men each for Companies A and H, making a total of two hundred and forty-one men from this county mustered into the regiment at its organization. Fulton county also furnished for the Thirty-eighth Regiment, during the war, by way of recruits, one hundred and nine men, making a total of three hundred and fifty. On the 28th of September, 1861, the regiment was transferred to Camp Dennison, where it received its arms and equipments, and was drilled and disciplined, and then took cars to Cincinnati, and thence to Nicholsville, Ky., where it camped, on the morning of the 2d of October. From this camp, about the middle of October, the regiment was ordered to march to the relief of the garrison at Wild Cat, about sixty miles distant, which place, after a forced march, it reached on the morning of the Igth of October, in company with the Fourteenth Ohio and Barnett's Battery, the last three miles of which was a double-quick, through mud and slush, up the Wild Cat Mountain. On the arrival was found five companies of the Thirty- third Indiana, hemmed in on three sides by rebel troops, under General Zollicoffer. Barnett's Battery was unlimbered and immediately went into action, and commenced shelling the enemy, while some of the Fourteenth gained the summit and fortified it, while the Thirty-eighth was deployed in line of battle as FULTON COUNTY - 347 best they could be in the broken and rocky condition of the narrow pass in the hills. The rebels made two charges but were both times driven back, with loss, and, being unable to take the little fortified position, abandoned the attack and hastily retreated in the direction of London, leaving thirty killed and wounded on the field. They were pursued by the Ohio brigade and battery, but finding that Zollicoffer had already retreated from London, the brigade encamped a little north of the town and threw up fortifications. They remained here about two weeks, when orders were received to march back to Crab Orchard. This was a terrible march for the Thirty-eighth, and was ordered to take place in the evening Captain Brailey's Company, I, was ordered to assist in getting the wagon train and artillery over Rock Castle River and up the Wild Cat hills. The night was exceedingly dark, a heavy rain falling, and the mud nearly a foot deep, and so slippery that the horses and mules were unable to draw the wagons and artillery. The river water was very cold, and about one hundred rods wide at the crossing, and hip-deep to the men. For two hours Company I worked incessantly, in the water, in lifting and pushing the wagons across the stream, and during the entire night, in pushing and pulling the wagons over the Wild Cat hills. So severe Was this night's work on Company I, that on arriving at Crab Orchard, the next day, over twenty of the company were so overcome that they had to be left in the hospital at that place ; and several of them were so completely broken down that they were never after fit for duty, and were afterwards discharged for disability. The Thirty-eighth then marched to Staunton and Lebanon, and, about the middle of December, was ordered to Somerset, where it arrived on the l0th, in a terrible snow storm. Finding at that place that the Twelfth Kentucky was engaged in exchanging shots with Zollicoffer's troops across the Cumberland River, Companies I and K, of the Thirty-eighth, were detailed as pickets on the north bank of the river, and remained there from four P.M. until two o'clock the next afternoon, without any rations, the rain and sleet falling all the time. The regiment went into camp for the winter and threw up strong fortifications adjacent to the town. During the winter of 861 and 1862, the regiment was constantly on duty. The measles broke out in the regiment, and camp diarrhoea and pneumonia were the order of the day ; and by the middle of January, 1862, out of nine hundred and ninety men, less than three hundred were fit for duty. The mortality was fearful. During the month of January, 862, the regiment had several skirmishes with the rebel cavalry, and occasionally captured a few of the enemy. On the 19th of January the Thirty-eighth was ordered out, and marched rapidly towards Mill Springs. On arriving at Fishing Creek they found it so swollen by the recent rains that a hawser had to be stretched across the stream for the men to hold on to to enable them to cross. This was slow work, and the regiment arrived at Logan's Cross Roads just in time to see the enemy routed and in full retreat towards their fortifications at Mill Springs. 348 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. The Thirty-eighth joined in the chase after the retreating foe, and arrived at their fortifications about dark, too late to assault the works. The men lay on their arms during the night, the rain falling all the time, and the artillery shelling the works. At early dawn the Ohio brigade, to which the Thirty-eighth belonged, was ordered to charge the works, and on arriving at the place, found that the enemy had retreated across the river during the night, except one regiment, and a few sick and wounded, which were captured together with twenty cannon, all their camp and garrison equipage, and a large number of horses, mules, small arms, and other property. In March the regiment was transferred to Nashville, Tenn., and on the 19th of March it left Nashville with the army of the Ohio, for Pittsburg Landing, but did not arrive at that place in time to participate in the battle, but did take an active part in the siege of Corinth. After the retreat of the rebels from Corinth, the Thirty-eighth joined in the pursuit of Beauregard as far as Boonville ; from there it marched back to Corinth and on the l0th of June, marched with the Army of the Ohio to Tuscumbia, Ala. After marching around through Alabama about six hundred miles, it on the 7th of August, 1862, reached Winchester, Tenn. During this month several expeditions were sent out to reconnoitre through the mountains in the direction of Chattanooga, then the headquarters of the rebel army, in all of which the Thirty-eighth took an active part. A party of eighty men of the Thirty-eighth made a forced march of thirty-six miles, captured Tracy City,. and after destroying a large amount of tobacco, whisky, leather, and other articles belonging to the rebels, returned to camp, having marched seventy-two miles, and captured the city, and destroyed the above named property, all in less than thirty-four hours. On September, 1, 1862, the regiment with the balance of Buel's army began the retrograde movement, which terminated in the battle of Perryville, October 8, 1862. Here the Thirty-eighth bore a conspicuous part. In all the marching and fatigue, in excessively hot weather, over dusty roads, and suffering for lack of water, they arrived at Perrysville. The enemy was found in position on Champion Hills, near the town. The Thirty- eighth participated in this battle, and afterwards in the chase after Bragg as far as the Wild Cat Hills. On the 27th of October it went into camp on the Rolling Fork. Here it received a detachment of recruits from Fulton county. About the 1st of November it took up its march for Nashville, Tenn., and guarded the railroad between Gallatin and Nashville. In the latter part of December the regiment marched to Nashville to prepare for the fight which took place at Stone River, in which engagement the Thirty-eighth was wholly engaged. After the battle the regiment went into camp near the city, where it remained until the 13th of March, 1863, when it marched to Triune, Ga., and on the 23d of June marched with the Army of the Cumberland, and took an active part in the Tullahoma campaign. On the 17th of August the march for Chattanooga began. The Thirty-eighth marched with the center corps, crossed FULTON COUNTY - 349 the Cumberland Mountains, and the Tennessee River on rafts built of logs, on the night of September 2, 1863, thence marching over Lookout and Raccoon Mountains, arrived in Lookout Valley about the middle of September. The wagon train and everything else that was cumbersome, was sent to the rear. The entire train of the army was sent to Chattanooga, and the Thirty eighth, detailed by special order of General Thomas, was charged with the safe transit of the same. They started on the evening of the 8th of September. and before morning were safely landed within six miles of Chattanooga. In consequence of this detail, the Thirty-eighth was not in the battle of Chickamauga. On the 25th of November, 1863, the division to which the Thirty-eighth belonged, assaulted the fortifications at the foot of Mission Ridge, ascended the hill and carried the works, driving the rebels. The regiment was on the extreme left, and although Bragg had considered the slope entirely safe as against direct assault, yet they moved up, up, up, until they reached the summit. The fire from the rebel batteries was terrible, but the shot went mostly over their heads. In this charge the Thirty-eighth lost seven men killed, and forty-one wounded. After pursuing the enemy as far as Ringgold, Ga., the regiment returned to Camp near Chattanooga, where it re-enlisted and returned home on veteran furlough. At the expiration of its furlough, having replenished its depleted ranks by recruits while at home, the regiment joined the army there at Ringgold, Ga., and when Sherman started on his Atlanta campaign, the Thirty- eighth numbered seven hundred and forty-one effective men On the 5th of May it marched to Buzzard's Roost Gap, where it was deployed and brought into action, and after skirmishing two days, a flank movement was ordered by the way of Smoky Creek Gap, nearly in the rear of Resaca. Here the Thirty- eighth entrenched itself and skirmished almost continually, and although no general engagement was brought on, the regiment lost thirty-five men in killed and wounded. The regiment took an active part in the affair at Kenesaw, skirmishing almost continually, and on the 5th of July reached the banks of the Chattahoochie River. They crossed the river on the 17th, and on the 22d the Thirty-eighth had the honor of establishing the picket line of the Fourteenth Army Corps, near the city of Atlanta. It held this line until August 3d, when it moved to Utoy Creek, and on the 5th of August Companies A, C, and K, of the regiment charged the enemy's skirmish line with success, and out of one hundred and twenty men who charged, nine were killed, and forty-two wounded,- of which four of the killed, and fifteen of the wounded were from Fulton county. On the night of August 31st the regiment took possession of the Macon Road near Red Oak Station, and on the night of September 1st, it was learned that the rebels were fortifying Jonesboro. The army was put in motion for that place, and about four o'clock P. M., came upon the pickets of Hardee's Corps. Este's Brigade, to which the Thirty-eighth belonged, was brought up, and after an unsuccessful attack by Carlin's' Division, assaulted the works, This brig-