(RETURN TO THE HENRY & FULTON COUNTY INDEX) 450 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. two ; Eustice Leggett, on section twenty-eight ; Peter Powers, and his wife, Julia A. (Kennedy) Powers, in 1849, on section nineteen ; Henry L. Smith and his wife, Eunice ; Charles Bowen in 1843 ; he came from Berkshire county, Mass., and married in this county to Miss Julia A. Baldwin ; William Lee and family, in 1846 ; they came from Gorham ; William A. Williams and his brother, Edward, in 1845 ; Ezra Mead and William E. Parmalee, in 1840; Thomas Cuff and Asahel Kennedy in 1840 ; John W. Bradley, James H. Turner, Jesse Thorpe, Washington Thorpe, Chauncey Bulkley, Asahel Scofield, John Moffett, Fletcher Bishop, Lewis A. Lee, Almon M. Lee, Charles McKenzie, Clarkson Warne, Lafayette Sherman, Peter Romans, Oliver Todd, Oliver Griffith, John H. Martin, Moses La Rue, Daniel Clock, Samuel Stout, William Holben, William Lee, James Martin, John Smith, Isaac Jones, Peter Jones, Jackson Jones, I. Schoonover, Holloway H. Beatty, and his sons, Sidney S, Beatty, and Whitfield Beatty, who came from Sussex county, N. J., in 1845, Eustice Leggett, John Stites, Samuel Gillis, who under the present constitution, was honored as the first probate judge of the county from this township. He died many years ago. Martha Turner was the first white child born in Chesterfield township, and the record says she was born July 29, 1835. The first marriage was Sallie A. Clemens to Elias Salisbury, in 1840. Alanson Briggs was the only colonel of State militia which mustered for the last time at AEtna, in 1843. Lyman L. Beebe was captain of a company from Chesterfield; Hiram Farwell was captain of a company from Gorham, and Charles B. Smith was captain of a company from Royalton. Eli Philips was lieutenant-colonel; Ezra Wilcox, of Fulton, was adjutant, and Michael Handy paymaster ; Charles W. Hill of Toledo was the general. About 1843, time the State militia service declined, as it was held to be a useless encumbrance upon the people, and never again met to drill. Remembrances. —All the early pioneers witness this fact, that the woods were well filled with game of many kinds, which by means of the trusty rifle, kept the people from hunger. In these very early days not enough white men could be gathered together to raise their log cabins and they had to call for the services of the red men. They were always ready and willing, provided there was whisky on hand. They always drank what they wanted, and saved enough for the next day. You ask the question, how ? They would fill their mouths as full as they could hold, step back from the rest and emit it into a bottle to drink the next day. No Indian ever, refused to drink whisky when offered him. The first attempt of the people to levy a tax for school purposes failed at the first election, but at the next election it was carried by a majority vote of the people. Soon thereafter provision was made for a school. Accordingly, the inhabitants hastily constructed a school-house on section 16, on the northeast corner, just south of the Hawley Cemetery. Flavel Butler taught the first FULTON COUNTY - 451 school in the winter of 1837, and this was the first school ever taught in the township. At this time Chesterfield included the greater part of Gorham, and the northern half of Dover, running to the Fulton line on the south. The remembrances as related by Mrs. Sarah Sheffield, show that Indians helped to raise their log cabin to the height of three logs, when the whisky was passed, and as soon as they got their drink they left, and other means had to be resorted to, to get up the logs. They got it ready and moved into it in about one month. The only trading point was at Adrian. It required one day to go, and one to get back home. In August, of 1839, the Indians of the vicinity, and over four hundred from Illinois, had a war-dance near the house, which at the time boded no good to the whites, yet they were not molested. Alanson Briggs sold the first goods in the township as early as 1835. He kept a small supply at his place of residence, on section 12 (the place now owned by James H. Turner). Alfred C. Hough sold a few groceries from his residence when he first settled in Chesterfield. Since this time no goods were sold upon Chesterfield soil, until within a few years past a partial supply of goods and groceries have been kept at the cheese factory of Peleg S. Lee, for the benefit of his patrons. Harlow Butler was the first justice of the peace in the township, as well as the first school examiner of the county. Alfred C. Hough was the second justice. Harlow Butler issued the first forty-seven certificates to teachers of the county. He held the first law-suit tried, entitled Simmons vs State of Ohio. John R. Roberts built and run the first cheese factory in the township, which was at a later day with all its appurtenances, transferred to Peleg S. Lee, who is now proprietor. There is but one church edifice in the township, standing upon the corner of lands now owned by William Onweller. It was built by the " Disciples of Christ." This is the only church organization of the township. The township is the owner of a substantial brick town hall, situated in the center of the township, and which is used for township and other purposes. During the years 185o and 1851, a company organized in Toledo, and obtained a charter to build a plank road from Toledo to Morenci, Lenawee county, Mich. The grant or right of way was upon the old territorial road, running in this county through the townships of Royalton and Amboy. For the construction of this road, the townships through which it passed, by a vote authorized the bonding thereof for a certain amount per mile. The road was built, and to the people proved to be valueless for their commercial interest, and the payment of the bonds was a severe tax upon the people of the township. The road was never kept in repair, and in a few years entirely rotted away. There are no railway lines in the township. Morenci, Mich., is their nearest outlet by rail over the Canada Southern road. Morenci is chiefly their trad- 452 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. ing point, as here the competition afforded makes this town as good to them as any point in the county. Chesterfield contains no village nor very important industry. It has no schools except the common schools of the State, of which the township contains seven in sub-districts, in all of which they have new and improved structures, either brick or wood, and all are in a flourishing condition and the pride of the township. There are three important cemeteries in the township : The first upon section 9 ; one located upon a corner of the old homestead of Harlow Butler, on section 28, which has become the resting-place of many of the old pioneers; the other is on section 24, where others of the old settlers now rest from the toils and hardships of the first days of Chesterfield. Soils. —The soil of this township is largely " sand openings," excepting a strip along the State line which seems to be of quite stiff clay of the lacustrine order. The Bean Creek valley is chiefly " made " land and contains large deposits of soil left by the overflow which has continued for a long period of years. When drained, the land is exceedingly productive. In many places sand spurs from the openings reach down to a beach formation, leaving the creek upon its east side as a general rule. The sand lands of the township are as productive as the more level clays, and much easier to work. In the western part of the township it is, if anything, better than in the eastern part, where the surface is not as often filled with the low depression common to the openings, and called " prairie lands." Water Supply.—The water supply of this township is not of the best, except in the western part, along the Bean Creek valley, where borings have been made, and in many places and where artesian wells are obtained. The sand beds of this as well as some other townships of the county are the great store-house for the rain- falls of the season, and offer abundant assurance of a water supply against extreme drouths. This explains the cause of the frequent springs arising from these sand-drifts, which proves the only support for the wells put down thereon, forming a sufficient basin in the underlying clay deposit. This supply is only to be determined by the area of the sand deposit. In this water the usual earthy carbonates making it "hard" water, are always present, though not often in great quantity. The discharge of these waters, though at times copious, is, in this day of artificial land drainage, very fortunately limited. The lacustrine clays which formerly cut off the discharge from these sand beds, are now opened with deep ditches, and all of them serve as taps to the water supply of these beds, and now afford continual drainage. Streams.—The main water course for the streams of this township is upon its extreme western boundary, and called Bean Creek, to which the streamlets of the greater part of the township lead in a westerly direction, and empty therein. The waters of the eastern part are discharged mainly into Ten Mile Creek, which is formed in part from the waters of the township of Royalton and Am- FULTON COUNTY - 453 boy, and tend generally east. In the township of Chesterfield the streams are principally ditches or drains through the prairies so prominent in the openings of the township, and wherever there is any large area of sand deposits. All the waters of this township find their way to the Maumee Bay by two widely different outlets : Ten Mile Creek running directly east near the State line to the Maumee Bay, and the western waters through Bean Creek, running in a southwesterly course to Defiance, into the Maumee River, and thence to the Maumee Bay, where they discharge into Lake Erie. The waters of the eastern part of the township flow over a very gentle slope in their long run for an outlet as the eastern portion has but a slight inclination eastward toward Lake Erie, while the western part of the township has quite a marked inclination westward towards Bean Creek, with a general but a very slight dip southward. Chesterfield has an altitude of about one hundred and fifty-five feet above the water level of Lake Erie. There is no out-cropping of rock, and but few glacial boulders in the township. The drift overlying the rock is from one hundred, and sixty to one hundred and eighty feet in depth, the largest share of which is the Erie or blue clay. Timber.—The Bean Creek valley of this township supports a very heavy growth of timber, probably the heaviest of any section thereof, elm and burr oak predominating, interspersed with sycamore, whitewood, black walnut and some hickory. Cottonwood is quite abundant in the more moist lands of the bottoms ; black ash and basswood may be found in some parts wherever red oak appears, as an accompanying growth ; also an undergrowth of dogwood, ironwood and blue beach (sometimes called hornbeam). The northern portion of the township also supports a heavy forest growth of oak timber of all the varieties, interspersed with much elm and cottonwood in certain areas. The balance of the township, south and east of the foregoing named area, is clearly denominated openings, and was originally sparsely covered with dwarf oaks of the yellow, white and black varieties, with now and then an area of white hickory. The more moist lands are densely covered with the quaking asp or aspen, interspersed with willow. If the fires could be prevented from running over the prairies, and they could remain undisturbed for a few years, a growth of cottonwood would be the result, all of spontaneous production, and a sufficient growth to surprise the next generation of men upon its soil. Since the settlement of this township and the withdrawal of cattle from the range, there has sprung up an undergrowth of oak, with some other varieties, and now presents the appearance of a forest growth which, in a few years, will prove sufficient to support the building and fuel purposes of the township, if properly cared for. These openings are not to be despised, as once they were, as no better land for mixed agriculture can now be found in this county. Agricultural.—The agricultural power of this township is not fully developed by at least one-half. The township is, at present, a purely agricultural 454 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. territory, and in its full strength can support double the present population. It has no other profitable industry of any importance within its borders than the farm and its products. In 1880, the time of taking the last Federal census, this township had a population of 1013, the lowest of any township of the county. It is the ninth township in valuation of personal and real estate. This township, for a long period of years, had no post-office within the limits of its present area; but in later years one has been established called " Oak Shade," near the geographical center, which is supplied three times each week from a mail route running from Morenci, Mich., to Wauseon, O. Crops.—In the assessors' report for this township, as returned to the auditor's office in May, 1887, the crops of 1886 are statistically reported as follows: Wheat, acreage 1422 ; bushels grown 27,009. Rye, acreage 183 ; bushels grown 3439. Buckwheat, acreage 36 ; bushels grown 597. Oats, acreage 807 ; bushels grown 35,662. Barley, acreage 3 ; bushels grown 36. Corn, acreage 1324; bushels grown 48,335. Meadow, acreage 1283 ; tons cut 1581. Clover, acreage 313 ; tons cut 327 ; bushels of seed threshed 184. Potatoes, acreage 68 ; bushels raised 9149. Number of pounds of butter made, 33,22o dairy, and 10,000 pounds of creamery ; one factory produced the gross amount of 100,000 pounds of cheese. There were made 681 gallons of sorghum syrup ; 1310 pounds of grapes and 8.4. bushels of sweet potatoes were grown. The estimated amount of eggs was 25,445 dozens. The township contains 393 acres of orchard all in good bearing condition, the produce of which was 23,035 bushels of apples, 14o bushels of peaches, 161 bushels of pears, 41 bushels of cherries and 9 bushels of plums. The wool product of this year was 23,192 pounds. The sheep, hog, cattle and horse product will compare favorably with other townships. According to size of territory this township is quite prominent for its cheese industry, having at present one factory, which is a part and parcel of the farm industry. Official Roster.—Before the organization of Fulton county and while under the municipal control of Lucas county, Harlow Butler served several years as school examiner. Next succeeding Butler was Alfred C. Hough. Both held by appointment. Under the new county organization of Fulton Alfred C. Hough was elected auditor two terms successively, and served four years, and still later served a third term of two years. Under the new constitution Samuel Gillis was elected the first probate judge and served three years, retiring in February, 1854. Upon the organization of this county under the old constitution Alfred C. Hough was chosen one of the associate judges, but when his election to the office of county auditor was secured he resigned, and William E. Parmelee was appointed, who held the position for a brief period. In later years William A. Williams was appointed county school examiner by Judge Oliver B. Verity, and was continued therein until his death in 1876 or '77, FULTON COUNTY - 455 having served honorably for a period of about eleven years. Albert Deyo was three times called to the office of clerk of the Common Pleas Court, serving a period of nine years, and upon his retirement to his farm was, in 1883, elected to fill the office of representative in the Ohio Legislature, and in 1885 was again returned, and leaves after four years' service with an unstained reputation. In I850 William E. Parmalee was chosen deputy marshal to take the census of a certain district of the county, including his own township. Soon after the establishment of the county infirmary, in 1874, James H. Turner was elected director for a term of three years, and was twice re-elected, and served in all a period of nine years. CHAPTER XLIV. HISTORY OF CLINTON TOWNSHIP. THIS territory was originally a part of Wood county, which was organized from old Indian territory, by the Legislature of Ohio, April 1, 1820. In July, 1835, Lucas county was organized by the same body, which county, or territory of land, passed under the control of said Lucas county, and on June 6, 1836, all the territory south of the " Fulton line " (the compromise line of the ordinance of 1787, by which Virginia ceded all this northwest territory to the United States) passed under the control of York township, being described as follows : Town 7, north, ranges 5, 6, 7 and 8, east, and town 8, north, ranges 5, 6, 7 and 8, east. At a commissioners' meeting held at the city of Toledo, March 5, 1838, Clinton township was organized by taking from York township towns 7 and 8, north, ranges 5 and 6, east, and the first election therein was held on the first Monday of April, 1838. This township maintained municipal control over all of said territory until March 4, 1839, when German township was organized off its western territory-towns 7 and 8, north, range 6, east. Again the said board of commissioners at the city of Maumee, in said county of Lucas, June 3, 1843, organized the township of Dover by taking from Clinton township all of town 8, north, range 6, east, and sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 off the north side of town 7, north, range 6, east ; afterwards, in the winter of 1850, the Legislature of Ohio organized the county of Fulton, taking from the county of Henry a strip of land from its northern border two miles in width, its entire length. Henry county, like Wood, was organized from old Indian territory, April 1, 1820. That part from Henry county lying adjacent, on the south, was attached to and became a part of Clinton township, to wit : Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, I I 456 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. and 12 ; town 6, north, range 6, east, formerly a part of Freedom township in Henry county, leaving its boundaries as they at present exist. Organization.—This township as it at present exists has forty-two full sections of 640 acres each, making in total 26,880 acres of land in the township. It was comparatively new territory when organized ; covered with a dense forest, only roamed over by the Indian as his hunting ground, they being at an early period very numerous. It was of easy access from the Maumee River, upon which they had large Indian towns in places along its entire length. Clinton township is now composed of sections 7 to 36, inclusive, of town 7, north, range 6, east, and sections I to 12, inclusive, of town 6, north, range 6, east, taken from Henry county and now consists of parts of two congressional surveyed townships. Boundaries.—Clinton township is bounded on the north by Dover ; on the east by York ; on the south by Freedom township, Henry county, and on the west by German township. Its area is forty-two square miles, and it lies in nearly a square compact form, and contains within its boundaries one large village, which, since 1872, has been the county seat of Fulton county. Topography.—Clinton township lies entirely within the broad, shallow valley that is drained by the Maumee River. In common with a part of German on the west and York and Swan Creek townships on the east its surface has a general slope to southeast ; and the hightest land is in the north and northwest parts of the township. The general surface is at least one hundred and fifty feet above the level of Lake Erie. The township has, what is called by the geologist, a third beach of sand and gravel, crossing over the southeast corner, and taking a northeasterly direction. It is raised somewhat above the adjacent territory, and is well defined, but of only a few rods in width. The lacustrine clays cover the major part of Clinton, as well as the adjoining territory upon the east, west and south. This lacustrine deposit is but a redeposition of the Erie, or commonly called blue clay, and differs from it in that it lacks the coarser materials, and is more homogeneous, and is deposited with a flat level surface all through the township ; it presents but few boulders or glacial deposit of rocks near the surface. Clay, suitable for brick and tile making, can be found in abundance all over the township, with good sand for tempering. The soil is very fertile for food production. Endowed with no natural facilities for manufacture or commerce, whatever will forward her agricultural interest is of vital consequence to her. Many tile have been used in this township, with some from their first manufacture years ago. The importance here of thorough drainage to the attainment of good results in agricultural pursuits is more fully recognized, and more especially in a township like this, with a level lacustrine deposit. The FULTON COUNTY - 457 gravel and sand deposits in this township, which form as it were an oasis in this level clay, and especially available for roads, and are so used at various points, and where they overlap the clay they generally give the best results to agriculture. The land in general is pronounced very productive in all the food productions that belong to this latitude. Timber.-The timber over the most part of this township was tall and dense, and the whole of a very thrifty growth. The varieties here included were basswood, elm, oak of several varieties, hickory, black walnut, some sycamore, black and white ash, whitewood, butternut, sugar maple and a sprinkling of beech. In the northwest part the varieties are not as extensive, but more confined to oak and elm, with hickory interspersed. The timber supply is good, sufficient for many generations, where economy is looked after, and all the farms will need for fencing and building purposes in agricultural economy. Water Courses.—The water courses, east and south of the center, rise and pass a southeasterly direction out of the township, and find their way in the same direction to the Maumee River. Their make-up is largely from surface drainage, and their whole course is marked with a very gentle inclination of about four to five feet per mile, and as all the streams are nothing but rain fall supplies, in extreme dry weather they are entirely exhausted. The streams and streamlets of that part of the township west and northwest of the center, run in a westerly course until they reach Bean Creek, or Tiffin's River, which empties into the Maumee River at Defiance, and in their course from the township, have as gentle an inclination as those running east and southeast ; and like those of the eastern part, are nothing but rain fall supplies ; not one is fed by springs, and in dry weather are exhausted. The entire water supply for stock and domestic purposes is from the sand and gravel beds overlying the blue clay, and are only supported by rain falls. A far better and more abundant water can be reached by the auger below the blue clay, where it is found in quantities inexhaustible, but rarely flowing. Early Settlers.—Thomas Bayes and his wife, Lamenta, settled in Clinton township in 1835, and resided on section twenty-two. He was born in Pennsylvania in 18o6. He, in early manhood, with his young wife, left home and friends in old Pennsylvania, lured by the advantages of a new country, and that untiring spirit to found for themselves a home, slept in the early primitive cabin of this primeval forest as sound and as sweet as you of to- day. The self- sacrificing deeds and trials endured by these early pioneers, were done for the future of themselves and children—not for public fame or to appear in press or history. Mr. Bayes and his wife still live to recount the experiences of those days. Their memory rests to-day with the living, but soon to sleep with the dead; and while waiting the call of the angel boatman to cross over, they can look back upon a well spent life, and then enter those mansions prepared by better builders. 458 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES, It is quite uncertain just who was the first settler in Clinton township, but history points to this fact : That early in the fall of 1835 there was quite an influx of population upon this territory. It is found, aside from Thomas Bayes and his wife, who have been already referred to, there came that fall William W. Bayes, from Pennsylvania, and settled on section twenty-two ; Wright Bayes also in 1835. Thomas Lingle came in the fall of 1835. Elisha Williams and his family came to the township in December, 1835. He and his -son, John H. Williams, came to what is called the " Six Mile Woods" in October, 1835, and put up a cabin on the farm now owned by E. Barr, and then returned to Seneca county, O., and again came on with the family in December. The family at that time consisted of himself, wife, and four grown up children—John H. Williams, Jerry Williams, Burt Williams and a daughter, now the wife of Thomas Lingle. It is left for the critic or the pen of the future historian to ascertain who was the first white settler in Clinton. In the year 1836 a large accession was made to the settlements of the year before, and among the number that came to this township during the year 1836 were : Avery Lamb, who came from Onondaga, N. Y., in June, and who settled on section twenty-four ; Christopher H. Losure, and Isaac Tedrow, on :section nine ; Adam Mikesell, William Mikesell, and James Mikesell soon followed after Avery Lamb. Elisha Huntington seems to have been the first :man with his family to have entered Clinton township the following year, 'which was in March, 1836. He settled upon section twenty-five, and was one of the foremost men of that early day. He was possessed of a good education, -a genial disposition to all̊ who were his friends, but he was an unflinching Democrat, an ardent admirer of the Jefferson and Jackson school of politics. He died in 1860. William Fraker settled in Fulton county in 1835, and is now a resident of section eighteen in Clinton township. He was born in Ohio in 1822, and has been very successful in all his business relations. He is a farmer and has a family of eight children. His parents were from Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. These men, by the light of hickory torches, perambulated the forests at night to hold a social chat with the new adventurer, and give them and each other encouragement in their new forest homes. All these men did hunting as well as clearing away the forest. This sport gave to the men of early times a sort of fascination not enjoyed by the later day adventurer. This following was necessary to provide means of subsistence from the wild game of the forest, more especially the deer, and for their untiring labor for each other, and the aid those forerunners gave to all who later sought homes in the wilderness, their memory is cherished with kindness by the living few who were acquainted with them and their works. Mrs. Mary Mikesell, the wife of Adam Mikesell, who, of the 1836 pioneers, FULTON COUNTY - 459 passed away in 1860, was the daughter of William Jones, who settled in York: township in 1834. She is really the oldest settler upon the territory of Clinton township. She became a resident of Clinton by her marriage with AdamMikesell, September 12, 1837, and remained a resident up to her death, March 11, 1887. Mary Mikesell was among the few very early settlers of the county,. coming to York township in May, 1834. She remained to see nearly all the first settlers pass away and the growth of a new generation, and the full development of what was once a wilderness, What wonderful changes she has witnessed in the seventy-two years of her life ! After the first two years of the advance guard in this wilderness home,. there commenced a rapid influx of settlers to Clinton township, to whom vantage ground was given by the assistance of the first dwellers and workers, but: they soon became used to the toils of a frontiersman's life. They soon developed a push and energy which made up the intellectual fabric of the township.. They were such men as Joseph Wells, James C. Cornell, Thomas McKibbin,. Jacob First, Robert McClarren, John Newcomer, John A. Clark, Jacob Funk,. James Pease, John Hartman, George Beal, Jacob Miley, Matthias Miley, Joseph L. Royce, L. T. Morris, James Dunbar, Asa Young, John J. Clark, Shipman Losier, John Linfoot, William Harrison, Samuel P. Willey, St. Bernard Geer,. David Gorsuch, Nathaniel Gorsuch, William Hill, David Cantlebury, Jesse Pocock, Israel Pocock, Meek Bayes, Jonas Batdorf, Jerome Shaw, Ford Lyon,. Henry B. Williams, Anthony B. Robinson and many others who came to the township to make for themselves and families a home. Many of these men are living to-day, and by the fruits of their labor the world may judge, and the reason of their success in life is manifest to all. The prominent land owners of Clinton, at the present date, who have given,. and do still give, character to the industry of the township are, Perry Murphy,. William Campbell and Henry Pike, section 7, town 7 north, range 6 east ; Charles Kimmerer, section 8 ; Wilham Tedrow, Joseph D. Aldrich and John J. Clark on section 9 ; Jacob Figgey and Walter S. Brigham on section t0 ; Joel Brigham and L. T. Morris on section 11 ; Allen Shadle and Richard Shadle on section 12 ; Frank Blizard, William Harrison, John Losure and Samuel Losure on section 13 ; Thomas Mikesell and Riley McMannus on section 14; George D. Newcomer and Christopher H. Losure on section t 5 ; Robert E. Skeels, section 16; William Drennan, Ephraim Gorsuch and Reasin Campbell's heirs on section 17 ; William Fraker, 18 ; George Fraker, John A. Clark, Jacob Miley, section 1g; Conrad Hartman, 20 ; C. W. Becker on 21 ; Stephen Bayes, Thomas Bayes and Angelo Blake on 22 ; Westley Blake, Anthony B. Robinson, Jackson Stough, section 27; M. H. Hayes, 26; John Hartman, William Patterson, Robert Dunham, section 28 ; J. Bayes, 29 ; George Valentine, 30 ; Philip Upp, 28 ; Charles A. Burr, 26 ; Elijah Burr, 25 ; Fred. Remeo,. 32 ; Mathias Miley, Andy Genter, 33 ;.William B. Cunningham, William H.. 460 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. Gasche, 34 ; Thomas Frazier, James C. Scott, 35 ; John M. Williams, Henry Yeager, H. Scott, 36 ; George Edgar, section 1, town 6, north, range 6 east; David Pontius, F. Serrick, Jacob Funk, section 2 ; Stephen Funk, William Croninger, section 3 ; Jonathan Croninger, Thomas Turney, section 4; John Leatherman, William Zigler, section 5 ; Christ. Fry, Christ. Rupp, section 6; William Fink, Samuel Miller, section 7 ; John Merilet, J. Walfogle, section 8; J. L. Cramer, William Hoffmire, section 9 ; Oliver Harmon, Daniel Harmon, section i o ; Jerry Williams, section It ; Samuel B. McLain, section 12. At this period of our history the spirit of the people soon began to show itself in desires to emulate the eastern home. A competition prevailed and increased as the forest gave way to the woodman's ax ; farms were rapidly cleared, and the rich soil gave to them the assurance of their desires and an early develop. meat of the country, and their labor shows in the high state of prosperity which it has attained at the present time. When looking back through the long vista of time and viewing their country's growth, it should swell every heart with pride for the magnificent labor of these early sons of toil. These noble white pioneers who filled the country like the rising tide of the incoming sea, have given to another generation a country which they should ever love and reverence. Reminiscences.—Avery Lamb settled on the township line, upon the York township side, but owning property in Clinton, in which part of his buildings were situated. He was always fully identified with the business and society of Clinton township. He came in June, 1836, and says "that neighbors were not nearer than from three to four miles in those first days. Indians were plenty, roaming the forest, and it was generally from them that we learned of new immigrants located somewhere in the wilderness territory. At that time letter postage from long distances, was twenty-five cents ; calico was from two to three shillings per yard ; bleached muslin thirty-one cents per yard. Any individual calamity was the occasion of public regret through the entire circle of our acquaintance, and the sufferers received all necessary aid. All whom we knew were neighbors for the first ten years. Our hearts, our hands and our doors were open to all. The religion of those days was the overflow of a thankful heart, and all were happy, and of necessity could fight obstacles a mountain high." John H. Williams, in his remembrance of those early days, says : " In the spring following his coming to the township, in December, 1835, he cleared two and one-half acres, sowed it to spring wheat and harvested twenty-five bushels at that time. There were no roads in the country, but by cutting away some underbrush they could move around from neighbor to neighbor, with an ox team. Always had plenty of company in the woods in the early days,— land hunters and Indians. Very often the first pioneer's cabin presented an interesting appearance to the beholder, and was worthy of the artist's pen. Beds FULTON COUNTY - 461 and everything were brought into requisition and were spread all over the floor of the cabin at night, to accommodate the land hunters, often several families combined. These cabins often contained more company than many of the first- class hotels of the present time. Sometimes the Indians would stay for the night. The rifle had to be brought in play during the day to obtain meat for the coming meals." C. H. Losure, Isaac Tedrow, Thomas, Wright and William Bayes, with the Mikesells and a few settlers of York township who were residents of the territory at earlier dates, gave to the pioneer life very social times. They were invited to log-cabin raising very often, nearly every day in the week except Sunday, which was always a day of social intercourse with the new-comers. Neighbors were often assisted who lived from five to ten miles away, oftener than we do in these days with our neighbors in sight. Winter evenings were usually spent in going to singing and spelling schools, generally at Spring Hill, but often at Uncle Bob Howard's in Pike township, at Delta, at Wright's school-house, or to Ridgeville. We had as much sport in our younger days, and enjoyed ourselves fully as well as the people of to-day, with all their modern methods of amusement ; and we slept as sweetly and soundly as the more modern people. The early settlers from this quarter west and north, usually went to Canandaigua, Mich., to mill, and sometimes to Medina, Adrian and Palmyra, all in Lenawee county, Mich. At some seasons of the year they would go to Maumee, Waterville or Texas, upon the Maumee, and to Brunersburg, using three or four days to make the trip. In all these trips the nights were very dreary, caused by their darkness. We often started from these points after the commencement of nightfall, and traveled all night, and in the thick timber often lost our way, but in the "oak openings," as they were known, the light was generally better. We always had plenty of music in those long nights of our journey homeward, and reached the cabin at various hours of the morning. This music we did not always enjoy, especially when alone. In these dark forests at night might be seen the driver holding on to the end of the yoke, arid the cattle making their own way, and if undisturbed all would reach home in safety. John H. Williams further says when he began work for himself he chopped heavy timber at $4 per acre, and got for chopping four foot wood twenty-five cents per cord, and at that figure made from seventy-five to eighty-seven cents per day. At the end of his first year of hard work he had earned nearly money enough to pay for eighty acres of land, which was purchased for $215 money down, and he lives upon it today. Wheat at this time was selling for thirty cents per bushel ; corn, nine cents ; number one horses $40, and all other things the product of pioneer labor, in proportion. In his tavern bills (as then called), prices for supper, lodging and breakfast, from twenty-five to thirty-five cents. Forty to forty-five miles a day was the common footing distance for able-bodied men. Indians 462 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. were very numerous at this period ; they hunted in the winter, and made sugar in the spring. In the summer they usually returned to the river, or took to the openings near Spring Hill, or Winameg, and there raised some corn and vegetables. For hoes the Indian would find the proper limb on a tree suitable for a handle, and then chop in above and below the limb, and split therefrom a block and hew it down sharp, which made a very good hoe for digging and hoeing corn. The young man of the later period says it is hard times, they cannot get work ; they think that chopping eighteen inch wood at thirty-seven cents per cord is a starvation price. Listen ! these early men cut four foot wood at twenty-five cents, and were glad to get that. Cowhide boots sold at $3.25 ; calico, twenty to twenty-five cents per yard ; flour usually from from $8 to $10 per barrel, and sometimes have paid as high as $14. Now let the present race talk of hard times with all the increased industries overspreading this country, and the chance for a cheap farm of " Uncle Sam " in the west. " We of that age thought we had good times, and no reason can be given of a valid nature why the people to-day should not have better times, and a more staunch prosperity. Wolves, Indian horse-bells and owls were the chief music of the night, and Indian war-whoops and the crack of the rifle in the day-time ; these were the most interesting features of the wild woods, and none ever thought of danger no more from the Indian than the white man. The Indian method of sugar making was to take green elm bark, about eighteen inches long, and shave the ends down thin, and gather them together about level with the sides, making a trough that would hold about a half pailful of sap. Their store troughs were made in the same manner. This labor was all done by the squaws ; they chop the wood, dress the deer, coon and all other animals. An Indian was rarely found doing any work except to hunt. He would come to the camp, sit and smoke his pipe and get through time until the hunt. Some of the squaws were very handy with the needle, as much so as the best experts: among the whites in dress-making. Their wigwams, as they called their shanties, were generally made of poles and covered with bark peeled from elm trees, and they were as comfortable as the white man's cabin." Now a word in defense of local history, as Gath said in his letter, " Local history indeed, is the only true and genuine history of a country." There are a great many historical facts connected with the settlement of any town or county always worth preserving. " It is this local history that is true and genuine, because those who gather up the facts are right on the' ground, and having a narrow field, can glean it thoroughly." This should be an important thought to the reader in discussing value and authenticity. Now before dismissing this part of the sketch of the early pioneers let this thought be penned from the historian (Verity), as the general impressions made upon his mind while gathering facts of history. These early men seem to have FULTON COUNTY - 463 been noble men, born for such a time, and for the purpose of stepping forth upon our frontiers. They were possessed of courage and ambition far above the average man, and through this spirit they always overcame every obstacle that presented itself, and the wilderness yielded to their vigor and determination. Many of this race of brave adventurers have lived to see the wilderness, once the abode of the red man, howling wolves, bear and nimble deer, swept away, and thus by his steadfast energy and personal exertion has finally succeeded in owning a fair share of the land as his patrimony in the township. Many of them still living look back to the " old times with painful longing to live them over again. Population.—The growth of this township was very slow after the few first years of its settlement, and it was not revived again until 1850, since which its growth has been rapid. The principal enlargement was caused by the building of the Northern Indiana and Michigan Southern Railway through the township, and now called the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. The population in 1880 was 1,813. The estimated population at the present is about 2,300, and this exclusive of the population of Wauseon. This is now the shire town of the county and has been since 1871. It contains one large and populous village named " Wauseon," after an Indian chief who once trod the soil of the county, and who was about the last of the Pottawatomie chiefs of the Maumee Valley. Wauseon was laid out on the 13th day of March, 1854. The proprietors of the town were Epaphras L. Barber, Nathaniel Leggett, J. H. Sargent and William H. Hall. The first building was erected in this town April 4, 1854. The first train of cars passed through the place on the Air Line road, so called, on the l0th day of July, 1854, at which time the population of the village numbered fifteen persons. It was incorporated June 13, 1857, three years after its beginning. The commissioners of approval were Stephen Haughton, Joseph Ely and George Taft. The place " Ottokee " was the county seat of Fulton county at that date. In 1860 the population of Wauseon was 350 persons ; in 1880 it contained 1,902 inhabitants, being an average increase of seventy-eight persons each year. It is estimated to now contain about 2,500. Industries.—Clinton township has had but little more than the agricultural developments upon which it could grow and increase. The first saw-mill was erected at Lena, by Jerome Shaw, and in after years was burned. It was rebuilt by Ford Lyon, but is now a thing of the past. The township never had mills of any other kind until the laying out of Wauseon, to which point all the subsequent industries of the township have centered. In 1866 Amasa B. Verity opened the first brick kiln in the township, and then made the brick used in the residence of Colonel D. W. H. Howard, at Wauseon. Schools.—The first school taught was by Erastus Briggs. It was held in the cabin first put up by Elisha Williams. The present number of school dis- HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES - 464 tricts of the township is twelve, added to which is one special joint district at Pettisville, the school-house being located in Clinton township. Other than these there is one graded school in the village of Wauseon. All districts are provided with substantial, well-built structures. Births.—The first birth of a white child in this township was Charles G. Williams, born October 13, 1836. Churches.—Rev. Spencer preached at the cabin of Elisha Huntington one Sunday in October, 1836, he being the first traveling preacher here. He was of the order of Disciples, followers of Alexander Campbell. A class of this faith was soon formed at the cabin of Elisha Williams. Other societies were in time organized in the township, and the first church of any denomination was erected at Pettisville, by the Baptist Society. Other societies are Olive Branch of the U. B. order ; Bethel Church, otherwise called the Christian Union ; the Hartman Church, called the Evangelical Church of the Evangelical Association, founded in 1872 and situated two miles west of the village of Wauseon, and the Reformed German Church at Pettysville, upon the Clinton side of said village. Agriculture.—The agricultural power of this township at present date may be of interest to the readers as it presents some of the most promising of industries. The township, in the year 1886, had 3,523 acres of wheat upon the ground, and the harvest showed 65,944 bushels ; oats, 1,332 acres, bushels raised, 60,645 ; corn, 2,813 acres, bushels raised 92,340 ; meadow, 1,555 acres, tons of hay 1,562 ; clover, 1,017 acres, tons of clover 1,112 ; clover seed, number of bushels 896; potatoes, 72 acres, bushels raised 8,89o; number of pounds of butter 60,800; number of dozens of eggs produced 52,805 ; acres of orchard, 528, bushels of apples 25,940 ; pounds of wool, 29,965. The township is solely an agricultural community and the marketing of all its products is chiefly made at Wauseon, the market town for at least one-half of the county. Official Roll. —For the office of county auditor, first, Isaac Springer, about seven years ; Abram W. McConnell, served three years, re-elected ; treasurer, H. L. Mosely, four years ; recorder, Richard Taylor, three years ; William H. Stevens, three years; Albert S. Bloomer, nine years ; county commissioners, Joel Brigham, six years ; James Cornell, two years (appointed) ; E. L. Barber, three years ; H. H. Williams, one year (resigned and Thomas J. Cornell appointed, who served until his death in October following); surveyor, John Spillaine, six years ; Anthony B. Robinson, six years ; Lucius B. Fraker, three years, re-elected ; prosecuting attorney, Henry H. Ham, two terms, four years; William W. Touvelle, two terms, four years ; Mazzini Slusser, one term, two years ; coroner, Dr. J. H. Bennett, Charles E. Bennett, Noah W. Jewell, George Hartman, Levi Miley ; school examiner, by appointment, Joseph D. Aldrich, Joseph H. Bennett, — Buel, — Lindsey, — Sater, H. L. Mosely and L. M. Murphy. FULTON COUNTY - 465 CHAPTER XLV. HISTORY OF DOVER TOWNSHIP . THE history of Dover township has been obtained from the early settlers yet living, as no records appear to be in existence. At the date of the first settlement by the whites in Dover township that part north of the " Fulton line," was included in the territory of Michigan, and those settling on said territory did all their legal business, and paid their taxes at the city of Adrian, the county seat of Lenawee county, and continued to do so until December, 1836, when this strip of land, the entire length of this county from west to east, became an integral part of Ohio. The pioneers entered their lands upon the Michigan survey at the city of Monroe at the mouth of the river Raisin, at the head of Lake Erie. At a commissioners meeting held at the city of Toledo, June 4, 1837, the township of Chesterfield was established by taking all of town nine south, ranges one and two east, south of the Harris line, and the fractional township, town ten south, ranges one and two east, extending to the Fulton line on the south. All the territory south of the " Fulton line " within the boundaries of Lucas county, west of Swan Creek township, was styled the township of York, in which some of the very early settlers within the present limits of Dover township have voted. At a commissioners' meeting in Lucas county, 1838, York was subdivided and the township of Clinton was erected, by taking all of town seven north, range six east, and fractional town eight north, range six east, of the Ohio survey, up to the said " Fulton line." The first election thereafter, of Clinton township, was held at the cabin of Isaac Tedrow in the western part. It is found upon examining the records of Lucas county that at a regular session of the county commissioners of said county, held at the city of Maumee, June 5, 1843, the township of Dover was organized by taking from Chesterfield township all of the fractional township ten south, range two, east of the Michigan survey ; and all of fractional township eight north, range six east, and one tier of sections off of the north side of town seven north, range six east of Clinton township of the Ohio survey, and contains in its area about twenty-one sections, or 13,119 acres of land. This township has for the past thirty-six years been recognized as the center township of the county. Boundaries.—Bounded upon the north by Chesterfield; on the east by the township of Pike ; on the south by Clinton, and on the west by Franklin. It is the last township organization of the twelve of Fulton county as it now exists. Water Courses.—In this township the streamlets in the northwest part flow west across the corner of the township of Franklin and empty into Bean Creek, 466 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. sometimes called Tiffin River, while in the south and southwestern part they flow southwest, reaching the Maumee at Defiance. In like manner the waters of the east and northeast flow east by southeast into Bad Creek and reach the Maumee River soon after passing the southeast corner of the county near White House. These topographical peculiarities of the township present something singular and striking to the observer, and have excited the attention of the geologist. All the inclinations of this township are very gentle, with whatever course the streamlets take, running obliquely across the slopes of the country, generally denominated as " sand dunes." These sand dunes, or, ridges, were formed by the action and force of winds and water at some ancient day. These form the summit of the township and are supposed to be the first out-croppings of land in the decline of water from an ancient lake here existing, anterior to the glacial period, which once covered the great Maumee Valley above the great limestone ridge, which crosses the Maumee at Grand Rapids, in Lucas county. Depressions on the surface abound among the sand dunes of this township without any outlets, and in many places constitute a characteristic feature, as of these a small number may have been very small lakes, or ponds. A majority of them have been so far filled with peat, marl and vegetable mold as to become swamps, or wet prairies. Soil.—All varieties of deposit are present in the soil which defies classification by the common run of farmers. The average depth of the deposit in this township is about I s0 feet, and at the Fulton county fair ground, is known to be 00 feet having been penetrated by the drill but a few years ago. In this boring water in abundance was obtained at a depth of 184 feet, and it rose to within twelve feet of the surface, but was never utilized for the fair ground. Water is usually found near the underlying rock. There need be but a few dry borings on this territory. The extreme summits of the township mark a water-line above Lake Erie nearly 00 feet. Timber.—The extreme west end of the township touches closely upon the timber lands of the Bean Creek Valley, which is composed principally of oak and some elm, with here and there whitewood and hickory. From there eastward over the balance of the township, in the regions of sand and sand dunes, a large part of the surface is denominated prairie, covered with a wild grass in summer, When first occupied by the whites, the only trees of note upon these uplands were oaks of a few varieties, and these so sparsely set that their tops, as a rule, did not interlock with each other, yet were very dwarfish in their old age, and a wagon could be drawn in any direction between them. The lower plateaus or marshes were without timber. This gave the name of the country — "Oak Openings"—but since the fires have become frequent, a dense growth of oak, interspersed with hickory, is all over this part of the township, and the lowest lands with the aspen or poplar, usually called " quaking FULTON COUNTY - 467 In the more primitive state these uplands, sparsely wooded as they were, were covered over densely with the whortleberry bush, but since the plow and cultivation, together with the drainage system, have been the order of the day, they have nearly disappeared from the soil. Domestic Uses and Water Supply.—The sand, wherever found here, rests upon clay, and in the more elevated ridges the clay is overlaid with quicksand, and these form the basins of water supply afforded by the falling rains, and this is all the supply we can have above the clay, and even these may become exhausted in great periods of drouth. This underlying clay in some places may be met near the surface. Wherever reached it is impervious to water, and hence checks the tendency of sand towards leaching. Aside from this supply, we have none other, only by piercing the Erie clay to the bed rock, where may always be found a supply of good water. These are called "artesian wells," and are often brought to use by the wind-mill, a great improvement over the windlass of pioneer days. On these oak openings to-day there is a vigorous and dense growth of young oaks of several varieties, with considerable white hickory and some soft maple, that has grown up since white occupants stopped the burning of the undergrowth that was so customary under the Indian reign. Aspens or poplars are springing up in great numbers on the prairies. Their light, down- covered seeds, flying everywhere with the wind, enables them to possess promptly any territory that has freshly become available. The sand dunes and "oak openings" have, in former years, been classed as very poor lands, and, at one period since it commenced to settle, was supposed it would never raise grass of any kind, except the wild grass found upon prairies, but to-day it is fairly competing with the timber lands adjoining in the production of all the domestic grasses, corn, wheat, and oats, and for potato production it cannot be beaten by the choicest cleared timber lands of the county. It stands in competition with other soils for quality. Being the last township in the county, organized with a scattered population at the time, and apparently a thin soil for general agricultural purposes, Dover township has arisen from its apparent sterility at a greater rate of progress than any other township in the county, and, since the advent of under- draining has taken its place, she is in full competition with her neighboring sister townships. Dover has upon its soil, for product, a class of men who have clear views of justice, and fixed opinions of right and wrong—a class of men who do not seek offrce, whose independence in politics is noted, and to the politician often gives offence, yet devoted to principles as dear to them as their fathers, and to the law of good morals, which bids them to love their neighbors as themselves. These descendants of the sires proved themselves worthy of their high lineage in the late rebellion, and proudly marched under the stars and stripes upon the battle-fields of the South, in response to the calls of their 468 - HISTORY Of HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. country for aid. This township was never backward, and furnished more than its quota. Indians and Camping Grounds —Upon the banks of what is styled Brush Creek, at Spring Hill, in .Dover township, is situated one of the Indians' favorite camping-grounds, as noted by Judge Ambrose Rice, who surveyed this territory at a very early day. Its fine springs furnished what, to the Indian was second only to his beloved whiskey—pure, sweet, cold water. The remains of their dead may still occasionally be seen when turned up by the plowshare, or thrown out by the spade. This place lay in their line of travel from the east to the west, and in their migratory hunting excursions in the wilderness it became an intermediate resort for rest, one of a few such places in the county. Their chief places of living were always near the rivers, of which they were very fond. Since her organization in 1843, Dover has the smallest territory of any town in the county, and has a very unequal fight for funds for township schools and other purposes on account thereof. Church Societies and Schools.—Church associations and schools were formed as soon as the settlement of Dover township began, as early as in 1836. It is a question which of the two societies, the Disciples or United Brethren, had the first organization in this township. The Disciples, however, furnish data from their church record of their organization, which was March 1, 1841, held at the residence of Moses Ayers, and that Benjamin Alton was the officiating minister. The society have maintained an uninterrupted organization up to the present date. They have a fine brick church edifice, built in 1882, at Spring Hill, now their present place of worship, and the largest membership of any society. The United Brethren organization was made at a very early date, under the labors of John Bowser and Alonzo H. Butler. They were organized and have continued until the present time without an interruption. The society has a small chapel, built at Spring Hill in 1860, and have quite a prominent membership. A society of the United Brethren was organized at North Dover about 1882 by Rev. Bartlett, and built a small chapel for their meetings. The Methodist Episcopal Church has two classes—one organized at Spring Hill as early as 1842, under the labors of James Gay, with Samuel Warren and wife, Ebenezer Fuller and wife, Newell Newton and wife, Isaac Tedrow and -wife, and Peter Lott and wife as leading members, and for a long time held their meetings in an old log school-house just east of Spring Hill. After holding their services in various places they have steadily increased in memship. In 1887 they built for themselves a very fine wooden chapel costing nearly $2,000, and dedicated the same August 7, 1887, at Spring Hill, Revs. Belt, Fitzwater and Gordon officiating. In the eastern part of the township the Methodist Episcopal Society was FULTON COUNTY - 469 organized by W. W. Winters, in 1857, and in 1876 they built a chapel for their use at Ottokee, and hold a fair membership to this date. In 1847 Elder Hosea Day organized a Christian Church at Ottokee, with a fair membership, which in later years, for want of pastoral service, lost their identity, and finally consolidated with the Disciples, who were quite prominent over the whole township. In 1858 the Disciples, under the labors of Elder L. L. Carpenter, formed an organization at Ottokee, which in after years, like the Christian denomination, became disintegrated and was merged into the Wauseon and Spring Hill Societies. Settlers.—The first white man who settled in what is now Dover township, with his family, was William Jones, known as " Long Bill." He came in the fall of 1836, and settled in the southwest part of the township, in which locahty the future immigrants were confined until in 1838. The first cabin erected in the township was for Jones, size 14 by 16 feet square. At this raising were only two men, one boy, and two Indians. The whites were William Jones, Aaron Little and the boy, Jacob Boyers, also Mrs. Jones. The raising was on Sunday, there being no time for rest in the wilderness until a shelter was provided. William Jones sometimes preached for the Disciples, there then being a few of that faith in Clinton township on the south. That faith was afterwards supported by the labors of 'William Jewell and Robert K. Shepherd, as preachers, residents of the soil, and still later by Lawrence B. Smith and Zephaniah Shepherd, son of R. K. Shepherd. In the spring of 1837, Alonzo H. Butler and wife settled upon section seven, town ten south, range two east, upon lands now owned by Charles B. Carter, just north of the " Fulton line." During the summer and fall of the same year quite a large acession was made to the little band of settlers in the arrival of Peter Lott and Wife and three children ; Salathiel Bennett and family; Elijah Bennett and family ; Michael Ferguson ; James Gould, and Parel Smith, all with families. Following thereafter, in the spring of 1838, were William Hoffmire, John J, Schnall, Adam Poorman, Nathan Gay, Eben French, Mortimer D. Hibbard and family, with his father and mother, also Randolf Hibbard. From 1838 to 1846 came Moses Ayers and family, Joseph Shadle, Jacob Nolan, William Fuller, John G. Tiffany, Henry Herreman, William Jones, jr., Oscar A. Cobb, Richard Marks, Alonzo Knapp, Warren W. Hodge and family, Comfort Marks and wife Betsy, Archie and Betsy Knapp, Elisha Cobb and mother, and John Atkinson and family. A greater portion of these settled near Ottokee, at the east end of the towship. In the west end William Waid, E. H. Patterson, Burdick Burtch, Jasper Dowell and mother, William Brierly, Joseph Jewell, William Jewell, James Wells, William J. Coss, Chandler Tiffany, George Tiffany and John Meader, 470 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. the last three in the east. Later were Thomas Walters and Robert K. Shepherd, and so continued the settlement until the " Congress lands " were nearly all taken up, and the frontier was no more here. To-day there is upon the soil of Dover township many grand and noble men and women, some of whom have taken their fathers' places by inheritance, and who were but bare-footed children in those primitive days; and others too who have come upon the soil of the township in place of many who have gone to other territory in the far west, and many to their long homes. They are men of whom the township may well feel proud, and most are quite prominent farmers. Some of these are as follows : David Ayers, John Funk, Gideon Ayers, George Miley, Harrison Schnall, Isaiah L. Hagerman, Willard D. Crout, Peter Gype, John Lathrop, Stephen Eldridge, Cornelius M. Spring, James Kahle, Daniel Foreman, James M. Gillett, DeLos Palmer, Harvey Shadle, Myron A. Beecher, Jeremiah Jones, Barnett and Adolph Kutzley, Thompson Todd, Lucien H. Guilford, Valentine Theobold, George Guilford, John Seibold, Alonzo Marks, Luther Shadle, Lee Whitacre, John P. Shelters, C. B. Carter, Azariah Lathrop, John Smellie, Gavin Smellie, L. C. Cook, L, N. Cook, Barney H. Anderson, Levi MoConkey, Jasper Dowell, Asa Borton, Lemuel F. Waid, Charles Waid, Charles Baldwin Carter, William Somers, Alfred F. Shaffer, John Huffmam, Oliver B. Huffman. This township, from its first settlement in 1836, to 1845, was a land of "fever and ague to the very edge." It has been no exaggeration of the historian to say, that for a few years after 1838, in the summer and fall, the largest half of the population were languishing on beds of ague and fever ; many a house wife was compelled to keep house and do the work for a family between the passing away of the "sweating stage " and the next " ague " attack. In this interval a large amount of work was done by them, and had to be, because help was scarce in such times as these. This picture is but a fair sample of the township and had to be endured until the winter frosts brought relief. Quinine was to them the staff of life, and often meant more than bread to the languishing individual. But few of those early pioneers died from these malarial attacks, yet all who passed through those days can never forget them. This is spoken of as one of the trials of the settlers in early days, which, combined with general poverty, made " Jordan a hard road to travel." These incidents and trials of pioneer life are thus memorized that the rosy-cheeked youth of to- day may have some idea of what their fathers and mothers endured in subduing and developing a country for themselves, their children and their children's children. This they have left to you as their best gift. Yet, we can say "when your fathers and mothers, whose beds were made of pins put in the logs of their cabin, and sustained by one leg under the frame ; the foundations wove of bark and covered with straw for springs, enjoyed as much sweet repose as any of you to-day." FULTON COUNTY - 471 It was in this township that the county seat was located, in June, 1851, and Ottokee was the place designated. At that time it received its name and became a pronounced corporate village, and soon began to settle and build up rapidly, and was, for a few years, quite a prominent center for business, and bid fair for a large county town, but the loss of the Junction Railway immediately after the movement of the people to bond the county for $50,000, was defeated, and the building of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railway had been assured, by which Wauseon became a point on said railway. The prospects for further building up Ottokee were destroyed. One fact here possibly may be worthy of note, that Oliver B. Verity alone, of all the men holding office at the county seat, from sister townships, and who came here as probate judge in 1858, has remained a citizen of Ottokee, in the township to the present date. The others only resided here during the life of their office, and then returned to their respective township or followed the county seat to Wauseon. Business Houses at Ottokee.—The first store of goods brought to Ottokee was handled by Hosea Day; the next by Ezra Wilcox and the third by George Marks and Ransom Reynolds ; then followed thereafter in succession by Oppenheimer, Eliakim Stowe, John Sigsby, Warner Lott, Samuel O. Warren, Henry Herreman, Peter Lott, George G. Goulden, Charles F. Handy, and lastly David K. Numbers, who has been in trade' here for several years. The first saloon was opened in 1851, by Ezra Wilcox, who had a succession of followers down to 1865. The last in the line was George Merrill. The first hotel of Ottokee was opened up by Wm. Jones. He was followed by Henry Taylor, who died in 1862, after which the house was run for a few months by Calvin Taylor ; next by Richard H. Bagley, then by Charles Hilton, now Swanton, and lastly by Abner Wilcox. A second hotel was opened about 1853, on the south side of the street, by Ezra Wilcox, who afterwards sold to David Fairchilds, and he to Lewis Breese. The next owner was Doctor W. C. Robinson, who left it about 1859, since which time there has been but one hotel kept at the town. A temperance hotel was kept for a number of years by John Miller, at and prior to the location of Ottokee, and was about two miles west. Another, by Burdick Burtch, on the farm now owned by I. L. Hagerman, was established and run by Burtch at a very early day. It was discontinued in 1858. James M. Gillett erected a large building at Spring Hill, 1853, for a wagon shop, but changed his plans and opened the same as a temperance hotel and run it for a few years. He sold out to Daniel Ronk, and he to Chauncy Stevens, and the last named to Garrett Rittenhouse, who was the last proprietor at Spring Hill. Brick, tile and pottery were first made by Eben French (familiarly known as old man French), who put up an oven on the property now owned by 472 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. Charles B. Carter, near what was known as " Chatfield’s Corners, where was made all kinds of pottery, which was peddled through the county at a very early date, about 1846. Ile also made brick in small quantities, and made the first tile that was ever manufactured in the county. Mr. French, at about this time, put up and burned brick on lands now owned by Levi McConkey. Brick were made soon after by Joseph Shadle, and continued for a number of years upon his farm, south of Ottokee, but stopped in 1865, after burning- brick enough for the county infirmary and other buildings. " Long Bill Jones, in 1839, made brick on the farm now owned by Dc Witt Williams, and this was as early as any were made. The last brick made in this township were by Amasa B. Verity, upon the premises now owned by Oliver B. Verity. Tile was manufactured for one or two years, at the saw-mill of James Kahle. Ottokee Cemetery—This place, for burial of the dead, was commenced at a very early day, but was not organized as " Ottokee Cemetery until 1853. Betsy Knapp, wife of Archie W. Knapp, who came here in May, 1846, and died June 26, 1846, was the first person laid to rest in the cemetery. Ayres Cemetery was laid off for burial purposes the earliest of any in this territory, at the very beginning of its settlement, or as soon as 1838. It was used before any other place was selected, but who was the first person buried cannot be ascertained. Spring Hill Cemetery was the last regularly laid out burial-place in the township, about 1860. Oscar A. Hibbard, son of Mortimer D. Hibbard, was the first person buried therein. Physicians.—Doctor Blaker was the first resident physician, followed in succession by Drs. Wm. Hyde, McCann, V. Gurley, S. T. Worden, B. M. De Lano, Henry Heffernan and Welcome C. Robinson, each of whom engaged in general practice before Ottokee and Spring Hill had an existence as villages. After Spring Hill started, the first physician was Doctor Win. Hyde, who educated for the profession Noah W. Jewell, now of Wauseon. Dr. Jewell succeeded Dr. Hyde. Next in order was Dr. Robert C. Ely, followed by Drs. Buchanan, Leach, Webb, Estelle H. Rorick and George P. Campbell, the last named being now in practice there. Spring Hill - M. D. Hibbard opened the first store of goods, upon a small scale, at a very early day. He was followed by Thomas Walters, and afterwards by Wilham Jewell, Robert Shepherd, Francis Laudersdale & Son. The latter were burned out about 1860. Feis Guggenheim, Tarring Osmun, G. W. Wallace, Wesley Huffman and George Walters have also been in trade at the place. In the year 1852 Louis Stumm brought to Ottokee front Delta, a press, and published for a time the Fulton County Advertiser. It was, in a few months, changed into the hands of J. W. Rosenburg, and the name changed to the Fulton County Union. In the winter of 1854 the paper was sold to J. W. Carter, who run it until his death, August 18, 1855, after which Ben. Frank FULTON COUNTY - 473 and Benjamin Montgomery took the office and issued regularly, till sold to Henry McElheney, in 1857. In 1855 Hosea Day brought in a competitive press, and issued the Ottokee Observer, superintended by Harry Bayes, and who issued the same to about 1857, when it was sold to S. A. Scofield and taken to Morenci, Mich. In 1857, Henry McElheney, a young lawyer, got, possession of, and run for a few months only, at Ottokee, a Democrat paper called Fulton County Democrat. In the summer of 1863 Harry B. Bayes brought from Bryan, O., a press and established The Monitor, as a competitive paper against the Northwestern Republican, then in the hands of Joseph Cable, at Wauseon, and issued his weekly editions for about eight months, when he sold out to Wauseon parties. Several residents of Ottokee learned the printer's trade at that place, to-wit : Charles B. Carter, Julius D. Carter, Miss Maggie Carter, now the wife of Judge Fallis, of Cadillac, Mich. ; James K. Newcomer and John S. Young, now in the Republican office, at Wauseon. Mills.—The only saw-mill in this township was built about one mile west of Spring Hill, in the year 1853, by Burdick Burtch, and was run by him for a few years, and then sold to Daniel Kahle, and now owned and run by his. son, James Kahle. He has added to it a cane-crusher and evaporator, operated by steam. It is the best in the township and gives encouragement to a profitable branch of agricultural industry—cane growing. About 1857 or '8, a gristmill was put up at Spring Hill, and did a good business until it was burned down, in 1860. It was rebuilt, but afterwards moved away. School Sub-divisions.—Soon after the organization of this township, in 1843, it was divided into two school districts, one at Spring Hill and the other at Ottokee. Soon after was organized district number two, called the Waid district, and next in order was district number three, in the northwestern part ; and still later district number five, where all elections are now held. The last district, number six, in the northeast part of the township, was organized about 1864. Since the Spring Hill district, number four, by an act of the Legislature of Ohio, in 1876, was set apart as a special school district, a fine brick school house has been built, suitable for all present needs. Township Elections. —The first was held at the house of Mortimer D. Hibbard, August 7, 1843, by order of the commissioners of (then) Lucas county. The officers chosen were Moses Ayers, Alonzo H. Butler and Willard Church, trustees; Joseph Jewell, clerk ; William Jewell, treasurer ; Elijah Bennett and John G. Tiffany, constables ; overseers of the poor, Elijah Bennett and Newell Newton. On April I, 1844, the assessor found forty-one persons liable to do military duty. The township levy that year was one mill; road, one mill, which brought into the treasury $43.35 for road purposes. The fees of the township offices that year, 1844, was $2.25 each for trustees; clerk, $4; treasurer, $2; supervisors had no charge. The first male teacher who taught in Dover had his scholars spell United 60 474 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. States commencing with You. Dover was soon after fortunate in securing a better grade of teachers. A. J. Canfield, Rev. J. R. Hibbard, Mortimer D. Hibbard, Michael Handy, and Miss Amelia Hibbard (now Mrs. Darwin Butler) and many others taught as good common schools as was generally found at that day. Wages for males, from $10 to $13 per month and board around, and for females, $6 to $8 and board around This was paid by rate bills. An item in the early history of the pioneers of Dover worthy of mention is, that they always refused the use of whisky at their raisings. Western Dover claims they have never been cursed with a saloon in that locality yet ; an effort was made some years ago to establish one by Abel Hall, who came into Spring Hill with some molasses, tea, coffee and tobacco, but foremost of all a full barrel of whisky. Some women of the town, not being able to locate the whisky as well as they should have done, got an auger and bored through the side of the building and into the molasses barrel, which by morning had emptied itself on the ground, the women supposing all the time that they had struck the whisky barrel. The next day, however, the proprietor had to " pull up stakes" and leave to save the balance of his stock. No effort has since been made to open another saloon at Spring Hill. Public Buildings. —In 1851 the county seat of Fulton county was located 'in this township, and buildings erected, viz., the court-house and jail. This continued to be the seat of justice until the beginning of the year 1872, when all business was removed to Wauseon, Ottokee having been the county seat about twenty-one years. In March, 1874, the commissioners of this county agreed to transform the old county buildings into an infirmary, and for that purpose, bought additional lands, built a large farm barn and changed and fitted the old court-house into quarters for the care of the poor, and about the first of May, 1874, had all things ready for the admission of inmates. The farm and buildings were placed under the superintendency of Oliver B. Verity and his wife. They commenced May 2, 1874, to receive inmates, and in a few weeks the poor and infirm of the townships of the county were all transferred to the " Fulton County Infirmary." Officers for County. —This township has furnished a goodly number of officers for the county. Mortimer D. Hibbard was from here, the first auditor, .and held that office nearly three years ; Jason R. Hibbard, eight years, or four terms; 0. A. Cobb, sheriff, four years; Jacob C. Hoffmire, sheriff four years; L. L. Carpenter, treasurer, four years; David Ayers, four years; Joseph Jewell, recorder (died in office); Richard Taylor, four years recorder ; Allen Carmichael, prosecuting attorney ; John J. Schnall, surveyor twenty-one years ; Joseph Shadle, six years as commissioner ; representative to the Legislature, Amos Hill. She has furnished four infirmary directors: First 0. A. Cobb, seven years ; Stephen Eldredge, three years ; E. H. Patterson, six years, and Lucien H. Guilford, present incumbent. The first superintendent and matron of the infirmary, 0. B. Verity and his wife, held their offices for a period of six years, FULTON COUNTY - 475 Post-Offices.— John J. Schnall was the first postmaster when the office was named "Tedrow." In the eastern part Henry Herriman was the first postmaster, and the office was named "Essex," and afterwards changed to " Ottokee." "Emery" post-office was established at a very early date with Lucius N. Chatfield postmaster. These three exist at this date. Hosea Day was the first postmaster at Ottokee. This township has an area of thirteen thousand one hundred and nineteen acres of land, or about twenty-one sections of land. In 1880 its population was ten hundred and fifty-five all told. The valuation in 1887 of real and personal estates was $242,950, upon which all taxation is based. CHAPTER XLVI. HISTORY OF FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP. POLITICAL DIVISIONS. —The township of Franklin is quite important from the peculiar construction of its territory being in two surveys; the State of Ohio, and the Territory of Michigan ; also three very important treaty divisions between the Indians and the government of the United States: The first with General Hull, November, 1807, at the city of Detroit, conveying all lands east of a line run due north from the mouth of the Au Glaize one hundred and thirty-two miles ; the second treaty at the foot of the Rapids in the Maumee, September, 1817, between the United States, Lewis Cass and Duncan McArthur representing the government, and the Wyandotts, Senecas, Delawares, Shawanese, Pottawotamies, Ottowas and Chippewas, the latter granting to the government their right and title to lands in northwest Ohio, and the northeastern portion of Indiana, south of the boundary line between Ohio and Michigan, and known as the "Fulton line ; " the third at Chicago, August 29, 1821, between General Cass and the Pottawotamies and their allies the Ottawas and Chippewas, designating all the territory west of the treaty line made at Detroit, and north of a line due west to Lake Michigan, from the mouth of the Au Glaize, excepting five designated reservations, all having a general center in Franklin township, and all of which is important to the general reader to understand that the old "Fulton line," and the "Michigan meridian," formed part of the boundaries of the three foregoing named Indian treaties, and as has been remarked, "surely we tread on interesting ground,' for the history of all this surrounding country finds its center here. In the survey of the territory of Michigan, the west line of the Indian treaty, made by Hull at Detroit, 1807, was taken as the meridian line of their survey with their base line about sixty miles north, and extended south on said line to the "Ful- 476 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. ton line." The Ohio survey numbering east by range from the State line of Indiana, north to the " Fulton line," giving to the center of Franklin two important starting points, two east ranges and one west, and parts of six congressional surveys, and the Michigan survey numbering south of base line, ten township surveys, and terminating on the " Fulton line" east and west of merridian, ending with town ten south. In the spring of 1820 the Legislature of Ohio, April 1, organized from Indian territory fourteen new counties, among which were Wood, Henry, and Williams, south of the "Fulton line," and which afterwards became in part component parts of Fulton county. All of this township in the Ohio survey, south of the Fulton line, lying west of the west boundary line of Wood county, which afterward, on September 7, 1835, became the west boundary of Lucas county, was in the county of Williams, and not organized for county purposes until April 1, 1824. Prior to this time Williams county had been attached to Wood county for judicial purposes, the county seat being located at Defiance, then a part of Williams county. The commissioners of Williams county,' December 6, 1831, at a regular session held at Defiance, the county seat, organized the township of Tiffin, composed of towns five, six, seven, and eight north, range four east, south of " Fulton line," and, March 30, 1835, subdivided Tiffin township, and from towns six, seven, and eight created the new township of Springfield, and, at the same time extended its jurisdiction to the " Harris line," over the disputed strip contiguous on the north, and also included in this extension a strip one mile wide off of the west end of towns nine and ten south, range one east, then being held under the jurisdiction of the Territory of Michigan, and in the county of Lenawee, and township of Medina About this date, 1835, the legislative council of the Territory of Michigan organized from the western part of Lenawee county, the county of Hillsdale, and formed the township of Mill Creek from town nine and fractional town ten south, range one west, and a strip one mile wide off of the west side of town nine and fractional town ten south, range one east, overlapping the claim of Springfield to the " Fulton line." Thus this tract was claimed by two townships and one State and one territory. Michigan, having the supremacy, by the sympathy of what settlers were then living thereon, exercised full and complete civil jurisdiction until December 16, 1836, when the whole strip in dispute became a portion of Ohio, and, notwithstanding the claim of Springfield to said land north, she could not get in edgewise for her civil control. On March 7, 1836, commissioners met, and all of Springfield township north of town six north was organized into Brady township, first called Brady after Captain Brady. This new township included all of towns seven and eight north, range four east, and the strip, one mile wide, off of the west end of towns nine and ten south, range one east, and all of t0wns nine and fractional ten south, range ,one west, south of the " Harris line," and wiping out the name of Spring- FULTON COUNTY - 477 field over said territory newly erected into Brady township, and, on June 16, that part north of the " Fulton line," legally became a part of Brady township, destroying entirely the name and civil authority of Mill Creek township, erected at the time of the organization of Hillsdale county, in 1835. Afterwards, March 4, 1839, at a session of the county commissioners of Williams county, all of Brady township north of the " Fulton line," was set off to Mill Creek, or organized into a new township of Mill Creek. In 1843 all of Mill Creek township included in towns nine and ten south, range two west, and one mile, or the west tier of sections of towns nine and ten south, range one west, was set off to a new township called Madison, and on April I, 1850, the strip one mile wide off of the west end of towns nine and ten south, range one east, and two tiers of sections of towns nine and ten south, range one west, were set off to Fulton county, north of "Fulton line," and attached to Franklin and Gorham townships, respectively, adjoining their western border. Sections one and two of town seven north, range four east, and thirty-five and thirty-six of township eight north, range four east, south of the Fulton line, was taken from Brady township and attached to Fulton county and became a part of Franklin on the west. Organization.—This township at a commissioners' meeting held at Maumee City, March 1, 1841, was organized and called Franklin township, made by taking all of town ten south, range one east, excepting one mile off of the vest end of town ten south, range one east, which was cut off from the township of Gorham, and all of towns eight north, range five east, and one tier of sections off of the north side of town seven north, range five east, from German township, and immediately entered upon its civil jurisdiction as a part of the organization of Fulton county. On the 28th day of February, 1850, the Legislature of Ohio, in creating the new county of Fulton, ran the west boundary line west of the line of old Wood county, and afterwards Lucas county, and adding to the further area of Franklin, from the township of Brady, sections i and 2 of town seven north, range four east ; and sections 35 and 36, town eight north, range four east, and the west tier of fractional sections one mile wide off of town ten south, range one east, and two tiers of section, to wit : One and two and fractional sections 11 and 12, off of the west side of town ten south, range one west, of Mill Creek, which thereafter became a part and parcel of Franklin township, which embraces in its area six parts of congressional surveys. Boundaries.—Franklin township as her boundaries mark at this time contains about twenty-eight and one-third full sections of land, or an area of 18,213 acres. Its real and personal value in 1887 was $443,540, as shown upon the present duplicate of the county. This township is in the center tier, upon the extreme western border of Fulton county ; bounded on the north by the township of Gorham ; on the east by the township of Dover ; on the south by the township of German, and for nearly one mile at the west end on the 478 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. south by the Fulton line, and on the west by the townships of Brady south, and Mill Creek north of the old Fulton line of Williams county, O. A trifle over one-half of its present area is upon the disputed strip, as settled by the Congress of the United States, December 16, 1836. It was the tenth township in its organization in the present limits of Fulton county. Topography.-The general slope of the surface is southwest. The lowest lands are adjacent to and along the Tiffin River (Bean Creek), which marks a southwesterly course across the township, east of the first beach some four or five miles west. Gravel and sand spurs from the sandy plateau of Dover, put out on the extreme eastern border and southeast corner of the township, and are densely covered with timber. This gravel in the east part is available for good roads, and may be used at numerous points in the township. The spurs, however, are soon lost in the lacustrine deposits of the Bean Creek valley. The only water course rising beyond the limits of this county is Bean Creek, from Devil's Lake in the State of Michigan, and flows in a southerly direction through the center of this township and empties its waters and streamlets in the Maumee at Defiance. The streams are of gentle inclination south, and Mill Creek southeast, and empty upon its right bank. The waters of this township pass into Bean Creek, and, with its waters, to the Maumee, thence to Lake Erie. Water Supply.—Nearly everywhere in this township water can be cheaply obtained by boring from eighty to one hundred feet. This township is famous for its artesian wells, wherein the water of many of them rises and flows to the surface. They, at this day, are eminently numerous in a line of special locality. Geology says " they are found in a belt of country which, in common with the other geological features of the vicinity, has a northeast and southwest trend," which appears true here. Soil.—Along the valley of Bean Creek is a rich lacustrine deposit, with abundance of gravel closely connected with the Bean Valley, and the whole township presents a very level appearance and rich in fruit raising, for the valley does not often fail in that, and less frequent in the production of corn, wheat, oats and potatoes, and all the varieties of agriculture, or to the raising fine cattle, sheep and hogs. The prosperity of agriculture to-day within its boundaries shows its wealth in all that makes the farm enjoyable. Timber.—This township, in its early days, was covered with an almost impenetrable forest of giant growth of the various kinds usually found in the west,. with a soil too wet at times. A great part of the timber was black walnut, butternut, white, black and blue ash ; in many parts was very fine poplar or whitewood, trees often from two to five feet across, and from fifty to eighty feet without a limb. A great amount of this timber was cut and burned no log heaps by the early settlers, as there was no demand for it. There was also a great amount of oak of different kinds, which secured for the settlers. FULTON COUNTY - 479 good fencing material, for which it was and is now used largely for that purpose. There was beech and maple (both hard and soft), a good supply of basswood, sycamore, red and white elm, black cherry, iron-wood, hickory, dog-wood, cotton-wood and the bean-tree along the creek, with its beautiful flowers, from which Bean Creek derives its name. Population.—Franklin in 1880, at the last Federal cencus enumerated 1,01, and is fast rising into prominence, and without any village or trading post, is more than keeping equal in the race for prosperity, but was among the first to begin its settlement by the white man, as early as 1833, and in rapid succession thereafter did immigration flow into the valley of the "Bean," and by reason of the vast improvements in clearing out Bean Creek, and straightening its zig-zag water-courses, it visibly marks the beginning of a prosperity. Under good management it will be rich in agricultural possibilities, and at no distant day, be equal, if not superior, to any other agricultural district of Fulton county. Early Pioneers.—It has been said that Joseph Bates came into this territory, then Williams county, on section two, town seven north, range four east, in February, 1833, while others claim not until 1834, and on the farm known to-day as the Shilling farm. In the absence of better proof we will accept of the record as given by A. W. Fisher, in his historical reminiscences of early settlers, wherein he writes to Joseph Bates's daughter, Mrs. Alvord, of Camden, Michigan, replying to which she declares that her father came in 1832; from the testimony given by others it will be doing justice to the memory of Joseph Bates to give him the benefit of a medium date, Feb., 1833, which would seem to correspond with the memory of many living witnesses. He became engrafted to the soil of Fulton county by reason of changes made in the political divisions and subdivisions of township. He, when coming to the valley of the Bean Creek, in February, 1833, was within the limits of Brady township, Williams county, and was then not a resident of Fulton county, nor either of Wood, which held control of all east of Williams until 1835, when Lucas was organized from the western part of Wood, and so controlled the territory until Feb. 28, 1850, when the county of Fulton was organized, taking in territory from Williams upon which Joseph Bates resided, but he loses the honor of being one of the early pioneers of Williams, and lays claim to the credit of being the first white resident of Fulton county, and also Franklin as she exists to-day. During all this term of years, from 1833 to 1850, a period of seventeen years, Joseph Bates is by all acknowledged to be the first settler in the present area of Franklin township. For quite a period of time he alone endured the hardship of early pioneer life, which never will be sufficiently elucidated to the succeeding generations ; the severe labor and toil to make for a growing family a home—always the aspiration of the early men and women of the wilderness—living on hominy made from corn pounded in wooden mortars, and such wild meats as might be obtained by the rifle from the woods, caught 480 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. in the intervals of labor, and often without milk or butter, or any of the articles of luxury. Joseph Bates, in a very early day, ran a hotel called " J. Bates's Inn." In 1861 he sold his possession to William Ayers and moved to Iowa, where he died, August 1, 1866, at the advanced age of seventy-nine years. In the summer and winter of 1830 and 1831, Joseph Bates with his gun, dogs, bear and wolf traps, came from the East to Hardin county, O., where he hunted and trapped until the coming spring, and during this time lived on muskrats and other game caught in traps or shot. He sold his furs and skins, the product of his fall and winter labor, and came to then Williams county, and purchased the southeast quarter of section two, town seven north range four east, now Franklin township, and had of that winter's labor $130 left. He went back to his home and in the winter of 1833, started with his family for his new purchase in Williams county, cutting his own road through an unbroken forest from Ottawa to Defiance. When arriving at his new home he lived three days in a wagon, until he could erect a cabin with simply his own and family's help. There was no neighbor nearer than twelve miles. He then cleared some land and raised that year the first grain in Franklin township, or the western part of Fulton county. A large part of his life here was spent in hunting and trapping, of which he was ever fond. On the loth of March, 1845, his wife died, and the following year he married the widow of Joseph Borton, sister to Benjamin, Nathan, John and Job Borton, all well known through the county. Joseph Bates was born in Vermont in the year 1787, but at the age of manhood he went to Canada, where he married Harriet Dodge, by whom he had eight children, four sons and four daughters, who came with him to Williams county (that part now Fulton). Truman, who moved with the Packards in 1840 to Missouri; Thomas, who died on the isthmus on his way to California, in 1849; Joseph, who died in 1867, in Iowa, and James who now resides in Boon county, Iowa. The daughters, Harriet, who married Theron Landon; Belinda, who married Warren Hancock ; Mary, who married Cyrus Barrett, and Elizabeth, who married Hiram Alvord, now of Reading, Mich. Mr. Bates moved from Canada to New York and from there to Richland county, O., where he settled in his early life. No ordinary set of men and women could do what the pioneers of this county have done. It was the bravest and best who dared to push out from home and friends and all the enjoyments of civil life, to seek a home in this great Northwest, long believed by the eastern world unfit for the homes of civilized men and women. In those days heroes slept in every primitive cabin, whose deeds were worthy of fame, but unrecorded ; the memory rests only with the living, and sleeps with the dead. After a space of nearly two years John Shaffer and Adam Poorman entered the Bean Creek valley, near where Samuel B. Darby lived and kept a store, March, 1835. They got to Bean Creek just at dark, John Shaffer settling on FULTON COUNTY - 481 section thirty-two, town eight north, range five east, and Adam Poorman on section five, town seven north, range five east ; when arriving on the banks of the Bean they encamped over night, there being a heavy, cold snow upon the ground, about four inches deep. Each spent the night as best he could, and as only pioneers knew how. At daylight next morning they felled two trees across the creek, cut poles and split what they could and made a bridge across the turbid Bean, then swollen, and moved over with their goods and families, as their land lay upon the north side of the creek. They encamped on a piece of rising ground for the night, after crossing, and the next morning were surrounded with water from one to five feet in depth, the melting snow and rain making quite a flood. When the water went down they put up a cabin for each family. John Shaffer had quite a family of boys ; Samuel, the oldest, thirteen or fourteen years of age, Amos, David, Joshua and Riley. His house was ever the traveler's home, and he the newcomer's friend. In 1851, John Shaffer sold out his farm to Lyman Morrison and moved into Fulton township, this county, and from there in 1858 or 1859, moved into Montcalm county, Mich., where he died many years ago. There is but one of the Shaffer family in this county now, Joshua Shaffer, who is a resident of Pike township, having a fine farm. Adam Poorman was also a very hard-working and industrious man, and did his full share in improving the country. He was also a friend to the stranger and the new settler. His farm was often overflowed by water of the creek. In 1846 he sold the same to Daniel Thomas, and bought land and moved into Dover township on section 6, town t0 south, range 2 east, and commenced again his pioneer's life upon soil equally liable to overflow with water as where he first settled, in Franklin. Here he died, many years ago, respected and lamented by his neighbors. He had three sons and three daughters: Cornelius was killed by a falling tree, in 1849 ; Michael and Marion are still living in Dover township, well advanced in years, men of family, having good farms. His daughter Anna, now the wife of Royal C. Stevens, is, by some, claimed to be the first white child born in Franklin township. Soon after John Shaffer and Adam Poorman had got their cabins up, John McLaughlin and Samuel Ayers came to the township from Richland county, 0., to hunt themselves homes. They got to Bean Creek just at dark and found the bridge, built by Shaffer and Poorman. They thought to cross with the team, but Samuel Ayers said he would try it first, and accordingly walked nearly over, carefully examining the same; but as the north end was the lowest, resting on driftwood, then abundant in the creek, the poles of the bridge floated and he fell through into the water up to his waist. They then returned their horses to the wagon, and hearing the sound of the cow-bell some eighty or ninety rods north, concluded to try and cross the bridge on foot, leaving the team, and make for the cow-bell. They found it at the cabin of 482 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. John Shaffer, at about eight o'clock that night, and where they stayed over night. The next morning, with the assistance of Mr. Shaffer, they fixed up the bridge and got the team over the creek, and McLaughlin and Ayers went on their way farther west, soon found themselves homes, and returned to Richland county, where they resided. They soon prepared themselves and families to come to Williams county, now Fulton. Another sister, Elizabeth, came in the winter of 1837, with the family of Samuel Ayers, to their new homes in this wilderness. They were originally from Perry county, Pa. They settled each as follows : John McLaughlin on section 1, town 7 north, range 4 east ; Samuel Ayers on section 2, town 7 north, range 4 east ; Joseph McLaughlin on section 1, town 7 north, range 4 east, Ohio survey. John McLaughlin's sister, Elizabeth, married Adna Reynolds. On that eventful day she did a washing in the morning, for the family, shelled, that morning also, one-half bushel of corn, and that afternoon carried it on her shoulder, through the woods, to Bird's mill, located on Mill Creek, north, got it ground, again re-shouldered and carried it home, baked the wedding cake, and was married the same evening. The distance to Bird's mill was at least two and one- half miles, making five miles to and from, for the lady to travel. This was in the fall of 1838. Rachel McLaughlin married one Porter, and now lives in Steuben county, State of Indiana. David married Libbie Rogers ; he died many years ago. Joseph is living, and has raised a very fine family, and is highly respected. Asher Bird settled here on section 8, town 10 south, range east, in 1837, and that year built the first water-mill on Mill Creek, which gave it the name it bears at the present time. This was the first grist-mill built and run in the township. In 1837 Joseph Ely, Martin Pike, William Young, James Baxter, Jabez Jones and Albert Chatfield all settled on the west side of the creek, excepting Albert Chatfield, who settled upon the east bank, farther north. They, with the other settlers at this time, began to make roads and build bridges, which were crude, barely cut out, and old logs removed sufficient for a team and wagon. This answered the purpose of the early settlers until the stumps began to decay. In 1838 Jacob Shaffer, sr., settled on section 12, town Io south, range east ; Michael Shaffer on section 35, town 8 north, range 5 east ; David Ely on section 2, town 7 north, range 5 east, and Thomas Walters on section 36, town 8 north, range 5 east. John Bowser, sr., came from Fairfield county, O., in the spring of 1838, and settled on section 34, town 8 north, range 5 east. He had six sons, a part of whom were full grown, that came with him, The father bought each one of his boys one hundred and twenty acres of land, and with the aid of the whole combined, being very industrious, soon cleared up the homestead, and the rest as fast as needed. John Bowser was a preacher of the society of the United Brethren in Christ. His house long served as the traveler's home, and a meeting-house. His settlement here soon drew many FULTON COUNTY - 483 of his old neighbors from Fairfield county, to wit : Dorsey Barnes, his son-in- law ; Ozias Barnes, John J. Clark, Jacob Hanshy, Moses Kirtz, Noah Specht, all followers of Father Bowser, who was soon surrounded with a religious element of his own faith. In an early day camp meetings were held upon his lands. He died in 1844. Aaron, his youngest son, became a very able and successful preacher among the brethren, and served several terms as presiding elder in the district. He died a few years ago at Columbus Grove, Putnam county, O. Jacob, the oldest son, who lived near the old homestead, was drowned October 4, 1884. In 1837 Samuel B. Darby and family came from Elmira, Chemung county, N. Y., and encamped upon the bank of Bean Creek, and put him up a cabin in a short time thereafter. He and family were nearly three months upon the road, and endured many hardships in getting here. He was a very prominent settler in Franklin, and many years the foremost leader in affairs of the county. He died at his old homestead July 15, 1881, aged seventy-seven years, his widow yet living with her son, Dr. Francisco L. S. Darby, at Wauseon. Peter Minick and Peter Andre settled on sections one and two, town seven, range five east, in 1839. Peter Andre, in 1845, sold out and moved to Wisconsin, and soon thereafter died. Peter Minick lived many years, cleared up a good farm and made good buildings. His children have grown up and become well settled in life. Peter died in December, 1881, at the advanced age of seventy-five years ; his widow still lives on the farm. Thomas Walters settled on section thirty-six, town eight north, range five east, in 1838 ; Joseph Ely, Leonard Whitmore, David Meriolett and George Miller also came during the same year. In 1839 came Benjamin Borton, Geo. McFarlan, Asher Ely and his sons, William and O. S. Ely, and John Sparks. In 1840 came John Wooster and Chauncey Loveland from Richland county. Wooster was a carpenter by trade, and became to the early settlers, a very useful man. In 1841 came Nathan Borton, a preacher of the Quakers, also John Borton, and settled on section thirty-five, town eight north, range four east, also Isaac Borton, John Jones, P. S. Vanortrick, and his two sons, Abram and John, and Peter Vandervier. In 1842 came John Kendall, who in an early day settled in Gorham, Christian Swartzentruver, Dorsey Barnes, and possibly others that have been overlooked. From 1842 to 1850, the time of the organization of Fulton county, improvements had been made rapidly, and the township began to present a homelike appearance ; large immigrations commenced to move to Franklin township, as well as other townships of the county. In 1843 came John Dennis, Orrin G. Greely ; in 1844 John Jacoby, John Fisher, Bethuel Borton and Peter Hagerman ; in 1845, James S. Riddle, Adam Andre, Nathan Oliver, Nathan Borton, Phillip R. Fisher, John Mason, Josiah Mason, Reuben Mason, J. C. Mason, John Arch, Ezekiel Masters, Jacob Cox and his son, John Cox, 484 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. Benjamin Persing and Lucius N. Chatfield ; in 1846, Benjamin Persing, John McGowen, George Kibler, David Carr and families, Daniel Thomas ; in 1847, John Gype and large family, and William Ely ; in 1848, John Hardin, Gideon Long, Joshua Conoway, Obadiah Borton and Chockley Harlan ; in 1849, Richard Rider, Harvey Miller. Of these that came prior to 1850, but few are now living, and by their deaths the old homesteads have passed into the hands of their descendants, while many have gone into strangers' possession, and to-day the farms and homes of the old pioneers are occupied by another generation of men and women, with scarcely a mark to show to the world the labors of their fathers and mothers, obliterated by the improvement of time ; the log cabin has been removed, the old log school-house has passed away, and their places are occupied by the brick or painted wooden ones, which now dot the land all over the county ; and where once was the Indian trail is now found well graded highways and the iron rail to direct the course of the iron horse. Now, of those who came to Franklin township since 185o, and at present upon the territory,will be found the names of Lafayette G. Ely, Michael Martzolf, Fred Crumrine, Garret H. Baum, S. W. Baum, John Shilling, James Randall, Levi Kump, J. Garrison, W. Burns, Hamilton Persing, Asa Borton, Arthur Borton, Charles L. Stevens, Royal C. Stevens, Ozias Barnes, grandson of the old pioneer, Ozias Barnes, Anthony Snyder, Lewis Shipman, Jacob Koon, Jacob Shadle, Jacob Doriot, Eugene Doriot, John Winzler, William Dunabarger, Campbell Ely, Harrison Ely, Levi Kump, J. Sloan, William Russell, Harrison Hittle, Levi G. Hittle, Ely Shipman, Josiah Shank, Daniel Prickett, Jacob Roth, Jacob Shoffner, Michael Lea, John Merelotte, Peter Merelotte, James B. Dickson, Reuben Wentz, Samuel Borton, John Gype, Adam Gype, Henry Brame, Thomas Andre, John Dennis, Christ B. Roop, Levi Buxton, J. J. Seiler, John Minich, sr., John Minich, jr., John Shilling, F. Gegax. Schools.—Samantha Crandall taught the first school in the bounds of Franklin township, in the old cabin of Joseph Bates. She had to cross Bean Creek on a felled tree across the creek, evening and morning, and wade through swales and water to and from school. Her mother taught the next school. They both died over thirty-five years ago. The time of Samantha Crandall's teaching was in the year 1836, and was conducted as a private school of the neighboring families. This cabin stood on section 2, on what is now known as the Shilling farm ; afterwards Miss Jane Brundridge taught the school. The second school-house built (log cabin) was erected by Samuel B. Darby, on the east bank of Bean Creek, near Darby's land, and Samuel B. Darby taught the first school here, in the winter of 1839. In 1842 a new frame school-house was built on the same site. The Asher Ely school district was organized in 1845, and hewn log cabin was built for the district. The first teacher was Augustus Porter. The Methodists and Presbyterians used this house for a long time as FULTON COUNTY - 485 a place of worship. Franklin now has seven school districts and one joint school district, formed from German and Franklin. A. W. Fisher, in his historical reminiscence, says, "that which is now called sub-district number four has produced over forty teachers, five doctors, three lawyers, three merchants, two jewelers, one minister, one professor, one editor, one portrait artist, one railroad conductor, one telegraph operator and one commercial traveler," and claims it as a record of which few country schools can boast. The first shoemaker was Benjamin Persing ; the next was John Hardin, who settled on the west side of section 2, in 1848, and made shoes and boots some three years ; the next was Joshua Conoway, in 1848, who carried on the industry for quite a number of years. He is now a resident of Spring Hill, in Dover township. He, to the old settlers, was a very useful man, for he combined, for his industry, all the trades necessary in business life : he was a millwright, wheelwright and carpenter, and, when necessary, plasterer, painter, mason, blacksmith, wagonmaker, shoemaker, tailor and farmer. John Borton put up and distilled the first oils from peppermint, spearmint, sassafras and butter-weed, in 1841, and has always made it a successful business industry. He is still in the business. The second still was erected by Asher Ely, in 1844, and run three years, and afterwards abandoned. Next was Nathan Borton's, in 1846, who manufactured large quantities of oils for many years. About this time John Mason built a still-house on section 1, and run for about twenty years, when the industry was abandoned, and their still- houses have long since fallen into decay. George Kibbler, in 1852, built a whisky-still in connection with a grist-mill, the first and only still ever built and run in Fulton county. In 1864 the whole was sold to a man by the name of Gigax, who repaired the same, ground a couple of grists, when he lost the dam by floods, and then the mill and still were abandoned. Grist-Mills.—The first grist-mill in this township was built by Asher Bird, sr., on section 8, town 10 south, range 1 east, on Mill Creek, in 1837. Bird run this mill until his death, in 1842.   It was abandoned at a very early date, 1849 or 1850. This was, without doubt, the first regular grist-mill in Fulton county. In 1850 George Kibbler built a grist-mill in connection with a saw-mill, and run them until his death, in 1864, when they passed to other parties, and were soon abandoned. These were both water mills and built on Mill Creek. No industry of this kind, by water or steam, is carried on to-day within the present limits of Franklin township. The first cider-mill was built and run by Chockley Harlan, in 1856. The press was of the beam and lever style, then the easiest to " rig up ;" it continued only a few years. Some years later John Gype and brother put up an improved cider press, which is in use to-day, doing a large and profitable business. 486 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. The first cane-mill put up in the township was on section 12, on P. R. Fisher farm, by Obadiah Borton, in 1850, and here was worked the first sorghum raised in Franklin, and here was made the first sorghum syrup. In 1858 John Mason built a mill for grinding cane, and run the same for fifteen years. In 1865 Joshua Conoway put up an extensive cane-mill and did a big business for six or seven years, when he sold out his farm to Samuel Harley, and the mill was then abandoned. As early as 1837 or 1838, Albert Chatfield built a saw-mill on Bean Creek, and carried on quite an extensive business for many years. The mill has long since fallen into decay. The old land marks of the same are still visible. A grist-mill was built near the old saw-mill many years after, and run a few years, when it was burned. The first steam saw-mill was built by John Borton, near the south side of section 35, town 7 north, 4 east, of the Ohio survey, in 1856, to which was afterward added a lath and shingle-mill. Both were burned in 1879, and never afterward rebuilt. Another steam mill was, in later years, built near the eastern side of the township, and is now owned and controlled by John and Peter Gype, and, in connection with it, is a cider-mill and press. As a saw-mill it is doing a large and flourishing business. It was built at very early date by Michael Shaffer, who sold to Gype & Smoker. It was once burned, but afterwards rebuilt. It is now the only saw-mill in the present limits of Franklin. Stores.—In 1838, a man by the name of Hastings started a store just west of Bean Creek, on the old Maumee and Angola road, and west of Samuel B. Darby's residence, upon the south side of section 32, town 8 north, 5 east. After a few years it was abandoned. In that early day of Franklin the spring freshets of Bean Creek would overflow a wide area of country, and often the settlers would have to " boat it " to the store for the trade desired by them. In 1838 Leonard Whitmore brought a small stock of goods to the Bean Creek valley, and located east of Bean Creek on section 10, town 10 south, range east. He traded there for a number of years. The early settlers say it was abandoned in 1843. Reuben Mason, in 1850, opened a store at his residence, and in 1852 laid out the village of Trenton (it only existed on paper), and built a large storeroom, and sold goods for nearly ten years. He was postmaster at Blanc, for eleven years, and until the post-office was abandoned. The Blanc post-office was first located at the house of Jabez Jones, in Franklin township, in 1850. The mail was carried on horse-back from Toledo to Angola, once a week. John S. Butler, the first mail carrier, is yet living in Chesterfield, in this county. In 1839, soon after the arrival of Samuel B. Darby, to the banks of the winding Bean, he opened a store and sold goods for a few years, when he abandoned the trade. Thus, as the country has grown older, business of all kinds has drifted to common centers upon the railway lines. And as no lines FULTON COUNTY - 487 of this kind are yet in Franklin, all that was once this busy center, workshops and stores, have departed. There is not now a wagon shop, tailor shop, shoe shop, grist-mill, still or store, within the limits of Franklin township. Physicians. —The first physician was Ira Smith, who came in 1840. He practiced some three years and left. In 1841 or 1842 Dr. John Kendall came from Gorham township, and bought and settled on section 35, town 8 north, range 5 east, and was for many years the only physician of general practice in the township. He left the township about 1860, and settled at Milburn, some five miles west of Bryan, Williams county, and died soon after. Dr. Kendall was one of the associate judges in the early days of the county of Fulton. A son of Dr. John Kendall, Amos Kendall, in 1846 settled on Bean Creek, near Chatfield's saw-mill, and commenced the practice of medicine. He however stayed but a few years and moved back to Gorham, where in later years he died. In 1860 came Dr. Schmidt, and practiced medicine until 1865, when he left and settled in Edgerton, Williams county, where he died. Lastly was Dr. Wilson, from Stryker, who in 1867 built a log house and office on lands owned by Joseph Ely. His fame soon spread to such an extent as to bring him patients from nearly every State and Territory of the Union. He soon had to build a hotel for the accommodation of his patients, and a bus line was established from Archbold on the Lake Shore Railroad to his office. In 1873 he moved to Archbold, and there soon after died. He was a wonderful man, a mystery to all, yet his success was not greater in healing disease than other physicians ; his power was in diagnosing disease, in which capacity he seemed to be unusually expert. Churches.—In 1849 the Methodist Episcopal denomination built a church, the first in the township, which was located near Master's Corners. In 1852 the Presbyterians built a church also near Master's Corners, which was the second church of that faith built in the county, the first being at /Etna, in Pike township, at that time. In 1852 and 1853 the Baptist denomination built a church near the Corners, which was used for a number of years, but subsequently moved away, and is now located on section 2, town 10 south, range east. The disciples have an organization in the southwest part of the township, and built a church on section 2, town 7 north, range 4 east, in 1861. They dedicated it February 0, 1862. This church was organized under the labors of Elder L. L. Carpenter. A church of the Reformers or Lutherans is located on section 34, town 8 north, range 5 east. They have a small chapel extemporized from a school-house, in which services are regularly held. These comprise the list of churches and church organizations within the limits of Franklin township. This township has had at different times three brick yards, in each of which brick was made for several years, and also a brick and tile yard was opened near the Angola and Toledo road west of the creek, and worked by J. Shadle 488 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. for two years, and then abandoned. To-day this industry has been fully abandoned by all, and no brick or tile are made in the township. There are no railroads touching this township in any part, neither are there any post-offices in the township ; but for many years the people have had to get their mails at Tedrow in Dover ; Fayette, in Gorham ; and Elmira, in German township ; and in the western part at West Unity, in Williams county. The first white child born in this township was Annie Poorman, now the wife of Royal Stevens, of this township. The second, a male child, was Marion Poorman. It is claimed by the very earliest settlers living that a child was born to Mrs. Irena Holt, a sister of Isaac and John Reynolds, of Franklin, and soon after birth died. This was really the first white child born in Franklin township. Ransom Reynolds and Pollonia Crandall were the first persons married in Franklin, and Adna Reynolds and Elizabeth McLaughlin were the second couple married. Official Roster of County Officers. —This township since it began to settle has supplied Williams and Fulton with the following county officers: George Ely, auditor of Williams ; Samuel Ayers, treasurer; Ezekiel Masters and Joseph Reasoner, commissioners. Ezekiel Masters served two terms of six years as commissioner of Fulton county, Joseph Ely five terms or fifteen years, and Sylvester Baum the present commissioner ; Ezekiel Masters two terms in the Legislature of Ohio ; Lafayette G. Ely has served three terms as auditor ; John Kendall, associate judge under old constitution, 1850 ; James S. Riddle served as infirmary director six years ; Samuel B. Darby, recorder one term, and filled a vacancy by the death in office of Joseph Jewell ; William H. Stevens, three terms or nine years as recorder. The number of years service in some county office by the official roster of this township amounts to fifty-two years for Fulton county since its organization, April 1850. Reminiscences.—In a very early day, as early as 1836, a man came into this county and entered some land on Bean Creek or Tiffin River, at the Fulton line, being the head of navigation. It is reported that he was a surveyor and engineer ; that he laid out a city, platted it, and called it the city of New Amsterdam, and marked the steamboat landing, the public square and public park, and many other things, among them lots sold. Then he went to Cincinnati, representing it to be almost the garden of the world, and would make one of the great cities of the west. He sold his plat and the land adjoining for quite a sum of money. The land was conveyed from one person to another for some years, when finally a man came to Toledo, on a hunt for the city of New Amsterdam. He finally, through Robert A. Howard, found his way to Bean Creek, and enquired of Samuel B. Darby, for the city of Amsterdam. As the river happened to be at the height of navigation, Darby told him if he had a boat he ;mold convey him to the site of the city ; but the water would- be from one to FULTON COUNTY - 489 ten feet deep, and that the land had been sold for taxes, and further informed him that he (Darby) held the tax title, and would like to have the money on it. The man soon left, and has never been back since, or any other person claiming the original title. The town is now owned by Mr. Coon and P. W. Poorman, residents, and is said to be yet mostly in the woods. This tract with others in the vicinity was entered at the land office by one Heffenstine, and on this property the city was located (that is, on paper). CHAPTER XLVII. HISTORY OF FULTON TOWNSHIP. PRE-HISTORIC.-At the date of the first settlement by the whites of Fulton township, then called and known in this Northwest as the " Six-Mile Woods," its political divisions were as follows : That part lying north of the " Fulton line " was included in the Territory of Michigan, and of those settling in said territory all their legal business and the payment of taxes were done at Adrian, then the county seat of Lenawee county. They so continued to do until December, 1836, when this strip of land, lying between the Fulton and Harris lines, was assigned to and afterward became a part of Ohio. This was the result of what has been termed the " Michigan War." In this State- line contest between Ohio and Michigan, some of the early settlers of what was erected into Fulton township participated (mostly in behalf of Michigan). One Peter Broadsword went from this disputed territory to Waterville, south on the Maumee River, to mill, and on his return was taken prisoner of war, near old Swanton, on the Ohio side, and was detained with his grist of corn meal until his captors became convinced that he was not in any manner aiding the "Wolverines ; " and upon fair promises, made by Peter, he was permitted to return to his family with the provisions, for which they had become very much in want. The portion lying south of the Fulton line, in the State of Ohio, was, at this time of the early settlement of the territory, and up to 1841, included in Swan Creek township, as near as can be ascertained, and there were about twenty-five families, settlers on the territory now under municipal control of this township, when the disputed strip was turned over to Ohio. It may be said, in the language of a writer in Lenawee county's history, that the early settlers of Fulton township had many things to contend with; it was said that the land was too low, or the water was too high and there was no way for drainage. The land is level, and was heavily timbered and required much labor to fit a small piece for cultivation. When the crops. 490 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. commenced to appear, wild animals and birds were early to gather their share ; the roads through the woods seemed to have no bottom, and long pieces had to be covered with logs, rails and brush, in order to make them passable. The streams had to be forded. They went to mill, to church, and to visit each other with ox teams and lumber wagons, and some of them of the rudest kind—which the pioneer well knows by his early experience in the wilds of Ohio. They did not, in that day, listen to the sweet sounds of the organ, or piano, but to the howls of the wolves, which could, in resemblance to the listener, multiply himself until one would be ten, and ten one hundred ; also, to the hoot of the owl that always flew so noiselessly, that in the night they would not be aware of its presence till the hoot broke with startling effect near them. These were but a few of the vicissitudes of early pioneers. But through the indomitable courage and persevering efforts of the early pioneers this has all been changed ; the woods have disappeared, the roads have become smooth and pleasant to travel, wild animals and destructive birds have left, the log cabin is gone and fine farm dwellings, large and productive orchards and small fruits of all kinds have taken their places. Many of these early pioneers have removed to that house not made with hands ; the other few are waiting, with their armor on, for the command, and but a few short years and we have them with us no more. Organization.—It is found on examining the records of Lucas county that at a regular session of the county commissioners of said county, held at the city of Maumee, March I, 1841, the township of Fulton was organized by taking from Amboy township fractional township number ten south, range four east, and from Swan Creek township fractional township eight north, range eight east, and the north tier of sections from township seven north, range eight east, and was erected into a township and named Fulton and so existed until in the year 1846. At a meeting of the board of commissioners of Lucas county, held at Maumee June 2, 1846, upon the petition of many residents of Fulton township, it was ordered that the south tier of sections in township nine south, range four east, be taken from Amboy township and attached to Fulton township, so that Fulton township at present contains thirty sections, including the six fractional sections of town ten south, range four east, north of the Fulton line. All of Fulton township prior to 1850, and after the little speck of the Michigan and Ohio war, belonged to and was included in Lucas county, and all that part south of the Fulton line was originally of Swan Creek township, and that part north of said line was Amboy township. It was the tenth township in its organization formed in Fulton county. Topography.—Fulton township is an unusually level tract with, in the north part, clay and the south part sand slightly mixed with gravel, and the whole underlaid with a clay subsoil. It was covered in its primitive state with a FULTON COUNTY - 491 heavy growth of timber consisting of white oak, some red oak, elm, ash and a large amount of cotton-wood interspersed with yellow poplar, or whitewood, and some basswood (known as linn), all valuable. The average depth of the deposit upon this territory is about eighty feet, perhaps less in the southeast. Water is generally obtained from a gravel bed resting directly on the rock. From the northeastern part of the township, crossing from Amboy township is what in geology is termed a second beach, composed of a coarse sand and, in some places, gravel deposit good for roads. Its course is southwest passing through Ai, a small village, and out of the township just north of Delta on the Lake Shore Railroad in York township. Clay suitable for tile and brick making can be found in abundance in many parts of the township and under-drainage is here attended with best results. Endowed with no natural facilities for manufacture or commerce, but simply with a fertile soil, the township of Fulton is calculated alone for the production of food, and whatever will forward her agricultural interest is of vital consequence to her. Water Courses.—The great water drainage of this township is to the south and southeast by the way of Swan Creek, which stream receives nearly all the tributary streams of the entire township, and are emptied by said creek into the Maumee at the city of Toledo. Swan Creek has its rise from the low prairie lands in the extreme northwest corner of the township, and running an easterly by southeasterly course across the township, south some few rods west of Swanton, and at this place it becomes quite a stream of water, and in the days before steam, was utilized as the motive power for machinery. Boundaries.—Fulton township lies in the extreme eastern part of the county of Fulton with Lucas county on the east, Swan Creek township on the south, Amboy on the north, and Pike on the west. It is about equally divided by the Fulton line running east and west. Roads.—The roads are remarkably smooth all over the township. The Toledo and Angola was the first road of any importance running near the center, east and west, through the township ; it was laid from Toledo to Angola, Ind., about 1840, by the State of Ohio, and run without much regard to the United States survey divisions. Before the advent of railways this was a stage route, and an important thoroughfare westward toward the then frontier. Railways.—The Lake Shore road crosses the southeast corner of this township diagonally upon section one, town seven north, range eight east, and the village of Swanton lays near the track and nearly all within Fulton township. Churches.—Fulton township, from its earliest settlement, has had ministerial services of various denominations, first the Christians and Presbyterians, and later the Methodist ; but still later in its township organization other denomi- 492 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. nations prevailed—Catholics, German Reformed, and United Brethren. The township contains three churches and the town hall, which is also used for church services. Early Settlers.—From the best information obtainable, John W. Harter, his wife and three children, were the first white people settling in Fulton township, on the west half of the northeast quarter of section thirty-five, town eight north, range eight east, in May, 1834. Mr. Harter came from Huron county, 0., by the usual mode of transportation at that time—a canvas-covered wagon, drawn by two pair of oxen. His destination was the Six Mile Woods, as then known abroad. When some two miles from his land (having about four weeks before purchased the same of the United States, and which they intended for their future home), they came to the end of the road, and it became necessary for Harter to chop and clear a road the remainder of the way to his land. Clearing a road through the forests in those days, where brush and fallen timber was far too plenty, required considerable labor, and a fair amount of fortitude and perseverance. But these obstacles were easily overcome by these early pioneers. A vast amount of time and labor were allotted to the first settlers in clearing roads, which means to cut and remove brush, logs, and other obstructions, a sufficient width to admit the passage of a team and wagon between the trees. These roads were very crooked, winding around wind falls and swampy places between trees and across creeks without bridges. It required the greatest care of the teamsters to get through this new country, on one of those roads, without getting stuck in mud holes, and fast against trees, stumps, and other obstructions, which were numerous. Mr. Harter and family occupied their covered wagon, as the most of the first settlers were compelled to do, for a residence, which answered for their kitchen, dining-room, bed-room, and parlor for four weeks after their arrival, and until they could build a log cabin. There is no person or family to-day more elated in moving into their new and commodious house, built after the best architectural designs, than were the Harter family in moving into that log cabin, surrounded by the dense forest, with wild flowers carpeting the earth, and the bright rays of the sun in stream- lets through the tree tops, and the fervent prayers offered in that lone cabin to Him, the guide and support of all earthly goodness—all these made the Harter family a happy, contented, and industrious community. There was, at that time, an Indian resort near the cabin, on the west bank of Swan Creek, where the Indians would come in the fall of the year and remain until spring, hunting deer, turkey, and other game for food, as well as for their hides, which they would exchange at Maumee City, some sixteen miles distant, for such articles as they would select at those trading-places, and return to make maple sugar in the spring. They were always kind with their new neighbors, always willing to share with them their venison and sugar. FULTON COUNTY - 493 In the fall of 1834 and spring of 1835, there was a large immigration to the Six Mile Woods, or now in Fulton township. Among those who came during that fall were John J. Teachworth and his family ; Henry Lake and his family, a wife and five children ; Alexander Boyd, who died in 1837, and the very first person laid in the Ai Cemetery ; he left a widow, two sons, and one daughter. Charles Welch came with a wife and large family of boys, and the forest by them was soon converted into splendid wheat fields. Welch was successful ; he died in 1878, in Amboy township. Daniel Q Berry settled here in 1834, with his wife and seven boys; he settled in town ten south, range four east, where he died in 1844, his widow surviving him some sixteen years only. Abraham Willcox came from the State of Connecticut in 1835, and settled in township ten south, range four east (Michigan survey), where he continued to reside until his death, in 1852. Ezra A. Willcox came about the same time as his brother ; he was the first peddler in the township, supplying the early settlers with clocks made in Connecticut. Rev. John Shaw came in 1834, and settled on the east half of the northeast quarter of section ten, town ten south, range four east ; he however, left in the latter part of 1835. Mr. Maxfield made and burned the first brick in the township on this same place in 1837. George Black came in 1834. Mr. Black, in 1844, moved to Stone Ridge (now Whitehouse), Lucas county, 0. Judge Thatcher settled here in the fall of 1834. He served several years as trustee, when he moved back to Connecticut in 1866, where he died a short time after. Alexander Vaughn moved from Holmes county, 0., in the spring of 1835, on section three, in town ten south, range four east. They lived in the covered wagon while building a log house, and moved into it as soon as one-half of the floor was laid. Mr. Vaughn was trustee of the township a number of years. He died in 1847. His widow afterwards married Thomas C. Berry, and moved to Branch county, Mich., where she died in 1862. One of her daughters, Jane, is now the wife of Ozias Merrill, who lives upon and owns the old homestead. Another of the daughters married Isaac Springer, and resides near Wauseon, in this county. James C. Vaughn, a son, is one of the commissioners of Fulton county, and resides at Swanton, this township. He filled the office of trustee a number of years, and also served as land appraiser in the township. Alexander Vaughn had two sons in the late war, James C. and Caleb Vaughn. Jacob Hamp moved from Holmes county, 0., in 1835, with a wife and five boys ; two were soldiers in the late war—John and Eli Hamp. Jacob Hamp died in 1850, his widow surviving him until she was one hundred and seven years old. She died at the home of her son, John Hamp, at Ai in 1879. She, while living, was a very useful old lady in the neighborhood. She was quite a good physician and nurse, and knew what pioneer life was. On many a night she has rode from two to six miles on horseback at 494 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. the calls of these pioneers, often through storms and muddy roads to render relief to the sick ; her whole life has been a busy one. She was born in 1772, before the Revolution, and hence her whole life was that of a pioneer. Peter Broadsword settled here in 1834, on section ten, town ten south, range four east. He had two daughters ; one married Mr. Burchard and now resides at Waterville, Lucas county, and the other married a Mr. Almon, and resides at South Swanton, Lucas county. Gideon W. Raymond settled on section thirty-two, town eight north, range eight east, in 1834. He was justice of the peace for several years, and taught school in the first school-house in the Clark district in 1837; afterwards taught the Ai school some four years. He now resides in Pike township, this county. Isaac Day was living in the city of Utica, State of New York, and having lost by death his wife and infant son, he determined on trying his fortune in the wilds of Ohio. On September 14, 1834, leaving his only daughter with his deceased wife's most intimate friends, he started for Ohio, and on his arrival bought a piece of land on section fifteen, in the present Swan Creek. That fall he put up a log cabin, and with his hoe planted one-half acre of wheat. He remained there that winter, and in the spring of 1835 he planted out his garden and other crops, so that in August he was able to have ripe melons, green corn, cabbage and cucumbers. The l0th of the following October John Nobbs with his wife and three children, started for Ohio, bringing with them Isaac Day's daughter ; also John Day, his wife and three sons and one daughter. They arrived at the cabin of Isaac Day October 0, 1835, a glad day for father and child. Isaac Day soon left the place he first settled upon and located on section thirty-three, town nine south, range four east. John Nobbs and John Day settled upon the same section. John Day's family being the largest, they put up his cabin first, then the cabin of John Nobbs, but, in November death entered John Nobbs's family and claimed a son. There being no cemetery they laid him to rest on their new lot. On January 25, 1836, John Nobbs and family moved into their log house, Isaac Day and daughter with them. In September, 1837, John Day sickened and died, and there being no undertaker at that time, kind neighbors united and made a coffin, and near and dear friends kindly laid him away. His widow, with three young boys, away from the home of her youth, on an unimproved piece of land, were left to battle alone in poverty, with all the difficulties of pioneer life. But with prudence, care and industry they succeeded in making a good living, and the boys acquired a fair common school education. In November, 1837, the pioneers built a log school-house in the district. Isaac Day wishing his daughter to learn to write, put in a writing desk for her use. Gideon W. Raymond taught the district school that winter. One Night with Wolves.—As Isaac Day was on his way home from the land office, in 1835, following the road or trail, as best he could by the aid of FULTON COUNTY - 495 blazed trees, when arriving near what is now Delta, this county, darkness overtook him, in the old windfall south of that place. The howling of wolves soon admonished him to seek a place of safety. This he did by climbing the nearest tree where, standing with one foot at a time on a limb of the tree, all that night, with the howling of the disappointed wolves, he waited patiently for daylight, then cautiously descending from the upper room of that hotel, he resumed his journey homewards in safety. William Stair settled on section 35, and continued to reside there till his death, 1850. He left two sons : Josiah Stair, who was for several years trustee of the township, and John Stair. Both were in the Union army. He had two daughters, one of whom married Joel Wilt, and the other, Eliza, married Mr. Kline. Ami Richards came from the State of Connecticut, in 1836, and settled on section 9, town 0 south, range 4 east. He served as treasurer of the township for many years. Mr. Richards was a lover of books, while living, and his library was always well supplied with the best of the age. He was denominated a Free-thinker. He had taken the Boston Investigator for fifty years. He died in 1883, at his homestead, and left a widow, two sons and four daughters ; one of the latter is the wife of James Harrison, jr., of this township. Shubal Nixon settled here in 1835. He is yet living, residing in the State of Michigan. Joseph Babcock came in 1835. He was a school teacher of the first class, and took great pleasure in the advancement of his school. He taught in the first school-house built in the township. He died 1868. His wife survived him two years, dying in 1870, leaving four sons and two daughters. Robert J., one of the sons, was elected justice of the peace in 1881, and holds that office to-day. Samuel Durgin, with his family, wife and two daughters, came from the State of New Hampshire, in 1837, and settled upon section 6, town 10 south, range 4 east. He was justice of the peace up to 1850, when he was appointed clerk of Fulton county at its organization (1850), and was afterwards elected by the people, for a term of three years. In 1853 he was elected to the Legislature of Ohio, and was a member of the lower house for two years, taking his seat January, 1854. He taught the Ai school for a series of years, and for many years was county school examiner. In 1863 he was elected clerk of the court, and at the end of a three years' term he moved to Wauseon, where he died, about 1873. His widow is yet living. In reference to the life of Samuel Durgin, who was known to the people for forty years, he was naturally of a religious cast of mind, with strong convictions of duty to his fellow man. He had no sympathy with any mere formalism. He might have exhibited a species of roughness in manner, yet a man of more than ordinary education from the common school; blunt and plain in speech, a good debater, very severe and sarcastic at times, with his opponent. All the early settlers of the county will recollect Samuel Durgin. 496 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. Samuel Dowling came from Trumbull county, this State, formerly from Ireland, and settled on section 3, town 10 south, range 4 east, in 1838. He continued to reside there until his death, in 1883. He was a very public-spirited and industrious man, a good neighbor and fine farmer. One of his sons, Daniel, is now sheriff-of Fulton county. Patrick Dowling, another son, in his early youth became a resident of Toledo ; was in the war, and several times promoted for his bravery. He served two terms as sheriff of Lucas county, and afterwards, under the administration of President Arthur, was appointed postmaster at Toledo, and held that position until 1886. There were two girls, Mary Ann and Katy, the former living in Lucas county, and Katy in Amboy township, this county. Martin and Emery Wilson, brothers, settled in this township in 1843, Both were industrious and successful farmers. Charles V. Merrill and family came from the State of Maine in 1837, and settled on section four, town ten south, range four east. He was a minister of the Christian Church and the first in the township. He was zealous, holding meetings at the different cabins of the early settlers, and log school-houses. His work extended in the different townships and so continued until his death, His widow still resides on the homestead. He left three children surviving him, although twelve were born to them. John C., the youngest, worked the farm and caring for the mother. He was two years treasurer of the township, and was also engaged in mercantile business with John Nobbs at Ai until 1871, when he left for Nebraska. Jonathan Wood with his family settled here in 1838. He was a great educator among the young pioneers and a strong adherent of the Presbyterian Church and a fine Sabbath school organizer. Mr. Wood was clerk of the township from its organization until 1854. He rendered good service as nurse in the hospitals of the army, carefully attending the sick and wounded. He died in 1879. One of his daughters, Frances, spent the most of her youth in teaching school, principally in Memphis, Tenn. She is now the wife of G. W. Fisher, of Memphis. David Springer also came from the State of Maine to Maumee in 1836, and settled on section four, town ten south, four east, and died in 1866. His widow died in 1879 leaving five children. Stephen Springer, the oldest, who studied law with the late Henry S. Comager, of Toledo, was elected city marshal which position he held three years ; in 1854 he was elected sheriff of Lucas county and served two years, during which time he had to perform the unpleasant duty of hanging Ward, the wife murderer of Sylvania, that county. Soon after, in 1860, he died with the consumption at the old homestead, Isaac Springer, another son, was justice of the peace several years ; was twice elected and served as treasurer of Fulton county ; twice elected and served as auditor, and also served as school examiner. He followed the mercantile bus- FULTON COUNTY - 497 iness at Ai from 1853 to 1858 and afterwards at Wauseon, from 1860 to 1876. He now resides near Wauseon. Robert Fennel settled here in 1836, and is now living at Napoleon, Henry county, He, with three other of the boys, was in the Union Army and made good records. Levi Merrill with his family came from the State of Maine in 1838, and settled on section four, town ten south, four east, and there lived until his death in 1881, his wife dying some nine years before. They had nine children. Naman Merrill, one of the children, was, in 1853, by the commissioners appointed clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Fulton county, upon the resignation of Samuel Durgin to become a member of the Legislature, to which he had been elected. Mr. Merrill was afterwards elected clerk, and served the county two successive terms. He was elected prosecutor in 1862, and served one term. He studied law under the instruction of the Hon. Amos Hill, and followed the profession until 1878 when he became associated with Col. E. L. Barber, in the Bank of Wauseon, from 1860 until his death in 1879. Ozias Merrill, another son, has followed farming the most of the time. He has held the office of clerk and treasurer for several years; in 1865 was elected auditor of Fulton county and served until 1871 ; was then elected and served as a member from this county in the constitutional convention in 1873-4. He was formerly engaged in the mercantile business at Ai, from 1856 to 1886, and postmaster at Ai from 1860 to 1872. He now resides on the farm his wife's father entered in 1835. Clement Canfield settled here in 1838. His oldest boy, Albert B. Canfield, for a long time sold "yankee notions" from a wagon some eight or nine years. He was twice elected treasurer and served Fulton county from 1866 to 1 8 7 a He afterward moved to Nebraska. Hartman Canfield and family settled here in 1838. He settled on section 33, in town eight north, range eight east. He was a very useful man in the community ; always a good nurse and caring for the wants of the sick. He died in 1871 and left four children, two boys and two girls. Both boys were in the Union service. John Viers with his family settled on section five, town seven north, range eight east (Ohio survey) in 1834, and continued to reside there to his death in 1878. He left a widow and thirteen children, nine boys and four girls. Five of the boys served in the Union army. Ehjah Herrick and family settled here in 1845, and still resides on the first one hundred acres he bought. He was land appraiser in 1853, when he appraised Fulton, Swan Creek and Amboy townships ; was again elected in 1859, and appraised again Fulton township. He was eight years assessor of the township, and held the office of justice of the peace several years. He came from Detroit in 1822 and settled in the Valley of the Maumee, near where the city proper now stands. He is an hon- 498 - HISTORY OF HENRY AND FULTON COUNTIES. est and enterprising farmer, a good model for the young farmer of this day. He had a family of six children, two of whom died some years since. Robert Watkins settled on section three, town seven north, range eight east, in 1836, where he died in 1876. Isaac Fauble settled on section five, town seven north, range eight east, in 1842, where he died several years ago. He left two sons who reside in the township. Joseph Dennis settled on section one, town ten south, range four east, in 1835, and died at his daughter's, Mrs. Russell Bartlett, in Amboy township in 1885. He left a family of nine children, six boys and three girls, all worthy citizens. Africa Spaulding settled on section 2, town 7 north, range 8 east, in 1834, and died in 1881. There is but one of this family now living, a daughter, who resides in Swan Creek, this county. Mr. Haynes settled here in 1836, where he continued to reside until his death in 1841 or 1842. He had one son, Jacob Haynes, who now resides near Luke's Corners, in this township. William H. Harris settled on section 4, town 7 north, range 8 east, in 1835. He was supposed to have been murdered in 1837. His wife died in 1836, and was the first person buried in the Viers cemetery, this township. David Born has resided on this farm that Harris owned for the past thirty-five years, He has been a quiet and useful citizen. Hiram Clark settled here in 1835, and in 1843 sold to Thomas Watkins, Cyrus Clark settled here about the same time as his brother Hiram. His place is now owned by John Watkins, of Delta. Luther Dodge, mentioned heretofore in connection with the first store of the township, settled here, on section number 1I, town 0 south, range four east, at a very early day, on the farm now owned by Horatio Witt. Mr. Witt came with his parents in 1848 or 1849. He has been assessor and trustee of the township a number of years. He is a practical farmer and a kind and valuable citizen. He was in the Union army. George W. Thompson settled here in 1836, where he soon after died. His son, Orrin Thompson, has been in the hotel business for the past twenty years at Lyons, Wauseon and Napoleon. Josiah W. Bartlett settled here in 1843, and sold to Calvin Quiggle in 1853, on the land now owned by J. W. Deck. Calvin Quiggle engaged in the drug business and died 1873. His widow was a very intelligent woman, formerly from Wilbersham, Mass., and now resides at Delta. One son, R. C. Quiggle, has been clerk of Lucas county for two successive terms, and now resides at Toledo. Three of these boys were soldiers in the Union service and one was killed in 1864. James Fenton, a prominent and successful farmer, came into this township FULTON COUNTY - 499 at a still later period of its history, 1847. He was a young man and married a daughter of one of its early pioneers, Miss Hannah Lake, in 1849. He resides now at Swanton. John Fenton, a brother of James Fenton, came about the same time, and soon became the owner of the property originally the homestead of Alexander Boyd. He has ever since occupied a position of influence in the political field, and an unenviable position among his brother farmers. He has held many important offices in the township, serving a long time as justice of the peace. He served this county as a member of the Legislature of Ohio for four years, being two terms, from 1870 to 1874. He is now successfully rementired from the duties of active life and devoted alone to the farm. He is one of the respected and honored citizens of Fulton county. Historical Incidents.—In the fall of 1834, Mr. Harter, before spoken of as the first settler, finding the Six-Mile Woods settling apparently with permanent inhabitants, went back to Huron county, his former home, and induced a millwright by the name of Bryant Hanly to accompany him back to his new residence. In the spring of 1835 they built a grist-mill on the north part of his land, near where Winfield Cline's house now stands. This mill was known as the "Horse Mill." Mr. Hanley superintended its construction, and Thomas C., Nicholas O., and William Berry doing the most of the work. The two latter named men sawed all the lumber for the mill with a whip-saw. This was done by rolling a log on a skidway, high enough for one man to stand under the log to manage the lower end of the saw, who was designated as the "pit-sawyer." The top sawyer stood on the top of the log and managed the upper end of the saw. It required great muscular power to run this kind of a saw-mill, the first in the township, a qualification possessed by Nicholas Q. and William Berry, far above the average man. They were expert sawyers and made lumber in this primitive manner, not inferior to that made by the mills of more modern times. Ozias Merrill says, "I have a piece of sassafras board given me by N. Q. Berry, sawed in this manner in 1834, and will deposit it in our log cabin, at the fair ground, to take its place among other relics of pioneer days." This horse saw-mill had also a grinding capacity of from two to five bushels per hour. The horse would trot around the circle designated, hitched to a sweep sixteen feet long. Horses being very scarce, oxen had to be used on many occasions, for the propelling power to the mill. On such occasions the motion proved too slow for doing good work, and through the mechanical skill of Thomas C. Berry, the mill was geared so that oxen could be successfully used. The bolt of this mill was turned by hand, similar to turning a grindstone. Although the flour made would hardly compare with the roller process of to-day, yet those pioneers ate their bread and cake with as good a relish, and enjoyed their buckwheat cakes or corn dodgers, prepared from the flour thus obtained, as we of to-day with all our modern mill improvements.