350 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO limits of Toledo, five men were members of the Masonic order. The dispensation named Almond Gibbs as the worshipful master, the other members being William Griffith, Charles Gunn, D. J. Thurston, and James Adams. The charter of this lodge was granted the 21st of December, 1818. Seneca Allen was the first applicant for the degrees. Owing to the great anti-Masonic excitement, this lodge held no meetings for about eighteen years, beginning in 1827. Upon petition of Andrew Young, in 1845, the charter was renewed, and meetings were again resumed. The first Masonic lodge to be organized in Toledo was Toledo Lodge, No. 144, in the year 1847. Levi S. Lownsbury was the first presiding officer, and J. Landman was the secretary. In 1853 a second society, known as Rubicon Lodge, No. 237, was granted a dispensation and I. H. Timpany was the first worshipful master. A third organization was Sanford L. Collins Lodge, No. 396, which was organized in 1867. Fort Meigs chapter of Royal Arch Masons was first instituted in Perrysburg, in 1846. It remained there for four years, when the growing importance of Toledo induced the members to remove the chapter to the larger city.. Hezekiah L. Hosmer was the first presiding officer. Toledo Commandery, Knights Templar, was organized by dispensation in 1847. W. L. Harris was elected the first eminent commander, and the first knight created was Hezekiah L. Hosmer. Since the early days of Masonry, the organization has grown rapidly, and many new chapters of the various Masonic bodies have come into existence until, at the present time, Toledo is noted as a strong center of Masonry. This body owns a splendid temple, which is used for its meetings and social functions. Wapaukonica Lodge, No. 38, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted in 1845, with eight charter members. L. Watkins was elected the first noble grand, and C. G. Keeler was chosen secretary. Robert Bloom Lodge, No. 14, arose in 1869, with sixteen charter members, and it was followed three years later by Maumee Valley Lodge, No. 515. The Patriarchs Militant entered Toledo in 1886 with the formation of Canton Imperial, No. 22, of which M. Bartlett was made commandant. The first lodge of the Knights of Pythias to be organized in Toledo was Toledo Lodge, No. 20, which was instituted in 1869. Today nearly every fraternal order is represented in this city, and several own splendid buildings for their social and fraternal meetings. SCHOOLS "The first public movement in this section in behalf of Common School Education, consisted of a meeting of the friends of that cause, held at the Presbyterian Church, in Perrysburg, November 17, 1837, which was called to order by Henry Bennett, when S. R. Austin was made president, and P. H. Crowell, of Maumee city, secretary. The president stated the object of the meeting to be the improvement of common schools in the Maumee Valley, by elevating the standard of their character; when Messrs. Hickox, Henry Darling and S. R. Austin were appointed a committee on resolutions. The afternoon meeting was opened with prayer by Rev. Mr. Jones of Maumee City." The name of the organization then was the "Educational Society of the Maumee Valley ;" its object, " To improve the condition of Common Schools, and to elevate the standard of education by disseminating information on the subject, and adopting such other measures as may be deemed advisable and conducive to these objects. The officers chosen were: President, Dr. H. Conant, of Maumee City; Vice Presidents, John Evans, Defiance ; Hazael Strong, Napoleon ; Jessup W. Scott, Miami; Andrew Coffinbury, Perrysburg, and Pierre M. Irving, Toledo. Recording Secretary, S. R. Austin. Treasurer, John Webb, Perrys- HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 351 burg." Thus writes Mr. Waggoner in his "History of Toledo and Lucas County." The first official record found pertaining to public schools in Toledo is on the 18th of October, 1836, when the trustees of Port Lawrence Township laid it off in sixteen school districts. James M. Whitney was township clerk at the time. In the following year the schools of the Village of Toledo were committed to the municipal government, and the council then divided the city into three school districts. The first woman teacher, if not the very first teacher, in Toledo, was Miss Harriet. Wright, a niece of Governor Silas Wright of New York, who taught a school in the frame building in which the first court was held. A very imperfect record has come down to us of the early schools, and perhaps most of them did not deserve immortality. In 1839, an advertisement appeared for "a gentleman qualified to take charge of a limited number of scholars." In that same year John Berdan, Samuel E. Scott, and Oliver Stevens were named by the village council as school directors. A school was opened for girls under the age of fifteen and boys under eight years of age, in a room over a tailor shop on Lagrange Street. This was the pioneer charity school in the city. In that fall there were taught ten girls gratuitously in addition to a number at greatly reduced fees. They were also furnished with books and clothing. The council gradually began to be more liberal toward the schools, and a small tax was levied in 1842 for school purposes for white children only. Prior to that time each pupil was obliged to pay certain fees, the school district furnishing only the building. In December, 1847, there were in Toledo four schools, with 100 pupils each. One of the prizes in that year was awarded to Zebulon C. Pheatt for excellency in penmanship. The first board of education consisted of the following persons : Ira L. Clark (president), 352 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO Decius Wadsworth, Simeon Fitch, Jr., John B. Freeman, Samuel B. Scott, and Morgan L. Collins. There were three small buildings, valued at $1,500, devoted to school purposes. There was no furniture fit for use, and there was no money in the treasury with which to purchase better. A high school was first erected in 1853, which was a comparatively small building, three stories in height, and built of stone and brick. A tower was provided with a large clock, and above this was a bell weighing more than two tons, with the inscription on one of the sides : "Toledo High School, May 1st, 1854," and on the other, "to Learning's Fount the Youth I call." The first superintendent of the public schools of Toledo was the Rev. Anson Smythe, who had been for several years pastor of the First Congregational Church. He remained in charge of the schools until February, 1856. Upon him fell the work of the organizing the new system of education. In this he was exceptionally sucessful. Mr. Smythe afterward served with credit as state commissioner of common schools, and as superintendent of the public schools of Cleveland. He was succeeded by John Eaton, Jr., who served until the beginning of the Civil War, when he resigned to accept a position as chaplain of the Twenty-Seventh Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. His successor was Moses T. Brown. The schools have grown and expanded so greatly that forty buildings, most of them large and commodious, are devoted to school purposes, and more than 800 teachers comprise the staff of instructors in the various departments. The beautiful Jessup W. Scott and Morrison R. Waite high schools are the admiration of all who have visited them, and they are justly the pride of the entire city. PUBLIC LIBRARY In 1838 there was organized in the young Village of Toledo "The Toledo Young Men's Association," under a charter granted. by the Legislature, the declared object of which was to establish "a lyceum and public library in Toledo." The constitution had on it the signatures of sixty-six men, most of whom became prominent in the future growth of the city. In 1845 there were 500 volumes in its library, and ten periodicals were kept on file. In 1864, during the acrimonious contest between Lincoln and McClellan, politics were injected into the organization, and the McClellan followers elected a ticket of candidates made up wholly of democrats. The majority of the members withdrew and organized the Toledo Library Association, and then proceeded to start a new library. Charles A. King was elected president, and rooms were rented in the second story of the building on the northwest corner of Summit and Madison streets, torn down in the onward march of improvements in 1916. After a few years the old association proposed to turn its books over to the new, and this proposition was accepted in 1867. All the books, amounting to 4,800 volumes, and some property, were given to the Toledo Public Library, chartered by the Legislature in 1873, by which the city was authorized to make an annual levy for its support. The old quarters were retained until the present main library building was erected and occupied in 1890. Much credit is due to Mrs. Frances D. Germain, who was connected with the library for twenty-eight years, and for almost ten of which she was the librarian. Five new branch libraries have just been erected from funds granted by Andrew Carnegie, and the public library facilities in Toledo are now equal to those of any city of its size. The number of volumes now on the shelves is far in excess of 100,000. BANKS The earliest bank in Toledo was the Bank of Manhattan, with a charter from the Michi- HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 353 gan State Legislature, bearing date of March 25, 1836. In a case carried to the Supreme Court of Ohio, in which the bank sought to collect an indebtedness claimed of the late James Myers, the legal existence of the institution was questioned. That tribunal decided that the bank never had a legal existence, and was not authorized to transact business, since the charter purported to be issued by a body calling itself the Legislature of the " State of Michigan," which at that time had no existence, because there was no such state until almost a year later. Furthermore, it was held "That Manhattan never was under the jurisdiction of Michigan, and that securities given to an unauthorized bank are void." And yet at one time this bank claimed assets of more than $100,000. W. A. Chamberlain was then the cashier. Prentiss and Dow opened the first banking house in Toledo in 1843, and the firm later became H. P. Esty and Company. It was a brokers' and exchange bank. Two years later two chartered banks were opened up—the Commercial Bank and Bank of Toledo. The capital of each was $100,000. Their charters were filed in the recorder's office on the same day. William Rattle, of Cuyhoga Falls, was president of the Bank of Toledo, and Charles R,. Miller was cashier. This bank. was subsequently sold to S. M. Young, M. R. Waite, and others, who organized it as the Toledo National Bank in 1864. This bank went into liquidation in 1890. The Commercial Bank lasted less than a decade. In 1851 John Poag and Valentine H. Ketcham commenced a private banking business under the name of Poag and Ketcham. In the following year John Berdan was admitted to the partnership, and the name became Ketcham, Berdan and Company. The firm continued in business until 1863, when it was merged with the First National Bank. V. H. Ketcham was its first official head, remaining as such until his death, and John Berdan was its first cashier. Vol. I-12 The Marine Bank was established by E. Parmalee in the year 1860 but soon closed its doors, the depositors being paid in full. George W. Davis was determined to reorganize the institution, and so purchased the assets. The Marine Bank then developed into a sound financial institution. In 1864 it became the Second National Bank, with Mr. Davis as its first president. He remained as such until his death in 1904, and Nehemiah Waterman was its first cashier. In 1907, it was consolidated with the Merchant's National Bank, organized in 1871, and this institution now owns and occupies the most conspicuous building in the city. The Northern National Bank has also passed its first half century of existence. It was organized in 1864 by Matthew Shoemaker and several associates. He was elected the first president, and E. T. Mortimer the first cashier. In 1916 it moved into its beautiful and imposing new building. Keeler, Holcomb and Company began the banking business in 1870, the partners being Salmon H. Keeler and Horace H. Holcomb. Twenty-one years later it was chartered as the Holcomb National Bank. In 1907 it was absorbed by the National Bank of Commerce, which had succeeded the Ketcham National Bank, organized in 1888. It is now one of our powerful financial institutions. The savings banks are generally of much later origin. The Toledo Savings Institution was organized in 1868. Richard Mott was the first president, and A. E. Macomber filled the position of cashier. Since then it has become The Toledo Savings Bank and Trust Company. It was in 1868, also, that the Northwestern Savings Depository began business, with T. H. Walbridge as its president and E. H. Van Hoesen as its secretary and treasurer. It was merged with the above institution in 1875. The Merchants and Clerks Savings Institution was organized in 1870. Matthew Shoemaker became the first president, and Oliver S. Bond the first secretary. 354 - HISTORY OP NORTHWEST OHIO Other banks and the dates of their organization are as follows : The Union Savings Bank (1888) ; The Home Savings (1892) ; The Ohio Savings Bank and Trust Company (1896) ; The Commercial Savings Bank and Trust Company (1899) ; The Continental Trust and Savings Bank Company (1901) ; The Dime Savings Bank Company (1900) ; The Security Savings Bank. and Trust Company (1898) ; The Market Savings Bank (1902) ; The Peoples State Savings Bank (1909) ; The Spitzer-Rorick Trust & Savings Bank Company, and The Guardian Trust and Savings Bank (1914). CHANGES Changes in Toledo have been many, and some of them have come swiftly. In the early '50s the principal residences in Upper Town were on Monroe Street, while in Lower Town they were on Lagrange Street.. Not long afterwards the fashionable center for homes was the block bounded by Jefferson, St. Clair, Madison, and Superior streets. The most prominent and wealthy families of that day had their homes there. The encroachment of business gradually drove the residences below Cherry Street, and as far as Elm. Shortly afterwards some important residences sprang up along Summit Street, and facing the river. Palatial buildings, with a broad expanse of lawn, gave this section an aristocratic appearance. The building of railroads and erection of coal docks along the river front forced another migration. This time the chosen sites were Jefferson and Madison avenues. But business relentlessly pursued the home owner, and another mutation has followed. Now they are scattered farther west, and many have transferred their permanent domiciles to suburban neighborhoods. In the early days, the citizens depended entirely upon ferries to cross the Maumee. As the eastern side of the city grew, however, the lack of communication was felt. When the proposition of building a bridge was first broached, the business men of the city opposed it because it would obstruct navigation, which was then considered the life of the municipality. A meeting of the Board of Trade, held in 1864, adopted burning resolutions, saying that a bridge was "fraught with great dangers to the safe and easy navigation of the river, embarrassing to the commercial prosperity of the city ;" etc. As permission to build the bridge had been granted, the issue became an exciting one. The opponents went down to defeat with noisy clamor. The first bridge was completed in 1865, and was operated as a toll bridge until 1872. It was then' purchased by the city, but was swept away by the ice in the winter of 1882-3. Then it was that the old Cherry Street Bridge, now the Ash-Cousaul Bridge, was built in 1841. The splendid new concrete bridge, one of the finest in the country, was opened to the public in the year 1914. The Fassett Street Bridge completes the trio of bridges for foot and vehicle traffic between the two sections of the city. The first street railway was organized in 1860, and was called The Toledo Street Railroad Company. In the following year it received from the city council a franchise to construct and operate a line on Summit Street from Manhattan to Perry Street, then across the Swan Creek Bridge at that point and out Broadway. In 1869 the Adams Street Railway Company came into existence, and Milt a line from Summit to Bancroft over Adams and Ashland, and on out Collingwood to its junction with Cherry. In 1873, a company was organized, known as The Monroe Street Railroad Company, for a railroad out that street to Auburn. All of these were horse car lines, and they were the humble beginning of the vast traction transportation which now extends over our entire city. From its early days Toledo has taken an important position in the grain trade. For HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 355 many years it was one of the most important points for the shipment of wheat in the United States, and was known. as the greatest winter wheat market in the country. It has also taken premier position in the clover seed market, and the price of that commodity has frequently been dictated in Toledo. The first movement resulting in an organization that might be called a Board of Trade in Toledo was in 1849. On June 7th, of that year, a meeting of the forwarders, commission men, and produce dealers was held at the "steam elevators" of Brownlee, Pendleton & Co. At this meeting Matthew Brown, Jr., was the chairman, and Edward B. Brown, the secretary. As a result of this meeting an organization arose, which was called the Board of Trade of Toledo, and the price of membership was fixed at $2.00. Denison B. Smith was elected the first president of this organization, and steps were at once taken for procuring "a telegraph report of Buffalo and New York markets at 12 o'clock each day." On April 23, 1851, another meeting of the forwarders, commission men, and dealers was called, and an organization effected, of which Matthew Brown, Jr., was the president. This organization seems to have expired with the same year. A third Board of Trade was established in 1861, and Truman H. Hoag was elected the president. This body continued down until 1876, when it was decided that a closer and more efficient organization was advisable. Hence it was that in that year the Toledo Produce Exchange came into existence, and has continued until the present day. Henry D. Walbridge was the first president of the produce exchange, and C. T. Wales was the secretary. This organization has had an important part in developing the grain industry in Toledo. "Dear city of the shaded streets, beside the saltless sea, Catullus sang of Sirmio, and I will sing of thee, The river front, the ships, the roofs a-shimmer in the sun, The happy doorstep gossiping when summer days are done ! And then the night, the tropic night, the sudden cooling rain, The scurry of a thousand feet, the slamming of the pane ; And when the thunder dies away, above the gleaming street, The maples murmur melodies, the stars are shining sweet. "I love thee in the April dawn, when dew is on the ground, I love the wakening of life, the carnival of sound, The cable-cars and factories, the heaps of ruddy ore, The schooners heading for the bay, the long retreating shore, The autumn winds, the rain of leaves, the winter's drifting snow— But best of all, the summer nights when voices murmur low ; And far beyond the balconies and laughter floating faint, The frog's eternal orchestra begins the old complaint." CHAPTER XXIX ALLEN COUNTY EZEKIEL OWEN, LIMA Allen County is one of the fourteen counties created out of the lands ceded by the Indians in the treaty at the Foot of the Rapids of the Miami (Maumee). It was named after Colonel Allen, one of the noted officers of the War of 1812. In the first organization of the county, it was attached to Mercer County for judicial purposes, and for this reason much of the early general history of the county is the same as that of Mercer. It was not separately organized until the year 1831. At that time there were only about 600 residents within the county, a little over 400 square miles in area, and at the present time the population approximates 80,000. There are thirteen townships in the county. Allen County is a very fertile agricultural section, and lies just south of what was called the Black Swamp. There are several streams . that flow. within' the county, including the Auglaize and Ottawa rivers, the latter familiarly called Hog Creek. Ottawa River and "Hog Creek" are the same stream. For generations it has been known only as "Hog, Creek," and few know that it was ever called the "Ottawa River," but this is its true name. Many versions are given as to the origin of the name "Hog Creek," the one generally credited being as follows : In 1786 a British Indian agent by the name of McKee was, during the incursions of General Logan in that year, obliged to flee with all his property. He took along his swine, and had them driven to the stream, where they remained, running wild in the woods. The Indians discovered them and named the stream "Koshko Sepe," or. Hog River. The stream has its source in the great marsh in Hardin County, and up to the time that marsh was drained and con verted into farm land the stream was worthy of mention. Since the drainage of the marsh, it depends for its water supply on lands along its course. It runs through Lima. In the early days it was a pretty little stream, in which many fish were caught. The first white man who lived within the boundaries of Allen County is supposed to have been Francis Deuchoquette, a Frenchman, of whom more extended mention is made in the chapter upon Auglaize County. The Initial point in the history of the settlement of Allen County must be known as Fort Amanda. Here, in 1812, a fort was established and liberally garrisoned. The fort was built on the west bank of the Auglaize River. It was a supply fort in the chain that reached through the state and included Fort Recovery, in Mercer County, Fort Wayne, now the city of the same name in Indiana, Fort Defiance, on the Maumee, and on north. There does not appear to have been any fighting around this fort, though seventy-eight graves in the cemetery nearby mark the last resting place of as many soldiers who died while in garrison at the fort. In 1815 a marble shaft, erected by the State of Ohio, was dedicated. on the site of the old fort. Here the first post-. office in this part of the state was established, and in 1829 C. C. Marshall began carrying mail, making regular trips from Piqua to Defiance, a distance of about ninety-five miles. Andrew Russell opened the first farm in - 356 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 357 Allen County, near Fort Amanda, in 1817, and lived there till his death in 1828. His daughter, the first white child born in Allen County, was born possibly in that same year. She fell in love with the young mail carrier, Charles C. Marshall, and later they were married. Another early resident was Absolom Brown, who settled where Lima is now located, and his daughter, Maria Mitchell Brown, was the first child born in what is now Lima. Samuel McClure settled on the banks of Hog Creek, about five miles northeast of where Lima is now located, in about 1825. He lived on the same farm until his death a half a century later. At that time there were only a very few settlers within the limits of the county. His first neighbor was Joseph Ward, who _afterwards erected what was known as Ward's Mill. The Indians were still numerous at the time these early pioneers arrived, and there was a settlement of them at an Indian village called Shawneetown. This village was in what is now Shawnee Township, and the site of the County Children's Home. This township, or more strictly speaking, a tract of land on Hog Creek, containing twenty-five square miles, had in 1817 been created an Indian reserva- LAST COUNCIL HOUSE OF THE SHAWNEE INDIANS IN ALLEN COUNTY, OHIO In use by them in-1830, when tribe was removed to a new reservation in the west. It was occupied for many years by the early settlers. Located in Shawnee Township, four miles southwest of Lima, Ohio. The building was demolished about 1880. tion and granted by a treaty, in fee simple, to "Pe-aitch-ta" (Pht), or "Falling Tree," and Conwaskemo, "The Resolute Man," chiefs of the Shawnee tribes residing on Hog Creek. Pht was the last chief of his tribe on Hog Creek, and under him the last council house of the tribe was built. It was a substantial log house, and stood until recent years. In 1831 the Shawnees took up their march toward the setting sun, and about the same time Pht died, and was buried near his cabin on the banks of Hog Creek. The whites lived 358 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO upon good terms with their red neighbors as a rule, and many of these early settlers had a great admiration for Pht, the old Indian chief. They looked upon him as a man who would make his mark in any community, and in any nationality. Around his cabin, which stood near the council house, the warriors in their prime used to gather and plot against their foes, both white and red. Quilna was the business man of the tribe, and most of the business with the whites was transacted through him. To many of the early settlers the name of Quilna was a household word. To his business qualities were added great kindness of heart, and a sincere regard for the white people. He would sacrifice himself in any way to benefit his new neighbors, of a different race. Christopher Wood, a Kentuckian, who had been a scout in the American service for several years, and a soldier of the War of 1812, came to the county in 1824, accompanied by his two sons, Joseph and Albert, and Mg son-in-law, Benjamin Dolph. On reaching the county they remained one night at the cabin of Pht, and purchased corn and potatoes for seed from that Indian chieftain. The Indians assisted the Woods in raising their cabin. In 1829 Mr. Wood was appointed one of the commissioners to locate the seat of justice for Allen County. He was the first justice of the peace, served as an associate judge of the Common Pleas Court, and subsequently filled a number of offices of trust. The first Sunday school in the county was organized at his home. Theodore E. Cunningham and his father, Dr. William Cunningham, came in 1832. The former developed into a prominent lawyer and held several political offices. Daniel Musser arrived in 1833 from Pennsylvania, and became one of the early tavern keepers. He also operated the earliest tannery. William Chenowith, a Virginian and a revolutionary soldier, entered a quarter section of land in 1831, and brought his family in the following year. He raised a cabin on the bank of Lost Creek. After passing his eightieth birthday, he could still split a hundred rails in a .day. Samuel Baxter settled in Amanda Township with his two sons in 1828. James Baxter, a son, arrived in the following year. He was familiarly known in after years as "Uncle Jimmy." John Goode is credited with building the first cabin in Auglaize Township. Griffith John settled in German Township in 1831, and raised a family consisting of eight daughters and four sons. He became 'one of the largest land owners in the county. Ezekiel, Joseph, and Emanuel Hover were early settlers in Shawnee Township, reaching there in 1832. They purchased some of the Indian lands, and their descendants still dwell in the same neighborhood.. John and Jacob Ridenour, young married men, and David Ridenour, a bachelor, came from Perry County and settled a mile south of Lima on lands that the families have continued to occupy to this day. The history of the Welsh settlement of Gomer dates from 1833. In that year Thomas Watkins, James Nicholas, and David Roberts came in wagons from Paddy's Run, in Butler County. They built for themselves cabins where Gomer now stands. In the following year there were several additions to the little settlement of families, named Jones, Evans, Griffiths, Morgan, etc. It was not long after this until religious services were held in the Welsh tongue. For a time the Sunday school was held in Rowland Jones' log cabin, and prayer meetings were conducted at the cabin of Thomas Watkins. Religious services were conducted after this fashion for several years, and it was not until 1837 that the first sermon was preached by Rev. John W. Thomas. In 1841 a log church was erected, of which Joseph Griffiths, Sr., and John Stephens were chosen as deacons. The first pastor was Rev. D. W. Jones, in 1848. The community con- HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 359 tinued to grow by the incoming of fresh Welsh settlers, and the Welsh Congregational Church of Cambria has always been an important institution in its midst.. The sermons are still delivered in the Welsh language. When the county was officially organized in 1831, James S. Daniel, John G. Wood, and Samuel Stewart were the first county commissioners. The first Court of Common Pleas for Allen County was held in a log cabin, the residence of James S. Daniel, near the crossing of Hog Creek, at the end of East Market Street, in May, 1833. Hon. George B. Holt, of Dayton, was the president judge, while Christopher Wood, James Crozier, and William Watt were his associates on the bench. John Ward was appointed clerk, and Henry Lippincott sheriff, while Patrick D. Goode, of Montgomery County, was named a special prosecuting attorney for the court. Holt was succeeded in 1838 by Judge Helfenstein, and he in turn was followed by Judge E. D. Potter, of Toledo, in the following year. The earliest members of the bar who practiced law in the new County of Allen were not residents of that county. So we find that the first prosecuting attorney of the county was Patrick Garnes Goode, who was at that time a member of the Sidney bar. He was a lawyer, politician, and preacher. He had been interested in Sunday school work before he came to Lima. He was afterwards elected to Congress for the district which extended from Dayton to Toledo. Likewise, he was elected presiding judge in 1844 of the judicial district in which Allen County was located. After retiring from this position he joined the Methodist Conference, and preached until the time of his death. He was a splendid classical scholar, and a great lover of the best of books. Hamilton Davison has the distinction of being Lima's first resident attorney, having settled here in 1832. He was a fine counselor and a cultivated gentleman, and was very active in furthering the interests of the new town. One of the most brilliant lawyers of the early days of the county was Mathias H. Nichols. He came to the town in 1845, working here as a printer for a time, and finally brought out the paper called the Argus. He was sent to Congress at the early age of twenty-seven years, by the democrats, and then was elected a second time on an independent ticket. The third time he was elected as a republican, and was defeated for a fourth term by only seventy-two votes. After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of the law until the breaking out of the Civil War, in which he enlisted. Death cut his career short at the early age of thirty-seven years. Col. Lester Bliss was admitted 360 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO to the bar at Marion and immediately came to Lima, where he practiced for a number of years. He served as prosecuting attorney of the county for one term, and was also elected to the Legislature. He was the first representative of the county in that body under the new constitution. He enlisted during the Civil War, and, after retiring from the service, moved to Delphos, of which village he became the first mayor. He declined the nomination for lieutenant governor at one time. Benjamin F. Metcalf is generally considered as one of the very greatest of Allen County's lawyers. He began life as a tailor, and studied law while following that pursuit. With a book propped up before him, he stitched and studied at the same time. Mr. Metcalf was a lawyer for many years in Kalida, Putnam County, and from there went to Delphos, Allen County, then called Section Ten, on the Miami and Erie Extension Canal, where in 1845 he started a newspaper, and three years later was elected to the Ohio State Legislature. He was elected to the Common Pleas bench in 1851, and soon afterwards moved to Lima, where he resided until his death. He was distinguished for his remarkable ability in disposing of legal questions upon what he called "original principles," rather than upon precedents. Thomas M. Robb had some experience in newspaper work before coming to Lima, where he was admitted to the bar in 1853. He immediately formed a partnership with C. N. Lamison, which partnership continued until he was elected probate judge in 1856. He served in the Legislature, and was at one time mayor of the city. For a time he edited the Argus and the People's Press. James Mackenzie, a Scotchman by birth, had the unusual distinction of serving as prosecuting attorney for three separate counties, Henry, Putnam, and Allen. He served for a number of years on the Common Pleas bench. He was noted for his strong anti-slavery views, and as one of the ablest editors Allen County ever had. Among the other lawyers of the earlier days were Isaiah S. Pillars, who was elected attorney-general of Ohio in 1877 ; Theodore E. Cunningham, a man of unsullied reputation ; Charles N. Lamison, who served two terms in Congress with marked ability ; Charles M. Hughes, who filled a number of official positions ; Jacob S. Conklin, and James S. Daniels. In the year 1866 there came to Lima a young lawyer, who formed a partnership with James Irvine. For a dozen years he pursued his profession in this growing town with considerable success. At last he became interested in railroad affairs, and transferred his activities to that important business. His first railroad connection was with the legal .department of the old Lake Erie and Louisville Road, in which he became a stockholder. He next played a very important part in the Nickel Plate Railroad. His success with this railroad made Calvin S. Brice a national figure and a millionaire. James L. Price also deserves a place among the most noted members of the Allen County bar. In 1883 he came to Lima and entered into partnership with Judge George W. Overmyer. Before that time he had served as prosecuting attorney for Carroll County, and also for Van Wert County. In 1894 he was elected circuit judge as a republican in a strong democratic district. In 1901 he was elected a member of the Supreme Court, which position he filled with great dignity and distinction, and died while serving on that bench. Dr. William Cunningham came to Lima in 1832 and resided here until his death, a decade afterwards. In the following year Dr. William McHenry settled in the embryo village, and made this city his home until his decease more than half a century later. Dr. Samuel Black, who was also one of Lima's early teachers, practiced medicine here in the early '30s, but afterwards removed to Put- HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 361 nam County. Dr. S. D. Anderson and Dr. William Finley were also among the pioneer physicians. Dr. W. H. Harper came to Lima in 1845, and in the early years of his practice covered a very wide territory. Dr. Samuel Sanford arrived a. year later, and for a few years conducted a drug store.. After that he began the practice of medicine, which he continued for more than two score of years. Dr. Robert W. Thrift was for many years one of the most prominent physicians of the county. He came to Kalida in 1847, and practiced there for a number of years. He served with distinction during the Civil War, and after that opened an office for the practice of his profession in Lima. For a number of years he filled a chair in the Fort Wayne Medical College. Dr. Newton Sager was one of the pioneer physicians at Lafayette, in this county. He began practicing in 1843, and was well known among the early settlers of almost the entire county. Dr. C. A. Evans came to Delphos in 1850, and was identified with the practice in that village for many years. He afterwards drifted into the promotion business, and was identified with the building of several railroads. He served as mayor of that village for several terms. Among the other physicians of the early days were Dr. P. H. Brooks, who resided in Lima ; Dr. Brice Blair, who settled in Jackson Township ; and Dr. John Davis, who had his office in Gomer. CHURCHES Lima is a city of churches. The scores of houses of worship extend a sincere and cordial welcome to all who come within the gates of the, city. There is scarcely a creed or a religious denomination of any strength in this country which is not represented by its own house of worship in the city. These churches date back to . the early days of the village called Lima. The First Presbysterian Church of Lima was organized August 1, 1833, by Rev. Thomas Clark and Rev. James Cunningham. John Jameson and Alexander Beatty were chosen elders of the small congregation. A few months after its organization a small brick church was built on West Elm Street, which was used until 1845, when it was replaced by a frame building at the corner of Elizabeth and Spring streets. In 1855 a number of members withdrew and organized a second Presbyterian Church, called the "New School." Under Rev. T. P. Johnson, in the year 1864, a second separation occurred, which resulted in the formation of the Central Presbyterian Church. This new congregation erected a house of worship on North Main Street. When, in 1872, the three churches were all united, the old church at the corner of Spring and Elizabeth was abandoned, and the Main Street building used. In 1878 the church at the corner of West Market and West streets was constructed, under the pastorate of Rev. I. G. Hall, in which the church, since then known as the Market Street Presbyterian Church, 'has worshiped. In 1875 a new Presbyterian congregation, now the Olivet Presbyterian Church, was organized by the Lima Presbytery. The ruling elders of this new congregation were J. W. Waters, James Harper, and John Cunningham. Their first edifice was erected on South Main Street in 1878, under the pastorate of Rev. A. B. Campbell. Their present splendid church was dedicated on January 27, 1884, at the corner of Kibly and Elizabeth streets. The first Methodist Episcopal class in Lima was gathered together in October, 1833, by John Alexander and James W. Finley, missionaries of the' St. Mary's. Mission, although services had been held there earlier. The first services of the congregation were conducted by Rev. Jesse Pryor in the old log courthouse. Mr. Pryor is also believed to have performed the first marriage ceremony in Lima, when he united in matrimony James Saxon and a Miss 362 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO Jones. The first quarterly services were conducted by Rev. James Finley and Rev. John Alexander. About 1837 a frame church was built at the corner of Union and Market streets, and the church became known as Trinity. This was replaced in 1852 by a larger building, and this in its turn gave 'way to a still more commodious structure at the corner of Market and Elizabeth streets, in 1871, which was dedicated by Bishop Foster. Under the pastorate of Rev Thomas H. Campbell a new site was purchased on the corner of Market and West streets and a fine stone edifice erected, which is one of the most complete churches in Northwestern Ohio. It was dedicated on the 17th of March, 1912, by Bishop W. F. McDowell. At the present time there are four additional Methodist churches in Lima. Of these, Grace Church was organized in 1879. Grace Church 'is now one of the strongest churches in the city, and has just completed a modern church structure, with provisions for everything in modern church work. Epworth Church dates from 1894. The Second Street congregation is a still more recent body, and the St. Paul's African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1862. The First Baptist Church in Lima was organized in 1834 with twenty-six members. Rev. William Chaffee was the first pastor, and it was admitted into Mad River Association in the same year. Services were at first held in the courthouse, until a small house of worship was completed. In 1855 a larger church was erected, which was dedicated to the -Worship of God in the following year. More than twenty pastors have ministered to this church. In 1912 the beautiful and commodious new structure now occupied was formally dedicated to the worship of the Almighty. The South Lima Baptist Church was organized in 1896, with a membership of twenty-two persons, who withdrew from the older organization for the purpose ofbuilding up a new society in a growing section of the city. The Second Baptist Church, for colored members, was formed a quarter of a century ago, and is in a flourishing condition. As early as 1830 Father Stallo, a missionary of Cincinnati, visited the Catholics of this neighborhood. The first mass, however, was read at the home of Mr. O'Connell by a Sanguinist father in 1846. People came many miles to take part in this holy sacrifice. It was not until the building of the first Catholic Church in the fifties that the Catholic population very largely increased. The first church was built in, 1858, through the efforts of Father Kreusch, and it was named St. Rose, in honor of America's first canonized saint. As a labor of love, the windows and door frames were made by John Boebel, one of the original members. Rev. Patrick Henneberry and Rev. Michael Prendergast were among. the early priests who ministered to the congregation. The first resident pastor was appointed in 1861, in the person of Rev. Edward J. Murphy. The present church was dedicated in the year 1872, when Rev. A. R. Sidley was the pastor. St. John's Catholic Church, on South Main Street, was started by Rev. F. G. Rupert. in 1901. -The cornerstone of their church was laid by Bishop J. F. Horstman in that same year, before a very large concourse of people. A new building is now in course of erection. Zion's English Evangelical Lutheran Church dates from 1854, when a number of persons of this faith, under leadership of Rev. Paul G. Stierwalt, gathered together to organize a congregation. The second congregation, called St. Paul's, was organized in the early '70s and now has a large membership. . The. German Reformed Church was organized by a number of Germans living in Lima in 1860, and Calvary English Reformed about 1885. Christ's Protestant Episcopal Church was" formed in 1887, with forty-two members. The Wayne Street Church of Christ came HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 363 into existence in 1869, and the first pastor was Rev. G. M. Kemp. This church recently erected a commodious building on West North Street, and changed its name to Central Church of Christ. The Spring Street Lutheran Church, now the First Evangelical Lutheran, was organized about 1885, and has a neat church at the corner of Spring and Price streets. The First Christian Church, a thriving organization, is located at the corner of Elm and West streets. Other churches are the United Brethren (1880), First Congregational (1887), Christian Science, and Temple Beth Israel. THE PRESS The first publication to disseminate news in Lima was a small weekly paper called the Herald, which was edited by Messrs. Hollister and Bennett, and was issued before the town was five years old. It did not receive much support, so that the Herald and its publishers soon disappeared from the village. In 1841 Thomas Smith came to the town and started a paper, which did not last long. He soon sold his office to Milton Gillett and Abelard Guthrie, who began the Porcupine. Mr. Guthrie was an able but very eccentric man, who had many idiosyncrasies. He went west and became very prominent in the early troubles in Kansas.. In 1843 George W. Andrews purchased the office of the Porcupine, and changed its name to the Lima Argus. This paper soon became a leading advocate of democratic principles in Northwest Ohio. In 1845 Mr. Andrews disposed of his plant to Mathias H. Nichols. When Mr. Nichols was elected to Congress, he sold the Argus to T. E. Cunningham and William C. Tompkins, who published it until 1854, when Mr. Cunningham was succeeded by Thomas M. Robb. Mr. Robb changed the name to the Allen County Democrat. Later the paper was sold to James Mackenzie (mentioned heretofore), who changed the name to The National. After the Lincoln campaign in 1860, he sold the paper to David S. Fisher, who changed the name back to the Allen County Democrat. The Democrat was sold to Mr. Fisher, and it came into the possession of H. B. Kelly in 1874, and was conducted by him until his death, in 1881. The Democrat was variously owned until 1889, when it 'consolidated with the Daily Annex. In 1843 Edward Marrott and Hamilton Davison established the Lima Reporter, a whig paper. This paper lived but three or four years, so that the Argus again became the only publication in Lima. Sydenham Shaffer began the Gazette in 1854, and in the following year it was disposed of to the Parmenter brothers. Harvey Parmenter soon retired, leaving this paper in the hands of his brother Cornelius. With the exception of a year or two, Cornelius continued the publication of the paper alone until 1872, when Cal Edmiston became his partner for a short time. W. A. Campbell purchased the plant in 1885, and a couple of years later admitted H. D. Campbell to partnership. Under this management the Gazette was a successful and profitable publication, and in March, 1887, came the Daily Gazette, under the management of F. T., W. A. and H. D. Campbell. From its inception the paper was first reliably whig, and then republican. In 1870, A. B. Coe and H. L. Medsker, two boys, came into possession of an old army printing press and a small quantity of type. With it they did odd jobs of printing, and in 1874 they published a paper called The Sun. It did not acquire much of a circulation, and it was sold to Reverend Lockhard, who used it to propagate his own religious views. In 1876 it was bought by J. C. Edmiston, who changed the name to The Moon. He announced that the Sun had set, but that the Moon had risen. In the following year he sold it to the Campbell brothers, when the 364 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO name was changed to the Republican. In 1880 the paper passed into hands of Charles L. Long & Company. The publication was made a daily in 1882, and in 1891 was consolidated with the Gazette as the Republican-Gazette. The Weekly Democratic Times made its appearance in 1879, with O. B. Selfridge, Jr., and E. B. Halladay as the proprietors. In 1884 the daily Times was established, with Mr. Selfridge as the editor. Five years later the Times was consolidated with the Allen County Democrat, and the present name of Times-Democrat was adopted. The Lima Daily News is a non-partisan evening paper, founded by a Mr. D 'Armand in 1897. In the following year it was purchased by E. W. Jackson and J. R. Finnell, and is now issued by a stock company. The Volksblatt was the first German paper of Allen County, and was established by A. Zwanzig in 1876. It survived only four issues. The Courier was then founded by George Feltz in 1877, and remained in his possession until 1890, when it was purchased by Adolph Weixelbaum, and is now a part of the Lima Daily News plant. Before the days of banks in Lima, the United States Land Office served as a depository for money among the early settlers. At a later date, the Store of King & Company acted in this capacity, and always kept a large amount of money on hand with which it would cash checks. The first bank was a very modest affair, and was known as Leighton, Hurd & Jacob's Bank, and was established in the early '50s. A few years later Mr. Leighton retired, but the business was continued until about 1859. The National Deposit Bank was organized and opened for business under the direction of Shelby Taylor, Benjamin C. Faurot, and George H. Hackedorn. In 1867 this institution became the Allen County Bank, and at a later period the name was changed to the Lima National Bank, which for many years was one of the leading financial institutions of the state. The Exchange Bank was started shortly after the war, by N. Tucker. This was succeeded by the Farmers Savings Bank, with J. B. Roberts as president and Mr. Tucker as the cashier. The Davis Bank was a private bank started shortly after the war, and was afterwards bought by Baxter Bros. & Company, and has since been operated as the City Bank of Lima. It was purchased by Thornton T. Mitchell, who for more than a third of a century remained as its president, and his sons are now the owners. The Citizens Bank of Lima was the early name of the banking institution which in 1872 was changed to the First National Bank. This is the oldest financial institution in the city today. The leading spirit in this organization was the late Senator Calvin S. Brice, who remained an officer and director until his death. Goldsmith and Kalb's Bank was established in 1894. Four years later it was converted into the American National Bank, which was finally liquidated and succeeded by the Bank of Lima. It afterwards sold out to the Ohio National Bank. The Ohio National Bank began business about 1888, and has continued actively in business from that date. About ten years ago it became the Old National Bank. The Metropolitan Bank is one of the later banking institutions, and was chartered in 1890. The Commercial Bank opened for business in 1895, and its first president was Dr. Samuel A. Baxter. The Commercial Bank a few years ago was taken over by a company and its name changed to the German-American Bank, with George Feltz as cashier, and it so continues. The Lima Trust Company, which is a banking institution in the fullest sense of the word, opened a store for business in 1903. All of the banks of Lima are strong and conservative institutions, which have aided much in the development of the city. HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 365 FRATERNAL SOCIETIES Lima was only a small village, with a few hundred inhabitants, when a dispensation was granted for the organization of a Masonic lodge there. This was Lima Lodge, No. 205, Free and Accepted Masons. Orrin Curtis was the first worshipful master, and John H. Meily was the secretary. The first persons to have the degree conferred upon them were Samuel Sanford and Napoleon B. Howard, who were business partners. Garrett Wykoff Lodge, No. 585, was organized in 1900, with Davis J. Cable as the worshipful master. It was named in commemoration of an old and honored Mason of Lima. Lima Chapter, No. 49, Royal Arch Masons, was chartered in 1852. Lima Council, No. 20, Royal and Select Masters, originated in the formal way in 1854. Ely Bond was the thrice illustrious master, and D. H. Anderson deputy master. Shawnee Commandery, No. 14, Knights Templar, was granted its dispensation in 1855, with Ely Bond as the eminent commander. Because of the growth of Masonry, it became almost necessary to have special quarters. For this purpose, ground was broken early in the year 1900 for the. Masonic Temple, which is now one of the ornamental public buildings of the city. The Odd Fellows entered Lima not long after the Masons. Allen Lodge, No. 223, was instituted in 1853. Ely Bond was the first noble grand, and J. J. Knox was the original recording secretary. In 1874 some of the members withdrew and organized the Lima Lodge, No. 581. In 1890 a third lodge was organized,which is known as Solar Lodge, No. 783. It was in 1875 that the Knights of Pythias formally entered Lima. The first initiates were John F. Hauenstein and John N. Hutchison. In 1881 the Uniform Rank was organized, which for many years vMs an important feature of the lodge. The enthusiasm and zeal of the Lima Pythians kept it in great prominence through- out Ohio. It is probably more closely identified with that order than any other city, save Washington only. None were more active than Walter B. Richie, who has filled all the offices in the order up to the position of supreme chancellor, which position he occupied for the period of two years. When a revision of the ritual of the order was in contemplation, Mr. Richie began the preparation. For four years he labored upon its preparation. The ritual as prepared by him was exemplified before the Supreme Lodge by a team from Lima Lodge in 1892, and was adopted without the change of a single word, by an almost unanimous vote. One thousand dollars was appropriated to pay the expenses of the team. Justus H. Rathbone, the founder of the order, was taken sick while on a lecturing trip, and died in Lima. The order now has 400 members in the city. Lma Lodge, No. 162, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, was organized in 1892. Walter B. Richie was the first exalted ruler, and T. C. Robinson the first secretary. The lodge has steadily grown, until it now numbers several hundred and occupies a splendid new building as its home. The Grand Army of the Republic is represented by Mart Armstrong Post, No. 202, which was organized in 1882. Seventeen comrades enrolled themselves as charter members, and Owen Francis was elected the first commander. The post has associated with it the Woman's Relief Corps, Sons of Veterans, Spanish War Veterans, Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, Daughters of Veterans, etc. A thriving circle of Daughters of the Revolution is also in active existence. Among the other fraternal organizations in the city are the Knights of Maccabees (1893), the Modern Woodmen of America (1895), Knights of Columbus (1899), American Insurance Union, Woodmen of the World, Loyal Order of Moose, organized in 1910, and now 366 - TORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO numbering a membership of nearly 1,000, the Eagles, and Catholic Knights of Ohio. OIL INDUSTRY For many years the oil industry has been an important .one in Allen County. It has contributed much toward the upbuilding of the City of Lima. The driller began his first work in the county in the spring of 1885, upon the ground of the Lima Straw Board Works, under the energetic direction of Benjamin C. Faurot. When the drill struck the famous Trenton rock without finding any great supply of gas, there was great disappointment. The well was shot, and immediately began to yield more than 200 barrels of oil. The news of this discovery spread over the country quickly, and men came from all directions to investigate. A number of Lima gentlemen immediately formed an organization, under the name of the Citizens Gas Company, the object of .which was to make further investigation of the prospect for oil and gas. They put down a second well, which was still larger than the first, as it proved to be a forty or forty-five barrel pumping well. The story of the "oil industry in Lima and vicinity from this .time reads like romance. Within almost a decade the industry had developed until it spread over a large section of Northwest Ohio. Lima remained the headquarters of the oil industry, for the Standard Oil Company established its headquarters in that city. A refinery was built, which employed hundreds of men, and distributed thousands of dollars in wages every month. For many years the Lima field, as it is called, stood second to the Pennsylvania field in the production of high grade oil. Several hundred million barrels of petroleum have been produced within that field since its first discovery in 1885. The maximum production was reached in the year 1904, when more than 24,000,000 barrels of petroleum were pro duced. From that time it has gradually decreased. The Solar Refining Company is one of the leading industrial enterprises of the City of Lima, and an important factor in its prosperity. The Buckeye Pipe Line Company owns and occupies a handsome building exclusively for its own offices. The Manhattan Oil Company, an independent company, formerly held large interests in this vicinity, but long since went out of existence. LIMA Lima was selected as the seat of justice for Allen County on March 3, 1831. The commission which selected the site was composed of Christopher Wood, of Allen County; Justin Hamilton, of Mercer, and Adam Barber, of Putnam. It was surveyed in the following month by Justin Hamilton, the county surveyor of Allen County. Patrick G. Goode acted as godfather for the new settlement, and he named it Lima after the ancient capital of Peru. At first there was a dispute as to the HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 367 pronunciation, for he wished it pronounced "Le-ma" after the Spanish fashion, but his opponents ruled, and it has been pronounced Lima after our English fashion ever since. It is said that he never could quite forget this contrariness. The state had given to the county a quarter section of land to be laid off in lots, which were to be sold at auction. Christopher Wood was named as the director to supervise the sale of these lots, which occurred a few months after the town was laid out. The sale price averaged about $25 each. One whole block was purchased by Doctor Cunningham for $36.75, a very small sum, even for those days. In the winter of 1834-5, the United States THE FIRST COURT HOUSE IN ALLEN COUNTY At Lima, Built in 1831-32, and Used Till 1840. Logs Covered with Weatherboard. Land Office was removed from Wapakoneta to Lima, and with it there came as receiver, Charles William Blackburn. With a splendid military career to his credit, General Blackburn was a conspicuous figure in the entire settlement. He had assisted in the 368 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO building of Fort Meigs, and had led an expedition to the relief of General Winchester at Frenchtown, but arrived too late to prevent the massacre that followed that officer's surrender. He was a man of splendid physical power and of an imposing appearance, for he was more than six feet in height, and weighed over 300 pounds. His position was one of great responsibility in those days, for he han dled large sums of silver and gold without the convenience of a modern safe in which to place this wealth. All of the coin had to be transported to Columbus by wagon. General Blackburn was a military enthusiast. As a result, the general muster of those days was a great occasion. The most conspicuous of all would be General Blackburn, sitting upon a horse like a cavalier of old, and looking like the general-in-chief of a large army with his plume and spurs. He was elected to the Legislature from this district. He finally moved from Lima to Allentown, where he died in 1858, and was buried at Lima with military honors. The first dry goods-merchant in the village was James Peltier, who kept a stock of goods in a cabin as early as 1828, for Carlin and Company of Findlay. Three years later he purchased the stock and began business on his own account. In 1833 he disposed of his stock to Henry Lippincott. Another early merchant was Charles Baker, who, with his brother-in-law, J. M. Anderson, established the firm of Anderson and Baker. Rev. James Anderson had been a missionary to the Indians. Adgate Hoover also conducted one of the pioneer stores. The public square in those days is said to have been a mud hole so deep that it was at times almost impossible for a team of horses to draw an empty wagon across it. The first hotel was opened by John P. Mitchell, on the corner of Market and Main streets. Another early boniface was John Bashore, who was the seventh man to take up his `bode in the settlement, to which he brought his family in 1832. He kept a hotel here for many years. Richard Metheany was prominent in Lima's early days. His first public position was that of clerk of the courts, about 1844. From that time until his death in 1879 he remained in positions that were more or less public. He took an active part in promoting the Ohio and Indiana Railroad. He filled the offices of county auditor, mayor, member of school board, and justice of the peace. John Melly came to Lima in 1845. His first office was township clerk, at a salary of $8 per year. Later he was elected county clerk. His eldest daughter, Olivia, became the wife of Calvin S. Brice. The Town of Lima was officially organized on March 29, 1842, with Henry DeVilliers Williams as its first mayor. Dr. William McHenry had been elected recorder (clerk), and Amos Clutter was the earliest marshal. The trustees were John Alexander, Jr., Samuel Black,' Hamilton Davison, Thomas K. Jacobs, and Daniel D. Thompkins. Mr. Williams was a college graduate, and became one of Lima's most prominent pioneers. He came to that settlement by the way of Toledo in 1835, bringing with him his family. He had already served a term as county auditor, before his election to the office of mayor, and he also had been for a time a justice of the peace. Mr. Williams was a unique character. Dressed in buckskin breeches, loose shirt, and fur cap, with a pack of dogs at his heels,, he tramped the country over. He was a great huntsman, and had .a penchant for swapping arms, horses, and other property. He was a generous-hearted, reckless, 'easy-going man, who would divide his last morsel with one in need. He was a great raconteur, and would sit for hours relating some of his experiences. As mayor, Mr. Williams introduced his own peculiar views of what constituted the work of "Blind Goddess." South of town there lived a strapping big fellow, by the name of HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 369 Ridenour, who was as powerful as he was massive. He came to town one day and, in the course of his travels, ran across a little fellow who wanted some fun at his expense. Ridenour ordered him to shut up, and as he was slow in complying with the command, he picked him up and set him down in the middle of a mud puddle. Ridenour was arrested and brought before the mayor, charged with disorderly conduct. When he pleaded guilty, his Honor gave him a severe lecture on his violation of the law, and fined him $5, after which he said : "Now, Jacob, for having administered a well-merited punishment to a bully, I will allow you $5.25, and here is the change." Colonel Williams met with a tragic death. He and Daniel Musser, Jr., were almost inseparable, and on one of their excursions to Marion for some fruit trees, Mr. Williams purchased at Kenton a dog which he very much admired.. In handling it, he was bitten on the hand. Some weeks later he was attacked with hydrophobia, and, with all the attendant horrors of that malady, died December 19, 1846. Another man very prominent in the up-building of Lima was Thomas K. Jacobs. He came to the village in 1838 and followed tailoring for several years. From that he drifted into general merchandise, and finally into real estate.. In this he was eminently successful. He platted several additions, which were put upon the market from time to time, and it is said that nearly the whole of East Lima passed through his hands. No one in Lima has ever handled so much real estate as did Mr. Jacobs. He served the county as treasurer for ten years, represented it in the Legislature, and served as quartermaster during the Civil War. Benjamin C. Faurot, a farmer's son, came to Lima and engaged first in the livery business. During the war he turned his knowledge of horses to good account by purchasing horses for the Government. In this way he Vol. I-24 laid the foundation of a large fortune. He then entered the banking business. He built the opera house, acquired the city's first street railway, and became interested in manufacturing. He then branched out into the building of a railroad, the Columbus and Lake Michigan Railway, which marked the beginning of his financial reverses. All of his great fortune finally escaped from his grasp. Nevertheless, Lima owed much to his enterprise and farsightedness, and his memory is still cherished by her citizens. The first Court of Common Pleas for Allen County was held August 31, 1831, in James S. Daniels' cabin, which stood near the present Market Street bridge. The next year a courthouse was built just below the southeast corner of the square. In 1840 a contract for a new brick courthouse was let to Orlando Boughton, of Wooster, Ohio, and was finished in 1842. This building stood where the Cincinnati Block now stands, and for more than forty years served the purpose of both courthouse and county jail. The cornerstone of the present courthouse was laid July 4, 1882, and the building was formally opened in the fall of 1884. It cost, with the adjacent stone jail, $350,000. The first schoolmaster of Lima was John Ward, a Virginian. In 1830 he moved with his family to Allen County, and began the arduous task of making a farm in an unbroken forest. He taught school near where Hawke's mill later stood, in the winter of 1831-32. In the following spring, several of his pupils came and paid their tuition by clearing ground and making fence rails. From the date of the survey of Lima, he took an active part in that settlement, and was appointed the first clerk of the court upon the organization of the county in 1831. He himself had received but three months' schooling, but had educated himself afterwards so that he was able to secure a school certificate. He taught school in the old courthouse for a 370 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO time. Another early schoolmaster was John Cunningham, who taught in 1832. One of the very best teachers of the early days was Joseph H. Richardson, who came to the county in 1836. He was a relative of Andrew Jackson, and his wife was kin to James Madison. He entered land in the county, upon which he built a log schoolhouse, and in which he taught for several years. He was a self-made, and to a great extent self-educated man. He was a born politician, and took an active part in many of the early campaigns. He himself served as county auditor and as clerk of the courts. One of the ward schools has been named in his honor. Free schools were first established in 1850, and the town was divided into three districts. The Lima Academy was opened in 1852, with Rev. James Campbell as the principal. It was a successful institution, and was patronized by Lima's best citizens. The academy continued until 1856, when the union schools were organized. Mr. Wilhelm was the first superintendent of the union schools, and the first board of education was composed of W. H. C. Mitchell, William E. Lee, and Mathias H. Nichols. William A. Shaw was then the superintendent. The first class was graduated on the 3d of June, 1864, and consisted of three young ladies. These graduates were Mary Watt, Fidelia Bennett, and Josie Cunningham. In 1865 there was but one graduate, and for the next two years there were none who completed the course. The schools began to grow rapidly about 1872, when a new building was erected, and this process has continued until Lima now has a dozen or more school buildings, and an ever-increasing demand for more. As Lima developed from a village into a city, the need of a city hospital became evident. In 1894 a movement was started to build a hospital, and a play was given to raise the funds, but this movement proved abortive. The idea did not die, however, and three years later, the Pastor's Union of the city vigorously took up the proposition. A committee was appointed to confer with the Allen County Medical Society, and a, joint committees to prepare the necessary preliminaries to develop. the project. A mass meeting was called in one of the churches, which was largely attended. As a result, a hospital society was organized at this meeting, and committee to prepare the necessary preliminaries were appointed. The Lima City Hospital Society was the name adopted. In the following year the Overmyer property, on East Market Street, was purchased and the building remodeled to suit the needs of a hospital. The name finally adopted was the Lima Hospital Society, and the building was opened in April; 1899. From the beginning the hospital has been run on strictly non-sectarian lines, and every religious society in the city has given the hospital its earnest support. A levy was made for the hospital in 1899 by the city council, and this has been continued each year. In 1901 a new building was erected upon the same lot, which greatly increased the hospital's capacity. A training school for nurses was opened up in connection with the hospital in 1902, and a class of nurses has graduated each year. The public library idea in Lima had its origin in a reading club, composed of both men and women, which was organized many years ago. As soon as the public library movement gained headway over the country, this club began to agitate the proposition of a public library in the Town of Lima. A committee, consisting of Judge James Mackenzie, Olivia Meily, and Martha Richardson, was appointed "to proceed in the matter as they saw fit and proper." Subscriptions and books were solicited, and a number of generous contributions were made. Although this movement was not successful, its influence was not wholly lost. The Chautauqua movement increased the demand for library HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO - 371 facilities. A library association was formed, with I. S. Motter as its president. This second library movement also failed. The books that had been gathered were placed under the management and care of the Young Men's Christian Association, until a public library should be established. The third and successful movement was begun in the fall of 1900. A number of clubs became active in its interest. Among the women, Mrs. 0. W. Smith was especially active, and among the men, Herbert L. Brice did most to further the project. This movement was thoroughly organized, and a library was established, with Medora Freeman as the librarian. It was opened to the public on September 21, 1901, with less than 2,000 volumes ready for circulation. It was soon found that larger and better quarters were necessary, and negotiations were begun with Andrew Carnegie for a new building. He offered to provide the sum of $30,000 for a library if the people of Lima would furnish a site and guarantee 10 per cent of this amount annually for its maintenance. A splendid lot was purchased close to the heart of the city, and the beautiful building erected which is now in use. Lima is a city of manufacturing. One of the oldest and probably the largest manufacturing institution is the Lima Locomotive and Machine Company, which dates from 1860. In this year it was started in a very small way and under adverse circumstances. It now covers many acres of ground with its many buildings and yards, and turns out hundreds of railroad locomotives each and every year. The Deisel-Wemmer Company is one of the largest cigar manufacturing concerns in the United States. It manufactures the "San Felice" cigar, which is sold everywhere. Henry Deisel, together with Henry G. and William J. Wemmer, began business in 1890 as a partnership. Their success was remarkable from the start, and it has at times been almost impossible to keep up with the demand for their products. The company now operates a number of branches in other cities. The Gram-Bernstein Motor Car Company and the Garford Truck Company are large concerns that manufacture motor trucks, which are shipped all over the world. The Lima Steel Casting Company is a thriving institution. The East Iron and Machinery Works, manufacturing asphalt paving machines and other machinery, Cincinnati, Hamilton , and Dayton, and Lake Erie and Western Railway shops, and a host of other activities give work to thousands of men. VILLAGES The little Town of Amanda was platted in 1832 by Samuel Washburn, but never developed into anything, and exists only in memory. Westminster is a thriving village platted by Alexander Creps in 1834, on the Auglaize. Allentown was laid out by George Povenmire and William Myers in 1835. Elida was placed on the map in 1852 by Griffith John. It was incorporated in 1878. It has a number of stores, and there are four churches. Lafayette was incorporated in 1868, with M. C. Mumaugh as mayor. It has always had a reputation for the high character of its citizenship. West Cairo was laid out by Jacob Miller in 1848, and was incorporated in 1875. Beaver Dam dates from 1853, and owes . its existence to Frederick Shull. Bluffton is a prosperous city about half way between Findlay and Lima. It is the home of a Mennonite college. It was named after a town in Indiana. The first settler here was Joseph Deford, who built a log cabin in 1833. The first merchant was D. L. Roble. The town was platted in 1838 in nineteen lots, by Mr. Deford. At that time it was given the name of Shannon. In 1850 a dozen families resided in Shannon. It was in 1861 that the village was incorporated as Bluffton. J. S. 372 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO Powell was elected as the first mayor, and E. H. Edsal the initial clerk.. The growth of the town began with the building of the Lake Erie and Western Railroad in 1872. The population now numbers 2,000. The Bluffton Times was established in 1872 by P. R. Bailey. The Times was succeeded by the Standard, and it in turn by the News. The News passed from existence, and for several years Bluffton had no paper, but in 1875 N. W. Cunningham, a young newspaper man from Lima, resurrected the News and made it a success, and for nearly twenty-five years was its editor. A second paper, the Leader, was published for a time, but it soon merged with the News. It is indeed a village of churches, with its eight active organizations. The First National Bank and the Commercial Bank are both thriving institutions. There are also a number of prosperous manufacturing enterprises. Spencerville was platted in 1845 by Dayton parties, in the southwestern part of the county. It was not formally incorporated until 1867, and J. C. Campbell was chosen as the first mayor. The canal gave the first communication to the village, but two railroads now add to its facilities. Gas and oil have greatly increased the prosperity of the town, and at least doubled the population. There are seven religious societies in the village. Two prosperous banks are doing business, the Citizens Bank and the Farmers Bank. The Journal-News is a weekly newspaper with a a large circulation. Delphos is the largest town in the county outside of Lima, but it is given extended mention in the chapter devoted to Van Wert County. CHAPTER XXX AUGLAIZE COUNTY C. W. WILLIAMSON, WAPAKONETA Auglaize County is indeed historic ground. It was for a long period one of the favorite hunting grounds of the Miamis and Wyandots. After these tribes gave their consent to the Shawnees to locate in their midst, it became the home of many of the warriors of this tribe. Their little villages were scattered over the county along the St. Marys and the Auglaize rivers. During the French occupation of Northwestern Ohio, several French traders established their headquarters on the west bank of Auglaize River, about half a mile north of Wapakoneta. They built a stockade, enclosing about an acre of ground, within which a number of cabins were erected by them. This stockade has been called Fort Auglaize. The traders residing there received their goods by boat from Detroit, and other French posts on the lake border. They were transported up the Maumee to the mouth of the Auglaize, and then up that river to the trading station. For a considerable time an extensive trade was carried on with the Indians in the center of the state. It was abandoned after the Battle of Fallen Timbers, but this location could be outlined for many years afterwards by a few pickets yet standing, even after the time that the Indians were removed. During the War of 1812, and in September of that year, Fort Amanda was platted by Col. Thomas Poague. He was ordered to clear the timber and construct a wagon road from the St. Marys River to Defiance, and he erected a fort on the west bank of the Auglaize River, which he named Fort Amanda in honor of his wife. This fort was also a stockade in rectangular form, enclosing about 11/2 acres of ground. The pickets were driven four feet into the ground, and extended above the ground about eleven feet. At each corner stood a. two-story blockhouse, which projected out several feet beyond the pickets. The one intended for the officers' headquarters was the largest, and was located at the southeast corner of the enclosure. In the center was a large two-story building, the upper floor of which was used as a hospital and the lower story as a storage room. A large well near the center of the enclosure furnished an abundance of good water. After the erection of this stockade, Fort Amanda became the base of supplies for the armies located in the Maumee Valley. The office of the paymaster of the army; John Smith, was located here during the war, and many of General Harrison's orders were dispatched from Fort Amanda. In the spring of 1813 the hospital was filled with sick and wounded soldiers, who had been, brought here from the battlefields along the Maumee River. Rev. Samuel Shannon, an army chaplain, was one of those in charge of the hospital. Dr. Samuel Lewis was the physician in charge. He was obliged to administer to the needs of the sick and wounded at Wapakoneta and St. Marys, as well as Fort Amanda, so great was the shortage of army surgeons. The soldiers who died in the hospital were buried on the west bank of the river, near the fort, but the records of - 373 - 374 - HISTORY OF NORTHWEST OHIO those buried have been lost. Many flatboats were built here during that year. One group of men were detailed to select the trees, and another to cut them down ; the duty of a third company was to saw them into the proper pieces, while still another company manufactured them into flatboats to carry supplies and wounded men up and down the river. It is said that seventy-five boats were constructed here in the spring of 1813 alone. This fort also served as an assembly place for scouts and dispatch carriers, and for officers traveling from the southern part of the state to the battlefields in the north. At the close of the war the blockhouses were unoccupied for several years, and then they were taken possession of by settlers arriving in that vicinity. Among those who occupied these blockhouses were Peter -Diltz, with his family ; Andrew Russell and his family ; and William Van Ausdall, with his family. Mr. Diltz came from Dayton in 1817 and moved into the small blockhouse at the northeast corner. Mr. Russell pre-empted the largest one in the same year, and here he passed away five years later. Mr. Van Ausdall took possession of the storehouse, and occupied it for a few months until he completed a log house. Church services of the Methodist denomination were frequently held in one of the blockhouses. During the War of 1812 St. Marys became a headquarters of General Harrison's army for quite a period, and was also one of the depots for the provisions of the armies in the northwestern part of Ohio. Fort Amanda enjoyed water transportation down the Auglaize to the lake, while the St. Marys gave a route of transportation to the head of the Maumee. The old Fort St. Marys was platted by a detachment of Wayne's forces, who came here from Greenville about 1784 and 1785. Henry Howe, in his historical collections of Ohio, says as follows : "The Old Fort, St. Marys, built by Wayne, stood in the village of St. Marys on the west bank of the river, on the land now owned by Christian Benner, about 80 rods S. E. of Rickley Tavern." For many years it was commanded by Capt. John Whistler. He is said to have been able to recruit more men and perform more work than any other officer in the army. When Harrison established a depot here, it was intended to be the principal depot for the storage of the supplies for the armies along the Maumee. The accumulation of cattle, horses, and other army stores was so great that additional storage buildings were needed, and a place was built to protect the live stock. Two blockhouses were built, one within Fort St. Marys and the other a little south. The latter was surrounded by the usual stockade. The spring located near where the Fountain Hotel now stands furnished an abundance of pure water. When the buildings of the depot were completed, the stockade was given the name of Fort Barbee, in honor of the colonel. Capt. Joel Collins was detailed to cut a road along the old army trace from Loraine to St. Marys, a detail which he accomplished in eight days. The difficulties that army officers encountered were almost insuperable at times. A captain in Harrison's army leaves the following graphic account : "The roads were bad beyond description ; none but those who have actually seen the state of the country, seem ever to have formed a correct estimate of the difficulties to be encountered. The road from Loramie's blockhouse to the St. Marys and thence to Defiance, was one continuous swamp, knee deep to pack horses and up to the hubs of the wagons. It was found impossible in some instances to get even the empty wagons along and many were left sticking in the mire and ravines, the wagoners being glad to get off with the horses alive. Sometimes the quartermaster, taking advantage of a temporary freeze, would send off a convoy of provisions, which would be swamped by a thaw before it reached its destination. The only