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CHAPTER XIX.

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP.

HOPEWELL, in the days of the earliest settlement was known as Township 2 north, Range 14 east. It was surveyed into sections and quarter sections in 1820 by J. T. Worthington, assisted by David Risdon and others, and one year later was opened to entry in common with all United States' lands in the county. In 1822 the first settlers looked in upon the scene, and staked their homes in the wilderness. Eight years later the population reached 549; eighteen years after settlement it increased to 913; twenty-eight years after to 1,288, and fifty-eight years after settlement to 1,632. The pop ulation in 1885 is estimated at about 1,800, including Bascom Village. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad enters the township in the northwest corner of Section 18, runs. southeast across the township, and enters Tifn in Section 24. The Mansfield, Coldwater & Lake Michigan Railroad was actually built and equipped, paralleling the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, but the ties and rails were taken up and sold when that enterprise collapsed. The Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad runs southwest from Tiffin through the southeast corner, and the Northwestern Ohio Railroad enters the township in the southeast quarter of Section 13 and enters Liberty Township at Section 1 of this township.

The Sandusky River flows through the southeastern sections, and Honey Creek enters the river in Section 36 of this township. Wolf Creek has a fork of its system in almost every section south of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, where it forms into two streams, which flow in a northeastern course to Section 1, and there forms one of the forks of the main stream.

The Niagara system does not show an outcrop, but in the quarries near Bascom it appears near the surface. Waterlime presents itself in the bed of Wolf Creek.

The soil of Hopewell. is fertile, and the surface just sufficiently rolling to admit of easy drainage and cultivation.

Organic and Official.-The first election was held December 25, 1824, at Joseph Pool's house, eighteen days after the establishment of the township, when Nathan Cadwallader, John Stoner and John Rosenberger were elected trustees, James Gordon, clerk, and John Stoner, treasurer. The other offices were distributed among the few settlers then in the wilderness. As related in Chapter IV, the western part of Clinton Township formed a part of Hope. well for some years. Following is a list of officers since 1831

1832.-Agreen Ingraham, W. Kimes, J. Crum; Ozias Hart, clerk.

1833.-Peter Arbogast, A. Ingraham, John Crum; Ozias Hart, clerk.

1834.-W. L. Ricketts, A. C. Spooner, W. Kimes; Ozias Hart, clerk.

1835.-W. L. Ricketts, A. C. Spooner, John A. Rosenberger; Ozias Hart, clerk.

1836.-Gideon Curtiss, J. S. Jennings, J. A. Rosenberger; Ozias Hart, clerk.

1837.-Gideon Curtiss, J. S. Jennings, Monson C. Spooner; Ozias Hart, clerk.

552 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.

1838.-A. K. Bachtel, J. A. Rosenberger, A. C. Spooner; L. D. Shawhan, clerk.

1839-44.-D. McCracken, Andrew Wolf, Erastus Bowe; L. D. Shawhan, clerk. 1841.Peter Young, clerk.

1845.-C. Mumetter, George Shaull, A. Wolf; Isaac Chenoweth, clerk.

1846. -Levi Keller, C. Mumetter, Levi Shedenhelm; Isaac Chenoweth, clerk.

1847-48.Levi Keller, C. Muzsetter, Levi Shedenhelm; John Slosser, clerk.

1849.-W. N. Dunn, C. Mumetter, Levi Shedenhelm; A. C. Spooner, clerk.

1850.-Levi Keller, C. Muzsetter, Levi Shedenhelm; A. C. Spooner, clerk.

1851.-Levi Keller, C. Muzsetter, Levi Shedenhelm; A. C. Spooner, clerk.

1852.-Levi Keller, C. Mumetter, Levi Shedenhelm; A. C. Spooner, clerk.

1853.-William Dick, Levi Keller, C. Muzsetter; A. C. Spooner, clerk.

1854.--Rezin Ricketts, J. M. Shaull, C. Muzsetter; A. C. Spooner, clerk.

1855.-Rezin Ricketts, J. M. Shaull, C. Muzsetter; R. S. Baker, clerk.

1856-58.--Benjamin Baker, Rezin Ricketts, J. M. Shaun; R. S. Baker, clerk.

1859.-A. G. Owen, J. M. Shaull, M. Coughlin; R. S. Baker, clerk.

1860.-Michael Coughlin, A. G. Owen, Henry Kepple; R. S. Baker, clerk.

1861.-James Creeger, A. G. Owen, J. M. Shaull; R. S. Baker, clerk.

1862.-Michael Coughlin, H. Strausbaugh, A. G. Owens; S. A. Bopes, clerk.

1863.-Chris Mulewiler, H. Strausbaugh, M. Coughlin; S. A. Bopes, clerk.

1864.-Chris Mulewiler, H. Strausbaugh, M. Coughlin; S. A. Belies, clerk.

1865-66. -Benoni Rohrer, A. G. Owen, H. Strausbaugh; Dennis Maley, clerk.

1867-68.-U. P. Coonrad, A. G. Owen, H. Strausbaugh; Dennis Maley, clerk.

1869.--John Buchman, Benoni Rohrer, F. Rinebolt; Dennis Maley, clerk.

1870.--John Buchman, Benoni Rohrer, F. Rinebolt; Adam Miller, clerk.

1871.-Francis Rinebolt, Philip Keppel, J. A. Bonner, D. Maley, clerk,

1872.-Philip Keppel, J. A. Bonner, A. Hoefling; S. J. Pecher, clerk.

1873.-Milton Ricketts, P, Keppel, A. Haefling; S. J. Pecher, clerk.

1874-75.-Milton Ricketts, Benoni Rohrer, A. Hoefling; S. J. Pecher, clerk.

1876.-Nicholas DeWalt, B. Rohrer, L. Lonsway; S. J. Pecher, clerk.

1877.-B. Rohrer, L. Lonsway, J. G. Straub; S. A. Coonrad, clerk.

1878. - L. D. Creeger, S: J. Pecher, A. Hoefling; S. A. Coonrad, clerk.

1879.-J. B. Kuire, John Landis, A. Hoefling; Arlington Dunne, clerk.

1880. - Jacob Kuhn, L. D. Creeger, S. J. Pecher; Arlington Dunne, clerk.

1881.-Martin Green, Benjamin Baker, Jacob Kuhn; L. D. Creeger, clerk.

1882.-John Smith, M. W. Greene, Benjamin Baker; L. D. Creeger, clerk.

1883.--J. Kuhn, B. Baker, J. Smith; L. D. Creeger, clerk.

1884.-M. W. Hunker, S. W. Rohrer, J. Kuhn; L. D. Creeger, clerk.

1885.-Jacob Kuhn, M. W. Hunker, Silas W. Rohrer, trustees; Peter Shultz, treasurer; L. D. Creeger, clerk; N. C. Knight, assessor; F. D. Corrigan, Absalom Shumaker, constables. The officers, this year, with the exception of the assessor, are Democrats.

Pioneers and Incidents of Pioneer Times.-Peter Arbogast, who died in 1833, owned the west half of southwest quarter of Section 16, Township 2 north, Range 14 east. He settled here in 1826. Mrs. Sophia Arbogast died in 1861. Michael Arbogast, born in Virginia, in 1824, came here when two years old, and is now a resident of Seneca Township . . . . James Aiken owned hind in Hopewell, in 1824.

Jacob A. Boner, a native of Maryland, born in 1809, came to Ohio in 1826, and located near Tiffin, where his stepfather, John Julian, bought forty acres of land and spent the remainder of his life. In 1844 Mr. Boner and his wife (nee Elizabeth Slosser) came into the woods of Hopewell Township, settling

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where they now live. There was then but one log-schoolhouse in the town ship . . . . Joseph Beard, a native of Pennsylvania, settled in Hopewell in 1822 . . . . . Thomas Baltzell, a native of Maryland, born in 1815, came with his widowed mother, Mrs. Elizabeth (Creidler) Baltzell, to Ohio, where she died in 1857. In 1881 Mr. Baltzell retired from his farm and moved to Tiffin .... John and Mary (Nolan) Britt, former a native of Ireland, born in 1811, parents of Mrs. Silas W. Rohrer, of Hopewell Township (who was born in this township, in 1856, died in 1881), came to Hopewell Township in 1848. In 1883 Mr. Britt moved to Tiffin, still retaining his farm.

Nathan Cadwallader settled on Section 34, about 1823. Mrs. Hiram Hart is a daughter of this pioneer .. . . Peter Chenoweth was the first school teacher and took part in building the old log-schoolhouses .... John Chaney was one of the first three settlers in Hopewell . . . . Charles Chaney was one of the first trio who located on Section 16, Hopewell . . . . Francis Cotter came in about 1830, while one David Cover, who purchased lands on Section 16, settled here in 1834 . . . . Michael Coughlin came from Ireland at an early date, and purchased lands here.. . Joseph Culbertson, a native of Pennsylvania, came here in 1839, and Uriah P. Coonrad, an old settler of Tiffin, also became a resident . . . . David and Sophia (belong) Creeger were early settlers . . . . John H. Creeger died in 1872, and his widow, Mary (Young) Creeger in 1881. James Creeger died in his sixty-seventh year, October 8, 1882 . . . . Gideon Creeger, at the age of sixteen (1826), when on his way from Montgomery County, Ohio, to Lower Sandusky, passed through Fort Ball when the pickets of the old fort were still standing. Then only a few log-huts, owned by Mr. Hedges, comprised Tiffin; now Mr. Creeger thinks it would take a good day's drive to pass over all the streets of the city. On his route at that time the Indians were so numerous about here that he would meet ten or more before one white man. For thirty years he has been engaged in farming in Henry County, .Ohio....Henry and Catharine (McDonald) Creeger, natives of Maryland, came with their children in 1826, and the following spring bought a piece of land on Wolf Creek, on which was a small cabin, raised by Michael Shaull, and which was located on the site of an Indian wigwam. There were no roads, only Indian trails, and Mr. Creeger, with the assistance of his sons, cut the first road to Tiffin, and built the first bridge across the river. There were Indian mounds on his farm, on which trees grew that measured three feet through, and out of these mounds Mr. Creeger exhumed a skeleton . . . . Michael Coughlan, one of the early settlers of Hopewell Township, died in 1884.

James Dunn, grandfather of Arlington Dunn, of Hopewell Township, carne, to this county and township in an early day and bought 400 acres of land, his sons coming after. William N. Dunn settled here in 1842. On April 13, 1872, his residence and eight other buildings were destroyed by fire. The family now reside in Tiffin, except a son, D. C., who occupies the farm . . . . John Daugherty, one of the first settlers of Hopewell, came about 1823 . . . . John Dewalt, who settled in Hopewell in 1833, was known as Bear Club. He killed a bear, which attacked him . . . . Thomas Derr settled in the county in June, 1830 . . . . C. W. Doran, a native of Virginia, and James Doran, a native of Ohio, settled in Hopewell in 1822.

Michael Flynn was one of the pioneers and esteemed citizens of the township . . . . Matthew Frederetze and his wife, Barbara, came from Alsace (France) in 1828, settled in Pennsylvania; moved to Hopewell Township in 1832, where the former died in 1851. His son Michael has resided on his present farm for almost fifty-three years.

James Gordon, closely connected with Loudon Township, was an earl resident here.

556 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.

Ozias and Polly (Pryor) Hart, natives of Connecticut and Vermont, respectivelty, came in 1827 to Hopewell, entered land and put up a cabin . . . .Hiram art afterward bought land for himself near Tiffin . . . . Joseph Heltebrake settled in Seneca County in June, 1830 . . . . A. Houseberger came from Pennsylvania in 1848 . . ..Henry Hostler, Sr.; a native of Pennsylvania, brought his family to Hopewell Township in 1831 . . . . Adam Hoefling came from Germany in 1829.

Philip King, born in Ireland in 1806, came to this county in 1840 and bought land of Samuel Waggoner. He died in 1879 . . . . Brian King and John i3. King are among the old residents . . ..Jeremiah and Hannah King, natives of Ireland, parents of Jerry R. King (who was born in 1847 in Hopewell Township), were early settlers here. Jeremiah King died in 1856 and in 1884 his widow married Charles Bukman . . . . Henry and Anna C. (Stamatz) Koppel,* natives of Pennsylvania, came from Knox County, Ohio, in 1839. The former died in 1842 and the latter in 1860 . . . . George and Philip Koppel came in 1839 . . . . Jeremiah Knepper came from Pennsylvania in 1850 . . . . Jacob Kuhn from New York in 1834 . . . . Thomas Knight, a native of Ohio, in 1848 . . . . Levi Keller, Jr., in 1843 . . . . Bartholomew and Margaret (McBride) Kinney, natives of Ireland, came in 1830 to the southern part of Hopewell `township. Mr, Kinney was accidentally drowned July 16, 1831, while crossing the Sandusky River at Tiffin. Mrs. Kinney remained a widow four years, part of which time she spun flax to maintain herself and family. The house she lived in was a rude log-cabin, and she had often to pile furniture against the door to prevent the wolves from entering. In 1835 she married John King, and in 1852 she died . . . . Philip King and brothers, John, Lawrence and 'timothy, old residents of Tiffin, settled in Hopewell Township. Philip King (tied some years ago.

Peter Lonsway or Longuin came from Canada in 1841 . . . . Louis Lonsway in 1844 . . . . Amos Lietner in 1835.

Dennis Maloy, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1825, came to this county with an uncle in 1846 and commenced business in Tiffin, but soon moved to I Hopewell Township . . . . John Maule came in June, 1830, settled just north of Tiffin, opened a blacksmith shop and in 1838 moved to Hopewell Township; died in October, 1866 . . . . James Mathers was among the pioneers . . . . Adam Miller came from Maryland in 1826 . . . . James A. Morrison, a native of Ohio, settled here in 1838 . . . . John Miller, founder of Bascom in 1837, came in 1836 . . . .Joseph McClelland settled in Bloom Township in 1822, moved to Hopewell in 1854 and died there in 1857 . . . . Ebenezer Mills was one of the early settlers.

Joseph Ogle, born in 1781, in Maryland, came to Hopewell Township in 1824. The Indians were numerous and he had to defend himself against wild beasts. On one occasion his daughter, while milking the cows, was attacked by wolves, and he had to fly to her rescue. He died in January, 1864; his widow occupied the farm until 1876.

Joseph Pool, at whose home the first election was held, in 1824, passed away years ago . . . . Robert Patterson, a native of Maryland, settled in Hopewell at an early date, and died near Bascom, July 19, 1885.

Mrs. Mary Redfox, hotel keeper, Bascom, a native of Germany, born in 1833, came to America in 1846, settling in Bascom, where her parents kept the hotel which she now conducts . . . . William L. Ricketts, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1791, father of Milton D. Ricketts, of Hopewell Township (who was born in this township in 1836), came with his parents in 1800 to Fairfield County, Ohio. In 1823 William T,. camp here, before any road was

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opened to Tiffin, and entered lands located where the Findlay and Tiffin State road now is, on Section 30 . . . . Robert and John Ricketts, early settlers, now reside in Loudon . . . . Benoni and Rebecca (Loose) Rohrer, parents of Silas W. Rohrer, of Hopewell Township (who was born in Virginia in 1845), came to this township in 1848 . . . . Benoni Rohrer, born in 1816, in Virginia, was a very early settler of Hopewell Township, and his farm is now said to be the most beautiful in the township . . . . Aaron Ruse was an old settler .... Joseph Ruse came in 1830 . . .Henry Rosenberger, born in Virginia, in 1798, came to Seneca County with his wife and three children December 20, 1823, and located on Section 1, Hopewell Township, and Section 6, Clinton Township, where he erected a round-log house. When he came his earthly possessions were one horse, one wagon, a small quantity of pork and 25 cents in cash. For the first year they had but one barrel of flour, part of which was spoiled, but the family subsisted chiefly on game meat and corn bread. Afterward he built a hewed-log house, and over thirty years ago a frame house was built by him (now occupied by his son Jacob) on this farm. The Seneca Indians were his near. neighbors, with whom he was always on friendly terms. One of their "trails" passed through his land.. In 1876 Mr. Rosenberger moved to Tiffin, where he has since lived in retirement . . . . John A. and Joseph Rosenberger are early settlers.

George Shedenhelm settled three miles north of Tiffin, in Hopewell, in 1832 . . . .Robert and John Shippey, brothers, were located on Section 16, prior to the organization of the township . . . . Samuel Smith, born in Delaware in 1806, settled in Hopewell in 1833, moving from Tiffin, where it is said he located in 1828 . . . . Jacob Schmidt, who died September 9, 1885, was born in the Canton of Aargau, Switzerland, and immigrated to America in the year 1833, and a short time after that entered the farm on which he lived and died . . . . . Williard Sprague, who located lands on Section 16 prior to 1824, is named among the first settlers . . . . . George and Ann Mary (Panther) Slosser, natives of Maryland and Germany, respectively, parents of John Slosser, of Hopewell Township (who was born in Virginia in 1811), came direct, about 1830, by team to this county, locating east of Tiffinfor over fifteen months, and in 1832, settled in Hopewell Township. George Slosser died in 1843 . . . . Michael Shaul erected a cabin here prior to 1826 . . . . Philip Staub, a native of Pennsylvania, father of Joseph G. Staub, of Hopewell Township (who was born in 1825, in Pennsylvania), came to Ohio in 1833 and purchased land near old Fort Seneca, built one of the first cabins in the township, and was a resident here when the Indians were removed . . . . Conrad Stigerwalt came in 1841. . . William Stripe settled here about 1824.

Michael Twomey died years ago. His widow is the oldest lady, in years, within the county

Jacob Von Blon came from Germany in 1834.

Abner Wade, a native of Pennsylvania (father of Washington Wade, of Hopewell Township, who was born in 1829, in Loudon Township), came to this county in 1826 and entered land. He cut a road from what is now Tiffin. Being a blacksmith he did a good deal of work for the Indians after coming here. He died in 1853, his widow in 1876 .. .. George Walters came in 1846 ....Samuel Waggoner, who founded a town named Hopewell in 1836, is named in other pages . . . . Solomon Wolf came in 1844.

The Handleys, McNamees and Shippeys were early settlers.

BASCOM.

Bascom was platted by George W. Gist, county surveyor, February 1, 1837,

558 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.

for John Miller. The original town was on the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 17, Town 2 north, Range 14 east. Dennis Maley's addition to Bascom was surveyed in March, 1876, and D. A. Creeger's addition was surveyed in May, 1878.

The first three years of the village were disheartening to the owners, as at the close of those years a population of six persons formed the community. Every decade after brought with it a small increase of population, but only within the last five years has actual progress taken notice of the place. It is true that during the construction of the Coldwater Railroad, and the building of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the village assumed some importance, but after those enterprises ceased to call together great numbers of workmen at this point, business slept, as it were, until 1880.

John T. Maley succeeded W. W. Miller as postmaster, in September, 1885, and the business circle comprises the following: Simon Miller, general merchant; Henry Eisler, blacksmith; Maloney & Matthews, grain dealers.

Hopewell Lodge No. 176, I. O. O. F., was organized May 11, 1855.

Methodist Episcopal Church, Bascom, is the oldest church in the Old Bettsville Circuit, having been formed at the house of Abram Miller in 1831, and a meeting house was erected shortly after. In 1865 the Old Bettsville Circuit was divided; Bettsville, Fort Seneca, Jackson, Ebenezer and Bascom forming Bettsville, with R. Biggs, preacher. Charles Astor succeeded, then D. Bulle; John H. Wilson came in 1869, and so on down to William Dunlap's time, 1882. Rev. N. S. Brackney was appointed in 1881. Revs. Hill, 1875, L. O. Cooke, 1877, H. H. Harper, 1880, preceded Mr. Dunlap. Twenty years after the church was formed at Bascom, Bettsville Circuit was formed, with Newel J. Close, preacher, vice S. T. Lane and Thomas Ackerman, the old preachers of the Port Clinton District. In 1852 J. Brakefield was appointed. In 1854 Leonard Hill and Henry Kerrigan were the preachers. James Milligan, R. Lawrence, Francis Plumb, N. B. C. Love, T. W. Crozier, H. L. Nickerson, John T. Bowers, Josiah Adams, Israel Smith, Josiah Adams, William Deemers, L. D. Rogers, T. C. Reed and Dave Dicken served from 1855 to 1865, The very early preachers are named in connection with other churches.

United Brethren Church, of Bascom, may be said to be contemporary with the establishment of Seneca Circuit. A reference to the history of Eden Township points out the beginning of this church in the county. In 1841 Jeremiah Brown was appointed presiding elder, and Alfred Spracklin, preacher, of this circuit. In 1844 Samuel Hadley succeeded Rev. Spracklin. In 1845 J. Gurber, W. Herrington and J. C. Bright were preachers. In 1848 the circuit was reorganized, John Davis being appointed preacher of Seneca Circuit. In 1849 S. Long and J. Martin were appointed; in 1851, John Curtis; in 1852, G. Schneider, the circuit then containing 300 members. In 1854 M. Long was appointed preacher; in 1856, D. S. Caldwell; in 1858, James Long; in 1860, S. T. Lane; in 1862, W. Mathers; in 1863, D. Glancey; in 1864, I. Crouse; in 1865, S. T. Lane; in 1867, S. Essex; in 1868, M. Bulger; in 1869; G. Bender; in 1870, S. Foster; in 1871, G. French; in 1873, G. Hoover.

United Brethren Otterbein Chapel, of Bascom, was reorganized under State law, January 15, 1874, with Adam Miller, presiding. Andrew Powell, S. K. Ruse and Elias Kline were elected trustees, and John French, preacher. M. Long was appointed in 1875; G. Bender, 1876; B. Struble, 1878; L. J. Osborne, 1879; M. Long, 1880; L. Moore, 1882; A. B. Leonard, 1883-85. There are four churches in the circuit, three organized societies and 161 members.

Bascom Reformed Church was organized by Rev. J. J. Beilherz, as a Union Lutheran and Reformed Society in 1852, and a church erected. On New

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Year's day, 1852, Rev. E. Y. Gerhart reorganized the society as a Reformed Church, with Ben. Fried, elder, and Christian Deubel, deacon.

St. Patrick's Church, of which Father Christophory is pastor, has one of the largest congregations in the county.

The Sand Ridge Cemetery Association, of Bascom was organized May 15, 1878, with Jepbtha Lott, Adam Miller, James Creeger, Henry W. Matthews, Joseph Culbertson, D. A. Creeger, Henry S. Haugh, John Landis, Philip Kisabeth, D. R. King (clerk) and Philip Dewald, members.

Old-time Villages. -Hopewell was laid out for Samuel Waggoner by James Durbin, in August, 1836, on the southern part of the northeast quarter of Section 16. So far Waggoner did well; but neglecting the enterprise, the village of Bascom flanked the old town, annihilated it, so to speak, and to-day gives many tokens of real life, while Hopewell has been subjected fifty times to the plow-share.

Another town, Steinerville, on Section 25, was platted for Henry H. Steiner by G. H. Homing, in May, 1852. This, like Hopewell, has vanished into the past, so that few remember the olden enterprise of the owner.

Statistics.-The assessment roll of Hopewell Township, in 1841, shows 20,694 acres, valued at $59,061 ; town lots valued at $387; horses, 199, valued at $7,960; cattle, 446, valued at $3,568; mercantile capital and moneys at interest, $2,365; pleasure carriages, 3, valued at $245; total value, $73,586; total tax, $1,085.39; delinquencies from 1840, $104.50.

The valuation arid taxation of Hopewell Township for 1884-85 are as follows: 22,286 acres, valued at $789,030; and personal property valued at $295,040, aggregating $1,084,070, or, according to the census of 1880, $670.03 to each of the 1,632 inhabitants. The total tax for 1885 is $11,079.52, together with $216 dog tax. The true value of this township is placed at $3,100,000.

The general statistics of Hopewell Township for 1884 are: 4,692 acres of wheat yielded about 43,000 bushels; cost of fertilizers, $225; 135 acres of rye; 14 acres of buckwheat yielded 110 bushels; 1,027 acres of oats, product 30,923 bushels; barley 15 acres, product 342 bushels; corn 3,060 acres, product 93,210 bushels; meadow, 1.,412 acres, tons of hay, 1,955; clover, 677 acres, tons of hay, 799, bushels of seed, 546, acres plowed under, 141; flax, 1 acre, 3 bushels of seed; 131, acres of potatoes, 16,622 bushels; tobacco, 20 lbs. ; milk sold for family use, 1,205 gallons; home-made butter, 42,776 lbs. ; sorgum, 5 acres, 64 gallons of syrup; maple syrup, 57 gallons; 166 hives, 665 lbs. of honey; 22,845 dozens of eggs; 5 acres of vineyards, 3,115 lbs. of grapes and 100 gallons of wine; 1 acre sweet potatoes, 82 bushels; 428 acres of apple trees, 8,289 bushels of apples; 3 acres of peaches, 95 of pears and one of cherries; 13,790 acres cultivated lands; 1,385, pasture land; 3,687, woodland; 231, waste land; total acreage owned, 19,093; wool, 5,160 lbs. ; milch cows, 604; dogs, 217; sheep killed and injured by dogs, 46; animals died of disease, 115 hogs, 18 sheep. 14 cattle, and 16 horses.

School Statistics.-The electors of Hopewell voted on the question of selling a part of school lands, October 12,1852. Levi Keller, C. Muzstetter and L. Shedenhelm were judges; A. C. Spooner and Josiah Selby, clerks. Ohe hundred and three votes were polled of which 89 were for and 14 against sale. On February 19, 1853, the east half of southwest quarter of Section 16 was sold to Nicholas Nick, for $1,600, the west half of southeast quarter to N. Nick for $2,399, and the east half of southeast quarter to same for $1,701.

The condition of the schools of Hopewell, shown in report of August. 183 4, is as follows: local tax, $2,134; receipts, $6,023; expenditures, $2,846; schoolhouses, 10; value of property, $4,500; number of teachers, 19; average salary, $34 and $25; male pupils, 248; female pupils, 159; total enrollment 407.

560 - HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.

CONCLUSION.

Long prior to the survey of the township a road was laid out along the face of the terrace on the west bank of the Sandusky, by order of Gen. Harrison, and under the direction of Gen. Bell; James Meeker and a few men from Wooster underbrushed this road in 1813. At this time the Indian trail was well beaten, as if traveled over for centuries, while westward, stretching into the recesses of the wilderness were numerous paths made by hunters, or the wild animals in the pursuit of which the wilder hunters passed their years. This was Hopewell in 1820, and, with the exception of the surveyor's lines made that year, the description applies to 1822-23,whenthe first settlers came in. What advances have been made within the last sixty-three years are shown in'this chapter, while in the general history a broader review is given of this division of the county.