CHAPTER XIII

HOAGLIN TOWNSHIP

Organization—First Settlers—Names of Voters in 1844—Some of the Original Land Entries—Indians Steal a Horse—A. A. Giffin's Address on "Van Wert and the Country" —St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church—Sketches of Some of the Pioneers.

At a meeting of the board of County Commissioners, held March 2, 1840, a petition was presented signed by certain citizens of township I south, range 2 east and township 1 south, range 3 east, for the organization of said townships. It was accordingly

"Ordered that said townships be and they are hereby struck off from Ridge and Pleasant townships and they constitute a civil township and be known by the name of Hoaglin and when said Territory shall be again divided town I S., R. 3 E., shall hold the name.

"Ordered that the Auditor notify the qualified electors of said township to meet at the house of Jacob Speeler in said township on the 1st Monday of April next for the purpose of electing officers in and for said township."

At the election held under this order, seven votes were cast and the following officers elected : Trustees — Jacob Speeler, Elias Evers and Aaron Hoaglin; clerk, Enoch M. Hoaglin; justice of the peace, J. B. Grossest; supervisor Elias Beamer; and constable, Jefferson Hoaglin.

FIRST SETTLERS.

Enoch M. Hoaglin settled in the township May 5, 1839; Aaron Hoaglin May 25, 1839; and L. J. Mitchell, February 8, 1840. During the years 1839 and 1840 John Speeler, Adley Calhoun, Elias Beamer, David Tolan, Jacob Shaffer, Joshua Shaffer, William Hagerman, Henry Blythe, Jacob Stripe, John Clayton, Henry Taylor, Frederick Taylor, Andrew Hattery and Andrew Hattery, Jr., became residents of the township.

NAMES OF VOTERS IN 1844.

At an election for justice of the peace of Hoaglin township, held November 1, 1844, there were 17 electors, whose names follow : Jesse B. Groscost, James Murphy, John Murphy, Samuel Nestric, Andrew Hattery, William Hagerman, Aaron Hoaglin, Obadiah Harvey, Jacob Speeler, Elias Beamer, Jacob Hagerman, Joshua Shaffer, Samuel Fritz, Enoch M. Hoaglin, William Harvey, Jacob Stripe and Nathaniel Hattery. Enoch M. Hoaglin and Joshua Shaffer were the clerks of the election, and Samuel Nestric, Elias Beamer and Andrew Hattery, the judges.

SOME OF THE ORIGINAL LAND ENTRIES.

INDIANS STEAL A HORSE.

At one time the Indians stole Enoch M. Hoaglin's only horse. He finally found their camp and upon entering it discovered that they were in a state of intoxication and enjoying an exciting revelry. He made inquiries for his stolen horse but they would not give him any information, pretending to know nothing 'about it. He vainly persisted in his inquiries and they as persistently pleaded ignorance of any knowledge of the horse. He finally charged them with having stolen his horse. This aroused the anger of the demons. A painted warrior rushed out with a large knife and uttering a war-whoop advanced upon Mr. Hoaglin in a ferocious manner, exclaiming, "Me no steal white man's horse. Me kill pale face." Mr. Hoaglin immediately covered the Indian with his rifle and the latter stole back into his hut. Shortly afterward Hoaglin recovered his horse, which he found hobbled among the Indian ponies.

VAN WERT AND THE COUNTRY.

"The following address was given by A. A. Giffin, of Hoaglin township, at the annual banquet of the Business Men's League, held in Van Wert, on March 6, 1905, the address being in response to the toast, `Van Wert and the Country.'"

If I were an artist, I would paint you three pictures of "Van Wert and the Country"—as they used to be, as they are now and as they will be—but as I am not an artist I will tell you a story.

When I was but a small boy, circumstances dropped me down in a little opening in Hoaglin township. My home was a log shanty with only one room in it. I longed for society, I longed for an education. I started out searching; I saw a cow path through the forest; I followed it for a mile or so ; I came to another log shanty, but it had two rooms in it. I pulled the latch string and pushed the door open ; I entered the living room and saw the church furliture—benches for seats, a four-legged table with an oilcloth cover. Some books lay upon he table; they indicated age. I picked up one of them, and turned to the title page; it was "The Farmers' Dictionary, 1840." I turned over a few pages and found the word "auditor." I looked for the definition which was,—` A own man that can figure. Better known as a Court House rat." I turned over a few more

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pages and saw the words, "Business man ;" I looked for the definition,—"A town man that keeps store. He buys and sells things and tries to cheat people, especially the farmers." I turned a few more pages; I found street broker,"—"A town man with, money. He walks up and down the street seeking some one to devour; a robber." I turned back a few pages and my eye rested on the word "lawyer," —"A man devoid of the truth ; a liar."

Now, friends, thanks to an educational force that has been abroad in our country for the past 30 years, these conditions have been radically changed. A strong educational force, so strong that it reached over into the country and picked up a farm boy, just out of his blue overalls and check shirt and plow shoes, and dropped him down in the Auditor's office (an old time "Court House rat"). A little later on, it picked him up again and dropped him down in the State Senate chamber. An educational force that was so plainly manifest at our recent Farmers' Institute, when there upon the stage stood the city man and the country man, elbow to elbow, and to the eye of the stranger they could not be distinguished.

Do you wonder what this educational force is? The main trunk we name the Grange educator. The first branch from it we call the public road .improvement; the second branch we call rural mail delivery ; and the third branch we call the country telephone. All combined make a powerful educator.

Thus far our city has outstripped the country in material progress, as is evidenced by your many business houses, and your hustling business men ; by your stately churches and schoolhouses, manned by able God-fearing ministers and educators; by your daily newspapers which send the news twice each day, crisp and fresh, to the waiting public; and by your magnificent Public Library, thanks to thedonor, J. S. Brumback, the greatest of the kind in our nation.

But, members of the Business Men's League, I warn you now,—look well to your laurels. I stand upon the Public Square of your beautiful city and take a peep into the future; I look to the north; I see a small speck at the horizon. I look to the Southwest; I see another speck. I look to the northeast; I see another speck a little bit larger. I look to the west; there I see a spot—it gets larger, larger, larger. I look to the east; there .I see a cloud —it seems to be moving, it is moving, it comes nearer, nearer, nearer, it is the rural trolley car; loaded to its very door with living freight, it stops at the Public Square. Out springs a swarm of school children. They are the boys and girls from the country on their way to the city college. While standing there in my vision, another car comes flitting in frOm the west, another from the northeast, another from the southeast, another from the south and another from the north, all loaded down with the same precious burden. At eventime I board a car to go to the country ; it is filled to the doors with business men and school children, and the plain, busy country folks. Our line of travel is fenced with beautiful residences, with neatly kept lawns. We go on as if we were flying. I see a large building, larger than its fellows; it's the township high school where the country boys and girls are fitted for the city college.

We ride on still farther, we alight from the car at a modest but beautiful farm home. I touch the electric button ; my call is answered by a neatly dressed woman, whose every action indicates education and refinement. I am ushered into the sitting room, with its richly laid carpet and its beautiful furniture; the walls are decorated with beautiful pictures, showing domestic art in the highest degree. On one

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side stands an organ ; on another a piano. I look through the large arched doorway into the library; there I see a book-holder with a large volume in its embrace. T touch the spring and the book flies open ; I look at the title page and see, "The Farmers' Dictionary, revised edition." I turn a few pages, I see the word "auditor,"—"A skilled accountant, a public servant, an honest man, doing business for the good of all." I turn over a few more pages and come to "business man,"—"Not confined to the city ; the man with brains and energy, that does things for the good of society and the advancement of civilization."

I turn still farther. I look for "street broker,"—"A thing of the past; their place now supplanted by modern banking houses, owned and managed by honorable business men, who are willing to live and let live." I turn back a few pages. I see the word "lawyer,"—"An educated man, beautiful in his physiognomy, a toastmaster."

In conclusion, I will say I am proud of our city and country, and now extend a cordial invitation to each member of the Business Men's League, to come with their families and pay me a visit at my country home and we will try and have some doughnuts and pumpkin pies.

ST. JOHN'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH,

Better know as the Walborn Church is located three miles northeast of Van Wert in Hoaglin township.

Occasionally Lutheran services were held in the homes and schoolhouses from the year 1866, conducted by Revs. Cramer and Carbett.

The members being few and scattered, no regular pastor was called until the year 1872, at which time the church society organized and called Rev. John Snyder. In August,

1873, the cornerstone of the first church was laid. At this time the members (numbering 10 or 12), being few and apparently weak, met with many discouragements but through their unyielding efforts the church was completed and consecrated in 1874. This church was made possible by two persons, viz.: Jeremiah Dippery and Mrs. Louisa Walborn, who did not withhold hand or purse until the church was completed. The latter is the oldest member of the church today. Owing to the peculiar situation of the territory from which the church draws, because of its location, and the constant removal of its members, the membership never has been large.

During the pastorate of Rev. E. M. Potts early in the year 1900, the congregation resolved to build a new church. The cornerstone was laid June l0th of the same year and the structure was consecrated January 6, 1901. The building is an attractive one and a credit to its members, who at this date number 60.

The following ministers have served the congregation since the organization : Revs. John Snyder, T. W. Corbett, George Sill, L. M. McGreery, O. Reber, B. F. Hoefer, E.

M. Potts and H. N. Miller.

SKETCHES OF SOME OF THE PIONEERS.

James Harvey came to Van Wert County with his parents in 1841. After helping to clear their farm, he started out to earn one for himself, which was a slow process, as work was scarce and wages low. The writer well recollects when he was a boy that Mr. Harvey then about 17 years old, worked for his father, J. G. Gilliland, at 31 cents a day to pay for a cow Harvey's father had bought for $8. He put in a full month plowing corn and the writer followed, setting it up. After earning money enough to buy a piece of land and arranging

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a home, on October 20, 1850, he married Wilhelmina Reece. They raised a family and his sons are among the best farmers in Hoaglin township. Mr. Harvey owns a good farm and is now resting and enjoying a ripe old age. He has always held the respect and confidence of the community, in which he has lived the last 65 years.

O. H. Harvey came to Van Wert County In 1841, and it can hardly be said that he ever settled anywhere. In 1846 he married Zillabe Hoaglin, by whom he had 13 children. He built 22 houses for himself to live in, moved his family 25 times; and cleared not less than 150 acres of land in Van Wert County.

William Giffin came to Van Wert County when the north part of the county was mostly woods, with neither roads nor farms, and settled in Hoaglin township in the woods, where it required courage and hard work and plenty of it to make a home. He was county surveyor and for many years was called upon to survey for individuals.

He raised a large family. We have with us : D. J. Giffin, A. A. Giffin, I. N. Giffin and W. S. Giffin, names that are familiar to the citizens of the entire county. They are always the first and most active in all good works.

Henry Taylor came to Hoaglin township with his parents at an early day. He had his peculiarities and his faults, but his faults were his only defects and only injured himself. When he and his parents came to the county, they were poor and had not been here long when they ran out of provisions and money. Starvation, as Henry said, stared them in the face. They were strangers in a strange land; what neighbors they had were almost as poor as themselves. In this extremity Henry appealed to James G. Gilliland for help. Gilliland had no corn, which was all that was asked, but gave him a letter to a Mr. Cochran in Allen County, telling him to let Henry have all the corn he wanted and he would stand good for the pay. Henry got his corn and worked almost day and night at whatever he could get to do to get money to pay, and walked to the Auglaize River to carry the money to pay for the corn. Until they were able to clear land and raise a crop, Henry depended upon Mr. Gilliland for provisions and would drop his own work, no matter how urgent, to help Gilliland when called upon. He went even farther and, as long as he lived, he would go out of his way to do a favor for any of Mr. Gilliland's family.

Taylor had but little education, yet he was a good business man and accumulated considerable wealth. He was gifted with good mother wit and could hold his own with the best in repartee. In a conversation with the writer, one of his neighbors of many years said: "I have seen Henry tried and never found wanting, I have seen him on the witness stand when his own interests would have been served by withholding or coloring his testimony, but the truth and the whole truth came without hesitation. He was the friend of everybody, himself excepted possibly."

Elias Beamer came to Hoaglin township in 1839, being the third family to settle in the township. He was married to Delilah Eagy. They were very poor at first but industrious and honest. He was never at a loss for friends or help in time of need. His word when given was as sacred as an oath. He cleared up a farm, raised a family and died at the age of 75, leaving a character without a stain.