178 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. CHAPTER XXII. WOOD COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES-COUNTY FAIRS AND FAIR GROUNDS-WOOD COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY-WOOL GROWERS' ASSOCIATION-WOOD COUNTY SHEEP-BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION-WESTERN HORSE THIEF ASSOCIATION-PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY-COUNTY COUNCIL PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY-WOOD COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION-SOME ANNUAL FAIR STATISTICS-WOOD COUNTY FAIR COMPANY-FARMERS' INSTITUTE. AT Bowling Green, June 9, 1851, was organized the Wood County Agricultural Society (under a call issued by the farmers and mechanics of Middleton township on April 26, 1851), when a constitution of twelve articles and by-laws of five articles were adopted. The committees appointed to collect information were as follows: Perrysburg-S. Jefferson* and James Hood;* Middleton-Henry Hood* and Henry Sarvis;* Washington-Edwin Tuller and John Bamber;* Weston-A. P. Donaldson and G. E. Guyer; Milton-Daniel Barton and Alvin Clark; Jackson-J. B. Dunn and John Dubbs; Henry-W. W. Wiley and Jackson Wallace; Bloom-Edwin Gorton„ and John Russell; Liberty-Lewis H. Cass and John C. Wooster;* Center-A. B. Bradley and Peter Klopfenstein;* Portage-Joseph Clark and Samuel Johnson; Webster-John Fenton, Jr., and George Kellogg; Troy-H. L. Wood and Thomas Gorrill; Lake--John La Farree and Isaac Allen; Montgomery-Wilson Holcomb and William Chapman; Perry-Samuel Chilcote and J. G. Willard; Plain-J. W. Norton and Elijah Elliott;* Freedom--James Pember and H. A. Harris. John McMahan* was elected president; W. R. Peck, vice-president; E. Elliott,* recorder; George Powers*, correspondent, and John Bates,* treasurer. Elijah Elliott presided in 1851, Benjamin Olney,* David Ladd, Edwin Gorton,* Henry Hood* and John Groves being managers. The signers of the constitution, other than those WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 170 whose names are marked * as above, were Lee Moore, Simeon Eaton, David Whitney, Martin Warner, Jr., James Vangorder, Emilus Wood, John M. Hannon, Addison Fay, George Mercer, H. A. Payne, Galusha Lyon, Daniel Newton, Byron Bassett, John Hood, Patrick McIsaac, Mahlon Meeker, N. D. Blinn, Henry Hanford, J. R. Tracy, Theron Pike, Justus Simons, Nathan Moore, Henry Groves, H. P. Barnthistle, William Gorrill, Henry Huff, James Bloom, Henry Shively, Collister Haskins, Sidney L. Brewster, Caleb Lord, S. W. St.. John, Asher Cook, George L. Warner, M. B. Tracy, G. J. Poe, Joseph Stokeley, Thomas Jolly, William Minton and N. W. Minton. A meeting was held July 26, 1851, when it was resolved to hold a fair at Bowling Green. The fair was held October 15 and 16 in a grove north of Wooster, on Church street; prizes were awarded, and the following named officers were elected: Elijah Elliott, president; W. R. Peck, vice-president; George Powers and William Hood, secretaries; and John Bates, treasurer. In 1852 a show of farm products was made at Perrysburg, and in 1853 at Bowling Green. The fourth annual fair was held at Portageville, in October, 1854; but owing to the season of cholera preceding, and other causes, the meeting was far from being successful. The fifth annual fair was held at Portageville, in October, 1855; but the attendance was small, as the prevalence of chills, fever and ague militated against success, as they did in 1854. S. W. St. John was chosen president; C. Haskins, vice-president; Lee Moore, treasurer; Elijah Elliott, recorder; S. Johnson, correspondent; John Fay, John Groves, Daniel Newton, George E. Olney and Jeremiah Knowles, managers. In 1856 and 1857 Bowling Green was the site of the fair, and in the latter year a committee was instructed to locate suitable grounds. Their selection was discussed in July, 1858, when there were five directors for Bowling Green and two for Portageville. On this vote the fair of that year was held at Bowling Green, but the location was so unsatisfactory to many that the friends of Portage organized a separate agricultural society, and made an exhibit there in "Sargeant's Grove " in 1859. In 186o Perrysburg was selected, and the year after the war land was purchased at Tontogany, and permanent fair grounds established there. The presidents of. the society from 1851 to the present time, so far as Secretary Avery can give the names, are written as follows: John McMahan, 1851; Elijah Elliott, 1852; David Ladd, 1853; Martin Warner, 1854; S. W. St. John, 1855; George Williams, 1857; Lee Moore, 1858; Tobias Rudesill, 1859; John Bates, 1860; Daniel Newton, 1863; George Powers, 1865; J. W. Ross, 1872; Edwin Tuller, 1874: Ed. B. Beverstock, 1877; H. C. Strow, 1879; Edwin Tuller, 1881; C. W. McDonald, 1882; C. A. Powers, 1884; Edwin Tuller, 1886; Frank Powell, 1887; Joel Foote, 1888; and Frank Powell, 1889-94. The office of secretary has been filled by the following citizens: Elijah Elliott, recording, and George Powers, corresponding, 1851; George Powers and William Hood, 1852; Elijah Elliott and S. Johnson, 1855; Elijah Elliott, A. P. Donaldson, and George Powers, 1857; Samuel Johnson and George Powers, 1858; S. Johnson and Martin Warner, 1859; J. W. Ross, 1863; Martin Warner, 1865; J. O. Avery, 1873; George Powers, 1874 (died during term of office); J. O. Avery, 1874; W. H. Wood, 1875; J. O. Avery, 1878; George S. Kuder, 1887, and J. S. Matthews, 1889. In February, 1885, steps were taken to consolidate the Wood County Fair Company (which had started a fair at Bowling Green in 1881) and the Agricultural Society. By the terms of the agreement, the consolidated societies hold their fair jointly on the Bowling Green Co.'s grounds, though each, by the terms, retains its charter. Wood County Fair Association.-The incorporators of this association, who signed the articles May 2, 1881, were Earl W. Merry, John R. Hankey, C. H. Lehman, A. E. Royce, A. J. Manville, J. B. Newton, R. W. McMahan, James V. Owens, A. W. Rudulph, F. H. Boughton, D. W. H. Day and R. S. Lease. The objects of the association, as set forth, are the promotion and advancement of agriculture, horticulture, stock-growing and the mechanical and fine arts. On May 6, 1881, the Secretary of State signed the act of incorporation and one of the most successful organizations, known in this county, was launched. On July 11, 1881, the following named officers were elected: A. J. Manville, president; M. P. Brewer, secretary; and Earl W. Merry, treasurer, with T. H. Lawhead, R. W. McMahan, R. S. Lease and J. W. Canary, directors. In November, the deed from Charles and R. W. Gorrill, for the W. of the N. E. . of Sec. 24, T. 5, R. 10, except the north 20 acres, was accepted, and an order to pay them $1, 50o cash, and a note, at two years, for $2,500, made on the treasurer of the association. In January, 1882, J. R. Hankey took the place of R. S. Lease on the directory. At this time rules for the government of the society were adopted, and, in March 180 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. following, a series of by-laws. The president, secretary and treasurer were re-elected in 1883; but, in 1884, R. W. McMahan was elected president, F. A. Baldwin, secretary, and J.. D. Bolles, treasurer, and they, with A. E. Royce, Harvey Lawhead, W. M. Tuller and John R. Hankey, formed the board of directors. In 1885, John W. Canary was elected president, the secretary and treasurer re-elected, and they, with J. B. Newton, G. C. Phelps, Chris Lehman, G. W. Hedges and G. W. Gaghan, formed the directory. The presidents of the association for the last decade are named as follows: J. B. Newton, 1886-1889; J. D. Bolles, 1887-1888; A. E. Royce, 189o; Frank A. Baldwin, 1891; A. E. Royce, 1892-1896. The directors chosen in January, 1896, were A. E. Royce, W. R. Noyes, J. G. Hickox, Hugh Stewart, John Troxell, James Ordway and J. O. Troup. The secretaries: F. A. Baldwin, 1886; Robert Dunn; 1887; F. A. Baldwin, appointed July 25, 1887: R. C. Wilson, 1888; Guy C. Nearing, 1889-189o; J. B. Newton, 1891-1892, and William R. Noyes, 1893-1896. The treasurers: J. D. Bolles, 1886; James O. Troup, 1887-1888; R. W. McMahan, 1889-1890-1891; and James G. Hickox, 18921896. The receipts from the annual fair, from 1884 to 1894, are given as follows: $3,889.30 received in 1884; $4,052.45 in 1885; $4,298.05 in 1886; $4,656.24 in 1887; $3,908.80 in 1888; $5,909.70 in 1889; $6,576.93 in 1890; $6,786.15 in 1891; $7,356.53 in 1892; $7,061.30 in 1893; and 7,389.26 in 1894, while the receipts from all sources were $7,945.99. The Wood County Horticultural Society was organized February 14, 1856, with H. P. Averill, president; Gilbert Beach and Eber Wilson, vice-presidents; J. S. Norton, treasurer; A. M. Thompson, corresponding, and George Powers, recording, secretary. The directors chosen were David Wilkison, P. McIsaac, John Bates, Wm. Houston, John Robertson, Thomas S. Carman, W. V. Way and Martin Warner. At that time there were no such fruit-growers in northwestern Ohio as G. W. Klopfenstein, and, for the want of such men, the society fell to pieces. The Wool Growers' Association of Lucas and Wood counties was organized in February, 1866, but few of Wood county's citizens interested themselves in its objects. R. C. Thompson was elected president; A. P. Read, vice-president; H. Kellogg, treasurer; James W. Ross, secretary; Eber Bradley, James J. Smith and F. R. Warren, directors. The Wood County Sheep Breeders Association was in existence some years prior to 1885. Thomas Knight, A. E. Royce, J. D. Anderson, Amos Stover, George Knauss, George C. Phelps, William Tuller, Robert Miller, and the secretary, J. B. Newton, were among its active members. The third annual meeting was held in June, 1885, when Levi Kramer was elected president; J. Bender, treasurer; and J. B. Newton, secretary. The Western Horse Thief Association was organized in June, 1853, when the following named members signed the constitution: Smith Bassett, Alexander Pugh, Emanuel Arnold, David Pettys, H. R. Pratt, A. Smith, J. N. Mead, Alva Gillett,' S. C. McDonald, Simon G. Long, John Walters, Joel Foote, Abram Bassett, Alexander Brown, Asa Wright, George Laskey, Peter Dull, J. McKee, A. P. Donaldson, William Pratt, Benjamin Olney, Samuel Older, Ebenezer Donaldson, George Kimberlin, Samuel Clymer, Jacob Walters, James T. Martin, Thomas Junkins, William Bassett, and George Hospelhorn. Smith Bassett was president, and H. R. Pratt, secretary, in 1854. Almost twenty years before this Society was organized one existed in Liberty township, the members of which are named in the chapter on that township. The Patrons of Husbandry organized in 1874, and their second annual reunion was held in August, 1875, when Thomas Mawer, of Washington township, delivered the address, and the Harvest Home Festival was celebrated by 4,000 persons. In August, 1874, the first annual meeting of the Patrons was held at the Bowling Green fair grounds, when less than half that number of people attended. There were then only thirteen Granges in the county, with a membership of 600; while at the second meeting nineteen granges, claiming 1,100 members were represented. The names of several associations are given as follows, beginning with the "Pioneer" of Weston township, which was organized September 18, 1873; Pioneer, of Weston; Custar, of Milton; Enterprise, of Washington; Pleasant Ridge, of Plain and Liberty; North Plain, of Washington and Plain; Sugar Ridge, of Center; Hull's Prairie, of Middleton; Live Oak, of Liberty and Milton; Glenn, of Center and Webster; Bloom, of Bloom; Hammansburg, of Bloom and Henry; Hoytville, of Jackson and Henry; West Creek, of Jackson; Prairie, of Weston; Liberty, of Liberty; Prospect, of Montgomery; Bellville Ridge, of Perrysburg; and Webster, of Webster; all formed the County Grange, of which S. R. Junkins was then master. The records of a few of the granges have been brought to light, WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 181 and the result of an examination of them given in the township chapters. The County Council Patrons of Husbandry was organized at Pleasant Ridge, March 14, 1874, with seven granges. E. Brisbin, of Prairie Grange, was elected president, with A. Brisbin, secretary. Guy C. Nearing, C. P. Fox, A. Hampshire, A. B. Abbott, S. R. Junkins, A. Ferguson, A. Rowland, M. Lane and J. Champion were also council officers. This society of agriculturalists is in existence; but the few subordinate councils or granges may be said to be supreme in their lodges. The Wood County Fair Company made the first exhibit in October, 1882. Fruit, vegetables, grain, stock, agricultural implements, carriages, and even a printing office, were all gathered on the Fair grounds. The first daily paper of Wood county was printed and sold on the grounds: Its four pages, each 131 x 101 inches, were filled with interesting fair and local news, nearly a column being devoted to the preparations making. by Sheriff Reid for the execution of Carl Bach. The Farmers' Institute, organized in 1889, holds an annual meeting for the discussion of subjects relating to the garden and farm. The Fifth Institute was held in December, 1894. In January, 1896, Joseph Gray was elected president; William Hannah, vice-president; Mrs. J. L. Kramer, secretary; J. D. Halsey, treasurer; W. H. Tracy, G. W. Callin, H. C. Strow, J. J. Hopper and Robert Place, executive committee. RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE