212 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. CHAPTER XXVII. BOWLING GREEN. PREAMBLE-SETTLEMENT AND NOMENCLATURE [FROM THE PEN OF C. W. EVERS-EARLY TRADERS -REMINISCENCES OF MRS. J. A. SHANNON-BUSINESS CIRCLES, 1866-1876-SCHOOLS MODERN BUILDINGS-MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS-FIRE DEPARTMENT-GAS COMPANY-AN EXPLOSION-BOWLING GREEN'S PIONEER RAILROAD--CHURCHES-CEMETERIES-MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES. THE seat of justice of Wood county, near its geographical center, is admirably located for the purposes of trade and commerce, as well as for the administration of county affairs. Two railroad lines, with their branches, bring the town within forty minutes' ride of the southern and northern townships, while a stone road, running east, insures to the people of Center and adjoining townships a good thoroughfare at all seasons, and easy access to this central trading place. Prior to 1870, the present busy town was a quiet hamlet. In that year the Census enumerator found 906 inhabitants there. Ten years after there were 1,539 inhabitants credited to the corporation, while in 1890, no less than 3,467 residents were reported. The population in the fall of 1895 was alleged to exceed 4,000. Basing the number of inhabitants on the number of voters (911 votes cast for candidates for commissioner) in November, 1895, the population, at that date, must have been a little above the 4, 000 mark. In 1890 there were 786 dwelling houses in the town for the 797 families reported. Within the past six years many modern houses have been built, bringing the total up to 1,000 dwellings, few, if any, of which are tenantless. The construction of business houses has been carried on, until now the business center extends from Mt. Ararat northward to a point near the last location of John M. Hannon's pioneer tavern. A reference to the chapters on Plain and Center townships will show the order in which the Martindales, Thurstins, Moores, Hollingtons, Shivelys, Walkers, Stauffers, Richards, Tracys, Hartmans, Booths, Mackies, Manvilles, St. Johns, and other pioneer families settled on or near the site of the present town of Bowling Green. The chapters named will also present to the reader the story of pioneer days in this vicinity, the names of the men and women who ventured down from Mt. Ararat to clear the wilderness and make it ready for their children; of the men who converted it into the most favored land in Ohio, and of the stern, honest fellows who governed the two little republics from which the town of Bowling Green was detached in 1855. In this chapter it is proposed to deal with the settlement as well as with the social and commercial development of the area within the limits of the corporation. Legends and records have been compelled to enter the service of the chroniclers, and every measure that care could suggest has been taken to insure accuracy; so that this pleasant and prosperous town may be given a chapter complete in historical details and authentic in every particular. The introductory to the story of the village, written by C. W. Evers, in September, 1895, and published in the Tribune, tells of settlement and nomenclature. The first time white men came to disturb the forest solitudes where Bowling Green now stands, was in June, 1812, when Hull's army passed here, marching from Dayton to Detroit. That column of troops, preceded by guides, scouts and axemen, followed in turn by the cavalry battalion, with its gaudy pennons, escorting the commanding general, with his gaily uniformed staff retinue; then the infantry, field bands, artillery and trains formed a pageant which even today would attract all Bowling Green to the east side of town, about where the T. & O. C. railway track lies. That is about on the line the troops held, until near Ridge street, when they turned a little to the west, coming out on the Maumee nearly opposite Waterville. That was the first wagon trail through the interior of Wood county, and the only one for the two succeeding decades. The land was then owned by the Indians. After the war, in 1817, at a treaty at the Foot of the Maumee Rapids, described elsewhere in these pages, the United States bought the land, at a price slightly less than four cents an acre, and in 1819 sent surveyors here, which was the second appearance of white men on official business. In 1821 the final surveys were completed, and the plats made, when the lands were ready for market. Unfortunately the Black-Swamp country, after the war of 1812, had a worse reputation, if possible, than ever; the soldiers and others who had been here told horrible stories about it. Few buyers of land came-none to the interior of the county. Those who stopped invariably located on or near WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 213 the river; so that, aside from roving parties of Indian hunters and occasional white fur-traders, or the weekly trips of the old Bellefontaine mail carrier, the interior of the county was practically unknown, and shunned by settlers for more than a decade after its survey. Prior to the year 1828, Collister Haskins, at Portage, was the only settler between Findlay and the Maumee settlement. Some few entries were made in Plain and Center in 1831, as noticed in the histories of those townships, but the pioneer entry in the present corporation was made October 29, 1832, by Elisha Martindale; the tract, forty acres, in the northwest part of the town, described as the S. E. 1/4 of N. W. 1/4, Sec. 24, Plain, lying on both sides of Haskins road or street, is known now as the Clinton Fay place. Martindale later bought 120 acres more; he built his cabin, where the present " Fay House " stands, near the great willow tree, just west of the road, the following spring, 1833. Careful inquiry has failed to discover evidence of any cabin here prior to that date; Lee Moore, Henry Walker, Jacob Stauffer and others came and built in the summer and fall of 1833. Alfred Thurstin began his cabin in November, 1833, as did Joseph Hollington, Sr.; but so far as known the Martindale cabin was the first, and stood on the first land entry, in what is now Bowling Green. Dropping now the order of dates of entry, we will begin in the south part of town, west side, and note the names of early Main street owners. Next north of what is called the Joseph Bender road, S. E. of Sec. 30, a quarter section was entered by Joseph Hollington, Sr., August 5,1833; later called the Tooker farm. The N. E. corner of this tract is on Main street, opposite the Napoleon road, which latter is on half section line instead of section line, as believed by many. The next entry was by Benjamin Reed, the N. E. 1/4 of Sec. 30, Plain, extending north to Pearl street. This tract was afterward sold to Samuel and J. M. Lamb. Still north, between Pearl and Wooster streets, the half of S. E. 1/4, Sec. 24, Plain, cornering at Gaghan's block, was purchased in the name of Stephen Ward, April 18. 1833, and afterward sold to Thomas Tracy; it is the second oldest entry in the corporation. North of Main street, still in Sec. 24, Plain, Henry Walker entered forty acres, November 25, 1833, and in June following all the balance of the Main-street frontage, to the Poe road, which is the section line. Thos. Tracy after a time became owner of the south part of this purchase of Walker's. Just north of the Poe road Andrew Race entered the corner forty in Sec. 13, Plain, now in name of Culver and Carl. Across the street in Sec. 18, Center, Jonathan Fay, October 3, 1833, entered eighty acres cornering on Main street and Poe road. Starting south from that road, Henry Walker, on August 5, 1833, entered the whole Main-street front to Ridge street, being W. Pt. of N. W. 1/4, Sec. 19, Center. In 1835, Walker sold this tract, about 109 acres, to Robert Barr, who afterward deeded the north twenty acres to his daughter, who was the wife of John M. Hannon. From Ridge street south to the section line at Pearl is the Main-street frontage of Alfred Thurstin's entry, 109 acres and over, made November 2, 1833, being W. Pt. S. W. 1/4 of Sec. 19, Center. Joining Thurstin on the south, Lee Moore, September 16, 1833, entered the whole Main-street frontage of Sec. 30, Center, south to the Bender road, except that of the forty-acre tract lying south of the Napoleon road, which was booked to George Wickham. This latter tract has since been in the name of Charles Petford, James Smith and others. These few notes from the land entry books, though not including all entries embraced in the present corporation of Bowling Green, neither the names of all purchasers, are yet sufficient to afford the reader some idea of the pioneer real-estate men of the town, and when they first came. Some, perhaps only one or two, of all those named, bought merely for speculation. Most came in quest of homes. Some tried life here, got tired of it and left. Of those faithful ones who remained to buffet with adversity and fight the battle that was eventually to make a town here, of which they never even dreamed, perhaps, most, alas!, have passed from this stage of action; their toils and trials have ceased. They did their part bravely and well; their work of subduing the wilderness, more than half a century ago, and its results, are before us to-day. Their descendants and successors surely have just cause to remember them with respect and pride. If the story of their humble start in the race, and their faithful stewardship to the end, shall inspire us with the ambition to do our part as well, then this story will not have been told in vain. A glance at the land entry books shows the rapid influx of settlers from 1833 to 1836 or '37. That was an era of speculation. Everyone had a mania to buy land; but the money panic and business crash of 1837 brought it to a sudden end. That was a paralytic stroke from which the western country did not entirely recover until the California gold discovery, more than a decade later. Wood county was especially prostrated. There was nothing here that the people could sell, not even their homes, but there was most everything in the way of necessities, even, to buy. There was in those gloomy years little to inspire hope; there was much to thwart and discourage effort. By the middle of the year 1834 the ridges and higher spots, within a radius of three miles of this place, were mostly patented from the government, and in many instances the owner had built and occupied his cabin on his new purchase. This brought the population largely to the west and north, where the most ridges lay. The mail carrier between Perrysburg and Bellefontaine passed on the old army trail once each week, at first every two weeks, and this group of settlers petitioned for a post office in their midst; they were a little distrustful, however, that Collister Haskins, of Portage, might not approve of the move, and went about it a little cautiously. The story of this enterprise incidentally reveals how the village was given its name. The civil history of a town is but the biography of its founders and their successors, in which every incident, sometimes the most trivial, has an interest to the dwellers therein. Not only the name of a town, but what or who suggested that name, often becomes of interest. Since Bowling Green has become the thriving seat of justice of one of the most prosperous counties in Ohio, inquiry is often made how it happened that it was so named. For the first time in history the story is here related, with the incidents that led to the naming, as told to the writer by two of the pioneers who had a part in it at the time, and several others who knew all the circumstances. Bowling Green was christened after or for the capital town of Warren county, Ky., by Joseph Gordon, a veteran mail carrier of pioneer days. O one who performed so important a part in our infantile state, we naturally ask, who was he? In his paper, the Findlay Courier, January, 1847, William Mungen wrote editorially of Gordon s follows: "Joseph (Chauncey) Gordon was born in Allegheny county, Penn., January 29, 1784. In the year 1801 he commenced carrying the mail on horseback, from Russellville, Ky., via Bowling Green, to Glasgow, a distance of eighty-five miles, once in two weeks, for which he received twelve dollars a month. In 1802 he took the contract to carry the mail from Shelbyville, Ky., to Nashville, Tenn. In consequence of the route being changed, he carried the mail only two months. From that time till October, 1804, he carried it from Shelbyville to Russellville, Ky. In October, 1804, he commenced carrying the mail on horseback from Wheeling, Va., to George Beymers,' in Ohio, a distance of fifty miles, with a led horse and a heavy mail on each. In 1805-6 he carried the mail from Wheeling, through St. Clairsville, Zanesville, and New Lancaster, to Chillicothe. In February, 1823, he commenced on the route between Bellefontaine and Perrysburg, a distance of eighty-one miles, through a wilderness, there being but one family residing in Hardin county, and but one post office on the route, at Findlay. Mr. Gordon was the only contractor on this route from February 7, 1823, to December 31, 1839. Since 1839 lie has carried the mail semi weekly from Bellefontaine to this place, fifty-five miles." Jacob Stauffer's cabin here was the central point of the new post office movement. Henry Walker, son-in-law of Stauffer, was to be the postmaster. The Walkers and Stauffers occupied the same cabin; it stood on the high ridge just east of Main street, not far north of Merry avenue, close to where Dr. E. P. Thomas' house is to-day. Gordon, on one of his northward trips, had stopped at Stauffer's, as was his usual 214 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. custom, in passing; the petition for the new office was ready, except that the movers, two or three of whom were present, had not yet agreed upon a name. The old mail carrier, who stood on the cabin steps listening to the discussion, said to Stauffer, half jestingly: "If you will give me a tumbler of cider I'll give you just the name." Stauffer, who had brought out a keg of cider from Columbiana county, filled a glass and handed it to Gordon; the latter, briefly explaining how appropriate the name he would suggest was to the landscape about them, said, with a sweep of his arm, "Here's to the new post office of Bowling Green," swallowed the cider and was in the act of mounting his horse when those present detained him a moment while they could write a name in the petition, which was the one he had suggested. The papers were soon folded, and on their way to Perrysburg for some additional endorsements, after which they were sent to Washington. The office was established March 12,1834. In 1835, when Walker sold his place, he and the Stauffers moved over to the west side of Main street, where the office was kept for a time, since when it has had many different locations and masters. Afterward, in 1855, when the village was incorporated, there seemed no good reason why it should not take the same name as the postoffice. Aside from school and church work Bowling Green had but little history prior to the time she was incorporated that does not properly come within the purview of the histories of Plain and Center townships. Robert Mackie's store enterprise at the Napoleon road, in the south part of town, intended as the nucleus of the village of Mt. Ararat, never, under its various proprietors, met expectations. John Hannon in the north end, with his tavern and blacksmith shop, did not attract village neighbors about him. When, in 1846 or 1847, Dr. E. D. Peck sent L. C. Locke out here to start a mercantile enterprise, most of the settlers were sure it would he a failure; the proprietors did not feel sanguine; for the stock was opened on a very small scale in a little room in one corner of a tavern, called" White Hall," on the west side of Main street, just north of where a hotel called the "American House" has since stood. A man named Gossett kept the hotel then. Locke soon felt encouraged to call on his partner for larger quarters. Then was Mt. Ararat's chance for resurrection. Locke tried to buy out Simeon Eaton & Co., who were sort of successors to Mackie, though in a better building and on the east side of Main street. The owners declined to sell, and the star of Mt. Ararat sank to rise no more. Locke bought an acre of Alfred Thurstin, including that part of the east side of Main street from the First National Bank, south, and taking in the opera house, and there built a store and residence under one roof; his trade was prosperous, and not long after he was appointed postmaster, and a little later built and operated an ashery, the first manufacturing enterprise begun in the village, if we except Caleb Lord's cabinet shop. Locke, by his enterprise, had practically determined where the center of the village would be. Any one who came in after that, and wanted to go into business, located as near Locke's store as he could get. Early Traders.-On January 16, 1835, George Wickham sold to Robert Mackie one acre on the N. W. corner of the N. W. 1/4 the S. W. 1/4 of Sec. 30, Center; while, on' June 25, 1836, Joseph Hollington sold to Louisa M. Mackie, a small tract in the S. E. 1/4 of Sec. 25, Plain, thus giving the Mackies a location on each side of the State road. Lee Moore deeded to Mrs. Mackie, on June 30, 1836, a tract of 41.70 acres in the S. W. 1/4 of the S. W. 1/4 of Sec. 31, Center township, with frontage on the State road. Mackie built, on the Wickham tract, a log barn in 1835, and, about the same time, a log house on the east line of Sec. 25, Plain, in the extreme N. E. corner of the S. E. 1/4, almost opposite the point where the Napoleon road leaves Main street. On November 5, 1836, the Mackies deeded to Dr. Eli Manville, in consideration of $200 paid, the tract beginning on the S. W. corner of the N. W. 1/4 of Sec. 30, in Center township, except the lots previously sold by Mackie to Jacob Hartman and Neptune Nearing, and the lots deeded to the township trustees for a school building site. At the same time, Mackie sold to Manville one acre in Sec. 25, Plain township, commencing at a stake on the State road, extending forty-six links nearly S. E. from the S. E. corner of the frame house built by the grantor. On November 5, 1836, he conveyed to Manville one acre in the extreme N. W. corner of the S. W. 1/4 of Sec. 30, and accepted in payment for these tracts, In-lots Nos. 9 and 46 in the town of Miltonville, the price named being $1,000. These transactions, with the fact that Mackie was licensed in 1835 and 1836 to sell goods, leave no doubt whatever regarding Mackie's ownership of lands on Mt. Ararat, the establishment of a store and the erection of a frame house at that point by him. His sale of all real estate to Dr. Manville, late in 1836, is also of record; while the fact that he was the first merchant is authenticated by many pioneers. A mercantile license was issued to Eli Manville in 1837, which was renewed in 1838. He was a popular physician, druggist and general merchant, and the successor of the pioneer dealer. Wolverton, the Indian doctor, was here then, as he had been prior to 1837, while northward a distinct settlement existed in the neighborhood of the post office. The old '' Mackie House " became the property of Simeon Eaton, of Maumee. Simeon Eaton, who married the widow of Jonathan Fay, in September, 1844, built the square-roofed house nearly on the opposite side of the street, afterward known as the " Gilmour House," to which he removed his stock of goods in 1843, and which store was kept until some time in 1856, the last proprietor being the late Alex. Selkirk. As shown in the record of old merchants of the county, Eaton was licensed to keep store in 1844. The last public purpose for which the Mackie place was used was when G. Z. Avery kept a tavern there in 1852-53, and the 4th of July " doings " there that year was a shooting match for a bear. The Underwoods used it in 1855 as a dwelling house; then Drake, the blacksmith. It was torn down in 1894. John M. Hannon kept the first tavern. He afterward lived on and owned what has since been known as the Huff place, in the WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 215 north part of town, later owned by F. Renz. Hannon was a " character " in that day, and no one who knew him can forget him for his outlandish eccentricity. He was a thick-set, roundheaded, compact man, with short curly hair and piercing black eyes. He seldom wore a hat or coat, and was often without shoes. He lived at home more like an Arab than a white man. A part of his humble habitation was windowless, and was shared with the chickens for a roost. He seemed to prefer this mode of life, though it ill suited his wife. If there were an old, crooked legged, ill-shapen horse in the country, Hannon was sure to get it, and his gear of ropes, strings, straps and hickory bark, with wagon to correspond, would shame a Florida cracker. It was said of him derisively that he could tie on a horse's shoe with a dry elder withe. Jacob Eberly was the first blacksmith in Center, and consequently the first in the Bowling Green district; but Jacob Whitmore was undoubtedly the first regular one in the village; though Hannon gave some attention to his trade before Whitmore appeared. John Whitehead, of Plain township, made tables and chairs for many years, and may be called the cabinet maker of the settlement; though Caleb Lord and his partner, Bailey, opened the first regular cabinet shop on or near the site of the Commercial Bank building of the present day. John Drake, the third blacksmith, worked near the Mackie store for some years, and in 1848 purchased Jacob Whitmore's shop for $150. Being unable to pay $100 of the purchase money, he migrated to Fort Leavenworth, in 1850, earned a fair sum of money there, and returning the same year carried on business " at the old stand" for a long period, and became a famous maker of plow shares. E. I. Carr's wagon-shop was the next industry. He erected a shop north of the old Burns house of later days, in 1848 or 1849, but moved to California that year or in 1850. Ed. Gossett, a painter by trade, and an instructor in band music, was the next landlord, and kept house in a little frame building on the corner where the old " American " stood, in the north part of town. It went by the name of "White Hall," and burned down some years ago. It was in a corner room of that building that L. C. Locke opened out a little stock of goods in 1846, some say '47, where he remained until the Hood building was completed for use. To show how accidental the location of the town at this particular place was, it may be here stated that Locke tried to buy land for his store, of Jacob Hartman, opposite the " Gilmour House " (north of it), nearly or quite three-fourths of a mile south of the corners at the "Lease House." During the early part of Fillmore's Presidency, Locke was appointed postmaster, and his store soon became general headquarters in the settlement. Locke occupied a part of the building for a residence. The building, though since much unproved in extent and appearance, was considered quite an extravagant affair here in those days. judge Cook, who was then a young wail, a plasterer by trade, cause out from Perrysburg and plastered the walls for Locke. The records of deeds throw a light on real estate transactions, at and round the "corners " in 1837, 1846 and 1848. On August 12, 1837, Joseph Wade sold to Theron Pike two acres, Sec. 18, T. 5, R. 11, situate in the S. E. of N. W. and N. E. of S. W. 1/4, except a small piece in the extreme N. W. of S. E. Locke & Peck bought an acre from Alfred Thurstin on east side of Main street, September 14, 1846, where is now the First National Bank, and one-half acre ill 1847. William G. Lamb sold for $70, on January 25, 1848, to Theron and Thomas M. Pike, a tract of one acre and thirty-two rods of the N. E. corner of S. E.1/4. of S. E. 1/4, Sec. 24, Plain, and they also bought twelve rods on the west side of Main street, south of Wooster, and sixteen rods back. On February 25, 1852, William Lewis bought the present Milliken corner from Alfred Thurstin, for $50, which he sold the same day to Thomas M. Pike. The Locke store rose above primitiveness fore the close of 1848, and drew custom from the traders of Portage, New Rochester and of her trading points outside Perrysburg. He established an ashery on a large scale, and thus provided profitable employment for a number of men. He exchanged general merchandise for farm products, and became a forwarding agent as well as a merchant. To his enterprise and business ability the importance of the little hamlet known as Bowling Green, of 1848, must be credited, and it is not a matter for surprise to hear old settlers say that were it not for Locke there would be no town between Portage and Perrysburg. The Pikes, Theron and Thomas M., purchased the land known as " Gaghan's Corner," and " Younker's Drug Store," early in 1848, and, the same year, Thomas M. Pike built a little frame house, in which he installed a small stock of goods; the same which Mrs. Maria Pike carried on in later' days. The reminiscences of Mrs. J. A. Shannon (Lucy Bassett) speak of the village as she knew it early in the " fifties." " I taught here," she 216 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. said, "in the summer of 1853 and '54, but was not the first teacher in the old school house. It was well adorned with ink stains and knife marks when I began my work there. Mrs. Maria Pike kept a small store on Gaghan's Corner, and there were no houses going west until you reached the brick one where Mrs. Gorrill now lives. It was then occupied by the widow Tracy and her son-in-law, Isaiah Norton. Mrs. T. was the mother of J. R. Tracy, of Toledo. Going east from Alfred Thurstin's corner, now Lincoln & Son's drug store, was a little stone house occupied by a Frenchman named Donzey (now the Crim place), and the next house was where Mrs. D. Noyes now lives. From the old Lamb place, now Ordway, there was no house until you reached Lee Moore's. James Lamb then lived in a log house on the high knoll opposite Moore's. Dr. Lamb lived in a log house just north of Mrs. Laura Smith's; and in a log house, standing near where A. E. Royce once lived, David Lee then lived. Capt. Locke then kept the store and post office in the 'Hood House.' Mr. George Thomas was then building the hotel on the corner, while he fed and housed the tired and hungry in what in the 'eighties ' was the ' Commercial House,' in the north part of the town. Dr. Rogers lived where J. V. Owens now does, and the widow Lowell occupied a log house nearly opposite. I think there was no house between A. Thurstin's and Mrs. Lowell's on the east side of the road. The children from the families of Messrs. Poe, George Williams, J. H. Thurstin and Peter Richards, came to that old school house. The next year (1854), Mr. Thomas occupied his new hotel-later the Lease House'--and G. Z. Avery the one in the north part of town." During the ensuing decade very few changes took place in the commercial or business circle. From 1861 to 1865 a few new men became identified with the village. After Appomattox a few more located here, and in 1866 began to make their presence felt. Ordway & Truesdale established a saw and flouring-mill in January, 1862, and placed Perry Thomas in charge. In the flouring-mill were one run of stone for buckwheat and two for wheat. There were no demands in those days for patent flour; the people lived to work and eat, to be strong and healthy, so that the coarse products of the buhrs suited the appetites of 1862, as well as that of the roller-mill does the appetites of 1896, if not better. The business circle in 1866 comprised S. L. Boughton (merchant and P. M.), C. F. Button, William Hood and A. A. Thurstin, general merchants; Dr. George W. Vail, or Vail & Fookes, clothing dealers; Reed & Rodgers and L. H. Burns, grocers; George W. Scovill, dealer in sewing machines; Addison Fay (later Grin & Fay), dealer in boots and shoes; Owens & Getman, dealers in dry goods, boots and shoes and harhware (dissolved partnership in 1867, J. V.. Owens continuing the business); Rogers & Manville, druggists; S. S. Thomas, photographer; Miss Stove, milliner; Lee and Joseph Klopfenstein and Samuel G. Hopkins, lime-kiln operators; Charles Noyes and Caleb Lord, furniture dealers; Luce & Stearns, jewelers; Curren & Sares, meat market; Clippinger's tannery; I). H. Richards succeeded Richards & Cooley; G. Z. Avery carried on the Bowling Green and Tontogany and the Bowling Green & Findlay stage lines, while J. Ames owned the Bowling Green & Haskins hack line, with headquarters at the "Prairie House," Haskins. In 1867, Rudulph & Sons occupied William Hood's old store; H. Huffman established himself in the hardware business; A. Selkirk in the boot and shoe trade; Kitchen, Yonker & Lindsay carried on the planing-mill and sash and door factory, and Isaac Clay, to whom G. Z. Avery sold his hotel in November, 1866, became a factor in the life of the village. In 1868, Aaron Coggeshall established his butcher shop, and Simeon Pierce his barber shop. Lewis H. Cass, of Cass' Corners, offered his stock of merchandise for sale in February, 1868; I. B. Banks advertised his Weston store, and Feagles & Cunning their Haskins store. In 1871, mention is made of Hugh Cargo, the landlord of the "American House;'' Clifford's hack line; Hull & Smith's boot and shoe store; A. E. Ebersole, druggist; Reed & Beverstock, bankers; F. R. Gafkey, manufacturer of doors, sash and blinds; and William A. Whitaker, postmaster. Two years later, J. D. Whitaker advertised his drug store; Reed & Martin, their grocery, and wagon factory; Gedney & Gibbs, their drug store; L. Sader's drain-tile factory; Fred Eaton & Co.'s drygoods house. The business circle in Centennial year embraced George W. Gaghan, Beverstock & Merry, Evers & Rudulph, H. H. Callin, F. Eaton, and H. H. Yonker, named above, with C. F. Bell and Frederick & Kinney, dealers in boots and shoes; Peter Tisseur, jeweler; C. H. Lehman, dealer in meats; Hankey & White, clothing merchants; William Goit, tinner and dealer in hardware; A. E. Royce, dealer in farm produce; Z. G. Callin, harness-maker; Mrs. Albright, milliner; A. J. Orme, owner of planing and shingle mill; William Wade, dealer in boots and shoes; A. J. WOOD COUNTY, OHIO - 217 Needel, owner of flouring-mill; R. S. Lease, of the "Lease House; " James Blake, bakery and restaurant; A. H. Boardman, pump-maker; G. H. Ross, restaurant; English & Shuler, flouring-mill owners ; J. W. Campbell, cider manufacturer; Alexander Shields, contractor and builder; Learning & Latshaw, druggists; Samuel Slocum, maker of picture frames; George Kirk and W. H. Wood, surveyors; W. M. Wakefield and R. Bates, blacksmiths; and the newspaper publishers, physicians and lawyers named in other chapters. Schools.-The reminiscences of the first school at Bowling Green, written by the late Joseph Hollington, and published in the Sentinel in 1884, drew attention to a most interesting subject, and brought the majority of the surviving pupils together, in July and August, 1895, to discuss the question fully. Alfred Thurstin, the owner of the house in which school was held, is the owner also of the house in which the old pupils assembled on July 31, 1895. Nathan Moore, Samantha (Shively) Richards and Ambrose Hollington, with C. W. Evers and others, were present, and the following story of the pioneer school was declared correct: The first Thurstin cabin was partially completed in 1833. It was of the regulation size and style, being a log structure, 15 x 20 feet in floor area, chinked with mud and covered with shakes held in place by weight-poles. The puncheon floor was down, and in this condition the builder left it, hoping to make the place his home when he would return in 1834 or 1835. During the summer of 1834 the residents of the locality determined to organize a school, and hiring a teacher (as some say, a female instructor; as others, S. W. Hanson, of Maumee) they sent their children en masse to gather up the crumbs of wisdom which might fall from the tongue of the pedagogue. The pupils were: Eliza, Maria and Louisa Martindale, Henrietta and Phoebe Moore, Nathan and Albert Moore, Ambrose, Albert and Samantha Shively, Richard, Ambrose and Joseph Hollington, Mahalla and Henrietta Race, and Isaac Hixon. For six weeks the children attended school, while their teacher "boarded round," receiving at the close of the term a small sum in recognition of his services. The sport at noon and recess, was playing around in the brush, swinging on grape vines, picking wintergreen, killing snakes, of which there were plenty, and chasing squirrels. There was very little order or system in the school-room, and the pupils were allowed to do pretty much as they pleased; they went out when they wanted to, and came in when they got ready. It was fun for Joseph Hollington, for he had had a light taste of the rigid discipline of the schools in the Old Country. The books used were whatever the family happened to have; some brought a Testament, another a history, and another a spelling-book, and another the " Life of Marion." If there were an arithmetic in the school-room, no one recollects the fact. En route to school one morning, a massasauga attacked William Hollington, and the boy would have died had not the Indian doctor, Wolverton, shown the people a weed, the juice of which counteracts the poison of the rattlesnake. Willing hands picked and pressed the wild plant, and others applied the juice, so that in a short time the boy was able to resume attendance. At that time there was a three-acre swale on Main street, near the present " Hotel Brown," which had no outlet, and was a favorite rendezvous for snakes of all kinds. The South school house, a log structure, which stood near the intersection of Main street and the Napoleon road, on the north side of the road,. within the limits of Bowling Green, was built in 1835 by Adam Phillips, Lee Moore, Henry Shively, Joseph A. Sargent, Joseph Hollington, Sr., David L. Hixon, Thomas R. Tracy and David DeWitt. W. G. Charles is said by some persons to have been the first teacher, and W. R. Peck, or "The Little Doctor," the last teacher in 1851. The building took the place of the Thurstin cabin, and in it some of the pupils, named as attending the first school in 1834, continued their lessons. The names of the children and adults, as remembered by William Phillips, are as follows: "The relator, John Lorenzo and Daniel Thurstin, Isaac and Margaret Hixon, Peter F. Richards, Samantha Shively, Ambrose, Alfred and Albert Shively, Thomas, William, Abigail and Isaac Tracy, Washington, Joseph and John DeWitt, Nancy and Snowden L. Sargent, Amelia Crago, Ann Stauffer, Caleb Clark, Nathan and Albert Moore, Frank Maginnis, Henrietta and Phoebe Moore, Richard, Joseph, Ambrose and William Hollington, Mars Nearing, and John, Fred. and Josephine Hartman." William Bailey, a visitor from New York, was among the first, if not the first, to preside over that school. Master Simonds, from Cleveland, followed, then Morris Brown, and, next, Isaac VanTassel (2). Miss Patty Burdick was an early teacher, and in 1841 Mrs. Richard presided over the institution. Early in 1836 Alfred Thurstin, who had a team, was hired to go to Pemberville for boards to floor a log school house, erected at the inter- 218 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. section, or, rather, N. E. corner of Ridge and Main streets. The lumber cost $8.00, and Thurstin's services $2; but the district permitted the bills to run until they were outlawed, and then voted against paving them. For a period of thirty-five years there was little to indicate the present condition of the schools. Though there was a marked improvement in the methods of teaching prior to 1871, the science of pedagogics was scarcely understood, and little attention was paid to the sanitary condition of school houses. The Bowling Green English Classical Seminary was established by Rev. William McElwee, in the parsonage of the Presbyterian church, in 1871, but in August, same year, the Seminary was discontinued. Since that time private schools have been the exception rather than the rule here. The records of the board of education date back to April 18, 1871, when S. W. t. John and A. S. Nims, members elect for three years, with Amherst Ordway, president, S. L. Boughton, secretary, and S. Case, treasurer (vice S. L. Boughton), met to transact business. The school tax levied was five and a half mills. The teachers employed were: Superintendent, at $65 a month, H. C. Norton. Libbie Hecox 'was employed for the intermediate school at a salary of $30. For the primary school Annie E. Poe was employed at $25. Mary Pope taught the winter school in Lease's building, her pay being one dollar per day and, in March, 1872, Elizabeth Blackwood took charge of the intermediate school, while Anna Poe and J. L. Gilpatrick were teachers in the other schools. In April, 1872, J. H. Reid was chosen clerk, and S. L. Boughton, treasurer. In June Mr. Gilpatrick was offered $100 a month as superintendent; later, Misses Poe, Van Tassel and Husted were named as teachers, and, in July, the contract for building an annex to the school house was awarded to A. Ordway, on his bid of $470. The school examiners in April, 1873, were David Cargo, C.. Case and John H. Reid. In May, 1873, the board offered to the village council a room in the school house, free of charge, in lieu of the room for which the council paid $60 annually. In June, 1873, Superintendent Gilpatrick resigned; Gideon Ditto was offered the place, and Anna A. Shannon was employed as teacher in the secondary school. In January, 1874, Samuel Case was appointed superintendent, vice, Ditto, and served until W. H. Wolf was appointed in February. Hugh Cargo was chosen a director in April, 1874, and with Messrs. Boughton, Case, Reid and Nuns formed the board. In August J. B. Cash was appointed superintendent. The election of 1875 resulted in the choice of P. S. Abbott, Joseph Hollington and A. S. Nims, vice J. R. Rudulph, while Boughton, Case and Cargo held over. P. S. Abbott succeeded Reid as clerk, but the latter succeeded Abbott in September, and at the same time L. D. Heller took charge of the schools as superintendent, Misses Minton, Van Tassel, Poe and the other old teachers named being still identified with the system, with Amelia Klopfenstein, Allie Lundy and Lillie Minton, new teachers. In April, 1876, there were thirty attendants in high school, thirtythree in grammar, thirty-four in intermediate, thirty-four in secondary and twenty-one in primary. M. P. Brewer was elected a director at this time, Kittie M. Smith was appointed teacher in June, and Eliza H. Webb, Florence Donaldson and Gertrude Foote in September. In April, 1877, Charles W. Evers and Andrew J. Manville were elected directors, and with Messrs. Brewer, Boughton, and Hollington formed the board. W. S. Haskell was employed as superintendent, and Charles St. John as a teacher in the grammar school, while M. P. Brewer was elected clerk. J. C. Lincoln was elected director in 1878, vice Reid; W. S. Haskell was offered the position of superintendent, and Lelia Swigart and Mrs. Richards added to the corps of teachers. The question of issuing $16,000 bonds was discussed in January, 1879, submitted to vote ill February, but defeated, when a second proposition submitted to vote on April 7, 1879, asking for $13,000, was carried by a vote of 220 of the 319 votes cast. Messrs. Evers, Lincoln, Manville, Boughton, Brewer and Hollington formed the board at that time, and were, indeed, the spirits of improvement in school as in other matters. In April, 1879, George C. Phelps and John A. Shannon, with Messrs. Evers, Hollington, Manville and Lincoln, were the directors; Charles W. Evers was elected clerk, vice Brewer, and George C. Phelps, treasurer, vice Boughton. In May, the bonds for $13,000 were sold to O. S. Bond at par and one per cent. premium, and the battle over a school site commenced. The motion to purchase 1.90 acres of Mrs. Lease, adopted May 21, met with a strong protest, and was subsequently expunged from the record. On June 11, an offer of $500 was made to Button & Smith, for 200 x 2 50 feet in Block No. 14, Button's addition, and $500 to George W. Smith for the south 200 feet of the west half of Lot 110, in Block 12. The offers were refused, and condem- WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 219 nation proceedings instituted. By this means the property was acquired. Architect E. O. Fallis prepared plans for the building, and the work of constructing the first large house (other than the court house and jail) at Bowling Green was entered upon. The directors and officers named in 1879 were re-elected in 1880, and in August of that year purchased from S. L. Boughton three-quarters of an acre in the southwest part of Lot 326, Block B, of his addition, for $300. Earl W. Merry took Director Hollington's place in December, 1880, and in April, 1881, he and John R. Hankey were elected directors, and, with Messrs. Evers, Phelps, Manville and Shannon, formed the board. C. W. Evers resigned the office of clerk in April, 1881, and John R. Hankey was elected to fill that position. In 1882, S. Case was chosen clerk, and A. J. Manville treasurer, to succeed judge Phelps, while in 1884 W. M. Tuller was elected clerk and E. W. Merry treasurer. The directors elected since April, 1882, were as follows: A. D. Stewart and S. Case, 1882; W. M. Tuller and J. C. Lincoln, 1883; J. D. Bolles, W. S. Haskell and E. W. Merry, 1884; A. M. Russell and W. S. Haskell, 1885; J. C. Lincoln and A. W. Rudulph, 1886, with J. D. Bolles, treasurer; I. W. Clayton, Robert Dunn and J. D. Bolles, 1887, with A. M. Russell, clerk; John H. Whitehead and J. S. McClellan, 1888, with Robert Dunn, clerk; J. L. Hankey and J. C. Lincoln, 1889; J. D. Bolles and Robert Dunn, 1890; Ira C. Taber and J. S. McClellan, 1891, with J. S. McClellan, clerk; Luther Black and J. C. Lincoln, 1802; R. S. Parker and J. D. Bolles, 1893, with Ira C. Taber, clerk; J. S. McClellan and Ira C. Taber, 1894, and Kate E. Rider and Eliza Haskell, 1895, with J. S. McClellan, clerk. In May, 1884, the board appears to have taken, for the first time, a part in commencement exercises (though the first class graduated in 1882), for on the 20th of that month the members adopted a programme and ordered that the exercises be held in the court-room. J. W. Sleppey was superintendent and principal in 1883. S. Case succeeded Dr. Tuller as clerk in May, 1884, and in April, 1885, W. S. Haskell was appointed. In July, 1885, the Ruttan Heating & Ventilating Co. contracted to heat the Central building with steam at a cost of $1,950. In 1885, D. E. Niver was appointed superintendent of the village schools. On April 5, 1886, the proposition to issue $6,000 bonds, to meet the expense of erecting a school house on Ridge street, was submitted to the people, when 343 votes were cast for and twenty-six against it. In April, 1886, the 4 of an acre in Lot 326, Block B, Boughton's addition, was added to the school lot, and on May 18 bids for building were accepted. Another school house was authorized by the electors, April 1, 1889, when bonds for $14,000 were authorized. D. A. Haylor was appointed superintendent in 1888. On May 7, 1889, the board proceeded to condemn Lots 1348 to 1356, inclusive; but later it was ascertained that Lots 1348 to 1352 could be purchased at $400 each, and the other lots at $350 each, and authority was given the committee to purchase them. On June 28 the contract for building was awarded to Ducomb & Brown, on their bid of $8,480, and the beginning of the third large school house was made soon after. In May, 1881, the contract with S. P. Stewart to build an addition to the Central school house for $4,353 was accepted. On November 7, 1893, the question of issuing bonds for $6, 000 to aid in building a $13,000 addition to the main school house was submitted to the people, when 602 votes were recorded for and 188 against it. This opposition came mainly from the Fourth ward, the residents of which desired the building located there. In January, 1894, A. Graham signed the building contract, on his bid of $8,873.60, and the latest monument, in brick and stone, to the advancement of the school interests of Bowling Green, was soon completed. The election of directors in April, 1895, brought 516 women to the polls, and resulted in placing two female members on the board of education. At the spring elections, 1896, C. S. St. John and J. N. Baker were chosen members of the school board. Modern Buildings.-The large buildings of this city may be said to have been erected within the last seven years. The first brick house, built long ago by Thomas Tracy (the same occupied by Mrs. William Gorrill in recent years), remained the sole representative of brick construction for some years. Then a residence was erected on North Main street, one or two business houses in the vicinity of Main and Wooster streets, and, by degrees, a few brick dwellings appeared east and west of Main street. When Bowling Green became the county seat, the public buildings were added, but, even in 1870, the brick house was the exception, the gabled frame store and dwelling the rule. During the ensuing sixteen years, a good deal was accomplished by the residents to raise their village above the hamlet state. Prior to 1883, Bowling Green fought two county-seat wars successfully, built a $20,000 WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 220 court house, a $20,000 school house, four church buildings costing at least $20,000, purchased Fair grounds, park and a town hall, constructed two main sewers, and built a branch railroad to Tontogany. Of course, the Ohio Central road was built, a few stores and dwellings were added to the buildings of the town, the gas reservoir was explored, and newspapers were established prior to 1887, but, with all this quiet progress, the present city, with its broad streets, large business houses and elegant homes, was not outlined in the imagination of the citizens. The spring of 1887 may be called the first summer of enterprise here. The transfer of real estate was carried forward with all the spirit of a new Western town, and the construction of buildings gave proof of the substantial character of the transactions' A lot on the corner of Clay and Main streets was sold for $2,000, the Massillon Rolling Mill Co. paid $45 a foot for sixty-seven feet on South Main street; while eighty feet in the same neighborhood brought $3,500. Sixty-six acres of the Barton farm sold for $9,000; ten acres of the Ralston farm, for $5,000; five acres of the Watson tract, on North Main street, for $2,500; nineteen lots in the Lay addition, $6,000; a tract on South Main street at $600 an acre; one lot in Boughton's addition for $375 two lots on Morton avenue, for $925; twelve and one-half acres in the south part of the town for $500 an acre; the Wakefield property on South Main street, $5,600; thirty-four acres west of town, for $7,000; sixty acres on North Main street, bought by J. J. Gaghan, for $24,000, and twenty-four feet on Court street, for $i,000. Many other transfers were made before the summer of 1887 was passed, and the village cast aside its old pastoral ways to become an important business town. Enterprise was carried to such an extent that a document was presented to property owners, setting forth that, when fifty of them agreed to build, all would begin work, and give from fifty to one hundred new buildings to the city. As a municipality the people were also " up and doing," for, as shown in the pages devoted to the transactions of the council, Bowling Green offered aid to manufacturers who would locate within its limits, and otherwise encouraged manufacturing enterprise. In April, 1887, the question of issuing $10,000 bonds to encourage manufactures, was presented to the citizens, when 209 votes were recorded for the measure and three votes against it. That of expending $25,000 on gas wells was also carried. By the beginning of December of that year, there was a municipal gas-plant, furnishing the new glass-works and other industries with fuel and light, without price. The contract for constructing a system of water works was signed that month; the Canastota glass-works were in operation and, in all directions the searchers for oil or gas went forth from the busy town. Lots and farms sold for fabulous prices, and owners, who for forty years were content with little, saw their patience rewarded in a day, and years of labor paid for in an hour. The gas wells, described in the chapter on the Oil and Gas Fields, were the prompters of the metamorphosis, while the enterprise of the business men of the town was responsible for seizing the opportunity and turning it to account. One-fourth of the newly built business district was destroyed by fire on August 4, 1887. The fire originated in a saloon or bakery, and spread until property valued at $34.250 was destroyed. The value of the property destroyed appears trivial to the moderns, but to the town of that time the loss was a severe blow. Without wailing, the men of enterprise cleared away the ruins and built on a better scale. Little over a year passed away, when a second fire came to destroy the work of the builders. On October 31, 1888, a fire swept away many business houses, including C. W. Evers' "Sentinel block;" M. P. Brewer's Sentinel office; Rudulph Bros. Gazette office ; C. C. Ross' hotel; F. N. Griffith's store; Mrs. James Smith's opera house; Emerine & McCauley's hotel and livery, and several smaller concerns. A week later, McCauley & Emerine, W. R. Mowery, J. R. Rudulph, C. W. Evers and others began the work of rebuilding. On April 19, 1889, the Canastota Glass Works Co. lost heavily by fire, and during the last seven years several houses, stores, homes and barns have been wiped out by fire. The ruins of the glass works remain as reminders of the fires. Enterprise has covered the other fire-swept lots with substantial houses, filled up vacant places on Main street with good business buildings, and transformed a hamlet into a business-like city. The principal buildings on the west side of Main street, beginning at the south, are the Disciples church, erected in 1890; the Elder block, by J. C. H. Elder and Henry Coller, in 1889; the Marschka block, erected in 1888; the Phenix & Helfrich block, in 1889; the Tribune building in 1893; the Royce block in 1889; the Commercial Bank building, erected by A. E. Royce in 1885; the Union block, by Chris. Lehman and Bolles & Manville in 1877; the Lehman block in 1886; the Gaghan block, by Geo. W. Gaghan, in 1888; WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 221 the Exchange Bank building, by J. R. Hankey, in 1871; the Kabig building, in 1885; the Cunning & Whitehead block, in 1893; the Slauson block, in 1893; the Heffelfinger building, by Reed & Merry, in 1871, remodeled in 1887; Rogers block, built in 1872. The Reed block, the first brick business block here, was erected in 1867 by Norton and Edwin Reed. Reed, Rogers & Manville are credited with building on the west side, in 1867, a mercantile and opera house. Kabig & McKenzie block, erected in t892, by Frank Kabig and Allen McKenzie, the Orme block, in 1892, and the Cooley block, in 1893. South of the Disciples church (with the exception of Dauterman's livery stable), and north of the Cooley block, on this side, are the residences of many of Bowling Green's leading citizens. The business houses on the east side of Main street, going north, omitting the flouring-mill, are the two-story stone carriage and blacksmith shop, built in 1859-60; the opera house, erected in 1889, by Ira C. Taber and John R. Hankey; the Hankey block, built in 1892; the Froney block of 1892, and the large house erected by him in 1895; the First National Bank block, in 1889; the Buckeye block, for J. R. Rudulph and Kramer & Chancy, in 1889; the Mowery building, erected in 1887, the Trichler block, for Mrs. Theodosia Trichler, in 1889; the Sargent block, in 1893; the four-story stone hotel and mercantile building, erected in 1895-96 on the southeast corner of Main and Wooster streets, for W. H. Milliken; the Lincoln block, built in 1874, by Alfred Thurstin, remodeled in 1889 for Dr. J. C. Lincoln; the Eagle block, built in 1889 for F. H. Boughton and Mrs. James Smith; the Thurstin building, in 1867, for A. A. Thurstin, remodelled in 1889; the Reed & Merry block, erected in 1888, for Edwin Reed, E. W. Merry and J. H. Sands; the Munshower block, erected in 1887; the "Hotel Brown," in 1889, by Paul J. and G. M. Brown (leased by Major McLyman and conducted by him until March 17, 1896, when L. H. Cottington took charge) ; the Doctors block, erected, in 1887, for Dr. J. C. Lincoln and Dr. W. M. Tuller; the Orme livery barn, erected in 1887, and the Biggs block, erected in 1889. South and north on this east side are dwelling houses, many of which are modern in architecture and conveniences. On Wooster street, west of Main, south side, are Dr. L. L. Yonker's brick block - 1892-93 and the City Hall, noticed in other pages. Opposite are the Clark block, built in 1887, and the Union block, built in 1884 by C. F. Button. Beyond these buildings the street is a residence one, with lines of heavy shade trees and large, modern homes. On Wooster, east of Main, are the Sentinel office, built in 1887 by C. W. Evers; the Wittmer block, erected in 1866 by S. L. Boughton, remodeled in 1889 by Fred Wittmer; the Methodist church and the " Ross House. " The Black, Boughton, Brewer and other residences are west of the. Ohio Central railroad; while east of that road are several homes. The streets paralleling Main street are favorite residence streets, and are well improved. Outside the business center Bowling Green may be called a garden city. Orchards are common, and almost every one of the older homes has its garden and orchard. Municipal Affairs.---The petition for the in corporation of Bowling Green, dated July 23, 1855, was signed by S. L. Boughton, Alfred Thurstin, G. Z. Avery, Joseph Hollington, Hiram Noyes, John W. Pelton, John C. Wooster, W. G. Lamb, Lee Moore, J. M. Lamb, Daniel Noyes, C. P. Rogers, D. L. Hixon, L. C. Locke and thirty-eight others. It was considered by the commissioners September 3, 1855, but not until November 9 did they grant it, excluding, even then, the N. of S. W. 1/4 Sec. 13, T. 5. R. 10, which the petitioners wished to be placed under the village government. The records of the first meeting of the council are not to be found. The journals of the council down to 1866 are known to have gone where no mortal can search for them. The taxlevy . documents afford very little information, and, of course, the Perrysburg Journal failed to notice such a place as the incorporated village of Bowling Green. From interviews and other sources it is learned that Dr. Lamb was the first mayor, Dr. Rogers, the second, J. D. Smith, the third, and Dr.. Smith, the fourth. R. M. Culver held the office in 1866; Isaac Clay, 1867; Joseph Hollington, 1869; David Cargo, 1870; J. W. Canary, 1872; John A. Shannon, 1874; D. W. H. Day, 1878; John A. Shannon, 1880; M. P. Brewer, 1882;W. M. Tuller, 1884; B. L. Abbott, 1886; A. J. Mears, 1888 and 1S90; A. B. Murphy, 1891 and 1892; and W. S. Haskell, elected in November, 1893, vice Mayor Murphy, resigned. Almer R. Campbell was elected mayor in 1896. The office of clerk has been filled by E. H. Hull, 1866; David Cargo, 1867 (refused); S. Stearns, 1867: E. H. Selkirk, 1868; J. D. Bolles, 1869; E. H. Selkirk, 1874; Jasher Pillars, 1875; W. H. Smith, 1876-80; Frank A. Reid, 1880-82; R. S. Parker, 1882-84; E. H. Selkirk, 1884-86; Ira C. Taber, 1886-90, and E. H. Selkirk, 1890. B. W. Clayton, elected in 1892, is the present (1896) WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 222 very efficient clerk of Bowling Green. His record books are quite in keeping with their importance, and the advanced conditions under which municipal affairs are now transacted. The treasurers of the village since 1866 are named as follows: D. Cargo, 1866; A. J. Manville, 1870; Wallace H. Smith, 1888; J. H. Underwood, 1893, and Allan J. Ross, elected in 1896. The marshals from 1866 to 1874 were A. Walker, 1866; Nathan L. Badger, 1867; J. N. Stiner, 1868; P. M. Clifford, 1869; J. T. M. Reed, 1870; A. M. Wyckoff; 1871; Jonathan White, 1871; J. W. Brownsberger, 1872, and M. S. Davenport, 1874. Messrs. Biggs, Fowler and Reed filled the position in later years, while a large number of citizens have aimed to serve the village as guardians of the peace. In 1896 Joseph F. Reed was elected marshal. The ordinance creating the office of corporation solicitor was adopted March 5, 1883. The office was held by D. W. H. Day, in 1884. On February 13, 1888, the office of city solicitor was created, and N. R. Harrington was elected to fill that office in April following. B. F. James was the incumbent in 1890, and R. B. Moore from 1892 to 1896, and re-elected in 1896. The trustees of the gas works, elected in April, 1888, were John R. Hankey, Frank B. Roath, Jacob F. Long and Joseph H. Sands. The second city well was begun by them in August, 1888, L. W. Dougherty being then superintendent of the gas line until succeeded by J. H. Mohr. In 1890, J. H. Willey was superintendent, in April, 1891, R. B. Moore, J. F. Long, A. Graham and John Q. Adams were elected trustees, and served as such until the gas plant was sold to Mr. McDonald, as related in another page. The councilmen of Bowling Green, elected annually since 1866, are named as follows. 1866--William Callihan, J. V. Owens, A. Ordway, G. J. Rogers, Lucius Boughton. 1867--Norton Reed, Harrison Huffman, G. J. Rogers, S. L. Boughton, E. Goit. 1868-A. Ordway, H. Huffman, Jacob Hall, G. J. Rogers, C. N. Culver. 1869-Norton Reed, M. S. Davenport, Hugh Cargo, Joseph Howells, J. W. Canary. 1870-A. Ordway, M. S. Davenport, Hugh Cargo, J. V. Owens, Lucius Boughton, A. A. Thurstin. 1871-C. Rogers, Norton Reed, vice Davenport and Thurstin. 1872-W. A. Whitaker, P. S. Abbott, A. Ordway. 1873-J. B. Newton. W. G. Lamb, C. H. Lehman. 1874-Harrison Huffman, C. F. Button, G. W. Gaghan. 1875-6-George W. Gaghan, R. A. Dunbar, A. D. Stewart, C. H. Lehman, E. Goit, J. D. Bolles. 1877-W. M. Tuller, Daniel Newton, E. W. Merry, M. P. Brewer, T. C. Reid, G. C. Nearing. 1878--Chris Lehman, Guy C. Nearing, H. Huffman, Richard Jones, vice Merry, Newton and Bolles. 1879-A. E. Royce, George Kimberlin, M. P. Brewer. 1880- Robert Dunn, G. C. Phelps, J. C. Lincoln. 1881-J. R. Rudulph, P. H. Garnett, M. P. Brewer. 1882--J. R. Rudulph, P. H. Garnett, S. Case, E. Goit, S. P. Harrison, Geo. White, J. C. H. Elder, Geo. C. Phelps. 1883--John A. Shannon, J. R. Rudulph, Geo. W. Gaghan. 1884-A. J. Orme, Samuel Ross, J. H. Whitehead. 1885-M. P. Brewer, A. J. Manville, Geo. W. Gaghan. 1886-M. P. Brewer, George W. Gaghan, A. J. Manville, J. H. Whitehead, F. Von Kanel, H. Terry. 1887-J. C. Lincoln, J. A. Noble, S. L. Boughton. 1888-Robert Dunn, Geo. W. Gaghan, A. E. Royce, E. W. Merry; nice Boughton, resigned. 1889-A. Froney, T. C. Reid, W. R. Noyes. 1890-A. E. Royce, Robert Dunn, S. R. Brown. 1891-W. S. Haskell, L. T. van 'Tassel, A. Froney. 1892-D. J. Cargo, D. E. Niver, J. S. Giles, with W. H. Milliken and Amos Neifer. 1893-Lucius Boughton, B. P. Stratton, W. S. Haskell, A. B. Farmer, vice Haskell. 1894-M. P. Brewer, C. W. Evers, A. Graham, I. L. Hankey, vice Milliken. 1895-G. C. Dauterman, E. A. Barton, I. L. Hankey, with G. E. Mercer, C. W. Evers, M. P. Brewer, A. Graham and B. P. Stratton. 1896-C. W. Evers, M. P. Brewer, E. A. Barton and I. L. Hankey were elected. In 1882, the question of purchasing grounds for park purposes was submitted to a committee of the council, who received from George Wooster an offer to sell that part of his grove, north of Thurstin avenue, for $i,800. In October, the resolution to purchase grounds for a park was adopted, and December 4, 1882, the sale of $3,000 bonds and the adoption of an ordinance for the purchase of grounds were recorded. The contract with Ferris & Halliday for the construction of waterworks, was signed December 19, 1887, by the contractors, Benjamin L. Abbott, mayor, and Ira C. Taber, clerk of Bowling Green, subject, however, to the vote of the people. The contract came to naught; but early in 1892, another contract was entered into, which was carried out by June of that year. The "Nine O'Clock Ordinance" passed in August, 1884, won for the council the thanks of the W. C. T. U. A year later, the question of lighting the streets was discussed, and the Natural Gas Co. asked to give prices. In December, 1885, the anti-explosive ordinance was adopted. The resolution providing for the issue of $25,000 bonds, the proceeds to be invested in drilling gas wells and supplying gas to the. people of the village, was adopted in April, 1887. At the same time, the resolution providing for an election on the issue of $10,000 bonds, the proceeds to be expended in the encouragement of local manufacturing industries, was agreed to. On April 13, the council voted to buy a tract of land for $6, 500; on April 28, authority was given to expend $1,000 on a water well; on April 29, the celebrated offer to manufacturing enterprises WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 223 was made, and, on May 19, 1887, the first contract with manufacturers was entered into by the village. The council also rendered every aid in procuring right-of-way for the C. H. & D. R. R., and in every way worked enthusiastically in the interest of modern Bowling Green. In the summer of 1888 many improvements, such as widening and macadamizing Main street, and constructing a great sewer therein, were under way; the repeal of, the prohibition ordinance; the closing of saloons at a certain hour; opening new streets and contracting with glass and other manufacturers, occupied the attention of the councilmen. In January, 1889, the proposition to establish an electric-light plant and supply the village with thirty lights for $3,000 annually, was submitted to Councilmen Lincoln, Royce and Dunn. In March, 1889, the franchise was given to the Silvey Electric Light Co. In October, 1890, it was ordered that the proposition to sell the city gas plant be submitted to the voters; but there is nothing on the minute book to show the action taken by the citizens. On November 21, however, the bid of A. C. McDonald is recorded. He offered $6, 500 for all the property and plant, which sum was accepted November 24, 1890. A year later a contract for the electric lighting of the city was made with Elias H. McKnight, and January 26, 1892, the contract for water works was entered into with Isaiah W. Newcomer. The subject of building a city hall was discussed in council March 31, 1892, and a resolution declaring such a building necessary was adopted. On April 18 Messrs. Froney, Haskell and Niver were elected a building committee, and on the 25th bonds for $20,000 were issued to meet the expense of the house the first for $500 being payable March 1, 1893, and the last for $500 on September 1, 1912. In April, 1892, the $ 150 bid of H. W. Sterling for the old town hall was accepted; on June 26 the water works were reported complete, and the present city building practically finished; and in September the issue of $12,000 six-per-cent. bonds was authorized to refund or meet the debts of the village, the first bond for $300 being made payable March 1, 1896, and the last, for a like sum, September 1, 1915. The Fire Department of the present time, with its steam engine and elaborate hose carts, was organized in 1888, to take the place of the old fire company of 1883. A few small fires suggested the organization of a body of fire-fighters, and in April, 1883, the council considered the question, approved of the plan, and in May appointed A. Ireland, chief engineer. Before the close of the fall of that year, the men were called. into service, and acquitted themselves so well, that on October 22, the council passed a vote of thanks to the members of the company. In July, 1885, the purchase of fire apparatus was authorized, and for over two years the little department battled with sundry little blazes. The big fire of August, 1887, however, showed its utter uselessness in a great emergency, and the people called for reorganization; hence, in January, t888, the beginnings of the present fire department were made. Thirty-one members were enrolled, with George W. Gaghan, chief; Rev. J. H. Palmer, foreman; J. D. Bolles, first assistant; Bert Froney, second assistant; Aus. Harrison, secretary; C. B. Eberly, treasurer; George C. Ordway, foreman of the hose company, and Wm. Shemenour, foreman of the hook and ladder company. A few years later the system of water works was completed, and the department was reorganized to meet the new and better conditions. The fire of October, 1888, referred to in this chapter, pointed out clearly that the department, as organized in January, 1888, was unable to cope with any serious conflagration. The Gas Company.-The story of the discovery of gas here is related in the chapter on the Gas and Oil Fields; but little is said therein of the men who drilled for the fluid, and tendered its use to the public. Their names may be given here as the original members of the Bowling Green Natural Gas Co., organized April 11, 1885: C. W. Evers, E. W. Merry, Chris, Lehman, M. P. Brewer, S. L. Boughton, Dr. J. 6. Lincoln, E. W. Poe, Roath & Co., T. Alexander, Luther Black, Orrin Henry, J. O. Troup, W. M. Donaldson, R. M. Donnelly, Rogers & Manville, James W. English, Jasher Pillars, R. P. Morrison, B. R. Taber, W. A. Wiggins, J. H. Crane, Norton Reed, Mary H. Leet, J. D. Bolles & Co., George C. Phelps, Dr. W. M. Tuller, R. W. McMahan, S. Case, J. H. Watson, A. E. Royce, R. S. Parker, George W. Gaghan, F. A. Baldwin, W. A. Benschoter, R. C. Kinney, George Smith, George M. Brown, Dr. J. H. Whitehead, F. Von Kanel, J. C. H. Elder, L. T. Van Tassel. J. R. Hankey, Henry A. Lease, Edwin Reed, R. S. Thurstin, J. H. Sands, A. W. Rudulph and Brownyar & Martin. Gas mains were in all the principal streets by October i, 1885, and gas for illuminating and fuel purposes supplied to houses, stores and factories-the limekilns being large consumers. In 1866 or '67 the town issued bonds, and went into the gas business, to supply factories and, incidentally, a few consumers. When the supply began to fail, WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 224 the city sold its lines and wells to the B. G. Natural Gas Co., above mentioned. An Explosion.--The explosion of the Ohio & Indiana Torpedo Company's nitro-glycerine magazine of 520 quarts of explosive, occurred at 10:15 o'clock on the night of December 6, 1895. The magazine stood in a grove on Austin Fowler's farm, two and one-half miles southwest of the city, and only 300 feet away from the Bradford Company's store-house. The shock was felt throughout northwestern Ohio. In Wood county much damage was done, such as the breakage of glass, disarrangement of oil-pipe connections with tanks, etc. The damage to windows on the east side of Bowling Green's main street; at Tontogany and villages in central Wood county; and to the farm houses in the neighborhood, was said at the time to amount to a few thousand dollars; while the magazine, 300 feet away, was untouched. G. A. Smith, the manager of the Ohio & Indiana Company in this field, a fearless and intelligent worker in nitroglycerine, could not explain the cause of the explosion. A hole, eight feet in depth and twenty-five feet in diameter, and shattered and uprooted trees, speak of the power of the glycerine. The fact that the stuff in the Bradford Company's magazine was frozen accounts for its escape from total annihilation. Bowling Green's Pioneer Railroad.-The Bowling Green Railroad Co. was organized June 6, 1874, with S. L. Boughton, president and general manager; A. J. Manville, vice-president; A. A. Thurstin, secretary; F. Beverstock, treasurer; and they, with S. W. St. John, Henry Lundy and J. R. Rudulph, were directors. This association was the outcome of a meeting held at Reed's Hall, at which Mr. Boughton showed the necessity for a branch railroad to Tontogany. Committees were appointed to visit the nearest towns on the main line, then called the D. & M. R. R. J. B. Newton favored Roachton; John H. Reid, Perrysburg; S. L. Boughton, Tontogany, while others preferred Haskins and Weston. The men named were appointed to report on the points of junction favored by them; but S. L. Boughton's logic in favor of Tontogany prevailed, and the route surveyed by David Donaldson to that point was adopted. Capt. Black, S. W. Whitmore, Martin Warner, Judge Tuller, and other old settlers of that town being friendly to the enterprise. The right-of-way was obtained at a cost of $2,248 from eighteen land owners, and on August 18, 1874, the pioneer railroad builders entered upon work. For the year ensuing, Mr. Boughton left his store every day to work on that road, and gave half his time during the second year; S. W. St. John worked and " bossed " the grading from beginning to end, and A. A. Thurstin drove his horses in breaking the first furrows on Addison Fay's farm. Henry Lundy was not often called to work, nor did J. R. Rudulph exhaust his physical strength; but each gave moral and material support to the enterprise, as did the other local stockholders and the majority of the citizens. The grading and the team work cost $1,447.60; ties cost $3,366.92; timber, logs and lumber, $2,027.25; one hundred and one citizens received $4,627.92 for labor; $115.18 were paid for tools; S. L. Boughton received for traveling expenses to Carrollton, Ohio, Pittsburg, Penn., Toledo, Cincinnati, Lima and Dayton, $171.40, while the expenses of other agents amounted to $101.93; fuel cost $625.76; iron and rolling stock, $9.576.52; freight and express charges amounted to $1,384.45; books and printing to $73.79; interest and discount, $1,743.46; the "Y " at Tontogany, $802.38, and miscellaneous expenses, $1,703.98, or $30,076.94 in all. Of this sum sixty-two men at Bowling Green gave $13,630.78 and a few at Toledo $2,445.00, or $16,075.78 cash subscription. Bonds would not sell, but a sum of $3,000 was borrowed from William Hood, all the stockholders, save one, being bound severally and individually to pay the note with interest. In addition, an assessment of 20 per cent. on stock was levied. The comparatively heavy debt urged the owners to lease the road to M. T. Wiggins for ninety -nine years for $10,000, but the sum of $750 or $800 was yet necessary to pay up all debts. When the Wiggins brothers desired to sell their road to the C. H. & D. Co., they asked Mr. Boughton what he would demand for a majority of the stock. He replied, $1,000." The sum was paid within six months, the last debt was paid with interest, and the old Bowling Green Railroad Co. was disbanded. The Carroll County railroad (including 210 tons of strap-rail, spikes and switch fixtures, purchased at $33 a ton; the "Old Huldah," a seven-ton locomotive of twenty-horse power, two coaches, a box car and two flat cars), became the property of the Bowling Green Railroad Co., in 1874. At the beginning of May, 1875, a few days before the connection was made with the C. H. & 1). at Tontogany, the receipts from passenger traffic were double the operating expenses. During the first week in May, the "Y " was placed, and combination trains left Bowling Green at 7 A. M., 1, and 5:30 P. M., and Tontogany at 8:10 A. M., 2:40 and 6:10 P. M. The total earnings for the month ending July 17, WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 225 1875, amounted to $394.26, and the operating expenses to $182. The road, as managed by Mr. Boughton until July or August, 1876, met all operating expenses and produced $1,000 to be applied on the indebtedness. Charles N. Culver, the first engineer, found he had a very fickle machine to deal with; but with care, he made regular trips and kept very close to schedule time. Henry A. Lease acted as attorney, conductor, passenger and freight agent, and man of all work. The engineer and brakeman were the only employes in the mechanical department. The road was built with the object of developing the interests of Bowling Green, and the stockholders and subscribers paid their moneys directly with this object, rather than with the hope of any financial returns; but the little iron way met all its expenses, and doubtless would have yielded profits, had its founders carried their enterprise a little farther toward making it a modern road. On the death of Treasurer Beverstock, Dr. Manville was elected to that position. In 1878, Mark T. Wiggins leased the road for a period of ninety-nine years, the sole consideration being $10,000. Under this lease, Mr. Wiggins operated the road, and substituted the "T " for the strap-rail. The locomotive William Hood," superceded the "Old Huldah," and the road bed was improved. Greater changes were yet in store. A board of directors was one of them. F. Holderman was appointed superintendent, and Patrick Faha, roadmaster; the capital stock was increased from $18,000 to $40,000, of which Mr. Wiggins received $20,000 stock for his interest; the rolling stock was increased to three locomotives, two coaches and four freight cars, the road bed was further improved, and the little iron way was in fair condition, when, in 1886, it was consolidated with the C. H. & D. railroad. In 1890-91, the North Baltimore extension was built by the latter company, and the Slippery Elm railroad of 187475 lost its identity in the greater system. CHURCHES. Methodism at Bowling Green may be said to date back to 1836, when Rev. Austin Coleman, of the Waterville circuit, preached in the log school house, south of the village, later, in what was afterward known as the " Bell school house, " and in other cabins along the route to Waterville. James Wood is said to have been the first leader of this Bowling Green class, though John A. Sargent was leader of the older class at his house. Every sixth Sunday, the preacher appeared here before his little congregation, at Henry Shively's house, which then embraced Peter Klopfenstein, W. C. Hunter, John A. Sargent, Alfred Thurstin, Robert Barr and James Wood, with their wives, together with the following named single members: Erastus, Zelpha and Diannah Hunter, Margaret Shively, Margaret Linsey, Eliza Hixon, Nancy Sargent, Susannah Groves and Isaac Tracy. A Sunday-school was organized the same year with Henry Lundy, superintendent. Among the early preachers, other than Mr. Coleman, may be named Wesley Broek, who was here in 1837, John Janes, Shortis and Fleming in 1838, Leonard Parker, 1838, Adam Menear, 1839, Rolla H. Chubb, 1840, Leonard Hill, 1841, Ezra C. Norton, 1843, I. J. Killum, 1844, W. W. Winters, 1845, and Thomas J. Pope, 1846. Thomas Barkdull and W. W. Winters organized a protracted meeting in 1846, which resulted in bringing many of the settlers into Methodism, among the number being Ambrose Hollington, now a preacher of Delaware county. Rev. F. W. Vertican came as preacher-in- charge in 1852; N. B. Wilson in 1853, and Ambrose Hollington in 1854. Mr. Hollington is still a citizen of Ohio, and was present at Bowling Green in July and August, 1895, when the beginnings of the church and school at Bowling Green were discussed. The first mention of the Bowling Green circuit appears when David Gray was presiding elder of the Maumee district, and H. L. Nickerson, preacher-in-charge, in 1854 or 1855. J. A. Shannon came in 1856, and Martin Perkey in 1857. In 1859, S. L. Roberts and Josiah Adams were here; J. A. Shannon and Jason Wilcox in 1860, and G. Lease and I. N. Kalb in 1861. The Conference of 1862 divided the circuit into two parts, and again the Bowling Green part into four appointments. The eastern part retained the name " Bowling Green," while the western was given the name " Gilead," with Rev. J. Good, preacher in the first and G. Mather in the second. The appointments originally set off were Bowling Green, Portageville, Carrs and Tontogany. On November 14, 1863, Hull Prairie, or Haskins, class, was added, and the five appointments constituted Bowling Green circuit, of which Rev. J. Good was preacher-incharge down to July 25, 1865. In September of that year, Rev. F. L. Harper succeeded him, and served until his death, January 22, 1866. In 1868, John S. Kalb was appointed, while, in 1869, Thomas N. Barkdull (who was here in 186o and 1861, when John A. Shannon had charge) succeeded him. At that time the Meth- 226 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. odists held meetings in the old house of 1847, which stood on the site of the present Disciples church, and which was then (1869) owned by the Congregationalists. When that body secured a preacher, Mr. Barkdull was denied the use of the building, and had to seek elsewhere. Some time after, the Methodists found shelter in the Presbyterian meeting-house, but that body also found' a preacher soon after. The society then rented Reed's Hall, in which services were carried on until the new or present building was completed, August 25, 1872. Rev. D. R. Cook succeeded Mr. Barkdull in 1872; L. M. Albright came in 1873, and was reappointed in 1875. That year, Bowling Green appears to have been attached to the Weston and Tontogany circuit, which was served by Adam D. Barnes and Joseph D. Sims until September, 1876, when Rev. I. N. Smith was appointed. Mr. Smith revived the society at Bowling Green, and succeeded in having it advanced to a station again. He sold the parsonage, and applied the $70o received for that property toward the liquidation of the church debt. In 1879 he purchased a bell, and, on September 26, that year, ended his services as pastor, leaving to his successors a class of 157 members and eight probationers. Rev. R. Wallace was preacher-in-charge in 1879, and Rev. N. B. C. Love, from 1881 to 1883. The progress of this society during the last decade has been very marked. To the activity of the preachers and revivalists, as well as of the enthusiastic Sabbathschool workers, must be credited much if not all of this progress. They go a long way to arrest the advance of infidelity, and, unknowingly, perhaps, in working for themselves, do general good. The pastors of the Church since 1883 have been as follows: Rev. L. E. Prentice, one year, from fall of 1883 to fall of 1884; Rev. G. H. Priddy, one year, from fall of 1884 to fall of 1885; Rev. C. W. Taneyhill, three years, from fall of 1885 to fall of 1888; Rev. W. H. Scoles, four years, from fall of 1888 to fall of 1892; Rev. J. W. Holland (present incumbent), four years, from fall of 1892 to fall of 1896. The present membership is upward of 500. The First Presbyterian Church was organized October 13, 1855, by Rev. Perry C. Baldwin, with the following named members: Tobias and Louisa C. Rudesill, Addison and Matilda Fay, John and Mary Evers, Nathan Noble, Sidney L. Brewster, Phoebe M. Moore, George Underwood, Mrs. Underwood, and Aziel B. Bradley and wife. The election for elders, which took place the same day, resulted in the choice of Messrs. Rudesill, Fay and Bradley, who were at once ordained and who organized with Tobias Rudesill, clerk of session. S. L. Boughton was ordained an elder April 7, 1860, chosen clerk of session in October following; in April, 1860, he was appointed superintendent of the Sunday-school. Ambrose S. Nims, wife and son joined this Church in 1869, and of it the senior Nims became a ruling elder, a position he was holding in the fall of 1895, though not on the list of active elders. John Coen, I. A. Noble, Fred VanFleet, D. E. Prosser, W. T. Reese and F. H. Boughton were elected elders from time to time, and were members of the session in 1895. In September of that year, S. L. Boughton, E. A. Barton, Frank W. Thurstin, D. A. Haylor, J. S. McClelland and Luther Black were elected elders. Mr. Baldwin, who organized the society, resigned the office of pastor, July 30, 1865. A year after, Rev. Robert Herenden was called, and until April 15, 1867, preached to the Presbyterians of Bowling Green as well as to the Congregationalists of Plain. In July, 1867, Rev. R. G. McCarthy came, and preached here until 1868. Rev. J. E. Vance accepted a call in the spring of 1869, and remained until April 17, 1870. Shortly after, a call was extended to Rev. William McElwee, of Philadelphia, who was installed pastor, June 3, 1870. Mr. Boughton, in his sketch of the Church, tells of his deposition by the Maumee Presbytery, September 19, 1871. His successor, Rev. J. B. Hubbard, came in the spring of 1872, and remained until March, 1879. A few months later, Rev. W. R. Higgins was installed, and preached here until October 7, 1883. Rev. Henry Cooper came in December following, and was pastor until July i, 1885. Rev. J. R. Boyd supplied the pulpit until October 1, when he accepted a call as pastor, and attended to the duties of that office until his death, February 15, 1886. On June 20, that year, Rev. George S. J. Brown was called, and he preached here until the close of November, 1894. On March 1, 1895, Rev. R. M. Dillon, the present pastor, was installed to preside over the 351 members forming the society. The first house of worship, on the site of the present building, was erected in 1859, and dedicated February 8, 1860. The present $15,000 structure, known as the Presbyterian church, was built in 1888, and dedicated March 31, 1889. The Presbyterian Sabbath-school was organized April 8, 1860, with S. L. Boughton as superintendent, Mrs. Boughton, treasurer, Tobias Rudesill, A. Fay, J. VanGorder, Mesdames Wm. Hood, Lee Moore, P. C. Baldwin, Rogers, and J. VanGorder, teachers. At that time the Church society embraced fifty members, and the WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 227 school, including teachers, had about forty scholars. Down to May, 1880, no less than ninetysix teachers were enrolled. During the last twenty years, numbers of teachers, corresponding with the increase in scholars, have been employed, the first superintendent being still as active in Sunday-school matters as in Church affairs. The Catholic Church of Bowling Green, dates back, as a congregation, to 1883, when forty children made their first communion in the new church building. Prior to that time, the few Catholic families of the central townships were considered parts of the Custar congregation. Sometimes Rev. Louis J. Filliere, of Providence, who for years attended eighteen stations in Wood and Lucas counties, came to visit the people. Father Hyacinthe Kollop succeeded him, but Dr. Leeming was the pastor, who, in 1883, prepared the children referred to above. It was Father Kollop who built part of the present chapel. In later years, the now celebrated young Paulist, Father Kress, was resident pastor, preceding Father Schriener, the present priest of Bowling Green and Cygnet. The development of the oil field, and the general advance toward modernism, brought to Bowling Green a number of Catholics, so that with the exception of a few old families who adhered to the faith, the congregation is made up of new citizens of the town and neighboring country. The pastoral residence, the addition to the church building, and improvement of the grounds are all the works of the present congregation, while the library was mainly collected by Father Kress. The Baptist Church at Bowling Green, was organized March 27, 1858, at the house of S. L. Boughton, D. A. Avery being moderator, and S. L. Boughton, clerk. On March 31, W. Legally, Z. F. Williston, M. D. L. Buell, S. L. Boughton, Mrs. Webb and Mrs. Boughton signed articles of association. William Legally was the clerk in 1860. That organization disbanded, and little if anything, is known of it by the moderns of the town. The record, however, is at Haskins, and from it the above minute of the society's beginning was made. The present society, known as the First Baptist Church, was organized September 29, 1878, with the following named members: Rev. James Abbott and Caroline Abbott, Rev. E. B. and Mrs. C. A. Turner, Mrs. J. H. Sands, George and Mrs. A. O. Kimberlin, Thomas W. Knight, Sr., and Thomas W. Knight, Jr., Amy and Ellen Knight, David Holbrook, W. S. Haskell, I. W. Clayton and Mrs. Theodosia Wade. The articles of incorporation were filed April 15, 1880, when I. W. Clayton, B. L. Abbott and George Kimberlin were elected trustees, I. W. Clayton, clerk, and James Adams, president. The work of church building was then entered upon, the corner stone placed July 20, 1880, by Rev. James Adams (who was the pastor from December, 1878, to February, 1882), and the house completed in the fall, at a cost of $3,500. "M. W. Homes was pastor from April, 1883, to June, 1886; J. H. Palmer, from August, 1886, to October, 1890; and Rev. Herbert Agate from July, 1891, to the present time. There were 122 members belonging to this society in January, 1896, as reported by Mrs. J. H. Sands, the church clerk. The United Brethren. Church was organized in 1874, with a few members. For forty years prior to that time itinerant preachers of this denomination visited Bowling Green, Rev. John Crom being the pioneer in the work. Societies were organized east, west and south of the village, as related in the sketches of the United Brethren in Christ of Beaver Creek, Center and Portage, and to these societies the modern Moravians of this town belonged. In 1880, the local class was sufficiently strong to build a house of worship; the trustees selected a lot on the northeast corner of Court and Summit streets, and by the close of the year a brick house, 6o x 42 feet in area, was completed at a cost of $5,000 for house and lot. Rev. J. M. Crim was the active spirit in beginning this enterprise, but Rev. J. P. Lea was the pastor during the finishing period and at time of dedication. In 1893, the house was remodelled and enlarged at a cost of $4,000. In 1890, Rev. J. W. Hicks suggested the building of a parsonage, and the present house resulted, the cost being $1,800. The growth of the society was slow for many years, but, since 1890, it has been rapid, the membership, at the close of 1895, being 450, while G. A. Smith presides over a large and flourishing Sunday-school. The pastors who have served this Church from 1874 to the present time, are named as follows: Rev. J. Long, 1874; E. B. Mower, 1875; O. E. Ramsey, 1876; L. Martain, 1878; J. M. Crim, 1878; J. P. Lea, 1879; J. W. Eastman, 1882; H. Doty, 1883; J. E. Hill, 1884; A. B. Leonard, 1885; J. W. Hicks. 1888; H. Doty, 1891; and J. H. Arnold, 1895. The Church of Christ, though little over fifteen years old, is one of the prosperous religious societies of the town. There were 225 members enrolled on January 1, 1896, who subscribed $1, 868.19 for the sidereal year 1895. Nineteen 228 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. of the number paid more than their assessment, 102 paid the assessment, forty-eight paid a portion of their dues, and fifty-eight took no notice of the financial part of their duty as members. The figures are taken from Secretary Horn's report, made January 1, 1896. While the title given above is the legal one, though in the Eastern States the followers of Alexander Campbell are generally known as ' ° Disciples " and in the Western States as " Christians. " The society was organized in 1882, by J. V. Updike, with fourteen members. The lot fronting on Main street, and the old Methodist building of 1847, which stood thereon, were purchased from the Congregationalists in 1882, and the house was used for purposes of worship until 1890, when Daniel Mercer bought and removed it to his property. The present commodious building was erected on its site in 1890. The First Congregational Church of Bowling Green elected trustees, January 13, 1868, and filed articles of association. N. A. Noble, Philander Raymond and N. L. Badger were the trustees; William Irons, at whose house the meeting was held, presided. In 1869 the trustees purchased the old Methodist building, and secured the services of Charles Irons as preacher; but within thirteen years they sold the building to the Disciples, and disbanded in 1882 or 1883. The Seventh Day Adventists of Bowling Green signed articles of association March 6, 1879, and elected J. B. Craw, R. A. Boardman and H. H. Van Camp, trustees. The society struggled along for a short period, but left the field to the older organization, a few miles northward. The Free Methodist, Free- Will Baptist, Church of God, and a few other earnest sects also appeared here. CEMETERIES. The old cemetery of Bowling Green, which now may be called its own caretaker, was donated to the settlement by Robert Barr. Prior to its establishment, two children of Presley Walker were buried on the dune or ridge. After being set apart for burial purposes, the wife of Robert Barr was interred in the sand, and next, Robert Barr, himself. Margaret Arbuckle was the third person buried there. In 1891, while the transfer of the remains of the dead was in progress, her skeleton was found intact, with a part of the long hair well preserved. The headstones now standing in the old cemetery tell the following tales of those who were interred there prior to 1850: Elisha Morse, 1834 Mary Wilson, 1837; Rev. I. VanTassel, March 2, 1849; Mary Gatehouse, 1848; Joseph Hollington, 1847; Anna Sage, Roswell Sage and Mary C. Powell, 1848; Van R. Smith, 1849; James Smith and C. O. Stacy, 1846; T. Osgood, 1848; Lydia Wood, Julia Fay and Maranda Fay, 1849. In 1872, the newspapers agitated the question of a new cemetery, and the agitation was successful. Prior to April 23, 1888, a report to the council shows that nine bodies were removed from the old cemetery down to that date. The new burial ground is modern in its landscape gardening and its monuments. Many of the stone and bronze reminders of the dead are art works of which many an older and more populous community in Ohio might well be proud. MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES. Bowling Green of the '' Forties " and '' Fifties " had its quiet social as well as its quiet business character. The Masonic lodge, the Knownothing council, the churches, the Lyceum, the Sunday-school and band were really social organizations, designed to gratify the social demands of the inhabitants. The first brass band organized was that of which Edward Gossett, the tavernkeeper, was leader and instructor, until Guido, Marx, of the Neiblung settlement, was employed as instructor, late in the " forties." Nathan Moore, now of Toledo; J. D. Smith, Miles Deshler, E. Winchester and S. W. St. John were the first and principal musicians. In later years W. R. Peck was known as leader. Smith was the collector of airs, who would whistle what he heard for Ed. Gossett. Gossett would write it out, and give each performer his part. In 1855, when the cornetist, Nathan Moore, moved away, the organization fell to pieces. Since that time various brass bands have come and gone; orchestras, too, with singing societies, literary societies, choirs, etc., have appeared and disappeared; but amid all the changes, the progress of such associations has been like that of the city, so that to-day it is difficult to pick out an adult atom of the population who does not belong to a religious, secret, benevolent, musical or literary society. Wood County Lodge, No. 112, F. & A. M., may be said to date back to 1842, when Morris Brown, a teacher, farmer and man-of-allwork, called the Masons of this county to meet at the Mission farm, in Middleton township, for the purpose of organizing a lodge of Masons. A year later, on June 7, 1843, the lodge was organized under dispensation, granted April 29. In October following the charter was granted to Martin Warner, David Maginnis, Sr., Sylvanus. WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 229 Hatch, Emilius Wood, Morris McMillen, Jairus Curtis, Morris Brown and Leonard Pierce, and the place of meeting fixed at Wood's log cabin, near the present village of Tontogany. In 1849, the lodge was moved to Selkirk's Corners, near the Klopfenstein residence in the S. E. corner of Bowling Green; but in 1854, a room was rented in the George H. Thomas, or old hotel building, on Main and Wooster streets, at $10 a year. A few years later, meetings were held in the J. V. Owen building, where is now the Boston store, and in 1870 in the Rogers & Manville brick building. The membership in August, 1894, was 131. The worshipful masters of No. 112, from 1843 to 1895, are named as follows: Jairus Curtis, 1843; Emilius Wood, 1847, 1848, and 1855; Morrison McMillen, 1849; William R. Peck, 185o to close of 1854; J. Ralston, 1856; M. B. Tracy, 1858; L. F. Dubbs, 186o to December, 1862, and 1864 to December, 1866, and in 1871; James M. Lamb, 1863; S. L. Boughton, 1867 to December, 1873, and 1877 to December, 1878, and 1884 to December, 1885; John H. LeGalley, 1874 to December, 1876, and 1881 to December, 1882, and 1888; J. D. Bolles, 1879 to December, 188o, and 1886 to December, 1887; Guy C. Nearing, 1883; F. M. Young, 1891, and D. E. Niver, 1889 to December, 1890, and 1895; James M. Cunning, 1892-93; M. Munn, 1894. The secretaries were Sylvanus Hatch, 1843; Samuel Clark, Jr., 1848; A. J. Lamb, 1849; J. Bloom, 1851 to December, 1853, 1863, 1865 to December, 1870, and 1873; H. Shively, 1854; Isaiah W. Norton, 1856; S. L. Boughton, 1857; J. Taylor, 1858; W. R. Peck, 1859; William Carothers, 1861; G. Z. Avery, 1862; M. D. L. Buell, 1864; W. M. Learning, 1871-72, and 1874-75 and '76; J. C. Lincoln, 1877; G. C. Nearing, 1878-79; A. D. Stewart, 188o; John R. Hankey, 1881; George W. Hill, 1882 to December, 1884; J. W. Sleepy, 1885 to July 15; C. Erskine, 1885 to December, 1887; B. F. James, 1888; A. M. Russell, 1889; W. R. Noyes, 189o; J. H. Watson, 1891 to December, 1894, and Alexander Williamson, 1895. Crystal Chapter, No. 157, R. A. H., was chartered September 12, 1889, with the following named members: J. W. Canary, A. M. Russell, Geo. M. Brown, 33d degree; J. M. Cunning, S. L. Boughton, B. R. Taber, N. R. Harrington, Thomas N. Bierly and Frank Powell. J. W. Canary, the first high-priest, was succeeded in January, 1891, by A. M. Russell, and he in January, 1892, by J. D. Bolles. J. M. Cunning, the first secretary, was succeeded in January, 1891, by Guy C. Nearing, who retired in January, 1892, when the present incumbent, Thomas F. Conley, was installed. Dr. Taber, who died in 1891, was a 33d degree Mason; the other member of that degree received it at Columbus the night before he was to officiate at the hanging of a criminal from this county. The membership of the chapter, at the close of August, 1895, was sixty-six. The older chapter, referred to in the history of Perrysburg, was removed to Toledo in 1846, so that for about forty-three years the R. A. M. had no organization in this county, though it claimed a few members. Centennial Lodge, No. 626, I. O. O. F., was chartered June 6, 1876, with the following named members: George J. White (1), P. M. Ford (2), Geo. H. Houck (8 and A); William Goit (3), (treasurer, D. H. Richards, not a charter member), H. H. Callin, A. W. Rudulph (4 and B); (O. ' G. Samuel Slocum not a charter member), Chris. Lehman 03), R. S. Lease, A. E. Royce, C. P. Fox, M. (L.-S.-V.-G., J. D. Pike, not a charter member), W. J. Campbell, W. R. Noyes (5) and R. M. Culver (C), officers in lodge rank from N. G. to chaplain, with E. H. Selkirk, S. P. Harrison, J. W. English, Joseph Buttneff, Fred. Wittmer, Charles Noyes, B. A. Williams, George Wolf and Edson Goit, Sr. The past grands in the order of election and in good standing are those after whose names the numerals stand above, with J. C. Lincoln (6); F. B. Roath (7 and D); Guy C. Nearing (9 and F); A. H. Boardman (io and E.); J. R. Hankey (11 and J); J. S. McClelland (12 and K); F. A. Baldwin (14 and N); H. G. Hixon (15 and L); R. S. Parker (16 and P); D. J. Cargo (17 and R); Jay Simons (18 and S); J. P. Marshall (i9 and T); Wilbur Simons (2o and U); M. L. Case (21 and V) ; G. S. J. Brown (22 and W) ; J. W. Underwood (23 and X); Ira C. Taber (24); C. G. McCauley (25 and Z); W. H. Smith (26); Geo. W. Fearnside (27); J. B. Miller (28); J. B. Newton (29 and G.); H. H. Reid (3o); W. W. Hartman (31); R. B. Moore (32); C. T. Wallace (33); S. S. Hopkins (34); and J. G. Ralston (35). The past grands admitted by card are T. C. Reid, J. R. Lundy, George Cessna, E. W. Poe, D. E. Prosser, J. C. Monks, E. A. Bernard and M. A. McKendree. There have been thirty-five incumbents of the secretary's office down to September, 1895. The members named above, after whose names letters are placed, served in alphabetical order, J. P. Latshaw being the 8th, S. A. Brown the 9th, S. P. Harrison the 15th, J. A. Noble the 17th, and A. O. Saylor the 25th incumbent. Since the close of C. G. McCauley's term, as the 26th secretary, G. W. Fearnside, J. B. Miller, H. H. Reid, J. J. Devlin, R. B. Moore, J. W. 230 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. Underwood, C. T. Pope and W. B. Thomas have filled the office. In January, 1896, D. Pugh was installed as noble grand, and William Lehman, recording secretary. Robert Minear, W. B. Thomas, J. Simons and J. Underwood were elected officers of the lodge at that time. Green Encampment, I. O. O. F., instituted June 14, 1897, was named in honor of the spot so called by General Hull in his march toward Detroit. R. W. McMahan was C. P.; A. W. Rudulph, H. P.; A. J. Orme, S. W.; J. C. Lincoln, J. W.; T., C. Reid, scribe; and G. M. Brown, treasurer. The encampment, known in the charter as No. 210, is a powerful organization, recruited from Centennial Lodge. Rebekah Lodge, No. 382, was chartered August 11 , 1893, the following ladies being among the members: Sattie Hankey, Mary Hopkins, Allie Hartman, Anna Marshall, Flora Hopkins, Marie Wittmer and Hattie Parmenter. There were six male members. The office of noble grand was held by Sattie Hankey from August, 1893, to July, 1894; Hattie Parmenter to January, 1895; Altie De Riar, to July, 1895; and Hattie Cargo to January, 1896. The secretaryship was held by R. B. Moore, from organization to September 27, 1893. Altie De Riar, Hattie Cargo, Cora Avery, and Kate Bever, followed in the order given, Mrs. Bever being the secretary at the close of 1895. The financial secretaries have been Marie Wittmer and Mrs. G. C. Nearing. There were ninety-six members enrolled on September 18, 1896, and the lodge was altogether flourishing. Washington Camp, No. 29, P. O. S. of A., is in a measure a revival of the Council of 1854, with the same patriotic and personal motives, but wanting in the political influence of the old Council. It was organized April 1 t, 1892, and chartered June 13, that year. M. S. Davenport was the first president, W. M. Coller, the second, followed by Abel Comstock, C. C. Potter, N. R. Harrington, L. W. Coy and Henry I. Deel, the councillor-in-chief at the close of 1895; re-elected in January, 1896, and now presiding. H. B. Brooks, the financial secretary, and N. R. Barrackman, the recording secretary, were also reelected, with A. M. Neifer, treasurer; W. A. Keys, vice president; H. A. Stacy, M. of F. W. A. Moore, conductor; E. L. Kitchen, inspector; F. Beebe, guard; Otis Mollencup, Geo. Hannon, Ray Ketchum and Leroy Chase, sentinels. They, with about sixty-seven other patriots, were members on September 14, 1895. Royal Arcanum, Wood Council, No. 204, was chartered November 13, 1879, with the following named members: J. R. Swiggert (1), F. B. Roath, A. E. Royce, R. W. McMahan (2), R. S. Parker (7), F. H. Boughton (4), E. W. Merry, George W. Hill (6), H. C. Frederick, R. C. Kinney, George W. Gaghan, B. R. Taber, George J. White, Irvin A. Noble, I. L. Hankey, John R. Hankey (5), J. D. Bolles (3), W. Curry, Frank A. Baldwin, F. Von Kanel, G. H. Hanck and M. A. Faws. The members who served as regents are denoted by the numerals in the order of election, the regent in September, 1895, being John W. Canary. The office of secretary was held first by M. A. Faws, next by F. A. Baldwin, then by Nos. 7, 4, 5, 1 and 3, as given above, as well as by Ira C. Taber, C. E. Hunter and J. M. Cunning. F. B. Roath, the secretary in 1895, reported forty-two members on September 1, 1895. The deaths reported are J. R. Swiggert, 1890; F. Von Kanel, 1893; and Robert C. Kinney, 1895. To the heirs of each $3,000 were paid, in all $9, 00o since 1879. Kress Commandery, No. 204, Knights of St. John, is, as the title implies, a uniformed association. While giving it a place here, among secret societies, its work is not secret in any particular. The uniform resembles that of the Knights Templar, while its governing principle or constitution is based on that of the Portugal order, founded after the interdict on the older chivalrous orders of the Church. Wiley Post, No. 46, G. A. R., was named in honor of Enoch B. Wiley, a Pennsylvanian, who settled at Perrysburg in 1852, moved to Bowling Green in 1857, enlisted in Company C, 21st O. V. I., August 29, 1861, was wounded at Stone River, December 31, 1862, and died January 5, 1863. The charter was issued to this Post April 8, 1881. The members named in the charter of April 8, 1881, are: W. R. Noyes, J. D. Bolles (1), J. A. Shannon, E. W. Merry, J. R. Hankey, C. W. Evers, A. Comstock (2), R. C. Kinney, M. S. Davenport, Oliver Goodman, H. C. Oldroyd (6), George W. Callin (8), Daniel Coller, Milton Zimmerman, George W. Vail, F. E. Hammond, G. C. Nearing (4), T. J. Avery, W. Miller, A. K. Vail, A. T. Lathrop, J. Y. Pettys, D. L. Hixon, Henry G. Hixon, Lewis Wilbur, James Hughes, W. H. Wood, W. Callahan, John H. Reid, H. Goodenough, A. J. Orme, Reason Bates, E. G. Wetmore, John Parker, E. Constable, Charles Decker, John Russell, James Russell, T. P. Howard, D. W. H. Day (3), R. Wallace, J. B. Newton (5), H. Terry, J. C. Courtney, R. Van Tassel, James W. English and William Wakefield. There were only fifty-three members in December, 1884, the WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 231 post having lost three of its members by death and many by resignation of membership. Again, several soldiers whose names were on the petition were not mustered in, so that the majority of the fifty-three comrades of 1884, were really new members. The commanders elected from the charter members are denoted by numbers in the above list, except J. N. Baker, the seventh, and J. W. Canary, the ninth in order of service. The position of adjutant has been held by A. Comstock, I. A. Noble, Theo. Alexander, A. S'. Rush, C. T. Pope, G. C. Nearing, C. Finkbeiner, John McLaughlin and James M. Cunning. There are seventy-two members. Camp Ordway, No. 3, S. Of V., named after Hiram Ordway, of Company C, 21st O. V. I., who was killed at Jonesboro, Ga., August 31, 1864, was chartered November 19, 1882. The original members were E. W. Poe, E. E. Vail, C. W. Vail, John L. Yonker, L. L. Yonker, George Swigart, F. W. Strong, E. Barber, I. N. Burket, H. McCarty, William Bates, F. P. Andrews, D. Whetstone and George Rogers. E. W. Poe was captain until January, 1885, when L. L. Yonker was installed. There were thirty-five members at the close of December, 1884. The Wood County Soldiers' and Sailors' Association was presided over in 1884 by F. M. Young, with L. Black, secretary; J. R. Hankey, treasurer; and J. W. Thompson, chaplain. The Ohio Division, Sons of Veterans, though organized at Toledo, January 8, 1883, may be considered a Wood county institution, because, on July 9, 1884, the headquarters were transferred to Bowling Green, and a number of Wood county men elected State officers, E. W. Poe, W. B. Ayres, L. L. Yonker, I. N. Burket, H. L. Davis, G. A. Repass, C. E. Gregg and A. S. Muir, being among the number. The Woman's Relief Corps, known as Wiley Relief Corps, No. 85, was organized May 26, 1885, and chartered two days later, with Malona Wiley (1), president; Josephine Wood and Rosa Comstock (4), vice-presidents; Georgia Black (A), secretary; Emma Hankey, treasurer; Harriet Rush ( 5 ), chaplain; Asenith Hixson, conductor; and Stella Vail, guard. The unofficial members were Margaret Vail, Cora Potter, Julia M. Haskins, Caroline Poe, Sarah C. Evers, Mary Case, Alice Gaghan, Martha Terry, Celestia Russell, Mary Leet, Alice L. Noble, Caroline W. Merry, Mary Kramer (D), Mary McCarty (2 and 7), Jennie Cramer, Letitia Sullivan, Fannie Biggs, Clara Clough, Rebecca Hughs, Eliza Boughton, Hattie B. Young (8 and B), Carrie Noyes, Alice Simons, Cleantha Walker, Mary Bordner, Rebecca Alexander, Ada Thurstin, Emma Phelps, Jane Dupoy, Elsie Thomas, Martha Bates and Hannah McCarty. Of the eight presidents the names of six are denoted in the list of charter members by the number after the name. Lucinda Lathrop, the third president, and Elvira Sears, the sixth, were not charter members. The secretaries have been Georgia Black, Hattie B. Young, Mary E. Hopkins, Mary Kramer and Sattie Hankey, while the present secretary is Hattie N. Lenhart. The membership, on September 13, 1895, was forty-three. Kenneth Lodge. No. 158, K. of P., elected the following named officers in December, 1895: Master of work, C. C. Potter; chancellor, George Monroe; vice-chancellor, A. V. Powell; prelate, Milt L. Nelson; master at arms, W. B. Beach; master of finance, C. D. Yonker; master of exchequer, C. S. Rex; keeper of records and seals, Harry Fleishman; outside guard, Joe Strubble; trustees, C. J. Finney, C. S. Rex and E. G. Doane; and representative, J. G. Starn. Wood Camp, No. 16, Woodmen of the World, was presided over in 1895 by M. A. Ireland as C. C., with C. M. Foster, secretary. While the Camp is the senior of the K. O. T. M., as an organization, the membership is much smaller. Tent No. 89, K. O. T. N., installed the following named officers in January, 1895: H. B. Brooks, W. W. Mann, C. M. Foster, D. C. VanVoorhis, Owen Krum, H. Martindale, M. A. McKendree, William Nailor, William Dennis, E. C. Bailey and E. Levine. The charter was issued March 2, 1893, to twenty-seven members, among whom were R. P. Morrison, P. C.; M. A. McKendree, C.; H. C. Brown, R. K., and John Crane, F. K. The Uniformed Rank, K. O. T. M., was organized October 11, 1895, as Lincoln Division No. 7, and took at once a leading place among the uniformed societies of the county. The original members were S. W. Bolles, L. J. Bowers, W. P. Cobley, L. W. Coy, W. B. Eastwood, C. M. Foster, John Gentelmen, E. J. Greenfield, A. Hill Lee, Ellis Levine, W. W. Mann, H. Neiman, S. Magill, Sam Reiss, N. A. McComb, H. M. Stacy, Paul Schneblin, F. Tibbits, W. Vanbuskirk, Jacob Wolf, P. Kendall, F. B. McClung, D. D. Binkley and Sam Epstein. C. M. Foster was elected captain. Hive, No. 10, L. O. T. M., was organized October 31, 1894, with the following named members: Cora E. Caldwell, Sarah Hankey, Florence Foster, Harriet Parmenter, Josephine R. Wood, Alice M. Crom, Lydia McKendree, Eva Martindale, Maggie Cramer, Minnie M. Degg and Lo- 232 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. rena Nailor, who were elected officers. The names are given in Hive rank from past commander to picket. The unofficial members were Cora Bailey, Almeda Beebe, Hattie Cargo, Alma Clark, W. Diffenbaugh, Marcia Dair, Almina Foster, Adele S. Hill, Rosa Klearer, Ida E. Little, Emma Mineer, Cora Monroe, Nettie Nieman, Fannie Reiss, Martha and Sarah Terry, Belle Biggs, Carrie Hughes, and one or two others. The present secretary, Josephine R. Wood, reported fifty-four members in September, 1895. Crystal Chapter, No. 140, National Union, was chartered August 24, 1889, with the following named members: B. L. Abbott, C. E. Abbott, W. S. Catterman, A. M. Chapman, E. G.,Doane, C. E. Hunter, A. B. Leonard, J. W. LeGalley, H. S. McBride, Charles Miller, J. P. Marshall, C. C. Potter, M. A. Repass, C. R. Cook and. L. T. VanTassel. R. B. Moore, the first president, was succeeded by B. L. Abbott, who was serving in September, 1895. J. W. LeGalley, the first secretary, was succeeded by E. G. Doane. There were thirty-eight members reported in September, 1895. The Women's Christian Temperance Union was organized May 7, 1881, by Josephine Marlett. Mrs. Mary McFarland, was elected president, and Mrs. Jennie Cramer, first secretary, while the first members included the officers named, with Mesdames Austin Taft, A. Van Tassel, D. D. Ames, Lucy Shannon, Adeliza Kimberlin, Rebecca Kane, Julia Hogkins, M. Wiggins, Josephine R. Wood, and a few others. The recruits have been numerous, but to name all is out of the question. The union has worked with zeal in the temperance cause. At one time these women drove the council to adopt the local option clause of the Dow law. They labored well in the interest of the Clark School Suffrage bill, sending to the House a petition signed by 600 persons. A like number was signed to the petition for the Haskell bill. There are now fifty members who prosecute the work of the union vigorously. Mrs. A. M. Housel, the late secretary, was succeeded in 1896 by Mrs. M. George; Mrs. Rose Carothers was elected president, and Mrs. J. Y. Housel, treasurer. Bowling Green Division, No. 554, Sons of Temperance, was organized January 22, 1849, with W. H. Seely, Thomas Jolly, L. C. Lock, James R. Tracy, Peter Klopfenstein, Lee Moore, James Lamb, Nathan Moore, H. L. Burr and E. D. Winchester, officers in divison rank. Other secret and benevolent societies were organized here, but, owing to their multiplicity, all could not survive. RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE