Crawford County, Ohio - Chapter 15: Jefferson Township, 1912

The Erection of Jefferson Township - Indian Trails - Roads - Wingemimd's Camp - Drainage and Topography - The "Windfall" - First Settlers - An Early Marriage - An Early Tragedy - Mills - Taverns and Tanneries - Justices - Stone Quarries - The Lees and Leesville - Graveyards - Schools and Churches.

Sandusky, Tymochtee and Brokensword streams, Never more shall I see you except in my dreams. Adieu to the marshes where the cranberries grow; O'er the great Mississippi, alas ! I must go.

Jefferson township is the youngest township in the county, and was erected in 1873, by the Commissioners of Crawford county, by a division of Jackson township. That township was created in 1845, seven miles wide and four deep. At that time the western portion of the township contained the bulk of the population, on account of the important town of Leesville, the principal one in the township, and the little town of Middletown. In 1850, the influential men who controlled the affairs of the county lived at Bucyrus, Leesville and West Liberty. About that time three railroads came to Jackson township, and at the crossing of these roads in the eastern part of the township, a town was laid out, which was called Crestline. Its growth was the most rapid of any town ever started in the county. In 1850 its site was forest land, with a few acres cleared for farming purposes. In i860 it had a population of 1,487, and in 1870 it had increased to 2,279, and dominated the affairs of the township. Instead of all the business of the township being conducted at Leesville, the affairs were all transferred to Crestline, which was inconvenient to the western portion, so a petition was presented to the county commissioners praying for a division of the township. So strong was the feeling for this division that the petition was signed by D. O. Castle as chairman ; Benjamin Heckart, secretary; William McKean and 414 others. The prayer of the petitioners was granted and the western five miles were formed into a new township which was named Jefferson, after the third president of the United States, leaving the eastern two miles as Jackson township.

Of what is now Jefferson township, the eastern two miles, prior to 1845, were a part of Sandusky township, Richland county, and was surveyed by Maxfield Ludlow in 1807. When Crawford was erected in 1820, the present Crawford county west of Richland county was one township called Sandusky ; later townships were organized from this territory, and Sandusky was left three miles wide and twelve deep, comprising the present Sandusky township and the western three miles of Jefferson and . Polk. This was so inconvenient to the settlers that in 1835 it was divided, and Sandusky county practically created as at present, while the southern half, three miles wide and six deep was called Jackson, and although Jackson was then president of the United States, the Commissioners' Journal shows the name of the new township, entered in all the importance of capital letters "JACSON." This new township of Jackson included the western three miles of the present Jefferson. In 1845 when Crawford received four miles from Richland county what is now Jefferson, Jackson and Polk was divided north and south, the western three miles being Jackson township, the eastern four miles, being the part taken from Richland county. Jackson was now three miles wide and seven deep, but as both townships preferred an east and west division, it was divided east and west, and the northern part, seven miles wide and four deep was given the name of Jackson, and the southern section, seven miles wide and three deep was called Polk.

When the white man first came to this section, two Indian trails passed through the township, -one of which led from the present site of New Philadelphia in Tuscarawas county to the Indian town in Wyandot. On this trail at the time of Crawford's campaign was located the camp of the War Chief Wingenund. At a later date there was an Indian trail leading east and west from Mansfield to Bucyrus, and passing through the site of the village of Middletown. Roads constructed by the pioneers were usually crooked, as they aimed to follow the high places as much as possible, avoiding swamps and streams, and thus obviating the necessity of bridges. The first state highway, known as the Columbus and Cleveland road, was laid out in 1830, and passed through Leesville, West Liberty, nine miles of it being constructed by the citizens of those places without cost to the state. Another state road and mail route led from Mansfield to Bucyrus, passing through Middletown. Fords were used almost exclusively in early days, instead of bridges. The first bridge in the township was built over the Sandusky at Leesville and was a crude structure, which has long since been replaced by a fine stone arch bridge.

Jefiferson township contains historical ground, especially in relation to the ill-fated Col. Crawford expedition. It was through this township his army moved, and it was at the mouth of Allen Run, where it empties into the Sandusky, the troops stopped for a brief rest at i o'clock on June 2, 1782. In reaching this resting place they had passed unknowingly not over a mile back, half a mile to the south of the camp of Wingenund, a Delaware chief. His camp was on the banks of the Sandusky, just north of the Bucyrus and Crestline road, a mile east of Leesville, on the southwest quarter of section 5, the land now owned by Sebastian Brown and W. S. and C. E. Brown. After a short rest the troops followed along the south bank of the Sandusky until the stream turned to the north, when they left the river, and after going through the woods toward the southwest for about two miles, went into camp for the night in the southwestern part of the township. On their return, after the battle of Olentangy, they camped on the night of June 6, about where Leesville now stands, near the mouth of Allen's Run, the savages also camping on the bank of the Sandusky, a mile further down the stream. It was at this latter point Crawford arrived about three that afternoon in making his escape from the battlefield. He and his companions followed the river until they came to just east of the present site of Leesville, when he and Dr. Knight were captured by Wingenund and his men, and taken to Wingenund's camp and from there Crawford was taken to the place of his death on the Tymochtee.

The Sandusky river, rising in the borders of Richland county, flows through Jefferson in a northwesterly direction and, with its tributaries, furnishes ample drainage. Among the latter may be mentioned Allen's Run, which, rising in the eastern part of the township, flows into the Sandusky east of Leesville; Spring Run, originating in certain springs south of Middletown, which flows north and empties into the Sandusky near Leesville, and a small stream rising on the Snyder farm, which also flows north until it joins the Sandusky. In various parts of the township are found other small streams which contribute to the natural drainage of the land, some of which, together with the larger ones, were utilized in early days for water-power.

The land in the eastern part of Jefferson is of a rolling character and in the vicinity of Leesville are some knolls or ridges composed of gravel and stone,- one of which, somewhat more extensive than the others, is known locally as the "Hog's Back." These elevations are found chiefly along the banks of the Sandusky and Spring Run, the channels of which streams are in many places cut through solid masses of rock. In section i the banks of the river rise precipitously to a height of 68 feet 6 inches from the surface of the stream, 35 feet of this ascent being composed of solid rock, belonging to the Waverly sandstone formation. The gravel in this ridge has been utilized for many years by the Pittsburg, Ft.

Wayne & Chicago and the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railroads in the construction and repair of their respective roadbeds.

Jefferson township is favored with a good soil, consisting largely of clay, mingled in some places with gravel and sand and, with proper culti\'ation, well adapted to farming, particularly for the raising of wheat and corn. The timber - more abundant in former days than now - consists chiefly of oak, beech, maple, walnut, ash and elm. A large portion of it was destroyed in 1820 by a terrific cyclone, which was long remembered as "the windfall," so completely did it level the forest in its path. It was, however, subsec]uently replaced by a new growth.

In 18 1 6 there came to Ohio a man named Jacob Fisher, a native of Pennsylvania, who settled in what was then Richland county, but which is now Jefferson township, at a point just south of the gravel ridge. Here he bought a considerable tract of land, which cost him $1.25 per acre. His cabin of round logs, 18 x 20 feet, built to accommodate a family which numbered eight children, was probably the first civilized residence erected within the present limits of Jefferson. But if the residence was civilized, the man was not, or hardly so, for, though industrious and hardworking, he was sometimes quite dissipated and always of a malignant disposition, which he showed by committing vicious assaults on those who offended him, or damaging their property. It is said that a favorite amusement of his was to make a present to some woman - the wife of a pioneer - of a pound of tea to excite the jealousy of her neighbors, and then promise another pound to some other woman if she would fight and whip her and then watch the hair-pulling contest with the greatest enjoyment. He naturally had trouble with most if not all his neighbors, and finally left for Missouri.

In 181 7 Christian Snyder, with his wife and eleven children, came to the township from Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and settled near the eastern boundary line, in section 17, where he purchased 160 acres of land from Jacob Fisher, paying for it $3 an acre. He made the journey from Pennsylvania in a two-horse wagon, also bringing with him some twenty head of cattle, a drove of swine, a yoke of oxen and an extra team of horses. His sons had to cut a road from a few miles west of Mansfield to their destination, and this occupied them a month. They expected to find a cabin already prepared for them, as Jacob Snyder had gone on ahead for that purpose, but when they arrived they found that only a foundation had been laid and a rude puncheon floor constructed. They had no recourse but to lie down on the floor with no roof but the vast expanse of heaven above them, and for walls the dark and gloomy forest which surrounded them on all sides, whence issued every now and then the hoarse cry of some beast or bird of prey. In the morning they awoke to find themselves covered by some six inches of snow. But the Snyders were not the sort of people to be easily discouraged. They set resolutely to work to complete the cabin, in which they were aided by the neighboring Indians, who, scenting "firewater," or perhaps really taking pity on them in their trying situation, also kept them supplied with game and other food. In a short time the cabin was finished and their worst troubles were over. The Snyders became prominent residents of the township, and descendants of Mr. Snyder are still living in the county. Jacob Snyder at one time owned the ground on which Leesville now stands. He constructed the first house in - the town after it was founded and also started the first blacksmith shop in the township.

Soon after the arrival of the Snyder family, John Adrain came here from France. He was a man of great strength but dissipated. He lived for a number of years on the c^uartersection now owned by William Freese,. and here he started a distillery, where he made an inferior grade of whiskey. Mr. Adrian's lic[uor had one good characteristic, however, it is said, in that it took a great deal of it to make a man drunk.

The prominent settler of Jefferson township was Westell Ridgely who, in 181 7 settled where the Leesville and Bucyrus road crosses the Sandusky river. He was accompanied by his family, consisting of four sons and as many daughters, the latter of whom, being very attractive young ladies, excited matrimonial designs in the breasts of the eligible young bachelors for miles around. The marriage of Lucy, one of these daughters, in the summer of 1822 was the second marriage solemnized in the township, and was a great social event, long to be remembered and talked about, particularly by the feminine portion of the community, who no doubt took scrutinizing notice both of the manners and costume of the bride on so important an occasion. She married John Bear, of Liberty township, but no account is given of him. Doubtless he was well enough as young men went in those days. Evidently Miss Lucy thought so and it is to be hoped her opinion was justified.

About the same time that Mr. Ridgely thus started the ball of civilization rolling in Jefferson township there appeared two other settlers, Thomas Ferguson and J. S. Griswell. Some time after came Peter Bebout, who settled immediately below them. Ferguson in some manner gained the confidence of the Indians, who had great respect for him and called him Governor, and he was often instrumental in settling differences that arose between them and the whites.

Arrivals now became more common and the population rapidly increased. In 1818 came Daniel Miller from Pennsylvania, settling on what later became the Simon Snyder farm. Miller was a great hunter and loved the forest. He lived long in the township, dying here in the early seventies of the last century. Another Pennsylvanian, who came in 181 9, or thereabouts, from Westmoreland county, that state, was Henry Hershner, who settled near Middletown, of which place he was the founder. He was an intelligent Christian man, and took a prominent part in organizing the United Brethren church. He opened the first store in Middletown, of which his son John afterward took charge.

Lewis Leibarger came in 1819, and about the same time his future brother-in-law, James Nail. In 1820 Eli Foglesong settled in the township, and in 1821, the Wordens, Benjamin, Benjamin F. and Nathan. David Dorn came in 1824, as did John Hise, the latter later removing to Liberty township where his son was Justice of the Peace many years. Jacob Weaver arrived in 1824, and the next year Samuel Freese. In 1826 came the Werts, Peter, Daniel and Joseph; Peter being probably the most prominent man in the county in later

The first child born in Jefferson township was in 1819 in the family of Jacob Fisher. The first marriage was Eli Foglesong, who came in 1820, and promptly decided it was not good that man should live alone and the following year, 1821, married Hannah Snyder, a daughter of Christian Snyder. The event was attended by the settlers from miles around and the young couple were escorted to their new home, a log cabin in the woods erected by the young husband and the neighbors.

It is in Jefferson township that what is known as the "Windfall" is best traced. This was the most destructive windstorm that ever passed through the county, and occurred on May 17, 1820. It swept across the southeast corner of Whetstone township, went northwest through the present Jefferson, through Vernon, but its greatest destruction was through Jefferson, where the line of its fury is still easily traced after a lapse of nearly a hundred years. The best account of it is handed down by Peter Snyder, who died a few years ago at his home at Crestline. He was a son of Christian Snyder and at the time of the storm was a boy sixteen. He was in the field plowing when he beheld in the west a heavy black cloud, which threatened coming danger. The wind kept increasing in fury, and he hurriedly unhitched the team and put it in the barn, and by the time the horses were housed the wind had increased to a hurricane, and he could hear the falling of the trees and feel the swaying of the barn. It was dangerous to go outside, and fearing the barn might fall upon him he clambered up the joists of the barn, and no sooner felt himself secure in that position when the entire roof was torn away. He climbed down to the floor, and the entire barn was swept away, and he was pinned under a falling beam, and received a scar which he carried to the day of his death. The violence of the storm left everything in darkness, and after he had extricated himself from the falling timbers, and it became light enough to see, he looked in the direction of the house and found that it was in ruins. A severe rain followed the hurricane which came down in torrents for half, an hour. When the storm subsided he reached the house, and found the family all safe, but in a drenched condition and badly scared. All along the track of the storm, trees were uprooted, crops destroyed, houses and barns blown away, and stock killed. Where once was promised crops and prosperity was now destruction and utter desolation. The . settlers had escaped with their lives, but all else was lost. Their provisions were destroyed and starvation stared them in the face. Young Snyder traveled on foot through the woods to Coshocton, over sixty miles away, the nearest point at which he could obtain food, and here he was fortunate enough to secure two bushels of corn at $4 a bushel, the bulk of which was pounded into meal for food, and the balance used for planting.

Another incident which caused great excitement in the early days was the Weaver murder of which the following account is given in the Crawford County History of 1880:

"Still another affair which caused considerable excitement at the time, was the supposed murder of a man named Weaver, by Ridgely, who employed him as stiller in his whisky establishment. There had been a quarrel between Weaver and his employer, and it is supposed that he became engaged in a broil with Ridgely, and, during the melee. Weaver was killed. Nothing, however, was certainly known concerning it, although many of the early settlers considered Ridgely the criminal. Several of them pretended, or actually believed, that Weaver's ghost had actually appeared to them, and had told them in detail the whole affair. From these mythical stories it appears that Weaver was in the still-house with Ridgely one evening after dark, and that in some manner their quarrel was renewed, when angry words followed and Rigdely became greatly incensed. In his hasty madness he seized a heavy club and struck Weaver over the head a fatal blow. He then, horrified to see what he had done, dragged the body to an out-of-the-way place, and covering it with leaves left it, and told it around that Weaver had quit his employ. The body of the murdered man was found, but every attempt to find the criminal was futile, and no one was ever brought to justice."

Such is the story which was the first sensation in Crawford county. It is probable it does not do justice to Westell Ridgely. When he came to the county in 18 17, he was above the average of the early pioneers; on account of his daughters his house was a headquarters for all the young men for miles around. His own character and influence were so unquestioned that in 1821 he was one of the two men selected for Justice of the Peace of the new territory, which then embraced nearly all of the present Crawford county, Joseph Young, of near Bucyrus being his colleague. The first commissioners elected in 1826 were Magers, McClure and Poe; the next man elected to that office was Westell Ridgely, about 1828. This was after the alleged murder, and in those days it would have been a practical impossibility to elect a man to the office of county commissioner on whom any shadow of suspicion rested. Ridgely's distillery was located on the Sandusky river on the quarter section now occupied by the farm of Leopold Long and Peter F. Huber. He ran it for some years and one night it was destroyed by fire, under such suspicious circumstances that it was believed to be the work of an incendiary, some attributing the act to Jacob Fisher, but there was no proof of this except the quarrelsome disposition of Fisher, his frequent threats against many of the citizens, and especially Ridgely, against whom he always was very hostile.

At the time of the death of Weaver, Benjamin and William Bowers had a distillery on Loss Creek just above where that creek empties into the Sandusky, about two and a half miles north of the Ridgely distillery. It was in Loss Creek near this mill the body of Weaver was found, and there were no marks of violence on the body. Near where the body was found a log crossed the stream, and the general belief was that Weaver had attempted to cross by the log bridge, fell into the water and was drowned. The first recorded case in Crawford county was probably the result of the Weaver death. On the finding of the body, Fisher had circulated a report accusing Ridgely of the crime. Others probably repeated the same story. At the term of court held at Marion, in April, 1825, the first civil case tried before a jury was that of Westell Ridgely against Isaac Borland of Liberty township for slander. The plaintiff claimed

$500 damages and the jury awarded him $75. On that first jury of twelve men, several Crawford county men were drawn : George Poe of Whetstone, Amos Clark of Bucyrus, John Maxfield of Liberty, Peter Beabout and George Luke of Sandusky.

Jefferson township had a station on the "Underground Railway," which was kept by a man named Peter Wert, a wagon maker of Leesville, who was commonly known as "Black Pete." He aided many runaway slaves on their way to Canada and freedom.

The first tannery was started in the township near Leesville by a man named Jonas Hassinger. Robert Lee, Jr., kept the first tavern, at Leesville, later selling it to Elisha Allen, who conducted it for several years. Another early tavern keeper was Henry Hershner, who kept a place at Middletown for the accommodation of the traveling public. Middletown being where the Columbus and Sandusky road crossed an important road from Mansfield to Bucyrus. Christian Snyder owned the first grist-mill, which was a horsemill located just east of Middletown. In the absence of horses, oxen were sometimes used to turn the sweep. The flour made was coarse and uninviting in appearance, the settlers being obliged to bolt it by hand, but in spite of this the mill did a good business. Westell Ridgely also had a grist-mill connected with his distillery.

Jacob Snyder built a saw-mill to the east of Leesville, but sold it a short time after to Robert Lee, Sr., who added to it a grist-mill, a fulling-mill and a carding machine, and conducted them for many years, being assisted by his sons.

Another prominent arrival was William Robinson in 1831. He settled on the land where North Robinson now is, purchasing it for $1.25 per acre. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, and for eighteen years was elected Justice of the Peace of the township. The family came from Washington county. Pa., and on the trip his son James walked the entire distance, driving the cows. The son James also held office. He was elected clerk of the township in 1839, was elected recorded of the county in 1846 and re-elected in 1849, and again elected in 1857 and ten years later represented the county for two terms in the Legislature. He took an active hand in military afifairs under the old militia laws of the state, and attained the rank of Major, by which title he was always known.

About 1833 ^^ influx of Germans came to the township, among them the Becks, Shumakers and Laughbaums. One was John Franz, who took an active hand in affairs. He served nine years as Justice of the Peace, was sheriff of the county for two terms and also treasurer for two terms, and in 1862 was Lieutenant Colonel of the loist Ohio, serving four months.

The first Justice of the Peace from Jefferson township was Westell Ridgely in 1821, by appointment of the Delaware county Commissioners. The first election took place on May 15, 1824, when Matthias Markley and Ichabod Smith were elected. John Cox and Disberry Johnson were also justices, while the present Jefferson was a part of Sandusky township. From 1835 to 1873 Jefferson was a part of Jackson township, but since that time the following have been the Justices :

In 1828, Rev. Robert Lee came to what is now Leesville and bought 160 acres of Jacob Snyder, the northeast quarter of section 7. It was on the banks of the Sandusky located on high ground, and here the following year - 1829 - he laid out the town of Leesville, which he named Leesburg., It has three streets, the Bucyrus and Leesville road was the principal street and was called Main street, while north of it was Wood street. There was but one north and south street, which was the Portland road, and was called Liberty street. The lots sold for a good price, bringing from $25 to $50 each. Lee induced several mechanics to come to the place and open shops, and his son Robert Lee, Jr., opened the first general store, which he ran successfully for many years. Alexander Cannon located in the town and started a chair factory with Rickson Lewis as the painter. Dr. John McKean was the first physician, coming about 1830 and remaining for many years, after which he removed to Crestline. Fifty years after Dr. McKean, Dr. T. H. B. Clutter was the physician of the village, and he also removed to Crestline. John Lewis kept a tavern. Elijah Castle was the first shoemaker and Peter Wirt was the first blacksmith and wagonmaker. John Teel started a blacksmith shop and later ran the first saloon. The first merchants were Robert and Porter Lee, who kept a general store. Nearly all the smaller branches of the trade were established in the village and it was in a fair way of becoming a place of importance when the Ohio and Indiana road was built, and passed a mile to the south, and Leesville would have followed similar villages, and gone into a decline, but just east of the village on the farm of John Neuman, one of the finest stone quarries in the state was opened, a spur was built to the Pittsburg road and for years the output of the quarries was constantly increased. The original quarries were operated by Heckert & Rupp, and they finally ^^'ere purchased by a company composed of Bucyrus and Leesville men and were known as the Leesville stone company. For a dozen years this was one of the profitable industries of the county, and at times the force numbered 100 men. This was Leesville's era of prosperity and a large brick schoolhouse was built on a scale that showed the confidence the people had in the future of the village. Two churches are in the village. It was made a postoffice in 1839, the office being called Leesville X Roads, and Robert Lee, Jr., was appointed the first postmaster by President Van Buren. In its palmy days Leesville boasted a population of nearly three hundred people; it had two stores; two taverns, three saloons, and a dozen small shops, but the quarries failed to prove profitable; they were no longer remunerative, and the census of 1900 and 1910 shows too sadly the general decline of the village. The handsome schoolhouse, once the

The Lees, both Robert Sr. and Robert Jr. were men of education and ability and were deservedly held in high respect. The former was a son of Thomas Lee, born in Donegal, Ireland, in 1770. He emigrated to America in 1787, settling in Washington county. Pa. He studied for the ministry at Cannonsburg Seminary and became a member of the Erie Presbytery. After coming to Crawford county he assisted in the organization of many of the fearly churches and did much for the cause of religion and morality. He died in 1842. Robert Lee, Jr., was a prominent man in both state and county and efificiently served two terms as probate judge. He passed his last years in retirement at Bucyrus.

Newton Ashcroft, who settled south of Middletown, came to Jefferson in 1828 with his father's family, the father being a native of England, and a man of good education, who was an early school teacher. Joseph Gledhill and family, also from England and settled south of Leesville, on the south side of the gravel ridge, where he began farming operations and resided for many years, dying in the late seventies. His son Joseph became a prosperous citizen of Middletown.

Abraham Littler in 1832 purchased and moved onto the Ridgely farm with his family. He was born in Hardy county, Va., in 1780 and died in Jefferson township, August 10, 1844. His son Lewis became one of the prominent citizens of Sandusky township, serving in various oflfices.

On Oct. 10, 1882, the office was discontinued as no one could be induced to take the job. Finally they secured a man and in December it was reopened.

The importance of Leesville in the early days was such that it was incorporated by the County Commissioners as a village. Among the Mayors elected was Samuel R. Carson in 1847, John M. Lewis, 1849; John C. Teel, 1851; David O. Castle, 1874; Enos Flick, 1879; John P. Flick, 1883; Jacob Kelly, 1889, Sherwood McKean 1891, C. E. Schaad 1899. The little village had the same trouble over its officials as it did over postmasters, in getting people to serve, as witness the following letter written to A. A. Ruhl who, as County Clerk was endeavoring to find out to whom he should send the commission as Mayor of the village, and had addressed a letter to the "Township Clerk" for information:

Leesville X Roads, Aug. 11, 1883. Mr. Alex A. Ruhl, "Bucyrus, Ohio : "Yours not received until today on account of P. M. at this place not knowing who was Corporation Clerk, and I hardly know myself. We have had no election since April, 1881 ; at that time I was elected. I think my time expires in two years from date of election. Some say that an officer holds office until his successor is elected or chosen and qualified, but I am not certain about it. I filled part of the certificate, but it is no good anyhow. B. Heckert had a talk with John P. Flick and he will not serve at

In 1835, Henry Hershner was the leading promoter of a town that he with Christian Snyder and Adam Ashcroft, decided to lay out on the Columbus and Portland state road, about half way between Gallon and Leesville. They engaged John Stewart of Richland county (the town being in that county) to lay out and plat the town. It had a public square and two diagonal streets. The one running from southwest to northeast was the Portland road and was called Columbus street. The other from northwest to southeast was the road from Bucyrus to Mansfield, and was called Bucyrus street. There were 30 lots, 18 of them on the public square and Bucyrus street, and 12 on Columbus street. It was named from the fact that it was about midway between the two towns of Gallon and Leesville.

Henry Hershner opened a tavern and store ; the store he soon transferred to his son John, who ran it successfully for many years. Washington Modie started a blacksmith and wagon shop. Jacob Hershner started a cabinet maker's shop. Michael and John Hershner built a saw-mill, and Christian Snyder a gristmill, which was run by horse-power. It also had a church and graveyard, when it was first laid out, and later two other church buildings were erected. At first it seemed as if the new town would be a formidable rival of Gallon and Leesville, but as the channels of travel became diverted from the old road by new and better, as well as shorter routes through the county, the business came to a standstill, and finally began to decline, and in 1852 when the Ohio and Indiana road passed it by to the north, its fate was sealed ; many of the buildings were abandoned, and as time passed either fell or were torn down, so that nothing now remains, but one or two residences built in recent years in the site of the old village, that of William Gledhill being one of the handsome country residences in the county.

original founders of the town and many more of its early inhabitants and their descendants. The oldest stone is that of Jacob Hershner, born March 25, 1769; died March 9, 1829. Henry Hershner, his brother, was born Feb. II, 1776; died June 24, 1850. Adam Ashcroft was born June 17, 1774; died Nov. 28, 1866. Christian Snyder was born May 6, 1765; died June 20, 1863, aged 98 years, and Mary, his wife, was born Dec. 4, 1768; died Nov. II, 1872, aged 104 years.

During the summer of 1836, Adam Shumaker, William Robinson and Abraham Bebout, whose farms joined at a point about half a mile south of the present village of North Robinson, conceived the idea of laying out a new town. They engaged the services of C. Sweney, who was then the county surveyor of Crawford county, to lay out the town and make a plat of it, and on Feb. 2, 1836, this plat was filed in the Recorder's office. The new town was on the road leading from Bucyrus to Middletown and was on the southeast part of fractional section 13 Whetstone township, and the northwest part of section 15, Jefferson township, in what was then Jackson township. The town was laid out in a style that indicated the proprietors believed it would assume great proportions. There was a large public square, four north and south streets - Wood, Broadway, Second and East ; there was but one east and west street, and that was the Middletown road which was named Main street ; this street was extensively traveled, as the Bucyrus and Mansfield stage route passed along three days every week. The lots were placed on the market, but it was about this time the trouble was on between President Jackson and the National Bank, and the panic which resulted left no money in the country. This financial stringency lasted several years, and before money again came freely into circulation the profect was abandoned and what was once to be the town of Jacksonville is now nothing but a cross roads. Not even a house was erected on the site of the town.

The first schoolhouse in Jefferson township was built about 1824 south of Leesville, near the "Hog's Back," and was a rude log structure, about 20 by 24 feet in dimensions. The furniture was as crude as the building, the seats being hewed slabs with four legs and the writing desk a slab placed against the wall in a slanting position and supported by wooden pins driven into the logs. David Dorn was the first pedagogue who presided over this temple of knowledge. He was a Pennsylvanian of limited education and spoke rather broken English. He received 75 cents apiece from his pupils and as he began with nine, his income to start with was $6.75 per month. Another school was taught by David Gill on the Tracht place. Soon after this a schoolhouse was built in Leesville and was followed in different places in the township by several others. One of the very earliest schools was held at the house of John McClure, Mr. McClure and Mr. Akers alternating with each other as teachers by the week. Another early teacher was Mr. Ashcroft, father of Newton Ashcroft, who came here in 1828 and spent several years as a pedagogue. He had the reputation of being an excellent mathematician.

One of the earliest church organizations in the township was that of the United Brethren under the direction of Henry Hershner. For many years services were held at Mr. Hershner's own house, but later a church was erected in Middletown, which is still standing.

In 1835 a church was erected on land which later became the property of John Smith, and was for many years known as the Smith church, but it was torn down long ago. The United Brethren organized the first church in Leesville, the English Lutheran church being organized shortly after. There is a German Reformed church in the southern part of the township. The Rev. Joseph Van Deman, of Delaware, a Presbyterian preacher, took a leading part in organizing several churches in the county. Jacob Newman was also an early preacher, who held services in the homes of the settlers. Rev. Robert Lee and his sons were also prominent in Christian work, though Mr. Lee held no pastorate after his removal here.

The first Sunday school held in Crawford county was organized near the northern bounddary line of Jefferson township by David Wert, one of the early settlers in that section. Another early Sunday school was held about 1832 at the home of Benjamin Worden, and these important agencies for Christian work have since been multiplied all over the township.