Crawford County, Ohio - Chapter 23: Whetstone Township, 1912

Topography - Survey of the Township - Its Erection - First Election - The Soil - Early Prevalence of Malaria - First Settlers - Coming of Zalmon Rowse - Enterprise of James Armstrong - First Mills - Robbery of the Albrights - Crawford's March Through the Township - An Indian Village - The "Green Sea" - Early Roads - A Peculiar Marriage - The First Post Office - Founding of New Winchester, Olentangy and North Robinson - The Underground Railroad - Postmasters - Early Mills - Justices of the Peace - Schools and Churches - Graveyards.

Nor heed the skeptic's puny hands. While near the church the schoolhouse stands; Nor fear the stubborn bigot's rule. While near the church-spire stands the school. - John G. Whittier.

This township is the largest in the county, containing 40 full sections and eight fractional sections, or nearly 44 square miles, and a little east of the centre of the township is where the forest ended and the famous Sandusky Plains began, the latter extending west for nearly 40 miles, with only an occasional clump of trees, called an "island," to break the monotony of the landscape. The clearing away of the forest has long since obliterated all trace of where this line of demarkation between forest and plain once existed. The township was surveyed by Sylvanus Bourne in 181 9, it being a part of the land obtained by treaty from the Indians in 1817, and known as the "New Purchase." Originally the township was but six miles deep, but the addition of two miles from Marion county in 1845 gave it its present depth of eight miles. The fractional tier of sections on the east was a part of Whetstone township when it was first erected in 1824; in 1835 the three-mile strip east of it was the southern half of Sandusky township, and this southern half of Sandusky was erected into a new township called Jackson, and the fractional sections were given to Jackson. In 1845 on the re-organization of the townships, and the erection

In 1820 all of the present Crawford county was two townships called Sandusky, the eastern four miles being Sandusky township Richland county, and the balance being Sandusky township, Crawford county, and from the western part Bucyrus township was erected in 1822. The second township to be erected in this county was Whetstone, by the following resolution passed by the county commissioners of Delaware county on March 2, 1824:

"On petition of sundry inhabitants of township 3 south, range 1 7, in the county of Crawford, said township was ordered by the board to be and the same is hereby declared to be erected into a separate township, by the name of Whetstone. Election ordered."

In May, 1824, Crawford county was transferred from the care of Delaware county to that of Marion county, and at the elections that fall Whetstone voted with Bucyrus township. The Marion commissioners at a meeting held on Dec. 7, 1824 authorized the new township to organize. The first election was held in April, 1825, when George Poe and Heman Rowse were elected justices, their commissions bearing date of June 18, 1825. The township was named after the Whetstone creek. This creek and the Mud Run give ample drainage to the southern part of the township, while the north is drained by several nameless streams which had their rise in the swampy ground and found their way north to the Sandusky river.

The soil mainly is very rich, deep and well adapted for modern diversified farming. The forests in the eastern and northern parts of the township were largely of dark walnut and oak, beech and hickory, and were almost impenetrable at the coming of the early settlers, and the choice of land of the first pioneers was the heavily timbered tracts and not the fertile prairie which was ready for cultivation, but was too wet, swampy and unhealthy. The deciding factor seemed to be the superior supply of spring water obtainable in the woods; the health of the pioneer and his family being a first consideration in that age when medical men were few and far distant, and the roads were merely trails. Fortunate indeed was the family that escaped the malaria and chills that were so prevalent for many years ; and few did, notwithstanding the abundant supply of calomel and quinine which was kept on hand at all times and used most extravagantly, together with the universal antidote for every ill - whisky.

In the early days, little was done in the way of raising grain, owing to the absence of a market, just enough for family use. Horses, cattle and sheep were brought in from the East, and their sustenance was obtained from the prairie, where they were pastured and from which they obtained hay for the winter. The meat supply was largely wild, there being an abundance of ducks, prairie chickens, squirrels and deer. Honey was found in plenty. Hogs were brought in and permitted to run at large, and soon they were in a wild state and were a dangerous animal when brought to bay, the males in particular as they developed long tusks. They were long legged and lank and bore little resemblance to the well fed hog of later days. The rapid disappearance of game led to a remarkable change in hog life; from a roaming life in quest of food, they were brought home to receive careful consideration and live in fatted opulence. The stock industry developed into one of great importance, and with it the greater production of grain.

In 1816 Robert Reid came with his family from Ireland to America, and settled near Newburg, N. Y., but soon afterward removed to Washington county, Pa., and was living there when the New Purchase was secured by treaty from the Indians. Fabled reports of the richness of this new land affected him as it did others, and leaving his family at Washington county he started on foot to investigate for himself. He came to Whetstone township and made his selection, before the land was open for settlement. In this trip the most extreme western pioneer was around where Gallon now is, and from the last pioneer home he followed the Indian trail across the northern part of the plains and made his choice about two miles southwest of Bucyrus. He returned home, entered the land, and in 1824 came with his family to the site selected. He was not the first settler, but he was probably the first pioneer to enter the new purchase and select a home. This pioneer was born in 1 77 1, and died on the morning of July 4, 1850, and the morning prior to his death, with others, he had assisted in laying out the grounds for a new church near the Stewart schoolhouse on the Mansfield road.

The first settler to locate in the township was probably John Kent in 18 19, as he had an acre or more of land cleared in 1820. In 1 819 Seth Holmes came with the Nortons and spent the winter in Bucyrus, assisting Norton and Bucklin in the earlier work of making a home; but in 1820, he removed to Whetstone township, where he had a cabin on Kent's place, did a little farming for himself and assisted Kent and others as they arrived in building their cabins and clearing their land, for all the early settlers selected their land in the forest, with the plains in easy reach to the south of them. Holmes sent for his parents, and after their arrival they made their home with him, he being an old batchelor. The faithful son died in 1825, and he was buried in the Cary graveyard just south of the present Catholic cemetery. In 1820 Martin Bacon arrived and entered land in both Liberty and Whetstone townships, but his home was in Liberty. Noble McKinstry, John Willoughby and Joseph Young also settled in Whetstone in 1820, the latter on April 15, 1821, being appointed by the Delaware commissioners as one of the two justices of Sandusky township, the entire county being then but one township. Coming with Bacon in 1820, was Auer Umberfield, and after assisting Bacon to erect a cabin the next year he entered land for himself in Whetstone township.

Other of the early pioneers in Whetstone were Zalmon Rowse, Asa Howard, Elias, Philander and Jacob Odell ; George Hancock, Samuel Parcher, Daniel Jones, Samuel VanVoorhis, Martin Shaffner and John King in 1821; Heman and Abner Rowse, James Armstrong, Archibald and George Clark, John Beckwith, Benjamin Camp, William Hamilton, Christopher Bear, Henry Harriger, Ralph and Adam Klinger, Hugh Stewart and five sons, all young men, William, Joseph, James, John and Hugh ; and Simeon, Benjamin, George, Lyman and John Parcher in 1822; John and Edward Campbell, Hugh and John Trimble, James Henderson, Cornwallis Reese Daniel Jones, George Poe, John Stein, in 1823; John Boyer, John Lininger, Charles Chambers, Robert Reid, Casper and Isaac Fichelberger, and James Falloon in 1824; J. A. Kiefer and Benjamin Warner in 1825. These pioneers, with hardly an exception, settled north of the central portion of the township. Thomas F. Johnson, Andrew Kerr, Henry Remsen, Abraham Steen, Valentine and Samuel Shook, Andrew Kerr, John Staley, and Robert Walker in 1826; David Savage, Frederick Wise, and Samuel Winters in 1827; John Brehman, Oliver Jones, Isaac Boyer, John G. Diebler, Jacob Kester, Benjamin Hull, Samuel and John Roberts, John L. Heinlen and William Stuck in 1828; John Albright in 1829; George Deam, Samuel and John Sherer, Geo. Gibson, Samuel Ludwig, and Nicholas Myers, in 1830; Jacob Sherer in 1831; William Kerr in 1832; Tobias Kile and Martin Kehrer in 1833. Still others from 1826 to 1836 were Nathaniel Plummer, Edward Norton, Frederick Garver, Moses Dale, John Cone, Charles Gifford, John Harland, Wm. Cooper, Isaiah Scott and three sons, John and Peter Weidner, Christian Null,

Wm. Moderwell, Henry S. Sheldon, Jacob Hauck, John Kaun, Adam Bear, John Kehrer, and John N. Rexroth, the latter settlers mostly entering land in the southern portions of the township.

The northern portion of the township first claimed the attention of the settlers, it being a number of years later before settlement began in the southern half. The present southern two miles of the township was a part of Marion county, until the division of 1845 placed those two miles in Crawford county, which was more convenient to the people, as their trading points were Bucyrus and Gallon. There have been numerous descendants of many of those early pioneers of Whetstone whose names have been interwoven with the growth and development of the township and the county. Sons have succeeded their fathers in the discharge of the duties of citizenship, and these in turn have passed away to be succeeded by grandsons. Robert Reid was followed by his son George, who became a minister, preached in many churches, and frequently in the old Mission church at Upper Sandusky delivered the message of God to the Indians, sometimes making the journey on foot; several sons followed him, one, William M. Reid, being prominent in the business and moral development of Bucyrus, mayor of the village, and for over a quarter of a century superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday School. He, too has passed to his reward, and still descendants are following in the footstep of their ancestors. The Rowse family, with Zalmon Rowse identified with every progressive movement in Bucyrus, and sons following and taking an active hand in the business enterprises of the city. The Stewarts, with Hugh the father coming into the county with five stalwart sons, to leave their impress for good on the generations that follow. The Parchers and the Trimbles and the Campbells. And men of the type of the Odells and Peter Wert, who conscientiously believed that the institution of slavery was a violation of the law of God, and no human law protecting it should be obeyed, and became important cogs in that "underground" road through which many a slave found freedom only when he reached the protecting folds of the British flag.

Hugh Stewart, born in Ireland in 1757, came to Whetstone in 1822, from Cumberland county, Pa. With his family he left the latter place in 1821, making the trip to Mansfield, O., in a wagon drawn by four horses. The reports of the New Purchase were so favorable that Mr. Stewart left his family and hastened to Whetstone township, where he purchased 240 acres in section 8 for $300, continuing his trip to Delaware to enter the land. He returned to Mansfield, but soon again left his family, with the exception of five sons, William, John, James, Hugh and Joseph, and with them he came to his new farm. They built a round log cabin, 20 feet square, having one door and one window. The door was hung on wooden hinges, but the window contained four squares of glass, which was rather an innovation and distinction at that date. Mrs. Stewart came on in the spring accompanied by a widow, Betsy Anderson, who served as their housekeeper. The Stewarts brought some stock with them from Pennsylvania. The sons, all of whom had reached man's estate before their arrival, all married in the county, and with the exception of William, continued to live in Crawford county and were counted among the most substantial citizens. James Stewart was honored with numerous public offices. He served several years as associate judge with R. W. Musgrave and Samuel Knisely, Ozias Bo wen of Marion being the presiding judge. About 1861, he moved to Mansfield, where he remained two or three years, then located in Bucyrus. His death occurred Aug. 6, 1871, aged seventysix years, three months, and twenty-six days, and he was laid to rest in the Stewart Graveyard. Mrs. Hugh Stewart, the mother of this family, did not enjoy good health, died soon after arrival, and hers was one of the first deaths recorded in the township.

John Campbell when he arrived in the spring of 1823, had practically nothing except a family. He had only money enough to pay for 80 acres, and after making his selection, and building a log cabin with one window which was covered with greased paper, and only one room, he walked to Delaware, paid all he had for the land, and returned to his farm. He had neither an ox nor a horse, and was compelled to farm entirely by hand. He not only prospered ,but stood high in the estimation of his neighbors, for in 1827 they elected him as justice of the peace, re-electing him for eight consecutive terms, and when in 1834 they sent him to the Legislature they still kept him in office as their justice. Soon after he arrived, an infant son, Samuel, died on Aug. 16, 1825 ; a little plot of ground was set aside, and this became the Campbell graveyard, the first burial place in the township.

John Boyer came to Crawford county in 1829. He was married to Catherine Hunsicker in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania in 1815. In 1829 he set out with his family, crossing the mountains, and located on what became known as the Boyer farm, southeast of Bucyrus on the Galion road. Here he kept a house of entertainment known far and near in that early day as "Boyer's" or "The Blue Ball Tavern." The building still stands, an old frame with its weather beaten porch, a few rods south of the Middleton road, on the land now owned by Samuel Fouser. For many years it was the most noted and popular tavern in this section. Strangers were always hailed with a cheerful voice, warm hearty shake of the hand, and treated to the best that could be afforded in those days. Scenes of pioneer life, festivity and mirth were many. It was also a headguarters for political meetings. Boyer did all things well, whether rolling logs among the pioneer settlers, helping to raise a house, working on his farm, entertaining travelers or helping to build a church. He was the first man to take hold and the last man to quit. He was a powerful man, and with his bare fist could drive a nail into soft lumber, or break the nail between his fingers.

Zalmon Rowse, a native of Massachusetts, came in 1821 from Wayne county, Pennsylvania, the northeastern county in that state, where he had lived from his sxteenth year. He walked the entire distance of five hundred miles, and after entering three tracts of eighty acres each, in Whetstone township, walked back to Pennsylvania. In October, 1821, he set out for his new possessions, accompanied by his wife and six children. He taught one term of school after his arrival, and served terms as county commissioner, county recorder, clerk of the court of Crawford county, and justice of the peace. He also bore the rank of colonel in the county militia.

James Armstrong came in 1822 ; like all the rest of the early settlers he built his cabin of logs, and being a man of taste he took his time to it and hewed the logs, giving it a more attractive appearance. He built, as did others, with a rough clapboard roof, and stick and mud chimney, but the first winter he occupied his leisure time in making shingles, and replaced the clapboard roof with the first shingle roof in the county. Not content with this he established a little brickyard on his place and made enough brick to replace his mud chimney with a brick one, the first brick chimney not only in the township, but probably in the county. He only made these modern improvements for his own personal gratification, but his neighbors not only admired his brick chimney but appreciated how much more serviceable it was and induced him to manufacture brick for them, which he did, the first brickyard in the county, small though it was. Mr. Armstrong soon discontinued the manufacture of brick, and it was taken up by John Boyer; later the first brick house built in the township was built on his farm.

Samuel Parcher came with Ralph Bacon in 1 82 1, being employed by the latter to drive an ox team from Painesville, Ohio. Parcher made his first money by making 10,000 rails for Bacon for which he received $5 a thousand, this money he invested in land. He was followed the next year by four brothers, and among them they acquired considerable land. In 1828 they built a horse-power saw-mill on their farm, and also started a still, but as they did not meet with the success anticipated, they were early discontinued.

Peter and Elizabeth Cook came to the township in 1834, and all the money the husband had was only sufficient to purchase 37 acres. He was a tailor, and by working at his trade at odd hours he added to his land.

John G. Diebler and wife came to Whetstone in 1828, with two other families. Each family owned a horse, but they had but one wagon, and the three families came in the one wagon drawn by three horses ; they settled in the central part of the township. Diebler was a carpenter by trade, and many of the houses In that section were built by him.

Henry Harriger came in 1822, selected his land then went to Delaware where he entered it, returned to Wayne county and the next year came with his wife. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. His log house was built a mile east of Bucyrus, where the river road branches off from the Mansfield road.

Valentine Shook, with his wife Nancy, came from Wayne county in 1827. They had an old fashioned covered wagon, which was drawn by an ox-team. They brought with them two cows and six sheep. He was a carpenter, and the family slept in the wagon until their first house was built. They were three weeks coming from Wayne county.

Andrew Schreck came in 1825 with his wife Elizabeth, and when they reached Bucyrus their cash on hand was just $4, not enough to buy land. He settled on the Annapolis road east of Bucyrus. His wife was a skillful weaver, and a loom was put up in their little cabin, and in a few years they were able to buy a farm in Whetstone, and later they' kept a store and hotel at Olentangy when a line of stages were running between Bucyrus and Mansfield.

Hugh Trimble came to the county in 1822, and entered 320 acres in the northeastern part of Whetstone, and the next year came with his wife and family settling on his purchase. His son John came with him, and in 1827, when he was 22 years of age, his father sent him to Delaware, to enter another 80 acre tract, and the young man walked the entire distance there and back, and on his return his father made him a present of 20 acres of the tract. This started him in life, and on Jan. 31, 1828, he married Icy Parcher, who had come to the township with her father Daniel in 1823. During the winter the young man had built a little log house on his 20 acres, into which the young couple moved.

John Albright and his wife, came to Whetstone township in 1829. They came from Pennsylvania with one wagon drawn by three horses, and were nearly a month on the way. He settled along the Gallon road, east of the township hall on a 73 acre tract. He was a shoemaker by trade, and for a number of years carried on his business in connection with farming. Mr. Albright prospered, and later moved to near New Winchester. In 1866, at 2 a. m., on the morning of May i, his door was broken in with a post wrenched from the gate, and several men, all disguised, entered the house and demanded his money, as it was generally believed he kept a considerable sum about him. He refused and was clubbed into unconsciousness. His son John hurried to his father's assistance, knocked down two of the men, before he himself was hit with a club, and pounded into unconsciousness. As the women arrived they were scared into submisson, and the robbers ransacked the house, and secured $300 in cash and what jewelry and other valuables they could lay their hands on, and left. Both father and son were badly bruised, the father so seriously that he died in August. Mr. Albright was living near New Winchester at the time of the robbery, and suspicion pointed to several parties who had hurriedly left that section immediately after the robbery. They were traced to Mt. Vernon, and here a clue was obtained to the perpetrators. A girl, who had left about the same time, had been arrested for stealing. She had stolen some meat from a butcher shop, and not being accustomed to eating raw meat, had broken into a church, and stolen sufficient of the Sunday School library to cook the meat. She mentioned the names of several parties who had been guilty of a number of robberies in and around New Winchester, but no trace of them was ever found.

Joseph Albright came to Whetstone in 1830, and settled in the northwestern part of the township, where he started the first brick yard on the Ludwig place, and here he manufactured the brick that went into a number of the early buildings in Bucyrus.

George and Mary Beach, came from Germany, settling in Whetstone township, where they entered forty-four acres of land. He was a cabinet maker by trade. John and Catherine Crissinger came to Crawford in 1832. His grandfather, Leonard Crissinger, was one of the soldiers of the revolutionary war, that were compelled to walk barefooted a part of the time on account of lack of shoes for the army. Thomas and Nancy Kennedy, of Irish descent, came to Crawford county in 1832. John McKinstry was born in County Antrim, Ireland in 1773; came with his parents to America and settled in Pennsylvania. He was in the War of 1812, belonging to the organization, known as Light Horse Brigade.

Martin Kehrer came to Whetstone in 1833, a young man of 20, where he purchased his first land in the southern part of the township, between the Whetstone and Mud Run. He returnee^ to Pennsylvania and the next year came back with his father settling on his purchase. The father, John Kehrer, came from Germany to America in 1805, and besides his son Martin, several other of his children came to this county. In 1838, Martin Kehrer made a second trip to Pennsylvania, and this time returned with his bride, who had been waiting until he could prepare a home for her in the western country.

Henry S. Sheldon, was a cooper by trade, and after clearing a piece of land and building a little log cabin, he married Nancy Ridgley, one of the four daughters of Westell Ridgely who came to what is now Jefferson township in 1817.

John and Frances Brehman came to Whetstone township in 1828; he was a wagonmaker, and besides clearing his land made wagons for his neighbors.

When Ralph Bacon came in 18 19 he located his land, 80 acres in Liberty and 160 in Whetstone; he then went to Delaware and entered the land. The next year he brought his family, traveling with two yoke of oxen and one horse. They came on through to Bucyrus, which at that time consisted of but two log cabins.

It was through Whetstone township that the army of Crawford marched during their unfortunate expedition of 1782. They entered the township, perhaps a mile below the present village of north Robinson; they went across the township bearing to the south, crossing where the Gallon road now is at some point between the Township Hall and Seccaium Park, and left the township a trifle over three miles south of Bucyrus. Their return route was the same, and it was when they had crossed where the Gallon road now is they were compelled to stop to protect their rear.

and the battle of the Olentangy followed. Butterfield places this battle in the northeast quarter of section 22, on the high ground north of where the monument stands. The east half of this section is now owned by Sarah R. Lust and the west half by J. B. Campbell. Along this higher ground, north of the Galion road, is where a hundred years ago the Indian trail was located from Galion to Upper Sandusky, crossing the Sandusky river south of the Mansfield street bridge, following the high ground through southern Holmes and crossing the Brokensword, about half a mile southwest of Oceola. The western section of Whetstone was a part of the Plains which the Indians used for their ring hunts, when they fired the grass and drove the game to a common centre, shooting the animals as they endeavored to make their escape through the ring of fire. When the earliest settlers arrived there was an Indian village on the banks of the Whetstone, at or near where Seccaium Park now is, and in this section many Indian relics have been plowed up. Another camp or village of the Indians was between the Stewart graveyard and the river.

In the centre of the township, along the Mt. Vernon road south of the present township hall, two brothers, Philip and Adam Clinger, had settled. Their land was on the plains, perfectly level, and here the militia of the county would assemble to go through their maneuvres, and the place became known as dinger's Fields. Philip Clinger dug a number of wells for his neighbors, and eventually was killed, one of the wells caving in on him.

In early days the southern portion of the township was covered with water, which some forty years ago was designated as the "Green Sea," by a man bearing the name of John James. In many places also a growth of wild grass, and a species of cane, called maiden cane, sprung up, and were of very luxuriant growth, often growing to a height of from 15 to 20 feet, and of such strength and thickness as to prevent persons from passing through, except by following beaten paths.

In 1828 there was but one regularly laid out road through the southern part, and that was a road from Marion to Galion and Mansfield. It was by no means then opened up and made traversable. The settlers in going to either point mentioned, whether with a team or on horseback, generally abandoned the road as they found better traveling by following a winding track cut out over the highest ground available. There were one or two grist mills at hand - one owned and operated by Benjamin Sharrock, the other by Jotham Clark. But both of these were very small and very inferior. Many of the older settlers never expected to see this country settled, cleared, and put under cultivaton and some of them even thought it would never become properly inhabited. A man named Isaac Dickson came west in 1832, and entered land; not wishing to remain himself until the country was better cleared and more thickly settled he ' induced one of his Pennsylvania neighbors, a man named Tobin to take the land, and for clearing a few acres he was to have it rent free, and also have all of the crops. Tobin accepted the offer, Dickson helped move Tobin and his family to their new home, seeing them properly located in an old cabin that was on the property. Dickson then returned to Pennsylvania stopping to visit frends for a few days in Guernsey county. The first night Tobin spent in the cabin a violent wind storm swept through that section, tearing up trees along its track, hurling timber in every direction, and shaking the cabin to its foundation. The day before the storm the land was tangled forest, much of it covered with water, and the next morning the desolation was still more complete, and Tobin promptly sold all his goods except what he could take in the one wagon he had, and started back to Pennsylvania, and when Dickson arrived the first man to greet him was his disgusted and "busted" tenant, Tobin. It is reported Tobin died in Pennsylvania, never again being permeated with the western fever ; others of his neighbors came west, and sent accounts home of their prosperity, but they never phased Tobin.

Philip Hubbert was justice of the peace of Tully township, Marion county for eight years, the township south of Whetstone. One day in June a young man called to solicit him to perform the ceremony which should unite the young gentleman to his lady love in the holy bands of matrimony. The time was designated; the place was mentioned, and after receiving the promise from the mag- istrate that he would be on hand, the young man departed. Time sped, no doubt slowly for the lovers, but the day arrived for the consummation of the nuptials, and Mr. Hubbert drove over to the house of the expectant bride ; but as the hour for the marriage drew nigh, it was discovered by the squire that the bride's residence was in Whetstone township, Crawford county, and it would be illegal for him to perform the ceremony in any other than the county in which he held his commission, and the marriage would have been absolutely void, To obviate all difficulties, and to have the marriage ceremony performed without any unnecessary delay, it was suggested that, as only a few rods intervened between the bride's home and the Marion county line, in fact, only the width of the road, the young couple should at the proper time step across the limits into the territory of Marion county and there be united, which was accordingly done. The ceremony was performed in a potato patch, in the presence of a number of guests, after which all returned to the residence, and partook of the marriage feast, and all went merry as a marriage bell.

The first postoffice was established in Whetstone township in 1833. A few years previously William Fitzsimmons had purchased nearly 20 acres of land along the Gallon road. It was the west half of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 16, a part of the land that is now the site of the Crawford County Infirmary. Here he built a tavern and through the influence of the settlers in that section a postoffice was secured and William Fitzsimmons was appointed postmaster on Aug. 8, 1833. It was named Whetstone, after the township. In October, 1837, Mr. Fitzsimmons was elected surveyor of the county and he removed to Bucyrus to enter on his new duties, and no successor was appointed, the office being discontinued on Feb. 20, 1838. On removing to Bucyrus Mr. Fitzsimmons sold his tavern and the twenty acres to Andrew Failor for two hundred dollars.

In 1830 the first census of the county showed that Whetstone was the most populous township in the county, having 750 inhabitants, which was 24 more then Bucyrus. The settlers in the northern part of the township had a convenient trading point at Bucyrus, so there was no demand for a village in this section, and the first town laid out was in the southern part, which was New Winchester, and. at the time it was started it was in Marion county, and only became a part of Crawford in 1845.

Xew Winchester was the first village laid out in Whetstone township, and was followed a few years later by Olentangy, now no longer in existence, and many years afterward by North Robinson. New Winchester was laid out by the surveyor of Marion county in 1835, on lands belonging to Benjamin Fisher, Samuel Lechner, William Stuck and Henry Wise. It was given its name after Winchester, the county seat of Frederick county, Virginia, a number of the early settlers being from that section. The farms of the four proprietors lay at the crossing of two roads, being at the corner of sections 4, 5, 8 and 9, township 4, range 17 east. A cabin had been previously built there by William Stuck, and he had a small blacksmith shop at the corners. After the town was laid out Israel Wise built a small cabin of hewed logs, and Samuel Winter built a cabin, and had a carpenter shop in connection. Soon there was a settlement of eight or ten houses, and Samuel Crow was induced to start a store, and he built a little log storeroom, and opened up with a stock of about $300, but it proved unprofitable and was soon discontinued. Adam Bear built a grist-mill on the Whetstone just north of the village, which at the start he ran by horse-power, and later steam was used. In the early days Peter Wert had charge of the mill, and it was a station on the Underground Railroad being the first point north of the Iberia station. About 1838 another store was started by Judge E. B. Merriman of Bucyrus. He started with a stock of $1,500, did a good business, and sold out to Henry Clark, who also prospered and at the end of six years sold to Plodner & Timson who eventually disposed of the stock and went into other business. But the little village' was the centre of a prosperous community and there followed other stores and shops. John J. Rexroth had a blacksmith shop there in 1838, and Henry Aiker was also one of the early blacksmiths. Abraham Steen had a saw-mill north of the town on the river which he ran successfully for twenty years. In 1835 John Kaun had a saw-mill on the river west of the town. He disposed of it to other parties, and the business increased to such an extent that steam was introduced, Jacob Cressinger was one of the early carpenters. George Cox opened the first saloon in the village, and it passed into other hands, grocery stores being run in connection, and both liquor and groceries did a good business, but when laws were introduced taxing saloons the tax became too excessive for the custom, and saloons were discontinued. Soon after the village was started the people asked for better postal facilities and their request was granted. Frederick Wise was the first postmaster, in 1836, and was succeeded by John Highly, Dec. 29, 1848; Robert Park, June i, 1854, and he held the office until it was discontinued on April 24, 1855. It was finally re-established on Nov. 4, 1862 with Charles Hahn as postmaster, when he ran it for another four years and it was again discontinued on Dec. 5, 1866. It was not until after the T. & O. C. road was nearing completion, that the office was again re-established on May 8, 1878, with Josiah Keiter as postmaster. He was followed by E. B. Gleason, Aug. 12, 1889; C. W. G. Ott, May 6, 1890; Josiah Keter, April 25, 1894; C. W. G. Ott, March 12, 1898; William Mason Oct. 29, 1900. On May 15, 1905 it was again discontinued. Being on a railroad, several attempts have been made to have the office again re-established, but all efforts have failed, mail being delivered by rural route from Bucyrus daily, except occasionally in the spring, when the Whetstone overflows its banks to such an extent that the carrier is unable to reach the village until the flood subsides.

About 1830 Barney and David Eberhardt built a saw mill on the Olentangy southwest of where the village of that name was later located. They had a log dam, filled in with mud, stones and brush, and the mill was run by water power, and while very slow, was kept busy by the demands for lumber. Michael Nye and Abraham Holmes also had small saw-mills along the stream. About 1838 Paul I. Hetieh and his brother-in-law, George Sweney, prominent business men of Bucyrus, became owners of a saw-mill just above the

Eberhardts mill. They built a dam and a mill race, put in the best of machinery then available and it became one of the largest sawmills in the county. Several men were employed at the mill and in hauling the lumber to Bucyrus and Galion, the two principal points at which the lumber was sold. There were no facilities at the mill for caring for the teamsters and horses. The man who came to buy lumber had difficulty in finding sleeping quarters or even a place for meals, while the teamster returning during the night had to look up some farm house where he could receive accomodation. At that time there was no building near the mill which could be used to accommodate the workmen and customers, and many slept in the mill, and in summer in their wagons in the open air. One thing the proprietors of the mill did have, and that was lumber; it was cheap so they decided ^hey would erect a tavern near the mill. Having decided upon this action it was not long before they extended their ideas and decided to lay out a town. The location was good; it was on the Bucyrus and Galion Road, half way between the two towns. The road was one of the best traveled in the county, a line of stages going through to Bucyrus three times a week, and besides, this was on the principal road over which eastern merchandise was transported from Mansfield to Bucyrus and farther west. So Sweney and Hetieh formed a partnership with William Snyder, a farmer and blacksmith living near the cross roads, and had a town laid out by Thomas C. Sweney, the county surveyor. The new town consisted of 41 lots, 21 on the north side of the road, and 20 on the south side. The plat was filed in the recorder's office at Bucyrus, on Nov. 16, 1840, and the location given was on "the north half of section 26, Whetstone township." The principal street was on the road from Galion to Bucyrus and this was called Main street; the north and south road was named Market street, and east of Market was a street which led from Main south to the mill on the Olentangy, called Mill street. The name of the town came from the stream Olentangy which passed south of the new place. The village started off well. Hetieh and Sweney built their tavern on the southwest corner of Main and Market; William Snyder built his house and blacksmith shop on the northwest corner; Andrew Schreck put up a building on the southeast corner, in which he opened a general store and also had a bar for the sale of liquor; George Seebler had a carpenter and cabinet maker's shop on the northeast corner. A school house was erected the first year the town was laid out, on the lot on which Shreck built his store. The town prospered for a time; later Schreck took charge of the tavern and did a prosperous business, with his hotel, store and liquor, and in winter it was headquarters for many sleighing parties from Bucyrus and Gallon, where the belles and beaux had a bounteous supper and danced to a late, or rather early, hour.

Valentine Smith owned a store there in 1852, and Robert Cowden was running it for him, and one morning walked from Gallon, to his place of business at Olentangy, five miles, stopping at the old two-story hotel at "the Corners," west of Gallon, where he got a box of cigars made by the hotel proprietor, the cigars being needed at the store.

The growth of the town made a postoffice necessary and one was established there. William Snyder being appointed postmaster on March 3, 1840. He ran the office a little over two years when it was discontinued on Dec. 2, 1842. It was re-established on May 11, 1850, with Andrew Schreck as postmaster, but at the end of two years it was again discontinued on May 28, 1852. It remained closed for ten years when it was reopened on Oct. 30, 1862, with Andrew Schreck again as postmaster. It only had another two years' lease of life and was finally discontinued on Dec. 5, 1864.

After the Ohio and Indiana road passed to the north, traffic over the stage road ceased and the town was on the decline. No longer were the many teams passing daily. The local settlers were not sufficient to make a store and tavern profitable and the few business enterprises of the town were suspended. When the war broke out little remained of the town except the school house and saloon. As the years passed, even the saloon discontinued for want of business ; the school house had crumbled to decay and in its place had been erected a brick structure a few rods to the west. Nothing is on the four corners today; of the hotel and the store and the shops, not even the ruins are left; down Mill or Market street may still be seen the old decayed beams where the saw-mill once stood, and in the village itself all that remains is the schoolhouse on one side the road and across old Main street to the north is the handsome modern farm house of Francis Shook, with its spacious outbuildings. And the original owners and business men, like the old village itself, have long since crumbled into dust, and, prominent though some of them were, are only faintly recalled by the older settlers.

When the Ohio and Indiana road was built J. B. Magers, William Brown and William Magee started a steam saw-mill where the railroad crosses the boundary line road between Whetstone and Jefferson townships. John and William Burwell had a blacksmith shop, and a number of other buildings had been erected. J. P. ..Robinson secured the establishment of a postoffice there in 1854 and it was named North Robinson after himself. He came to the county in 183 1, was one of the early County Commissioners, and when the railroad was built had a saw-mill and furnished ties for the road. When he came in 1831, he had with him was his one year old son, William Robinson, now living at Crestline, and the secretary of the Crawford County Pioneer Association. The little village prospered, but the same trouble probably arose as in other places in the county, over the Douglas-Breckenridge fight for the presidency, for in i860 the postoffice was discontinued, notwithstanding it was a thriving little village and on a railroad. The losing of the postoffice did not suppress the enterprise of Mr. Magers for on March, 1861, he had the county surveyor, Horace Martin, plat a town on his land on which there were already a number of buildings. The town was called North Robinson, and the boundary road was Main street. There was a street north of the railroad called Bucyrus, and two streets south called Mill and Walnut.

After many lots had been sold and residence and business houses had been erected, a cloud on their title was discovered. Thereupon J. P. Robinson laid out a plat of lots on the east side of the original town, in Jefferson township, and the people moved over to them. Later when the cloud was removed, the people largely returned to their original holdings. The first merchant was Frederick Newman, who did well, and other enterprises followed, including a hotel, dry goods and drug store, blacksmith shops, a cooper shop, a grocery and saloon, and a fine steam saw mill which was owned and operated by Warden & Tracht, and the flourishing steam tile-factory established by Sickman, Fate & Co. of Crestline.

After Magers bought out his partners in the saw mill, he added an addition in which he placed two sets of buhrs and modern machinery for the grinding of grain. The mill was the center of a grain growing and populous region, and did a good business under several owners, but was finally destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. In 1873 Mr. Magers erected a large elevator, which has continued under various owners. In 1862 John L. Caskey and Lewis Holker built a large factory, and went into the carriage business extensively, employing a number of hands, and half a century ago their carriage works were one of the important industries in the county. The first physician in the village was Dr. Frank Duff. On July 26, 1 86 1, the post office was re-established in the Newman store with Frederick Newman as postmaster, and has continued ever since. Mr. Newman being succeeded by A. R. Warden, Oct. 29, 1861 ; James G. Patterson, Aug. 5, 1872; George Railing, April 21, 1875; George F. Darr, Feb. 10, 1881 ; J. W. Littler, April 25, 1882; E. G. Smith, June 15, 1889; J. W. Littler, June 27, 1893 ; Wilmina Warden, Sept. 14, 1897; E. R. Boyer, Sept. 26, 1901 ; Ida R. Frank, May 15, 1907.

North Robinson has graded schools, their large brick having four rooms. There are two churches, the Lutheran and the United Brethren. North Robinson was the home of Rev. John V. Potts, who wrote several religious works. He was active not only in the U. B. church but also in all religious work, and in some respects was like the ministers of half a century previous; - on horseback or on foot he traveled miles to fill some vacant pulpit.

When the Marion commissioners erected Whetstone township in 1824, Heman Rowse and George Poe were the first justices elected in April, 1825, and their commissions were dated June 18 of that year. The following is

The settlement of the northern part of the township necessitated schooling for the children, and the first school was held in the cabin of John Beckwith. The cabin was of logs and consisted of but one room. And at one end of this room, the eating and sleeping side was given up to the school. The other end was the kitchen department where the meals were being prepared. The school teacher is unknown, but the fact is handed down that a definite line existed in the cabin, established by Mrs. Beckwith, over which no child dared pass; so the first school was held in the summer of 1824, with mental refreshments being served at one end of the room while bodily refreshments were being prepared at the other. During that winter no school was held, the larger children going to Bucyrus, and the smaller ones picking up what knowledge they could at home. That winter, however, the settlers, cleared a place and erected a small schoolhouse on the farm of Joseph Young, and the first winter it was taught by Moses Arden of Bucyrus. Two years later a log schoolhouse was built east of this. In these earlier schoolhouses time was not taken to square the logs; they were put in place, round as when they came from the trees, and what furniture they had was made by the settlers themselves.

John Campbell's farm, and it boasted of two windows, and these windows had real glass to admit the light ; the first two schoolhouses receiving their light through greased paper. Elizabeth Bair taught school the first summer, having 15 to 20 pupils. During the first session one June day a hurricane passed through that section while school was in session; trees were uprooted, and hurled against the building, some cabins were blown down, but the little schoolhouse was just on the edge of the storm, and although badly shaken, remained intact, and no damage done except the severe fright given the children.*

The winter term in this building was taught by Henry Remson. The attendance increased and so crowded the little schoolhouse that an abandoned cabin was fitted up a mile and a half further south, which was attended by the scholars living in that section. The first Campbell schoolhouse was used about 12 years, when a large frame building was erected east of the first site. This was used not only for school purposes, but for religious services, and on account of its size was the place where all important public meetings were held. When Winchester was laid out a log schoolhouse was erected just north of the village which did duty until 1850, when it was abandoned and a new building erected west of the village; this was succeeded by another, and in 1878 the present brick building with four rooms was erected in the village.

The Olentangy schoolhouse was first erected about 1840 in the eastern part of the callage, and after being in use some years gave place to a frame structure near the same site, and thirty years ago the present brick was erected. It was about the time that New Winchester was laid out that the township was divided into school districts, and in 1845 when two miles were added from Marion county it added more school districts, and Whetstone today has fourteen districts. The first build-

* On May 22, 1903 a similar hurricane swept across Holmes township. The Holmes Centre school house, a brick structure was in the track of the storm. School was in session at the time. Half of the roof was carried several rods, and the other half with the north wall thrown into the school room. The teacher and some children were struck by the debris, and yet nothing more serious occurred than a few slight bruises. All the roof and one wall were blown down, another wall but half remained.

ings of course were logs, but some of the later districts started with small frame buildings, until today all are of brick, the buildings at New Winchester and North Robinson both being structures that would be creditable to villages more than double their size. The North Robinson building was erected in 1873; the first schoolhouse was a mile northwest of where the village now is; later a schoolbuilding was erected half a mile south of the present village ; then North Robinson was laid out, became a center of business, and its importance demaftded that the schoolhouse be in the village. The present building is of brick. Whetstone exceeds all other townships in the number of her school houses, having fourteen.

The early settlers of Whetstone in the northern part could attend religious services at Bucyrus, yet many meetings were held in their cabins, ministers coming out from Bucyrus on Sunday afternoons to hold services. In 1823 Rev. John O. Blowers and his brother William had been licensed as ministers in the M. E. Church and they held frequent services at the cabins of the early settlers, and after the large Campbell schoolhouse was built it was in constant use by Methodists and the ministers of other denominations. At the start the Methodists were attached to the Mansfield Circuit, and Rev. Solomon Myneer was the first traveling missionary. He had six counties in his circuit, and it took him six weeks to make the round, so they could depend on their regular preacher for al^out eight visits a year. He had nothing to pay for fopd and lodging, any pioneer whether of his denomination or not being glad to entertain him. Some years he managed to collect as high as $40, and although this was net, there is no report of his having left any fortune beyond an honorable name to his heirs, and like hundreds of others of these faithful and self sacrificing spiritual teachers in the early days, he was satisfied with the blessings he received in the world below from those to whom he gave cheer and comfort, and consolation and hope, and reaped his reward in the eternity beyond.

As early as 1832 the Methodists built a church in the northern part of the township in the Stewart neighborhood. Here Rev. Robert Reid was a class-leader for a number of years, and was one of the early preachers.

One of the active members in this church was Cornwallis Reese. Years ago this church was abandoned the members uniting with the M. E. Church at Bucyrus. Near this church was the Stewart graveyard, and here was buried James Scott, who died June 29, 1829, and the same year in August was the second burial of John Parcher, one of the five Parcher brothers who came to the county. Samuel and Simeon Parcher and others of that family are buried here. Here also lies Hugh Stewart, the venerable father of the Stewarts, who died July 29, 1854, aged 97 years. Another M. E. Church was built in the western part of the township, and later replaced by the present brick structure on the Winchester road on the farm of John W. Sherer. Another is on the county line a mile southeast of New Winchester, known as the Sixteen M. E.

When New Winchester was laid out the German Reformers had an organization with services at the various cabins, and these continued until the society was strong enough to build a church which they did in 1847 just west of the village; it was a frame structure and cost about $900. " Rev. James Kellar was the first minister, and preached in both English and German. Later the church was repaired. In 1835 the same denomination had a church a mile north of New Winchester, first a log structure, then followed by a frame building, and a few years ago the present brick structure was dedicated. It is known as the St. John's Reformed Church and includes among its membership those who formerly belonged to the church west of New Winchester. A graveyard was started here before the church was built. Near this graveyard on the farm of John Weirick there still is seen a little graveyard, no longer used. It was originally on the farm of Archibald Clark, and in it is today the oldest gravestone in the county, almost illegible ; crumbling to decay it still marks the last resting place of his wife, Rachel Clark, who died Sept. i, 1826. Here too is the place where rests Judge E. B. Merriman, the first business man in Bucyrus, and with Zalmon Rowse its most influential citizen in its early days. In 1822 he ran the first store in Bucyrus ; at one time had a branch store at Annapolis, and in 1838 started one at New Winchester, and died there. Today no mark remains to show where he was buried, but old residents at Winchester stated years ago he was buried in the graveyard north of the village. There were but two, the Reformed graveyard and the private burial ground of his old friend, Archibald Clark, who had been with him in many business transactions.

The German Lutherans organized later, holding meetings in the cabins and later erecting churches. They have two churches in the southeastern part of the township, one a mile south of Olentangy on the bank of the Whetstone, and the other. Holy Trinity Lutheran, a quarter of a mile southwest of this.

The Salem Evangelical church is south of Wagner's Corners. North Robinson has a handsome English Lutheran Church, built in 1875, located on Main street, but on the Jefferson township side of the village .

More than half a century ago a church was built on the Gabon road, just east of the Battle Monument. It was a little frame built by the Disciples and was generally known as the Campbellite Church. Services were held here for many years, but nearly all the members transferred to the church at Bucyrus, and services were discontinued, and as the building was falling into decay, about 1875 ^t was purchased by Elias Lavely, removed to his farm, and used as a farm building. Half a mile to the south of where this church stood is the Campbell graveyard, where the first burial was Samuel, infant son of John Campbell, who died Aug. 16, 1825. Here are buried many of the early settlers of Whetstone township, and here was buried Daniel Bender, who was murdered at Dead Man's Hollow, Sept. 28, 1836.