Defiance County, Ohio - Agricultural Resoueces of Defiance County, 1883

MUCH has been written heretofore by the geologist, traveler and agriculturist concerning the famous black swamp region on the northerly edge of which lies Defiance County. Though cursing in former years the depth of water, which well-nigh submerged the luckless traveler, and the adhesiveness of the soil hindering rapid transit, all have agreed that when the enterprise of man should make itself felt in the application of common sense to the natural laws of drainage, the retiring waters would disclose to the rapturous gaze of the husbandman a land of richness and fertility unequalod by that of the valley of the Nile. The prophecy has been fulfilled, and though scarce sixty years have elapsed since the forester's ax first broke the primeval stillness, of its forests, to-day witnesses the wisdom of our fathers in choosing for their home the land where plenty always is.

Defiance County, though one of the youngest counties of the Si.ate. having been made a distinctive geographical subdivision in 1845, had made rapid progress as a county, in its productions and manufactures, because of this fertility of soil and the abundant forests of oak, hickory, ash, elm and other valuable varieties of timber which clothed its whole expanse. Gradually, year by year the encroachments of progress have laid bare the virgin soil and exposed its surface to the ambitious husbandman, who has here as elsewhere been the pioneer of substantial enterprise and civilization.

Defiance County has an area of about 414 square miles' or nearly 256,606 acres. It is divided into tweWe townships, viz. : Adams, Defiance, Delaware, Farmer, Hicksville, Highland, Mark, Milford, Noble, Richland, Tiffin and "Washington. Each of these townships is comprised of thirty-six square sections or miles, except four - Defiance, Highland, Noble and Richland. Defiance has about 16,965 acres;

The Manmee, Auglaize, Tiffin and St. Joe Rivers water and drain these broad acres. Nature has done much for the county through these trunks sewers, and the convenience in the item of transportation alone has added thousands of dollars to its permanent wealth.

The Maumee River, the largest of these streams, has its commencement in the northeastern portion of the State of Indiana, and is formed by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Mary's Rivers. Its general course from its source is in a northeasterly direction, entering Defiance County at the southwest corner of Delaware Township, and, meandering through the south portion of that township, enters Defiance Township on its northwest corner, follows the line between Noble and Defiance Townships, flows almost due east, passes through Sections 23 and 24 of the latter township and enters Richland Township; from thence, bearing in the same general northeasterly course it finds its outlet in Lake Erie. At Defiance, the body of the Maumee is swollen by the waters of the Auglaize River which is commonly known as a branch of the Maumee. The Auglaize has its source about a hundred miles southerly from the city of Defiance, and being supplied by the waters of a multitude of small streams on its course northward, forms at its emptying into the Maumee a stream of considerable magnitude - this stream enters the county near the southwesterly corner of Defiance Township, and bearing in a northeasterly direction forms a confluence with the Maumee River in Section 24 of the latter township.

Tiffin River has its course in Southern Michigan, flows south, entering Defiance County at the northwest corner of Tiffin Township, traverses the central and western portions of that township and enters the north side of Noble Township near the center thereof and flowing southeast empties into the Maumee near the city of Defiance; this stream is much smaller at its place of discharge than either the Maumee or Auglaize Rivers.

The St. Joe River enters and leaves the county at the northwest corner of Milford Township, having scarcely four miles of its length therein.

The soil of Defiance County is varied. Adams Township, one of the best farming regions of the county and the largest producer, is generally of a rich, black, sandy loam soil, and is famous for its production of wheat, corn and tobacco. The general level of the township is high and is well drained, its waters flowing southeasterly to the Maumee River.

has more of an admixture of strong, rich clay. Its productions are mainly wheat, corn and oats. This township is cut by the Tiffin River, and is in the main well drained, its surplus waters flowing through numerous small creeks to the above named river. The surface of this township is undulating.

Washington Township, which stands high as producing large crops, has the rich, black, sandy loam and clay for its soil. Some portions of the township are not yet thoroughly drained, and a considerable quantity of timber is still standing. Wheat, corn and oats are its principal productions. Its waters flow to the Tiffin River, and there are a number of artesian wells in this township.

Farmer Township is one of the older townships. The soil is mostly a rich, black, sandy loam, and the high state of cultivation which it is under makes it one of the foremost in the county. In the northwest corner is a tamarack swamp, in part the head of Lost Creek. Near this for some distance the land is of a black muck formation. Its small streams flow southeasterly and find an outlet in the swamps of Mark Township, whence it reaches the Maumee River.

Milford Township has much waste, marshy land, but artificial drainage is fast reclaiming the land, which is of black muck formation. Much of the land is strong clay and black, sandy loam. It has within its boundaries several small lakes - Ladd's Lake being the most notable, it being , the deepest. Around these lakes the land is quite rolling. The general surface of the township is undulating. The cereal productions rank high. Lost Creek heads in part in the township. The valley of the St. Joe is celebrated for its fertility and its enormous yield of wheat. The water-shed of the township runs from the northeast to the southwest, the waters on the west thereof running to the St. Joe River and those on the east to the Maumee.

Hicksville Township. The easterly and southerly sides of this township are still quite heavily timbered with soft wood - mostly elm. The soil, more particularly in the north part of the township, is of black, sandy loam, and rich as any soil under the sun. In the southerly part of the township we find much of the black loam, but mingled with clay. There are on the south and east extensive marshy tracts which are being rapidly drained, exposing a black, mucky formation. Platter Creek Marsh and Gordon Creek Marshes lie partly in this township. The natural drainage is all in a southeasterly direction to the Maumee River. The westerly and northerly parts of the township are higher and undulating, while the southerly and easterly portions are somewhat flat. The productions of this township are extensive.and mainly the cereals - wheat, corn and oats

Mark Township lies lower than any other township of the county. Platter Creek Marsh and Gordon Creek Marshes being mainly in this township, the artificial drainage, is esteasive aad systematic, and many thousands of acres of the black muck land have been reclaimed within the last decade. We find little clay in the township, and it is believed that in time this township will be the most productive in the county. The -streams and drainage all tend to the Maumee River.

Delaware Township, while having much rich land, has much clay land unfit for large production, the bottom lands of the valley of the Maumee, exceptionally rich and productive, being added to in strength each year by the deposits which the freshets^ bring down. There is still some low land which a little drainage will entirely reclaim. The waters on the north tier of sections drain to the Tiffin River, while the balance all drain to the Maumee, now on the southeast.

Noble Township is the smallest in the county, and has some hard clay and much strong, productive land. The land for a distance back from the Maumee and Tiffin Rivers is rolling and irregular, but the river farms are fertile as well as most of those farther back. In the north of this township we find a quantity of the rich black sandy loam, The waters drain mostly to the Tiffin River.

Defiance Township, containing the city of Defiance, is one of the least productive of the county. However, the strong clay soil of which most of its area is supplied, is excellent for wheat. We find some black sandy loam and rich river bottom lands which here as elsewhere will grow anything requiring strength and richness of soil. The surface of the township is regular except near the rivers. The waters of the south portion of the township flow to the Auglaize River; those on the north to the Maumee. Immediately south of the city of Defiance, on the Auglaize River, there is an inexhaustible deposit of shaly rock from which hydrauli(! cements are made. This rock crops out in and near this stream, and extends far back into the surface for miles. The river at and along these croppings is paved with this natural flooring. Geologists assert the large extent of this rock, and erelong the leading industry of the city of Defiance will be the manufacture of hydraulic cement, the principal outcroppings of which are about three miles south of the city. Near this point is Blodget's Island, in the Auglaize River, on which is situated a large mound, probably of the era of the mound builders. In height this mound is about twenty-five feet,in circumference about 200 feet. Its location is near the center of the island, which is circular in form. Explorations made into the side of the pile indicate its use at some time as a place of interment of the dead.

Richland Township has a great variety of soil along the river, the lands are rich and strong. We find black, sandy loam, clay and yellow sand. On the north part of the township there is still standing a quantity of timber, mostly soft wood. Along the river, particularly upon the north side thereof, the farms are of high productive quality, and the total area of the township under cultivation is well farmed. The natural drainage is to the Maumee River.

Highland Township has much rich, productive, land, and some less productive. Its sand ridges are in the main very sustaining to crops of cereals. There is some land off the ridges which is still in timber, both hard and soft wood; there is little poor land in the township. The southwest portion of the township drains to the Auglaize River, and the balance to the Maumee.