Sandusky County, Ohio - Chapter 9: Civil History., 1882

Chapter 9: Civil History.

Erection of Townships - Names on Tax Duplicate of 1823 - Civil Register - Representatives in Congress - Representatives in the Ohio Senate and House - Common Pleas Judges - Associate Judges - Clerks of Court - Sheriffs - Prosecuting Attorneys - Auditors - Treasurers - Surveyors - Commissioners.

THE erection of Sandusky county out of the territory to which the United States acquired an undisputed title by the treaty of 1817, has already been noticed. Although Seneca county was erected by the same act (1820), local government was not organized until four years later. During the interval, Sandusky county's authority extended over Seneca. Sandusky county proper then included all the territory between the Fire-lands and Wood county, as far north as Lake Erie. All this tract was originally divided into two townships - Croghan (or Croghanville), east of the river ; and Sandusky, west of the river.

At the first meeting of the county commissioners, in 1820, Thompson township was set off from Croghan, and soon after Seneca township from Sandusky. Both these divisions, as originally constituted, are now mainly included in Seneca county. Portage township was next set off from Sandusky. The petition placed before the commissioners by residents of the proposed town, is characteristic of official papers of the early period of the county's history. It reads: the inhabitants of the under Signed Residance of Sandusky county humbly Shueth that they with the other Residance of saide county Leighbour under many seorious defficults and disadvantiages in conciquence of the distance they have to go to the place of holding their elections, in fact the Great Bounds of said township and the distance we reside one from another tends greatly to retard publick business in our quarter of the township, under these conciderations your pratitioners therefore pray that you may direct a new town to be Laid off to be Cald portage.

The township of Portage, as erected in 1820, included portions of the present townships of Sandusky, Washington, and Woodville, all of Ottawa county, and a corner of Lucas, and all of Rice township.

Townsend was established in 1820; Green Creek, York, and Ballville in 1822, and Riley in 1824. Other townships were organized from time to time in that part of the county now included in Ottawa. The Black Swamp region was organized into townships as follow: Jackson, 1829; Washington, 1830; Scott, 1833; Madison, 1833; and Woodville, 1840. Bay township was divided by the erection of Ottawa county, in 1840, and that part remaining in Sandusky county, together with several sections of Sandusky township, was constituted a new township named Rice, in 1840. Fremont was set apart as a separate township, in 1878.

Civil Register

Under this head is included the names of those men who have represented Sandusky county in the House of Representatives of the United States, in^.the Senate of Ohio, and in the House of Representatives of Ohio; also the Judicial Staff of Sandusky county, under the old Constitution, and the Common Pleas Judges elected from the Sandusky county bar, under the present Constitution. The register concludes with a complete list of county officials since 1820, except for the offices of coroner and infirmary director.

Representatives In Congress

The congressional districts of Ohio, prior to the apportionment 'of 1840, were very large, especially those including the counties of the northwestern part of the State. The northwestern Indian reservation, acquired by the treaty of 1817, was a small factor in politics prior to the census of 1840. The date of election is given.

Representatives In State Senate

' Died March 20, 1849. Amos E. Wood elected to fill vacancy, died August, 1850. John Bell elected at a special election held December, 1850, to fill vacancy caused by the death of A. E. Wood.

Prosecuting Attorneys

* Resigned in 1868, being elected to Congress, t Died July, 1877; J. L. Green appointed to fill vacancy. I Elected to fill unexpired term of F. Wilmer.

* Resigned 1865 to accept treasurer's office, j fRe-elected. Died before beginning of second term - Isaac Van Doren appointed to fill vacancy.