Sandusky County, Ohio - Chapter 7: Pioneer Days and Settlements: the Makers of Sandusky County, 1909 (part 2 of 3)

"Lower Sandusky then consisted of one frame and six or seven log houses, three stores in all comprised the commercial part of town. One was owned by Mr. Jesse S. Olmsted, situated where Mr. Buchman's grocery now is, and to him belongs so much credit to the prosperity of Lower Sandusky. All first settlers will remember him as a man with fine business tact, a man with great integrity in dealing honestly with men. He was a noble soul and a hero of many a trying situation. His daughter was the-wife of Gov. Charles Foster. Another store was owned by John Tyler, situated where Thomas & Grund's drug store now is. Another was known as 'old Gibb's' store. It is needless to say the principal traders were Indians, the number of white people in our train outnumbered the population of Fremont then.

"We camped on what is known as the old Samuel Crowell place, west of the Muskallonge and south of the pike, where we stayed two weeks, when our train, drawn by oxen, followed a trail through the dense forest, deep with mud and water, to a spot known now as the 'Dr. Wilson farm,' north of the Four Mile House.

'This possession was taken by George Overmyer, where, with the help of all the women folks, a clearing was soon cut down, large enough to put a house on, which was of the old log cabin kind, just 18x20 feet. It was no small feat then to raise a house! There were but four men and the women were mustered 'to the logging' and the first 'he-o-hee' that rang through the mighty forest re-echoed the moan of the dying Indian's farewell. The chimney and fireplace was built low and square, now so much affected, and was made of wood and mortar, and served us pioneers for cooking stoves a long time after.

to father's reservation, just east of the 'Wilson farm,' to raise a log cabin. We y ones (for there were eleven of us) all played on the trunk of a broken down tree, we saw the leaves move aside and there stood a big Indian chief, 'Itching Chief' grinning at us and touching his scalp knife, all the little imps vanished into the house like mice, and left me hanging to the boughs of the tree, the old chief smiled and caressed me, stroked my legs, looked into my face and tenderly lifted and set me down and disappeared in the woods.

"Father's cabin was built much on the same plan, the women being called upon again to help roll up the logs, and it was a mean spirit that did not take new courage from the brave women of our early days.

"Six weeks from the time of the 'logging' the house was occupied, there were no window frames nor doors, the nearest saw-mill stood where Ballville now is. Father was the carpenter of the train and did the hewing of the 'puncheon' while the women placed it on the beams for flooring. Quilts and blankets were used for doors and windows, and soon we were lulled to sleep by the loud barking of wild animals.

"My early dream of deer hunting was appeased; on any moonlight night we could lift away the quilts and see the deer stamping and snorting around the house. We lived an ideal Indian life, much poorer in fact. All the worldly possessions father had then were a robust young wife, a boy, and girl, now Mrs. Eva Waitman, and myself, a set of carpenter tools, a cow and $2.50 in money. With this gloomy prospect he planted a corn and potato patch and worked on felling the trees until a year later his success was assured.

"There were still remnants of the Indian tribes left, the Wyandots and Shawnees stayed around our cabins for years. On one occasion when mother was tending the garden I was left in charge of the baby (Mrs. Waitman). An old squaw came in and took her in her arms and fondled her, and - well, her own papoose had died but a few days before that, and the nickname 'Old Itching,' given her ever after was a stronger 'dubbing' than the wild 'milk and honey' were palatable.

"After father's success was established Peter Burgoon, Jonathan Kessler, Daniel Engler, old Mr. Coe and many others located in this county, and possibly foretold the prosperity of the Black Swamp.

"One feature pleasant to recollect was a distinguished and marked sociability existing throughout the settlement. No work was ever done unless all hands joined, although the difficulty people had to go to and irom their neighbors can hardly be imagined by our children now. The woods were not only impenetrable with spice wood and young trees, but were one vast sheet of water, logs and bushes, living full of every species of worms, crabs, lizards and insects, nine months out of the year; and in many places the forest was in this condition for twenty and forty miles through.

"When I was 6 years uld, the folks had gone to Mr. Coe's to a 'logging,' two of my little sisters and I were left alone. Night came on, father and mother had not returned, we ate our supper of mush and milk on the door step, and heard a barking noise, and blowing of horns, we thought, when all at once a pack of wolves came into the clearing, chasing a deer. We went in and shut the door, but they pushed and scratched against it, and howled around the house until we built a blazing fire in the fireplace, and this sent them after the deer again. In the same year I, in company with Mrs. Waitman, killed my first wild turkey. Father had taught me how to use his rifle, and, by resting it on a fence or log, I generally bagged my game. When 8 years old I shot my first deer. I was out with the rifle and saw a large buck come down to the creek to drink, I aimed, fired and killed him.

"In later years, when father had _ cleared about. forty acres of land and the settlement had become noted, and the Indian tribes had all turned their faces westward, the Shawnees and Wyandottes returned annually, numbering four and five hundred, to hold a 'war dance' or religious feast on their old camp eround. The spot selected for these festivities was located on the Daniel Hensel farm, opposite Chris Kaiser's. Some of the young fellows around here now, who used to take part in these frolics, may remember the spaced off circle, with a rope around it, and tall cross posts raised in the center, where dead dogs and other animals were hung for sacrificial offerings. Everything in this circle was sacred to them. Their music was made up of warwhoops, sticks and tin pans.

The first schoolhouse and church was built in 1835, on the Overmyer farm. In 1842 father died and was the third person buried in the Four Mile House cemetery. The funeral procession went either on horseback or with ox teams. The roads were intended for plank roads, but the planks swam on top of the mud and water; so that people on horseback made their horses leap from plank to plank through the slough. This was the original trail General Harrison cut through to Lake Erie in 1812."

Jacob Bowlus

Father Bowlus was born in Frederick County, Maryland, May 23, 1795. He came to Lower Sandusky in March, 1822, with his wife, their first born, Mr. Bowlus' father, mother, two brothers and -seven sisters, his brother-in-law, Casper Remsburg; Thomas White, who married one of Mr. B.'s sisters shortly after they arrived here, and Nancy the wife of David Bowlus. There were few houses in this place when this company arrived here. They rented a little, one-story brick house, located near A. H. Miller's present residence. During the first year they cleared up some land on the Muskallonge, two and onehalf miles northwest of the village, and there erected houses to live in. Those were the first houses built between Lower Sandusky and Perrysburg, with the exception of an inn called the Half Way House, kept by a _half-breed Indian, and where the mail carriers stopped over night on their trip between Lower Sandusky and Perrysburg. It took the mail carriers two days to make the trip between the two places, a distance of thirty-one miles. The only read was the Harrison trail.

Father Bowlus lived on or near the same farm.on the Muskallonge up to the time of his death, a period of over sixty years. During the first year a brother and two sisters died. He was the father of ten children; one died in infaney, two after they had become voung men;

Gibsonburg Elmide

There is an incident in the life of Father Bowlus worthy of note. His house was the first in this section raised without whisky. The people told him he could not raise his house without it, but the day came, the people were there and the house went up. He never had a drop of whisky on his farm in harvest time, or at his log rollings. The fruit of such an example is seen in the fact that none of his children or grandchildren are drinkers.

Father Bolus, his wife, four sisters, Thomas White, Nancy Halloway, Joel Strahn, Thomas L. Hawkins and Sarah Strahn were organized into a class in Lower Sandusky in 1822. This was the first Methodist Episcopal Society ever organized in Sandusky County. All of that little band have passed over the river. Father Bowlus' connection with the church, for seventy years, was never broken for a day. He was loved and respected by all. November 13, 1884, he received a fracture of the thigh bone which made him a great sufferer. He so far recovered as to sit in a chair a part of the time, and it was thought by his children that he would fully recover, but some ten days before his death he showed signs of rapid decline, and on the 4th of February he fell asleep.

Lysander C. Ball

Mr. Ball was born at Rockingham, Vermont, March 26, 1795. At the age of 18 years he went thence to Trenton Falls, New York, where he learned the trade of blacksmithing. When about 23 years of age he went t o Boston, Massachusets. Soon after he started from Boston westward, and arrived at Lower Sandusky, Ohio, in April, 1818. This entire journey was made on foot, and proves the powers of will, muscle and endurance of the man. In a memorandum kept by him during this journey, the names of several towns in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, visited by him, are mentioned. There was, as noted, but one house in Cleveland when he came through. On arriving at.

one month's labor was a pair of shoes. At the end of this period, the roads westward being impassable, he was prevailed upon to establish a shop here, which he did upon the ground now occupied by State Street, between the Cooper House Biock and Buckland's Corner. In 1823, February 23, he was married to Eveline Patterson, and took up his residence in a cabin adjoining the rear portion of the Cooper House lot. In this cabin two children were born to Mr. Ball; the first'died in infancy. He afterward built, and for many years occupied a residence and shop on Front Street, which are now owned by T. H. Bush, Esq., north of the Kessler House. Thence he moved to his late residence on a farm north of the city and adjoining the corporation. This removal was made in 1853, and there he continued to reside until his death. . His wife, a most excellent and highly respected woman, who started with him in married life more than fifty years ago, survived him, but in feeble health. Six children also survived him, namely: Thaddeus, Oscar, Eveline, Alvria, Sarah and Lysander C., Jr. Oscar is not now living.

Imagine, or rather call to mind the facts that this whole region of country was a wilderness, with three or four small log buildings at Lower Sandusky, when Mr. Ball settled here. See what it is now! To this wonderful transition Mr. Ball was an eye witness, more than this, his sound, well-balanced mind and industrious hands helped to work~tkhe magic change.

In the life and character of Lysander C. Ball the virtues of industry, temperance, frugality, truth and integrity, order and peace, were conspicuously displayed. A model husband and father, a good and generous neighbor, carried away by no excitement, misled by no shams or false appearances, loving his home and family so that except on duty he was seldom away from it; he lead that peaceful and complete life which all who imitate will die in honor and be long remembered.

Joseph Lambert, Sr

"T came into Sandusky County in 1834. I stopped in Fremont over night at what they called the Och's tavern. A man asked me where I was going, and I told him I was going west. He laughed at me and said, 'You can't go; this is the Black Swamp;. you can't get through.' I had a good notion to go back again. The next morning I was preparing to continue my journey:; I had the children in the wagon, my wife and I had to walk, when a man came and told me there was good land below here, near the Sandusky River, that I could enter. He told me to go to Charlie Burgoon, old Peter Burgoon's brother, and he would show me the land. I left my family there, found Charlie Burgoon and he went with me and showed me. the land. I located the line at two beech trees. Then I came back after by team and had to go down again at night, but I met an old 'revolutioner' and stayed in his cabin over night. The next morning I staked out the land, and afterwards sent Charlie Burgoon to Bucyrus to enter it for me. I then went to work to clear a patch to plant potatoes and build a house. I built a roundlog house 22 feet long and 18 feet wide. I cut a door out and a window. We had no boards, so J had to make 'bunkers' and used them*to make a floor with. By and by I had to go and work out, as my money was almost gone, and so my wife had to stay home alone with the children. She had to make smoke all night so the children could sleep, the mosquitoes were so bad. They were so bad we.

could hardly live. We lived where there was heavy woods. All the land was taken up around us, we only had forty acres, and I tell you it was a hard time for me. I had to work out in the country around to keep my children alive. A man said to me while I was there that I would starve in those woods. He used to trap wolves; there was a great many wolves there. The next year I planted potatoes - a bushel and a half. They grew nicely at first, but all died. The next year I planted potatoes and corn, but it was not much use. It was eight or nine years before I could raise corn, the wild animals destroyed it for me.

wasn't at home my wife heard something climbing up the chimnev and making a kind of scratching noise. She got a light and took the hoe along. When she got up in the loft there was a great big porcupine eating that corn.

She pounded him with the hoe but he got away. When I came home she told me, and I says, 'he will not come again: tonight because you pounded him;' but indeed it came again, but I blowed it up with my gun.

"T can tell you I had to work hard to keep my children in provisions and clothing. One morning I came to town. I wanted a pair of pants, but had no money. I went to George Grant, he was a partner of Dickinson and kept a store at the corner. I say', 'George, will you trust me for three yards of this cloth for a pair of pants? 'Of course I'll trust you,' he said, 'I would trust you for a hundred dollars.' I says, "I never could pay you,' but I was mistaken. I could pay all I ever owed anybody. Afterwards I worked on this pike. I got $20 per month from Patterson, he was the engineer. I worked for him three years.

_"T will tell one thing more. I have been in Germany. I have been in France. I have been through western states. I have been out in Minnesota, and I can tell you I was never in a better country than this."

Mrs. Eliza Jennings-Inman

"T was born January 10, 1820, in the state of New York, between the Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. Our post-office address was Penn Yan. I came to Fremont, Ohio, with my parents when I was about six years old, in 1826, and have lived in this country nearly seventy-three years. At the time we came here we had never heard tell of a railroad - but there were stages, and we traveled in that way.

"When we first came here we lived on- Mr. Everett's place up by the old Mill Race, and then moved down on the Knapp place, which is now the Joe Clark place, seven or eight miles down the river, and afterward we lived on the Glenn Spring farm, which Mr. Tyler then owned.

"Tt was not very much of a town here then. There were some stores. Mr. Rodolphus Dickinson had a store. It was all woods through the western part of Fremont; there were droves of Indians about, and they would frighten us almost to death.

here. I think the name of my first school teacher was Mr. Goyt. The schoolhouse was right near where the library now stands, and it was made of hewed logs. We used to play at noons around the old fort; there were places in the ground just like rooms, and we would each have a room for a play house. Old Betsey was there, and we saw lots of cannon balls laying around and the boys used to roll them together and pile them up. I remember Dr. Rice's father, but do not know whether he was here when we came or not, but Dr. Brain. ard was here when we first came.

"In about 1832, when I was 12 years old, we moved to Scott Township, where I lived until recently. There were only two families in that neighborhood when we moved there - Scott's and Biggerstaff's, and we had to mark the trees so we could find our way. Dr. Ryder moved to Scott Township the same spring father moved here. There were awful swamps in those days, and it took us two days to come to Fremont, one day to come and one day to go back. They had logs put through the worst kind of roads and made a sort of corduroy road. It was not much like they are now. |

"There were no mills out there, and after we moved there a man by the name of Ellsworth invented a machine to pound corn for meal, and we used that when the roads were so bad they couldn't be gotten through.

"We never heard tell of buying ready-made clothing then. We made our clothing ourselves. We would buy cloth sometimes, but made a great deal of our own cloth. Our folks didn't weave any, but there was always some place we could get it woven. We used to get it woven every year. Mother had two wheels; she had one she spun flax on and one for wool. We spun the yarn and then got it wove. ,

"There were deer in Scott Township and around in that part of the country We used to have two or three pet deer at atime. I never saw any bears there, but have heard folks tell of catching them. It was as common to hear wolves at night as it is now to hear a dog bark."

Rev. Gahn

"I came in this country in 1837, and right here to the Black Swamp. On my first arrival I got acquainted with our President here. I must confess I liked him; he said so many good things, and so many nice things, and he would give me a good 'amen' once in a while. I have seen great changes in the Black Swamp; I am glad of it. When I came here to this county, especially in Rice Township, it was a howling wilderness; we had a small settlement; we had no roads to our settlements. I helped to cut a road from the place we call Lee's place; there we met in a log house and had our services, and our preachers came from Tiffin - Rev. Coonred, and another old gentleman, Rev. Mr. Beilhartz, and Rev. Rauhauser. There were no_ schoolhouses then. We started for Big Mud Creek once and there was no road open, and we opened a road and got through.

"In our settlement we had no schoolhouses. I helped build our first schoolhouse, and it was no schoolhouse either. Mr. Druckmiller, who lived on the bank of Big Mud Creek, offered us a chance to put a partition in his log cabin, and we all went together and put a partition of logs through that log cabin, probably it was 12x15; and we put the roof on with clapboards, and we made the floor with puncheon, and the seats too with puncheon; we had twoinch augers, we made some legs for these benches. Then we got a teacher. I hired our first teacher, Mr. William Rearick, who is here today. I had no children at that time to send to school. How glad we were when we had our spelling schools, and how proud those big men were when they heard their children spell; and, my dear friends, I tell you those children learned. There was a young man there in that school, who went to a school in Rice Township, who became one of the best professors in the United States; this young man gave out the finest and best Greek grammars. And we have a man come from that townshin. and right from our school district, who is in China, the president of one of the best colleges in China. And we have lawyers come from that township, and I hope they are | honest. And some preachers, and some doc- tors from that little school district, and a host of fine young teachers. And when I look over the years of the past I am glad. I rejoice in my soul.

"T recollect the first time, the very first time when I came to this country. i was a young man and al! | could talk was German. 1 didn't understand English, and I didn't understand this country; but the old pioneers they encouraged me, they took me by the hand and said the Black Swamp would be the garden of Ohio, and really it is so. And Sandusky County is the rose bed, and we are right here in the center spot of this rose bed.

"T was living here about nine years when this church of my choice sent me off as a minister, and most of my time I spent in the southern part of this state, and most of my time I spent in Cincinnati. But I came here every year to pay my taxes, and settle up my affairs, and shake hands with my dear old friend, the General here. What a good time we made together, sometimes in Columbus; and the people, every time I came up here, would say, 'Have you come to sell out?' I said, "No, I will stick to the Black Swamp, and the Black Swamp will stick to me.' I shall have to my dear people. Township you would see a nice set of people there, a nice, beautiful country, and as nice a little hall as I have seen in my life. I am glad to have this pleasure of meeting so many good friends here. We heard this morning some of our old pioneer friends had gone over on the other side, and our ranks are thinning out one by one. When on the battle-feld they fell out of the ranks they came together again! And, my dear friends, if any fall let the survivors close up the ranks and stand nearer together! Let no politics, no difference of opinion, let nothing of that kind divide us. And try to be honest, and live like Christians, and when we meet in a better place I hope the Lord will bless us." ARCHIBALD RICE.

Among the early settlers in Woodville Township when it was a wilderness was Archibald Rice, well and extensivelv known and esteemed by the name of Captain Rice of

Woodville. His parents were Elisha and Jerusha Rice. The deceased was born in Onondaga County, state of New York, October 4, 1802, and died at Woodville in Sandusky County November 8, 1877, aged seventy-five years, one month and four days. Irom birth until the age of 21 years he resided with his parents and under their guidance was well trained in the virtues of true manhood. Truth, probity and industry were prominent in his character. At the age of 21 he married Miss Atheldred M. Scoville, who now survives him. Mr. Rice and wife continued to reside in Onondaga County until the year 1837 when he moved with his wife and children (two sons and one daughter) to Woodville Township where, excepting about two years at Fremont, he continued to reside until his death.

When he first settled in Woodville, Amos E. Wood, after whom the township was named, had moved there shortly before, and the two became warm friends, and their attachment lasted till the death of Mr. Wood, many years since.

worst part of what was once the famous Black Swamp. The Western Reserve and Maumee Road was then cleared of timber. The lofty crowded trees rose on each side like a wall, and the road was a strip of almost bottomless mud. Captain Rice lived to see that dense forest cut away, the land drained, roads made, and two railroads running through the township. He witnessed the transformation of Woodville Township from a dense wet level forest, to its present high state of culture, comfort and productiveness and was an earnest laborer with other early settlers to produce so grand a result.

A working, worthy, honest and_ public spirited citizen, a man who also was a good neighbor, and a model in all the domestic relations of life, is taken from us by the death of Archibald Rice.

Leodegar Lehmann And Representative -Citizens

family, which consisted of father, mother and seven children, landed at New York and from there went direct to Columbus, Ohio, where they lived for about one year, while Leopold Lehmann, the father, went to look for land. He went to the Bucyrus agency and in the year 1833 took up eighty acres of land in Scott Township, this county. While in Columbus, Ohio, the mother died from cholera. They moved to Lower Sandusky in 1833, and in the year 1834 moved to Scott Township..

While living in Lower Sandusky Leodegar set up a barber pole and did barbering, and his father, being a physician, did some doctoring. At Lower Sandusky they bought a yoke of oxen and a cow and when they moved out on their land had to wade water kneedeep nearly all the way.

When they got out on their land they got a man to help put up a shanty. It was 12 feet square and only had one room. They all had to cook, eat and 'sleep in the same room. It had a fireplace, puncheon floors and a mud and wood chimney. The logs were split and hewed on one side. They cleared some land and planted some corn the first year, but the blackbirds were so numerous that some one had to watch it all the time until it got well rooted. When the corn began to ripen the squirrels and raccoons were very troublesome.

The following extract. from a letter prepared by Leodegar Lehmann and read at the Pioneers' Picnic of this county in 1906 gives a more full account of his early life in this county :

"We moved from where we first built to about a quarter of a mile further south on the same farm to the edge of what is now known as Mud Creek Prairie, and when I got to be about 25 years old I begun to raise cattle; it was the only thing that I could make any money out of. We could not raise any wheat, it was too wet. It was a great place to pasture cattle on the prairie and then for winter I could make all the hay that I needed to feed. I sometimes made as high as fortyfive stacks of hay for my cattle. I often had several men working for me, mowing with a scythe, and it was a common thing for them to raca with each other day after day for several days. We always had great sport in making this prairie hay. We had a great many prairie fires in those days and we often had to fight fires for several days; the neighbors always going together. Our fences were burned many a time.

"Before I was married I had to cross a prairie about.a mile wide and then go through some timber land a couple of miles wide to see my girl, who is now my wife. The grass on that prairie grew as high as a man and there were no roads unless I went far around. I took my oxen and hitched them to a log and dragged wolves), it was just about sundown when I got to the edge of the woods and where the prairie begun when I heard a wolf howling near me. I knew that he soon would have a whole pack of wolves with him and to go on was dangerous, so I just made up my mind that I would have to climb a tree and stay all night init. So I pulled off my coat and threw it down on the ground with great force; this scared the wolf and he turned and ran away. I picked up my coat and hurried on across the prairie and before I got half way across I heard a whole pack of wolves howling at the edge of the woods. :

"When I was a small boy and up to the time that I became about 18 years old my father's family and I had a hard time of it. I worked out wherever I could to earn money to help support the family. We lived almost entirely on corn and one time I walked 70 miles to Delphos in my bare feet through the cold water in the spring to work on the canal to earn money to buy corn for father's family. I had to walk through 12 miles of woods and J could not see a road, but I got through all right. I worked on the canal two summers, and one summer on the turnpike at Perrysburg. The last summer that I worked on the canal Adam Staub, who afterwards became my father-in-law, _ worked on the canal too. We came home together because we did not live far apart and before we started Staub bought an old horse and a cart; it was the homliest outfit that I ever saw and when we started for home he bought five gallons of whiskey. We got home on that keg of whiskey on the Perrysburg Pike and came right along over here with that horse and cart and nothing else but whiskey, and we got just as happy as we could be, and we wasn't drunk either, but those times we had good whiskey.

"In the early days we had a great many logging bees and I do not think that there is a farm within 5 miles from where I live but what I helped to clear up: in some way. We also had our raising-bees - raising houses and stables. We people in those days were brought up on corn, pork, and potatoes, and could stand more work and hardships than the people of today. I never had any horses until I had boys old enough to use them. I always used oxen and in my time I broke twelve yoke.

"At first when we moved to Scott Township we could not get to any mill to have our corn ground so we just pounded it as fine as we could and then run it through a coffee mill;

"In a few years after we movéd out in Scott Township we could get to mill at Lower Sandusky. At first we had to go in a twowheel cart drawn by oxen, and it was wade mud and water nearly all the way down and back. We could not haul very much and

"We could not go and come back in the same day so we had to stay all night at the mill or start back and stay at some house on the way back. I think that the hardships that I went through in my young days would kill almost anyone of our day.

"We had scanty clothing and I remember that I often went after my oxen in my bare feet when there was a little ice frozen over the water. In those days men and women worked together in the fields; it was the only way we could get along. My wife did a man's work in the field for many years. What we raised to sell in those days we had to sell sometimes very cheap. I often took my dressed pork to Fostoria, 10 miles, or to Fremont, 16 miles, and sometimes would get only one and three-fourth cents a pound and then would have to take one-half of the pay in trade.

"When we hauled away pork in those days we had to get up about two or three o'clock in the morning and travel 'over roads all the way that were frozen and so rough that the oxen could hardly walk on them, and it would be sometimes twelve o'clock in the night before we could get back. This was along about the year 1840, or a little later.

"When I first came to Scott Township the Indians were still there and there were also many wild animals; especially wolves and deer. I and my wife went through about all the hardships incident to early pioneer life in this country. I was always a strong, healthy man and could work with or wrestle any man that ever lived in my neighborhood; each man seemed to be proud of his strength. Wrestling was one of our chief sports at logging and raising-bees. I was married in the year 1852 to Barbara Staub, whose parents came to this country also in the year 1832; she having been born on the water on the way over. They moved the same year to where Rising Sun, Wood County, now is, and I think that her father built the first house that was built by white men there. My wife and I have a family of eleven children - six boys and five girls - and they are all living on or near the farms we earned together; the farthest away lives in Fremont. I am now 86 years old and my wife is nearly 76 years old and we still both enjoy quite good health."

John Moore

Mr. Moore was born in Huntington County, Pennsylvania, in 1808. When 6 years old his parents moved to Ross County. In about 1820 they came to this county. It must have been before '26 for on old birch tree opposite his house in Ballville, his name can be, or could have been not long ago seen, cut in 1826. In 1836 he was married to Miss Eliza

Jaques Hurlburd

Rutter of Ross County. Mr. Moore had lived on the same spot for over fifty years. He served the county nine years as a justice of the peace, and for more than forty years had been school director. It is rather a singular fact that both Mr. Moore's father and brother were killed in their mills at Ballville. JAQUES HURLBURD. :

The bearer of this name deserves a paragraph and headlines to himself. The younger generation know little of him, yet the fact that he owned both Fort Stephenson and Fort Seneca at the same time, having bought them from a true historic zeal, is reason enough for his being remembered.

He was born in Pawlet, Vermont, October 26, 1794, and died on Christmas day, 1836. In October, 1820, he married Sophia Chipman, a descendant of five Mayflower emigrants. Judge and Mrs. Hulburd's names stand at the head of the roll of membership date of November 30, 1833. In January 18, 1836, corporation papers of that church were made out and Jacques Hulburd elected the first trustee.

The third frame building in the village was built by Jacques and Cyrus Hulburd, in 1817, on Front Street, and was long used for a store. Jacques Hulburd was county clerk, pro tem. in 1820; auditor of the county in 1821; clerk of the court 1821-23; associate judge under the old constitution, 1824, and member of the Ohio Legislature in 1834-6, dying while in that office.

During the terrible scourge of cholera in 1834, the village population amounted to about three hundred, a large per cent of whom were afflicted with the fatal disease, and the mortality was large. "Four men," writes Homer Everett, "it is a delight to record their names and preserve the memory of their distinguished charity - Dr. Rawson, Mr. Brown, Mr. Birchard and Judge Hulburd, went from house to house of the afflicted, performing the tender offices of physician and nurse and when sad necessity required, attended the rites of burial." Judge and Mrs. Hulburd had seven children, the five sons being well remembered by many of our older residents. Their daughter, Anna, married I. M. Keeler, dying a few years later, and leaving one daughter, Miss Sarah S. Keeler, of this place, who was born, on the site of the old fort.

Mrs. Eliza Justice

She was born in Huntington County, Pennsylvania, October 13, A. D. 1800 - died at Fremont, Ohio, October 17, 1876, at the ripe old age of 76 years and 4 days. She was a daughter of David Moore, and-sister to Mrs. William Fields, and to James Moore and John Moore, so well known and esteemed by the people of this county as men of high merit and success in business.

At the age of 14 years she emigrated with her father to Ross County, Ohio. While: residing there and in the year 1820 she was married to James Justice. In 1822 she emigrated thence with her husband and child to this county and settled in Ballville. Her father had preceded and was then about erecting the first grist-mill on the Sandusky River in this county, but had not moved his family from Ross County.

The journey from New Chilicothe 'to this county was made by Mrs. Justice on hofseback. The child, Nancy, she brought with her became the wife of James W. Wilson, president of the First National Bank of Fremont.

The way was through an almost. unbtoken wilderness - no rail road, no turnpike then - a tortuous, uncleared wagon way, or a mere path through thick forests, and swamps, a path sometimes difficult to find, formed their line of travel. ©

Columbus was. not then a respectable village. Sandusky County was scarcely organized; the now great State of Ohio was then only 20 years old. The inhabitants of this northwestern portion of. the state were. very few, and very poor in the goods' of this world, but they were rich in their. trust in God, inexpressible cheerfulness, and indomix table cdurage which distinguished the hardy pioneers of that period in this portion of the state. After arriving here Mrs, Justice passed six months in the performance of domestic duties, with scanty means, before she saw the face of a white woman.

The children she left to mourn her loss and honor her memory were Mrs. Wilson, above named, Mrs. Minerva E. Everett, wife of Homer Everett, Mrs. S. Eliza Failing, wife of Dr.'J. W. Failing, and Milton J. Justice.

Mrs. Justice reared a family whose standing in society testify of her good works, and whose tender care of herself, through a protracted helplessness in the decline of life, was a shining tribute of affection and honor to a devoted mother.

As a wife, she was so silent, industrious, careful and efficient, that the world will never know how much her incessant labor and economy contributed to advance the welfare of her children, and the prosperity of husband in wealth and his high standing in the community.

Jemima Emerson

Mrs. Emerson's life is interesting, especially to the pioneers of Sandusky County. She was the daughter of Judge Joel Strawn and Sarah, his wife; and was born in Perry County, Ohio, February 20, 1806. She came with her parents and three other children to Sandusky County, in the year 1821. They settled at the time in Ballville Township, on an unimproved, heavily timbered piece of farm. In 1824 she was married to Asa B. Gavitt, father of J. S. A. Gavitt, who was their only child. Her husband, Gavitt, died in 1827, owning what is now known as the Emerson farm, in Ballvillé Township, which he greatly improved.

In 1829 she married Jesse Emerson, who occupied the same farm with her until his death in the year 1873. The children of this marriage were: Sarah, Stephen, Anna, Pauline, James and Emma.

Mrs. Emerson resided in Sandusky County continuously from 1821 until Good Friday, 1880, she started. west and spent her time with her children in Ohio, Illinois and Missouri. Just four years after on Good Friday her remains left Ottawa, IIl., for burial here.

For industry and devotion to every duty, especially in helping the church in which she worshipped, she was among the first. Mrs. Emerson was highly esteemed for her thor-

Hon. Israel Harrington

"My father was a soldier in the war preceding the revolution, commonly called the old French war, which ended when the immortal Wolf fell at Quebec. When the Revolutionary War began he was one that fought at Bunker Hill where the lamented patriot Warren fell. He was a soldier throughout the revolution. He died at my house, where I now reside, in 1826 and in the one hundred and eleventh year of his age. But at the present time (1840) [ shall go no further back than 1811. In the latter part of that year I removed from the county of Ashtabula, Ohio, into what is now the county of Erie, where I purchased land. What is now Huron and Erie Counties at that time only formed one township.

"Sometime in the winter of 1812 Jacob B. Varnum, agent for Indian affairs at Lower Sandusky, came to my father's house to be sworn in as postmaster at that place; myself being the nearest justice of the peace. . At this time he informed me that war would certainly be declared the next June, and in confirmation of his statements produced a letter written by his father, who was then a Senator in Congress from Massachusetts; in which it was stated that a fort would be built at Lower Sandusky for the protection of the frontiers. He also advised me to leave my farm and remove to that place where my family would be safe. I did so, and remained in safety until the surrended of Hull, which brought dread and consternation upon the frontiers. The inhabitants of Huron fled south and east; we at Sandusky south to Delaware and some farther south. This was about the middle of August, 1812. We received the news of the surrender on the fourth day at night by some who had made their escape. The volunteer company, under Captain Norton, that had been left at Sandusky for the protection of the place, had all been taken sick and gone home on furlough except eight or ten men, when this distressing news came, and in most of the families there was sickness. In my own family my wife and five children were sick and unable to get a drink of water for themselves; the eldest of whom (a daughter) died on our flight beyond Upper Sandusky, and was buried there. Hence you may imagine in some measure, perhaps, our perilous situation - expecting every moment to hear the savage war-whoop and feel the tomahawk. Thus in a moment, as it were, we placed a bed in the wagons and our wives and children in and drove off, leaving our earthly substance behind to the mercy of a savage foe. Our houses were burned soon or carried off. But the pain and anguish of that time can never be described by human language and can only be conceived by those who have experienced like fate.

"Late in the fall of 1812 Gen. Simon Perkins moved onto Lower Sandusky with his troops (militia) and opened a road to the Mau- "mee River. About the same time General Leftwich arrived at Delaware with his. The Petersburgh Blues, a noble band from Virginia, arrived about the same time. These troops were here (Lower Sandusky) reviewed by General Harrison and ordered to the Maumee by way of Upper Sandusky, from which place a road had to be opened to the Maumee River, to form a junction at that place with General Perkins' and Winchester's divisions of the army, the latter of which I think had marched down the Maumee, and instead of remaining at that point and acting in concert with the troops under the command of Harrison, had marched forward to River Raisin, attacked the British forces at that place and obtained the victory. The enemy fled across the lake on the ice to Malden. Here they reinforced, returned, and surprised and cut Winchester's army to pieces, Winchester himself being about a mile distant, in a private house, and comfortably resting in bed while his troops were falling by the hand of a savage foe. There fell some of the bravest and best of Kentucky's sons." ee ee ee ee ee the fishing-ground near where Joseph Mominy now (1840) lives and killed seven persons, old Mr. Gear and his wife, son and daughter, with three others. * * * * Sometime about the middle or perhaps the 2oth of July word was brought us by express mail that Tort Meigs was again besieged.

"A few days later General Clay informed General Harrison that the British were leaying that place and he believed intended an attack on Lower Sandusky. This post was weak and but few troops to defend it; I think not - more than 400 or 500 at this time. A counsel was called by General Harrison and it was thought most advisable to leave a detachment of troops for the defense of the fort and remove with the rest to Seneca. Accordingly about 150 men were left in command of Major Croghan and the remainder marched to Seneca and commenced fortifying. The general ordered all the families at Lower Sandusky to remove to Seneca without delay. I requested and obtained permission to go by water, down the rivér, and let some of those who were destitute of teams have mine, so that they might get away also. Accordingly I put my effects on board Captain Austin's boat, also receiving in charge all the contractor's papers for the army. A little after sunset we set sail, Colonel Croghan having previously sent a scouting party down the river to see if there were any Indians that we would come in contact with. It was a bold adventure but we went safely through and landed at Vermillion, where my family remained till after the victory of Lake Erie by Perry. So soon as my family were comfortably situated in a log cabin, I returned to Lower Sandusky to take care of my stock which was left behind. A man who was in our company, falling a little behind, was killed near where E. Williams lives (about 3 miles below the rapids). Soon after we arrived the spies came in and informed us that the British were moving up the bay, and we expected an attack before morning, but they got bewildered in Mud. Creek Bay and remained there all night. Next morning a guard was wanting to guard some public teams, loaded with artificers tools, to Seneca.

Colonel Croghan asked me if the citizens that came with me would volunteer for this service; which they did to a man, about twenty in number. The teams were ready and we left the fort with a promise to return and help defend if we could. We arrived at Seneca a little after 12 o'clock and at I p. m. we heard the cannon at Lower Sandusky." * * *

{Judge Harrington proceeds to describe in detail the attack and successful defense of the fort, and matters connected with the same, which to here give would be to repeat what elsewhere, in this volume fully appears, and is therefore omitted. Ed.]

Albert R. Cavalier

Mr. Cavalier was born on the River Raisin, at a point now the site of Monroe, Michigan, October 8, 1806. Two years later the white settlers there, to escape the ravages of hostile Indians, removed to Presque Isle at the mouth of the Maumee River. In January, 1813, the subject of this sketch, then in his seventh year, with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cavalier, and about twenty other French families, came to Lower Sandusky, to be under the protection of the troops at Fort Stephenson. The company came in one horse sleighs, the runners of which were made of boards, along the lake to Port Clinton, then named Portage. At this point their horses were nearly exhausted, and Peter Maltosh who had the direction of the train pushed ahead to Fort Stephenson. He returned with fresh teams and meeting the train at Muskallonge Creek, the party was escorted to the fort at this place. During the winter the party was given quarters at the fort barracks, and in the spring occupied cabins near the fort ready to flee to the enclosure when hostile Indians threatened. On the Ist of August, 1813, the French families, by order of the Government, were removed to Upper Sandsuky. Joseph Cavalier and his wife had, both died at the fort before the removal and Albert, the subject of tits sketch, was cared for by his uncle, Thomas DeMars. While on their way to Upper Sandusky the next day the fugitives heard the sound of the cannon in the battle of Fort Stephenson. The families remained at Upper Sandusky until the close of the war, as wards of the Government, the

At the close of the war they moved back to Lower Sandusky in Government wagons. DeMars, LePoint and others settled on Mud Creek in Rice Township. In that vicinity Albert Cavalier grew to manhood, living with his uncle until his marriage with Eliza Momeny, November 24, 1828. Ten children were born to them, namely: Edward, Elizabeth (Quisno), Mary (Prevoncha), Ellen (Grundy), Joseph, Peter, Albert B., Nancy (McNeil), Thomas and James. Mrs. Cavailer died March 26, 1881. December 22, 1886, Mr. Cavalier married Mrs. Mary Alpool of Locust Point, and made his home at that place until 1894, when on account of the infirmities of age he and his wife took up their residence with his daughter, Mrs. Quisno, at Bowling Green.

Hon. Homer Everett

A son of Jeremiah Everett and Elizabeth (Emery) Everett, was born at the old county seat of Huron County, on the Huron River, below where the village of Milan now stands, now, however, within the bounds of Erie County, on the 30th of January, 1813. The education of Homer Everett was such as he could acquire by attending the schools in Lower Sandusky two summer and four winter terms, and what he afterwards acquired by his own study out of school.

His father, Judge Everett, saw Jesse S. Olmstead of Lower Sandusky and made arrangements for Homer to enter his employ as clerk in his store. When he left home he took with him two plain cotton shirts, made by his mother, two pairs of woolen socks, knit by her hands, one suit, coat, vest and pants, of linsey cloth, made by her, one pair of shoes, and one wool hat which cost fifty cents, and nothing more of wordly goods or apparel, but took what was better than gold, a father's and mother's blessing, with an exhortation to be honest and true under all circumstances.

He was boarded in Judge Olmstead's family and his wages for the first year was, cost price for cloth to make a more stylish suit of clothes and thirty dollars. His wages were. however, advanced the next vear to a salary of fifty dollars and a suit of clothes, and afterwards still further increased until at the close of his engagement, after six years' service, he was boarded and drew a salary of $150. Judge Olmstead held the office of postmaster and Homer performed the duties of that office in addition to those as salesman and bookkeeper in the store. In 1837 Judge Olmstead resigned his office, and kindly recommended his boy Homer, as he called him, to be appointed in his stead, an appointment which seemed to please the people. He was accordingly appointed and commissioned by President Van Buren in that year. While engaged in this office he was elected sheriff of the county, and then resigned the office of postmaster. He was re-elected sheriff. He commenced reading law in 1834, improving his leisure time in so doing until 1841, when, on the solicitation of Nathanial B. Eddy, he was admitted to the bar at Columbus, Ohio, and resigned the sheriff's office to form a law partnership with him. He practiced several years successfully with Mr. Eddy, when the latter abandoned practice and engaged in mercantile business. Mr. Everett soon after formed a partnership in the practice of his profession with Hon. Lucius B. Otis, late of Chicago. After several years' practice in association with Judge Otis, Mr. Everett retired from practice and removed to his farm on the river, about six miles below Fremont, intending to lead a quiet farmer's life from that time. In 1847, however, he accepted the office of county auditor, to which he was elected by the people. This position he held for nearly four years, when, in 1852, he resigned the remainder of the last term of that office to return to the practice of law with Ralph P. Buckland. This partnership continued until 1866, when General Buckland retired from practice, and Everett continued the business about one year alone, when he formed a partnership with James H. Fowler, who had studied law under his instructions. During his life Mr. Homer Everett has held, at various times, the following official positions: Deputy postmaster under Jesse 5S. Olmstead, postmaster under the appointment of Martin Van Buren; township clerk; mem- ber of the board of education many years, in which position he was active in bringing about the adaption of the Akron school law. Mr. Everett was sheriff of the county two terms, county auditor two terms, and to finish up his public services, he was elected to represent the Thirteenth Ohio Senatorial District, composed of Huron, Erie, Sandusky and Ottawa, at the fall election of 1867, and reelected in 1869, being nominated by acclamation. During his services in the Ohio Senate he was a member of the judiciary committee, committee on finance, and other committee. But his chiet labor was a select committee with Charles Scribner and D. B. Lynn, to certify the laws relating to municipal corporations, which was the first municipal code enacted in the state of Ohio. He was mayor of Fremont and also justice of the peace.

Homer Everett was married in 1837 to Hannah Bates, in Sandusky County. His wife died in June, 1840, leaving an infant daughter, named Hannah Bates Everett, who became the wife of Mr. Henry Hatfield. He married Susan Albina Brush, widow of John T. Brush, in December, 1842. By this wife he had two sons and two daughters, George Homer, his first child, was born at Fremont, November 4, 1844. The second child of this marriage was Charles Egbert, born on the 17th day of June, 1846, on his father's farm, about six miles below Fremont. His next and third child of this second marriage was Albina Elizabeth, born at Fremont, April 27, 1850, who went to Kansas as a school teacher and afterwards married at Osborne City, in that state, Frederick Yoxall, a native of England. The fourth child by Homer's second marriage was Lillie Everett, born at Fremont, January 10, 1853. Susan Albina, his wife, died at Fremont, December 21, 1855, at the age of 34 years. In November, 1873, Mr. Everett having educated and settled his children, was again married and took for his third wife Minerva E. Justice, daughter of James Justice.

Mr. Everett, while on a visit to his daughter, Mrs. Henry Hatfield, in Osborne, Kansas, died on June 22, 1888, and' was there buried temporarily. The Sandusky County

Bar Associatian, of which he was an honored and charter member, caused his remains to be brought back to Fremont, for final interment, which took place December 30, 1888, in the Everett lot in Oakwood cemetery. Homer Everett was a highly esteemed citizen, an able lawyer, lecturer and historian: especially in all matters relating to the early settlement of Sandusky County he was the chief authority as local historian. In a history of Sandusky County published by H. Z. Williams & Co., in 1882, of which Mr. Everett was the editor, he has left a record of facts, largely from his personal knowledge, which are of the very highest value in a local historical point of view. WOLVES.

"In the early days, when all around was a wilderness, the wild beasts were annoying, and often times alarming to the settlers. They having gradually receded as well as the savages. from civilization and improvements in the eastern countries, had taken up their abode in the western wilds, adding greatly to the number already there. The Indians killed only such as they could subsist upon, or whose fur would be valuable in market. \Volves could do them little injury while living, and would be of no value if killed. They would not waste their ammunition on them, consequently wolves became more and more numerous, while the bear was seldom seen except by Miunters. . Therefore, to the wolves, the most daring and thievish of all the beasts of the woods, our young cattle and swine frequently became a prey. Their hunger and rapacity knew no bounds, and fearing their frocity. and knowing their peculiar and exquisite taste for sheep, for many vears we did not attempt to keep this useful animal. Notwithstanding the heavy contribution they laid of chill and fever, recollecting that his horse, in the stable across the street nearly opposite had not been fed his grain, requested his wife to carry him his accustomed allowance to him. She being an accommodating partner in hard times, readily consented. She had proceeded about half way when a gang of wolves made an assault. Being yet young and active, you may conclude she was not long in retracing her steps: fear lent wings to her speed, the wolves close to her heels when she shut the door against them. They being thus foiled and disappomited, appeared to be in great rage, set up repeated and tremendous howls, and seemed unwilling to depart. In a few minutes, however, as the people had not yet retired to rest, nearly all the male part assembled at the scene of this wild confusion, armed with such weapons as they, in a moment, could most easily grasp. The common enemy, seeing they would be overpowered by numbers, fled, and all again was quiet, except that distant howls, which still sounded upon the ear. This is one of many similar attacks that occurred in our village during the hours of night. The hand being told by his affectionate wife that, only serious consequence of this was the hussick or well, he would thereafter feed his own horse for all her.

"There were frequent instances of their attacking single persons in the dense woods, when belated in the evening. J] will narrate one instance.

"Old Mr. John Lay, one evening, the cows not having made their appearance determined to bring them up himself. When he had proceeded into the woods about half a mile, thought he heard the well known sound of his cow bell. Advancing in the direction with hastened steps. he at length found the sound receded faster than he advanced. It growing dark he thought it prudent to make for home, more especially as he heard the howl of distant wolves. He had not retrograded more than a hundred vards, when they were in close pursuit, with hideous yells. He saw at once he had no alternative but to climb, and although stiffened by many years, he succeeded in ascending about twenty feet, and into the wide spreading branches of a smaller tree, when the wolves came up to its base, and commenced knawing it while their clamor increased. Being now in safety he looked down upon them with some composure, mingled with contempt and indignation. Finding that among the thick branches he could seat himself comfortably, he concluded to put up for the night, while his visitors made music to while away the time. Under these circumstances he remained quite at his ease, and wakeful, till about an hour before daybreak, when all of a sudden the wolves with their music began to depart. When he could hear them no more, fearing it might be a feint to draw him down from the tree, he dared not venture down, but seated himself as comfortably as possible upon the limbs, with the intention of holdnig on firmly to the principal branch, and to wait till fair daylight before coming down. The excitement was over; he had been much fatigued in body and mind; nature called for repose and he fell asleep. His first consciousness was that he was swiitly passing through the limbs on his way to the bottom. There was no staying his speed, he must go. His collision with the ground proved unfortunate to him in the extreme. One leg was broken, and one hip dislocated. What was to be done? He could not rise, and the wolves might soon be upon him. He could call for help, but there was none to hear. His not returning in the evening caused great alarm to his family, in which there were two sons men grown. As soon as daylight came, they. with a few neighbors, commenced searching the woods, with loud calls. About midday they found him. in the condition I have mentioned, two miles trom any house, the wolves not having returned, which some would suppose might have at that time been welcome guests, to end his misery. <A litter was made as soon as possible, in which he was conveyed home, where everv attention was paid him. A surgeon was called who reduced the dislocation, set his leg, and attended him till out of danger. He lived for many vears after, to an age past Xo years. SANFORD G. BAKER. A grand old pioneer of Sandusky County g2 years, is he whose name begins this sketch. Mr. Baker was born in Georgia, Vermont, July 18, 1817. His parents were Elijah and Lovina (White) Baker, and he is a descendant in direct line of Alexander Baker, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1665, just forty-five years after the coming of the Pilgrim Fathers, the line being Alexander, Joshua, John, Elijah, Elijah (2d), Sanford G.

The Bakers were related to Col. Ethan Allan, the hero of Ticonderoga, he being a first cousin of Elijah Baker (2d), father of Sanford G. Mr. Baker's mother, Lovina White Baker, was a descendant of William White, who came to this country in the Mayflower and whose name may be found signed to the compact entered, into by the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth Rock.

Elijah Baker (2d) took part in the Battle of Plattsburg in 1814. It will be seen, therefore, that the subject of this sketch comes of patriotic as well as native stock. In 1843 he was personally acquainted with Jeremiah Gulbert, who was one of the soldiers serving as guard at the hanging of Major Andre, October 2, 1780. He was also at one time acquainted with Joseph Kellogg, who was with Colonel Allan when he took Ticonderoga.

Elijah Baker, father of Sanford, in his youth was known as Elijah Baker, Junior. He was born near Saratoga, New York, and subsequently resided on a farm at Georgia, Franklin County, Vermont. As already stated he married Lovina White. Their oldest son died when he was 4 years old and_ their youngest at the age of 18 months, Sanford being the only son whom they succeeded in rearing. He was brought up on a farm and got such elementary education as was obtainable in the district schools of those davs. One of his earliest recollections are of a primitive heating stove in use in the country schoolhouse which he first attended. It consisted of a large ash kettle, which had a hole broken out of one side, through which the fire-wood was inserted. This kettle rested on a large flat rock which served as a hearth. Among the school books used were the old English reader and for more advanced pupils a4 work known as Scott's Lessons. Arithmetic, grammar and geography were taught, and there were evening spelling and singing schools. Of himself Mr. Baker says: "I might just as well acknowledge that [ was never a very studious hoy. I could learn very quickly, but I learned more by hearing recitations than I did by hard study. About the time that we left Vermont - in the spring of 1834 - I began to think more about study, but then the opportunity was lost."

On leaving Vermont the tamily went to Ontario, Canada, settling at a point about half way between Montreal and Ottawa City. Thence, in September. 1836, the subject of this sketch, with his mother, came to Ohio. Elijah Baker, the father, having come some three months previously, making a settlement in the forests of Wood County. Their home was about half a mile east of where the town ot Licky now stands.

{t was rather an unfortunate time for a poor man to make a settlement, as most of the good land had several years before been bought up by speculators, there being then no government tax on it. When, five years later, the government began to tax the land, the speculators were ready to sell and Mr. Baker found a chance to buy eighty acres of unimproved forest land. A part of it was under laid with linrestone and was too stony to plow; the rest was too wet. This was about 1845.

Some time atter they left that location and settled on the Maumee "Dike." where LcMoyne now is, where they kept a public house known as the "Howard House." A postoffice known as "Stony Ridge' was iocated here and the subject of this sketch was appointed deputy postinaster, his pay being from $1.50 to $2.00 per quarter.

In relation to these times Mr. Baker says: "T might relate an incident showing how poor we were. and I'm not ashamed of it. [ once went to Perrysburg afoot (about 9 imiles) and called at a store to get a few groceries: I remember getting fifty cents worth of tea for mother. I then went to the post office and found there a letter from one of my sisters in Lower Sandusky and there was twenty-five cents postage due on it. I went back to the store and told the merchant, .\. M. VThompson, to take back half the tea so I could get the letter out of the office. He reached in his pocket for change and threw out a quarter. He would not take back the tea but trusted mie."'

Mr. Baker further tells of the physical conditions of the county in early days, much oi which information is given elsewhere in this work and need not be dwelt upon. He tells of the early scarcity of horses and how he and his father used an ox to plow with, he guiding the ox by holding on to its near horn, while iis father held and guided the plow. The Wyandot Indians, he say, went away in 1843, and while at the Howard House, where LeMoyne now stands, he saw a party of them go by accompanied by an old chief, whose eyes filled with tears as he spoke of leaving Ohio. Among their first crops were corn, wheat and potatoes. At first they often had to take their grain to Toledo to get it ground, owing to the inadequate mill facilities in the neighborhood. This trip - made partly with ox-team and partly by ferry - took three days and two

'On the rst of April, 1845, Mr. Baker settied on a farm in Woodville Township, about a mile from the present village of Woodville, on which farm he still resides, his son, George

Baker, now owning and operating a part of said homestead. He had married some years before, in November, 1840, Cynthis Elmina Webster, whose father lived in the southeast part of Troy Township. She was a school teacher for some years prior to her marriage. Of the children of this union, John W., resides in Jackson Township; Mary Emily, the youngest daughter, resides in southwestern Iowa, being the wife of J. H. Oshorn. Another daughter, Helen, died ot constunption at Rollo, Missouri.

1857. aged 37 vears and 6 months, and ne subseqti ently married Phoebe LE. Osborn, whose people had settled near Sandusky City. Ot dhe second marriage there were eleven children, among them being George C.. already mentioned. The homestead. on which Mr. Baker has resided for so many years he purchased of Mr. Sardis Birchard and it contained about one hundred and twenty eight acres. Mr. Birchard allowed him ten years in which to pay for the land, charging him six per cent interest on the purchase price. During his active period Mr. Baker was many urer, and afterwards serving as justice of the peace and as county commissioner. In politics he was first a Whig and later a Republican. In 1840 he voted for Gen. William Henry Harrison. His first vote was cast at Le Moyne, in old Troy Township, in 1838, he coming of age in July of that year. While he was county commissioner, his colleague, Joe Clark, who was a Democrat, was once asked, "What kind of a man is that Baker?" and Clark replied, "Why he's a man that won't steal, or let anyone else: steal, if he can help it.' a pretty good recommendation, it would seem, for these times, as well as for those. Of this period Mr. Baker says: "We had a great time building the Ballville covered bridge. John Elderkin had the contract. It was called a kind of pine lattice-work. The old man Hafford wanted it at the Prior ford, and Mr. Moore wanted it at Ballville village. It was put where it would be most convenient to the mills and stores. The cost of the bridge was a little more than we were allowed to appropriate out of the county funds, but friends of the enterprise helped us out by private coutributions."

Mr. Baker benefitted by the discovery of oil in the county. the land he bought from Mr. Birchard proving to be good oil territory. Well. No. 4, he says. "was the best well ever drilled in Northwestern Ohio." Jt was opened in August, 1892.

Lack of space alone prevents us from giving more of Mr. Baker's reminiscences, but. as already remarked, much in regard to general conditions of life in the early days, is given elsewhere in this volume. Enough has been here said to prove his claim to honorable mention as a worthy surviver of days that are past and as a citizen who has done his duty as he saw it, in both public and private life: who has taken a useful and effective part in the development and improvement of

Representative The Seneca Reservation

Mention has been made of the Seneca reservation, about one fourth of which was within the bounds of what became Sandusky County. Under the treaty of Washington, made on the 28th day of February, A. D., 1831, the Senecas ceded this entire reservation of 40,000 acres to the United States. The eighth article of the agreement provided that the United States should sell all this land, deduct from the proceeds certain expenses and $6,000 advanced to the tribe, and to hold the balance of the purchase money until the same should be demanded by the chiefs and in the meantime pay thein five per cent interest on same.

The agreement was signed by James B. Gardner in behalf of the United States, and by Coonstock, one name Small Cloudspicer, Hard Hickory and Good Hunter on behalf of the Senecas, the Indians making their marks. The following from the narrative of the late Judge Hugh Welch who was familar with the Indians while occupying these lands having his residence at Green Spring within their boundary, will be of interest.

Judge Hugh Welch, who lived in the Seneca County part of Green Springs, a brother-injaw of Gen. Wiliam H. Gibson of Tiffin, a tall, erect, fine old gentleman, was born in ror, in Little Beaver, Beaver Bee Pennsylvania. in 1815 two brothers came west and selected land in Bronson, four 'ane west of Norwalk. Hugh returned to Pennsylvania, thence again to Ohio the next year, when he found one hundred Indians encamped on or near the Vermillion River engaged in trapping and making sugar. The following is_ his narrative:

"My brother Thomas had, the first season, shot fity deer and trapped 130 coons. The Indians were Senecas, with some Oneidas, and encamped just where the trail crossed the river. J came on the trail, starting from the Portage on the Cuyahoga, coming to Norwalk, and they were close to it. I think the trail ran a little south of Berea and the towns along the railroad. [ think it ran through Townsend.

140 HISTORY The underbrush and small timber were cut out so that wagons could pass. It was made by some branch of the army in 1812. A regular Indian trail was beaten by travel in single file. They all travelled the same path. The Indians here were mixed a good deal - senecas, Oneidas, Mohawks and Wyandots. They did not speak alike, but could understand each other. Their languages were very different. I settled in Eden, Seneca County, in 1819; my near neighbors .were Indians for 20 miles. The Indions of that county were Senecas and a few Mohawks; they lived in their villages. Quite a number had shanties of twelve-foot poles, they were notched at the corners hike a corn crib and covered with bark. Some poles placed standing would be cut on the inside by a wedge-shaped cut as the eaves, so that the top would bend to form a slanting roof, which was completed with bark. They lived in them winter and summer, except when hunting. They went off to make sugar, to trap and to hunt deer. There was abundant game on the Reserve - deer, bears and wolves. Game was more plenty there than further west, where there were more Indians. Most all the Indians had ponies. There were many. I never knew of any buffalo in this' vicinity or any beaver or prairie wolves. I think there were beavers, but very scarce. There were many wolves. The Indians lived much on venison. They killed all they could during the winter. They jerked the meai, that 1s, Jaid it on poles over the fire as soon as the deer got into condition, say May or June. The deer became poor when the snow was on the ground. The Indians also killed raccoon, turkeys, etc. In May they used to kill deer again, fawns, etc. They used calls for deer; they used to call turkeys with the bone of the wing; they sucked the wind in hiding behind alog. They imitated the hen, which was just hke a tame turkey. You would not know the difference. The deér cail was something like a hollow reed. It was about three or four inches long, and sounded like a voung fawn blatting ma-m-a-a-a. A part of the wood was taken out, a little thin bit of stlver or other metal fastened over the shit or hole in the one side, and the sound came out through it,

"They had no grain save corn, which they raised in little patches. Some would raise corn on a quarter acre to live on all winter. They usually took off the hull with lye; they used to boil it whole when treated with the lye. Sometimes they pounded it and sifted it through a skin with holes punched in it and made bread, and boiled the coarser for hominy. To pound it they would chop a piece of timber off square, say three feet high, burn out the center, and by that and hacking would make a perfect mortar. For a pestle they used a piece of hard or iron wood rounded at the ends - made heavy and egg-shaped at both ends - and the corn was struck with the smaller end of the pestle. I never saw them use stone pestles. Squaws did the work. They generally boiled the corn, especially if they had meat with it. They raised beans and sometimes cooked them with corn. They generally ate one article at a time. Their corn was with eight rows, long-eared and sometimes entirely blue, some also black, some mixed white, blue and black. It was different from any I ever saw elsewhere. It is raised here now sometimes, the seed having come from the Indians. They used for cooking, copper or brass kettles. Some held ten or fiiteen gallons. These were used especially for making sugar, also for hominy. They made sugar a good deal and put it with their corn and bread. They frequently parched corn and pounded it up. They used it if going on an excursion, wetting it and putting sugar on it.

"They ate sometimes by themselves, but often the whole crowd together, especially relatives. In making sugar they used small hatchets. I did not for a long time see an ax such as we have. They used, when deer went into the river to get rid of mosquitoes, to come at night in their canoes with a candle of wax at the bow, and the deer seemed blinded. The Indian could go very close to and shoot them. They used canoes made of elm bark braced with little poles bent in proper shape. Their sugar troughs were of bark, thinner and tied at the ends. Basswood bark would make as strong a string as hemp by soaking in water for two or three months. | never saw any cooking or dropping hot stones in bark vessels. If they had no kettle they would cook on a forked stick over the fire, eat what was cooked, and then cook again. They would then only roast corn. They were very fond of roasting ears, and ate a great many. Ii they were very hungry, they would cook old deer heads, that were anything but savory. They had a few apple trees along down the river, but not many, on the Wyandot reservations, planted perhaps a hundred years ago. I saw little of Wyandots here; never any Shawnees. There were Senecas and when I first came here Mohawks. Some married in other tribes. The boys used bows and arrows to shoot with. So did I. They pointed them. When the Indians wanted to shoot low, they had their arrows with heavy steel points, bought ready-made. They shot squirrels with a blunt wooden point. On the blunt arrows they did not generally use feathers, but did always on the sharp. The feathers were put on to go like a rifle ball, with a twist. Grown Indians used mostly the rifle, but boys bows and arrows until 15 to 18 years of age.

"The Indians used to smoke tobacco and the bark of the Wahoo, called by them Kuinnakanick. They often mixed it with the tobacco. They also smoked the bark of a species of dogwood. We used to call it in Pennsylvania the arrowwood, from the shape of the sprouts. They used to tan green hides: if dry they used to soak them in the water of a running stream; they then stretched the hide over a smooth log the size of a man's leg, and with a knife blade placed in a curved stick would scrape off all the hair and all the outside skin, which will curl up, then scrape off all the flesh and dry the skin perfectly dry. They then soaked them in deer's brains and warm water, mixed and worked into a suds, one or more days, and then dressed them by rubbing with a stone much like those, called axes. plowed up in the fields, often

"When I first knew the Indians the men dressed in moccasins, leggins, a calico shirt reaching to the knees or hips, and above a jacket or some garment. The pricipal dress, however, was one of the Canadian blankets fastened with a belt. The arm was protected with deer skin from brush in the woods. They wore bracelets, and ornaments on the breast. The squaws wore broadcloth large enough to fasten' with a belt at the waist. Above that they wore a jacket; they 'had moccasins and leggins. They wore hats got from the whites, when they could get them; otherwise nothing. Leggins were worn much by the whites. Rattlesnakes could not well strike through them. The Indians were fond of paints, using them especially in their war dances; for red they used blood root; for yellow some other root, the name of which I do not remember; for black they used coal, or some other black substance mixed with grease or oil. They practiced as games, running, wrestling and running horses. I never saw them play ball much. The Wyandots' graves at Upper Sandusky were like the whites. The Mohawks along Honey Creek made holes, laying down poles or slabs, making a kind of box in which the body was placed and then covered. The Sauks, Foxes and Potawatomies buried by setting the body on the ground, and building a pen around of sticks or logs. I think the bodies lav heads to the east. 1 never saw the Sexecas bury.

"William Walker was a leader among the Wyandots. He was a white captive when a child, and lived at Upper Sandusky. He married a half-blood squaw, named Rankin, who was one of the most intelligent women on the reservation. She told me in 1820 that the \Wyandots had a tradition that there was a race, now extinct, of giants. Walker educated his boys and girls well. He was wealthy. His son Wilham was government interpreter. The old gentleman was then eighty or ninety, his wife not so old.

The Wyandots Farewell

THE WYANDOTS FAREWELL. Farewell, ye tall oaks, in whose pleasantgreen Ive sported in childhood, in innocence played. My dog and my hatchet, my arrow and bow, Are still in remembrance, alas! I must go.

Adieu, ye dear scenes which bound me ee chains, As on my gay pony I pranced o'er the plains; The deer and the turkey I tracked in the snow, O'er the great Mississippi, alas! T must go.

Dear scenes me my childhood, in memory blest. i must bid you farewell for the far distant west. My heart rats with sorrow, my eyes overflow, Over the great Mississippi, alas! I must go.

Further Concerning The Senecas

considerable distance helow the Seneca County line. The varior inal owners of the soil have already been fully detailed, but it is proper that a few of the scenes and incidents with which the early settlers of our soil were familiar should be reproduced for the entertainment and instruction of ihe present and future generations.

The Senecas of Sandusky were a mixed tribe, composed of the remnants of the tribes of northern and western New York, the Wyandois, Tuscarawas, and others. At the time they became known to our early permanent settlers they were, 11 some _ instances, indolent and dissolute in their habits. Thev were rather depraved than otherwise by intercourse and trade baste the whites. They had cleared some of the drv land along the river and raised corn, which was mostly traded for whiskey at the backwood distilleries, the art of distilling being unknown to them. In their intercourse with the settlers thev were always friendly, but drunken quarrels and fatal jealousies not infrequently disturbed the peace of their own state. Witchcraft was an unparus treaties with these orig-, donable sin, and punishable by death. Here, as in the more bigoted ages of the world among so-called civilized people, many coldblooded murders were committed, in the name of punishment for this crime. Both the witch and the bewitched were held guilty. Important trials were held at the council-house, which stood near the bank of the river, on the farm once owned by Mrs. Harriet Seager, and later

There was among them a tall, noble-looking man, whose fuil head of pure white hair gave him the name of "Whitehead George." He was, in his younger days, a man of good habits and industrious, but his squaw, whose hair .was also whitened by age, became excessively intemperate. Old Whitehead for a few years contemplated the ruin of his happiness with sadness, but finally lost spirit and joined his consort in a life of dissipation. To see one of their most worthy and venerable men habitually in the depths of drunkenness grieved the great. men of the tribe. A council was called and the squaw declared to be possessed of a witch. A sentence of death was executed with a tomahawk in presence of her husband, who was deeply grieved. The short remaining period of his life was spent in licentiousness and drunkenness.

Virtue was at a very low stage among the Senecas. They maintaied in name only the marriage relation, and their free practices led to many quarrels and difficulties of a serious chaneetes, he burying-ground was nearly opposite the rh of Wolf Creek. Great numbers were probably buried here. An old citizen of the township related that after the removal of the tribe to their western reservation, he in company with George Moore, was riding over the spot, and the feet of their horses, at places, sank into cavities caused by the decay of bodies. ;

Among the Indians was one named Seneca John, who bore a good reputation in the white settlements. He was the youngest brother of Comstock, a principal chief of the tribe. John maintained his credit at the trading-post.

and often went security for the more improvident members of his tribe. He was a gentle, peaceloving man, but was the victim of brotherly jealousy. The cold-blooded, unprovoked murder of this worthy redskin is told by Henry C. Brish, the sub-agent of the Government at this station. The cabin of the chief, Hard Hickory, where the deed was executed, stood north of Green Spring in Green Creek Township.

About the year 1825, Coonstick, Steel, and Cracked Hoof left the reservation for the double purpose of a hunting and trapping excursion, and to seek a location for a new home for their tribe in the far west. At the time of their starting Comstock, the brother of the two first, was the principal chief of the tribe. On their return in 1828, richly laden with furs, and having many horses, they found Seneca John, their fourth brother, chief, in place of Comstock, who had died during their absence. Comstock was the favorite brother of the two, and they at once charged Seneca John with causing his death by witchcraft. John denied this charge in a stream of eloquence rarely equalled. Said he: "I loved my brother Comstock more than I love the green earth I stand upon. I would give up myself limb by limb, piecemeal by piecemeal. I would shed my blood drop by drop to restore him to life.' But all his protestations of innocence and affection for his brother Comstock were of no avail. His two other brothers pronounced him guilty, and declared their determination to be his executioners.

John replied that he was willing to die, and only wished "'to see the sun rise once more." This request was granted, and John told them that he would sleep that night on Hard Hickory's porch, which fronted the east, where they would find him at sunrise. He chose that place because he did not wish to be killed in the presence of his wife and children, and because he desired that the chief, Hard Hickory, should witness that he had died like a brave man.

Coonstick and Steel returned for the night to an old cabin near by. In the morning, in company with Shane, another Indian, they proceeded to the house of Hard Hickory, who

He said a little after sunrise he heard their footsteps upon the porch, and opened the door just enough to peep out. He saw John asleep upon his blanket, and Coonstick, Steel, and Shane, standing around him. At length one of them awoke him. He arose to his feet and took off a large handkerchief which was around his head, letting his unusually long hair fall upon his shoulders. This being done he looked around upon the landscape, and at the rising sun, to take a farewell look of the familiar scene which he was never again to behold, and then told them he was ready to die. Shane and Coonstick each took him by the arm, and Steel walked behind. In this way they led him about ten steps from the porch, when Steel raised his malicious looking tomahawk, and struck him a heavy blow on the back of the head. John fell to the ground, bleeding freely. Supposing the blow fatal they dragged him under a peach tree nearby. In a short time, however, he recovered, the heavy matting of hair having arrested the tomahawk. Knowing that it was Steel who had struck him, John, as he lay on the ground, turned his face toward Coonstick and said: "Now, my brother, take your revenge." Coonstick was already repentant, and the composed face and forgiving remark of John so greatly affected him that he interposed to save his brother, but so enraged was the envious Steel that he drew his knife and cut John's throat from ear to ear. Seneca John was buried with the usual Indian ceremonies on the following day, not more than twenty feet from -where he fell. His grave was surrounded by a small picket enclosure.

"Three years after," says Mr. Brish, "when I was preparing to move them (the Senecas) to the far west, I saw Coonstick and Steel remove the picket fence and level the ground, so that no vestige of the grave remained." There could be no better evidence that both the brothers were ashamed of their crime.

"T remember well the death of Seneca John. He was a tall, noble looking man, and is said to have looked much like Henry Clay. He was always pleasant and cheerful. He was called the most eloquent speaker of his tribe. He could always restore harmony in their council when there was any ill feeling. In the evening before the morning of his death he was at my store. The whole tribe seemed to be in town. Steel and coonstick was jealous of John, on account of his influence and power. John was a great favorite among the squaws. John bade me 'good-bye' and stood by me on the porch as the other Indians rode away. He looked at them with so much sadness in his face that it attracted my attention, and I wondered at John's letting them go away without him. John inquired the amount of indebtedness at my store. We went behind the counter to the desk. The amount was figured up and stated to John, who said something about paying it, and then went away without relating any of the trouble." ile The sad winds stir the fallen leaves With songs of long ago, Oh, the flickering sunbeam visions ; - How they waver to and fro! How they seem to fondly whisper Of those days, those days gone by, When youth's springtime, when youth's morning, Beamed with hope na can not die. I

And as time with fleeting footsteps The knell of years has rung, Many changes it has brought you Since the days when you were young. Since those days when you fought nobly With the strength of youth defied The vast wilderness before you Looming up on every side. Ill

Pioneers with heads besprinkled With the winter's gift of snow Can you hear the spinning-wheel As it sang long years ago? Can you hear that whirring, whirring, As round and round it flew, Or the clicking of the reel As it made its "cut" so true? TV; Recall you husking-bees so merry Where reigned jollity and fun, And the holder of a' red ear Was indeed the lucky one? Galaxies of blue-eyed Marys With a Julia or a Jane Mingled with a John or Henry As they laugh and ne again,

That cheered the pioneer. VI. And 'twas excursion day to you When you all went to town Father, Mother, Kate and Sally, Thomas, James and John. In the horseless carriage of that day An ox-team to a cart

And shook you 'most apart. Vit. Quilting bees, Oh, happy days, When the women came from far And fingers deft their marks then left Of bird and flower or star, And while the fingers flew so fast The busy tongues did too, And told how this and that to make And this and that to do. VEEL. Then the hostess, she'd get up And to the kitchen go And the ladies, they would say, "Now, Mary, don't fuss so." And Mary, she would answer, "Oh, no, I won't, I say," And the flavor from the iron pot Would gently wait fog way. I