Sandusky County, Ohio - Chapter 23: Townships and Towns, 1909 (part 2 of 2)

The Gibsonburg Banking Company - The Gibsonburg Banking Company was incorporated October 11, "7894. Prior to its establishment the well known firm of Zorn-Hornung Company and William Schwam did a goodly sized private banking business. The bank was opened to the public January 1, 1895. Henry Zorn, the manager of the Zorn-Hornung Company, a man who manifested interest in all public affairs, was elected president of the institution and remained at its head until his death which occurred June 1, 1897. Mr. W. M. Masterman, a voung man of ability and experience. was made cashier.

The Gibsonburg Banking Company today, although young, is recognized as one of the staunch institutions of the country. It has never had a run upon it: never failed to pav on demand. It offers absolute security, prompt

The village is favored with one steam railroad operated by the Pennsylvania Company, and is the terminus of the Gibsonburg Junction of the Lake Shore Electric, placing it in handy touch with the county seat.

This township, while Ottawa County was a part of Sandusky, formed a part of Bay Township; but in 1840 when Ottawa was cut off from Sandusky County it took the larger part of Bay Township and it became necessary to establish a new township in Sandusky. The name was conferred in honor of Ezekel Rice, a prominent pioneer citizen on the Portage River. The early records of the township have been lost, and the first officers of the same cannot be given.

The first schools appearing from the records were established in 1851. Six districts were then laid out and in 1880 one more was added. Now there are nine sub-districts, requiring ten

French Settlers

In January, 1813, by direction of the Government, about twenty French families living along the Maumee River packed their possessions and started for Lower Sandusky. It was a fortunate circumstance that heavy ice well covered with snow gave them an easy course of travel and at the time made it possible to avoid the savage enemies of the forest. All being in readiness, a French train was formed of one-horse sleighs, runners of which were made of boards. The train was placed under direction of a Frenchman named Peter Maltash, who had been an Indian trader. He knew the country thoroughly and proved himself a faithful and valuable guide.

The journey to T ocust Point was made over the ice with ease. in one day. On the following dav Port Clinton or Portage. as it was then called, was reached. The train was held close together and the order of the sleighs frequently changed, so that the horses having become weary, breaking the way, were rested in the beaten track in the rear. Upon arrival at Portage the horses were almost exhausted. Malthorses from exhaustion and on the following morning directed the train to follow his tracks ; he assured them that he would be at Lower Sandusky far in advance of the train and would have at the mouth of Muscallonge teams to assist them to the end of the journey. The horses, stiffened by two days' travel through the deep snow, entered upon the third day's trial of endurance with reluctance. The train slowly moved across the head of the bay and entered the river. The delight of our band of weary travelers, on reaching the mouth of Muscallonge Creek, can be imagined. There a number of fresh teams were in waiting. The effect of finding the welcoming hand of friendship thus extended far to them, can only be appreciated when we remember that these people were strangers in a strange country. They found inhabitants in America even less secure, and were now fleeing from a savage foe under command and direction of the hereditary enemy of their mother country. With what delight then did these discouraged and exhausted refuges receive this token of friendship and promise of protection.

These teams from the fort took most of the load and broke the wav. Lower Sandusky was easily reached and the colony was given quarters in government barracks during the remainder of the winter. In the spring cabins about the fort were occupied, but the forest was full of hostile Indians, and at a signal all were ready to flee into the enclosure. On the 1st of August, 1813, the French families, by order of the Government, were removed to Upper Sandusky. While on the way the sound of Procter's cannon was heard at Fort Stephenson which thev had just left. The families remained at Upper Sandusky until the conclusion of the war, and were then moved back to Lower Sandusky in government wagons. The war having closed, it now became necessarv for them to seek homes and earn their own livelihood. We can give further information of but few individuals and families of the company.

Joseph Cavalier and wife both died at Fort Stephenson before the removal of the company to Upper Sandusky. Their son Albert, and one of the few survivors of the company, was left in charge of his aunt. Mrs. Jaco. Gabriel O'Dett, Le Point and Thomas De Mars made squatter improvements on the river bank eight miles below Lower Sandusky, on the tract since known as the Tucker farm. Mrs. Jaco married Le Point, and Mr. Cavalier was received by Mr. De Mars. Mr. Jaco had died during the progress of the war. Le Point served as a soldier during the war. The land sales of 1821 caused serious confusion among all these French squatters. prepared to purchase land, and those who had the means did not understand how to profit by the opportunities offered. The land on which Le Point and De Mars had located was purchased by Samuel Cochran and the inhabitants compelled to seek other homes. De Mars purchased a tract on Mud Creek. The Bisnette family permanently settled on the farm at the bend of the river, later owned by Mr. Enoch. The Catholic cemetery is located near the site of their cabin.

Christopher Columbo was a migrating carpenter. His services were not in great demand, as not only houses. but furniture, were constructed in the simplest possible way, mostly of puncheons.

German Population

German is an important element in the population of Rice. During the period of early settlement the inhabitants were, with a few exceptions, all French. About 1835 the first German families moved into the woods in the western portion, and by untiring industry soon had fertile fields in a state of profitable cultivation. Here a large tract of ''wild land" offered an opening to the emigrants who were seeking western homes. From 1840 to 1850

John Smith, one of the earliest German settlers of this township, came to America and settled here in 1833. He was born in Germany in 1783, and married there, Catherine Ernst, also a native of Baden. They reared a family of seven children, viz: Catherine, Mary, Elizabeth, John, Christina, Frederick and Rosannah. Both of the parents died in 1870. Frederick was born in Baden in 1829. In 1852 he married Elizabeth Kiser, a native of France, and in 1877 settled in Sandusky Township, where he had a family of eight children, Christina, Frederick, Caroline, Elizabeth, William, Clara, Amelia and Edward.

Christian Kline, who was born in Germany in 1790 emigrated to America with his wife in 1837, and settled in this country. After remaining eight months they removed to Lucas County and lived there about three years, after which they returned to this county, and made permanent settlement in Rice. Mr. Kline died in 1855, having survived his wife ten years. Louis lives in Monroe County, Michigan; Andrew, the third son, born in 1824, lives in Fremont. He married Sarah Ann Kreilick in 1848.

Henry and Catherine Swint, natives of Germany, had a family of eleven children, three of whom came to this country. Henry, the fourth child, was born in 1814. He married in 1848, Rosena Reineck who was born in 1831, in Baden, Germany. The children that have blessed this union, are: Anthony, John, Catherine, Jacob, Ambrose, Mary, Edward, Lizzie, Sarah, Ella, Josephine, Henry, Anna and Rosa. Mr. Swint was a weaver and worked at the trade in Germany. He served twelve years in the German army. He came to America and settled in Riley Township in 1845, but at the opening of the war with Mexico he joined the army and continued in the service until July, 1848, when he returned to this country, married and settled down to farming in Rice.

born in Germany in 1824. In 1853 he married Mary Friar, whose father Frederick Friar, emigrated from Germany and settled in Woodville Township in 1836.

Religious Societies

Catholic. The French settlers were all Catholics, but it was several years after the close of the war before they were visited by a priest. The first mass was held by father Gabriel ReShoir of Detroit, but a regular congregation was not formed till about the year 1830, which finally as a society ceased. There is no regular Catholic organization in the township, but the friends of that faith are affiliated with St. Joseph's in Fremont.

Meetings were held in schoolhouses until about 1860, when a church was built in the southern part of the township, near Kingsway, where they worshipped till about 1880, when the congregation was disbanded and the church building was sold to John Ottermat, and was used by the Trinity Lutheran congregation for services for about eight years. It is not now used for church purposes.

Zion Society, located near the line dividing the county of Sandusky and Ottawa, was organized in 1881. Among its members were Rev. Mr. Gahn, and Mr. Gnepper. The society is served by Lindsey Church.

Lutheran. About 1832 the western part of the township began to fill up with Pennsylvanians and Germans who had been connected with the Lutheran Church. Peter Hetrick and Adam Kreilick were leading members and meetings were at first held in their houses. In the vear 1843 Rev. Henry Lang of Lower Sandusky formally organized a society, and in 1848 a log meeting-house was built, which accommodated the congregation until 1867, when the present substantial brick edifice was erected. Mr. Lang here served the church for more than forty years, until 1879, when Rev. C. H. Althoff was given charge until 1886. Rev. J. Dornbirer supplied the pulpit for one year during Mr. Lang's pastorate. Rev. G. Kiesel served two years and in the spring of 1888 Rev. W. A. Bowman became pastor and is still

Trinity Lutheran Church was organized in 1892 by Rev. Carl Ackerman. Rev. G. Mochel was his successor and served as pastor until 1893, when Rev. W. A. Bowman took charge and served till 1900. Rev. J. Hieserman took charge until 1907. Rev. August Burman became pastor of the church in 1907 and is still serving the same.

Methodist. Zoar German Methodist Episcopal Society, composed mostly of German families and situated in the central part of the township was organized about 1844. The heads of the families organizing the same were Michael and John Schmidt, Nicholas Younker, Michael Hulderman, Mr. Paul, Giles Sigroff and Jacob Switzgroeor. A new house of worship was built in 1873.

Hunting and Fishing Club - The Ottawa Hunting and Shooting. Club and the Demars Point Hunting and Fishing Club are located in Rice Township, the former owning large quantities of marsh land therein; the latter owns about one hundred and thirty acres.

The Winnous Point Shooting Club, located in Ottawa County, also owns large tracts of marsh land in this township lying between the river and Mud Bay.

Kingsway, on the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad, is a hamlet, with a post-office, in the midst of a thriving neighborhood. The Kingsway Grain Company, with extensive elevators is located here. George W. King, for whom the place was named, was the first postmaster. The present postmaster is August A. Horn.

This township is greater in area, next to Washington, of any other in the county. It is bounded on the east by Townsend, south by Green Creek Township, on the west by Sandusky Township and River and on the north by the Sandusky River and Bay. The reader is referred to Chapter II and III for data in connection with what is here stated.

south to north toward the bay, widening as they approach their outlets and assuming more the appearance of ponds than of running streams. Bark Creek also passes into and out of Riley Township in Section 18, a distance of about one mile. Much of the north part of the township is marshland and up to within a few years ago was famous as hunting and fishing grounds and waters. Fish, fowls and_ furbearing animals were abundant and afforded a great source of revenue for the early settlers.

Many acres of these lands remained as government land until about 1856, when nearly all the northern end containing these marshlands was entered, and finally large parts of the same became owned by two sportsmen clubs, one known as the Winnous Point Shooting Club, and the other as the Ottawa Hunting and Shooting Club. These clubs have virtually monopolized for sport and pleasure the hunting and fishing of the principal part of all these marshes and waters, so that what is owned by the individuals is small in comparison, and furthermore, so restricted by the enforcement of rigid game laws, passed at the instance of these clubs, as to become of but little value for hunting or fishing purposes for the average land owner there.

The first settler in the territory which became Riley Township was Andrew Stull from Huron County. In 1820 he came with his goods in a wagon along the old army trail which passed through the center of Townsend Township about one mile south of the prairie, until he reached a point opposite to Section 1, Township 5, his destination. A wavy or road was then cut through by him and the spot reached, which was to be the home of the Stull family for many long vears thereafter. The nearest neighbor, William) Tew. was six miles awav. The nearest physician, at Lower Sanduskv ten miles distant. The nearest mill was in Huron County, more than twenty miles away. Michael Stull, a son of Andrew, in a conversation in 1881 said: "Our food was chiefly wild meat, venison, turkey and fish, the latter, in plenty. Salt pork was 50 cents a pound, bread mostly corn." He further said that fish were so plenty in Pickerel Creek that he and his brother Jacob speared in one night fifteen barrels of pickerel. They built a platform of puncheons across the creek, covered it with earth and built a fire at the middle of the stream. He in one end and his brother in the other of a canoe, picked the fish with their spears as the canoe moved along. Swans were often seen from the cabin door. Mr. Stull killed six deer in one day and a Mr. Charles Lindsey shot nine.

Jonas Gibbs, Isaac Allyn, Christopher Straight, the Markhams, M. Bristol, Forton Twist, Charles Lindsey, David Camp, Joseph H. Curtice, John Karshner, Woodford family, George Jacobs, Conrad Worman, William Pierson, William Harris, John Faust, Daniel Schoch, Cyrus Haff, Joseph and Samuel Meek, C. P. Daniels, Joseph Haaser, Charles Livingstine, W. B. Sanford, James Maurer, Adam Lutes, G. A. Wright and Henry Voght were all among the early settlers of Riley and prominent in its development.

The hardships of improving this region were increased by the prevalence of the disease called "milk sickness,' caused, as was supposed, by some unknown poisonous vegetation there growing, while the land was in its primitive state, and which was eaten by milch cows. Here, as elsewhere, when the land became cultivated and tame pastures came into use, this disease disappeared. (See Chapter on the Medical Profession.) Facts relating to the topography of this region will be found in Chapter III.

The first inhabitants were supplied by mills on Raccoon and Pickerel Creeks. Charles Lindsey built the first grist- and saw-mills, which were located on Raccoon Creek and ran till the water-power failed by reason of the clearing of the country, and consequent drying up of the water supply of the creek.

William and James Beebe built a saw-mill on Pickerel Creek, and afterward sold it to Levi Cowell. This mill shared the same fate as those on Raccoon Creek. by the lack of water.

According to the best information at hand, the first sermon in the township was preached at the residence of a Mrs. Lathrop, by a Methodist circuit rider, whose name is not remembered.

The first Methodist class was formed in April, 1853, at Tuttle's Schoolhouse, known as Tuttle's Class, Clyde Mission. The members were A. Lutz, Elizabeth Lutz, W. Lutz, Levi Tuttle, Almira Tuttle, Benjamin Twist, Lavina Twist, Z. Franks and wife, and Rhoda Marks. Rev. Alfred Wheeler preached there. W. D. Disbro was presiding elder.

The United Brethren Socicty was organized by Rev. Mr. Lemmon about the year 1853, with Samuel Meek, William Jones, W. Van Buskirk, James Walden, and their wives, for they were all married, as the first members. A union house of worship was built by the Methodists and United Brethren in 1868, known as North Riley Class, Bay Shore Circuit.

In 1855 the South Riley Class of the United Brethren had its beginning, and in 1877 erected a church building. In the same year a portion of its founders, together with those of the Evangelical faith in the neighborhood, united and also built a church further west.

The first schoolhouse stood on Section 16 near the site of the town house, about 1845. It was a log house with puncheon seats and desks. The schools in those days were kept 'three months in the year only and supported mainly by subscription, the teacher "boarding round." The township was sparsely settled, and much of the time during the school months, which were December, January and February, the road to the school was covered with water, rendering it difficult for children to get to school. The second schoolhouse was known as the Faust Schoolhouse.. Caroline Camp was probably the first teacher, teaching several terms. Z. Woodward was also an early teacher in the southern part of the township. Others were Burt Levisee, Fred Forbes, Major Scranton, Anna Watt, Julia Schultz and Sanford McIntyre.

Since 1852 good schoolhouses have been built and public instruction maintained. In 1887 there were eight sub-districts; now there are twelve, requiring the services of twelve teachers. Enrollment of pupils in the schools, boys 178, girls 143, total 321. Amount paid for tuition for the year ending 1908, $4,077.25. The township employed a superintendent for the year 1908-09, but the annual report at this writing is not made up.

It has a post-office with two daily mails. Ira Dunham was the first postmaster. John F. Karbler is the present postmaster. He is engaged in business as a manufacturer of and dealer in lumber and general building materials. He entered this business about, ten years ago and was in partnership for a while, at first Jwith Henry B. Dickman, under the firm name of Karbler & Dickman. Mr. Dickman was the second postmaster. For some years Mr. Karbler has been sole proprietor of the business, which is in a flourishing condition.

Luther Gibbs & Son are proprietors of extensive drain-tile and brick works near Erlin, with a capacity of 12,000 tiles and bricks each daily. There are twenty acres of land connected with the plant. While considerable amounts are shipped, their products are mostly disposed of to farmers in the neighboring country. These works were established in 1892, by Isaac G Sanford and Frank Halbeison, by whom they were disposed of in 1894 to Luther Gibbs and P. F. Meek. The latter sold his interest to Gibbs in 1895, and then A. J. Gibbs became associated with his father in the business, since which time they have conducted the same with success.

_ The Vickery Grain C ompany has an elevator here, and buys and ships grains and seeds and conducts a business usually carried on in the grain trade.

The Stokes Orchards

The apple orchards of Mr. John A. Stokes are not surpassed for beauty in' appearance and 'profit in production by any in the country. These consist of two separate orchards, one of twelve acres, containing about four hundred and eighty trees, about twenty-two years old; the other of about three hundred and twenty trees of fourteen years' growth. These grounds are devoted exclusively to apples, about equally divided, chiefly between the Baldwin and Ben Davis varieties, but other varieties are represented, such as Stark, Winesap, Grime's Golden, King, Belmont, Bellflower, Rome Beauty, Walbridge, Pippins and a few others. The trees are about thirty three feet apart each way, and many of. the lower branches of the older ones quite touch each other, from tree to tree and hang so near to the ground that a considerable percentage of the fruit can be picked without the use of ladders.

The older trees are twenty-five to thirty feet tall, and pxesent a remarkably healthy appearance, as do also all the trees, with but few exceptions.

atically sprayed 'his trees, using for some years, at firstilime-sulphur spray, while the buds were swelling, but: now mostly arsenate of lead and Bordeaux-mixture, combined, requiring each seagon about - fourteen thousand gallons, and costing, when applied, for material and. labor 134 cents per gallon. 'The work of spraying is done as soon as possible after the, blossoms fall and the method of application is by a twohorse-power gasoline engine, a 150-gallon tank and tower, mounted on trucks, drawn by one horse. Bamboo. poles, ten feet: long, with nozzles attached are used, and the' one handled by the man on the tower has. a. brass: extension three feet long, so arranged as to give a downward angle to the nozzle, directing the spray straight into the calyx cups of 'the blossoms. | From otie hundred to one: hundred and twertty-five pounds pressure is obtained and the 150- gallon tank is emptied in approximately forty minutes. For the largest trees it takes for a single spraying about twenty gallons of spray per tree. Plots of trees in this orchard were used in 1908 by the "Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station" as tests on spraying, and from the station's report it is shown that the best record obtained was from a Ben Davis tree sprayed with Bordeaux before bloom and once heavily with arsenate of lead soon after the bloom fell.

The yield from this specimen tree was five barrels of first quality, nine-tenths of a barrel second quality, and a "hatful" of wormy apples. The Baldwins averaged.one or two per cent more wormy than the Ben Davis, owing to the fact, probably, that they were further advanced when sprayed. The trees in the orchard twenty years old, which were sprayed about two weeks after the bloom fell, ran from three or four per cent wormy on some trees, to thirty-three or thirty-four per cent wormy on others.

A plot of trees reserved from spraying yielded 42.5 per cent wormy. So far as could be determined, a second and third spraying with poison had so little effect in reducing the percentage of worminess as not to pay the cost of application.

From his orchards Mr. Stokes, in 1908, gathered 1,750 barrels of fruit, which sold at prices varying from $3.00 to $5.00 per barrel. From two hundred to three hundred bushels were sold in the local market, in towns near by and to neighbors, at good prices, and a carload of '"drops'' was sold in bulk at 65 cents per 100 pounds. From fifty-five of the oldest Ben Davis trées, as specimens, were picked 396 barrels, the average yield per tree being a little more than 'seven barrels.

The fruit of these orchards when gathered is assorted into two classes, "firsts" and "seconds," 'and then placed in barrels; which are made on the farm. The. "firsts" are: shipped to Cleveland and placed in "Cold Storage" for preservation to await a desirable market, while the "seconds" are stored at home for local sale.

After rnaking all allowances for care, spraying, trimming,' harvesting, barreling and storitig, the net profit will exceed $150 per acre an nually, on an average.

Onburg, Looking Soutii

The organization of this township as a township of Huron County in 1815, has already been given. As a Sandusky County township it originally included all that part west of the Sandusky River. All east of the river was then as has been heretofore related, Croghan Township, which was reduced by the formation of others from it until but a small part, remaining, was added to Sandusky, and Croghan ceased to exist. The original Sandusky Township was also reduced from time to time, after the county was organized until 1878, when it was left with its present boundries by the formation of Fremont Township which took from all that portion of the Two-mile Square Reservation lying east of the river.

The Muscallonge and little Mud Creek are on the west side of the river and on the east side is Bark Creek. The noted Black Swamp region begins at Muscallonge and includes that part of the township lying west of this stream.

Settlement

James and Elizabeth Whittaker were the first permanent white settlers here, if not the first in Ohio. They were married. at Lower Sandusky in 1782 instead of at Detroit, as formerly supposed. (See letter of W. Arundel in Chapter V.) They settled on a tract down the river, which afterward became known as the Whittaker Reserve. Here they lived and reared a family of eight children. This is the tract described in the treaty with the Indians in 1817, as follows:

"To Elizabeth Whittaker, who was taken prisoner by the Wyandots and has ever since lived among them, 1,280 acres of land on the west side of the Sandusky River near Croghansville, to be laid off in a square form as nearly as the meanders of the said river will admit and to run an equal distance above and below the house in which the said Elizabeth Whittaker now lives." James Whittaker died in 1804 and was buried near the house referred to, together with other members of the family. As before stated 'the revolutionary soldier, Nathan Goodale, who died at the Whittaker home was buried there. The tract known as the Williams Reserve mentioned in the same

Next after the Whittakers and probably Williams, Reuben Patterson came in 1818 as a permanent settler. His family consisting of his wife and six children, Alvord, Evaline, Danforth, Julius, Harriet and Caroline. When the family arrived they at first occupied a log house in the fort, which had been used during the war by the officers. In the spring of 1819 he with his family moved into an unfinished log cabin on the Whittaker Reserve, where he and his boys cleared a small piece of land. When the sale of government land was advertised Mrs. Patterson went on horseback to Delaware and purchased a small tract of land on the east side of the river on which the family located and where Mr. Patterson died in 1841, having survived his wife one year. Evaline married Lysander C. Ball, and Harriet married James Moore. George Shannon came to Lower Sandusky in 1809 and married Mary, a daughter of James and Elizabeth Whittaker. In 1812, when the Indian troubles came, he fled for safety with his family to the Scioto Valley. Returning after the close of the war, he settled on a piece of land given him by his wife's mother, Mrs. Whittaker. Among the early settlers a few others may be mentioned: Geo. and Michael Overmyer and Daniel Hensel in 1817; later George Reed, Rev. Jacob Bowlus, Samuel Crowell, Henry Bowlus, Aaron Forgerson, Basil Coe, George Michel, George Engler and John Kuns. If space permitted, others coming later would here be mentioned.

The religions and educational affairs of the township, in early times, were so intimately connected with Lower Sandusky as to have but little important early separate history. In

1840 Dr. William Reeves accompanied by his wife Hannah, members of this religious denomination conducted religious services in Lower Sandusky which resulted in gathering together a small '"'class," which was increased by a split in the United Brethren Society. The results following the labors of Dr. Reeves and wife were satisfactory, but tne society not seeming to prosper in town, a class was organized the summer following in the country. Two years later a meeting-house was built on the farm of Henry Bowlus, where services were held -until 1873, when the present house was erected on the Rollersville Road near the Mus-. callonge Creek. The present minister is Rev. BT. Aden.

Lutheran. Salem Lutheran Church, at Fouranile House, was ofganized June 23, 1839, by. Rev. C. Conrad, though he had held services and performed tites from the year 1835 to' "£830. He was followed by Rev. J. Beilharz' from 7839 to 1846, when Rev. Henry Lang bees Ripa and served till the year 1880. . Rev. C. H> Athoff became the pastor and 'served'until the year 1888. Since April 22; 1888, Rev. W. A. Bowman. has: served the congregation until the present time, I909.. The corner-storie of the present edifice, completed in 1884, was laid: 'June 4, 1883.

There are tnirteen sub-districts, requiring thirteen teachers to supply the schools with a total! enroliment of 286, of which 147 are boys and 139 are girls. The amount paid teachers during the year ending August 3; 1908, , being the last official report at this writing, was $4,352.50, and for supervision there was paid w4o. There were eight Boxwell graduates, who attended a high school.

George W. Shreffler operates a large stone quarry on his farm of seventy-one acres, situated: at-Four-mile House, Sandusky Townsiiip, and has been continuously engaged in the Stone 'business here for the last thirty years. The product quarried is available for building purposes, bridge construction and concrete road making, and Mr. Shreffler is carrying on a successful business..

Fremont Tile & Brick Manufacturing Company (incorporated) conduct one of the leading industries of Sandusky Township. The business was founded many years ago by a Mr. Wolcott, from whose hands it passed into those of A. A. Reynolds, who conducted it for a number of years. It then came under the control of the present company, consisting of

Henry Swint (manager), Theodore L. Fuchs and A. A, Nichols, all of Fremont. The concern is engaged in the manufacture of draintile and building blocks of a superior quality, the plant being installed with the latest improved machinery and electric power. it important business concerns of the county. _ SCOTT TOWNSHIP. Tax Duplicate, $1,018,250. Voters, 391. Scott Township was so named in honor of one of its early settlers, Merritt Scott. Among the first settlers in the township

The only villages in the township are Greensburg, now Tinney, named after Judge John L. Green, and Rollersville, named for one of its citizens, Henry Roller. These two villages were important points for the distribution of mail during and for many years after the war. Greensburg was especially noted as a country post-office, people coming from where Millersville and Helena now are and from near Gib- The mail was carried to these villages from Fremont twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays. The venerable mail carrier for a number of years was John C. Dean of Rollersville.

The first church built within its borders was at Rollersville, in the year 1830. While Rollersville can claim the first church, Greensburg has credit for the first schoolhouse, which stood about eighty rods west of the village now known as Tinney. Scott Township is the only township in the county that has no railroad touching its territory. This township is purely agricultural, except the oil industry, which has been largely developed and has been a great source of wealth to many of the farmers. There have been more than two thousand oil wells in operation in this township at one time.

ing for the most part of a dark loam and some sand, and is well adapted for raising corn, wheat, oats and grass. There were two prairies which probably were formerly small lakes. The one in the south known as the Tauwa, the other the southwest part of the township. Where many good farms now are, the wild duck hatched and reader their young by the thousands.

There is a sand ridge bordering along the south prairie from eight feet to thirty feet higher than the surface of the prairie, and was at one time the route of an Indian trail. When the first settlers arrived this Indian trail over this sand ridge was worn about one foot deep by the ponies used by the Indians. This prairie was the first to be put under cultivation and before it was broken for cultivation furnished an abundance of pasture and tall prairie grass, which was cut and dried and stacked for winter feed.

When the land was first plowed, numerous elk's horns were plowed up and so also were many logs covered with earth to a depth of about eight to twelve inches. On the sand ridge for many years all kinds of Indian relics were plowed up.

The other prairie was most of the year under water until some time in the eighties, when it was drained and has since that time been under cultivation. The top of the soil is a very light muck, underneath of which there is a layer of snail shells, many in perfect form, about four to eight inches thick.

Henry Roller, for whom Rollersville was named, was one of the earliest settlers. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. Wilson Teters came with him in.1832. The first settler on the Tauwa prairie was Samuel Miller. The first preacher in the township was Jeremiah Brown. Other early settlers were, M. L.

Smith, Jacob Reinhart, James Baker, C. C. 'Barney, James Donnel, the Ballard family, John Harpster, Geo. N. Snyder, the Hathaway family, Jacob Kuntz, Phillip Miller, Daniel Long, whose three sons Samuel, John and Michael were preachers, Samuel Sprout, Michael Settzer, Jacob Havley, Elisha Moore, Reuben McDaniels, William Wright, David Solomon and the Wyant family. Later came the:

The early settlers, a hardy industrious people, gave character and standing to its citizenship that was to follow. The people of Scott Township are noted for their thrift, industry and respect for law and good government.:

Among' the families that have left their personality stamped upon its institution may be mentioned, Bates, Phillips, Putman, Roush, Gossard, Inman, Wright, Lehman and Tinney. From Scott, Hon. Benjamin Inman, Hon. John J. Lehman and 'Hon. G..F. Aldrich have represented Sandusky County in the House of Representatives at Columbus.

"Schools and the means of education" have always been encouraged in Scott Township, and many of the best teachers of the county have come from here. Some of the earlier teachers were, W. H. K. Gossard, Levi L. Wright, L. M. Snyder, Samuel Long, Sarah Long, Druzilla Gossard and Ellan C. Wright; later came M. Putman, Frank O'Farrell, Mary O'Farrell, C. W. Binton; then came F.. Jay Tinney, G. F. Aldrich, Arthur Gossard, A. W. Tinney and Charles Tinney, so all along through her history Scott has always been and

Scott Township school district has eleven sub-districts, requiring the services of eleven teachers for thirty-two weeks at an expenditure of $3,887 for tuition and $260 for supervision. The school enrollment is, boys 165, girls 173; total 338.

Canaan Class United Brethern, in the south part of the township was formed in 1834, and the first preachers were Revs. Beaver, Moore and Davis. The first class was organized by David Long and David Solomon, the latter being the leader for more than thirty years. A house of worship was built in 1867.

The Evangelical organized a class at an early day, the first members of which were John Roush, John Harpster, John Orwig, Isaac Miller, Mr. Hartman and others whose names are not remembered. They erected a church in 1870. The Methodists organized Mount Zion Class and erected a church building in 1872 near Greensburg, now Tinney. The Congregational Church at Rollersville was organized in 1842, through the efforts of Rev. M. P. Fay, who continued to serve the same until 1878. Its first members were, John Miller, Philip Miller, Sylvester Jewett, James Merrick, Angus Campbell, Geo. N. Snyder, Williston Merrick, Mr. Harrison, with their wives, respectively, and Mrs. Reuben McDaniels. The house of worship was built in 1860.

The first postmaster at Rollersville was David Smith, who was succeeded by Dr. J. C. Thomson, who served from 1847 till 1862; others were Daniel Baker, William Herriff, S. P. Hathaway and D. B. Baker.

The fitst physician in Scott Township was Dr. William Durbin; but the most prominent of the early physicians here was Dr. J. C. Thomson, born in 1822, the son of a Pennsylvania congressman. He began practice in Scott in 1844 and continued for over forty years. He was held in high esteem as,a physician and man of affairs in the township. He was justice of the peace for about thirty years and filled many other positions of honor and trust. He was prominent in Masonry, Odd Fellowship and Knights of Honor.

Perhaps the most potent educational force in the township for years was the Tinney Select School, organized about 1890 and conducted for twelve years by G. F. Aldrich. The school, though unpretentious, did much to create educational sentiment and prepare young men and women for teaching in the public schools. The teacher and pupils of this school have organized themselves into what is known as the Alumni Association of the Tinney Select School, which meets annually at 'Tinney.

Mr. Aldrich has stood for years in the front rank of educational workers of this county. Scott Township has had four members of the Board of County School Examiners, G. F. Aldrich, F. M. Inman, A. W. Gossard and A. W. Tinney, the latter a member of the board

The organization of this township has been given elsewhere in this volume. Prior to the settlements the southern part was heavily timbered. Prairies broke the northern part and were covered with a heavy marsh grass interspersed with an occasional spot where grew a more nutritious variety. There is but one millsite in the township, that being in the eastern part below "Rockwell Spring' - a spring which is the source of the most beautiful stream in the township - a rapid current of clear mineral water. Fountains of cold water pleasantly tinctured with mineral matter are found in different parts of the township.

The first artesian well here was sunk by C. G. Sanford in 1850, which, when cased, gave forth an abundant supply of water at a height above ground sufficient to run into a water trough. The depth of these wells vary from twenty to fifty feet. At some places water will rise, when properly cased, six feet above the surface. It is believed that Cold Creek Spring, in Erie County, and Rockwell Spring are fed from the same source, through natural fissures in the layer of conglomerate, covering'a sub-

The Settlements

The Townsend family, whose name the township bears, made an improvement in 1818 on the farm known now as the Brush farm. Abraham Townsend emigrated from New York to Canada before the War of 1812. His son Ephriam K. joined the American Army, which made it prudent for his father to return to his native country, which he did. The family consisted of the father and mother, two sons, E. K. and Gamalial, and five daughters, Margaret, Betsy, Mary, Amy and Eliza. The father removed to Huron in 1824 and later to Michigan. Ephraim remained and became owner of eighty acres of land. He was the first township clerk. He married Rebecca Tew,

His son, Paul Tew, became a prominent and influential citizen and served as county commissioner when the brick court house was built in 1844.

A. C. Jackson settled in 1822, with his wife, Amanda, and two children, to whom ten were added, born in Townsend. Mrs. Jackson was much beloved for her kindness and skill in ministering to the sick.

The Selveys came in 1824. Robert Wallace and his wife, Mary, settled here in 1826. Ebenezer Rawson, Josiah Holbrook, Samuel Love, B. Widener, Daniel Rice, James Lemmon, Sr., Albert Guinall and John Bush came about the same time.

Later along in the thirties there followed the Parkhursts, Stevens, Whitmores, Beaghlers, Higleys, Haffs, Sanfords, Hoopers, Chambers, Lewises, Goldens, Brushes, Millers and Fullers.

Early Events

Townsend post-office was established in 1824 with William Tew, Sr., as postmaster. In 1853 it was named York Station, on the C. S. & C. Railroad, with Josiah Munger in charge. It has recently been discontinued.

Whitmore Station, on the L. E. & W. steam railroad and the Sandusky, Fremont & Southern Electric, was made a post-office and Walter Davlin postmaster upon the extension of the L. E. & W. Railroad to Sandusky. The office has been discontinued since rural mail delivery was established.

The first church in the township was built on the north ridge by the Methodists in 1848 and stands there now. The first circuit preacher was Daniel Wilcox.

Vickery. This village, located on the L. kk. & W. Railroad, and the Sandusky, Fremont & Southern Electric Railway, was platted by Robert Vickery in 1881. A post-office was established and B. Sharpe was appointed postmaster. The following persons have since served as postmasters: Charles Green, C. A. Daniels, William Worman and Herman Lindsey, the incumbent. It has two rural delivery routes, with a daily service covering about thirty square miles, containing a population of about twelve hundred inhabitants, with 240 mail boxes. The village has a population of about one hundred and fifty and contains a Methodist Church served by Rev. H. H. Fisher, pastor.

Rockwell Spring Trout Fishing Club is located on the stream which flows from the spring on the site of the old Boice Water-mill, originally built by a man named Rockwell, for whom the spring was named; which mill, in the early days, supplied not only the people of

Townsend, but a large population of the adjoining counties. The club has erected a club house and changed the source of the stream, after the plan of the Castalia trout stream. The club numbers twenty-six members. Emery Thierwechter is president, Lacy Williams of Toledo, secretary and treasurer, and T. P. Hire is superintendent of grounds in charge of the fish hatchery. From two to three hundred thousand eggs are hatched every year.

The Tile Factory of Frank Halbeison, in Townsend Township, near Vickery, is one of the important industries of this township. Mr. Halbeison first started tile manufacturing on his farm in Riley Township in 1882, carrying it on there for several years. Afterward he followed the business for about two years at Erlin, Ohio. In 1902 he began the manufacture of tile at his present location, where he now has a plant capable of turning out 8,000 tile per day. The business is prospering and much of the time the plant is run to its full capacity.

The district contains ten sub-districts and requires eleven teachers to supply them, for thirty-two weeks. Amount expended for teaching, $3,382.65, and for supervision, $262; total, $3,644.65. School enrollment, boys 150, girls 143; total 293. Boxwell graduates attending a high school, boys 4, girls 7; total 11.

This is the largest in area of any township in the county, embracing all of original Congressional Township No. 5, and twelve sections of Township No. 6, of Range No. 14 East, these twelve sections being added after Ottawa County was organized.

The principal streams flowing through the same are Little Mud Creek, Big Mud Creek and Nine-mile Creek, all flowing from the southwest to the northeast across its territory. A small stream called Wolf Creek flows through the northwest corner of the township.

The soil, excepting the surface of a sand ridge, extending between Little and Big Mud Creeks, is a black vegetable mould, the remains of luxuriant swamp vegetation, and marks it as being a part of the region designated as the "Black Swamp." This sand ridge portion is strewn with numberless rocks, foreign in formation to the place where found. These are known as boulders or bowlders, so named from having been "bowled" along, by a moving ice stream from the far north, whence they were brought, during what is known as the glacial period. The reader is referred to the

Owing to the unpropitious conditions existing in this swamp region, no permanent settlements were made within the limits of Washington Township, till about 1830, though land entries were made as early as 1826, in which year the following entries are recorded: David Hess in Sections 9, 10 and 15, 730 acres; in Sections 13 and 24 Enoch Rush, 210 acres; in Section 24, Josiah Topping, 140 acres; Section 9, Harry Fuller, sixty-six acres; in Sections 8 and 9, Reuben Wilder, 267 acres. From 1826 to 1831, inclusive, the following named persons entered lands: Pontius Wheeler, J. H. Topping, George Waggoner, Samuel Waggoner, Robert Long, Jacob Nyce, Jonas Graham, Michael Hogle, William Floyd, David Grant, Magdalena Bowman, George Watt, David Church, Joseph Deck, A. W. Green, Jacob Hendricks, Daniel Karshner, Daniel Hendricks, John Mackling, Michael Overmyer, Peter Poorman, John Rose, N. P. Robbins, William Rose, Solomon Shoup, John Shoup, Jacob C. Stultz, William Skinner, John Strohl, J. H. Topping, Hector Topping, John C. Waggoner, John Smith, Isaac Rhidenour, John Baird, William Chenaworth and George Hetrick. The quantities were generally not large, varying from eighty to three hundred acres, and in one instance, Daniel Hendricks, as high as 370 acres.

The locality seems not to have been an inviting one for land speculators, judging from the generally small sized tracts entered. Entries that would, from quantity, indicate purposes of speculation were Dickinson and Pease in 1835, 372 acres; in 1836, H. G. Folger, 532 acres; Edward Bissell, 2,376 acres, and James

The settlers were nearly all natives of Pennsylvania and of German descent, but a large proportion came here directly from Perry County. Josiah H. Topping, David Grant and John Wolcutt were the first. Topping kept tavern on the pike. George Skinner came as the fourth settler in 1830 and settled in Section 26. From then onward settlements progressed, and among these hardy pioneers were: Joseph Cookson, Jacob Stultz, the Waggoners, Jacob Hendricks, Solomon Shoup, the Skinners, John Baird, Hugh Forgerson, William and Samuel Black, Michael Fought, A. G. Ross, Peter Morton, George Geeseman, Samuel Spohn, Jacob Moses, Joseph Garn, Henry Forster, Daniel Karshner, Christian Dershen, James Ross, Henry Bowman, David Hess, Henry Stierwalt, John Bowersox, Daniel Boyer, William Yeggle, John Avers, E. Humers, H. Bearing, John Mogler, David Deil, James Snyder, Martin Garn, Daniel Spohn, Jacob Heberling.

John Waggoner, a native of Maryland, came in 1830 with his family of eight children, namely: Betsy, John, Jacob, David, Nancy, Daniel, Solomon and Samuel.

Jacob Overmyer settled here in 1833, coming from New York. He had sons, Philip A., William, George, Luke, Amos, and daughters, Sarah Ann, who married Hiram Waggoner of Indiana; Agnes, who married Jacob 'Huffman of that state; Susan, who married Michael Overmyer; Mary, who. married Solomon Overmyer ; Catherine, who married Coonrad Hess, and Amanda, who married Jacob Hess.

The first schoolhouse was built in 1833 on the north side of the pike on what is known as the old Hetrick farm. It was built of round logs, covered with "shakes" or split boards about three feet in length, held in place by "weight poles" and the floor and sams were of puncheons or split logs hewn smooth on the upper side. The window lights were made of greased paper. The first teacher was Narcissa Topping. The first schoolhouse in the southwest corner was built about 1834 on the farm of Jacob Moses.

The public schools have kept up with the progress of the township in other affairs, affording ample facilities for the schooling of the youth of the township. In the township district there are fifteen sub-districts, requiring fifteen teachers, thirty-two weeks to supply the same. The school enrollment is, boys 186, girls 140; total 326. The township district employs a superintendent. Amount paid for tuition, including supervision, $5,700.

This village was laid out October 21, 1837, by David Hess and B. H. Bowman and was designated in the plat by the name of Cashtown. It is located in Section 9, Town 5, Washington Township, on the Maumee and Western Reserve Road. It is now traversed by the Lake Shore Electric Railroad. It is said that the name Cashtown was given the village because dealers at that point paid out more ready cash for produce than was paid at other trade centers in the county. Finally, because of the prominence of the Hess family, who laid out the north part, the name by which it is now known was adopted.

The post-office was known as "Black Swamp" until recent times. The postmasters have been David Berry, H. Forster, Henry Reiling, Samuel Ritter, A. Lay, Jacob Arnsted, George McVey, Frank Artz and J. H. Milious.

In 1851 the Lutherans built a house of their own on the pike farther west. This was superseded by a fine building in 1877. Among the first members were the Auxter, Tappy, Schwartzman, Pohlman and Upp families. The first members of the Reformed were: Henry Bowman, B. Karshner, S. Kratzer, William Keizer, William Opperman and a few others.

The village has not increased in population of late years to any appreciable extent. There is a good two-story brick schoolhouse in which a good graded school is kept. Among the former teachers there were, Frank O'Farrell, Esq., and Miss Lenore Belle Meek of Fremont.

Hessville. This congregation was organized by Rev. Conrad of Tiffin, Ohio, in the year 1840. He was followed by Rev. G. Cronnenwett, of Woodville, in 1841, who served the congregation about twenty-nine years. He was succeeded by Rev. R. Graetz, who served the congregation from 1869 to 1875, when Rey. S. Poppen took charge and was pastor to the year 1885, when Rev. C. H. Althoff, the present pastor, was installed, who served the congregation during the past twenty-four years.

The services of Emmanuel's congregation at first were held in a log schoolhouse west of Hessville. In 1853 a frame building was erected in Hessville where the Reformed also held services. From 1853 to 1876 the congregation worshiped in a small brick building west of the present house of worship. It was during Rev. Poppen's administration that

Lindsey

Lindsey, located in Sections 2 and 3 in Washington Township, on the line of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, has a population of about seven hundred inhabitants. It has a post-office and is served by four daily mails and has one rural delivery route, serving a rural population of about one hundred and fifty inhabitants.

The village was originally platted by B. F. Roberts and E. B. Phillips, November 21, 1853, and named the town of Washington. It was incorporated by the name of Lindsey. It has a municipal government and is a separate school district with a school enrollment of 114, of which there are 50 boys and 64 girls. G. W. Overmyer, superintendent (1908) with a salary of $540. Three teachers are employed thirty-six weeks. The village pays for tuition, including supervision, $1,890. For the year 1909 J. J. Breslin has been employed as superintendent.

The post-office was first named Loose, and William Overmyer was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by W. M. Boyer; since Boyer, the following have served: John Jordan, J. W. Breneman, E. S. Bowersox, J. W. Boyer and C. G. Bowers, present incumbent.

Leander Bloker, of Lindsey, operates a planing-mill-and deals extensively in lumber, window frames, sash, etc. He entered into his present business in 1882, being a partner in the firm of Bloker & Wilson. In 1893 he purchased Mr. Wilson's interest and continued alone until June 15, 1907, when his plant was destroyed by fire. He has since rebuilt it and resumed operations under improved conditions,

This township lies in the northeast corner of Sandusky County and was organized April I, 1840. It lacks six sections at the northeast corner of being six miles square or of being the size of a Congressional township, which fractional piece was made a part of Ottawa County in 1840, when that county was organized, being taken from Sandusky County. It was named in honor of Amos E. Mood, a leading citizen at the time of its organization, and prominent in public affairs. He was subsequently elected to Congress and re-elected, but died during his second term.

The first election in the township was held at his house April 14, 1840, and resulted in the election of David Dunham, Lester Allen and Archibald Rice, trustees; Ira Benedict and Jared Plumb, justices of the peace; Ira Benedict, township clerk.

Physical Features

The surface is mostly a plain. The Portage River traverses the township in a northeasterly course, dividing it into two almost equal parts. Tousaint Creek in the northeast corner and Sugdr Creek in the southwest, run parallel with the Portage River, through the township northeasterly. These streams are separated by almost imperceptible ridges of lime stone, the out crops of the underlying Niagara formation, mention of which, with the stone, lime and oil industries of the township, has been made in Chapter XII of this volume, to which the reader is referred. Between these ridges the soil is the ordinary mixture characteristic of the Black Swamp region.

Permanent settlements in the Woodville Township territory were not made for quite a number of years after those in most of the other parts of the county. In 1825 it was ordered that the Mud Pike, which was little more than a "corduroy" road, be built and that the adjoining road lands, ceded by the Indian tribes, in 1808, by the Brownstown treaty, embracing one mile on each side, be sold as pike lands. This was the signal for settlement. Prior to this, however, there was an occasional "squatter." The first clearing was made on the present site of Woodville Village in 1825, and a little log cabin erected, and in the fall of 1826, occupied by Thomas and Harriet Miller. Mr. Miller died in 1828, and Mrs. Miller kept tavern here until 1837. Land in Section 35 on Sugar Creek was bought in 1826 by C. B. Collins, who afterwards superintended the grading of the pike. In 1832 Ephraim Wood and his son-in-law, G. H. Price, bought lands .and built houses in Sections 27 and 28. Price's tract embraced what is now the south part of Woodville Village. Wood's tract was just across the Portage River from Price's, where he erected, at a frame building, and here kept a tavern. Here, is where the first township election was held in 1840, then owned by Amos E. Woodson of Ephraim. Price's children were George E. and W. W. Price, by his first wife, Parthena Wood, and Willie H., Nellie P., and Grace E., by his second wife, who was Louise B. Ladd.

Lester Allen was one of the earliest to settle in the east part of the township. In 1831 the Baldwin and Chaffa families settled in the township. There were then but five families therein. David Dunham came in 1833. His son, Almon, became prominent in county affairs, and represented the county in the State Legislature. ©

In 1833 to 1840 came John H. Scott, John and Mary Moore, Jared Plumb, David B. Black, Archibald Rice, James Scoville, Samuel and Erastus Pitcher, Ira Kelsey, Mr. Thatcher, Peter Kratzer, Edward Down, Andrew Nuhfer, Ira Benedict, John Vanettan, B. Hurrelbrink, Hiram Preston, Fred Myerholtz, Henry Seabert, William Black, Mr. Burnham, Michael ° McBride, Dr. A. R. Ferguson, W. C. Hendricks, T. L. Truman, Later came the Klavings, Kelloggs, Bakers, Krauses, Klines, Brions and Campers.

Woodville Township is not behind in educational facilities. In the days of the early settlements little log schoolhouses sprang up in the several districts. These have given way to the more substantial frame and brick structures._

The first schoolhouse was built in 1836 and Catharine Seager was the first teacher.. The daughters of Ira Benedict and Jared Plumb also taught the early schools in the township. In 1839 a frame building was put up in Woodville by the Lutherans for church purposes, but it afterwards became a schoolhouse. In' the year 1836 John Moore's house was transformed into a schoolhouse and his daughter, was the teacher.. In 1837 a new building was put up on Sugar Cheek and John Scott taught school therein for his board.

Frederick Jaeger, clerk ot township I. K. Seaman, J. S. Compton, S. G. Baker, Davis Dunham, John Scott, Christopher Trame, Caleb Klink. There were then seven sub-districts numbered in the order mentioned with the members.

On April 20, 1857, the board levied a half mill for German schools and a half mill for English schools, and thus it appears that German was taught in the public schools.

Among the early teachers who left an impress of their work and individuality may be mentioned, Miss Seager, Mrs. Daly, Henry Osborn, William Humlong, Jonathan Hunt, Mr. Catlin and Mr. Hinkley. Of the later teachers whose memory still lingers among their former pupils are: Mr. Baker; Mr. Brown, the founder of The Normal University of Valparaiso, Indiana; O. Dunham, W.. H. Andrews; and George Worst and Mr. Essig in the special district are worthy of mention.

The township district has seven sub-districts requiring seven teachers, thirty-six weeks at a cost for tuition of $2,780. Boxwell graduates attending a high school, boys 4, girls 3; total 7. Enrollment, boys 67, girls 70; total 137.

The; first grist-mill in Woodville Township was built by D. B. Banks in 1835 on the banks of the Portage River, a short distance from the present village of Woodville. There was also a saw-mill on the other side of the river. The grist-mille was first run by horse-and oxpower. the customers furnishing their own teams to grind the grain. It, was last run by William Hendricks. There was a saw-mill dn the farm of Caleb Clink in Section 4 and one at Woodville owned by' Lewis Maynard. There was a woolen-mill in the village owned by W. J. Keil.

Woodville Village

Tax Duplicate, $413.430. Voters, 234. - This village was laid out June 13, 1836, by Amos E. Wood and George H. Price and named in honor of Mr. Wood. It will be observed that the village was located before the township was organized. Reference to settlements prior in date to 1840 is understood to apply to territory subsequently becoming Woodville Township:

The village contains about nine hundred inhabitants and is situated on both banks of the Portage River in Sections 27 and 28. The business part, however, is om the west side. Transportation facilities are furnished by the Maumee and Western Reserve Turnpike and other improved roads; the Pennsylvania steam railroad; the Lake Shore Electric, and the Lake Erie, B. G. & Napoleon Electric Railroads. The post-office has four daily mails and two rural delivery routes with seventy-five rural boxes. The postmasters here have been Charles Powers, John P. Elderkin, J. H. Rearick, Andrew

The village is located in the midst of valuable oil producing territory, and with the advent of oil enjoyed great resulting prosperity, rapidly increasing in wealth and importance as a business center.

The village has two banks, two hotels, a grain elevator and a flouring mill. This mill is the outgrowth of. the first one here, which was built by Henry Seabert in 1860-and afterwards destroyed by-fire. It was rebuilt and fell into the hands of John P. Elderkin and later was managed by Dr. A. R. Ferguson for a time. The present brick structtire and elevator in connection with the same are owned and operated by W. H. Bruns. The capacity of the mill is 150 barrels of flour daily.

Village Public Schools

The history of the village schools begins with the year 1865, when Sub-district No. 3 was set off as a special school district and thereby separated from the control of the township board. The school building at that time was a two-room, one-story frame, located on the corner of Cherry and Railroad Streets. This district was changed to a village district in 1868, and comprises the village of Woodville and considerable adjacent territory. The present four-room, two-story brick structure was erected in 1878. The high school, with a four-year course, was established in 1894. 'It is graded as first-class under the school law and its graduates are eligible to entrance in the State University. Four teachers and a superintendent are employed. Amount, as per last annual report, paid high school teacKers, $1,379.03 ; paid elementary teachers, $1,433.75 ; paid for supervision exclusive of teaching, $250. Total paid for tuition, including supervision, $3,067.78. Enrollment, high school, boys 10, girls 14; elementary, boys 68, girls 59; total enrollment 151. Salary of superintendent, $1,000.

Woodville Normal School is one of the educational institutions of the Lutheran Joirt Synod of Ohio. It was founded in 1881 by the Rev. George Cronnenwett. Its primary object was, and is, to furnish teachers for the parochial schools of the Synod. It was, however, found expedient to offer facilities to those who may desire to prepare for a collegiate course, or to acquire a more thorough mastery of the common branches, and a more general knowledge of the sciences than is usually offered by the common schools. With this in view, courses in Latin and bookkeeping have been added. Both sexes are admitted. The faculty consists of four professors and two assistant instructors.

Solomon's Parochial School. The Lutheran Solomon's Congregation maintains a parochial school since 1862. Organized primarily to provide instruction in religion and the elenientary German branches, it has gradually expanded its curriculum until now it includes besides these an English course identical with that of the public school tothe seventh grade. Pupils

Three teachers are employed. The attendance varies from' about seventy-five to ninety pupils. The total cost of maintaining the school is about fifteen hundred dollars a. year.

Solomon's Evangelical Lutheran--Church. The beginning of Solomen's charch dates back to the year 1830. It was then that the first settlers arrived here from their old Hannoverian home in and about Osnabruech.: In 1841 Rev. George Cronnenwett was called to this field. All was dense primeval forest then 10 the Black Swamp. | Forty-seven years. did Father Cronnenwett serve his people; for years the only Lutheran pastor 'within .a radius :o1 more than fifty miles. During these years he baptized 2341, confirmed 1730, buried 1214 persons.

In 1864, during the Civil War, tke present: church was built, quite a pretentious church: for the times. Rev. Paul Raether succeeded Father Cronnenwett in 1889. Easter 1903 he resigned his ministry at this place. During the vacancy of a little more than a year the late Rev. J. Bauch served Solomon's people as their temporary pastor. Peter Langendorff entered upon his ministry April 24, 1904. He'came here from Upper Sandusky, Wyandot County.

Solomon's congregation numbers today from: 1,000 to 1,100 souls. It is one of.the largest: churches of the denomination in this part of the state. For more than three, decades -the con' gregation has supported a' parish school. It is ably served by Prof. C. Vogel, Misses Lydia Nieman and Margaret Riedel.

"Voodville. Township and. vicinity. 'The 'first German settlers. came there in 1833- - Sebert and Schuler. . The fatter went to Perrysburg: The next year three more families came up the river, One tnother brought' a dead child hid in her shawl 'for fear. it would be cast into the lake or river as is the custom) at sea, and she had it buried' at )Lower Sandusky. . Other families. came until there were nine in Wood- ville Township and they did not have room enough in the barn of Mr. Sever to put away their chests and trunks and some were stored in the barn of Mr. Amos E. Wood. The Maumee Pike was not then made. These settlers lived there in the dense woods. Some children sickened and died and were buried without coffins. The parents longed for a minister to come among them. Some of the husbands and fathers went to work on the Maumee Canal, from Toledo to Defiance, to get money to buy provisions for their families. In 1834 some were unable to buy flour in Fremont. They got such supplies as they could 'and carried them on their shoulders to Woodville. They bought their land at $1.25 per acre. One widow traveled on foot in wooden shoes to the land office at Bucyrus to buy her land. In 1835 they raised a crop of corn and ground it with their coffee mills to make bread.

"In 1841 I was sent as a missionary from Ann Arbor, Mich., to visit the Germaris at Toledo, Perrysburg and the Black Swamp. I preached at Woodville but hesitated to accept a call from them until they came after me to Michigan with teams. I had at first very poor lodging. It was a sort of porch on one side of a wagon shop, another family occupying the opposite porch. We had a stove and two beds place an umbrella over us when sleeping. The roads through the woods were very bad and often hard to find. I often missed my way in going to preach to the settlers at a 'distance.

The United Brethern was organized by Rev. John Long in the latter part of the sixties and services were held in the Union Church building until 1874, when the society purchased the old German Methodist Church Building. There is no resident pastor, but services are kept up by ministers from the circuit to which the church belongs.

The Methodist Episcopal was organized in 1844 in the old schoolhouse by Rev? William Norton, the first pastor. The first stewards were Stephen Brown and Ephraim Wood. Meetings were held in the schoolhouse until the "Union Church" was built.

In 1859 the Methodists, Presbyterians and Itvangelicals combined and erected an edifice called the Union Church, each society having a representative in the official board. The Presbyterians and Evangelicals became extinct, after which it passed into the possession of the Methodist Episcopal congregation, which finally also becoming extinct, the property, by judicial authority, was in 1909 transferred to the Solomon's Lutheran Church for contemplated educational purposes.

Catholic. As early as 1843 Father Rappe held services in Woodville and in 1851 he effected an organization. A dwelling house was purchased and converted into a house of worship. In 1862 the brick edifice was built and dedicated. The church was supplied in ministerial work from Elmore. In 1882 Father Reiken was pastor. There have been no services maintained here by this faith for a good many years.

The German Methodist organized a society in 1843 with about twenty members; Rev. E. Reinschneider was the first pastor. The first trustees were Henry Seabert, Fred Miller, Fred Gerke, Andrew Nuhfer and Fred Steirkamp. There is now no resident pastor, but services are maintained.

Bellevue Village And York

Bellevue being in part within Sandusky County, is therefore considered in our history. Tax duplicate, in Sandusky County, $626,300. Voters, in Sandusky County, 475.

The first post-office was known as York Cross Roads, and the village was called Amsden's Corners, for T. G. Amsden its first merchant. In 1839, upon the completion of the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad to this place, the present name was adopted, which means "beautiful view,' a name appropriate when its elevation and surroundings are considered. The highest sea level in the county, 751 feet, is in Bellevue.

According to the best. authority Mark Hopkins was the first settler, coming in 1815, and Elnathan George the next, settling in 1816; then in 1817 Return Burlingson; in the year 1819 John C. Kinney, Thomas G. Amsden and

Frederick Chapman. They were the first merchants and had their store on the spot where the city hall now stands. They were men of fine ability, energetic, and did a highly prosperous business. In 1822 Charles F. Drake came and purchased land in Section 25 in York Township, embracing the greater part of the village on the Sandusky County side; in 1823 Dr. James Strong purchased lands adjoining Drake on the west. Nathaniel Chapman and Bourdette Wood were early prominent and prosperous dealers in real estate and in live stock, and did much to promote the growth and welfare of the rising town. The town was incorporated by act of the Legislature January 25, 1851. At the first election in February following, Abraham Leiter was elected mayor; S. Z. Culver, recorder; Thomas G. Amsden, E. D. Follett, B. F. McKim, D. Armstrong and J. M. Lawrence, trustees.

it is thought not out of place, in this history briefly refer, to some of these. Among them are: The Ohio Cultivator Company, manufacturing agricultural implements and _ hay presses; The Conway Steel Range Company, steel ranges. and cook stoves; The Bellevue Pipe and Foundry Company, soil pipe and plumbers' fittings; The Jeschke Manufacturing Company, corn cutters and ditching machines; The J. L. Moore Manufacturing Company, steel couches and bed springs; The W. H. Gardner Grain & Mill Company, grain dealers, flour and mill products; The Bellevue Stone Company, crushed limestone, sand and gravel; The Bellevue Kraut & Pickling Company, sauer-kraut and pickles; Spence Brothers Stone Company, crushed limestone; Garrigan Brothers Stone Company, crushed limestone; Joseph Mitchell & Son, furniture and tables; The A. H. Jackson Manufacturing Company, muslin underwear; The Zehner Brothers Packing Company, meats and meat products; The G. W. Knox Monumental Works, marble and granite monuments; The Handy Tool Com- formed in 1836, under the auspices of the Huron Presbytery as a society of the Presbyterian Church, and so remained until 1846, when it became:a regular Congregational church. The present beautiful church edifice was erected in 1878, at a cost of $40,000, by the magnificence of Daniel M. Harkness in memory of his deceased wife, Isabel Harkness; it is now known as the Harkness Memorial. In 1906 the building was improved to the extent of $3,000. The church possesses a fine parsonage. There have been, preceding the present pastor, seventeen, with an average pastorate of about four years each. The present pastor is Rev. George L. Smith.

Methodist Episcopal was formed in 1839, the first class being composed of James Anderson, his wife Betsy, and daughter Melessa; Alvin Anderson, his wife Harriet, and daughter Adaline, and a Mr. Mann and his daughter Mrs. Ferris. Meetings were held for some years in a stone schoolhouse near the present site of the Episcopal Church. Later a brick building was erected at a cost of $5,000, which was finally sold to the Lutheran Society. The present edifice was completed in 1868 and dedicated by Bishop Simpson, August 17th of that year. Among the largest contributors toward its erection and that of the parsonage,

It became a station in 1852, with the following board of stewards: Alvin Anderson, H. R. Adams, Jesse Haskell, W. W. Stilson, J. B. Higbee, Orrin Dole and Barney Campbell. Rev. Samuel Beatty was then the pastor. The The church now has the largest membership in its history, 325 members. It has had a solid and steady. growth and has fulfilled the promise of the past and the hope of its founders.

ing was erected in the years 1864 and 1865. There were eighty-five charter members. On the night of July 3, 1867, the building was seriously damaged by a storm, making it necessary to replace a part of it and make other extensive repairs. It was then re-dedicated November 26, 1876. In the year 1890 extensive repairs which very much beautified the building were made. The continued growth and prosperity of the congregation made it necessary to enlarge and rebuild the church in 1905. This was done at a cost of about ten thousand dollars. The building is now large and commodious, fully equipped for the present de- 'mands, having a Sunday school room with its various departments and a pastor's study. The Mission Band was organized in 1889; the Ladies' Aid Society in 1890; the Missionary Society in 1891; the Y. P. S.-C. E. in 1897. During the forty-two years of its history this congregation has had six pastors. The beautiful two-story brick parsonage and barn was erected during the summer of 1907, at a cost of over thirty-five hundred dollars. This church is at present one of the best equipped for modern and progressive church work. The present pastor is Rev. D. W. Loucks.

The First Baptist Church was organized the 14th of May, 1836. The first pastor was Elder J. Kelley. Other pastors were Elders Brown, Angell, Dimick, Eaton, Royce, Abbott, Kelly, Griswold, Morse and Bailey. The society held its meetings in the second story of the brick schoolhouse row owned by the Catholic Church, until April 7, 1849, when their house of worship was completed. The old record contains the names of many who materially aided in the growth and prosperity of Bellevue. For a number of years the church enjoyed a temarkable degree of prosperity, but various causes contributed to the diminution of its membership. Many families moved to the western frontier; a number of the members were caught in the wave of spiritualism that swept over the country about the middle of the nineteenth century, while death claimed many. For these and other causes the doors of the church were closed for atime. Rev. L. Bailey preached August 31, 1862, the last sermon of which the old records give any account. On the 15th of

January, 1867, the church was again opened for worship. In 1875 the society became discouraged and sold their property to the Evan-,; gelical Association. In 1883 a new church was organized with Rev. Jesse Boswell, pastor, who remained one year. The new society held its meetings in the old Opera and Washington house of worship was first occupied. Of the hundreds of names upon the old records but one appears upon the new and but one of the old families is represented in the present membership. The church at the present day is remarkable for the harmony existing among the members, and all departments of the work of the society are conducted with the utmost good fellowship. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Eastman.

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized on the 1oth of July, 1864. The following were the first church council: Adam Zehner, Frederick Stapf, Jacob Biebricher, Wm. Bauer, Frederick Richard, Jacob Beiler, Philip Rosswurm, Philip Biebricher, Frederick Guenther. The first place of worship was the building now used for the Catholic school, the second was the old church on Center Street. The present beautiful church was erected in 1894-5 under the pastorate of Rev. W. E.

hitherto been conducted entirely in the German language or nearly so, became more and more English, now being equally divided on Sunday mornings, and all evening services being in English. The Sunday school is almost entirely English and within the last five years the confirmations have been entirely so. The church is connected with the St. Paul's Church on the Columbus Pike in one parish.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church is located on West Main Street, and is 120x200 feet in dimensions. The church has a seating capacity of about three hundred. In. the early days services were held in the old hall over

At a meeting of the residents of Bellevue, June 14, 1849, in the office of Amsden, Dimick & Co., the organization was partially completed. The first vestrymen elected were Gurdeon Woodward, Amos Woodward, Abishai Woodward, T. G. Amsden, Judge Frederick Chapman, G. W. Sheffield and John Grimes.

The church was consecrated January 14, 1861, by the then Bishop of Ohio, Gregory Thurston Bedell. Among the early wardens and vestrymen were W. Ford, H. P. Bramwell, Bourdette Wood, C. C. Cook, Jesse Haskell and Roger Greenslade, Sr. The Rev. Mr. Punderson conducted the first services in the old stone schoolhouse on the Pike adjoining the church, about 1846.

The Rev. R. K. Nash was the first rector to preach in the present building. He was succeeded by the Rev. Moses Hamilton, who remained in charge of the parish for thirty-three years.

In the history of St. Paul's Parish four diocesans of national fame have shepherded the flock: Bishop Philander Chase, Bishop Charles Mcllvaine, Bishop Gregory. Thurston Bedell, and the present bishop the Rt. Rev: William Andrew Leonard, D. D.

Among some of the former members who have achieved distinction is the Rev. Chas. D. Williams, D. D., Bishop of Detroit. The present rector is the Rev. George Morris Wylie, Jr.

Bishop Seybert Memorial Evangelical. The origin of this church dates back to the year 1875, when it was organized by Rev. G. W. Miesse. The first regularly appointed pastor of this church was Rev. S. P. Spreng (now Bishop S. P. Spreng, D. D., who was recently elected to that high office).

During Rev. Spreng's brief pastorate this church was blessed with a great revival which resulted in the conversion of many souls, adding greatly to the strength of the church.

The first church building occupied by this congregation was purchased from the Baptist friends formerly used by them as a place of worship. This church was occupied by the Evangelical people until in the year 1895, un- der the pastorate of Rev. W. H. Brightmire, when this congregation experienced a marvelous work of grace; the old church not being large enough to meet the demands of this growing congregation, the present splendid church building was erected and dedicated to God as Bishop Seybert Memorial Evangelical Church of the Evangelical Association.

Memorial Church has a prosperous Sunday school, a senior and junior Young People's Alliance, a Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society, a Ladies' Aid Society, a Pansy Circle, all of which are doing good work in their different spheres. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Beery.

Church of the Immaculate Conception. About 1852 Rev. James Vincent Conlin, stationed at Sandusky, established a mission in Bellevue, and held services some three or four years, when Rev. Punshell, of Norwalk, came, and then for a short time Father Boff officiated. Father Tighe, of Sandusky, next came, and bought the old warehouse, on Center Street. This building was remodeled and used for a church and the first church organization was effected. This place of worship was used until 1883. Later a schoolhouse was built upon the lot, a two-room frame building. The first resident priest was Rev. James Monaghan, who remained some seven or eight years. While he was in charge he bought a house of Rev. Mr. Flagler for the use of the priest. The house bought was the present parish house, but it stood on Monroe Street on the present Wheeling right of way. When the Wheeling was built the house was moved to its present location. Father Mears came next. He remained about three years and was succeeded by Father Bowles, who also remained three years. The church was then attended by Father Rudolph, of Clyde, for about three months and then Father Malloy was called to the pastorate and remained about three years. After Father Malloy came Father Gibbons who during his pastorate spent a year in Italy seeking to regain his health. Father Cahill was the pastor of the church for the year during that time and laid the foundation for the present church. On the return of Father Gibbons and during the next three years the present church was erected at a cost of $20,000. Father Gibbons died April, 1884. Father Ruppert succeeded him and with a year's intermission remained for five years. Father J. A. Michenfelder, the present pastor, _ succeeded him. The congregation comprised about one hundred and fifty families and is well provided with church property. Altogether the church is in a flourishing condition. BELLEVUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

The records of the schools of Bellevue prior to 1830 are almost entirely wanting. Here and there are found brief entries of contracts, fragmentary reports, scraps of letters, etc., which, pieced out by oral testimony, give a fairly good idea of conditions from 1830 to 1870. From 1870 to the present the minutes, journals and other documents of the board of education have been in a measure preserved. These supplemented by the recollection of many men and women in active life furnish a basis for our record of the years since 1870.

It is probable that the earliest schools of this community were largely the result of individual or community initiative, supplemented in some small measure by public aid. The tuition fund was contributed by the patrons, generally in proportion to the number of pupils attending from each family. By the law of 1825 the State organized a system of district schools, each district a separate and distinct unit. This. accounts for the existence at an early date of a schoolhouse on the Sandusky County side, and another on the Huron County side of Bellevue. Under the provisions of the Akron law of 1849 the schools of the town began to be graded and unified but this was not fully accomplished until about 1860. Since 1860 the organization of the schools has conformed to the changing requirements of the state laws.

Buildings. As early as 1827, and probably for some time before, log schoolhouses were located, one on the site of the present Pike Building, another where the Wright Bank stands.

In 1832 the log building on the Pike was supplemented bv a one-room stone structure, which was in use until about 1845 or 1846, when it was closed for a time to be repaired and reopened in 1850. This building gave place in 1871 to a two-roomed, one-story brick building. The walls of this structure were made heavy so

On the Huron County side there was first the log building on the site of the Wright Bank. The next building of which we have knowledge was the two-story brick building now the Catholic Parochial School, which was erected in 1845. This contained three rooms. The inference is that after the erection of this building the stone schoolhouse on the Pike was unused, until the growth of the town required its repair and reopening in 1850.

A new seven-room building was erected on the site of the present east central building. For forty years this building served the community. In 1885 the four rooms now constituting the front of the east central building were erected at a cost of $5,000. In 1906 the old building was removed and four rooms took its place, which with the four erected in 1885, make a substantial eight-room schoolhouse. The McKim Street Building containing two rooms was erected in 1893, to accommodate the primary pupils living east of the Nickel Plate Railroad. It was so planned as to readily admit of the erection of two additional rooms on the North Side if conditions should demand them. Its cost, together with the grounds, was in the neighborhood of $4,000.

The Central High School Building, containing ten school rooms, four recitation rooms, laboratory, office and auditorium, was erected in 1900, and "dedicated to the best interests of 20th century education" The architect was H. H. Wurmzer, of Lorain; the builders, H. Kimmell & Son, of Bellevue. The cost of site, building furnishings was approximately $37,000.

Teachers and Superintendents. One of the early teachers was Miss Clemence A. Follett, afterward Mrs. Frederick Chapman, who taught in 1828. Mr. Geo. Wickwire, Mr. J. B. Higbee, long time resident of the village taught in the stone schoolhouse in the early thirties. Mrs. Eliza Cook, mother of C. C. Cook, taught in the same building 'in 1855-57. Miss Celestia Gould, now Mrs. S. W. Boise, taught about the same time. The schools entered upon their career as graded union schools, under the provisions of the Akron law, in 1851, at which time the head teacher was spoken of as the superintendent, although performing the duties now belonging to the principal. The first corps consisted of Rev. Mr. Waldo, Miss Gardner, assistant in grammar grades, with Mrs. Covil and Miss Wilkinson in charge of the primaries.

Rev. Mr. Waldo, Harvey Holton, Jerome Drury, Edward Bradley, Dwight Hubbard, Henry Bramnell, Dr. Cornell, John S. Ellis, Edward Bradley, - Highland, J. B. Loveland, W. H. H. Avery, L. C. Laylin, E. E. Philips, J. M. Greenslade, A. E. Gladding, E. F. Warner who has since 1886 been superintendent, a period of twenty-three years.

This is in Huron County, but there are five rural delivery routes extending into Sandusky County, with 227 mail boxes serving 700 patrons, and covering an area of fifty square miles. Fred O. Bates is postmaster.

The topographical features of the township have been given in Chapter III. The township was formed in 1842. Tax duplicate, $1,315,- 160. Voters, 380.

The settlement of York began in the year 1822, but before then as early as 1819 squatters came and located in some parts of its territory, built small cabins, cleared off small fields of the undergrowth, planted a few acres of corn, which the wives cultivated while their husbands hunted game. These people never aspired to ownership of property. Property would have been an incumbrance to them.

The permanent pioneer settlers were Jeremiah Smith, A. D. Fallett, Rollin Benson, John Davenport, the Utley family, Hiram Baker, EIder John Mugg, Joseph, George Elanthan, George John Riddell, Isaac Slocum, H. R. Adams and James Chapman.

Later came Isaac and Levi Porter, Ephraim and Randall Sparks, Jacob Harpster, Samuel Shutts, John Mook, William Dymond, James F. Smith, J. P. Roush, Gideon and George Billman, Frederick Smith and Adam Jordan.

The True-will Baptist Church was the pioneer church of the township, and in its early history. collected into its membership nearly all the neighborhood. \

Christian Church. The next church was the Christian Church the first members of which were James .Haynes and wife, Moses George and wife, John Riddell and wife; Elder Mallery was the first preacher. He was succeeded by Elder Vail, under whose ministry the Free Chapel was built in 1842. He died in 1878 and Elder Manville became pastor.

- Emanuel Evangelical Church was organized about 1850 and Rev. Mr. Nevil was the first preacher. In 1860 the frame work on the pike was built. Mount Carmel United Brethren was built in 1863.

The first schools were doubtless in a large measure formed and supported by private aid, supplemented in some small way by public aid. Owing to the absence of records of these schools particular mention of them must necessarily be omitted. Good public schools, however, under the provisions of the various school laws have been maintained. According to the last official report there are ten sub-districts, requiring ten teachers, thirty-six weeks. Amount paid for tuition, $3,885; supervision, $125. Enrollment, boys 147, girls 136; total 283. There were 15 Boxwell graduates who attended a high school.

Business Enterprises, Etc

There are now in the township about one hundred and fifty acres of cherry orchards. The principal and most noted orchard is that of Heffner & Pickett, known as the "Highland Cherry Farm," containing 5,600 trees just coming into profitable bearing. Many others, ranging from a small number to 800 trees are planted throughout the township, the soil and situation of portions of which seem well adopted to cherry culture.

The Richards Brick and Tile Yards, of York Township, were established as early as 1857 by George Carleton and George Taylor, and the business is thus one of the pioneer industries of this township. After the retirement of Mr. Taylor the late William C. Richards became the partner of Mr. Carleton. In 1885 he became sole proprietor and so remained until his son, Charles R.: Richards, took charge of the concern. The enterprise is one of the prosperous ones of this part of the county and gives employment to seven men the year around. Gerhardstein Brothers' Brick and Tile Yards are located about one mile southwest of Bellevue, York Township, the partners owning a tract of sixty'acres at this point, and another of twenty acres in York Township. Their. yearly output of brick averages between 500,000 and 600,000, and they also manufacture a large amount of tiling of different sizes, the concern giving employment to seven or eight men continuously. The business was originally established by Edward Kern, who sold the yards in 1891 to Anthony Gerhardstein, father of the present proprietors, Robert and Thomas Gerhardstein.