Seneca County, Ohio - Chapter 13: Statistics of Seneca County, 1886

Chapter 13: Statistics of Seneca County

A REFERENCE to the pioneer organic and political chapters of the general history will convey a fair idea of the condition of the county in 1824, when it was organized; while the military and Indian histories, as well as the chapters devoted to the township and city histories, point out its pre-organic condition.

This chapter is compiled specially as the concluding one of the general history, to confirm by figiu-es all that has been related hitherto, and to bring within easy reach of the inquirer into the progress of the county a set of facts, authenticated by county, State and national records.

Early Surveys - Schools in 1847. - The siuTey of lands up to 1832, and condition of schools up to and including the year 1847, are given as follows:

Surveyor

The surveys of 1832 were carried out under the provisions of the treaties with the Senecas, Wyandots and Delawares, referred to in the Indian history. Those of 1820 were provided for in the treaty of 1817.

School Statistics. - In the memorandum of early surveys, and of the schools of the county in 1847, reference is made to the schools of that period. The condition of the schools of Seneca Covinty at the close of August, 1884, is shown by the following statistics: Balance on hand September 1, 1883, S52,- 708.10; State tax, $17,901; irreducible school fund. $4,007.1)4; local tax $08,- 007.50; amount realized from sale of bonds, $18,000; from fines, etc., $8,109.- 06; total revenue, $168,913.30. Paid teachers, $00,403.32; management, 13,449.90; sites and buildings, $16,070.92; interest on bonds $4,420; fuel and sundries. $25,688.96; total expenditure, $110,099.16; balance on hand, September 1. 188-t, $58,814.20; number of school districts 156, with 162 houses, of which 7 were erected in 1883-84, at a cost of $26,752; number of school rooms. 220; total value of property, $305,600; number of teachers employed, 349; average salaries $29, $36, $57 and $67; number of pupils enrolled, 8,499 - 4.493 boys, and 4,006 girls; average daily attendance, 5,892; number enrolled for attending high schools, 154 boys, and 215 girls; number of pupils enrolled between sixteen and twenty-one years of age, 1,214 - 706 boys, and 508 girls {vide township and city histories).

Population 1830-1880

The census enumerators in 1880, were Christian Hoetzel, James Y. Magers, Oscaa- M Holcomb, V. D. Lamberson, H. C. Pitman, John Corrigan, H. W. A.. Boyd, J. D. Reese, George D. Acker, J. C. Milhime, J. H. Davidson, Jamt^s Ford, William Bogart, R. W. Brown, J. A. Feese and David Stanford. Each nam<! represents a township in alphabetical order. The enumerators for the live wards of Tiffin were Henry J. Weller, John B. Schwartz, Albert Beilharz, Ephi'aim Messer and F. H. Lang.

During the years 1820-21-22-23-24, a nominal tax was collected in the townships of Thompson, Seneca, Clinton and Eden (all organized while the county was attached to Sandusky County), but the aggregate amount did not exceed that now paid by one or two city lot holders for the improvement of a sidewalk. In 1825, a nominal tax was collected under authority of the commissioners of this county. In 1826, hwwever, the genius of taxation began to make itself felt, when the fi-eeholders were asked to contribute over $62. 26. The amount of tax paid by Seneca County each year, from 1826 to 1836, is shown in the following statement,

Benjamin Tomb, $158.15; R. G. Pennincrton, $100; F. Carpenter. $104.10; William Rininger. $170; Richard Baker, $188; Harry Grey, $101. Henry Ebert was the deputy collector for this county.

In 1825 the assessed value of horses in the cotinty was $13,160, for 322 horses; of cattle, $9,890. for 1,097; of manufacttu-ers' and merchants' stocks, $12,500, and of houses, $1,750 - aggi-egating $37,800. Ten years later the total assessed value of personal property, including eighteen carriages, was $166,983, increased in 1847 to $907, 141. " The recapitulation of footings of the assessment made in 1841 of the fifteen townships then forming the county, gives a total value of $1,233,080. The number of acres of land assessed was 318,7863%, valued at $879, 195, including buildings. The total value of town lots was .$81,219. There were *^, 548 horses valued at $141,720; 8,287 cattle valued at $65,896; merchants" capital and moneys at interest amounted to

The valuation and taxation of Seneca County (1884 - 85) are shown by the following statistics: Acres of land, 340,314; value, $12,223,360; and town lots, $3,711,560, with personal property valued at $5,910,600, being the total valuation up to $21,845,520, or two-fifths of the true value. The total State tax levied was $61,167.48, and the total county and local tax, $273,176.46. The State, county and other taxes, with a small amount of delinquent taxes, brought the amount of the duplicate up to $340,649.99, exclusive of $2,674, dog tax.

The following is an abstract of the personal property, moneys and credits in Seneca County, as returned by the assessors and equalized by the city and county boards for the year 1885:

New Structures

Below we give the number of new buildings returned by the assessors in 1885, giving the aggregate values as returned. These values are likely to be changed somewhat by the city and county boards of equalization:

The Assessors

The uninterrupted prosperity and success which have attended the various branches of enterprise and industry in the county from its earliest settlement to the present day, the change from an almost unbroken wilderness to a rich and populous county in a brief space of time, natm-ally lead the mind to contemplations of deep interest and inquiiy, with regard to the condition which the progressive energies of its people will work out in its future. We have only to examine the resources of wealth which the county naturally presents for improvement - the strength, skill and aptitude of the people to lay hold of natural advantages and convert them to the most profitable form, in order justly to appreciate the energies which have been i)ut forth by the early settlers and the new, the results of which are so attractive to the traveler. It should be borne in mind that the county was not settled by capitalists, bringing large amounts of money to expend in subduing and cultivating new lauds, but almost exclusively by men who were unable to purchase farms in the old States - whose physical and mental energies constituted their funded wealth. This was the capital invested in the settlement and improvement of the county - a currency not subject to fluctuations. The pioneers were men of independent minds and (>fToi'ts. whose activities were controlled by the dictates of their own judgments. The bosom of the earth, teeming with fertility, was spread out before them, and it is to their labors that we must look for the beginnings of nearly all of the wealth of the county. It is universsilly atlmitted that the smest index of the progressive energies of an agricultiu'al commimity is dis- covered in the condition of homes, farms and society; their light of science tO' illuminate and invigorate the natural powers, facilities of communication which tend to develop the social nature of man, and bring into visibility the various interests by which he is connected with society; as these are appreciated, cultivated and brought into constant use, the vital energies, the endiuing strength and substantial wealth of a community are advanced. If we adopt this general rule in the county and take the condition of its public institutions as a criterion of its advancement in intelligence and wealth, we shall tind that it has few rivals. While acknowledging all the labors, all the intelligent work of the pioneer settler, the new-comer must not be forgotten. Among the men and women who settled in Seneca County since the close of her pioneer period are many who have spread around them the blessings and benefits of well directed enterprise in all branches, whether manufactm-ing or commercial, educational, religious or social. No county in the Union, of an equal number of inhabitants, can look back to a fairer moral record, or point out a gi'eater proportion of inhabitants engaged in health and wealth-giving labors.