Seneca County, Ohio - Chapter 19: Hopewell Township, 1886

Chapter 19: Hopewell Township

HOPEWELL, in tbo days of the earliest settlement, was known as Township 2 north. Range 1-4 east. It was surveyed into sections and quarter sections in 1820 by J. T. Worthington, assisted by David Eisdon and others, and one year later was opened to entry in common mth all United States' lands in the county. In 1822 the first settlers looked in upon the scene, and staked their homes in the wilderness. Eight years later the population reached 5411; eighteen years after settlement it increased to ',)18; twenty-eight years aft(>r to 1,28S, and fifty-eight years after settlement to 1.(582. The population in 1885 is estimated at about 1,S(M), including Bascom YOlage. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad enters the township in the northwest corner of Section 18, runs southeast across the township, and enters Tiffin in Section 24. The Mansfi(>ld, Coldwater & Lake Michigan Railroad was actually built and equipped, paralleling the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, but the ties and rails were taken up and sold when that entei-prise collapsed. The Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad rims southwest fi'om Tiffin through the southeast corner, and the Northwestern Ohio Railroad enters the township in the southeast quarter of Section 18 and enters Liberty Township at Section 1 of this towushi]).

The Sanduskj' River fiows through the southeastern sections, and Honey Creek enters the river in Section 80 of this township, \\o\i Creek has a fork of its system in almost every section south of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, where it forms into two streams, which flow in a northeastern coiu'se to Section I , and there forms one of the forks of the main stream.

The Niagara system does not show an outcroj>, but in the quarries near Bascom it appears near the surface. Waterlime presents itself in the bed of Wolf Creek.

Organic and Official. - The first election was held December 25, 1824, at Joseph Pool's house, eighteen days after the establishment (jf the township, when Nathan Cadwallader, John Stoner and John Rosenberger were elected trustees, James Gordon, clerk, and John Stoner, ti'easurer. The other offices were distributed among the few settlers then in the wilderness. As related in Chapter IV, the western part of Clinton Township formed a part of Hopewell for some years. Following is a list of officers since 1881 :

Pioneers and Incidents of Pioneer Times. - Peter Arbogast. who died in 1833, owned the west half of southwest quarter of Section 16, Town.ship 2 north. Range 14 east. He settled here in 1826. Mrs. Sojihia Ai'bogast died in 1861. Michael Arbogast, born in Virginia, in 1824, came here when two years old, and is now a resident of Seneca Township .... James Aiken owned land in Hopewell, in 1824.

Jacob A. Boner, a native of Maryland, born in 1809, came to Ohio in 1826, and located near Tiffin, where his stepfather, John Julian, Viought forty acres of land and spent the remainder of bis life. In 1844 Mr. Boner and his wife (nee Elizabeth Slosser) came into the woods of Hopewell Townshij). settling where they now live. There was then hut one l(i<r schoolhonse in the town ship. . . . Jose])h B<><ir(l. a native of Pennsylvania, settled in Ho|)ewell in 1822. . . . .Thomas Baltzell, a native of Maryland, born in ISIT). came with his widowed mother. Mrs. Elizabeth (CreitUer) Baltzell, to Ohio, where she died in 1857. In 1881 Mr. Baltzell retired from his farm and moved to Tiffin. . . . John and Mary (Nolan) Britt, former a native of Ireland, born in 1811, parents of Mrs. Silas ^V. Rohrer. of Hopewell Townsliip (who was born in this township, in i8r)(), died in 1881). came to Hopewell Township in 1848. In 188;^ .Mr. Britt moved to Tiffin, still retaining liis farm.

Nathan Gadwallader settled on Section I! I. about 1828. Mrs. Hiram Hart is a daughter of this pioneer. . . . Peter Chenoweth was (he first school teacher and took part in building the old log-schoolhouses . . . .John Chaney was one of the first three settlers in Hojiewell .... Charl(>s Chaney was one of the first trio who located on Section Iti, Hopewell. . . .Francis Cotter came in about 1830. while one David Cover, who purchased lands on Section 1 (!, settled here in 1 834 .... Michael Coughlincame from Ireland at an early date, and purchased lands here. . . . . Jos(>ph Culbertson, a native of Pennsylvania, came here in 183'.). and Uriah P. Coonrad, an old settler of Tiffin, also liecame a resident .... David and Sophia (Delong) Creeger were early settlers. . . .John H. Creeger died in 1872, and his widow, Mary (Young) Creeger in 1881. James Creeger died in his sixty-seventh year, October 8. 1882. . . .Gideon Creeger. at the age of sixteen (182(j), when on his way from Montgomery County, Ohio, to Lower Sandusky, passed thi'ongh Fort Ball when the jiickets of the old fort were still standing. Then only a tew log-huts, owned by Mi-. Hedges, comprised Tiffin; now Mj. Creeger thinks it would take a good day" s drive to pass over all the streets of the city. On his route at that time the Indians were so numerous about here that he would meet ten or more before one white man. For thirty years he has been engaged in farming in HeniT County, Ohio .... Henry and Catharine (McDonald) Creeger, natives of Maryland, came with their childi-en in 1826, and the following sjiring bought a i)iece of land on AN'olf Creek, on which was a small cabin, raised by Michael Shaull, and which was located on the site of an Indian wigwam. There were no roads, only Indian trails, and !Mi\ Creeger, with the assistance of his sons, cut the first road to Tiffin, and built the first bridge across the river. There were Indian mounds on his fai-m, on which trees otcw that measured three feet through, and out of these mounds Mr. Creeger exhumed a skel(>ton .... Michael Coughlan. one of the early settlers of Hopewell Township, died in 1884.

James Dunn, grandfather of Arlington Dunn, of Hopewell Township, came to this county and township in an early day and Iwught 41)0 acres of land, his sons coming after. William N. Dunn settled here in 1842. On Aj)ril 13, 1872, his residence and eight other buildings were destroyed by tire. The family now reside in Tiffin, except a son, D. C. . who occupies the farm. . . . John Daugherty, one of the first settlers of Hopewell, came iibout 1823. . . . John Dewalt, who settled in Hopewell in 1833, was known as Bear Club. He killed a bear, which attacked him .... Thomas DeiT settled in the county in June, 1830. . . .C. W. Doran, a native of Virginia, and James Doran, a native of Ohio, settled in Hopewell in 1822.

Michael Flynn was one of the pioneers and esteemed citizens of the township. . . .Matthew Frederetze and his wife, Barbara, came from Alsace (France) in 1828, settled in Pennsylvania: moved to Hopewell Township in IN32, where the former died in 187)1. His son Micliael has resided on his present fiirm for almost fifty-three years.

Ozias and Polly (Pryor) Hart, natives of Conneeticnt and Vermont, respectively, came in lSl!7 to Hopewell, entered land and put up a cabin. . . .Hiram Hart aftei-ward bought land for himself near TifWn .... Joseph Heltebrake settled in Seneca County in Jime. 1830. . . . A. Houseberger came fiom Pennsylvania in lS-i8. . . .Heniy Hostler. Sr. , a native of Pennsylvania, brought his familv to Hopewell Township in 1831 . . . .Adam Hceliing came fit'om Germanv in LSi^y.

Philip King, born in Ireland in 1800, came to this county in 1840 and bought land of Samuel Waggoner. He died in 1871). . . .Brian King and John B. King are among the old residents .... Jeremiah and Hannah King, natives of Ireland, f>arents of Jerry R. King (who was Isorn in 1847 in Hopewell Township), were early settlers here. Jeremiah King died in 1856 and in 1884 his widow maiTied Charles Bukman . . . . Hemy and Anna C. (Stamatz) Keppel, natives of Pennsylvania, came from Knox County, Ohio, in 1839. The former died in 1842 and the latter in 1860. . . .George and Philip Keppel came in 1839. . . .Jeremiah Kneppercame from Pennsylvania in 1850. . . .Jacob Kuhn fi-om New York in 1834 .... Thomas Knight, a native of Ohio, in 1848. . . .Levi Keller, Jr., in 1843. . . .Bartholomew and Margaret (McBride) Kinney, natives of Ireland, came in 1830 to the southern part of Hopewell Township. ]VIi\ Kinney was accidentally di'owned July 16. 1831, while crossing the Sandusky River at Tiffin. Mrs. Kinney remained a widow four years, part of which time she spun flax to maintain herself and family. The house she lived in was a rude log-cabin, and she had often to pile furniture against the door to prevent the wolves fi'om entering. In 1835 she married John King, and in 1852 she died .... Philip King and brothers. John, LaTSTence and Timothy, old residents of Tiffin, settled in Hopewell Townships. Philip King died some years ago.

Dennis Maloy. a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1825, came to this county with an uncle in 1846 and commenced business in Tiffin, but soon moved to Hopewell Township .... John Maule came in June, 1 83t), settled just north of Tiffin, opened a blacksmith shop and in 1838 moved to Hopewell Township; died in October, 1866. ... James Mathers was among the pioneers .... Adam Miller came fi'om Maryland in 182<). . . .James A. Morrison, a native of Ohio, settled here in 1838.... John Miller, founder of Bascom in 1837, came in 1836. .. .Joseph McClelland settled in Bloom Township in 1822, moved to Hopewell in 1854 and died there in 1857. . . .Ebenezer Mills was one of the early settlers.

Joseph Ogle, born in 1781, in Maryland, came to Hopewell Township in 1824. The Indians were nivmerous and he had to defend himself against wild beasts. On one occasion his daughter, while milking the cows, was attacked by wolves, and he had to fly to her rescue. He died in January, 1864: his widow occupied the farm until 1 870.

Joseph Pool, at whose home the first election was held, in 1824, passed away years ago .... Robert Patterson, a native of ^Maryland, settled in Hopewell at an early date, and died near Bascom, July lU, 1885.

Mrs. Mary Redfox, hotel keeper, Bascom, a native of Germany, born in 1833, came to America in 1846, settling in Bascom, where her parents kept the hotel which she now conducts. . . . M'illiam L. Ricketts. a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1791, father of Milton D. Ricketts, of Hopewell Township (who was born in this township in 183(5), came with his parents in 1800 to Fairfield County, t)h;o. In 1828 M'illiam L. came here, before any road was opened to Tiffin, and entered lands located where the Findlay and Tiffin State road now is, on Section :](-. . . .Robert and John Ricketts, early settlers. now reside in London. . . .Benoni and Rebecca ( Loose) Rohrer, parents of Silas \V. Rohrer, of Hopewell Township (who was born in Virginia in 18-1-5), came to this township in 184S, . . .Benoni Rohrer, born in 1810. in Virginia, was a very early settler of Hojiewell Townslii]). and his farm is now said to be the most beautiful in the township. . . .Aaron Ruse was an old settler. . . .Joseph Ruse came in 1S:5(). . . .Hem-y Rosenberger, liorn iu Virginia, in 179S, came to Seneca County with his wife and three children December 20, lS'i.5, and located on Section 1, Hojiewell Townshij), and Section (5, Clinton Township, where he erected a roiTud-log house. AVhen he came his earthly j)ossessions were one horse, one wagon, a small quantity of pork and 25 cents in cash. For the tirst year they had but one ban-el of flour, part of which was spoiled, but the family subsisted chiefly on game meat and corn bread. Afterward he built a hewed-log house, and over thirty years ago a fi'ame house was built by him (now occupied by his son Jacob) on this farm. The Seneca Indians were his near neighbors, with w'hom he was always on fiiendly terms. One of their -'trails" passed through his land. In 1876 Jlr. Rosenberger moved to Tiffin, where he has since lived in retirement .... John A. and Joseph Rosenl)erger are early settlers.

George Shedenhelm settled three miles north of Tiffin, in Hopewell, iu 1882. . . .Robert and John Shippey. brothers, were located on Section IC), prior to the organization of the township .... Samuel Smith, born in Delaware in 180(3, settled in Hopewell in 1883. moving fi'om Tiffin, where it is said he located in 1828. . . .Jacob Schmidt, who died September 9, 1885, was born in the Canton of Aaigau. Switzerland, and immigrated to America in the year 1S88. and a short time after that eut(>red the farm on which he lived and died. . . . .AVilliard Sjn-ague. who located lauds on Section K) prior to 1824. is named cif ^Maryland and Germany, respectively, parents of John Slosser, of Hopewell Towuship (who was born in Virginia in 1811), came direct, about 1880, by : eam to this county, locating east of Tiffin for over fifteen months, and in 1 882, -ettled in Hopewell Township. George Slosser died in 1843 .... Michael Shaul - a cabin here prior to 1820. . . .Philip Staub, a native of Pennsylvania, lather of Joseph G. Staub. of Hojiewell Towuship (who was l)orn in 1825, in Pennsylvania), came to Ohio in 1883 and jnu'chased laud near old Fort Seneca, built one of the first cabins in the townshij). and was a resident here when the Indians were removed. . . .Conrad Stigerwalt came in 1841 . . . William Stripe settled here about 1824.

Abner Wade, a native of Pennsylvania (father of Washington Wade, of Hojiewell Township, who was born in 1829, in Loudon Townshiji), came to this county in 1820 and entered land. Ho cut a road from what is now Tiffin. Being a blacksmith he did a good deal of work for the Indians after coming here. He died in 1858. his widow in 1870.... George Walters came in 1840. .. .Samuel Waggoner, who founded a town named Hojiewell in 188(). is named in other pages. . . .Solomon Wolf came in IN44.

for John Miller. The original town was on the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 17. Town '2 north. Range 14 east. Dennis Maloy"s adtlitiou to Bascom was surveyed in March, 1876, and D. A. Creeger's addition was surveyed in May, 1 S7!S.

The tirst three years of the village were disheartening to the owners, as at the ck)se of those years a population of six persons formed the community. Every decade after brought with it a small increase of population, but only within the last five years has actual progress taken notice of the place. It is true that diu'ing the construction of the Coldwater Railroad, and the building of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the village assumed some importance, but after those enterprises ceased to call together great numbers of workmen at this point, business slept, as it were, until 1880.

John T. Maloy succeeded W. W. Miller as postmaster, in September. ISS,"). and the business circle comprises the following: Simon Miller, general merchant; Heniy Eisler. blacksmith: Maloney i)t Matthews, grain dealers.

Methodist Episcopal Church, Bascom. is the oldest church in the Old Bettsville Circuit, having been formed at the house of Abram Miller iii 1881, and a meeting house was erected shortly after. In 186,") the Old Bettsville Circuit was divided; Bettsville, Fort Seneca. Jackson. Ebenezer and Bascom forming Bettsville. with R. Biggs. ])reacher. Charles Astor succeeded, then D. Bulle; John H. Wilson came in 1 SC)",), and so on down to William Dunlap's time, 1882. Rev. N. S. Brackuey was apj)ointed in 18S4. Revs. Hill. 187r). L. O. Cooke, 1877, H. H. Harper, 1880, preceded Mr. Dunlap. Twenty years after the chm-ch was formed at Bascom, Bettsville Circuit was formed, with Newel J. Close, preacher, vice S. T. Lane and Thomas Ackerman. the old preachers of the Port Clinton District. In 185"2 J. Brakefield was appointed. In 1854 Leonard Hill and Hemy Kerrigan were the preachers. James Milligan, R. Lawrence, Francis Plumb. N. B. C. Love. T. \V. Crozier, H. L. Nickerson, Johm T. Bowers, Josiah Adams, Israel Smith. Josiah Adams. William Deemers, L. D. Rogers, T. C. Reed and Dave Dicken served fi'om 18-"),") to IM')'>. The verj' eai'ly preachers are named in connection with other chiu'ches.

United Brethren Church, of Bascom, may l)e said to be contemporary with the establishment of Seneca Circuit. A reference to the history of Eden Township points out the beginning of this chui'ch in the county. In 1841 Jeremiah Brown was appointed presiding elder, and Alfred Spracklin. preacher, of this circuit. In 1844 Samuel Hadley succeeded Rev. Spracklin. In 184") J. Gurber. W. Herrington and J. C. Bright were preachers. In 1.S48 the circuit was reorganized. John Davis being ai)pointed preacher of Seneca Circuit. In 1849 S. Long and J. Martin were appointed ; in iStM. John Curtis; in 1852. G. Schneider, the circuit then containing 800 members. In 1S54 M. Long was appointed preacher: in 185(). D. S. Caldwell; in 1858, James Long; in 18f)0, S. T. Lane; in 1862, W. Mathers; in 1868. D. Glancev: in 18()4. I. Crouse; in 1865, S. T. Lane; in 18ti7. S. Essex; in 1868. Mf_ Bulger; in 1S6'J; G. Bender; in 1870, S. Foster; in 1871. G. French; in 18(8, G. Hoover.

Yoar's ilay. \HTyl. Rev. E. ^'. Gorhurt roorijaiiizod tho society as a Refoi'meil Church, with Ben. Fried, elder, ami Christian Deitl>el, deacon.

The Sand Rid^e Cemetery Association, of Bascom was organized May 1 -"). 1S7S. with Je])htha Lott. Adam Miller. James Creeger, Heniy W. Matthews. Joseph Culbertson. D. A. Creeger, Henry S. Haugh, John Landis, Philiji Kisabeth. D. R. King (clerk) and Fhili]) Dowald, members.

Ohl-tiiiir Vilktijcx. - Hopewell was laid out for Samuel Waggoner by James Durbiu. in August. lS;i('). on the southern part of tho northeast quarter of Section Id. So far Waggoner did well; but neglecting the enterprise, the village of Bascom Hanked the olil town, annihilated it, so to speak, and to-day gives many tokens of real life, while Hoi)ewen has been subjected fifty times to the j)low -share.

Another ttiwn. Steinerville, on Section 25, was platted for Hemy H. Steiner by (t. H. Heming. in May, 1S5'J. This, like Hopewell, has vanished into the past, so that few rememlier the olden enterprise of the owner.

School StafiMic-s. - The electors of Hopewell voted on th(> question of selling a i)Hrt of school lands. October 12. 1852. Levi Keller. C. Muzstetter and L. Shedenhelm wer(> judges; A. C. Spooner and Josiah Selby. clerks. Ohe hundred and three votes were polled of which 89 were for and 14 against sale. On Fel)rnary 19. 1858, the east half of southwest ((Uarter of Section IC) was sol.l to Niclio'las Nick, for $1,000, the west half of southeast (juarter to N. Nick for $2,899, and the e;ist half of southeast quarter to same for $1,701.

The condition of the schools of Hopewell, shown in rejiort of August. 18S4. is as follows: local tax, $2,184; receipts. $0,023; expenditures, $2,840: school houses. 10: value of property, $4,500; number of teachers, 19; average_salaiy, $34 and $25: male pupils. 248; female piipils, 159; total enrollment. 40 1.

Conclusion

Long prior to the siirv'ey of the township a road was laid out alonw thi face of the teiTace on the west bank of the Sandusky, by order of Gen. Har rison, and under the direction of Gen. Bell; James Meeker and a few men fruiu Wooster underbrushed this road in 1813. At this time the Indian trail was well beaten, as if traveled over for centuries, while westward, stretching inti > the recesses of the wilderness were numerous paths made by hunters, or the wild animals in the piu'suit of which the wilder hunters passed their years This was Hopewell in 1S2(), and, with the exception of the surveyor's lin(>s made that year, the description applies to lS'J2~"i3. when the first settlers cann' in. What advances have been made within the last sixty-three years are showii in this chapter, while in the general history a broader review is given of thi> division of the county.