Seneca County, Ohio - Chapter 20: Jackson Toaynship, 1886

Chapter 20: Jackson Toaynship

'^^HIS di\'ision of the county was known as Township 3 north. Range 13 _L east. \vp to the period of its establishment under the name of Jackson in 1832. In 1820 the surveyor, J. Glasgow, laid off this tract in quarter sections, and, although the lands were oifered for sale shortly after, in 1821, few. if any, piu'chasers were found, In 1827, however, one Henry Huffman settled near the present village of Her. and in 1828, was joined by the Rinebolts. Here in 1848 the last parcel of United States lands in the county was pur chased by Andrew Rank. The population in 1840 was "iSO, increased in ISM' to 1,3!)U, including the north part of Fostoria City. The population in ISSTi is placed at 1.000. The railroad systems represented in the township are the Lake Erie & A\'estern, the Columbus, Hocking Valley iV Toledo, the " Nickel Plate " and the Ohio Central. The townshij) is watered by "Wolf Creek in its southeastern sections, and by Harrison Creek, a northern tributary of Wolf Creek, in its western and northern sections. For years subsequent to settlement these creeks gave to the township a marshy character, which tended to its depreciation. Modern times have confined the waters of the creeks to jiroper channels and converted a swampy wilderness into a land of beautiful farms. The Bigham Spring and Creek are usefiil natiu-al phenomena.

Organ Ir and Official. - The fii'st meeting was held in Jackson Township. April 3, 1833 (four months after the commissioners established the town), at the house of Abram Rinebolt. The trustees there elected were Michael Stahl, Chiistian Foster and John Stambaugh; Enoch Trimibo, clerk; Daniel Williams, treasiu-er; Abram Rinebolt and Heiu-y Huffman, road supervisors; Samuel Rinebolt. Andi-ew Feirier and Daniel Swope, overseers of the poor; Joseph Hampshire and Jacob Hollinger, fence viewers. The early records, like other old books throughout the county, are among the things that were. The records which are in existence date back to 1843. and from them the present township clerk, Charles Ash, has been kind enough to make a list of trustees and clerk, elected annually. The three trustees are named first, and clerk last, for each vear. as follows:

The townshi]) officers of Jackson, elected in April. 1885, are: John Park hurst. Dillon Ames and C. H. Steward, trustees; Charles Ash. clerk; Pliny Trumbo. treasurer; G. S. Wormwood, assessor; Eli Pence and Marion Flack, constables: H. AV. A. Boyd and John S()id(>. justices of the peac<?. -

That portion of the township in Section 31. embraced within the limits of Fostoria. is administered l\y the corporation of that city. Rehoboth on Section 17. Amsden on the Lake Erie <.V: Western Railroad, Section 14. and Her on the "Nickel Plate" in the southwestern quarter of Section 25, all the nucleal points of towns, which the future may bring into existence, are governed by the township board, and shall continue to be so governed unless a brighter fortune awaits them than that which frowned upon the old scriptural settlement of Rehoboth.

Pioneer and Pioneer Incidents. - George and Tisliey (Reed) Ash. natives of Pennsylvania, parents of William Ash. of Jackson Township (who was born in Pennsylvania in 1880), settled in this county in 1838 .... George Ash, now eighty-six years old. resides here.

Hugh and Margaret (Rogers) Boyd, parents of David Boyd, of Jackson Township (who was born in Pennsylvania in 1822), settled in this county in

1844. David Boyd is a pioneer blacksmith. . . .Peter and Maria Briimm, both old settlers of Jackson, are numbered among the dead. The latter moved to Indiana in 1882, and died there in September. 1884.... John and Esther (Spangler) Betts, natives of Pennsylvania, parents of Mrs. Godfrey Biles, of Fostoria. were pioneers of Jackson Township.

Abraham and Rosana (Miller) Craun, natives of New Jersey, parents o^ John Craun, of Jackson Township (who was born in Franklin Covmty. Ohio, in 1825), came with their family to this county in 1885. Mrs. Craun died in 1878, Mv. Craun in 1883.

David Dissinger, a Pennsylvanian, came here in 1838 .... Jonathan Dicken. also a Pennsylvanian, came in 1839. . . . J. R. Dicken, a native of Ohio, settled in the county in 1834.

Peter Eaton, born in New York State in 1812. father of Mrs. Joseph Schupp and Reuben Eaton, both of Jackson Township, entered land in this township in 1840.

Andi'ow Ferrier made a settlement in Jackson about 1832 ... .Christian Foster located in Jackson prior to 1832, settled in the county in 1839.... Fred, and Christiana (Kempher) Febles moved from AVood County, Ohio, in

1845. The former died in 1863, the latter in 1876 .... George and Jane (Anderson) Feasel, natives of Pennsylvania, settled in Fairtield County, Ohio, at an early date and located in Jackson Township, within the pioneer period.

Henry Huffman, the first settler in the township, entered the southwest quarter of Section 36, in 1827. and built his cabin early the following year. . . . Jacob and Savillia (Peters) Heiserman, natives of Germany, parents of Jacob Heiserman, of Jackson Township (who was born in Seneca County in 1847j. came to this cotinty in 1833. . . .Jonas Hampshire came into Jackson in 1833 . . . .Isaiah Hollopeter. founder of the village of Rehoboth in 1844. was one of the pioneers of Jackson .... Henry HofFman settled in Jackson Township in 1827 .... Jacob Hollinger. James Hanna and Joseph Hagerman were among the early settlers.

John Her. a native of Pennsylvania, assisted in building the first churches, and the first log schoolhouse in the township. His son. Isaac (one of fifteen childi'en ) resides in Hopewell township .... Plato Jones, a native of Ohio, settled here in 1832. . . .Henry and Margaret (Sprout) Johnson were early settlers .... Henry F. Johnson came in 1851, and settled on his present fann .... James and Priscilla (Blagg) Jones, parents of the late Gideon Jones, of Jackson Township (who was born in Gallia County, Ohio, in 1810). moved with their family to Wood County. Ohio, when it was a dense wilderness, and settled not far from the Seneca County line, near the farm where Gideon W ells afterward lived many years.

John and Elizabeth (Good) Lambright. John Longley. "\\"illiam C. and Elizabeth Lybarger are names connected with the early history of the town- .shij) .... Daniel and Margai'et (Brill) Long, natives of Pennsylvania, fonuer

Jackson Toavnship

Florence ^McCarthy was one of the pioneers of 1832 .... Abraliam Miller, father of Isaac Miller (who carue to this county at an early day), and "randfather of Ezra Miller (who was boru here in 1845), is a son of Isaac Miller, who settleil in the county in 18211 There is an apple tree on the farm of Aliraham ililler, in Jackson Township, which is lifty years old, and measiu-es seven feet and nine inches in circumference, four inches fi'om the ground. It is thirty-nine feet high and lifty-nine feet wide at the top. . . .Conrad Myers, a native of Mahoning County, settled in Hancock County in 1835. and ten vear.s later moved to Jackson Township, Seneca County. Prof. B. F. Myei's, of Tillin, and Itev. S. P. Myers, of Bloomville, are his sous. His death occun-ed August 11,1 885. He had in his possession the old musket which Michael Musser can-ied during the war of LSI 2. It is still in good condition, and is

The Nestlerodes resided on "The Island"' in 1832. . . .Jacob and Elizabeth Nederhouse were early settlers. . . . William Noble and his wife, Rebecca (Lji;le) Noble, parents of Warren P. , Harrison, Montgomery and John Noble, settled in Jackson Township, in 1834, with their family of nine children. Mr. Noble, a native of Connecticut, died in 18^3, aged eighty-one years; Mrs. Noble, a native of Pennsylvania, died in 1874, aged seventy-four years.

Madison Penwell, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1812, was one of the early settlers of Jackson Township .... Jeremiah Parkhurst came in 1833.

In 1848 A. Rank, a soldier of the Mexican war, located in this township, jmd purchased the last parcel of United States lands sold in the county .... Jacob Rinebold, father of Noah Rinebold, of Jackson TownshiiJ (who was born in this town.ship in 1851), was a pioneer. . . .John, Abram, Daniel and Samuel Rinebolt settled here in 1828. . . .James Robinson was also an early settler.

Jacob Schu]ip. a native of Germany, father of Joseph Schnpp, of Jackson Towiishi]) (who was born in this townshij) in 1847). was a pioneer of the place. He died in 1883. . . .Hem-y and Sarah (Williard) Shontz. natives of Pennsylvania, parents of John Shontz, of Bloomville (who was born in Stark County, ()hi(j, in 1823), came fi-om Stark County to Jackson Township in 1834, and here died, Mrs. Shontz in 1865, and Mr. Shontz in 1871 ... .J. H. Sprout came fi-om Pennsylvania in 1834. . . .Michael Stahl settled in Jackson in 1832. . . . Cxeorge Stahl settled in Jackson in 1 834 .... Hemy Stahl settled in Jackson in I83(>. He w%ns born in Peixy County, Ohio, in 1821 . . . .William and Rebecca (Foster) Stahl. natives of Ohio, parents of Chi-istian Stahl. of Jackson Townshij) (and wht) was born here in 1845), were among the early settlers. . . .John w;is elected tnistee in 1833, having been a settler in Jackson for some time .... Sanuiel and Maiy (Renner) Steward, natives of Pennsylvania, are classed among the old residents. In 1882 his son. A\'. H., lost barn, horses and 7lM) bush(>ls of wheat by iu'e. . . .Daniel Swope located in Jackson in 1833. . . . .Henry Swope in 1832.

Enoch Trumbo settled in Jackson early in 1831. on lands which he purchased that year. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1804. Pliny Tnimbo is a native of Ohio, dating his settlement here to 1845.

Jacob and Elizabeth (Nuser) Yochum, natives of Germany, parents of Jacol) Yochum, of Jackson Townshiji (who was born in Germany in 183f)), came to America in 1845 and settled in Jackson Township, where Mr. Yochum died in 1S55. so

Small Settlements. - Rehoboth was surveyed by Thomas Heming in December, 1844, for Isaiah Hollopeter on the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 17. The name was too pronounced to call forth the admiration of the people of forty years ago; men were too busy with polities, and women were too content to live on their farms and grow wealthy as their lancLs increased in value to dream of settling down to a life in the village of the Mission Church. The vicinity of Rehoboth is indeed endowed with many of nature's charms - it is a beautiful pastoral district claiming much, if not all, that is pictiuesque in the township.

Ajnsden, on the southeast quarter of Section 14, a station on the Lake Erie & AVestern Railroad, dates back to the construction of that road. Ida Stockn-ell is in charge of the postoffice here, and this office, the railroad sta tion and comfortable farm houses in the vicinity form the nucleus of the futiue town.

Iler, a new railroad town in the southeastern corner of the township, was founded in July, 1885. DiU'ing the summer the " Nickel Plate " Railroad Company erected depot buildings here, and Bigham & Walters opened a general store. In September, 188-"). M. M. Walters was ajjpointed postmaster.

In the history of Loudon Township, full references are made to the old settlements of Rome and Risdou, and the present city of Fostoria, a piirt of which is situate in this township.

Churches. - Olive Chapel Reformed Society, Jackson Township, was organized in 1852 by Rev. R. Good with F. Febles, C. Myers, George Stahl and Jacob Stahl, members. The latter donated the land on which a house of worship was erected inl8fi2. This society was reorganized under State law, Ajjril 27, 181)7. W. J. Shupe presided, with Rev. George Rettig, secretary. H. Remer and William Boid were elected elders. W. A. Schmid and Z. Acker, deacons; and F. Falk, J. Shupe and D. Dissinger. trustees. The constitution of the former German Reformed society was adopted.

The Ark Chui'ch (Methodist), was founded by Rev. H. L. Nickerson, and the present chiu'ch comj)leted diuing the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Rodgers. of Seneca Mission, in 1864. ,

Mount Zion Church, of the Evangelical Association, adopted articles for the government of their new chui'ch, February 4, 1872, which was signed by S. E. Rife, pastor in charge.

St. John's Church, of the Evangelical Association of North America, was organized under State law May 31, 1873. Rev. John Plantz presided. The trustees elected were William and Jacob Zimmerman, Jacob Nederhouse, J. H. MeCauley and Matthias Lamnes.

The histories of the jMethodist, Catholic, United Brethi-en and other churches of the township are given in the chiu-ch sketches of Bettsville and Fostoria with which they are closely identified.

School StdtiKfic.'i. - Thp election held in Jackson Township. April 1. 1844. resulted in tifty-tive votes for the sale of Section If), school lands, and fifty against such sale. T. M. Hoover, J. Hamsliire and G. Jones were judges, and Samuel Younker and Jacob Stahl, clerks of election. The record of sales made Septeml)er 19, 1840, is as follows: Fred. Singer, west half of northwest quarter; Henry B. Risdon. east half of northwest quarter; Charles Yroman, west half of northeast quarter; Paul Kline, east half of northeast quarter: Thomas Shantz and John AVillard, east half of southeast quarter; William Biuin, west half of southeast quarter: John Kineholt, south half of southwest quarter; and Henry Stahl, north half of southwest quarter. The amount realized at sale was !!!5, 229, The first log school building was erected on the northeast corner of Section 19, over which Washington Noble presided. The statistics of Jackson Township schools in August, 1884, are as follows: male pupils, 193; female pupils, 207; total. 400; number of houses, 8; value of property, $0,000: number of teachers. 12; average salaries. .§40 and §80; local tax. §17. 78; receipts. §8. 078. 54; expenditm-es. §2,709.89.

Conclusion

This township, though the last in the county to receive settlers, ranks today among the first in point of agricultural product, number of inhaliitants and general wealth. The pioneers found the district and untrailed marsh, almost as luiinviting as any part of the Black Swamp. Within half a centuiy the township, throughout all its sections, has been subjected to ih-ainage and all the other expedients resorted to by the agriculturist to make the wild land fruitful. Success waited on this labor and gave to the county a division rich in predial wealth, and richer still in the sense of industry, which pervades all classes.