Wood County, Ohio - Chapter 33: Jackson Township, 1897

Population, Growth, Etc. - Pioneers - Th,e lost Child - A Tragedy - Early Land Buyers - Naming the Township - Organization - Township Officials - Schools - Hoytville - Hamlets - Churches - Societies, Etc.

THE exterior lines of this division of the county were surveyed in 1819, and the section lines in 1821. The progress of Jackson township was very slow but very sure, down to 1870, when the population did not exceed 347. In 1840, the Census credits it with 26; in 1850, .with 74; and in i860, with 144. When the United States enumerators traversed the township in 1870, the agriculturist and lumberman had scarcely left an impression on the forest. Everything was primitive in the extreme. Within the ensuing decade, the population increased to 1,028 or nearly, but, even with the increase of workmen, the coming of a railroad and the establishment of a village, material improvement was still slow. In 1890 the number of inhabitants was found to be 1,587. The oilman and lumberman were among them, the former, like Ponce de Leon, searching for hidden wealth, the latter cutting down the great trees, and forming them into commercial shapes. Within the last half decade, the township has made very marked advances. Well cultivated farms and comfortable homes are now seen, where the forest stood a few years ago; log cabins are disappearing, and Jackson is preparing to take a place among the first townships of Wood county.

Pioneers. - The first settler in Jackson township was John Dubbs. He moved to Section 1 in the month of April, 1835. When he entered his land the previous year, it was occupied by several families of Ottawa Indians. They had several shanties which they occupied until Mr. Uubbs came. He moved into one of them with his family and occupied another for a stable, and he so lived until the following autumn, when he built a log house and moved into it. In the fall of 1835 three more families moved into the township - Samuel Bowman, Nicholas Crist and widow Crist and family. They settled in the vicinity of what is now known as Hoytville. In the spring of 1836, Peter Hockenberry, the great hunter, settled here. He has been known to take on an ox-cart as high as four hundred dollars worth of bear, deer, wolf, fox, wild-cat, coon, mink and other skins at one time, all of his own killing. He was a very eccentric man. He had a wife, but never had any children. He died in the " seventies " at McComb, Hancock county, aged eighty-five years. A short time before his death he told some of his attendants that he had buried, in the roots of a large oak tree on his farm in Jackson township, over $1,000 in gold and silver, but he could not describe the place accurately enough for them to find it. There was considerable search made but of no avail. From 1836 to 1839 some four or five more families settled in the township, among whom were the Dunns, the Apgers, Kagys, the Simmons, and E. Rowan. Rowan came from Maumee, and was the contractor of what was later known as the Duncan and Gibson big ditch, which was the first ditch that was built in the southwest part of the county. The intention was to drain what is now known as the Jackson Prairie, but the ditch was only sixteen feet in width, and, on an average, three feet in depth. It proved to be of no benefit for two reasons: it had no outlet, and its extent was so short that it overflowed its banks and did no perceptible good. Rowan built about three miles of said ditch at a great cost of money to his employers, and no profit to himself. He did all the excavation with men and spades. Plowing and scraping ditches was not then in fashion in Wood county. The price he got for digging was sixteen cents a yard, and the price of good ditchers a day was fifty cents.

The Lost Child. - The finding of the Frank- ' father girl, who wandered away from Bloom township into the Jackson wilderness, was one of the stirring incidents of pioneer days. She came into Dubbs' field one morning about eight o'clock where his children were digging potatoes. They brought her to the house and gave her some food, which was the first she had eaten for eleven days, except what nuts and berries she had found. It was with difficulty that they could restrain her from eating too much. They immediately sent a messenger to Frankfather's house in Bloom township to inform him. He arrived at Dubbs' that same evening. When he saw his little girl he burst out crying, took her in his arms and started on the run on a straight line for his home, which was about ten miles through a pathless wilderness all the way. The story is told in detail in the history of Bloom township.

A Tragedy. - The death of Simmons, one of the pioneers, took place on the Dubbs farm, in April, 1837. Simmons had leased a tract of land from John Dubbs, built his cabin thereon, and was occupying it when the tragedy occurred. The inquest was held by Morrison McMillen and Daniel Barton, justices, the jurors being James and Andrew Hutchinson, Samuel Barton, Henry Dubbs, James Birdsall, and another pioneer, whose name has not been ascertained. The verdict of the jury was that he came to his death by the hand of his wife, who had done the deed in a deranged state of mind. She was placed under arrest, and an examination had before Squires Barton and McMillen, and was committed to jail. A short time after she was tried in the court of common pleas, and was adjudged by the jury to be insane, and was sent to the State Asylum where she only lived about one year after she did the deed.

Naming the Township. - The story of the first town meeting was often told by the pioneer voters, the last of them - Rev. J. B. Dunn - verifying it in all particulars. After their town officers were elected, the people held a celebration, raised a hickory pole, had the Declaration of Independence read, and a speech made by Morrison McMillen, of Milton. After the reading and speech they partook of a dinner furnished by Mr. Dubbs, and all the pure old " Monongahela " they wished to drink, furnished by Rowan. After dinner the votes were counted, and the officers sworn in by 'Squire McMillen, and they agreed to recommend that the township be called Jackson, for the reason that every voter had voted for Jackson.

Organization. - The township was established June 1, 1840, by order of the commissioners, and the resident tax-payers of T. 3, N. R. 9 E. , were ordered to meet at John Dubbs' house, on July 4, following, to elect officers.

Trustees. - The office of trustee, for the first three years, was filled by the Dubbs, Mays, Wyckoffs, Rowan, Crist and others. The documents in the auditor's office, and the records in possession of Township Clerk Dunn, give the following names, from 1844 to 1895:

In 1887, Ellis W. Sperow was elected; 1888, James T. Baker; 1889, Elias H. Westenhaver; 1890, John Farquharson; 1891, Garrett Harris; 1892, Martin Reigle; 1893, John C. Wansitler; Jacob Trautmanwas appointed in December, vice -Reigle; 1894, Jesse Hager app. Jan. 17, vice Garrett Harris, resigned; 1894, John H. Hanna and Emmet Lyle elected; in 1895 John Miller received 195 Democratic votes against a Republican vote of 149 cast for W. S. Armstrong; in 1896, William Milliron was elected.

The certificate of the election of Samuel Bowman, Sr., in May, 1844, Rives the names of the ten voters present, including Casper B. Wyckoff, James Dunn, Robert R. Crist, John Runyan, Henry Kagy, Nicholas Crist, Samuel Bowman, Sr., Samuel Bowman, Jr., William Crist and Thomas C. Larkins. Samuel Bowman cast a vote for himself, thus receiving the ten votes cast at that election for justice of the peace

Taxpayers , 1S4.0. - The assessment of Jackson township, for 1840, gives the names of John Dubbs, Daniel McMillen and Jacob Smith as being taxed for real estate, and Samuel Bowman, John Dubbs, Peter Hockenberry, Edward Rowan and Edward Rowan, Jr., for personal property.

Taxpayers , iSjj. - The resident taxpayers in June, 1853, were Peter W. and John R. Apger; Edward Coyn; Fred D. Doty; George ( Sr.) William, Peter, James. Elizabeth and George ( Jr.) Dunn; John and William Dubbs; George France; James and John Ferguson; Ezra and James G. Hathaway; Peter F. Millsberry; Demas Leatherman; John and William Mays; Michael Nickelson; Sam. J. Knowland; John Runyan; David Tyner; Adam Waltman; and Caspar R. and John Wyckoff.

Common Schools. - The first official notice of school matters is contained in a report, made in October, 1842, on the number of children, between the ages of four and twenty years, in Jackson township. John Bowman, then clerk, signed the document, which was found among the files in the auditor's office, with many other valuable records dealing with Henry, Jackson and other southern townships. The names of the children and their parents are given as follows: District

No. 1 - Andrew, John, George, William, Margaret, Oliver and Ann, children of John Mays; Sarah, John, Jacob, Hannah, Henry and Peter, children of Casper B. Wyckoff; Andrew, Mary Ann, John and Isaac, children of Elizabeth Crist; Elizabeth, Isaac, Catherine and Emily, children of Samuel Bowman; Elizabeth and John Simmons, adopted children of John Dubbs; and John, son of Nicholas Crist. Down to that date, October 20, 1842, there was no school house erected within the limits of Jackson, nor a district school taught therein.

The school records of Jackson, in possession of the clerk, date back to July 22, 1876, when a record of a new school house in District No. 6, was made. Among the directors of the township were R. W. C. Buchanan, A. S. Ferguson, Z. F. Willison, Wm. Burgoon, Stephen Leonard, William Blackburn, George Mundwiler, James Keer, L. Meyers. P. R. Randolph, Garret Teatsworth, J. B. Dunn, and Demas Leatherman. In 1878, a schoolhouse was erected in District No. 3, and the old buildings of Districts 3 and 7 were ordered to be sold. Jesse Ruff, Thomas Davis and O. O. Butterfield were new members of the board in 1878, when a new building was authorized in District No. 1. In 1881, Z. F. Willison and R. H. Donaldson were elected members of the board. On petition of Joseph Durliat and others, a joint sub-district was established in 1882. when Andrew Bergman, C. M. Hunt, John Ferguson, James T. Dean and F. M. Hudson were new members. In September, 1882, a brick school house was authorized for District No. 9; District No. 8 was discontinued, but re-established, and a school house erected in 1884. There are brick buildings in Districts No. 8, 9, 4 and 3, the last erected in 1895. The school interests are advancing like the agricultural interests of this township; so that all the conditions which militated against common schools in 1842 are changed now.

The village was surveyed by W. H. Wood, in 1873, for G. B. Mills and William Hoyt. Several lots were sold in view of the completion of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad; but the buyer? appear to have preferred building in other new towns suggested by the coming railroad, and, for a decade, little progress was made in the construction of business and dwelling houses. In

The petition for the incorporation of Hoytville was presented September 6, 1886, signed by fifty-six residents. Some days later a remonstrance, signed by forty-seven residents, was filed, followed by a second remonstrance and a second petition. On December 6, that year, the commissioners granted the prayer of the second petition, and the people were ordered to elect officers in April of 1887. The first meeting of the councilmen was held April 21, 1887. at the office of E H. Westenhaver. Miner Wadsworth, the first mayor, presided; Sylvester Fox was clerk; James E. Weimer, treasurer; John Merritt, marshal; Christian Powell, sealer; and Hugh H. Price. Lyman Colvin, George W. Mundwiler. Uriah Dishong, Thomas M. Moorehead and William Swaney, councilmen. Rules for the government of the village were adopted the same day, and the little municipality took its place among the incorporated villages of the county. E. H. Westenhaver was elected mayor in 1888; Jesse Hager, in 1889; Allen Ferguson, in 1893; and Nathan H. Mills, in 1895; while A. P. Kiger succeeded Sylvester Fox as clerk in 1891. The election in 1896 resulted as follows: Mayor,

James A. Tinney (elected in July, sworn in August 4 to fill unexpired term caused by the resignation of N. H. Mills); clerk, A. Kiger; councilmen, G. N. Mundwiler, Peter Hunlock and J. D. W. Hoot; members of school board - Special School, comprising old Township District No. 2 (including corporation) - Jacob Trautman and H. F. Scherer.

Post Office. - It is said that the first post office in the neighborhood of Hoytville was called Egypt, and that John R. Apger was the incumbent thereof as early as 1859. It is certain that he had charge of the office in 1862. About that time, the office was discontinued, and not established until 1869, when Zina Hoyt is remembered as postmaster, and David Barton, mail-carrier. Chauncey Maltby succeeded Hoyt, then came H. F. Scherer, R. H. Donaldson, U. Dishong, A. F. Ferguson (who held the office in 1889), and Martin Reigle, in 1890. Jesse Hager is the present incumbent.

Opera House. - The Hoytville Opera House, a two-story frame building, 50x30 feet, was erected for Jesse Hager, George Kline and A. S. Ferguson, in 1894. It is simply the old school house on the old site, refitted for the purpose of a Grand Army hall and opera house at a cost of $1, 500.

The Big Fire. - The fire of August 29, 1888, may be said to have destroyed Main street, north of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, including U. Dishong's and James Leatherman's buildings, Rader's and Mason's dwellings, JohnEaken's and Widow Wall's dwellings, Eaken's saloon and M. C. Apger's store. On September 5, Dewey's stave factory was destroyed, following the Trautman saw and planing mills and hoop factory, burned September 1, that year.

School. - The school board records in possession of Allen S. Ferguson, date back to August 29, 1892, when the village was set off as a separate district. Lyman Colvin, J. W. Yates and

Allen S. Ferguson were elected members of the board; Jesse Hager, treasurer; and A. S. Ferguson, clerk. The small frame house of old District No. 2, was presided over by George C. Hanson, who remained here until the present modern brick house was opened. On April 22, 1893, the resolution to build a school house at a cost not exceeding $8, 500, was carried by the board, and, when submitted to the people, received forty-six votes, being all that were cast. The directors chosen were A. S. Ferguson, Jacob Trautman, James T. Baker, James F. Dillinger, G. W. Needles and Levi Burgoon. The school tax in 1893 was twenty-two mills, increased in April, 1895, to twenty-five mills, eighteen mills being for building charges. The same board, with the exception of G. W. Needles, whose place w'as taken by John Miller, in 1895, manages the school affairs.

The Christian Union Society was organized February 14, 1873, by Rev. Stephen Smith, with the following named members: G. B. Mills, T. J. and Mary R. Downham, Lovina Mills, Thomas and Barbara Mirice, George and Elizabeth Kline, John Mills, Mary Apger and Christian and Mary Hager. The pastors, in the order of service, were Revs. Smith, Hazens, Roberts, B. Hazens, Mitchell, Burget, Swinehart, Paine, Dufroy, Johnston, Clover and McBride, while the present pastor is Mr. Aultz. Thomas Myrice, T. J. Downham and G. B. Mills were the elders after organization. Mr. Mills died in 1895, and Levi Burgoon is the elder at present. The seventy-five members of this society own the meeting house completed in 1875, at a cost of $600.

The Church of God, west of Hoytville, may be grouped with the village churches. The building is a substantial frame one, to which the name, "Jackson Bethel," is given.

The United Brethren Church was organized many years ago, near the south line of the county, with David, Jacob and Israel Smith, N. Helfrick, and their wives, as members. In 1883 Hoytville was selected as the meeting place of the society, where a church house was erected at a cost of $2,000. In June, 1895, there were 130 members reported. Mr. Snok was pastor, and James Baker, clerk. The Oakdale society, in the southwest corner of the township, erected a house for worship about twelve years ago.

The Methodist Episcopal Church circuit, of Hoytville, was formed in 1890, out of the North Baltimore circuit. It then included Hoytville. Hammansburg and South Liberty, with Mr. Wingate in charge, for the year ending October 31, 1891. During his term the work of building a parsonage was commenced. Mr. Boltin succeeded, when the Portage and Prairie classes were included in his circuit. Rev. W. G. Little remained until the fall of 1893, when Rev. Samuel Given was appointed. At that time there were only a few members, but now there are about forty members, with Rev. W. F. Ernsberger preacher-in- charge. The class is much older than the circuit. Prior to 1885, Rev. Mr. Young was here, later came Mr. Reeder; then A. C. Thomas in 1885; next A. A. Thomas; and following him were the ministers named above. Reynolds Ross has been class-leader since 1890.

M. Anderson, J. F. Mapes, James McCollum and James M. Ferguson. The commanders were L. W. Mason, and the second, Sol. Sheller, w-hile Daniel Ramsey, the present commander, was elected in December, 1893. The adjutant, from organization to January, 1894, was Allen S. Ferguson; Solomon Sheller succeeded him, and in January, 1895, James McCollum was installed.

Robert McCormic Camp , .S', of V., was chartered June 16, 1893. with the following named members: D. S.. E. W. , John G. and J. M. Leatherman, A. B. , Jesse and Mack Ferguson, W. S. Kempfield, I. J. McCormic, John Strait, Ed. Wilcox, William and Harry Mundwiler, Hugh and John Copus, John Ramsey, Leonard Fuller, W. A. Ralston, Ance and John Thomas, John Reigle, R. W. Leonard and Bert Hutson. The officers of the camp, down to 1895, were elected from among the charter members.

Smith, the sixth in order of service, and E. L. Smith, the eighth, were not charter members. Frank J. McBride, J. E. WeimerandN. H. Mills, served the lodge as keepers of records and seals, in the order in which the names are given. There were sixty-two members reported in June, 1895-

Farnham was the name given, about 1868, to the post office established at that time in the northwestern corner of the township. Joseph Durliat, one of the pioneers of that district, carried on the office until his death, September 20, 1889, when it was discontinued. The only manufacturing industry, a sawmill, was abandoned late in the "eighties," when the machinery was moved to Lima.

The pioneers of the Farnham district in Jackson township, were Joseph Durliat, James Blake, Martin Scheil and Christopher Sisler, all gone to the heaven merited by the pioneers, while Joseph King, W. Ellsworth, Leonard Rush and a few others, who came in the "sixties" and early "seventies," are yet residents.

Prairie Class of the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized about six years ago. In 1895, a house for worship was erected near the center of the township, which was dedicated September 8, 1895. The class is small in number, but enthusiastic.

Oakland , in the southwest corner of the county, takes its name from the title of the United Brethren church building erected there twelve or thirteen years ago, which draws its membership, principally, from the townships of the adjoining counties.