Wood County, Ohio - Chapter 34: Lake Township, 1897

Chapter 34: Lake Township

THIS township was established June 3, i 1844, and its boundaries declared to be j coterminous with those of Congressional 1 township 7 N. , R. 12 E. The commissioners ordered the first election to be held at the house of John Shinabarger, June 15, 1844; but there appears to have been a hitch in the proceedings, as the first notices of township officials were sent to the auditor in 1845. The trustee's journal from 1845 to 1853 cannot be found, but an attempt to find the names of the officers in township and county documents has been successful. The records from the close of 1861 to March, 1880, are also in some unknown place, if at all in existence; but partial substitutes for them have also been discovered in the auditor's office. Prior to December 3, 1838, the township was a part of Perrysburg. From that day, until its organization, it was a part of Troy township. The population in 1850 was only 152. In 1890 it was credited with 2,131 inhabitants, including the 546 inhabitants of Millbury village. The survey of the exterior lines was made in

The trustees of Lake township are named in the following list, the names from 1845 to 1853 inclusive being gathered in the auditor's office, as the township records for that period are not to be found:

In July, 1881, the contract to build two town halls in this township was awarded to Jacob, John, Sr., John, Jr., and Joseph Pheils, on their bid of $1,863.38.

The assessors were Caspar Nod, 1845; followed by William Jeffery, 1850; Joseph Harpel, 1855; William Jeffery, 1858; Jonathan Eckenberger, 1859; Jacob Furry, i860; John Bailey, i860 (no records 1861 to 1879 inclusive); Ed E. j Connor and Zophar Warner, 1880; Joseph Long and R. S. Sweet, 1882; Charles Winchester and 1 J. L. Chase, 1883; R. S. Sweet and Jerome Stormer, 1884; Albert Bailey and Jerome \ Stormer, 1885 and 1887; Albert Ayers and Jerome Stormer, 1886; Albert Ayers and Zophar Warner, 1888; Albert Ayers and F. J. Schriber, 1889; Henry Bohnsen and F. J. Schriber, 1890-92; A.

The record books of Lake, down to a few years ago, are in no better condition than those of Freedom, Montgomery, Plain and many other townships. A few important books were found in the Bailey school, one or two in the town hall, and modern journals in Mr. Grove's residence. The list of officials, however, was perfected in the county auditor's office, where the tax levy documents were examined.

Schools. - The school records date back to May 31, 1849, when the trustees established two school districts. In July, following, the people of District No. 1 voted $500 to build a house for school purposes. In March, 1851, District No.

3 was formed, there being thirty-seven pupils in District No. 1, eight in No. 2 and twenty-five in No. 3. Among the teachers were Ann Vass, Dorcas E. Brown, Mrs. Chollette, Augustus La- Farree. The school records in possession of Clerk Grove date back to i860, wffien S. P. Allen was chairman of the board of education. He was also director of District No. 2, while George Shure and John O'Leary were directors of No. 1 ; William Bosse, of No. 4; T. Crossrnan of No. 5 ; and J. Pheils, of No. 3. The teachers in i860 were Misses Stephens, Thornton, Shepard, Vass, Chollette, Wise and Flanan, with Messrs. John Furry, Egleston,J. H. La Farree, Morse, Johnson, J. B. McCutchen, Conrod, and Hooper, while Martha Gorrill taught the joint district school of Troy and Lake townships. There were 24 male and 29 female pupils in Sub-District No. 1; 22 male and 15 female pupils in No. 2; 20 male and 19 female pupils in No. 3; 17 male and 23 female pupils in No. 4; and 21 male and 20 female pupils in Sub-District No. 5, with 3 pupils in Lake and Troy No. 1, and 1 in Lake and Perrysburg No. 9. During war days several of the above named, with Angela Stevens. Mary McAllister, Mary Owens, Emily A. Warren, Millicent B. Duke, Amanda La Farree, Stillman George, Rose Matthew's, George Furry, R. B. Willison, Jane Inman, Ervina Bronson, Carrie Brownsberger, Mary Ann Moore, J. F. Blake,

Cornelius Smith, S. Grover, Margaret Regan, Maria Kent, Jennie Baldwin, Ella Knight, Libbie Gleason and Emma Beach were teachers in this township.

In 1 869, Thomas Elliott and William Sanders were directors of Sub-District No. 5; John W. Pheils and Benedict Isch of No. 3 ( where a new school building was erected); John S. La Farree and George Akenberger, of No. 1 ; S. P. Allen and J. W. Slayman. of No. 2; J. R. Tracy and W. H. Maxfield, of No. 4. There were 33 male and 41 female pupils then enrolled in Sub-District No. 1; 42 males and 42 females in No. 2; 37 males and 45 females in No. 3; 57 male and 66 females in No. 4; 47 males and 43 females in No. 5, or 453 pupils in the sub-districts, and 22 in the joint districts, then numbered 1, 9 and 5. In October, 1875, the erection of a school house at Latchie, and one at Walbridge, was authorized. In April, 1876, the voters of the district confirmed that order. At the same time, the following named directors were chosen: John D.

Weaver, Charles Winchester, Joseph Dimling, J. Diefenthaler, O. H. Deam, Thomas Elliott and J. R. Tracy, there being then eight subdistricts. In 1877, the names' of Samuel Baker, Charles Tyler, P. R. Harpel, G. Finch, Thomas Elliott and John D. Weaver, appear as members of the board of education, with that of H. D. Grove, clerk. Samuel and Isaac Waggoner, James Pinniger, Fred Kramel and A. N. Schnelle, were among the members in 1878. John Marsh, Joseph S. Pheils, Joseph Guy and Daniel O'Leary, in 1879; Benjamin Thornton, John Shank, Zophar. Warner, and Thomas Rowe, in 1880; Robert Matthews and John Shook, in 1884; Joseph Traver, A. Bowman and N. H. Hower, in 1885-6; Henry Christianson. Alfred Matthews, John Kelly, Joseph Crago, Davis Siegler, P. Cline and Samuel Hanley, in 1888; O. N. Ayers, James Jeffery and G. B. Brim, in 1891; N. G. Harpel, John Brown, of Latchie, Jack Dicken, Charles Frane and William Smith, may be named among the members of the board. The teachers in 1893 were Arthur Pinniger, F. E. Calkins, Florence Guy, Corwin Waggoner, Anna Berge, Tillie Rowe, F. Behner, Mary Brim and Hattie Grove, who received $60 a month. In 1894-95, Tillie Rogers, George Furree, G. W. Brown, Sarah Dye, Maggie O'Brien, Cora Carpenter, Florence Guy, Grace Chapman, Bertha Roscoe and A'delia Marsh, were among the teachers.

the plat recorded April 14, 1864. When the northern branch of the Lake Shore or Sandusky road was surveyed, the C. & T. Railroad Company named the crossing of the southern branch in Clay township, Ottawa county, " Clay Junction." When the Sandusky branch was completed, the company sent Milo Gage and George Hewitt to attend the switch at this point. When the question of petitioning for a post office, about 1856, was discussed, Hewitt proposed the name of Millbury, after a village between Worcester and Boston ( Mass.), but the residents desired it to be named "Mark Lane," after the English grain market. The men interested left the choice to the turn of a cent, heads being for Millbury, and heads won. Hewitt was appointed master, and as the switchman's house was the only one in Millbury of that day, there the office was established. James Pinniger, George Lutman, A. J. Miller, W. J. Bailey, H. D. Grove, W. J. Bailey and Albert Kalenbach (appointed in 1893) succeeded Hewitt, in the order of the names, as postmaster. George Hewitt returned to Worcester, Mass., of which town he has served as mayor and councilman repeatedly. When the railroad was commenced, there was no school nearer than the Jeffery or Loup settlements, each five miles away. A year or so before the post office was established, a school district was organized.

Official History. - A petition for the incorporation of the village of Millbury was presented by Jasher Pillars, Edward Karchner, Lorenzo Luce and A. P. Meng, agents for petitioners, June 1, 1874, and on September 4 the enabling order was issued by the commissioners. An entry in the commissioners' journal, however, shows that a petition, signed by sixty-four inhabitants, was considered and granted September 10, that year, and this date, corresponding with the record in possession of the township clerk, must be accepted as that on which the village became a municipal body. The record of election shows that ill voters were enrolled on April 5, 1875, and that 1 10 votes were cast - Lorenzo Luce, Sr., receiving 109 for councilman. A. P. Meng was elected mayor, having received seventy votes against forty-one cast for N. M. Chapman and two for George Wise. The councilmen chosen were W. H. Maxfield, Ed. Karchner and Ed. Johnson, for two years; L. Luce, Sr., W. Taylor and Willard Wight, for one year. A. J. Miller was elected treasurer; Charles Sentenis, recorder; and A. Dean, marshal. The mayors of the village, elected since Centennial year, are named as follows: W. L. Wight, 1876, vice Meng, resigned; Joseph Long, July, 1876; F. A. Grove,

Churches. - The Methodist Episcopal Church may be said to have been organized in February, 1871, when Rev. Levi Parke, preacher-in-charge of the East Toledo Circuit, appointed Alexander McMillan, J. R. Tracy, A. J. Miller, John Harpel, N. M. Chapman, Edward Hicks and Charles

C. Ferdig, trustees of the church property at Millbury. At that time a subscription for building a house of worship was collected, one of the conditions being that the United Brethren Society should have the use of the building at stated times. A. J. Miller. C. F. Chapman, J. R. Tracy and Geo. W. Chapman contributed $100 each, and with smaller sums enabled the people to build a fair house. By June, 1882, when Messrs. C. W. Bailey, N. M. Chapman and J. R. Tracy were trustees, the building was repaired. The first members were A. McMillan, N. M. Chapman, Joseph R. Tracy, John Hall,

Geo. W. Chapman, and their wives; Mrs. Ann Bailey, F. A. Groves, N. D. Youngs, C. F. Chapman, and their wives; and J. L. Thomas and Marcene Tracy. The membership is about twenty.

The United Brethren Church was organized later, in 1871, and assisted in the building of the Methodist house of worship. In 1882, Rev. D. O. Tussing was pastor, with A. J. Miller, William Downing and J. J. Strohl, trustees. Among the first members were H. F. Jones, A. J. Miller and Charles F. Ferdig, and their wives. This society had a resident pastor and parsonage, and made a strong effort to exist; but it passed away about ten years ago. The parsonage was purchased by Jacob Stein forth, who used it as his dwelling.

Secret Societies. - Douglass Post, No. 183, G. A. R., was organized under the charter of December 13, 1881, and named in honor of George Douglass, a native of this township, who was killed in battle. The members at that time were C. F. Chapman, Joseph Long, David Curtice, Ed. E. Conner, A. P. Meng, J. L. Chase, Alfred Barto, Joseph Montgomery, James Emerson, Abram Keefer, A. A. Taylor, John Maxfield, Alfred Dean, J. L. Moore, Daniel Welborn, E. Royer, I. A. Davis, J. W. Hemerick, Joseph Barnswell, Cloafer La Point, A. Benedum, L. Kingfield, W. D. Smith, James Facer and Samuel B. Jackson. In June, 1895, there were thirtysix members reporting. The commanders of this Post are named as follows : C. F. Chapman,

! Mary Downing, Sophia Baker, Lucretia Bailey, Emily Whitmore, Mary Johnson, Ella Ames, Almira Ballard, Effie Facer and Mary A. Moore, officers, with Lydia Facer, Susan Taylor, Mary Miller, Mary Tyler, Paulina Brenot, Emma j Barnswill, Esther Beaviraer, Mary E. Warner, Emeretta Warner, Marinda Fuller, Isabelle Hough, E. A. Mercer and Kittie Keeper. Mrs. Lucretia Bailey is president of this Corps.

Camp J. L. Chase, S. of V. , No. 383, was chartered June 19, 1889, with twenty-one members. The charter is yet in possession of the Camp, but its terms are scarcely observed.

Millbury Tent, No. 244, K. O. T. M., was organized recently with the following named members: Charles Martin, William Marsh, Frank Taylor*, Albert Kalmback*, Richard R. Downing*, Febne Cardosy*, William J. Bailey*, Henry D. Grove, Denis D. Downing*, Montgomery Carsner*, Harry Carsner*, Frank Brough*, Lambert R. Rowe, Charles Facer*, Wallace H. Facer, Albert J. Lutman*, Garot W. Sanders*, G. Henry C. Farmer, Christ Martin, Charles Kalmback, Henry Wight, Gilbert B. Brim, William H. Rogers, Robert Tiplady, F. C. Calkins and George Rill. The names marked thus * are those of the first officers of the Tent, Charles Facer being the keeper of records and seals.

The Millbury Hive, L. O. T. M., was organized in 1895 with Frances Chapman, commander, and Libbie Jackson, record-keeper. The original members are named as follows: Nellie Agler, Mary Ayers, Florence Bailey, Carrie Brough, Ida Caldwell, Hannah Carsner, Mary E. Curtice, Sarah Dye, Maud Deibert, Ella Downing, Elizabeth Dart, Sarah Farmer, Estella Facer, Catherine and Lizzie Friend, Eliza George, Mary Grove, Mary Hood, Emma Jackson, Josie and Daisy Karchner, Ella Kalmback, Lydia Lutman, Belle Martin, Mary Moore, Henrietta Stage, Esther Tabine, Sylvia Smith, Eliza, Myrtie, Eva, Gusta and Mary E. Wight. The Hive is a busy one.

Vvalbr1Dge

Walbridge was surveyed for Emeretta and Harriet Warner, in June, 1874, by George Kirk. The village already has the prospects of a suburb of Toledo, rather than those of a country hamlet. Railroads run through it and round it, but it holds its place, as in 1874, waiting the era of progress. The postmasters since the estab- J lishment of the office have been S. P. Allen, G. H. Hoover, T. J. Cavenaugh, Neil A. McAllister, and, in August, 1893, Maxime Fenauf.

The Union church building of Walbridge was built in 1889 -90, by the people without regard to denominational lines, for the use of religious bodies desiring to hold services therein. The building committee comprised W. W. Stein, N. A. McAllister, J. B. Warner, Henry Arendt and R. W. Thatcher. The building was erected by Thomas Savory at a cost of about $1,200. The United Brethren and Universalists - the only organized religious societies at Walbridge - worshiped in this building until April, 1895, when the United Brethren Society determined to build a house of worship.

The Universalist Church was formed about the time the Union Church was built, the members being: William Beery, R. W. and Mary Thatcher, Henry Arendt and wife, Mrs. Mary F. Warner, Blanche Shover, Rachel Stein, Mrs. Stocker, Mrs. O. L. Wells, and one other member. Mr. Umberstone, of Toledo, succeeded Rev. O. L. Wales, who organized the society. The church now has a small membership.

The United Brethren Chiirch of Walbridge was organized some years prior to 1 869, when Seth Wick settled northwest of the town. Among the old members are L. T. Roberts and Mrs. Jane Hurd, of Walbridge.

The Ross Chapel U. B. Society was organised in March, 1895, with the following named members: Seth and Lucy Wicks, L. T. Roberts, Jane Hurd, Mr. Snyder and wife, Frank Cates, Starting Taylor, Charles Rhodes, Lydia and Elizabeth McIntyre, Mrs. Guyer and Clifford Wise. The building committee comprises Messrs. Roberts, Wicks and Snyder - the three trustees. Rev. John Croneberger is pastor.

Latch Ie

This village was surveyed by David Donaldson, for J. R. Tracy and Luke Marsh, in July, 1876. It is a railroad hamlet of very small pretensions, but with store, church and school it has something to show for its score of years. The Lutheran Church is presided over by Rev. John Born, of Stony Ridge. When the post office at Webb was discontinued, in November, 1895, Latchie became the mailing point for that district. The post office was managed early in the "seventies" by James Brim, who had the office at his farm-house. His immediate successors were John Downing and Thomas Rowe. Henry Christiansen closed his term as postmaster in 1896; Henry Bahnsen was appointed in 1887; Thomas Rowe in 1892, and B. F. Lusher, the present incumbent, in 1893.

The first settlers were Luke and John Marsh. In 1866 William Rogers bought eighty acres at the corners, and soon after Christian Johnson opened the first store, now the Lusher store. The Aubrey store was purchased from Johnson; Peter Vanally carried on business here a year or so, while Scott, of Millbury, moved a small frame house from that town in which he kept a saloon for a little while. The store at the southwest

The Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized early in the "eighties" by Rev. Mr. Wolf. Among the supporters and members were Peter and Hans Bahnsen. Henry and Paul Boysen, G. Bracker, Lewis Peterson, H. Michelson, John Kohler, Hans Ingwersen, Chris Gerdsen and their families. The present church house was built by G. Bracker, and is now the property of the twenty-four members forming Mr. Born's congregation.

Moline

Moline is a new village on the dividing line, between the old fa'rms westward, and the new clearings, eastward. The Toledo & Ohio Central railroad forms the western limit of the hamlet. In 1883, a post office was established here with J. K. Pheils, master. He was followed b£ Jerome Stormer, who opened the first store that year. B. F. Lusher was appointed in 1888; F.

J. Schrieber, in 1889, and Franklin D. Lusher, in 1893. The merchants have been Mr. Storiner (mentioned above), Rudolph & Schrieber, Schrieber & Schrieber, B. F. Lusher & Co., and F. D Lusher, who became owner of the store in 1890.

The Evangelical Society built a meeting-house J here in 1883 at a cost of $1,350. The families now (July, 1895) represented in the society are those of George Blandon, Jacob Emch, Samuel !

The Dunkard Church, a mile east of Moline, was established six or seven years ago. Among its members are William Gardner, Sr., William Gardner, Jr., Bernard Wagner, Harry Smith and Jacob Baker.

Cummings was a name given to a sawmill settlement, one mile east of Moline, in 1880, when Giddings & Cummings established their mills in the forest. F. S. Giddings has been postmaster since the beginning of the hamlet, and is now the operator of the sawmill, as well as the merchant of the locality. The explosion in the stave factory, which occurred July 29, 1891, resulted in the instant death of Charles Moore and Frank Miller, and, later, in the deaths of Zigler and Enz. When Hobart post office was discontinued in November, 1895, the U. S. property was transferred to this office.