Fulton Township (part 11 of 34)

By 1850, the community had undoubtedly grown to such a point that those who lived in it were justified in laying its claims to consideration before the State Commissioners, who were then in the county for the purpose of locating the seat of justice for the new county. The geographical center, where at that time no community had settled, was selected, but with the coming of the railroad, in 1854, Delta, rapidly forged ahead, and another determined effort was made in the '60s to secure the county seat. At that time, however, Wauseon had become of even greater importance, and Delta was again denied. It has, however, always been an active town ; and it comes rather as a surprise to find that the 1920 census records a decrease during the last decade.

The first election was held at York Center on June 30, 1836. One of the first justices was Alfred B. Gunn, who later became a county commissioner.

Dr. Erastus Lathrop was the first physician, and he lived in the first frame house built in the township. Dr. Lathrop, however, only lived in it for a few months, both he and his wife dying in 1841, the Lathrop property then passing to J. T. Gates and George Wood.

gave good communication east and west, it spurred on the growth of Delta, but within a year after it was completed, the Lake Shore Railroad came. Thereafter, the rapid growth of Delta.. seemed certain. The "Delta Independent Press," which was founded in 1854, stated in its tenth issue, that of June 7, 1854 : "A connection is now formed by railway between this place and Toledo. A daily train leaves Delta at rapidly laid, and soon, Wauseon, the next station, will be reached." There surely was need for better marketing facilities at that time, for, from the "Delta Market" report published in the same issue of the "Delta Independent Press," one learns that: fresh pork then sold at 4 cents a pound; salt pork at 7 cents; hams at 8 cents; butter at 10 cents; lard, 8 cents; eggs, 8 cents; corn at 50 cents; oats at 37 cents; beans, $1.25 a bushel; and other prices equally low.

Unfortunately, the first council records are not available. Still, from the Ordinance Book it is clear that the first mayor of Delta was William Critzer. And, through the courtesy of Editor Waltz, of the Delta "Atlas," it is possible to embody in this history of Delta, an important initial record, that of the original election of officers in the incorporated village. The paper gives the "Names and number of persons voting, and votes cast, at an election for one mayor, one recorder, and five trustees, for the incorporated village of Delta, held on the 10th day of October, 1863." The voters were: L. H. Upham, George Wood, B. Sanger, Peter Zimmerman, 0. Waters, Wm. Zimmerman, Simon Elliott, Michael Carr, G. W. Miller, A. M. Carpenter, -James Trowbridge, S. Zimmerman, J. S. Trowbridge, B. Zimmerman, W. LI. Brinkham, J. D. Colt, Thomas Martin, E. W. Cleveland, G. W. Elwell, Wm. Critzer, John Odell, Thomas Gleason, Wm. Brown, T. C. Brown, Robert Hatton, D. B. Mack, J. K. Crockett, Peter Hancock, Ansel Pease, R. S. Merrill, R. J. Lee, R. Steadman, J. J. Cash, Cyrus Abbott. The judges of election were Robert Hatton, George Wood, James K. Crockett; and they recorded the voting as follows:

"For Mayor: Wm. Critzer received 16 votes; James Trowbridge received 12 votes; Charles 'Cullen, 4 votes; L. H. Upham, 1 vote; for recorder, Charles Cullen, 29 votes; Wm. Critzer, 4 votes1; for trustees, O. T. Clark, 30 votes; 'Simon Zimmerman, 30 votes; J. T. Gates, 21 votes; A. M. Carpenter, 19 votes; D. H. Pettys, 18 votes." A lesser number of votes for election to office of trustee were cast in favor of: Peter Hancock, Thomas Kelly, J. S. Trowbridge, L. H. Upham, Thomas Martin, George Wood, Wm. Ramsey, John Frounfelter, Wm. Critzer, and William Baker.

The Delta Council now consists of M. W. Casler, N. S. NeAATill, F. J. Shumaker, F. E. Snyder, George Waldeck, B. M. Williams; clerk, C. F. Bower; treasurer, A. T. McComb.

The first village ordinance Avas passed on March 14, 1864. On February 13, 1865, an ordinance was passed calling for the election of a treasurer and street commisisoner. The latter %vas to have specific duties, being required "to keep the streets clear of all wood and other encumbrances." The first ordinance regarding sidewalk construction was passed on May 8, 1865, and called for the construction of a board sidewalk on Adrian Street, the sideAATalk commencing six feet north of south line of West Street, and extending to lot No. 74. On March 11, 1874, an ordinance Avas passed "to provide for the cutting dovra, or mowing, of all thistles and Aveeds, growing on the streets, or public highways, of the village." Another ordinance forbade the slaughtering of cattle before the stalls of butchers in the streets of Delta.

The Fire Department of Delta seems to have had its inception in the action of the village council in appropriating, or in authorizing the appropriation of t\ATo thousand dollars "to provide for the purchasing of a hand fire engine, hose, hose cart, and ladder AATagon" for the use of the incorporated village of Delta, "or any regular organized fire department that may hereafter be formed." That ordinance AA7as passed on September 18, 1873. A brick fire station was eventually occupied, but it cannot be determined whether the brick fire station had any connection with the action of the village council in appro7 priating $3,500, on November 11, 1878, "for the erection of a village hall." In March, 1880, an ordinance "to regulate the Fire Department was passed." The next reference to the subject in the Council Record Book was under date of March 30, 1885, when it was recorded that the village had purchased from Edward C. Crile, lot No. 97 in Gates' Addition for $750, with improvements thereon, "to house Fire Engine and Hook and Ladder implements." It is understood that the brick fire station (which may have been the "improvements thereon" purchased AA:ith Lot No. 97 j collapsed in 1893, and that the present ToAvn Hall was built on its site.

The collapse of the Engine House was attributable to damage sustained in the great fire which devastated the business section of Delta in 1892. But it cleared the wav for the building of a toAvn hall more in keeping Avith the importance of the place. On March 17, 1893, $12,000 was appropriated "to provide for purchasing a site, and erecting a town hall thereon" ; and on April 23, 1894, the council authorized the acquirement "of lot No. 9G, and twelve feet off lot No. 97, in J. T. Gates' Addition," for the sum of $1,950.00.

The Delta Town Hall is a well-constructed public building, and provides for township as well as town offices. There is also an auditorium, and quarters for the fire station.

On November 23, 1885, an ordinance "to allow the- Delta Natural Gas Company to lay gas pipes along the streets and alleys of the village of Delta" was passed. An ordinance passed on December 16, 1889, provided "for lighting of Adrian, Main, Delta, Wood, Mill, Providence, and Short streets by gasoline or oil lamps." Eventually, of course, came the electric lighting.

August 31, 1901, right was granted to "the Toledo-Bryan Air Line Railway Company to lav and operate a line of railroad along and upon Main Street."

An interesting entry in the Council Records is that of April 25, 1881, when the salary of the mayor was fixed at $50.00 a year. At the same time it was decided that the clerk should receive $75.00, and the marshal $50.00, and fees. The present marshal has held office for almost twenty-five years, and the remuneration is still the same as it was in the old days. However, since Prohibition became the law of the land his fees have fallen to practically nothing; his work, likewise. In fact, whereas under the old order, the marshal was customarily called out twice or thrice nightly, to settle some brawl, a call after nightfall would now be most unusual. Nowadays, the cell at the Town I Tall is very rarely occupied.

Interesting information as to the business section of Delta is contained in "Brown's Gazetteer of the Michigan Southern Railroad" for the year 1868, the compilation thus presumably having been made in 1867. Summarizing the village, as then developed, the "Gazetteer" stated that : tannery, 1 pearl ashery, 1 brick yard, 1 hotel, and about 18 stores of all kinds. Nearly three years ago it was discovered that oil could be had here by boring for it. At length a company was organized and operations commenced. After arriving at a depth of 275 feet they struck oil, coming to the top, meanwhile their tools became fast, and unable to extricate them, they were forced to abandon their enterprise, for want of energy and means. In its present condition, enough water flows from it to drive, or rather supply one steam flour mill. At a later date, the citizens, by subscription, have succeeded in boring, and have an excellent artesian well at a depth of 70 feet. This supplies the public highway with water. Churches there are three, Episcopal Methodist, Protestant Methodist, and Presbyterian ; the two latter are about erecting a large brick house for worship. Of schools, little can be said praiseworthy, except that all are schooled; $5,000 have been raised towards erecting a new brick school building to be a graded school. Delta is a great stave station, manufacturing and shipping a large amount, some of which go to New York and Europe. Eggs and butter come next, as one of the principal exports. Of eggs alone, Messrs. Moore and Howard ship from 60 to 80 barrels every week during the season, averaging 80 dozen to the barrel."

"Chas. Cullin was the proprietor of the Delta Flour Mill, on Mill Street; -T. T. Gates and William S. Schlappi conducted the saw mill and pearl ashery; John M. Hall ran the shingle mill, and was also a splint seat chair maker; Bates and Miller were the tanners; John H. Sheffield was the brickmaker; Christopher M. Watkins was landlord of Watkins' (or the Exchange) Hotel, on Main, corner Adrian streets; the following were grocers, or general store keepers: J. Allman and Co.; Wm. Baker, Abner P. Brainard, Chas. Canfield, Orris V. Crosby; Chas. W. Hatton, Wm. R. Huntington, Jacob Huth, Alex G. Montgomery, John R. Parker, Jas. W. Patterson, Calvin Taylor, John S. Trowbridge, Richard M. Watkins; the following were druggists: Frank Briggs, W. B. Brinkham and Dr. Wm. Ramsey, the three trading as Brinkham, Briggs and Company; Jas. W. Hatton; Brinkham, Briggs and Company also dealt in tinware, and stoves ; and Thomas Martin in the same; Miss Helen Masker was a hoop skirt manufacturer; Mrs. J. M. Butler, Mrs. Marv Hancock, Miss Millie O. Merrill, anl Mrs. S. J. Stillson dealt in millinery and straw goods; Brinkham and Kohl were saddlers ; Michael Carr and Simon Zimmerman were wagon makers; J. N. Cleland was a painter; Chas. C. Crile and Henry IT. Reighard were in partnership as blacksmiths, other blacksmiths being Geo. E. Elwell and Co., Wm. Matley ; Wm. H. Garrison was the village barber; Rufus S. Merrill was postmaster; J. Denham Mosey was station agent; D. W. Poe and L. H. Upham were attorneys; S. P. Bishop, John Odell, Wm. Ramsey, and W. S. Webb were physicians, Dr. Ramsey being listed as 'physician for county;' Miles S. Pray was a watchmaker ; Ansel Pease a butcher; Peter Hancock, a cooper; Daniel Lilly a shoemaker; Lyman Riley, a marble worker; N. H. Simmon a stave and lumber dealer; and Win. W. Williams the owner of a billiard saloon. There apparently was not a drinking saloon in Delta at that time."

In 1892 the main business section of the village of Delta was almost wiped out by a destructive fire which started in the livery barn of John P. Holt, on Mill Street, just south of the Hotel Central, and swept rapidly up Main Street. The newspaper headings described it as "the most destructive fire that ever visited Fulton county" making j "the beautiful village of Delta a sea of seething flame." Describing it, the Delta "Atlas" reported :

The flames rushed out of the front doors as if from a huge furnace. Almost immediately the hotel barn across the alley was on fire, and the flames reaching across the Street east, and the Masonic Hall, in which was the 'Atlas' office, was doomed.

"The firemen did all that men could do but the fiery fiend was master. Despatches were sent to Wauseon and Toledo, from which engines were immediately sent, which did noble work. The Delta and Wauseon engines very nearly exhausted the water supply, but fortunateiy the Toledo steamer had hose enough to reach the creek south of town. The sun was fast sinking before the fire was under control.

"The following is, as near as possible, a list of the losses. On Mill Street, the Hotel Central barn, Holt's livery barn, IT. H. Reighard's dwelling, Reighard and Reed's blacksmith shop, and A. B. Thompson and Son's office;

"On south side of Main Street, the residence of Mrs. Hon. 0. Waters, Sam Henriek's real estate and insurance office, Masonic hall and Atlas Printing Co., Hotel Central, J. Y. Casler's barber shop, Sherm Trowbridge's saloon, building owned by E. 0. Newell, Riley Allen's saloon, building owned by Snellbaker, C. A. Scott, and Son's grocery, building owned by John Thompson, W. L. Smith's grocery, building owned by IT. H. Quiggle, Zelner's restaurant, Pease's meat market, and Breckenridge's barber shop ;

"On the north side (of Main Street), the Engine House, Houghton's grocery, Mrs. Thompson's dwelling, Dr. Bishop's residence and office, Mrs. Griffin's millinery store and Zimmerman's grocery, buildings owned by Dr. Bishop, 'O. A. Walker's Art Gallery, Hatfield's meat market, Montgomery's grocery, and U. S. Express office, John Atkinson's grocery and warehouse, Mrs. Casler's residence, Sargent Bros. & Saxton's dry goods store, Fowler Bros' clothing and Crisman Bros. Hardware. All the warehouses and packing houses in the rear of these also went;

The "Atlas" printing plant was completely destroyed, and some of the issues of the following weeks were printed on the press of the "Tribune", at Wauseon. The fire occurred on August 18, 1892.

The Masonic Hall was one of the first buildings to be destroyed. However the Masonic bodies are very strong in Delta, and ere long an imposing new brick temple took the place of the old Masonic Hall. It stands on the south side of Main Street, almost opposite the town hall, and is used by the Fulton Lodge, No. 248, of Delta. F. & A. M. ; by the Octavius Waters Chapter, No. 154, R. A. M. ; and by the Aurora Chapter, No. 75, Delta, Order of Eastern Star. The original

"Fulton Lodge, No. 248, F. & A. M. was organized on October 19, 1854, with the following charter members: Daniel Knowles, Octavius Waters, Robert Bloomfield, Daniel W. Fashbaugh, Martin H. Butler, W. D. Herrick, Myron Williams, Julius N. Marsh, Isaac Springer, Elisha Williams, Chester Scott. It was thus the first Masonic Lodge organized in Fulton county, and as will be noted, it drew members from other townships than York.

rill, A. B. Thompson, S. T. Worden, M. S. Sargent, Henry Knepper, and A. Q. Price. By the consent of the Fulton Chapter, of.Wauseon, a dispensation was granted for the organization of the Octavius Waters Chapter, on April 26, 1886. The first officers were: Frank Hatton, high priest; A. B. Thompson, king; Frank Briggs, scribe; S. T. Worden, c. of h. ; Jacob Pratt, r. s. ; N. H. Reiser, r. a. c.; N. E. Bolles, 3rd v. ; A. Y. Montgomery, 2nd v. ; C. J. Willford, 1st v. ; J. A. Wilkins, treas. ; W. H. Gavitt, sec. ; John Shoffner, guard

The present churches of Delta are the Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal, United Brethren, liberal branch, the United Brethren, original constitution, and the Church of Christ.

The Presbyterian Church of Delta has the right to the first place in the record, for it was the first to be established in the village, and township. The Presbyterian Society was active in York Township almost from the bginning of its settlement, and meetings were undoubtedly held in log cabins before the church was built. The first Presbyterian Church was built on Adrian Street, Delta, "at a very early date", stated Historian V erity ; and the present fine brick church building, which stands on the opposite side of Main Street, near the Delta trolley station, was built more than thirty-five years ago. It suffered during a recent storm, and it was thought at one time that it would be abandoned, but it is now in comparatively good repair, and in constant use for the strong Presbyterian society of Delta. The present pastor is the Rev. Addison V. Wilson.

Methodist Episcopal Church. What follows has been extracted, mainly, from the "History of the Central Ohio Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church," which stated regarding the Methodist Episcopal Society of York Township, and Delta:

"In May, 1834, at the residence of Sidney Halley, located in what was known as the Six Mile Woods, now Delta, was held the first Methodist prayer meeting. The meeting was led by Sidney Halley. There were present at this meeting Halley and his .wife, William Meeker and his wife, Willard Trowbridge, Lydia Trowbridge, William Fewless, Caroline Fewless, Eccles Nay, and Elizabeth Nay. In August 1834, the second public service was held, at the Eccles Nay residence.

The first Methodist Episcopal Church built in this section was built on ground donated by Rev. Elisha Trowbridge, located about one mile west of Delta. In this church, Rev. Elisha Trowbridge spent his life in faithful work for humanity, he being the only preacher in the sec- tion for many years. The second church was built just north of the first church, on the farm of Thomas Bayes, and was ever afterwards called the Bayes appointment,

"William Fewless was the original class leader. The first local preachers were Rev. Elisha Trowbridge, George Wood, and Russell Kimbel. The first regular itinerant Methodist preacher in the Delta district, which was in the Waterville circuit, was the Rev. C. Brooks. He was followed by Shortiss and Coleman, Brooks and Fleming being on the year before. Presumably, the first presiding elder, after Delta became an appointment, was John James, a good preacher, and a very sharp debater. The next preachers were A. Coleman, Chas. Thomas, and Hatch James was followed on the district by John .T. Kellam. Afterwards, a man named Campbell travelled the circuit ; then Liberty Prentiss and Cushman ; then William Thatcher and Samuel Mower. J. .1. Kellam was succeeded on the district by Wesley Brooks. The next preacher, on the then Waterville circuit, was T. J. Pope, 1845, Rev. Thomas Barkdull, presiding elder.

"In August, 1847, the North Ohio Conference formed a new mission, called Clinton (Wauseon) Mission, consisting of the following appointments, viz: Delta (then called Bayes Meeting House, about one mile north-west of the village of Delta), York Centre, William Bayes, Clinton Township, Lutes, in German township, Gorham, and Chesterfield.

"In 1847, B. Herbert was the preacher on the mission, with T. Barkdull presiding elder, Barkdull was a very fine preacher and long lived in the affection of the people. When B. Herbert travelled Clinton Mission, in 1847, the most prominent villages west of Maumee and Toledo, and north of Defiance, were Bryan, West Unity, and Hicksville. There were but few brick or frame houses west of Maumee River, and Maumee City then was the place where the principal milling and trading was done as far west as Wauseon.

"In the Bayes Church, the Rev. Octavius Waters held one of the greatest revivals of religion ever witnessed in this section. In 1849, the name was changed from Clinton Mission, to Chesterfield Circuit. In 1851 James McKern was the preacher-in-charge, and Wm. C. Pierce was presiding elder. In 1852, John Crabbs and A. Hollington were the preachers; in 1853 James Evans and John Frounfelter. In 1854, James Evans and J. W. Thompson, with David Gray, presiding elder. In 1855, the circuit was first named Delta Circuit, with Martin Perky, pastor, who also travelled the circuit in 1856.

"The first Methodist Episcopal Church in Delta was built by the Rev. Wood in 1856, at a cost to the society of $1,000. Rev. George Wood often preached there, but the first pastor to occupy the pulpit was Rev. Martin Perky. Rev. David Gray was on the circuit at the time of the dedication of the original church in Delta,

D. D. S. Reigh and G. W. Money; A. B. Poe and P. S. Slevin; A. M. Carey, G. W. Miller, B. Herbert and C. Hoag, S. B. Maltbie, A. C. Barnes, John R. Colgan, A. Coleman, N. B. C. Love, Wm. Deal, John F. Davies, Nathaniel Barter, G. W. Miller, Rd. Wallace, C. W. Taney- hill, .J. A. Ferguson, J. H. Fitzwater, P. Biggs, J. M. Mills, Jefferson Williams, Isaac Newton, Daniel Carter, Frederick Miller, W. W. Scoles, Jacob Baumgartner, F. W. Stanton, F. A. Zimmerman, A. S. Watkins, J. W. Donnan, M. D. Scott, C. A. Moore, P. Ross Parrish, and H. W. Hodge (the present pastor).

"Delta was first made a station in September, 1871; N. B. C. Love was the first resident pastor, and L. A. Belt presiding elder. In 1881, the parsonage was sold, and the proceeds, with additional subscriptions, invested in building the present brick parsonage adjacent to the church.

"The Delta church has a notable record in Sunday School work. It has been stated that the first Sunday school in that section was a Methodist Episcopal Sunday school. It was organized in 1839, by Willard Trowbridge, Joseph Jones, and William Fewless. Mrs. Mary McClure, Mrs. Sylvia Thayer, and Mrs. Hannah Carpenter were prominent in the early years of the establishment of the school in Delta proper, and from that organization has grown the present prosperous Sunday school of more than three hundred.

United Brethren Church (Liberal Branch), was organized in Delta by the Rev. Samuel Klotz, revivalist, who began to preach in the circuit in 1876. At first the meetings were held in the hall above Trowbridge's dry goods store. Later, an arrangement was made whereby the U. B. Society might have the use of the Free Methodist church for their meetings. About thirty-five years ago the members built a frame church building, on the corner of Madison and Palmwood streets, and have since worshipped in that building, which has been twice added to. The church building was dedicated by Bishop Weaver, and was erected during the pastorate of the Rev. George Crawford. The present (1920), pastor is the Rev. Lewis Moore, and the church has about one hundred members, also a strong Sunday school.

The United Brethren Church (old order, or as it is sometimes termed, radical branch, to distinguish it from the liberal branch) separated from the other part of the U. B. Society of Delta in 1889, not being able to countenaee modern interpretations of the original constitution of 1841, to which they desired to adhere strictly and rigidly. The members were of the original Delta U. B. Society, and felt that instead of being the offshoot, they were the original society, and as such were entitled to have the use of the frame church thathad been built. They were opposed in such desire by the liberal branch, and the resulting litigation went even to the Supreme Court of the United States. William LI. Taft, later president of the United States, was at that time a justice of the Supreme Court, and he decided in favor of the liberal branch of the U. B. society. Consequently, the radicals were compelled to seek another meeting house. They erected a church building of concrete blocks about ten years ago, at a cost of $2,300, and have since been governed by the rigid requirements, as to personal conduct and particularly as to the rule on secrecy, of the original constitution of their church. The Delta (radical) Society now numbers about fifty members.

The difference of opinion within the church had been of long standing. In 1874, the Rev. J. D. Snyder, circuit preacher, reported to the quarterly meeting of the Fulton Circuit, United Brethren in Christ, that "the circuit was in good order, though the church is passing through a fiery ordeal in regard to maintaining the rule on secrecy"; and at a meeting held on December 7, 1889, the following resolution was passed : "Whereas a factional element, known as 'Radicals', have by secession separated themeselves from the body of the Church of the U. B. in Christ; and whereas they, in every way possible, disturb the peace and hinder the progress of church work, Therefore Resolved: that the General Boards of Trustees of Church houses, on the Delta Circuit, N. 0. Conf., he instructed, by the Quarterly Conference of said circuit, to immediately take absolute control of said church houses, and close them against every intrusion upon our rights as the Church of the United Brethren in Christ."

The members of the Quarterly Conference, in 1867 were: J. N. Martin, presiding elder; LI. W. Cherry, circuit preacher; 0. S. Ward, William Cass, J. H. Fish, G. S. Tuttle, Jackson Jennings, John Miller, Wm. 0. Dinius, Wm. Godden, and Geo. Valentine, local preachers. The leaders and stewards of the various classes, or church societies within the circuit were: Poplar Grove class, J. W. McQuillen, and D. Zimmerman; Spring Hill, R. Reynolds and J. Walters; Batsdorf class, George Jennings and Issac Pontious; Blue School, Peter Wise and Benjamin Skeels; Tremain class, A. IT. and Elijah Smith.

Poplar Grove was evidently the strongest society at that time, for in the apportionment of salary, it was assessed $95, the next being Spring Hill, $75. In all, the assessment was $345. In 1873, the preacher-in-charge was W. R. Bundy ; in 1874, J. W. Snyder was the circuit preacher; in 1875, S. P. Klotz. In 1877, the circuit included Olive Branch, Zion, Pleasant Grove, Spring Hill, Etna, Union. S. P. Klotz was still circuit preacher. In 1878, he reported: "Formed a new class of 45 at Wauseon." In the next year, 1879, Geo. W. Crawford, who had been presiding elder for many years, succeeded J. W. Klotz, as circuit preacher.

One of the most prominent of the early members of the church in that circuit was J. W. McQuillen, who was secretary of the Conference meeting's for many years. He was still secretary of the Delta Circuit in 1899. At the time of the secession, in 1899, the Delta Circuit included Delta, Zion, Union, Grove and Beulah churches.

The Church of Christ, Delta, had its first camp meeting in August, 1888. Y. Updike was the evangelist. The society was formed, and for some time thereafter held its meetings in the old town hall. The members however were active and soon found the means with which to build a church. In 1889, the fine brick church building, which is still the house of worship, was built and dedicated. The church stands on the corner of Providence and Madison (formerly John) streets, and its first pastor was J. T. H. Stewart. Among pioneer members were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Dunbar, Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Miley, Miles Carpenter and wife, Mr. and Mrs. William Norris, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. 0. P. Raker, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Grandy. The first elders were: B. F. Miley, Henry Grandy, and Wm. Norris. Deacons : Joseph Dunbar, Joseph Bloom, Lloyd Ransower, Geo. Sheffield. Trustees: Joseph Dunbar Wm. Norris, Jacob Huth, B. F. Miley Joseph Bloom. Chas Raker, clerk. The present membership of the church is about one hundred and forty, and the present pastor, C. W. Perry.

The school history of York Township probably did not begin until 1837, although a Delta historian referred to the erection of a schoolhouse in the Delta district "nearly a mile west of the present village, soon after that district was settled." Undoubtedly, this was the Trowbridge settlement, which began in 1834, but it was some years before sufficient families had come to that part to make it necessary to provide school accommodation. Probably the first school taught in the western part of the township was that in the house of the Rev. Uriah Spencer, in 1837. His wife, Emily, was the teacher, and a year later Sophronia Fluhart taught a winter term of six weeks and three days therein, receiving sixty-two and a half cents a week for such service, that figure not even including board as later became customary. Samuel Biddle came into York Township in 1842, and settled upon land he had bought in section 17, from Rev. Uriah .Spencer. The log cabin he occupied was this hut in which the first school was taught. In 1842 there were, according to the testimony of Samuel Biddle, three schoolhouses in York Township. Verity asserts that the first schoolhouse built in York Township stood upon the Willard Trowbridge farm, one mile west of Delta. One record states that "it was a small cheap frame building", but "it supplied the needs of the times." The probability however is that it was a log house, for the first frame building erected in the township was a dwelling house occupied by Dr. Lathrop in 1840. Catherine Moyer, who came into York Township with her husband in 1838, stated that she "taught school and took my pay in produce." The schools were primitive, and money was scarce. There was a log schoolhouse in York Township, just over the line from Clinton, at West Barre, in 1840, but it was only used for one year, and then mostly by Clinton Township children. R. C. Skeels, now of Wauseon, but for the greater part of his life, from 1840, a resident of York, testified, in 1918 that when his parents first located in York Township, in 1840, "there were no sehoolhouses, but a little later Mrs. Pray taught school in a log house. In 1843, a school house was erected where the Blue school now stands. Children who lived four or five miles distant attended that school, and conditions were undoubtedly hard for the children. Mr. Skeels said: "There were plenty of wolves here in those days", adding that "As I think over those pioneer days my mind goes back to the old log schoolhouse, with desks around the sides. The desks were slabs fastened to wooden pins driven into holes in the wall, and the seats were more slabs, with legs fastened to them. Then there was the water birch that the teacher always had handy and used freely." Mikesell, whose sister Emily was the wife of Rev. Uriah Spencer, and thus was probably the pioneer teacher, wrote: "Most of the pupils found their way through the woods to the sehoolhouses, roads being comparatively unknown. Along these school trails they went to school, and at night to spelling schools, lighting their way, in the night time, with torches made from the bark of hickory trees."

A Holmes Smith, who still resides in Delta, was one of the pioneer teachers, and one of the first school examiners of Fulton county, after Martin LI. Butler and Aldrich. He goes back in his recollection of school history to 1848. Then there was a schoolhouse, he says, in what was known as the Abram Cole District, south-west York. The first teacher was Mrs. Zimmerman, later the wife of Naaman Merrill. In 1848, there was a schoolhouse at Geringer's Corners, for what was termed the Robinson District. The teacher was Ellen Sanger; another school was at York Centre, and in that schoolhouse the elections were held for several years. The north-western section of the township was served by a schoolhouse known as the Berry District. Two years later, a school district was organized in southwest York, near the Bethlehem Church ; Garret Van Fleet was the first teacher in that school. In 1851- 52, A. Holmes Smith taught in the Raker School, situated on the line of York and Swan Creek townships; in 1853, he taught in the little log schoolhouse which was situated on what is now the David Savage farm. The log schoolhouse was built bjr Garner Tremain, and Mr. Smith remembers that the ceiling was so low that he had to stoop "to dodge the post." Many of the later capable school teachers of the county received their elementary training in that log schoolhouse. Among them were the sisters Dumaresq, Henrietta, .Jenette, Mary and Kate. In 1858-59-60, Holmes Smith taught in the Salsbury school.

In 1852, a redistricting of schools brought about a change in the location of the Delta District school. One record says that the schoolhouse "beyond the creek" (presumably the original schoolhouse in the Willard Trowbridge settlement, or a later frame building in the. same location), was moved to Providence Street, and the first teacher therein, under the new school laws, was Martin IL. Butler, who later became one of the pioneer school examiners of Fulton county. Within a couple of years, however, it was much too small for the needs of the district, and a new school building was erected on the site where the electric light plant now stands. The new school was a one-story, frame building, of two rooms, and it had cost $500 to erect. For ten years, or so, it was used as a school, and during the greater part of that time the cost of maintaining the school was only barely met. Delta was a large school district and the new board of education, in 1852, considered Delta as two districts, when allotting public funds, the able representative of the Delta district on the board of education at that time, and for many years afterwards, being L. H. Upham. He, however, was unable to combat the opposition by representatives of other school districts, who objected to the double allowance for Delta, so that a few years later the double allowance was reduced. In 1861, or 1862, Delta organized separately, and, to meet the requirements of an ever increasing enrollment, had before 1865 built another larger school- house, a substantial building of brick, which was erected south of the Presbyterian church, and beyond the creek, near the railroad, southwest of the village.

In 1887 there were thirteen school districts in York Township, in addition to the Delta district. In 1889, the present schoolhouse at Delta was built. Site and building cost more than $20,000, and an addition made to it in 1908 entailed another expenditure of $16,000. At the time of the building of the school, in 1889, it was thought that it was unnecessarily large, and some of the rooms were not completed. However, they became necessary before many years had passed, and when the addition was made in 1908, it was then urgently necessary. The Delta school now has eight rooms for elementary grades, and seven for high school grades. In 1919, the enrollment of elementary pupils totaled to 274, and the high school registers show names of 120 students, for the same school year. The present superintendent is C. C. Smith.

facilities of York Township at present include ten one-room schoolhouses, of the rural class. Only eight are in use, however. The ten houses, with furnishings, and other school property, are valued at $9,580. The enrollment for 1919 totaled to 225 pupils.

The present board of education for Delta village is made up as follows: W. C. Hoch, president; F. W. Cately, clerk; C. P. Geer, Dr. S. P. Bishop, and Mrs. Ida Whitehorne. The board of education of York Township is: Ray Berkebile, president; C. F. Bower, clerk; T. C. Murray, Jr., Ed. Forest, Chas. Shreves and Gale Stickley, directors.

Delta is the center of one of the most important industrial concerns of the country, one which - with a similar plant at Wauseon - has brought about a revolution in farming throughout the county during the last decade, or so, Formerly Fulton county had many large cheese manufacturing plants, but these did not bring the farmers a very certain, or a very high profit, so that farming activities did not run chiefly to dairying. Nowadays however, since the establishment of the Helvetia plant at Delta, and the Van Camp plant at Wauseon, both with large capacity for evaporating milk, a radical change has come in methods of farming throughout the county, and, indeed, in the individual prosperity of the Fulton county agriculturist. The fine farm homes one sees in a trip through the rural districts indicate that the return from the land must be eminently satisfactory. It has come chiefly by the sure markets at hand for the disposal of all the milk products. The Van Camp plant at Wauseon has the names of more than fourteen hundred dairymen on its ledgers, and the Helvetia plant at Delta is probably quite as large. The Helvetia Milk Condensing Company, like the Van Camp Company, is a nationally known company, and the Wauseon and Delta plants are branches; still, they are adequate to meet the requirements of the district. The Delta plant was built in 1903, and has a frontage of 580 feet and a floor space of 67,000 feet.. Its monthly cash payments to milk producers run well into six figures.

Many of the prominent residents of Delta will be referred to elsewhere in this, or in the second volume, but passing word as to a few may be permissible. Lucius H. Upham was one of the most prominent of the pioneers of Delta. He came to Fulton county immediately after the erection of that county, coming from Wooster. He held the mayoral office in Delta longer than any other chief magistrate, and he was also prominent throughout the county. In 1856, he was elected to the state legislature; and he was probate judge for a brief period. He will be remembered in Delta as probably one of its most capable pioneers. Octavius Waters comes prominently into civic, fraternal, church, and county record. He was of English birth, and rearing; was well-educated; a sailor in early life, but of innate power as a speaker, and devout in religious conviction. He became a. most convincing minister of the Methodist church, and eventually entered upon the practice of law. He was prosecuting attorney for Fulton county for two terms, and became state representative. Also he served as presidential elector. William H. Gavitt, twice mayor of Delta, was a capable lawyer, and also became prosecuting attorney. W. W. Williams was also a lawyer, and made an able mayor. Alfred B. Gunn was one of the ablest of the active pioneer public workers of York. He was one of its first township officers, and was assessor for many years; and was one of the best commissioners the county ever had. Samuel G. Aumend was prominent for many years in Delta, and to some extent in the county also. He served for several years as infirmary director. Dr. Bishop, J. M. Longneeker, and many other leading citizens will be given extensive review elsewhere in this record, and' without tautology it is somewhat difficult to single out for mention here more of those who have had useful part in the building of Delta and York Township.

Chapter, Xix

Gorlnim is the extreme northwesterly township of Fulton county, and, like all of its northern townships, was in the area regarding which there was such serious contention between the Territory of Michigan and the State of Ohio, in 1835, and earlier. In 1802, when Ohio was admitted into statehood, her northern boundary was not clearly defined, and Ohio considered that her boundary extended north to what later became known as the Harris Line. Michigan overlapped, deeming that its boundary reached southward to what became known as the Fulton Line. The matter however lay dormant for many years, for the simple reason that the land in dispute had no white inhabitants during the first two decades of the nineteeth century. But when settlement began, in the 'thirties, it became evident that Michigan was determined to assert what she considered her right. The boundary dispute is dealt with fully in an earlier chapter of this current work, although there is nothing on record to show that the serious friction between the two states seriously concerned the early settlers of Gorham Township. They were more concerned regarding the long journey necessary to cast their vote at York Center, in 1836, when York Township was organized.

Gorham has been under the jurisdiction, or strictly, has been within the bounds, of many counties, including Lenawee and Hillsdale, of the Territory of Michigan, and Williams and Lucas, of the State of Ohio. And consequently, it has been in many townships. Of Lucas county townships, it was at first within the jurisdiction of York, and later of Chesterfield. These are historical details regarding which it is unnecessary here to write extensively, as they have been fully recorded in earlier histories of Fulton county. Suffice it to say that Gorham Township was organized on March 6, 1838, taking then from Chesterfield Township all the territory it now has, excepting what it lost in 1841, when Franklin Township was formed, and the strip it gained from Mill Creek Township, Williams county, when Fulton county was erected, in 1850.

Hiram Farwell, who came with his wife and family, in the early fall of 1834, seems to have been the first settler. Lie entered and settled upon the east side of section ten, of town nine south, range one east. He was a man of strong character, and a worthy pioneer, in that he brought with him a religious earnestness which manifested itself among the early settlers of the township. He often preached, presumably in log cabins, and in many wavs seems to have ordered his life in accordance with the dictates of a high moral and religious code. He "was a man much esteemed by the early settlers."

The next family to settle was that of David Severance. They settled on the north side of section 36, town nine south, range one west of the meridian, in Mill Creek Township, Williams county. Their land eventually became part of Fulton county, when the latter county was created in 1850. David Severance was the first settler in Mill Creek Township, and as a matter of fact never became a resident within Fulton county, for he died in 1844. But he died upon that farm, and his wife, Esther Knapp, lived upon it until her death, which did not occur until 1887, so that her home for thirty-seven years was in Fulton county. And their children also lived in the county. When Mrs. Severance died in 1887, h6r descendants numbered one hundred and forty-one. The Severance family, like that of Hiram Farwell, was orginally from New York State, although David Severance was born in Vermont, and from 1819, when he married, he had been a resident in Ohio. Their sons Waldron and Alfred were both, probably, in their early 'teens when the family settled in Williams county, on December 31, 1834.

It is believed that there was also another settler in what is now Gorham Township in 1834. There is very little on record regarding the coming of Abijah Coleman and his wife and family, to town nine south, range one west, but if he came in 1834, it is possible that he and David Severance came together, and were near neighbors; otherwise Abijah Coleman would be the pioneer settler of Mill Creek Township, seeing that the Severance family settled there on the last day of the year in which both are stated to have come.

Quite a number of families came into the territory in 1835. William Lee, and his wife, Sarah Marlatt, came into Gorham from Michigan in 1835. They were orginally from New York State, but had lived in Michigan since 1825, having settled in Franklin county, where some of their children were born. They settled upon section 13, of town nine south, range one east, when they came into Ohio and to Gorham, and there they lived until 1845, then removing to Chesterfield Township. William Lee was a tanner, and currier, and followed such occupations when opportunity came, while clearing the land he had entered in Gorham Township. He took active interest in township affairs, and after removal to Chesterfield was a justice and, for some time, township clerk. His wife died in 1878. Of their children, Lewis A., who was a building contractor, lived in Chesterfield, and held several offices, trustee, constable, and postmaster (at Oak Shade). Almon M., who died in 1896, was county recorder at that time, and his son, George W. Lee, of Chesterfield, was appointed recorder, in his place.

The settlement of the southern part of Gorham Township had begun early in 1835. In the vicinity of Fayette, the Coffin and Cottrell families were preparing the way in the spring, according to family records, which state:

"In the spring of 1835 Freeman Coffin and Clement Coffin, with their families, left Williamsburg, Massachusetts, for the West. Gorham Cottrell and his eldest son, Erastus, accompanied the party. They came to Albany by stage, on the Erie canal to Buffalo, on Lake Erie to Munroe, and by stage to Adrian, Michigan, being seventeen days on the journey.

to this locality having bought Government land. The first house they built was Freeman Coffin's, and this was the first house in the township. It stood a little east of, and nearer the road, than the dwelling now on the farm. It was of unhewn logs, cracks chinked and daubed with mortar, or perhaps clay. The roof was covered with 'shakes', made from logs sawn to the desired lengths, and then split. The floor was of planks, hewn out of logs.

"This house completed, Freeman Coffin returned to Palmyra, for his family. They came with their furniture, provisions, etc., in a wagon, drawn by a yoke of oxen, and spent the last night of their journey at the home of Mr. Goss, east of Woodworth's corners. They cut the road for their wagon all the way to their home, taking possession of it on July 10, 1835.

"The Clement Coffin house was built on his farm, adjoining on the west, the one now owned by W. 0. Ford. After a year or two, Clement Coffin sold his farm, and went to Iowa.

"The house of Gorham Cottrell was built next, on the farm adjoining Freeman Coffin's, on the east, that now owned by Ansel Landis Ford. Mr. Cottrell's family came to their home in the early fall. His family consisted of three grown sons, three grown daughters, and two younger children. Mr. Cottrell gave to each of his grown sons one hundred and sixty acres of land near him, on which they afterwards built homes, and the locality was known for years as the 'Cottrell Settlement.'

"Forty-five acres were cleared on the Freeman Coffin farm the first sjimmer, and sown to wheat, which produced an abundant crop the next summer. The nearest grist mill was at Tecumseh. Deer and wild turkey were abundant, and the early settlers often received visits from a camp of Indians on what was afterwards the ITosea Ford farm."

Freeman Coffin was a man of good family, and superior education. His cabin was the place in which the first religious services held in central Gorham were instituted. The majority of the early settlers were of the United Brethren faith, and the first sendee was conducted by Mr. Lillibridge, of the United Brethren Church, who came at the invitation of Mr. Coffin. The latter, however, was a Methodist, and although regular services of the United Brethren Church were instituted, and held in his house, and he worshipped with them, Mr. Coffin would not join their society, his reason being that "their preachers, and they, did not believe in an educated ministry." Because of his religious fervor, and also of his apathy in respect to the United Brethren church, he was called b'y some of the United Brethren ministers "a speckled bird." However, soon after the first log schoolhouse was built on the Cottrell Settlement, Mr. Coffin invited itinerant ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in 1838, or 1839, a Methodist Episcopal society was formed.

Mr. Coffin was a well-read man, and followed national questions with interest. He was well-posted on political matters, and throughout his life was a man of influence in Gorham Township, and Fayette.

The Cottrell family will ever be remembered in connection with Gorham Township, for it was because of Gorham Cottrell's connection with it that Gorham Township was so named. How it happened to be given that name is explained in the family records of the Coffin family. It appears that early in 1838 "other settlers had come in and located in other parts of the township, and a name was agreed upon for the new township.-' One record states that the name decided upon was that of the birthplace of Gorham Cottrell ; in that case, the name agreed upon was Worthington. However,' the Coffin record continues: "Erastus Cottrell went to the County Seat to have it confirmed, and there found there was another town of the same name in the state, and then he proposed his father's name for the town and township." The first election was held at the house of Erastus Cottrell, and the postoffice first established in Gorham Township was named Gorham (or Forham), and was located in the house of Erastus Cottrell in 1839. Gorham Cottrell and his wife, Althea Whitmarsh, were natives of Worthington, Massachusetts. Gorham died in 1853, and his wife in 1867. He was one of the leaders in that part of Gorham in his day, and his eldest son, Erastus, was even more influential. He was the first justice of the peace in Gorham Township.

James Baker and his wife were in the township in the spring of 1835, and settled upon section 14, town 9 south, range 1 east. And in the same year came Martin Lloyd, Stephen Chaffee, William Sutton, Asa Butler, and William Griffin. Also in that year several families settled in what was considered to be Hillsdale County, Michigan, but what in reality was on the border line between Michigan and Ohio, part of the land being in each state, striding as it did the Harris line. These settlers were Henry Meach, Justice Cooley, James McCrillis, Sr., Orville Woodworth, Abel Perry, John Gould, and Henry Teneyke. James Baker was an enterprising man, and when it became certain that the Plank Road would be laid through Royalton Township, by Elias Richardson, Baker set up a saw-mill near Lyons, and supplied Richardson and other contractors with all the lumber needed for the Plank Road through Royalton and other townships.

William Sutton, formerly of New York State, is stated to have come to Gorham probably in 1835, but if he did it was only to make preliminary arrangements for the clearing of soane of his land in Gorham. lie settled in Morenci, Michigan, in that year, and engaged in the hotel business, and did not move to his 320 acres of land in Fulton county until 1838. He lived in Gorham Township from 1838 until 1868, when he went to Medina, Michigan, returning, however, in 1878. He and his wife, Rebecca, were the parents of fourteen children, among them Harvey, a veteran of the Civil war.

Asa Butler was the father of "Uncle" John Butler, of Inlet, Chesterfield Township. John Butler was apprenticed to Alanson Briggs, and as, a boy of thirteen rode along the ninety miles of forest trail as a post-boy twice weekly.

William Griffin came in either 1835, or 1837, the latter year being the most probable, being corroborated by family record. William Griffin "was the head of a family of twenty-seven children," states Capt. C. I;. Allen, "fourteen of whom were step-children." William, in early life, was a carpenter and cooper, and bought, eighty acres in Gorham. Tlis son, William Henry, who was born in February, 1838, is said to have been the first male child born in Gorham Township. William Griffin died in 1843, but his widow lived until 1885, being then a nonogenarian. Their son, James L. Griffin, must be classed with the pioneers of Gorham Township, for he developed much land on the outskirts of Fayette. Further reference is made in the second volume to the Griffin family, which has been prominent in Fayette since its beginning. Mr. George W. Griffin states that he remembers shooting fireworks on the streets of Fayette sixty-one years ago, on the Fourth of July, the day being made memorable because of a sharp frost that morning.

In 1836, many more families came in, the settlers including Levi Crawford, Phillip Clapper, John Whaley, John C. Whaley, Aaron Price, Nelson Fellows, and John Donaldson.

Stephen Chaffee, who settled in the eastern part of the township, was the man chiefly instrumental in bringing into establishment the historic old tavern, the Hardenburg Hotel, at Fayette.

Calvin Ackley came from Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1840. settling in that part of Gorham whieh was then in Mill Creek Township, Williams county. He was the first postmaster at Fayette, and prominent in the school administration.

Verity records the settlers in Gorham during the four years, 1837-40, as George McFarland, John Jacoby, Elisha A. Baker, Simeon Baker, Lucius Ford, Nathan Shaw, Hosea Ford, Elijah Snow, wife and family, three boys and three girls; George W. Sayles and family; Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Whitman; Abel Paul and family; Justice L. Hale and family ; Willard E. Gay, Nathan Salsburv, and his father, Nathan, Sr.; Joseph Sebring, Josiah Colvin, Benjamin Russell, Almon Rice, Milo Rice, John Kendall, M. D., James Griffin, Arnos Kendall, M. D.; Hiram Hadley, Alanson Pike, Rensselaer S. Humphrey, and James r. Emerick.

Ansel Ford, according to the family record, is supposed to have settled in Gorham Township in 1842, securing a tract of wild land one mile east and one mile north of the homestead ultimately owned by his grandson, Ansel L. Ansel and Dehorah (Tower) Ford were the parents of ten children, including Charles, Otis, Amos, Lucius, Hosea, Cyrus, and Frank. It was a stalwart family of pioneers. 'Some of the sons are of good Civil war record,' and all took part in the development of Gorham Township and Fulton county. Cyrus was one of the pioneers of the republican party in Fulton county, and one of the daughters married Nathan Shaw.

"Gorham Township (in the '50s) was being settled by sturdy pioneers from Pennsylvania and New York. They were a grand assortment of man, well fitted to tackle the dense forests of Gorham, and to hew out the fine farms their children, and grandchildren are now enjoying. Among the earliest, we remember the Hoffman boys, Samuel and Charley - a pair of giants, built for the occasion. There were also the Cottrells, Sardis, Joseph, and Gorham - in the same elass - - and Elisha Gorham, Freeman Coffin, and also R. S. Humphrey, who in company with Dr. J. 0. Allen built a grist and saw mill in 1856. There were the Fords, Hosea, Cyrus, and Lucius - all pioneer farmers, in class 1. Amos Kendall must be counted in, too, as must also Henry, John, and George Gamber- - none better ever swung an axe; and none took more pride in a good, well-executed job. Then Henry and James P. Emeriek must also have a place among the heroes of old Gorham. William Griffin, and his son, James I,., must be counted in with the worthy pioneers, also Nathan Shaw, who arrived here in 1837. He was one of the early school teachers, and afterwards served as J. P. for several years. Israel Mattern was another old J. P., as well as a land clearer in Gorham. There are many others whose names I cannot now recall, but can safely assert that they were as grand and noble a set of men as ever started a country and lived to enjoy it."

Nathan Shaw, a settler of '38, came from Michigan. He taught school for several terms; and held several township offices; was for thirty years a member of the school board ; was a justice of the peace, township treasurer and clerk, and generally was a useful, capable, public-spirited citizen.

George AC. Savles, and his wife and children, came from Onondaga County, New York, in 1838. They had six children, among them Benjamin L., who farmed in Gorham for many years, but later in life went into the livery business in Fayette, after having spent some intermediate years as a hotel proprietor in Clayton, Michigan.

1 Benjamin Russell, bv one version, did not settle in Gorham Township until 1844, coming from Seneca, Michigan, where he had been a grocery clerk; but he must have been in the township earlier, for in 1843 he was married to Elmina Ford, of Gorham. One of his children is stated to have died "from the poisonous effect of a potato-bug bite." Benjamin Russell lived for the greater part of his life on section 28, and owned latterly 240 acres in other parts, in addition to 200 acres of section 28.

Another well-known Russell family of old Gorham wras that headed by John and Catherine (Fogleman) Russell, who settled upon section 33, in 1853. John died in 1878, and his wife three years later. They had nine children, three of whom, Jeremiah, Ransom, and Rowland, enlisted for service during the Civil war. Another son, Silas B., married Catherine IToffman, and eventually succeeded to 140 acres entered by Daniel Hoffman, a settler of '44.

The Hoffman family had a good part in the development of Gorham. Daniel and Christina Hoffman came from Seneca County, New York, in 1844, and lived the remainder of their lives in Gorham, Daniel dying in 1873, and his wife in 1887, she being then ninety-one years old. Two worthy pioneers were their sons, Samuel and Charley, who Captain Allen describes as "a pair of giants, built for the occasion." Captain Allen recollects one visit those "boys" made shortly after he had located in Fayette. He writes: "Sam and Charley Hoffman came up to dinner one day with a fawn, his legs securely tied with basswood bark, and made a feast of him." The two Hoffman "boys" began energetically to clear land soon after the family settled in Gorham, and although they had, possibly, not a hundred dollars between them when they came, they eventually owned a fine farm of two hundred acres; and in addition owned real estate in Fayette. Samuel built two brick stores in Fayette, and for many years, in later life, engaged in mercantile business in that place, first with a Mr.. Howard, and later with Mr. Dunneba.rger.

Dr. John Kendall was the pioneer physician of Gorham Township. He came in 1839, or 1840, and settled on section 35. He was one of the first judges appointed by the Governor, under the old constitution, to act as associate of Judge Saddler, in the first sessions of Common Pleas Court of Fulton county, in 1850. In the '60s, however, he removed to Williams county. His son, Dr. Amos Kendall, was in practice in Fayette and Gorham for the greater part of his life. His wife, Mary H. McCrilles, will be remembered by most of the older residents of Fayette. She died in 1908, aged eighty-five years, and then "Fayette mourned the loss of one of its grand old ladies." When she and her husband settled in Gorham in 1843, "they lived in a log hut on the ground where Frank Hicker's house now stands," stated an obituary, "and their nearest neighbor was one mile east of town. At that early date, there were only blazed trails through the woods, and for several years they practically lived here alone." One record states that, Dr. Amos Kendall, in 1846, "settled on Bean Creek, near Chatfield's Saw-Mill, and commenced the practice of medicine. He, however, stayed but a few years and then moved back to Gorham, where in later years he died." He was postmaster at Fayette for a term, and justice of peace for many years.

Members of the Emerick family came into Gorham Township to settle in 1849, or 1850. Adam and James P., brothers, took up land in the township, Adam acquiring a tract of sixty acres, in 1851, for $500. Another branch of the family was evidently that of Henry Emerick, who settled in Gorham at about the same time, coming from Seneca County, New York. Henry Emerick purchased eighty acres. James P. and Josiah D. Emerick volunteered for service from Gorham in the '60s.

The Pike family is of honorable record in Gorham. Alanson Pike is a name often encountered in early Gorham records. And L. J. Pike, his son, was one of the leading business men of Fayette for many years. "He was a Civil war veteran, being one of the very youngest of the

'Boys in Blue,' going into service as a lad of sixteen." Judson Pike was born in Gorham on March 31, 1841, and lived his whole life in the county.

Oliver B. Verity, who himself was an early resident of Gorham, lists the following as early settlers: Michael Martzoff, Ansel Ford, Sr., Asa Cottrell, Daniel Hoffman, Benedict Zimmerman, Cornelius Jones, Henry Emerick, John Saltzgaber, Oliver B. Verity, Day Otis Verity, James Henry Verity, Jacob Woodward, Abram Van Valken'burg, Nathan Salsbury, Jr.; Ephraim Sargent, Truman L. Scofield,' Jacob Cox, Martin Bielhartz, William Conrad, Amos Ford, Philander Crane, Israel Mattern, Jacob Mattern, A. P. Boyd, Joseph 0. Allen, Jacob Demerrit, John Gamber, Henry Gamber, George Acker, Sr., George Acker, Jr., Charles Hoffman, Samuel Hoffman, Isaac Hoffman, Daniel Hoffman, John Paul, Obadiah Griffin, John Woodward, Stilly Huffman, William Davis, Daniel Bear, William C. Ely, Joseph Ely, Benjamin Dee, Stephen Flicker, Franklin Ford, Amos Belden, Bainbridge Belden, John Mallory, Peter Plolben, George W. Kellogg, Truman Whitman, John B. Kimmel, John D. Brink, Jared Parker, Peter F. Chambard, William F. Ward, Junius Chase, J. P. Ritter, Jacob Hipput, Thomas C. Lester, J. L. Wise, George Lewis, Ebenezer Lloyd, Lyman Ellsworth, George F. DuBois, George Graves, David F. Spenser, Edward Gamble, A. Amsbaugh, Rial Sweatland, Henry T. Caulkins, Daniel Rhodes, Oliver Town, Uriah S. Town, Hosea Llarmdon, Isaac Town, John W. Lilley, George Gamber, Henry Punches, Samuel Farst, Hon. A. W. Fliokinger, William Plopper, W. P. Garrison, William Thompson, John Wiley, and Josiah Woodworth. The last-named, however, was not, strictly, a resident of Fulton county, for he lived in Mill Creek Township, Williams county - in the part later ceded to Fulton county and including Gorham Township - and was killed by lightning, about four years before the erection of Fulton county. Verity also names those of a younger generation, "sons and daughters of these old pioneers" who also passed "through all the vicissitudes of a pioneer life": Gabriel D. Snow, Spencer T. Snow, and Dolly Farwell Snow, his wife; Benjamin L. Sayles, Columbus Sayles, and Ellen Scofield Sayles, his wife; Wendel A. Mace, and Amanda Bush Mace, his wife; Jamas McCrillis, and Jane Sutton McCrillis, his wife; A. A. Gay, H. S. Conrad, Charles Conrad, Charles IF. Van Ostrand, Thomas T. Baker, Byron M. Hoag, Asher E. Bird, Gorham Cottrell, Jr., Ezekial T. Griffin, George W. Coffin and his wife, Cyrus Ford and his wife, James Brink, John Cox, and Edwin Farwell. And of settlers, by "later immigration," since 1850, he named: Miles L. Wolcott, R. Todd, Harvey Baker, William Kinkaid, J. Reynolds, Abram Schneider, E. Jones, Anson A. Aldrich, S. Youngs, B. F. Robinson, Calvin W. Thomas, John Smith, S. A. Allen, C. Hettinger, John Bielhartz, J. Walkup, A. Kanaur, Thomas Ellis, Solomon Gotshall, S. Oswald, W. W. Oswald, J. Tooslev, Herman A. Canfield, William Woolace, Jacob Gorsuch, Solomon C. Wynn, "and many others."

Ephraim Sargent, one record states, was in Gorham Township in 1833, with his father, of same name, and purchased a tract of eighty acres in 1836, for which he paid $250. Another record shows that

Ephraim Sargent, Jr., and his wife. Huldah Collins, were living in Onondaga County, New York, in 1839, for their son, Oscar M., was l>oni there in that year. And that record states that, in 1840, the three generations, Grandfather Ephraim, Father Ephraim, and the infant, as well as the other members of the family, which included four other sons of Ephraim, Sr., "came to Northwestern Ohio, making the voyage by boat on Lake Erie to Toledo, and thence proceeding by railroad to Adrian, Michigan, from which point they came overland to their destination, not many miles distant." Therefore, there is every probability that the statement that the family came in 1833, which would make Ephraim Sargent the pioneer settler of Gorham Township, is incorrect. Ephraim Sargent became "one of the influential citizens and pioneer farmers of Gorham"; was the father of fourteen children by two wives; and cleared a large acreage of wild land. His son. Oscar M., married into the Cottrell family, and lived practically all his life in Gorham Township.

Amos Bolding and his family settled in Gorham in 1846, coming from Massachusetts. They purchased thirty acres of wild land in that year, and lived upon that small farm all their lives, having eleven children, among them Eugene A., who married a daughter of Gorham Cottrell.

The Bielharz family has been in Gorham Township since 1846. Martin Bielharz was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, and came to America in 1832, the voyage taking eighty-one days. In 1845 he came into Gorham Township, and purchased a farm of 160 acres, upon which he lived until his death, in 1879. His widow, Mary (Rouch), survived him. Another Bielharz family of Gorham was that headed by Tobias, who probably was a brother of Martin. He settled in Gorham in 1846 also, and in 1856 paid $5 an acre for sixty acres, which eventually passed to his son, John H.

William H. Conrad and his wife and children came to Gorham in 1845, from Cortland County, New York. When they arrived they had a cash capital of $16, and probably little furniture. Yet, William Conrad lived to own almost five hundred acres ~of fine farm land, and to rear twelve children.

Edward and Elizabeth (Dickinson) Gamble were both of British birth and came from Richland County, Ohio, in 1845. He owned, eventually, 235 acres in Gorham, where he died in 1882, at the age of eighty-eight years. His wife died eight years earlier. They had four sons, Edward, Jr., John, Richard, and William.

Joseph Ely, who married Susan Struble, was one of the most capable of the early settlers. Lie came in 1838, and he is of record in almost all phases of public work. He was prominent in church work, and held most of the township offices; in addition, he was for fifteen years a county commissioner. He died in 1882.

Jacob and Maria (Goodman) Mattern, with a family of five children, arrived in Gorham in 1846. His record in the township is worthy, though short. He could not resist the call to service in 1861, even though he had many home ties. In August of that year he enlisted in the Thirty-eighth Ohio Regiment, under Colonel Bradley. In 1862, he returned home, discharged, because of physical disability. Soon afterwards he died. Two of his sons, B. F., and J. P., enlisted with him. J. P. was discharged in 1863, because of sickness, or wounds, but B. F. went through to veteran class. Truly, a worthy family record.

The Camber family comes prominently into Fayette history. Henry and Polly (Hartrauft) Camber, and their six children came all the way from Seneca County, New York, in 1852, in a heavy wagon, drawn by an ox-team, and a one-horse buggy was their only other vehicle. They took thirteen days to encompass the distance. He had at an earlier date purchased land in Gorham Township, and the family moved onto it. His property was 160 acres, of, or adjoining Fayette, "eighty acres being on each side of the town, as now established, with Main Street as the southern boundary. Pie paid $750 for the eastern half, and $800 for the eighty acres on the western side, and about one-half of the present town of Fayette is on the land he thus purchased, and which he cleared and improved." The original Gamber homestead stood where later was built the fine brick residence occupied by their son, John J., who, it is said, came into the township in 1845. There was a log cabin on each tract when Henry Gamber took possession, they being on opposite sides of the road, and about ten rods from the site of the brick residence before-mentioned. All but thirty-seven acres of the Gamber farms has been cut up for town lots. John Gamber, apparently, had another farm in Gorham Township, one of 160 acres, which he purchased in 1846 for $460. In 1863, he sold the farm and purchased a half interest in the steam planing mill of Humphrey and Allen at Fayette. In 1869, he disposed of that interest, and purchased the Fayette Hotel, selling that in 1872, and devoting his time to real estate. He was by trade a carpenter, and was street commissioner of Fayette at the time of the granting of the Charter.

The Van Valkenburg family settled in Gorham in 1847, Henry and Nancy (Hale) V an Valkenburg coming with their children to their tract of eighty acres which he had entered in 1845.

The Powers family is among the prominent families of Gorham today, but they were originally of Chesterfield Township, where they settled in 1844. The family did not buy Gorham land until 1871.

William Punches, and his wife, Catherine Miller, settled in the township in 1850. They had eleven children, and he had four children by a previous marriage. Their son, Plenry, was township treasurer for many years, and had a family of nine children.

Several of the Flickinger family were worthy pioneers. Isaac A. settled in Gorham in 1851, and cleared 100 acres, developing a fine farm. Abram M. Flickinger was appointed associate judge of the Common Pleas Court of Fulton county, in the early '50s. And regarding John Flickinger, who died "from a surgical operation" October 31, 1892, Col. J. TJ. Brigham said: "His first business venture. ..... was a failure, and empty-handed he left the home of his father, and came to Fulton county, to begin again the battle of life. He taught school winters, and worked upon the farm the balance of the year.

married Rebecca, daughter of John Viers, and from that time to the day of his death they have resided in our midst; and year by year we have seen the wilderness where they commenced life transformed into the comfortable home which is left to shelter his loved ones, when he can no longer labor for their comfort." That was all. John Flickinger had no long record of consequential appointments in the township, county, or state administrations, to add weight to his name. Tte was called : "John Flickinger, the Pioneer" ; a sufficient honor. His labors, and the labors of men such as he, have right of first place in the story of the evolution of Fulton county from wilderness and pestilential swamp to a land of agricultural plenty. The labor of the pioneer settler was the first essential ; and to him should be, and is, accorded the premier place in the record of honor.

Cornelius Brink was a settler of 1850. He was then forty-eight years old, and bad a family of seven children. James, the youngest, was born in Richland County, Ohio, in 1836. Cornelius died in 1863, and his wife, Hannah (Bodlev), in 1883. James farmed throughout his life in Gorham, and for some years was a township trustee. Jacob, his elder brother, appears to have settled in Gorham earlier, for his son Byron was born in that township in 1847. Jacob died in 1853, and eventually, in 1872, Byron bought a farm in Chesterfield Township. He was a capable, progressive farmer.

in partnership with James Baker, and in 1856 purchased eighty acres of wild land, which he cleared, and upon which he afterwards lived, rearing a family of eight children.

The Allen family, of course, will always be associated with the history of Fayette. The family is referred to extensively elsewhere, but a brief review should have place here. Dr. Joseph 0. Allen, after graduating from Buffalo University, came west, and settled in Fayette, in 1851. He was the pioneer physician of Fayette, and during the years when money was scarce, he supplemented his professional earnings by undertaking a business enterprise, erecting a flour and sawmill at, or on the outskirts of Fayette. He held the principal interest in that business for fifteen years. He also wras one of those chiefly instrumental in bringing the Chicago and Canadian Southern Railway through Fulton county, being the representative of the railroad corporation entrusted with the important work of negotiating for right of way. He was prominent in the local administration, holding many township offices. He also was postmaster at Fayette for two terms. The family home of the Allens was in New York State, and there the parents of the three brothers Allen who came into Fulton county lived and died. Charles L. was the second brother to come to Fulton county and Fayette. He came in 1859, and took up residence with his brother, the doctor. He taught school for a while, and when the Civil war began, in 1861, was a grocer's clerk. He enlisted in the Thirtyeighth 0. V. I., in 1861, and in 1864 was invalided. His last capacity was that of regimental adjutant. From that time he has lived in Fayette almost continuously, taking part in the business enterprises of his brothers, which included the founding of the Bank of Fayette, which bad a long life. He also became prominent in county affairs, being twice elected state representative. The third brother, Arthur, did not take up permanent residence in Fulton county until 1865. He was one of the progressive business men of Fayette, active also in the township administration. He was towmship clerk for some years; was a justice of the peace; and was a member of the village council and of the school board. The Hon. Charles L. Allen is one of the contributing editors of this current historical work, and has always shown a sincere and helpful interest in all public work of consequence to the county. In the '80s, he was chairman and speaker at some of the immense open-air temperance meetings held on the fair grounds, more than three thousand persons gathering for one meeting.

Christian Hettinger settled in Gorham Township in 1855, living for the first five years in a log cabin, notwithstanding that he paid $2,100 for the 160 acres he settled upon. Later, he more than doubled his land holdings, and proved himself to be a worthy pioneer.

In 1855 George I. Amsbaugh came from Richland County, Ohio. His son, Relmon D., married Estella, a daughter of Willard E. Gay, who settled in Gorham Township in 1839, or 1841.

William and Mary (Schlotman) Woollace came to Gorham in 1857, Mr. Woollace buying eighty acres for which he paid $1,700. They had six sons, Franklin, Perry, James, Wm. A., Amos, and John E., all of whom had part in the clearing of the land.

Jacob Van Ostrand, and his wife, Parmelia Merritt, came from Huron County, Ohio, in 1860, and lived on their farm of 1 60 acres in Gorham. Township for the rest of their lives. Their son, Charles H., was a capable public servant; he served more than one term as county commissioner, and was prominent locally.

Calvin W. Thomas came into Gorham, from Pike Township, in 1859, having lived in Pike for about four years, during which he had cut much lumber. He cleared a good farm in Gorlmyn, and for twenty years was identified with the school administration.

Noah S. Leist did not purchase a homestead in Gorham Township until 1874, but he was in the neighborhood very much earlier, having come with his grandfather, Daniel Schlotman, in 1859. Land which, thirty years earlier, could be purchased at two to three dollars an acre, he had to pay $55 an acre for; now it would be worth probably $200, or nearly that much, an acre.

So, the labor of the early settlers brought general prosperity to the neighborhood. They were laboring for themselves, it is true, or for their immediate kin, but all the while they were building up the wealth of the community. So, has the -wealth and power of thus mighty rich nation been developed - by the sweat of the brows of men who were happy in industriousness, who were content with little in return, and who did not expect wealth, or prosperity to come without labor - and constant labor.

As to general township history, there is little on record. The early official township records were, it is supposed, destroyed in the first great fire at Fayette. Gorham Township was organized at a commissioners' session held in the city of Toledo, March 6, 1838, and the first election was held in the home of Erastus Cottrell, near what became Fayette, on the first Monday in April of that year. Who the first officers were cannot be stated, but the Cottrell and Coffin families, who seem to have taken the lead in the matter, were probably represented.

The first justice of the peace was Erastus Cottrell, and, according to Verity, the second -was Amos Belding; the third, Israel Mattern ; the fourth, Jared C. Parker; and the fifth, 0. B. Verity. Other justices included Arthur Allen, Amos Kendall, Nathan Shaw, and Jacob P. Ritter.

The first store to be opened in Gorham Township was probably that conducted by Elijah Snow, and later by his son, Gabriel D. The store was established as an adjunct to the ashery the Snows had built on the east side of section 17, town 9 south, range 1 east, although that wras not, it is believed, the first ashery built in the township, for Hiram Farwell, the pioneer settler, is known to have been in such business very early. Another ashery wTas erected south of Handy in 1841, by Philander Crane. The ashery industry appears to have dwindled to one plant only, by the middle 'forties, and for the next fifteen years the Snow ashery seems to have been the only one operated. It was discontinued in about 1860.

The pioneer physician of the township was Dr. John Kendall. He is also stated to have been the pioneer doctor of Franklin Township ; and there are so many conflicting records that it is somewhat difficult to decide upon the most feasible. He is, according to one record, supposed to have settled at Pettis ville, and to have died there about 1871. The Gorham record asserts that he settled in Gorham "in about 1839 or 1840, but went to Franklin Township about 1841 or 1842." The county records shows him as of Franklin Township in 1850, when he was appointed associate judge of the Common Pleas Court of Fulton county. And a family record shows that his son, Dr. Amos Kendall, settled in or near Fayette in 1843, and that, -with the exception of a few years in the 'forties, during which he lived on Bean Creek, near Chatfield's Corners, Franklin Township, Dr. Amos practiced in Gorham Township for the remainder of his life. Dr. John Kendall, however, it may be assumed did not practice in Gorham for more than one or two years. Dr. Joseph 0. Allen was the next to come, settling within the

The Cottrell settlement was of course the beginning of Fayette, although the corporate limits eventually developed a mile or so beyond their land. Cottrell's Corners was what might be called the first communal center, and the first post-office was located there, in 1839.

However, the first to settle actually within the bounds of present Fayette was Rensselaer S. Humphrey, in all probability, although members of the Keifer and Gamber families were in the vicinity in the same year, or the next, 1845-46. Verity says that Humphrey "was the first to clear up the land upon which a part of Fayette is located. He built the first log cabin within the present limits of the village, and cut away the brush for a highway, now the main street." He further states that the four pioneers of Fayette were Henry Gamber, Rensselaer S. Humphrey, Daniel Keifer, and Dr. Amos Kendall ; and that they were the first to clear land where Fayette is located. Humphrey, in 1845, Keifer in 1846, and Gamber and Kendall about 1848. It seems from other records, however, that Henry Gamber did not come to Fayette until 1852, although his son, John J., was in the territory in 1845, and purchased a farm of 160 acres in 1846.

Rensselaer S. Humphrey, however, seems to have been the most enterprising pioneer, and his action in establishing a store and blacksmith's shop upon his farm seems to have been the influencing factor in drawing to the vicinity other settlers. Dr. Joseph 0. Allen came in 1851, and he was equally progressive. He associated with Humphrey in more than one business enterprise. Humphrey built, and in partnership they conducted, the -first saw-mill in the township, it being put into operation on Humphrey's farm in 1856. In that, or the next year, they erected a steam grist mill, also the pioneer grist mill of Gorham. And that well-known flouring mill is still in operation, the plant now consisting of flouring mill, saw-mill, boiler and engine house. The flouring mill covers 30x40 feet of ground, and is three stories high, with basement in addition. Its present capacity is seventy barrels of flour and 1000 bushels of feed in twenty-four hours ; and it is equipped with a new 70 horsepower boiler and a 60 horsepower engine. The saw-mill makes an average cut of 6,000 feet, or about 500,000 feet in a year, 300,000 feet of which lumber is shipped to other markets. Therefore, it will be seen that the industry begun by Humphrey and Allen has been of much consequence to Fayette throughout the whole of its life.

Captain Charles L. Allen, who joined his brother in Fayette in 1859, and has since made it his home, save for the years of the Civil War, when he went into the zone of strife, has therefore been able to watch its growth almost from the beginning. He is now in his eighty-second year, yet his activities, mental and physical, are those of a well-preserved man of sixty, or less. His recollections are valuable historically, and a few years ago, he fortunately put them into local print. He wrote of "The Early History of the Old Normal Town" as follows :

"William Hardenburg, the proprietor, came here at the suggestion of his brother-in-law Stephen Chaffee, a pioneer farmer of the township. Hardenburg was an operative Mason located in Providence, R. I., and he came, accompanied by a carpenter, and all the ready-made accessories necessary for the construction of a 'Tavern', as he termed it.

"It was a roomy two-story-and-basement building, in size forty by eighty feet on the ground. In those days a ballroom was second only to the bar, as a source of revenue, and with this important matter in view a spacious ball room, 40x40 feet, capable of accommodating 100 dancers, was finished on the second floor, the balance being devoted to sleeping apartments. The porches in front furnished the best quarters possible for visiting and social interchange of opinions, while the convenient bar was accessible at any old time its patrons considered necessary.

"This house was opened for business July 4, 1866, and the day was ushered in by salutes of cannon shot from midnight to sunrise. The whole country for miles around 'heard the joyful sound', and soon there commenced to gather the biggest crowd that Fayette had ever seen. They came from far and near, the old and young, the boys and girls, all flocked to Fayette, to ascertain the cause of the unusual commotion, and incidentally to spend the Fourth, and work up a dance for the evening.

"Some came prepared to stay, others took chances on the hotel feed room, and village groceries. The result, as near as the writer recalls, was that our neighbor, Morenei, was called upon for help to feed the hungry ; and, it has been said that only by steady work at a nearby pump was the bar supply kept out of the hands of a receiver. Anyway, it was a big day, a fact that has never been successfully disputed.

"Favette in 1S66. There was, at the period of its advent (1866) two small general stores in Fayette, the oldest on the corner now occupied by the Farmers State Bank, and run by G. W. Thompson and A. D. Cadwell, both of whom have long since joined the silent majority beyond the river.

"Among the prominent citizens of Fayette at this time (1866) it might be well to mention the names of some who gave many hard days work and earnest thought to the improving and building up of the village. The list of grand old pioneers was, in part: R. S. Humphrey, J. O. Allen, Henry Gamber, Nathan Shaw, L. Ellsworth, J. B Snow, P. F. Chambard, J. P. Emerick; and then, from nearby country the Coffins, Fords, Griffins, Matterns, Gorhams, Chaffins Aldrich, Rices Ritters, Gambers and many others of equal worth and benefit to a growing community. Yes! and there was John Gamber. 'Uncle John', of blessed memory, always to the front in good works, an inspiration to all helpers. All of these grand old heroes of the early days of Fayette have passed away. They rest from their labors, but in very truth, 'their good works do follow them.'

"At the time the hotel wTas built, there were four blocks, one on each corner, with eight lots to a block. Across, south of the hotel was the general store of Allen Bros., and on the southwest corner a store owned by a Mr. Wightman, who a few years later sold to Jared Parker, was located. He moved his stock of goods from Handy. There w7ere two blacksmith shops, one on the site now occupied by Wright Carpenter, who followed that vocation there for many years. The other was located near where the electric depot now is, and was owned by William Barringer; while on the north side of the street Remington Taylor had a workshop and dwelling. He was a wagon-maker. Cutting Wiley also had a wagon shop, located about where the express office now is, acroas west from the old bank building. These, with the 'dwellings of Dr. J. 0. Allen, G. W. Thompson, and the dwelling now occupied by Dr. Berry, constitute a good share of the buildings then occupying the four original blocks of the village.

"The Mill. A few years before the hotel was built, say about the year 1853, the grist and saw-mill was built by J. 0. Allen and R. S. Humphrey. The building and putting into operation of this mill was the prime factor in making the village out of Gorham Center. Prior to that date, it was the custom of the. people to go to Medina, Michigan, to mill, a long and hard day's work. Many of the farm teams wore horns and worked without a harness. They were perhaps more perfectly reliable than the present-day automobiles, but when the short-of-rations farmer started to Medina to mill from Western Gorham, it was a sad parting from his family, for his return, as to date, was an uncertain quality. Tradition tells us, however; that they all got back - sometime. There is no record of deaths from old age on the trip.

"The School. The school house, when the hotel was built, was located where stands the residence of Mrs. Ella Ely. It was a small two-room building, and, being located in the woods, the teachers had everything in their favor in securing good government. Since then, there have been three fine brick buildings built in Fayette for school purposes, and Fayette has established the reputation of furnishing superior facilities for educational purposes, Wisman, Ewers, Dodds, and Perry, and last, but not least, Clark, proving instructors and organizers of more than ordinary ability.

"The Railway. The Chicago and Canada Southern made Fayette a railroad town in the year 1871 ; and George Letcher built a grain house, and made this one of the best grain markets in northwestern Ohio. He did a large business in grain, seed, and dressing pork, and about this time opened a bank, which also gave an impetus to the business of the place. He built two fine brick blocks, one on the corner of the Farmers Bank, fronting west, and one on the corner of the old Bank of Fayette.

"A fine opera hall was on the second floor of the last-mentioned He sold his banking interest to Bryan Baxter, in about the year 1882, and in 1885 sold to Allen Bros, and Trowbridge. C. L. Allen bought the east half of the bank block, and Allen and Trowbridge bought the

"There have been two banking institutions established in Fayette within the last few years, the Farmers State Bank, and the Fayette State Savings Bank, while the old Bank of Fayette went into liquidation in September of 1913, after twenty-seven years of satisfaction to all of its patrons.

"Pastimes. And how about the hotel? In the big fire that burned up Fayette root and branch, the old wooden hotel, with its myriads of occupants, went with the bunch. It changed owners and occupants many times, but always kept up its reputation. The last owner was Mr. L. Hitchcock, who, on the site of the old one, built the brick structure which is known as Hotel Central. Referring again to the 'Old Tavern', it passed through many hands, and various landlords served the public. Vince Brown was' perhaps the man who came nearest being an all-around hotelman, although Woollace and Carpenter (Jim and Wright) were close seconds. In the days of their popular reign, there were frequent gatherings. The farmers came in and spent their leisure hours in a species of recreation that in these latter days seems to have been forgotten. But they were a jolly good-feeling crowd. There was Hank Emerick, Ben Dee, George Gamber, Ace Bailey, Squire Mattern, John Whaley, Nate Salsbury, Milo Rice, Steve Chaffee, Jim Baker, Benjamin Russell, Cy Ford and many others who were wont to gather. Pitching quoits was a favorite pastime. As a rule, there would be four contestants, or rather four pitchers, in pairs. They used horseshoes for quoits, and the party first securing ten points was acclaimed the victor. The penalty for the defeated was 'the drinks', and (in the language of the preacher) : 'Hence you perceive' there were frequent calls upon the dispenser of the needful. Thus, they whiled away the time. But there were, in connection with this passing of time, other games of chance, including wrestling, square holds and side holds, back hold, and rough-and-tumble, now called catchas-catch-can. The younger (18 to 25) took part in these exercises, the penalty of defeat being the same as in the quoit contests. Sometimes one of the old fellows would think he was it, and would take a chance on a fall with the young fellows; in this case there were devious results. The}'- were a jolly lot of old scouts, and I have my doubts as to there having been any improvement in these latter days on the real enjoyment of pioneer life and early day recreation.

"The 'Old Tavern,' Bill Hardenburg's monument, although long since reduced to ashes, will forever be a cherished memory, so long as there is living a Fayette citizen who was present at its christening.

"Fayette has grown to be a thriving village of more- than one thousand happy citizens. We have our churches, our schools, our lodge rooms, our splendid stores, railroad and mail facilities, electric lights, produce dealers, a live paper and, to cap the whole outfit, a commerce club, a genuine booster; while our grain handling, coal delivery and lumber yard are second to none. Happy proud Fayette !

"The Grit of the Pioneer. Now, while you think of it, take another look at the old landmark, the hotel of '60. Think of the gall a man must have had to erect such a monster in a town of 200 people, in a sparsely settled neck of the woods, eleven miles from a railroad, with the void woods crowding the back door! But men of gall and pluck lived in those days. The men I have mentioned, the first settlers in this now 'Garden of the Gods', were the kind of material that build great nations. They never knew the meaning of the word 'quit.' They shouldered all the vicissitudes and inconveniences of pioneer life, pressed sturdily forward, conquered all difficulties, and their manly efforts crowned with victory are the heritage of the generation now enjoying the fruits of their labor. The old man, ITardenburg, after leaving Fayette, kept a hotel in Archbold, and from there he returned to bis old home in Providence, where he died full of years and many good deeds.

"In the reminiscences I have jotted down, there may be some slight errors as to dates. Unimportant they are, as there are but few now living to disnute them, and a year or two in ancient history doesn't count.

"Old Time Lodges. Referring to the old-time lodges of Fayette; the Masons and Oddfellows are in a class by themselves. The order of F. and A. M. was instituted in Fayette A. D. 1867, with William Sutton, W. M. and C. L. Allen, secretary. Of the charter members the sole representatives now remaining are James Grisier and C. L. Allen. The lodge is now in prosperous and healthy condition, with C. D. Hause, w. nr, and Prof. Clark, secretary. They own their pleasant and commodious lodge room, are well equipped and have a good surplus. The increase in membership fully makes up the losses. Of the Oddfellows, the same may be said. They are a strong lodge, own their own lodge room, and are abundantly able to care for their unfortunate and needv wards.

"The Eastern Stars and Rebekahs, in their several worthy and important interests are reliable adjuncts and fully and cheerfully do their important parts in maintaining the organizations.