Moulton Township

Moulton Township

This township is situated in the geographical centre of the county, and is the only one not bounded by county lines. It was organized in 1834 as part of Allen County, being at that time a full township. When Auglaize County was formed in 1848 nine sections were struck off the north part of Moulton township, and became a part of the new township of Logan, thus leaving the present township six miles east and west, and four and one-half miles north and south, and containing twentyseven square miles.

There had been some improvement made by the Indians along the Auglaize River, the east half of the township being part of the Shawnee Reservation. The first white settlements date from 1832 and 1833, and among these settlers we find Jos. Haskill, Jos Bonson, William Julian, father of George Julian, now the oldest settler in the township, Daniel Cutler, Benjamin Nagle, William Crowder (Col.), John Waite, Thos. Williams, John C. Freyman, Christopher Baily, Abner Daniels, and Thomas Jones. From 1837 to 1840 were Cornelius Christy, Henry McConnell, Samuel Walker, John McFarland, and John C. Bothe. The early settlers experienced the usual privations of pioneer life, because of the difficulty of obtaining supplies. After a little time provisions became plentiful, but dry goods and groceries were largely beyond reach on account of high prices. Homespun was the common wearing apparel, and a blushing girl in her teens would make butter at five cents per pound and gather eggs at three cents per dozen to buy a calico dress at twenty-live cents per yard; and then this dress of calico was more highly prized than would be a fine silk by our fashionable belles of to-day. Farmers would go to Piqua or Sidney to mill or to market a few bushels of wheat, and bring back family supplies.

Soil. - The soil of Moulton is largely a strong clay with considerable burr oak flats of rich black loam, and some fine alluvial loam along the creeks and river. It is productive, and generally in a good state of cultivation, being rapidl}' irrigated and otherwise improved. The surface is gently rolling, without any waste lands, which render its drainage less difficult than other townships of the county.

Streams. - The Auglaize River flows through the township, entering near the southeast part, and flowing to the northwest. Pusheta Creek empties into the Auglaize in the southeast corner, and the Six Mile Creek flows through the west side of the township. The soil along all these streams is fertile, while the surface is rolling, and here may be found some well improved and excellent farms. The Morse Iron Bridge over the Auglaize is a very fine structure on the River Road, and reflects credit upon William Craft & Co., commissioners, who superintended its erection.

Roads. - Considerable interest has been taken in the grading and general improvement of the roads, but as }ret no pikes have been constructed. The St. Marys and Wapakoneta Plank Road crosses the south side of the township.

Railroads. - The Lake Erie and Western Road passes a distance of about five miles in the northwest part of the township, and offers a good market to points along its line.

Schools. - There are eight school districts in the township all furnished with good buildings, and the schools are in a prosperous condition.

Churches. - There are five churches: The Catholic church near Glynwood; Methodist and German Lutheran at Moulton; Christian at Oak Grove; and United Brethren on the Auglaize. The different denominations preserve harmonious relations, and are free from sectarian strife.

Villages. - Moulton, on the St. Marys and Wapakoneta Plank Road, is midway between those points, and has a good local trade. It contains a drygoods and grocery store, post-office, wagon and blacksmith shops, one hotel, one school, one sawmill, cooper and shoe shop, and two churches.

Glynwood, on the Lake Erie and Western Railroad, is a station lately established, and has a good side track for shipping purposes. It contains a post-office, store, church, shoe

Biographical

James E. McFarland was born in Pennsylvania in 1814, and moved to Logan County, Ohio, in 1835. Five y ears later he came to this county, and settled in Moulton township on the St. Marys Plank Road, three and a half miles west of Wapakoneta. He married Nancy Lawhead. They reared two children, one of whom was W. E. McFarland, who died in 1819. After his wife's death he married Rosanna Walker. They reared four children, viz., John I., S. Walker, Frank J., and Mary. The mother died in August, 1854. He afterwards married Susan Ward, with whom he reared two children, Mollie and Celia. Upon the death of this third wife he married Catharine Whetstone, who still survives. When Mr. Mc- Farland came to the county he secured one hundred and sixty acres of land, of which he still own9 a portion. Soon after his settlement here he had acquired that respect which elevated him to the office of justice of the peace in 1844, which office he held about thirty-one years; twenty-six }7ears of this time he held the office of township treasurer. He was one of a famity of six children, and was the third of these to pass away; his next younger brother, Bishop McFarland, of Providence, R. 1., being the first, and Dr. McFarland, of Cleveland, who died about 1874. Mr. McFarland died July 21, 1875. There are still living W. H. McFarland, of Edina, Mo., J. L. Mc- Farland, present auditor of Auglaize County, and Dr. J. A. Mc- Farland, of Tiffin, Ohio. The family was well educated, and highly qualified for the professions or positions of trust which the different members assumed.

John Glynn was born in Galway County, Ireland, on the fifteenth of August, 1820. He emigrated to this country Aug. 28, 1851, and settled in Columbus, Ohio, where he stayed until he moved to Auglaize County on the fifteenth of May, 1857, to the farm on which he now resides. The Lake Erie and Western Railroad passes through his farm. He laid out a town, which was named Glynwood in honor of him by Samuel Craig.

John Musser, Si'., was born in Elizabethtown, Pa., Oct. 16, 1799, where he lived until his maturity. In 1826 he was united in marriage with Miss Rachel McCollum, the result of their marriage being ten children, of which four girls and two boys are yet living. Passing over the years they resided in Fairfield County, Ohio, where a number of their children were born - some died and others married - we note that in 1852 Father Musserand family came to Auglaize County, his present home, winch was then almost an unbroken forest. With their united efforts, struggles, and sacrifices, common to the early settler, the forests were felled, fields inclosed, bearing rich cereals, orchards of golden fruit sprung up, in short, all the comforts of life were soon secured to them.

James L. Cook was born in Delaware County, Ohio. He settled in Moulton township, this county, in 1850. There were but few settlers at that time; much of the land was still owned by the government.

Thomas and Patrick Cogan were born in Sligo County, Ireland. They came to America in 1847, and to Moulton township, this county and State, in 1850. They entered land in this township among the settlers of this county.

Thomas Schoonover was born in Tioga County, N. Y., in 1827, and came to this county in 1836. He followed blacksmithing a number of years in St. Marys, and afterwards moved on his farm in Moulton township, where he now lives.

Richard McGuff was born in Galwa}' County, Ireland. He emigrated to the State in 1847, and moved to Moulton township, Auglaize County, in 1862, where he still lives.

John Cogan was born in Sligo County, Ireland. He emigrated to this country in 1847, and settled in this county in Feb. 1851, in Moulton township on the farm on which he now resides.

The old Fort east of Wapakoneta, that many of the old settlers still remember, was built by the French in 1748, and was called Fort Au Glaize, the location of which is described in an Atlas published at Paris, France, par le Rouge, Ingr Geograplie du Roi, rue des Grands Augustins, 1777, and corrected by M. Hawkins, Brig. -General of the King's Army in 1776. A volume of the Atlas can be found in the library of the Hon. F. Bourquin, of Camden, New Jersey.

Military Record

The soldiers of Auglaize County were largely embodied in the 37th, 45th, 99th, and 118th Regiments Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Let us merely glance at these regiments.

The 37th Regiment O. V. I. was the third German regiment organized in the State, and was mustered into service October 2, 1862. It participated in the campaigns of the Kanawha Valle}', Arkansas, and the Yazoo River, and again in the investment of Vicksburg. Here the Lieut.-Colonel was severely wounded, and the command during the next month devolved upon Major Hipp, now of St. Marys. After the fall of Vicksburg, the regiment participated in the capture of Jackson, and returned to Cherokee Station, via Memphis and Corinth. It next appeared at Chattanooga, operating in the Sugar Creek Valley, and in the march to Kingston, again in command of Major Hipp. It afterward engaged in the movements on the Chattahoochee River, but moved rapidly from here against Atlanta. Alter the fall of the city, forced marches were made across Georgia and Alahama in pursuit of Hood's cavalry. On Nov. 13, 1864, the regiment entered Atlanta to obtain outfits for the " grand march to the sea" under Sherman. The history of this march is known, and at its close we find the regiment in camp at Goldsboro', N. C, during the capitulations of Lee and Johnson. It then marched to Washington, was reviewed by the President and Cabinet, and then transferred to Little Rock, Arkansas, and lastly to Cleveland, Ohi<», where the men were discharged, Aug. 12, 1865.

The 45th 0. V. I. was mustered into service Aug. 19, 1862, and proceeded the same day to Kentucky. It operated about Danville, and with Woolford's and the Second Ohio Cavalry pursued the forces of John Morgan on his Ohio raid. Again it pursued the command of Col. Scott as far as Winchester, Ky. The regiment now operated in Kentucky and Tennessee until it took part in the battle of Resaca, after which it participated in the Atlanta campaign, including the engagements at New Hope Church, Lost Mountain, and Kenesaw Mountain. It then returned to Middle Tennessee and took part in the battles of Franklin and Nashville, which broke the strength and included one company from Auglaize County. It left Camp Lima Aug. 31, under orders to report at Lexington, Ky. It participated against Bragg in the retreat to Wild Cat, then marched against John Morgan, who was pushed from his own ground, but without any significant result. Again it moved toward Nashville, took part in the Battle of Stone River, and advanced on Murfreesboro'. It next operated in the Tennessee and Sequatchie Valleys, but moved in time to engage in the battle of Chickamauga. It afterward entered Lookout Valley, engaged in the "battle above the clouds," and the following day swept over Mission Ridge. After these engagements it went into camp until it moved in the Atlanta campaign, when it participated in the battles of Kenesaw and Pine Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesboro', and Lovejoy. It then started in pursuit of Hood, via Resaca to Duck River, and after opening communications, was ordered to Franklin. From here it proceeded to Nashville, where it took a positioa in front of the city, and moved against Hood's entrenchments. The entrenchments were carried and the rebel guns turned upon the retreating army, which was pursued as far as Columbia. Here the 99th was consolidated witli the 50th Ohio, after which it moved to Wilmington, Kingston, Goldsboro', Raleigh, Greensboro', and was finally mustered out at Salisbury, N. C, June 26, 1865.

The 118th 0. V. I. was mustered into service in Aug. 1862, and was ordered at once to Kentucky. It operated in Kentucky and Tennessee, without any particular engagement, until the campaign of 1864, when, on the ?th of May, it moved against Dalton, and again against Resaca. In this latter engagement the regiment, in a single charge, lasting about ten minutes, lost 116 of the 300 men engaged. A few days later it took part in the fierce encounters about Dallas and Pumpkinville Creek, in its irresistible advance. It was engaged at Kenesaw, Chattahoochee, Utoy Creek, and the closing movements at Atlanta. This city fell, and the regiment returned to Decatur and joined in the pursuit of Hood, who was driven to Franklin, where a stand was made onl}- to be lost. From here the regiment pursued the retreating army as far as Columbia, and from there went to Clifton. It then proceeded into North Carolina, and embarked for Cincinnati, from which city it went by rail to Washington. From Washington it went to the mouth of the Cape Fear River, moved upon and captured Ft. Anderson, and was the first regiment to plant its colors on the fort. Its next engagement was at Town Creek, from which point it marched to Kingston, and advanced to Goldsboro', when it joined Sherman's army, and participated in the final movements against the forces of Johnson. The regiment was finally mustered out at Cleveland, Ohio, July 9, 1865. We have thus cast only a glance at the war record, for space forbids that we enter into a history of the Soldiers of Auglaize County. For their record belongs to the Nation as distinctly as the principles for which they fought belong to man. Participating in all the suffering, defeats, and crowning triumphs of the National Arm}', their record is a record of the war. The results of their devotion are therefore, first, National, but ultimately, Universal, for they fought as men for man, the principles for which they contended being the foundation on which rests the welfare and happiness of the race. They depend not upon local annals for the abiding history of their achievements, but find it traced in living characters of gratitude upon the hearts of a liberty loving nation. In this national capacity they secure for themselves the grateful benedictions of that Posterity for which they preserved a Land of Liberty, Unity, and Peace. To-day, we stand before the dawn of an era of peace whose mild mission is destined to conquer, for the age of the pen guided by Reason is superseding the era of the sword.

Source changes here: from History of Western Ohio and Auglaize County, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Pioneers and Prominent Public Men, by Williamson, C. W, published 1905; 5,128 words in this source stream.

Moulton Township

This township was organized December 25th, 1835. The following record of that date is copied from the journal of the Allen county commissioners :

"Joseph Haskel then presented a petition from the inhabitants of township five south, range five east, praying to be set off as a separate township and to be designated and known by the name of Moulton. Petition granted. Bonds given and advertisements written for an election to be held at the house of Joseph Haskel on the 30th of January, 1836, for the purpose of electing the necessary township officers."

The township at that time was composed of thirty-six sections. When Auglaize county was formed in 1848, nine sections were struck off from the north part of Moulton township and became a part of the new township of Logan, thus leaving the present township six miles in length from east to west, and four

The township was a dense wilderness at the time of its organization, with the exception of about fifteen acres along the river in sections twenty-five and twenty-six that had been cleared by Peter Cornstalk's tribe of Indians. The eastern half of the township had formerly been a part of the Shawnee Reservation. Bluejacket resided with Cornstalk's tribe until he and the prophet moved to the territory west of the Mississippi. The site of Bluejacket's catiin was. near the center of section twenty-five, and is occupied at the present time by John Schlenker's brick residence.

The Auglaize river flows through the eastern portion of the township. The first and second bottom lands adjacent to it are noted for their great fertility. Other streams entering the township are Pusheta creek, from the southeast, and Six Mile creek through the western portion. The soil is largely a strong clay, with considerable black loam along the streams.

The Lake Erie and Western railroad passes through the northwestern part, and - the Western Ohio Electric railroad through the southern portion of the township.

Nearly all the public roads at the present time are gravel pikes. The population is principally of Irish and German descent, and the community is an agricultural one. During recent years the discovery of oil has yielded a substantial income to the owners of lands that have been developed.

The first land entries in Moulton township were made on the day that the land office was opened at Wapakoneta, December 26th, 1832. The following exhibit from the records of the registrar's office is, also, a record of the advent of the pioneers, as most of them took possession of their lands soon after the entries were made : church near Glynwood ; Methodist Episcopal and German Lutheran at Moulton ; Christian church at Oak Grove ; and United Brethren on the Auglaize river.

This village was laid out in March, 1876, and was named in honor of John Glynn, a native of Ireland, who settled near the site of the village in 1857. It is located at the intersection of the Lake Erie and Western railroad and the west line of section twenty, Moulton township.

Moulton is situated on what was formerly the old Plank Road, midway between Wapakoneta and St. Marys. It has never assumed very large proportions, and its business has been confined to the trade of the immediate neighborhood. Since the construction of the Toledo and Ohio Central railroad and the Western Ohio Electric railroad, there has been a noticeable increase in the business of the town.

The village contains one grain elevator, a post-office, two churches, one store, one blacksmith shop, one wagonmaker's shop, and one saloon.

Biographical

Thomas Cogan was born in Sligo county, Ireland, in 1834. His parents, John and Mary (Sheridon) Cogan were also born in Ireland, where they spent their entire lives.

"In 1847, our subject, in company with an elder brother, sought to better his condition by crossing the ocean to America, and after reaching this country the former was engaged for some time in driving teams on the Delaware and Hudson canals. This he continued for about six months, and afterward for about a year was engaged in repairing the canal. This was his first start in business for himself. Although his educational advantages had been limited in youth, he possessed a naturally bright mind and was quick to pick up all new methods and ideas.

"In 1850, he emigrated to Ohio, and with the money he had saved he bought eighty acres of canal land in Moulton township, where he now resides. This land was then wild and uncultivated 50 h a c and infested with wild animals, but Mr. Cogan went actively to work to improve and cultivate his property. To the original tract he added from time to time, and in after years became the owner of two hundred and sixteen acres, all well improved and well cultivated. In 1891, oil was discovered on Mr. Cogan's farm, and there are now five oil wells and a gas well on the farm. These wells have yielded him a large income up to date, and are still in operation.

"In 1866, Mr. Cogan was wedded to Miss Margaret Glynn, a native of Ireland and the daughter of Owen Glynn, who was also a native of the Emerald Isle. After marriage Mr. Cogan and wife settled on their present farm, in Moulton township, and Iiere their seven children were born: John F., May E., Owen P., Anna B., Thomas P., Maggie T., and Julia A. Being deprived of good educational advantages in his own youth, Mr. Cogan greatly desired that his children should be well educated and has given them every opportunity. His eldest son followed teaching for a few years and is now an ordained priest in the Catholic church.

"Mr. Cogan and wife have been members of the Catholic church nearly all their lives, and are active in their support of the same. In his political views, our subject inclines toward the Democratic party, but usually votes for the best man, irrespective of party. His first Presidential vote was cast for James Buchanan."

James McFarland was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, August 23d, 1814. In 1835, he, with his parents moved to Logan county, Ohio. Five years later he came to this county and settled in Moulton township, on the St. Mary's road, three' and a half miles west of Wapakoneta. He married Miss Nancy Lowhead. Of this marriage two children were born. His wife died in 1840. Two years afterward he married Miss Rosana Walker. Of this union four children were born: John I., S. Walker, Frank J., and Mary. The mother died in August, 1854. He afterward married Susan Ward, with whom he reared two children, Mollie and Celia. Upon the death of this third wife lie married Catherine Whetstone, who still survives.

hundred and sixty acres of land on which he resided until his death. Soon after his settlement here he was elected to the office of justice, which he held for thirty-one consecutive years; twentysix years of this time he held the office of township treasurer. He also served one term as treasurer of the county agricultural society, in addition to many other minor offices. He was one of a family of eight children, and was the third of these to pass away; his next younger brother was Bishop Francis P. McFarland, Bishop of Hartford (Conn.) Diocese; Dr. Josiah A. Mc- Farland, Cleveland, Ohio ; William H. McFarland, Medina, Missouri; Squire James E. McFarland, Auglaize county, Ohio; Henry J. McFarland and Ignatius McFarland, Chambersburg. Pennsylvania.

Mr. McFarland was a communicant of the Catholic church, and gave evidence all through life of the faith that was in him. He died July 21, 1875.

Jerome McFarland, a brother of the preceding, was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1828. After a preparatory course in a parochial school he attended Jefferson University, at Watertown, New York, and graduated from that institution at the age of twenty years. One year after his graduation he removed to this county, and on the first of May, 1850, he married Miss Anna Walker. Of this union twelve children were born, eight of whom survive him, as follows: Mrs. B. W. Layton,

Washington, D. C. ; John F. McFarland, Indianapolis; Mrs. Rose Cain, Bellefontaine, Ohio ; Miss Mary McFarland, Wapakoneta. Ohio; Mrs Aggie McMurray, Bellefontaine; Jerome McFarland, Glynwood, and W. H. McFarland, Wapakoneta. The mother of this large family died many years ago. Mr. McFarland was a man of great moral worth and business ability, and occupied many positions of honor and trust. He served as county commissioner from 1865 to 1874, and county auditor from 1877 to 1883. It can be truly said of him that he was one of the most popular and efficient officers that the county has ever had.

History Of Western Ohio

John Musser. Among the many enterprising foreigners who at an early day emigrated to the Land of the Free with a view to bettering their condition was the paternal grandfather of our subject, who emigrated from Switzerland and settled in Maryland about 1750. Being progressive and enterprising to a marked degree, he was not satisfied to remain long in Maryland when the yet unexplored West was before him, and he emigrated to Ohio and settled in Fairfield county. Although the land was wild upon which he settled, the soil was rich and productive, and as the work of clearing progressed and the seed was planted, it yielded a rich return. He was the father of seven children. In religion, he was a member of the German Reformed church, and died in that faith in 1822.

Theobald Musser, son of the above and father of our subject, was born in Fredericktown, Maryland, and there passed his boyhood. In that place, he married Miss Christine, daughter of Christopher Binkley, of Hagerstown, Maryland. After marriage this worthy couple settled in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, but a few years later removed to Fairfield county, Ohio, and there the father engaged in tilling the soil the remainder of his days. Both were members of the Reformed Lutheran church. He died in 1847, and his wife passed away in 1853. Of the ten children born to them, three are now living: John, David and Daniel.

John Musser, the subject of this sketch, was born in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, in the year 1799. At the time of his death he was the oldest man in Auglaize county and had the distinction of being the oldest surviving settler. Having passed the greater portion of his life here he was thoroughly identified with its interest in every worthy particular and recognized by all as one of its representative and most highly esteemed citizens. He was brought by his parents to Ohio in 1801, and grew to manhood in Auglaize county. When Mr. Musser started out in life, he was entirely without means, but possessed a great amount of energy and push, and a strong and willing hand. By his industry and economy he became the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land.

He served as an officer in the State militia for seven years, and was commissioned, in turn, First Lieutenant, Captain, and Lieutenant Colonel of the Seventh Ohio regiment. In his polit- ical views he was a staunch supporter of the principles of the Republican party. In religion, he was a member of the Presbyterian church, in which he served as deacon. He was married in Perry county, Ohio, in 1826, to Mrs. Rachel McCullom, who passed from earth August 20, 1861. She was a woman of noble attributes which endeared her to her acquaintances.

Thomas Schoonover was born in Tioga county, New York. March 6th, 1827, and had reached the advanced age of seventyfive years at the time of his death. His parents were of sturdy Holland Dutch extraction, and came originally from the eastern part of the Empire state. In 1837, Thomas, in company with his parents, emigrated to Auglaize county and located at Wapakoneta. Soon afterward the family moved onto a farm immediately north of the county infirmary. In 1840, his father Benina Schoonover, having a contract for supplying building material to be used in the construction of the east bank of the St. Mary's reservoir, moved his family to St. Marys. After the death of his father, which occurred in an unpretentious cabin in the forest near the reservoir, in the autumn of 1840, Thomas returned to Wapakoneta, where he resided until 1852, when he returned to St. Marys, and as an apprentice, entered the blacksmith shop of Mr. George Craft.

In 1856, he married Miss Mary Ann Rout. Of this marriage five children were born, two of whom, Attorney John T. Schoonover, of St. Marys, and Dr. W. E. Schoonover, of Springfield, Ohio, survive. Two of the family died in infancy, and a daughter, wife of Mr. S. D. Howick, died a few years ago.

After conducting a shop for many years at St. Marys, he retired to his farm near Moulton, in Moulton township, where he resided until five years before his death, when he returned to St Marys.

manville, Montgomery county, Ohio. After a brief residence at that point the family moved a second time, and located at Pontiac, in Shelby county, Ohio, where the father purchased a farm, on which he resided until his death.

John Young remained under the parental roof until the commencement of the War of 1812. Being only sixteen years of age at that time, the recruiting officers declined to accept his application for enlistment as a soldier. He, however, obtained employment, and served during the war in the capacity of wagon boy and stock driver. A short time before the surrender of General Hull at Detroit, he accompanied a convoy from Dayton, Ohio., having in charge a drove of cattle and other supplies for the troops stationed at Fort Dearborn. It was the last consignment that reached the fort. The convoy returned to Dayton in safety, about the time of Hull's surrender. When the convoy reached the Kankakee river they passed an encampment of Chippewa Indians who were in a starving condition. The commandant took pity on them and gave them a large ox. The animal was immediately killed, and the entrails removed and prepared for boiling in a large kettle, by ripping them with a knife and giving them a moderate washing in the flowing stream.

John Young came to Auglaize county in 1846, and purchased a farm on the Auglaize river in Moulton township on which he resided until his death which occurred August 3d, 1877. Uncle Johnny Young as he was familiarly called, used to relate an incident that occurred at Sidney at the time he was a resident of Shelby county. John Bryan, a lad of the town, ran away with a party of Indians who had been carousing around the village for a week or more. The amount of fun that Bryan had with the Indian boys was such that he decided "to become one of them." He accordingly left Sidney for Wapakoneta in company with his dusky associates. An hour or two afterward the father was informed of the escapade of his son. He immediately took steps to overtake the wayward youth, by applying to John Young, who was at Sidney at that time, offering him five dollars if he would overtake the party and bring back the boy. Young consented to do so on condition that he should be furnished a horse and two gallons of whiskey to treat the Indians when he should overtake them. The proposition was accepted, and a few minutes afterward he mounted a swift horse carrying a two gallon jug, filled with "lightning whiskey" in one hand and guiding the horse with the other. The Indians were overtaken near the present site of Botkin's station, where they cheerfully exchanged the boy for whiskey. Mr. Young returned in the evening and received the five dollars for the rescue. The boy grew to manhood and settled at Uniopolis, Auglaize county, and in after years practiced medicine.

Prior to the organization of Auglaize county the townships of Noble and Salem belonged to Mercer county, and were known as Wayne township. Upon its annexation to Auglaize county it became necessary to change the name, as there was already a Wayne township in the east part of the county. One of the first acts of the new board of county commissioners was the sub-division of the new township. The north half was called Salem township, and the south half was named Noble township in honor of Elisha Noble, one of the most influential of the early settlers. It borders on what was formerly known as the Black Swamp region. The surface is mostly level and fertile. The soil along the river and in the other low lands consists of a black sandy loam, broken in places by sandy ridges. "It is crossed by the St. Mary's river, which enters about midway on the south line, pursues a serpentine course through the township, and finally crosses the north line about half a mile from the northwest corner. The canal follows the general course of the river from south to north, and both are noted for the irregularity of their courses. The timber is of the indigenous varieties of the country which are elsewhere treated. This township comprises an area of twenty-seven square miles, and is bounded on the north by Salem township, on the east by Logan and Moulton townships.

on the south by St. Marys township and on the west by Mercer county. Immediately after the discovery of petroleum in the township, an area of development and prosperity set in that are still in progress. The heavy forests of twenty years ago have been cleared away, and comfortable school houses and churches may be seen on every hand. With a knowledge of the importance of education, school houses have been erected and teachers employed, until, for intelligence, the township will compare favorably with any in the county. Excellent gravel pikes extend to all parts of the county.

Three years after the Indian treaties at St. Marys, immigrant land buyers began to arrive at St. Marys. The following list of land entries is a history of the settlement of the township :

Land Entries

The record- of township officers in the county auditor's office is incomplete. The following is a record of the terms of officers as near as can be ascertained :

Nicholas Brewer was born in Highland county, Ohio, January ioth, 1812. His father, Islam Brewer, a native of North 'Carolina, came to Ohio in the early years of its settlement, and was one of the original pioneers of Highland county. He married there and became a prosperous farmer. A few years prior to his death, he removed to Clinton county, where he died in 1850, at an advanced age. His wife, Phoebe Brewer, a native of Virginia, passed away some years before he did.

Mr. Nicholas Brewer's school advantages were very limited, as he had to go two or three miles to school, which was taught in a rude log cabin, and he only went two terms in all. Highland county was wild at that time, and game, such as deer, wolves, bear and other animals, abounded, so that he had fine opportunities to exercise his skill as a marksman when he could obtain permission to go hunting. In 1830 he married Miss Sarah Noble, and five years later come to Noble township and entered eighty acres of land in section twenty-four. He moved his family here in 1836, the journey being made most of the way in a wagon through the woods.

to clear a road to his land in Noble township. Upon their arrival, an eighteen by twenty foot cabin was erected, in which he lived for many years. His neighbors were Solomon Denny, Israel Johns, David Woodruff, David Ross, James and John Vanmoyce. and Jesse Daniels. Mr. Brewer voted the fall he came here, and never missed an election from that time until his death. His fellow citizens early recognized his fitness for public life, and from time to time called him to fill various responsible offices connected with the administration of civic affairs. He held the office of county commissioner for six years, in a manner approved by his constituents.

Elisha Noble was born on the eastern shore of Maryland in 1782 and emigrated to Ohio in 1808. He settled in Clinton county, and later, moved to Mercer county, where he became a prominent and influential citizen. "Tradition has it that the Noble family originated in America from three brothers of the name, who emigrated from England in Colonial times, one settling in New York, another in Maryland, and the third in Virginia." From them has sprung a numerous family.

Mr. Elisha Noble was an active participant in the War of 1812. He was present at the siege of Fort Meigs and at the battle of the Thames. He purchased land in Wayne township, afterward Noble township in Auglaize county. He served as commissioner for six years in Mercer county, and after the erection of Auglaize county was (in 1850) elected commissioner of the new county. It is said that the pay he received as commissioner was scarcely sufficient to pay his land tax.

Israel Johns was born in Kentucky, in 1803, and came to this country in 1828. His family then consisted of his wife and three children. They settled in what is now Noble township, then Wayne township, Mercer county. He reared a family of ten children, of whom four are still living. Mr. Johns was one of the exemplary pioneers of this section. While he was actively engaged in improving and cultivating his land he yet found time for works of charity. He became a minister of the Gospel, and one year he filled four appointments, for which his compensation was three white handkerchiefs. He was a wheelwright by trade, but could work at any of the mechanical arts. He made shoes, built wagons, and did something for his neighbors. Of his children, Mrs. A. B. Covert, William Johns, .Esq., Azariah Johns, and Sarah J. McDonald are still living.

William Smith was born in New Jersey, April 28, 1803. He was a shoemaker by trade in the early part of his life. In 1833, at the age of thirty years, he moved to Greene county, where he engaged in farming for a few years. Later he moved to Darke county, where he resided eight years before coming to this county. He entered forty acres of land in section twentyfive in Noble township in 1852, and the following year settled upon it, building a log house in the woods and starting out once more in the regulation pioneer style. He cleared and developed his farm on which he resided until the date of his death which occurred January 22, 1891. Mr. Smith was the first superintendent of the county infirmary farm from 1858 to i860. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church at Port Jefferson in 1840, while a resident of Darke county, and for fifteen years was a most exemplary member of that denomination. His wife was also an active member of the same church. She preceded him in death, dying in 1880.

This township was established in 1836, and organized in 1837. It was originally a part of Van Wert and Allen counties. The township is bounded on the north by Van Wert and Allen counties, on the east by Logan township, on the south by Noble township and on the west by Mercer county. The surface of the township is flat with the exception of a ridge which passes through the northern part. The ridge is simply a broad undulation, or thickening of the drift, and is mainly composed of clay. The Miami and Erie canal cuts through the ridge at a point called Deep Cut. Originally the land was heavily ^timbered, and during a part of the year large tracts of it were covered by water, com- monly called swales. But little perceptible progress was made in the development of the township until after the construction of the Miami and Erie canal. Ihe soil is rich, and though very wet in the early days of the country, the system of drainage established has resulted in bringing the entire surface under cultivation. The St. Marys river winds in an irregular course through the township, from southeast to west, and the Miami and Erie canal crosses from south to north. The inhabitants are of English, Irish and German descent, the latter now predominating. Agriculture is the chief pursuit. The township is. well supplied with schools .and churches, and like other sections of the country is well piked.

Austin Barber was born in Union township, Mercer county, Ohio, January 8th, 1833. His father, Samuel C. Barber, was born in 1804, near Honcoye Lake, New York, and was a son of Captain Amos Barber, who was a native of Massachusetts, and was of Irish descent. In the early part of his life he removed to New York, and from thence to Kentucky, in 1817, and died in Hardin county. He was captain of a company in the War of 1812.

"The father of our subject was a lad of thirteen years when the family moved to Kentucky, where he grew to manhood and became a farmer. In the fall of 1828, he crossed the Ohio river, and penetrated the wilderness as far northward as Mercer county, where he entered land in Union township in section twenty-seven, where he resided until his death, in 1851, at the age of forty-seven years. The Indians were numerous, at that time, and provisions were scarce. Fortunately, for the pioneers, wild game was abundant, affording subsistence to the newcomers until a crop was raised the next year."

. Mr. Austin Barber had but meager educational advantages in his boyhood. He attended his first term of school in an old log cabin having puncheon floor and was furnished with slab seats. His schooling was limited to two or three months in the winter. The remainder of the year was spent in wielding the ax, and the cultivation of the newly cleared land.

In 1854 Mr. Barber married Miss Eliza L. Hamilton, daughter of the Hon. Justin Hamilton, of Mercer county. Judge Hamilton was one of the earliest pioneer farmers of Mercer county. He was a surveyor, and surveyed a great part of this section of the country.

deceased ; Hannah, wife of C. W. Shimp, a farmer of Salem township; Irena, deceased; Dora, wife of J. H. Wright, a farmer of this township; Abraham H., a farmer; Ina and Walter, unmarried ; and Arthur, a Presbyterian minister, stationed at St. Marys.

John H. Bailey was born in Highland county, Ohio, June 26th, 1840, and is of the old pioneer stock of the state, and can also trace his ancestry back to the Pilgrims of the "Mayflower."

John Bailey, the father of John H. Bailey, was a native of Virginia, and was a son of Thomas Bailey, also a Virginian by birth. In 1808 the grandfather of our subject left his early home in the "Old Dominion," and journeying across the mountains and over a wild, sparsely inhabited country, made his way to Highland county, Ohio, and located on land about five miles from the county seat, being one of the original settlers of that region. He was of the Quaker faith. His kindly nature gained for him a warm place in the hearts of his fellow pioneers. He died November 27, 1858, at the age of eighty-four years.

The subject of this sketch received such an education as the schools of the time afforded. The one that he attended in his childhood being taught in a small log house, the dimensions were sixteen by eighteen feet, and the seats were made of slabs. He was reared to the life of a farmer, and was well grounded in all that pertains to farming. At the age of twenty-one he left home and settled in Allen county, where he engaged in contracting and building. He continued in this business for thirteen years, when he returned to Salem township and resumed his early calling, locating on land in sections 31 and 32. By skillful and persevering toil, he has cleared his land, has it under good cultivation.

In 1875 Mr. Bailey was married to Miss Lovina J. Lovett, a native of Fairfield county. Of this marriage five children have been born: Amy L., Mortimer, Alvin A., and Minnie (twins),

Colonel William Kennedy was born in Juniata county. Pennsylvania, June 23, 1821. His paternal ancestors were of Irish blood, while his ancestors on his mother's side were Scotch. Our subject is the youngest of nine children. In boyhood he obtained a limited education in the district schools, but early displayed an aptitude for mechanics, and so decided to become a carpenter when he was quite young.

In 1840 he visited Auglaize county, journeying through the woods on horseback, and spent the winter of 1840-41 in Salem township. The county was a savage wilderness for miles in all directions, and settlements were few and far between. He was pleased with the possibilities of the locality, and in 1849 he came here to locate permanently. He purchased a tract of land in section twenty, in the northern part of Salem township, and by years of toil, transformed it into a valuable farm.

When the Civil War broke out he recruited a company of soldiers and was mustered into service as Company E, and was attached to the One Hundred and Eighteenth regiment, under command of Colonel S. R. Mott. Mr. Kennedy was elected captain of Company E. The official list of the battles in which lie participated is as follows :

He received merited promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, his commission bearing date of October 12, 1864. December 1 2th of that year, he was obliged to resign from the army on account of ill health. He suffered for some time and did not recover, so as to resume military duty until the war closed. His farm had been lying idle while he had been fighting for his country, and after his return home he resumed its management as soon as he was convalescent.

"Colonel Kennedy was twice married. In June, 1845, he was wedded to Miss Mary McCoy, a native of Wayne county. She died in August, 1875, leaving three children, Laura C.. Sarah A., and Ohio A. The Colonel's second marriage was with Mrs. Eliza Cook, nee Redd, and took place June 27, 1876. Of this union two children were born: Richard M. and William I.