Pleasant Township

Pleasant Township

The first settlements in Pleasant township were made in 1832 by William Turner, Eckless Ney, McDonald Osborn, Henry Morris, James Porter and William McComb. Late in November of the following year John Featheringill came in with his family. Mr. Featheringill secured lodging in an Indian camp until he could hew logs and erect a cabin. John Bogart purchased a farm in the following year' and moved on it in March. Adam and James Turner were the next to cast in their lot in the early settlement.

In 1834 the township took on a permanent organization. There were at this time only seven voters in the township and it was through their efforts that the organization was accomplished. Following are the names of the voters : John B. Bogart, William and Adam Turner, Neham Smith, John Featheringill, Abe Fuller and William Casebolt. There is no record of the first officers, but it is certain that they were divided among these early voters, though just what offices each held can not be ascertained. In 1839 the township contained about one hundred inhabitants and fifteen to twenty voters.

The public road, leading from Wapakoneta to Perrysburg, was laid out about 1835, but was not opened for public use until some time later. The first births in the township were twins, Martha and Rebecca, daughters of William Turner, in 1833. The first death was an infant child of McDonald Osborn, which died in December, 1833, and was the first burial in the graveyard at Truro church.

The first log school house was erected in 1836, about half a mile northeast of Columbus Grove, and here John Wamsley conducted the first school in the winter of 1836-37. The postoffice was established in 1844, with Adam Turner as the first postmaster.

clay pottery factory, by a Mr. Durfee. A store of supplies was later opened by Sheldon Guthrie. The trade consisted of exchanging furs for goods, as money was very scarce. A good hunting hound was valued at one hundred dollars and the government purchased wolf scalps for three and four dollars, this furnishing the settlers with money to pay their taxes.

The first religious services were held in a log cabin belonging to John Bogart, in 1834. The first sermon was rendered by a young man named Cutler, of the Methodist Episcopal faith. In the same year Rev. Mr. Morris, of the Protestant Methodist church, came to this township and held services. Later, Michael Long, who was known as the boy preacher, of the United Brethren church, came to this settlement. In 1836 a Rev. Poge (or Page), of the Presbyterian faith, came to this township and organized the first church of that order here. The Baptists held services at the home of James Turner at an early date.

Columbus Grove

The village of Columbus Grove was laid out and platted in December, 1842, by Capt. Frederick Fruchey, the proprietor. It was surveyed and platted for the proprietor by Benjamin Dunning. Captain Fruchey and most of the early settlers came from Columbus, Franklin county, and the site of this town being a famous Indian sugar grove, hence the name.

The first house built in Columbus Grove was a log dwelling, erected by John Mumea on the lot where the Lenhart block now stands. The first frame dwelling was built by Samuel Sterlin, who also erected the first brick structure in the village. The first manufacturing establishment was an ashery and pottery, built and operated by the Durfey brothers. They manufactured black salts and pearl ash, and, in the pottery, crocks, jugs and other earthen wares. In 1843 Sheldon Guthrie erected a small building on a lot near the Durfeys' establishment and opened a small supply store, exchanging goods for furs, there being but little money in this new country. Columbus Grove was incorporated in 1864 by John J. Baker and others. The first officers were David Jones, mayor ; S. B. McHenry, clerk. The first tavern was built by James Pier. This was a hewed-log structure, three rooms on the ground floor and two on the second. Among the business men of the town in 1850,

Theodore Kunneke came to this village in 1853. lie built a saw-mill for Jonathan Brice, and later a mill to grind corn and buckwheat was added. After finishing this contract, Mr. Kunneke purchased two corner lots at the junction of High and Sycamore streets, upon each of which he erected a twostory frame building for business and dwelling. The Kunneke block now stands on one of these lots. A. H. Day came to this viUage in i860 and opened up a store. He has contributed as much in the way of substantial buildings as any of its citizens. The New Grove House and the Opera House block were erected by him. Other settlers who followed a short time later and have been large contributors to the material side of the town are : Simon Maple, David Jones, W. W. Williams, Thomas Jones, Robert and J. M. G. Patterson.

The Dayton & Michigan railroad was built through this town in 1859 and ran the first train on July 12 of that year. In 1882 the Pittsburg, Akron & Western was constructed, and in 1895 the Lima Northern was built. The growth of this village is not surprising with its excellent railroad facilities and the enterprising business men at its helm.

The officers of Columbus Grove are as follows : Mayor, W. G. Poast ; clerk, Curtis Magher; treasurer. Jay Hartman; marshal, G. J. Doty; councilmen, Benton Martz, W. M. Crawford, R. C. Deffenbaugh, C. M. Doty, Lemuel Bogart, Bert Holmes; trustees of public affairs, J. H. Eversole, Henry Light, H. R. Day.

Industries - The Jones handle factory, Columbus Grove Tile Company, Light Lumber Company, Sarber cement block and tile factory, Kissels Poultry and Ice Company, Faze coal yards and cement block factory, McAdams Seed Company, Parker Sanitarium, Columbus Grove Grain Company, Annesser Milling Company, People's Elevator, Jones harness factory, Losh laundry, Williams monument factory, Johnson's Poultry Company, Buckeye garage, Slusser garage.

Stores - H. R. Day, dry goods and groceries ; Home Industry, dry goods and groceries; Louis Mapel, clothing; C. E. Magher, grocery; A. K. Sarber, grocery ; J. B. Ehrnman, grocery ; R. P. Hartman, grocery ; Billingsly & Son, grocery ; Bert Holmes, druggist ; S. E. Lewis, druggist ; Humphrey & Sterling, undertaking; Elmer E. Morris, jeweler and optician; Luce & Shinnaberry, meats and groceries ; Jones & Kidd, shoes ; Stan Sakemiller, shoes ; A.

A. Starkwether, implements; Martz & Jones, implements; M. C. Sterling, clothing; Stephens & Kraus, harness and repairing; Lena Smith, millinery; Frost & Gladfelter, meat; Williams Brothers, hardware; W. E. Pease, hardware; Levi Basinger, notion store; H. H. Hollis, pianos; Daniels book store; Daniel Slusser, feed store.

Other Business - R. P. Killen, dentist; A. B. Hilty, dentist; Wittenburg Hotel ; L. E. Bogart, restaurant ; Llaller, restaurant ; Charles Murhab, fruit and ice cream ; Trice, livery ; Bowman, livery ; Norris, barber shop ; Strow & Cox, barber shop ; Wilbur Saunders, barber shop ; George Buck, barber shop ; Trask, barber shop ; C. M. Doty, billiard and pool ; Port Tegarden, billiard and pool; Smith & Tate, sale and feed barn: Eversole, smith and repairing; John Davis, horseshoeing.

Columbus Grove, being situated in a very rich agricultural community and with excellent railway facilities, is able to bear the reputation of being one of the largest shipping centers of live stock in the state. The annual shipments of live stock are, normally, three hundred and twenty-five cars ; grain, hay and straw, four hundred and fifty cars; sugar beets, two hundred cars; other shipments, including eggs, dressed poultry, wool, handles, etc., sixty-eight cars.

The records of Pleasant township are the most complete of any township m the county. The first record in point of time gives the volunteers between July 2 and August 22, 1862, during which time forty-two men enlisted from the township, as follows : George Bunn, Samuel R. Detwiler, Andrew Miller, Titus Hotchkiss, William Starner, Proctor L. Mounts, John Ward, Peter Edmunds, William Parish, Jacob Sakemiller, Thomas j! Harbaugh, Francis W. Pence, John Bushong, Lafayette Fruchey, John W. Powell, Walter J. Blunden, Webster Frazee, William Lytle, Amos J. Nichol, James R. Smith, David W. Bogart, Andrew R. Sakemiller, William Thompson, George Arnold, David Salyard, Jacob Fuller, Harrison Turner, Adam Turner, Miles Barfield, James Critten, Josiah Krouse, Emmett Heckman, Joseph Tingle, Edward Flint, Alexander Burgess, Leonard S. Spach, John f' ' Bogart, Benjamin Nicewarner, William R. Smith, John Street and Caleb Sprague.

The only complete record of the soldiers in any township of Putnam county is found in the "Enumeration of all the Soldiers & Mariners, who are in the Service of the State or United States, being residents of Pleasant Township, Putnam Co., O., when entering said service." In May, 1863, the township trustees, John Norton and James Sims, made a complete return of all of the soldiers of Pleasant township and their record shows that the township at that time had one hundred and four volunteers in ten different regiments. This, record furthermore gives the company, the sex and age of the families of the soldiers and indicates whether the families are in need of help. Forty-one of the soldiers had families and all but fourteen are listed as "necessitious." The following regiments had volunteers from Pleasant township: Third, Fourth, Fourteenth, Twenty-first, Twenty-seventh, Fortyninth, Fifty-seventh, Eighty-first, Ninety-ninth and One Hundred and Eighteenth.

Twenty-first Regiment - Thomas Bunn, William Bunn, John S. Hart, Joseph Bushong, James Wamsley, Lewis Price, Ozro D. Byers, William Payne. These eight men were members of Company D.

Fifty-seventh Regiment - James Critten, John Fossett, John Hart, Decatur Tate. All of these men were in Company A with the exception of Hart, who was in Company E.

Eighty-first Regiment - William Parrish, David Salyards, William Thompson, John F. Bogart, George Baum, John Boston, George Arnold, Andrew Miller, Thomas Harbaugh, Francis W. Pence, Jacob Sakemiller, Andrew Sakemiller, Peter Edmonds, John Ward, Leonard Spach, William Starner, John Streatt, Joseph F. Bushong, and Amos J. Nichols (discharged). All of these men were members of Company G.

One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment - John H. Good, Harrison) Turner, Adam Turner. Good was in Company E and the other two were in Company D.