Sandusky Township (part 2 of 57)

During the famous cholera epidemic in this section in 1835 most of the early settlers fled but Dr. Beaugrand and his brother-in-law, Dr. LaQ. Rawson, remained and took care of the patients in Sandusky county.

"There is nothing, perhaps, that gives me more pleasure than to hear the reminiscences of old settlers and pioneers. I was very much interested in the paper just read by Mrs. Zoe Long, giving the history and obituary of Dr. Beaugrand, and if there is anything I love to do at any time itistosit down and talk to some old pioneer of the hardships and privations that he has gone through in the building up of this great commonwealth of ours. I am not, as you might term it, a pioneer, but the son of a pioneer. I came to this country in 1851. I wasn't near as big then as I am now and I was a little younger than I am now, but many changes have taken place in that time. I can note a great many changes from the time I was a young man, down to the present. Fortyfour years ago I came to school, not in this building, but in another building that stood where this one now stands, and we thought at that time - at least I did - that we had all modern conveniences and school facilities. Now that building has been torn down and another one erected in its place more modern, more convenient, more up-to-date, and the youth of the present day have a great many advantages over what they had when I was a boy.

Mrs. Long just read the obituary of Dr. Peter Beaugrand, which is a wonder in history. Now, I was assigned to something that is a very peculiar task for me to undertake in the limited time. I would not speak directly of Peter Beaugrand or any one person, but I want to emphasize this fact. that Peter Beaugrand and \Mrs. Rachel Ludwig, perhaps, were the two oldest persons in this county, have lived the longest in this county, were best known in this county; but there are a great many others, there were the Overmyers, the Burgoons, the Bowlus', the Wolfe's, and a great many that I might mention that deserve mention just as well as Dr. Beaugrand and Mrs. Ludwig, but when we think of Dr. Beaugrand and Mrs. Ludwig almost rounding out the century mark it reminds me of that old song ''Where, oh where will the birds sing a hundred years to come,

When I think back of that old song I used to hear sung fifty years ago it reminded me very much of the life of Mrs. Ludwig and Dr. Beaugrand, those old pioneers of that class and that type. We are the sons of pioneers, and let me stop and remark right here now that I see a number of faces today in this audience that I am pleased to see here. I see before me old mother Sweet, I remember her for fifty years; I see W. H. Bruns, of Woodville, I am glad to see him; I see Mr. Ensminger, Mr. Rimelspach, and those old faces, how much good it does a young man comparatively as I am, to see those old faces come together, and one regrettable feature I think about this is that there seems to be at the present time a misunderstanding with regard to what a pioneer meeting means. You all notice the pioneers are fast passing over. Now we have to look somewhere for new timber; if the younger people in Sandusky county don't take an interest in the pioneer meeting it will soon become extinct. We should extend an invitation, the invitation is extended, but it is misunderstood that it is for the pioneers. This is for everybody to come here and we hope to see the day and not far distant when the younger people of this county will mingle and fill this entire hall that we may have a pioneer meeting and that we may eulogize the old pioneers and reverence them for the work they have done and that the younger ones may take up the work where the old ones leave off and carry this work on down through the history of this county. Now we have to look back to the pioneers for the great and wonderful advancement in our civilization. At the time that Dr. Beaugrand and Mrs. Ludwig, and a great many of these old people that are here today were boys and girls they went to church in a big wagon, some of them perhaps with an ox-team hitched to it; they didn't have automobiles in those days, they didn't have buggies in those days; they had nore of the modern means of travel that we have now. Now who can we thank for this? No one but the pioneer has laid the foundation stone of our modern civilization. In those days the chimes of church bells were seldom heard; they had their log churches and small churches extended all through the country, and went to church. They had no pianos and no organs, but they sung those sweet old songs that I love to hear yet just the same. The pioneers laid the foundation for the modern churches, laid the foundation for our modern school system, and'the rising generation of today, the boys and girls of today, should rise up and revere the names of these pioneers and hold them in reverence for what they have done that the rising generation may step in and reap the benefits."

By the President: "Mr. Hufford has truly said that we have no pioneers; I see here the son of a pioneer that I would be glad to ask to say a few words, that is brother Jacob Bowlus. He is not only the son of a pioneer, but I might say that his father was scarcely a pioneer, his grandfather was the pioneer' that came here originally. We will listen to Mr. Eowlus for a short time." show you what I thought would be something pleasant to you, relics of a hundred years ago that have been in the family, but since I am up 1 might say a few words. As to pioneers - pooh, pooh, talk about present day pioneers. I represent the pioneer of 94 years in Sandusky county. I am the third generation of the pioneer in 94 years. Those days were pioneer days. The present generation came into Ohio and Sandusky county when it was blossoming like the rose; they didn't have to go out like the old settlers and chop wood for corn huskings and apple-parings and all those sort of things, and the ladies spinning flax and weaving the same after they got it spun. What a difference between then and now. Noah said he turned out a dove and it didn't come back. I wonder if they caught it and clipped its wings. Just a word about that now. The question that I have stated that Noah's provisions failed him just at the time the water went down and he went out and the question has been asked what he lived on. The flood had drowned everything. Now who can answer it? Don't all speak at once. Well the question was asked in a general way and a little black-eyed girl squeaked out 'Why, he lived on dry land.' Just here we will leave Noah and come back to a little pioneer incident in Northwestern Ohio; there was a German society over there which was poor and they were furnished in the first place with a local preacher, then when they formed into a circuit they sent a circuit preacher, and as it was their custom at a quarterly occasion along came the presiding elder. In this neighborhood there was a good neighbor of a different denomination, he was rich and always took the ministers home, and so at the quarterly occasion he wanted to be kind of genteel and he says 'We have had-the locust preacher and we have had the circus riders and now we have got the sliding elders and I hope the sinners will all get converted.'

A little later on over here in a certain community was a lady who was one of the 'water ladies,' but she wasn't a member of that society. That society was poor and this lady invited the minister to call and have the horse fed, etc., and as her hobby was the water, water baptism by immersion, old Father Hill got tired of hearing her talk of it every time he came and he said to her: 'Well, good sister, when we get over yonder, it won't be asked of us whether we came by land or water!' :

Now I didn't come here to talk, but I have here with me a lance and a cupping machine that is one hundred years old if you would like to see them; and I have a pair of balances with little square weights.

I will have to tell a little anecdote about this cane. When our folks came to this country grandfather was a member of the U. B. church and a minister and old Father Halway came in, and they began to make some fun. Now, says he, 'I went out and asked Brother Bowlus to come in to preach for you and I told him I would keep order, and the first man that opens his head I will cane him. Now, Brother Bowlus, go on with your sermon.' This cane has been in the family ninety-four years, first my grand- father, second my father, since then it has been in my possession. That preaching was right in the old school room that stood on the ground of this present school building.

These are the scales (exhibiting them), the weights are little squares, different sizes. He wasn't a doctor, but in those days they were sociable and they doctored one another. This is one hundred years old. There is a machine that he used to cup people with when they had the dropsy; that was the fashion in those days. This is the lance that grandfather had over a hundred years and is still in good trim. ;

Mrs. Long: "Mr. Chairman, I want to say that I have in my possession, belonging to my uncle the doctor, a glass cup that accompanied that kind of a machine. It was among the very few things that I found after the flood - everything was washed out of the office. A little glass cup that I think would hold a quarter of a pint."

The President then called upon Mr. Palmer to make a few remarks, which in substance is as follows: "I can only say I have drank no beer, no whiskey, no tea or coffee and I use no tobacco in any shape or fashion, so I enjoy good heaith, and have since a boy. I never had a doctor except in fever and ague I had a doctor four times. I am 93 years old and enjoy good health. My diet is bread and butter, bread and milk, crackers and something of that kind is about all I eat. Cold water is my drink, tea or or coffee I don't use.

When I was a boy I used to wake up in the morning. and find the floor and my bed covered with snow and would have to get up and dress in the cold. That is the way it was when I was a boy. It is a good deal easier now. When we would thresh our grain we would take a flail and flail it out and take a fan and throw it up and let the air blow it out. It is somewhat different at the present time."

Mr. Bruns: "Excuse me from making a speech because I never made a speech in my life, but I am glad to be with you; I have planned to meet with you many times when I would be called away and couldn't attend, and I said 'We will go today and attend this meeting,' and I am very glad I could be here. Now you will please excuse me."

"IT believe I am out of the class. I feel a good deal as a story I heard told once about an old lady somewhere past eighty. She was asked how old a woman would have to be before she ceased to get married. She smiled and said 'You will have to ask somebody older than Iam.' That is about the position I am in with the pioneer's experience. I can't say much about the early days. I struck Woodville, Sandusky county, in '57. Although I wasn't very much taken up with the place at that time I went by the old motto 'A rolling stone gathers no moss,' and I have stuck right there. I haven't gathered any great amount of moss though.

Now I know a little something about the early days. Comparing °57 with 1914 we find quite a change. At the time when I arrived at Woodville (I came from St. Louis), I thought it was about the jumping off place of the world, but it was a town and a good town. I guess it was the best town in the county outside of Fremont, and I don't know but what it is today. We had trade from a little ways this side of Perrysburg; Bowling Green didn't exist in those days; such towns as Gibsonburg and Helena didn't exist, and we naturally drew a good deal of trade from that surrounding country; Fremont, howeee

When we compare the time of my life here in Sandusky county with today, looking at the changes made in every direction, I have often thought what would the people have said or thought if they had seen an automobile coming along the Maumee and Western Reserve Pike at that time as now. They certainly would have thought it came from the other world, especially when you consider the odor, at least, behind.

There have been so many improvements and inventions since that time. We have the airship, the telephone, the wireless telegraph, and we have the automobile. As the gentleman said awhile ago, in the early days people were glad to come to church in a one-horse wagon. I well remember when some of our best farmers were well enough fixed to afford a half spring under their wagon bed, that was considered quite a luxury, and later on it was a two-spring and threespring, then a buggy, then a carriage, and today up in our country you see very few coming to town in that kind of vehicle - all seem to have automobiles.

Now, I am entitled to no particular credit for having helped to advance the prosperity of the country, but I have done what I could considering my circumstances, and I think we people living now have reason to be especially thankful for having lived and living in this present age with the great many advantages that we now enjoy, and our forefathers did not have these blessings we_- enjoy. These blessings we enjoy while being a great benefit to the human family are also in some ways a curse. Look at the European war. These various things I have mentioned are used there for the destruction of human life; the automobile is used for conveying troops and conveying ammunition; the telegraph is used to loeate and establish the different army lines, and what is a blessing to us is in one sense a curse to that country. Now may it never occur in this country again that we shall be called to arms, but if it evér did occur I think it would be something like a story I have heard told about five navy commanders representing Russia, France, Turkey, England and the United States. They had an evening session and wine flowed pretty freely which loosened their tongues and the suggestion was made that each one of the commanders should offer a toast in behalf of the flag he was sailing under. That was agreeable and the Russian commander started in and said: 'Here's to the stars and bars of Russia which have never been pulled down.' The Turk said: 'Here's to the half moon of Turkey whose wings have never been clipped.' The Frenchman said: 'Here's to the cock of France whose tail feathers have never been plucked,' and the American said: 'Here's to the glorious stars and stripes of America which have never been defeated.' The Englishman said: 'Here's to the roaring frothing lion of Great Britain who pulled down the stars and bars of Russia, clipped the wings of the Turkey, plucked the tail feathers from the cock of France, and run like hell from the stars and stripes of Americacn

"I came here back in 1839, on the 8th day of June, 1839, we crossed the river, we stayed over night at Birdseys' Corners on the 7th of June and it was the 8th of June we got here. We took a boat at Sackett's Harbor, and took our horses and wagons on that boat and we came up to Lewiston, there we took our horses and wagons and went to Buffalo; there we took a_ steamboat called the Lexington and came to Sandusky City; from there we drove to Birdseys' Corners and came here on the eighth day and on down to the farm which I still have - perhaps some of you know where it is - between here and Port Clinton. We went into the woods there and my brother was older than I and he was able to work and I was only, in my ninth year and I took the fever and this Dr. Beaugrand here and Dr. Rawson they gave me calomel enough to kill ten men if they had been the right men. The calomel didn't salivate my mouth and they said if they didn't salivate me I couldn't live, but it seems as if I have lived, but I can show you scars where the flesh turned black and dropped out on account of my blood being so poisoned by that calomel, and for eighteen years I never missed a year with the ague. A place was cleared and a log house built. They nailed three boards together for the door, that was all the nails that were put into the house. The roof was of young trees and they held the clap-boards on, and this Mr. Palmer spoke about the same thing that we experienced, about getting up in the night in the winter time and the wind had blown the snow in on top of our comforters, and when we would get out of bed I would hurry down stairs to the big fre my father had made - he always made the fire, he never asked me to make a fire.

I was here and saw the pickets of the old fort, and I don't know but the block house the folks lived in - I can't just remember but there was a family lived in a building there and I walked up through the fort and they had taken these pickets and hewed them up for kindling wood and I could slip through between the pickets. The pickets were 'about one foot to two or three in the ground and they stuck up about eight to ten feet, somewheres thereabouts. I heard them asking Will Tyler about the man that was in that old log jail; he wanted to know if there was anybody here that saw them hung. Sperry and Thompson were there and condemned to be hung and the time was set - Sperry he killed his wife - and his son came to see him and he says: 'Father, I have got that old jack-knife yet. Sperry says:

'You have, let me see it,' and the Sheriff's back was turned and he cracked off the end of the blade and put it in his shoe, and when the time came he and Thompson were both chained to the floor so they could not crawl through between the logs - that was before this courthouse was built. I was here when they built that and that was the first of our being here, that was in the 40's, 74 years ago this courthouse was built, and Thompson he was hung. My brother and father both saw him hung, but the brother wanted me to stay at home and work, plowing for wheat. The way they said he was hung - a man by the name of Strohl was sheriff and he took a box full of sand and strapped the rope over the pulley and around Thompson's neck and dropped that through the sand, they knocked the props from under the sand and that jerked Thompson up. My brother said he was strangled to death. I didn't see it because I had to stay at home and plow for wheat with oxen. I have gone to church with oxen and to church with a big wagon, and went to the U. B. church at Toussainte, was all day driving through the mud; we ferried over Mud Creek and the river at Port Clinton."

Mr. Meek: "This jail which Mr. Tucker spoke of was built in 1829 before the courthouse was moved up where Rev. W. A. Bowman lives. The courthouse was originally started where the Methodist church now is and was moved from there to where Mr. Bowman's residence now is. The frame of that residence is the frame of the first courthouse that was built in Sandusky county, and the jail stood in the yard there by it, a log jail and was used for a barn or stable after the house was used for a residence. The present court house, the first part of it was completed in 1844 and the jail then was a dungeon underneath that.

house in this county as to where he remembered it was built. Of course it was commenced before his day here, but I thought he would remember probably where the old stones or something was where it was first started, and sure enough he said he remembered seeing the stones and the rubbish of the foundation where that courthouse was first erected, and he said it was where the Episcopal church stands, so his memory was just a little at fault, but the church part of it settled it in my mind that it was located where the Methodist Episcopal church is, but he indicated the fact that it was that building and that it was started where a church was afterwards built.

Then in regard to the first schoolhouse - I had occasion not long since to give a write-up of the history of the schools in this place, for an Hastern paper and was interested in finding where the first school-house was located, and the names of any then living who attended that first school. Dr. Beaugrand was one of them and Mrs. Mariah Hicks, who was a Tyler, was one. Those two at that time were the only living persons who attended in 'this old school-house. It stood about where the new High School building stands and was built in i817 before this county was organized. That school-house was burned down by the health authorities because a person had died in it who was supposed to have had the cholera, and to prevent contagion and spread of the cholera it was burned.

"This is rather a serious time. I could have spoken better before that recitation. People who have not had the experience cannot imagine the feelings when touched by such a recitation as that. Those having had the real experience in that miserable pen or'of Andersonville can understand. I beg your pardon for my being touched that way.

I am perhaps one of the youngest pioneers here, and I do not like to take up your time when there are so many older ones here to speak, but since you have called upon me I am glad to say a few words. I haven't perhaps endured as many privations in the 'black swamp' as some of the older people, but I remember well when my mother moved to this country with seven husky boys, in an old wagon, on the 12th of April, '53, and settled in the swamp. I was the baby in the family. I remember well of driving to church, driving here and there with oxen hitched to a mud sled. I remember the old wagons they used to have where they cut wheels off of logs, and about the most fun I ever had was on one occasion when they had a chopping bee in Sandusky township for a man by the name of Elias Overmyer. He had a contract to clear ten acres of ground and he gave a chopping bee, and in those days people would turn out readily to help their neighbors and would work hard all day free gratis to help their neighbor along. We chopped faithfully all day and it snowed all day, a kind of a warm snow, but we never stopped for that, and in the evening we were to have a party. The ladies were to be invited there for a sewing bee while we chopped the timber, but the ground was in such a slushy shape on account of the snow that the ladies didn't come - the young girls - after the supper was over I took brother Overmyer's young steers and hitched them up to that old mud sled, and we drove out into the Coe & Burgoon settlement and when we got back to the house we had seven young ladies on that mud sled and those steers had five cow bells hung on to that sled. Rachel Coe came out with a cow bell and hung it on to them steers and afterwards there was more hung on. We enjoyed that and had a good time and some of us was there for breakfast and helped the girls home in the morning on the mud sled. I doubt if there is a young lady present now who would accept of a ride of that kind. She would want to go in an automobile, or something grand, but we will let that go by. I enlisted in the war in '62. _This recitation recalled it to my memory. I served one year with the regiment,. went through whatever the regiment was called upon to do and had the misfortune to be captured and served 15 months and eight days in prison as a prisoner of war and six months of that time was in Andersonville prison. You talk about the privations of the old pioneers; it was bitter, but it was nothing compared with that. It is not fit to tell. I have often been invited to give a description of what I saw in Andersonville and how we had to live there and ~ everything in detail. I said it is not hie tom tell> if 1 was, ,.to, tell. this audience today what I saw comrades eat they wouldn't eat a meal for a month.

1 often think how our fathers and mothers and grandmothers and grandfathers lived and died for us in this great country, and what had they for pleasure - nothing but labor from daylight to sun-down. All we can do is just to follow on and try to honor them and respect them. I have been accosted today by young people that I am surprised - when I would ask them to buy a badge, they would ask whateit swas-dor. "Why, I said, to honor the pioneers of our country, the fathers and mothers that made it Whdtedtois +» they, said "I "am <no pioneer." I said "You may be some day if God gives you grace to live long enough and when you do you will know more than you do today, and you will not censure them and

I was out selling badges from this morning early* - I called Brother Burgoon three times before he was out of bed. We wanted a good rain - everybody wanted it, but we were disappointed to find it raining this morning, but we are glad now we have had it, and we have a nice little audience after all. I want you to all bear with me when I asked for a dime or anything for the costs of our pioneer picnic - I have been cast away pretty seriously today, but I am broad shouldered, I take it good naturedly, but I meet friends on the 'street and before' they get within a square of me they will begin to reach in their pockets and get their money ready.

I heard one man say in his talk here today that his father never called upon him to build fires or do anything of that kind, but I wasn't I was asked to build fires and I would crawl out of the bed covers covered with snow on top and built the fires and took the milk pails and milked the cows - my work was always to build the fires and milk the cows and I have that to this day.

Mr. Meek: We have, some of us, been taking an interest in the work of this association, trying to disabuse the public mind in this respect, that these meetings are only for the old people, and that this organization is only for the old people. That is a great mistake. The old people are ivcluded in it and they are the cream of it, but it is intended also to interest the younger people, and it is a historical society as well as a pioneer society, and the younger people have got to come along and take the place of the older ones to perpetuate the history of this country; and we want the younger people of this county to take a part in this matter and join this association and help~ keep it up and pass it on to the generations that follow us: or it will die out. The last year we did the best we could to get the teachers of history interested. History is an important branch of education and teachers are now required to give history as a part of their work and they have to pass an examination in history not only generally, but in the history of the locality where they live. We sent out personal invitations to 200 teachers of this county last year to come and hear the lecture that was given by Prof. Wright and there were not a dozen teachers present. Why? Because of the mistaken notion that this is only a pioneer association, whereas it is a pioneer and historical association and is incorporated as such. Now get the historical idea in your mind as much as you can in order to correct this wrong one that it is a place only for the older people to assemble once a year.

We are going to publish a book this year and will go back and take up our history for years - the obituaries and other historical matter - and incorporate it into this book and make it larger than any before and expect to keep this up year by year until we have brought up the historical

Mr. Burgoon: We have the obituaries and proceedings of this society for 40 years back and I have compiled them into books so they may be printed, one in 1915, one in 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919 and 1920 in connection with the proceedings of this society. I have placed these proceedings in the vault of the Croghan Bank, and if Mr. Meek and I are left here to publish them we will do so, if not, it will depend upon those who come after to do it.

Mrs. Long: I just happened to think, that I was asked the other day how old a person should be to belong to this society and the answer I gave was, "old enough to have sense enough to be interested in the history of Sandusky county."

"TIT would rather listen than to speak, but so much has been said about want of appreciation that I feel like saying just a few words and I am glad for an opportunity. The first thing to do is to encourage the officers who have worked so faithfully in this society. They are preserving history and it goes into books; and among _ the ~ - people; though libraries may be destroyed, it will endure.

We are looking today back for 2000 years for evidence of certain things which has given us the position we now occupy. Witness the thousands of good people that are being killed, taken from earth. This is one of the most interesting periods in the history of the world. What tomorrow may bring forth we do not know.

I was quite impressed with the remarks of Mr. Keil when he said he came here in 1857 and in 1862 went to war. He never thought of going to war when he came. A few weeks ago there were people even from this town traveling in Europe who never thought of a European war, but they were there and couldn't get home for the war. Now we find a great part of the Christian world in arms today. This, as I said, is an interesting period. What will come tomorrow we do not know. Our years are but an infinitesimal part of the world's existence. It is but a short time. History is the record of time and events and as is said in Holy writ: 'A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday,' which, if so, measured by the events of the Christian era, we are but beginning the morning of the third day; we are living but a few seconds of time, and what you are doing here today I hope you will continue to do, because, even though you are few, that has been the record all through history - a few have kept it up. Today we stand a neutral, peaceful and powerful nation and I hope we will be able to continue so."

Mr. Geo. Aldrich: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I think we sometimes have a misconception of what a pioneer is. There are a great many people who shrink from being a pioneer. I have heard men talk here today that are considerable older than I am. I think they are shrinking from the idea of being a pioneer. When you study the real definition of pioneer it doesn't make any difference how young you start, you will be glad to be one. It is a wrong conception to think a pioneer must have gray hair, or be past fifty, or as old as ninety, or any other age to be so classified. If you will examine carefully the definition you will find it is one that has gone ahead and prepared the way. Friends, if we could find some man today, I don't care whether or not he has a gray hair in his head, if you could produce a person that could, from this day forth to the end of time, prevent war, if he were only fifteen he would be a pioneer as truly as if he had lived a century.

we must be old ta be pioneers. I don't know that I am at all worthy of the title, and I am not sure that I shall be when I get to be ninety. I am not sure that I shall ever be a pioneer, but if I can by thought or act go ahead and prepare the way for the people to live better, with higher motives, with more devout patriotism, and with purer Christianity, with purer thought, then I shall be a pioneer regardless of age.

We had a most scholarly address last year by Prof. Wright which should be preserved, will be preserved, in the records of this association. Today we have just had a heart-to-heart talk, we have just been communing with one another, have opened up the fountains of our souls and let out some of the precious waters that flow out to make the world better. That sort of experience my friends that causes us all to say, these pioneer meetings are a splendid success, because they are the history of how we have tried to prepare the way.

You have gone away from home for only a short time, come back, when you saw the outlines of your home, didn't it send a thrill through your heart and you said, "'This is the best place I ever saw, this is home." There is but one real home. I know you may call a bachelor's den a home, you may call an old maid's inn a home, but there is one real home, and that is where there is or has been a father, mother and children. They make the fireside sacred. They give meaning to every nook and corner. They make your farm-house and barn speak a language and have a history. Yes, we go back. I do it in memory many times. I go back to them and say: "Here John, Charlie, Jack and myself used to play leapfrog, here is where we drove the old mare, here is where we spent our joyful days,' I care not whether it be a palace or cottage, it is the associations that make a home.

I was reminded, when the brother from Woodville told his story of two boys that had gone to college together. One became a preacher and the other a sailor. The sailor had gone several times around the world, and finally he happened to be in a part of the United States where he understood his college chum was preaching, so he stopped over to visit him. He said to his chum: "Say Jack, I have a parrot down there, a splendid bird, he can talk almost anything, and the preacher said, 'Well, I am somewhat of an admirer of birds myself. I have a bird, so you bring your bird up. They put it on the perch and the sailor's bird looked around as much as to say, "Well, who are you?" Then the preacher suggested they get them to talking. So the preacher's bird started in first and said 'What shall I do to be saved?' and the sailor's bird replied: "Pump like the devil or go to the bottom." They were simply mimics.

have a sort of personality too. If I go down where Mr. Bruns and Mr. Keil' and Mr. Sandwisch live, I will find the people have just a little different sort of temperament than where I live; they dress different. I don't know that the ladies' skirts are any narrower because they can't get them any narrower but their habits and customs vary just a little; they have a different sort of personality. You can almost tell where these neighborhoods leave off and where they begin. Some neighborhoods have a neighborhood ideal of what is proper on the Sabbath, what is proper through the week, a standard of morals, that is higher or lower than some other neighborhood. I like to see a neighborhood where the fellows stand shoulder to shoulder for the benefit of all. You know in some communities we find the community knocker. He takes his little hammer wherever he goes, and if he should happen to lose it or change his clothes, he would immediately proceed to the nearest hardware store and buy another so he could continue to be a knocker. Then we have the community gossip. I see some of the men look toward the women and smile, but do you know some of the meanest gossips I have ever known have been men. I know of no class of people that the world can really get along so well without. This class of people are like potatoes - the best are under ground. There is also th?

community pessimist. Do you know what a pessimist is? A pessimist is a fellow who won't eat honey because the bee that made it had a sting. He would eat the honey that the drones make. A pessimist, "one who turns good: to evil and never attempts to turn evil to good. A real downright pessimist and they belong to both sexes, is one that fumes and frets awhile, then fumes and frets some more and never gets any further.

A real optimist as the poet has said is one who sees "Lessons in stones, sermons in trees, books in the running brooks and good in everything."

You know it is said "There is so little good in the best of us, and so much good in the worst of us, that it little behooves the best of us to find fault with the worst of us."

If we do nothing else this year, let us go home with a little more sunshine in our hearts so that those who may be discouraged may see the light our lives shed forth and be raised higher and brought nearer to their God.

The President then called upon Rev. Zechiel who spoke as follows: "T didn't come here to say anything to you, although Mr. Burgoon had invited me to be present and said I should be ready to be called upon any time. I had the pleasure this week of visiting Marion county, the birthplace of my father and mother, and going into the old home where mother was raised, where she was wedded, where she_ started for Indiana with father to be a pioneer. I heard them speak of their pioneer days, and I heard much of the pioneer thought and of the pioneer hardships among my relatives, and I am sure what Brother Aldrich has said concerning the pioneer is true today, as they lived to make the community better, as they lived to rid the community of that which is in the way of world progress, so may we, the rising generations, be pioneers to better the community so that civilization may take its progress. I am glad to be here today and spend these few moments with you. The meeting was then dismissed by Rev. Zechiel.

Gen. R. B. Hayes Rev. Henry Lang. Dr. J. W. Wilson

Sandusky County Pioneers. - The old settlers and all other citizens of Sandusky county favorable to the formation of a County Pioneer and Historical Society are invited to meet at Birchard Hall, Saturday next, June 6th, at 2 o'clock P. M.

In pursuance of the above notice published in the newspapers of Fremont, a meeting was held at which were present the following citizens, viz.: George Bixler, Henry Bowlus, Platt Brush, Ralph P. Buckland, Homer Everett, John L. Green, Rutherford B. Hayes, Thomas Holcomb, Henry Lang, Isaac M. Keeler, C. R. McCulloch, LaQ@. Rawson, John B. Rice, Robert S. Rice, Orrin A. Roberts, Samuel Skinner, Edward Tindall and James W. Wilson.

Art. 2. The objects of this society shall be to bring together at stated meetings the pioneer settlers of Sandusky county who still survive, to renew the friendship of the past, to perpetuate and cherish a remembrance of the persons and scenes connected with the first settlement of the country, and to collect and preserve interesting facts, traditions, anecdotes, printed and manuscript matter, relics, curiosities, and in short whatever may tend to illustrate the history and condition of the Sandusky Valley before and since its settlement by the whites.

Art. 3. Any resident of Sandusky county may become a member of this society by signing the constitution and paying into the treasury the sum of one dollar - provided that any person who resided in Sandusky county on or before the first of January, 1830, will be exempt from the payment of any membership fees or dues. Art. 4. The officers of the society shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and an Executive Committee consisting of the President,' Secretary and five other members, who shall be elected annually, and who shall perform the duties usually assigned to such offices, and who shall be elected by ballot, and continue in office until their successors are elected.

Art. 5. The annual meetings of the society at which the election of officers shall take place, shall be held on 2nd of August, at 2 P. M., in Fremont, except when the second falls on Sunday, in which case the annual meeting shall be held on the following Monday. The other stated meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of February and May. Other meetings may be called by the Executive Committee to be held at the time and place specified in the call.

Art. 6. All monies of the society shall be paid to the Secretary who shall keep a record thereof, and pay the same to the treasurer taking his receipt therefor.

Art. 7. Alterations or amendments of this constitution can be made only at regular meetings and with the consent of at least two-thirds of the members present.

On motion the following officers were chosen to serve until the regular annual election at the meeting to be held August 2nd, 1874, viz.: Homer

R. B. Hayes presented to the society the following, which were accepted with thanks - an engraved portrait framed of S. Birchard. A letter from Post Master General R. J. Meigs, appointing Morris A. Newman the first post master of Lower Sandusky, dated the 2nd of July, 1814. This letter was presented by Mrs. Julia Myers, daughter of Judge Newman. A copy of the petition to the Government of Ohio signed by the inhabitants of Lower Sandusky, sixteen in number, dated 21st Dec., 1813. A letter from Heman B. Ely to S. Birchard, on the building of the first telegraph line through Lower Sandusky, dated 23d March, 1847. <A report of James Justice, President, and L. Q. Rawson, Secretary, on the Fremont plank road. H. S. Knapp, History of the Maumee Valley. The Western Annals, by Jas..R. Albach. - Two volumes of the documentary history of New York.

On motion the executive committee was instructed to endeavor to obtain a complete list of all the pioneer settlers of Sandusky county who now survive, together with their residence, date of settlement, place and date of birth and occupation, and to report the same to the regular meeting, August 2nd, 1874.

The Messenger, James M. Osborn, Thursday, July 16, 1874

Pioneer Meeting - The meeting of the Sandusky County Pioneer and Historical Society, for the election of officers and for the transaction of business, will be held at Birchard Hall, August 3d, at 10 A. M. All citizens who resided in the county prior to 1830 may become members by signing the Constitution or authorizing it to be done. They are not required to pay any membership fees or dues. All other citizens may become members by paying one dollar and signing the Constitution.

The Executive Committee at their meeting Saturday last, resolved that it was not expedient for the society to get up a celebration on the second that of the public generally; but recommended that the members of the society cordially unite with all other citizens in such a celebration of that anniversary as the public may determine. Partial reports of the names of the early settlers who are still living, were made. In Ballville township eighteen pioneer settlers who resided in the county before 1830 still survive. In Sandusky township about fifty still survive. it is doubtful if any settlers prior to 1830 are still to be found in Scott, Madison or Woodville. The other townships asked for further time to

County Pioneer and Historical Society assembled in pursuance of the Constitution, the President, Homer Everett in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. The roll of the Pioneers residing in the several townships of the county was read and _ additional names added to the list. The number of members belonging to the society at the close of the meeting was two hundred and three (203) of whom one hundred and eighty (180) settled in the county before 1830 and are classed as "Pioneers."

After calling the roll on motion the society proceeded to the election of officers with the following result, viz.: President, Homer Everett; Vice President, LaQ. Rawson; Secretary, Rutherford B. Hayes; Treasurer, James W. Wilson.

On motion and by unanimous vote, the Constitution of the Society was so amended that hereafter the Executive Committee of the society shall consist of the officers of the society and one member of the society from each of the townships of the county. The following members were elected to represent on the Executive Committee the several townships, viz.: Ballville, Edward Tindall; Green Creek, Wm. E. Lay; Jackson, David Overmyer; Madison, Martin Klutz; Rice, Grant Forguson; Riley, Thomas Holcomb; Sandusky, Charles H. Bell; Scott, Benjamin Inman; Townsend, David Fuller; Washington, John F. Bowman; Woodville, Rev. C. Kronenwelt; York, J. B. Mugg.

On motion the Executive Committee were instructed to make arrangements for a Basket Picnic to be held on the County Fair Grounds in September.

Sandusky Co. Fair Grounds

Pursuant to appointment, the Sandusky County Pioneer and Historical Society held a Basket Picnic Thursday, Sept. 3rd, 1874, of which the following account was published in The Fremont Journal: Fremont, Sandusky Co., Ohio, Friday, September 11, 1874. Sandusky County Pioneer and Historical Society - Basket Picnic and Reunion.

The establishment of pioneer and historical societies having become general throughout Ohio and our own county affording a wide and inviting field for the antiquarian, geologist and historian to alike indulge their researches it was recently agreed to form the present society. The idea first taking a tangible form t the inauguration of the Birchard ibrary when the right class of inelligent and influential gentlemen vere assembled and ripe to enterain the subject. As a matter of ourse, the undertaking quickly beame a great success. The society ormed, and "good men and true" lected to fill the offices in its mangement. The next idea was to inugurate its formation by the gathring to which we are about to reer.

The committee or directory of our ounty agricultural society generousy placed the fair grounds at the disosal of the friends, and invitations yere unsparingly extended, which, irespective of the weather, were freey accepted. The day fixed for the athering was Thursday of last week, nd a more gratifying assembly of e "good old sort' we never rememer witnessing. The care-worn counenances - silvery locks, and in many ases tottering steps of the venerable articipants in the re-union, afforded nmistakable evidence as to whom ye are, in this day, so largely inebted for

But unhappily the weather was far rom propitious to the occasion, yet hough the rain (an inestimable lessing to the land, at the time) ell heavily most part of the day, ven its soaking influence failed in he smallest degree to dampen the nthusiasm and interest pervading he large gathering. After assemling in Floral hall, where an organ ad been provided, ably presided over y Mr. Fred Dorr, prayer was offered, ollowed by some excellent singing rom a competent choir under the ficient conduct of Mr. C. R. McCul. ch and consisting of Mrs. J. P. Elerkin, Miss M. Brush, Miss J. Mc- 'ulloch, Miss Burton, Miss Colwell, liss E. Bowman, Mr. J. W. Fitch and ir. M. W. Seibert.

The song of the day, "Sixty Years go,' by W. D. Gallagher, Esq., be- 1g so appropriate in its sentiment f that occasion and falling so familir on the ear to that ancient air,

"The Days when we went gipsying," seemed to quite possess the whole audience, and was so truly interesting that we are constrained to reprint it:

The hunt, the shot, the glorious chase, the captured elk or deer: The camp, the big bright fire, and then the rich and wholesome cheer; The sweet sound sleep at dead of night by our camp-fire, blazing high, Unbroken by the wolf's long howl, and the panther springing by:

Goy. Hayes, the secretary,, next read the names of the members of the society. with their age and date of settlement in the county, at the conclusion of which there were quite a number of fresh names added, and several letters of excuse read from prominent gentlemen invited, who were not present. The President, H. Everett. then congratulated the meeting on the large number present considering the weather - also referring to the general success of the society, which he said might now be considered firmly established - concluding partake of refreshments and we must say there was everywhere a bountiful supply exhibited to which ample jus- -tice was done if the chief and best accommodation did consist of the rough sheds erected on the ground.

About two o'clock the exercises were resumed by singing "Auld Lang Syne" in which the company joined, and everyone seemed to duly aporeciate the cordial sentiment it conveyed. Next followed quite a number of very interesting, and in some instances amusing 'anecdotes and remi- - niscences, by some of the members present, which were of a varied character and heartily enjoyed by all present. Among those who spoke were Messrs. J. Bowlus, J. Millious, - Kimble. Judge Hollingshead, Mr. Amsden, Mr. Adams, Gen. Buckland, Gov. Hayes, etc. Only one lady essayed to make a few remarks and that was Mrs. Friary, who spoke very earnestly con the advantages enjoyed by this state in possessing so excellent a free school system.

To renort part of the anecdotes related would be invidious and to attempt a full report would exceed the space at our command, hence we reserve many of the interesting sketches for producing head of 'Reminiscences, Biographies, etc.," which will be found in this paper. During the afternoon the City Band arrived on the ground and discoursed some excellent music, not the least successful of which was the welcome air of "Auld Lang Syne." It appeared cuite a charming surprise to many and largely enhanced the pleasure of the day. One important matter we should not overlook - it was resolved unanimously, during the proceedings, that not only present residents in Sandusky county prior to 1830, should be honorary members, but also those who settled within the old county boundary prior to 1830 - and this will give admission to many more. Altogether the gathering was a truly interesting one highly gratifying to every one present - and the committee merit credit for so successfully assembling the "old folks at home."

On motion the following names were added to the roll of the Sandusky County Pioneers under the rule extending the honorary membership to all persons who have resided within the original limits of Sandusky county since 1830, viz.: Samuel Hol lingshead, Ottawa county; Augustus W. Luckey, Elmore, Ottawa county, and Rice Elmore, Ottawa county.

Sandusky County Pioneer and Historical Society. Basket Picnic and Reunion at Fremont, Ohio, Thursday, September 3d, 1874. Pioneers and members will assemble at the Fair Grounds at 10 A. M., provided with refreshments for the day. Order of Exercises. 1. Singing. 2. Prayer. 3. Singing. 4.° Brief addresses. 5. Singing. Recess for refreshments and conversation of one hour and a half. Afternoon. 6. Singing, "Auld Lang Syne." 7. Narratives and reminiscences in which all are invited to participate. 8. Close by singing. Pioneers and their families are respectfully invited to attend and -participate. By order of Executive Committee, R. B. Hayes, Secretary. H. Everett, President. -

The society met in stated meeting at Birchard Library and elected the following officers for the ensuing year, namely: President, Homer Everett; Vice President, LaQ. Rawson; Secretary, R. B. Hayes; Treasurer, James W. Wilson.

On motion, Resolved that the members of this association be invited to attend a social basket picnic at the Sandusky County Fair Grounds on Thursday the 26th day of August, A. D. 1876, at 10 o'clock A. M., and that the executive committee meet and make arrangements therefor.

Meeting August 26; 1876. Basket picnic at Fair Grounds. For proceedings of the society at this meeting read the following printed account from Fremont Journal of Sept. 10, 1875:

Society

August 26th, 1875, a little after 10 A. M., a goodly number of the old settlers of the county had assembled in Floral Hall, on the Fair Grounds. The meeting was called to order by the President, H. Everett, Esq., who greeted and welcomed the assemblage and called upon the venerable Jacob Bowlus, one of the aged pioneers and a member of the society, to open the meeting with prayer. The prayer was offered with true Christian fervor.

The President then briefly stated the object of the Society and the reason for this gathering to be to preserve incidents in the lives of early settlers of the county, to talk over the events of former times here, renew and extend personal acquaintance among the pioneers, and greeting and looking once more into each other's faces, and hear the voices of "lang syne" in social conversation.

The meeting 'then listened to a song of welcome, rendered in admirable style and with fine effect, under the direction of C. R. McCulloch, assisted by several other vocalists, and by Fred Dorr on the organ.

Gen. R. P. Buckland then addressed the assembly, giving some interesting incidents of his experience in the early settlement of the county. His allusion to the members of the bar, and a certain mock trial he heard at the hotel when he first came, were quite racy. He also alluded feelingly to the pleasure and privilege of meeting so many old settlers and early friends.

A feature of the meeting was the richness and abundance of good things to eat. No one lacked a sufficiency and there were many "Baskets of fragments," after the feast was over. The more than ample provision for all in attendance, illustrated the old time generosity of the pioneers.

Among the speakers and narrators were Reuben Rice of Elmore, Dr. L. G. Harkness of Bellevue, Mrs. S. E. Walters of York, Moses Boggs of Elmore, Gen. R. P. Buckland of Fremont, Mrs. Nancy Frary of Fremont, Judge J. L. Greene, Sr., of Fremont, H. R. Adams of York, Mrs. Betsey Rice, widow of the late Judge Ezekiel Rice, John G. Rideout of Ballville, Benjamin Kimball of Ottawa county.

These narrations abounded in varied and often intensely interesting incidents. It is to be hoped they may yet be obtained in manuscript and preserved by the society.

Resolved, That upon the decease of any member of this society, the family where he died, or the persons in charge, communicate the fact of such decease forthwith to the President of the society, who shall notify the pioneers to attend the funeral.

The hour of about 4 P. M. having arrived the society sang the Doxology, and after benediction pronounced by Rev. Lang, the meeting adjourned without day - all the happier for having been there.

And Following From The Fremont Journal Of Sept The Meeting

In giving the proceedings of the pioneer meeting, held at Fremont several weeks ago, we were necessarily limited. Since then, we have, however, come into possession of the remarks made by Mr. Reuben Rice, one of the earliest settlers in the Black Swamp, which we give below. It will be found interesting, and worthy of perusal. Mr. Rice said:

It is with ,pleasure that I have the happiness of meeting with you for the first time as the Pioneers of Sandusky county. Not being used to speaking in public, I have dotted down a, few reminiscences to help my memory in things which happened in bygone; days: In, thesfall of Stier passed through this, then wilderness country, before it was settled by the whites - which happened in this wise: My father, then living in the central part of the state of New York, sold his possessions and started for the then new state of Ohio, and when he came as far as Buffalo, he thought best to ship his goods on board a schooner to the upper part of Lake Erie. Accordingly his three sons-inlaw, their wives and children went aboard the vessel at Black Rock, commanded, I think, by Captain, Chapin, while my father, with the rest of his children, consisting of three boys and one girl, proceeded along the southern shore of the lake with one wagon and six horses. At that time, there was no town: between Buffalo and Detroit. Buffalo, at that. time, was a small place, with but a few hundred inhabitants, and was burned by the English not long after, without making, I suppose, a Moscow or Chicago conflagration. In traveling along the shore of the lake, we sometimes had the privilege of keeping on the beach of the lake, at other times the rocks projecting into the lake, we were forced back therefrom. We thus proceeded on our way until we arrived where Sandusky City now stands, at which place but one family resided, who lived in a log house, a widow woman by the name of Sly, who lived with her son, and a man who sold goods to the Indians, I think Harrison by name. The ground, or at least a portion, as now occupied by the city, was a thicket of wild plum trees. We crossed the Huron river at its mouth, with our teams, on a sand bar. We stayed at Widow Sly's about one week waiting for the vessel, which was forced to land at Butt's Island, as it was then called, now Johnson's. We then got a boat to take us up the Sandusky river as far as to the widow Whitaker's, where we put our wagons together and started on our journey. The first day brought us through Lower Sandusky, which had no more than two or three white inhabitants; one man's name, I think, was Robinson. The place at this time was a reservation of one mile square, for present settlement, and they tried to persuade us to stop and settle, but we deemed it better to pass along to our place of destination, near Springfield, in Clarke county. We then traveled eighty miles through the wilderness, without a white inhabitant, to Radnor, near Delaware, in Delaware county.

After various incidents, in the month of February, 1823, three families of us, my brother Hzekiel, my brother-in-law, Bennet V. Havens, and myself, after purchasing lands on the Portage river, fifteen miles west of Lower Sandusky, left Columbus to settle in the Black Swamp. We were the first teams that went through on or near the line of the present macadamized road, which took us five days, camping in the woods every night, except the first night, which we spent at father Bowlus', on the Muscalonge.

After the turnpike was commenced building, the road became so bad from constant use, that a span of horses could scarcely haul an empty wagon through. At one time I had occasion to go to Sandusky to mill, when I took one bushel of grain on my horse and it took two days to make the trip. ;

There are some things that trans: pired in Lower Sandusky that have never passed into history. Inthe first settlement of the place, like many newly settled towns, especially those places, as it were, on the borders of civilization; many things transpire that older towns are not troubled with. I heard a citizen of Sandusky say an honest man could scarcely live there. I likewise heard of a Frenchman, I think his name was La Cost, who, coming into these parts looking for land to buy, he having, as was supposed, considerable money, put up at the tavern, where he was taken sick, died and was buried, without any post-mortem examination. His portmanteau was cut open, and the money extracted. His wife and son came on to settle his unsettled business; the wife was taken sick and she died; the son thinking to investigate and bring to light and justice those implicated in the above transaction, instituted a suit, but finding the law in Sandusky, at that time, a dead letter, and insufficient to reach his case, deemed it prudent to beat a retreat, lest a more severe calamity befall him. There being no suitable place to hold county courts, that the law should be more and better executed, they deemed it expedient to raise, as I was informed, their court house building, or at least finishing it on the Lord's day. Since which time the once small town of Lower Sandusky, has grown into the large and respectable and lawabiding city of Fremont, with a population worthy to be compared with the name which it bears.

My mind now rests upon some who have spent a portion of their lives here, and who have left us, who, were they with us today, might add much to the interest of the occasion, such as Judge Everett, Judge Justice, Judge Nyce, Huested, Judge MHulbard, Olmsteds, Dr. Brainard, Wilson, Whyler and Sons, George Grant, Gen. Bell, Dr. Rice, Macklin, and our late lamented and much esteemed Sardis Birchard, whose memory stands engraved on the hearts of all who knew him. All of whom, in their proper sphere, lived lives worthy to be respected.

In an early day there was a man living here by the name of Sands, he married the girl that lived at the tavern and nursed the Frenchman that died, he soon after bought two pieces of land, one at the head of Sandusky bay and the other on the Portage river, at the place where Elmore is now located, which he traded with Israel Harrington, for his tavern in Sandusky. Sands told me of a circumstances in which he acted a part. There was a man living in Sandusky, I think he said a soldier, who had a five dollar bill, (mot a green back) which the wanted. to get changed. Accordingly he took it to Olmsted's store to get a quart of whiskey, but Olmsted, being a good judge of money, wrote upon the back of the bill, "Counterfeit," and handed it back, which was amatter of great grievance to the man, he said he would not care if he had not marred his bill, by putting the mark upon it, but when he showed it to Sands, he told him he could remedy that, he accordingly applied something that took the writing off, he then took the bill to Sears and got it changed; Sands said he saw the same bill in Sears' possession, he not knowing where he got it.

At the time when the Sandusky and Maumee road was building, an old gentleman by the name of Brooks, whose two sons had a job on the said road, stayed with me over night, and entertained me with many exploits of his younger days, in the army of the American Revolution, and of more recent date, of his carrying the mail from Sandusky to Perrysburg, through the Black Swamp, crossing the Portage river a short distance above where Elmore is now situated, leaving his oats for his return horse feed in a_ hollow sycamore tree, near the river. At one time when passing down the east side of the river, the trail running parallel with a large poplar. tree lying on the ground, he heard a strange noise, at least to him, on the other side of the log, which sounded thus: "mum, mum, mum," he said he thought Indian at once. He immediately drew one of his pistols from his holsters and cocked it, thus preparing himself for the worst, and then urged his horse towards the place from which the noise came, when his horse stepped on a stick, which broke, making a noise, which alarmed an old female bear who was moving her young, which made a noise he never heard before from the same cause. The bear raised herself with her fore paws on the log; he then fired his pistol at the bear and went his way.

He likewise, told of an attempt which was made by the Indians, in the time of our war with England, to capture the mail from Sandusky to Perrysburg: the British General, Block, offering a reward for said mail, supposing thereby to get important information concerning our Northwestern army. The Indians concealed themselves, I think, on a small island, in a stream called

Grassy creek, east of Perryburg, and the mail carrier arrived at the margin of the stream, they fired on him without effect, he slid from his horse and made his escape in the water and the horse with the mail returned to Sandusky; °* there was then an escort sent out with the mail who concealed themselves on the bank of the stream, and when the mail carrier made his appearance, the Indians arose from their concealment, twelve in number, when our men fired on them, killing all except one, who made his escape. Thus ended the effort of trying to capture the mail.

In the year 18 - there was a man by the name of Smith, started a newspaper in Sandusky, called, I think, The Sandusky Gazette, he was taken sick and he - no he didn't, but his paper drooped and died, not a natural death, but Sandusky being at that time a place infested with the effluvia arising from the marshes and stagnant waters, jeopardized almost everything that had life, and . some things inanimate as well as animate, suffered from the malaria of a sickly place, so the printing of the paper died out, but the printing materials he removed. But what I was going to say, was, that I had the honor of printing said paper for a few weeks, while the editor and proprietor was sick, but whether this had a tendency to bring about a more speedy termination of the malady with which said paper was afflicted, I know not, but this I do know, that the paper was to no great degree benefited by the operation, as the sequel goes to prove.

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Annual Meeting 1876

This Society met at Birchard Library, Fremont, Ohio, August 2d, 1876, Rev. E. Bushnell chosen Chairman and H. Everett, Secretary, of the meeting. The following officers were elected to serve the ensuing year: President - Homer Everett, Vice President - L. Q. Rawson, Secretary - Isaac M. Keeler, Treasurer - James W. Williams, Executive Committee, with officers of the Society: William E - . Lay, of Green Creek T'p., Daniel Overmyer, Jackson, Martin Klutz, Madison, Grant orguson, Rice, Charles H. Bell, Sandusky, Benjamin Inman, Scott, Orlin Selvy, Townsend, John F. Bowman, Washington, Rev. C. Cronenwell, Woodville, John B. Mugg, York.

On motion it was ordered that a picnic meeting of the members of this Society be held at the Fair Grounds in Fremont, O., on Thursthe 38lst day of August, 1876, commencing at 10 o'clock, A. M. And that the elective Committee meet at Birchard Library on Saturday, August 5, at 10 A. M. and make arrangements for the meeting. On motion meeting adjourned. .

Pursuant to Notice a large number of the members of the Society held a basket picnic at the Hair Grounds in Fremont. The occasion was very pleasant. Remarks were made by Judge John L. Green, Gen. Buckland, L. Q. Rawson, Mose Boggs, Wm. Caldwell, Mrs. Moses Boggs, Mrs. Ezekial Rice, widow, and others who all gave interesting reminiscences of early Pioneer life in the county.

The repast was excellent and the day spent happily. In the absence of Secretary R. B. Hayes, now a candidate for the Presidency, Judge John L. Green acted as Secretary pro tem. The proceedings of this meeting were not published and this mention is written out by the President to connect the records of the society.

Society met at Birchard Library at 10 A. M. and chose the following officers by ballot to serve the ensuing year: President, H. Everett, Vice President, L. Q. Rawson, Secretary, I. H. Burgoon, Treasurer, James W. Wilson. '

The society met at the Fair Grounds in Fremont, and held a social basket picnic. Much good feeling and social enjoyment was ex+ perienced by all present.

John B. Muggs, Esa., of York township, presented fine framed pictures of himself and wife for preservation of the Society. General R. P. Buckland offered the following resolution which was seconded and unanimously adopted:

Resolved that the thanks of this society be and are hereby expressed to the Venerable J. B. Muggs for the donation of the elegant pictures of himself and wife this day presented.

Thereupon the meeting proceeded to elect officers for the ensuing year, and elected for President, Homer Everett, Vice President, L. Q. Rawson, Secretary, I. H. Burgoon, Treasurer, James W. Wilson.

Resolved, that the annual reunion and picnic of this society be held on Tuesday the tenth day of September next, at the Court House Park in Fremont, Ohio.

Pioneer Picnic, 1878

In accordance with a_ resolution passed August 2d, at a meeting of the officers of the Sandusky County Pioneer and Historical Association, the annual reunion and picnic was held at the Court House in this city on Tuesday, September 10th. This reunion day is always looked forward! to with the greatest pleasure by the old settlers of Sandusky County, and by 10 o'clock A. M., in spite of the unpleasant weather, a large number had gathered at the Court House. At 11 o'clock the President, Hon. Homer Everett, called the meeting to order. The meeting was opened by the reading of the scriptures by Rev. H. Lang, and followed by prayer by Rev. R. L. Chittenden. Auld Lang Syne was sung by the Arion and Alpine Glee Clubs, and after a few appropriate remarks by Mr. Everett the meeting adjourned until after dinner.

To anyone who has ever attended a pioneers' picnic it is needless to say anything about the dinner, and after that was finished the meeting was again called to order. After music by the Glee Clubs, Dr. Thos. Stilwell delivered an address which was listened to with great pleasure and was followed by an interesting address by Mr. Wm. Caldwell, of Elmore. The following relics which had been presented to the society, were then shown: Crayon pictures of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Mugg, of York Township; pictures of Mr. and Mrs. H. R. Adams, also of York Township; Indian pipe, arrow heads and pottery found along Big Mud Creek, presented by A. Cavalier; hatchet and pipe combined, presented by Mr. Waggoner; bayonet found on Fort Stevenson, and supposed to have been left by the British at the time of their defeat in 1813, presented by Mr. L. Leppelman; a cooper hatchet found by' George Beck, in Ballville Township; bird carved from stone, supposed to have been a badge of

Isaac Glick; a record of the Auditor's office of Sandusky County for the year 1823, presented by Hion. Homer Everett. The amount of taxes collected for the year 1823 in Sandusky County, which then embraced more territory than at the present time, ~ was $154.51. The amount collected from the same territory in 1876 was $580,000.

The names of the pioneers who have died during the past year had not been reported to the secretary and cannot be given. MHereafter it is hoped the death of any old settlers will be reported by the friends to the President, Mr. Everett, or to I. H. Burgoon, Secretary.

After remarks by several persons and music by the Glee Clubs, the doxology was sung and Rev. Dr. Bushnell pronounced the _ benediction. Thus ended the meeting, but many lingered for conversation and seemed reluctant to depart, doubtless thinking of the changes time might effect before the next annual

Resolved, That the thanks of this county are hereby tendered to the Arion and Alpine Glee Clubs under the direction of Prof. Dickinson for the excellent vocal music furnished at this meeting,

On Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the Court House was a very enjoyable affair, as well to the boys and girls of fifty or sixty years as to the aged seniors many of whom, feeble and bowed down by weight of years, came miles to exchange reminiscences and grasp by the hand the annually lessening number of those who in "Auld Lang Syne" stood with them shoulder to shoulder in noble effort to wrench from its pristine state what is now the fertile and smiling valley of the Sandusky. To those whom age or other conditions denied the privilege of being a "Pioneer." it was deeply interesting not to say affecting, to witness the tremulously hearty greeting between friends of fifty, or more years ago, and listen to gleeful relations of this or that 'good time" corn-husking, quilting-bee, etc., in which they had indulged at a time when amusements were few and far between. But little time, however, was given to exchange of courtesies for promptly at 11 A. M. Hon. Homer Everett called the meeting to order in a few well chosen words. Rev. Henry Lang, who was followed by Rev. R. L. Chittenden in prayer, then read the 39th Psalm. The Alpine and our favorite Arion clubs rendered in an effective manner, "Auld Lang Syne" and, at intervals during the proceedings sang a number of choruses very acceptably.

Adjourning unt:l] 1:30 P. M., the Association upon reassembling, was addressed by Dr. Stilwell and also by Squire Wm. Caldwell, of Elmore, who spoke in a highly entertaining manner. .

A number of interesting relics were shown and others presented: pipes, arrow-heads, pottery, battleaxes or tomahawks, ancient carvings, Fremont (Lower Sandusky) papers of early date, and many other articles of which the over-crowded state of our columns prevent particular mention. We would like to give in full the remarks of all, particularly of those veritable pioneers, whose anecdotical remarks would be deeply interesting to all our readers. Before sadjourning a vote of thanks was tendered to Sheriff Pohlman and his amiable wife, and to the Arions and Alpines. After the doxology, in which all rose and joined came the benediction by Rev. Dr. Bushnell, then adjournment sine die.

was no sooner conceived than acted upon, to wit: an autograph book of the society. He purchased a blank book in the forenoon in which all or nearly all "ye ancients" present inscribed their names which will be shown to future "pioneers" as chirographical specimens of those undaunted souls who, as it were, bearded Malarial Nature in her den, and met the shivering pestilence of the Sandusky with 'shakes" as vigorously given as received until the wild woods cleared and meadows drained they triumphed at last over the Ague demon and rendered useless one market for chinchona.

Pioneer Society

The Sandusky County Pioneer and Historical Association will meet at Birchard Library, Fremont, Aug. 2, 1879, at ten o'clock, A. M., to elect officers for the ensuing year, and for the transaction of general business of the Society. A full attendance is requested.

Society met at Birchard Library 10 A. M., and was called to order by the Pres. H. Everett. The Minutes of last annual meeting were read and approved.

On motion by Dr. Wilson and seconded by Mr. Bushnell it was resolved: That the society through its President request Clark Waggoner Esq., of Toledo, O., and Hon. G. Stewart of Norwalk, O., to be present and deliver addresses on matters pertaining to the early History of Sandusky County.

The pioneers of Sandusky County hold their annual reunion and Picnic at the Court House in this city, on Tuesday. The day was a lovely one, and the attendance larger than any previous reunion. The old people, especially, seemed to enjoy the occasion. A little after 10 o'clock A. M. the meeting was called to order by the President, Hon. Homer Everett, and a short and earnest prayer was made by Rev. Mr. Pelton, a glee club composed of some of the _ best musical talent rendered the grand old song "America,' aften which Clark Waggoner, Esq., of Toledo, Was introduced and delivered the annual address.

Mr. Waggoner's address was lengthy, but exceedingly interesting. He spoke of the trials he experienced in publishing a newspaper in this place, then Lower Sandusky, forty years ago; of the prominent business men at that time; of Sandusky county's railroad enterprises, and of the great improvements that have been made since then. The address was a valuable piece of local history and will be published in full, in the Journal next week.

He expressed his pleasure in being able to. meet with the pioneers on this occasion, and introduced them to General Sherman whom he said was the son of one of the earliest pioneers of the Firelands.

General Sherman said that his father came to Ohio in 1810; and that he died in 1829; that he (General Sherman) was born in Fairfield County in 1820. He said that he was a pioneer of California as well as

Ohio; that he went there when San Francisco had but .400 inhabitants, that the journey then occupied 112 days but now it could be made in six and one-half days from New York. He expressed his pleasure in listening to Mr. Waggoner's address and in the meeting with the pioneers of Sandusky County.

The picnic dinner which was by no means an unimportant feature of the day followed. The Company ate in little groups, some in the Court House and some in the _ public squares.

Birchard Library

At a meeting of the Trustees of Birchard Library, Sept. 5, 1879, it was resolved that the case in the north-east corner' of the _ library building be assigned for the use of the Sandusky county Pioneer Association.

A number of the pioneers related incidents of early, days and their struggles with hardships, privations, black birds, mosquitoes, fever and ague, poor roads and Indians here in the Black Swamp. Moses Boggs, who settled on the Portage river near Elmore, told how they were obliged to bring their corn to this place or take it to Pittsburg to have it ground. How once when coming to this place they found Mud Creek swollen from recent rains. Afraid of wetting the seven bags of corn he had in his wagon he carried each bag across the creek on his shoulder, crossing on some logs that had been lodged, and afterwards swam his horses across. He said he purchased 110 acres of land and his outfit for housekeeping by working for fifty cents a day.

Aunt Betsey Rice, relict of Judge Ezekiel Rice, of Elmore, made some exceedingly interesting and humorous remarks. She said in coming to this place once when the roads were

David Deal, a veteran of the War of 1812, spoke of some of the hardships of soldier life, how they slept on brush and covered themselves with bark for protection from the rain. Mr. Deal was at Ft. Meigs at the time of the battle of Ft. Stephenson. He is the only veteran of the war of 1812 in the county. When Mr. Deal finished speaking the

Mrs. Harriet Seiger, an old pioneer lady who used to keep a tavern on the Pike thirty years ago was called upon, but her voice was not strong enough to permit of her speaking.

Mr. William Caldwell, of Elmore, said his father's family moved to Marion county in 1819, and that he moved to Sandusky county in 1828. He said that the pioneers worked hard and suffered many privations still they enjoyed themselves. He spoke of their social gatherings, log rollings, house raisings and dances, which were enjoyed by all classes both old and young.

Noticeable among the absent on this occasion were the well known Mr. and Mrs. H. R. Adams of York Township. Mr. Adams' health has been very poor for several months past, and Mrs. A. wrote us a letter asking that their names be mentioned and that their kind regards be given all their old friends. She also sent a little poetic address to the pioneers, which will be published in the Journal next week.

their number, forty-four having died during the past year, their combined ages amounting to 3,137 years, an average of over 71 years each. The oldest pioneer was Tobias Miller, of Ballville, aged 79 years, who died December 18, 1878.

Annual Meeting, 1880

The report of Treasurer was then made as follows: "I never received anything. Never paid out anything and know nothing about it." Report received and ordered by President to be placed on record verbatim.

On motion of Gen. Buckland and seconded by J. P. Moore, the old officers were reelected. President, Hon. H. Everett, Vice President, Dr. L. Q. Rawson, Secretary, I. H. Burgoon, Treasurer, Dr. Jas. Wilson.

On motion by the Rev. H. Lang and seconded by Gen. Buckland, it was - Resolved, To hold the next Sixth annual Picnic in the Court House park in Fremont, on Thursday the 9th day of September, 1880.

On motion by Dr. Wilson and seconded by Gen. Buckland, it was Resolyed - That the treasurer procure a suitable trunk or box wherein to keep the books and papers of the association, and the same to be kept in Birchard Library.

On motion of Dr. Wilson and seconded by Gen. Ruckland, Rev. H. Lang was requested to read a short paper at the Picnic, and it was discussed and decided, not to have any lengthy regular addresses made, but call on the pioneers to make short speeches from memory relating incidents of their early Pioneer life.

and Hon. H. Everett, President, called the meeting to order. The secretary, I. H. Burgoon, being absent on account of sickness, L. EK. Stetler, on motion of Dr. Wilson, was elected Secretary pro tem.

The president stated that on account of the absence of the secretary the reading of the minutes of the last meeting would be dispensed with. The meeting thereupon adjourned until 1:30 P. M.

During the intermission, picnic dinner was had, and the court room, adjacent rooms and halls were soon crowded with the pioneers, enjoying the good things provided by each other for their noon refreshment, sandwiched with pleasant story and repartee.

This history was written at the time, by Colonel Chambers, and is 'a sketch of the author's personal acquaintance with Thomas G. Sherrard, and was copied by his brother 'Robert A. Sherrard.

Thomas Sherrard Jefferson county, in Ohio, to Sandusky County, in the aforesaid State. He arrived in the town of Lower Sandusky about the first of June, 1823, with full intention of building mill works on the waters of Green Creek - about three or four miles from Lower Sandusky. But for reasons best known to himself he declined going on with his mill works, or making any improvements on that tract of land on Green Creek, which he had purchased for mill works, but preferred settling on another tract of land which he owned on the west side of the Sandusky, adjoining Ball's battle ground.

Previous to his removing from Jefferson County to Sandusky County, his brother, John Sherrard, had committed to his care two quarter sections of land in the township (now called Ballville). On one quarter there is a good sugar camp which the Indians formerly occupied for the purpose of making sugar. John Sherrard being afraid that these sons of the forest would destroy the camp and other timber gave Thomas Sherrard orders to rent the camp to the best advantage to some white person that would take care of the camp and other timber. To effect this purpose he made a contract with a certain William Chard (alias Charge), who was to occupy the camp for two years for making a 'sufficient number of sugar troughs and also by paying the said Thomas year. Some time in the sugar making season James Chard, a son of William Chard, called with me and made particular inquiry respecting the lines of John Sherrard's quarter on which the sugar plant was supposed to be. This led me to believe that the Chard family the idea that the principal part of the sugar camp was not on John Sherrard's land, and therefore they would contend for nonpayment of the rent, as they told the neighbors, in sugar making to that amount. However, be that as it may, for some time before his death he was uneasy about the rent and wished to get it from Chard agreeable to contract, but was prevented from crossing the river by reason of high water until the fatal 26th of March, 1824, when he set out on that day to receive the sugar for the aforementioned rent. On that day we were cleaning wheat in the barn and after dinner was over John Custard and I returned to the barn. Mr. Thomas B. Sherrard was there, reading in the Sandusky Clarion and I thought he appeared more pensive than common. After some conversation on different subjects he asked me if he could ride the river. I told him it was fordable. He then further inquired as to the best ford. I gave it as my opinion that the ford opposite my field would be the best place to cross, but he and John Custard supposed that the ford opposite to John Custard's house would be safe enough. I then informed him that James Chard had inquired of me concerning the lines of the land, and I gave it as my opinion that there might be some dispute about the sugar camp. I then told him that if the river looked anyhow dangerous not to cross. I afterwards warned him a second time telling him that I should hate to take the time to hunt for him in the bottom of the river - this last part of my discourse passed from me in a romancing way, not thinking what might befall my friend. I then asked him if he could swim, to which he made no reply - but set off up the river toward the ford. Some time after my son

Benjamin observed that Mr. Sherrard got along very slow - we ll three took notice of his slow, pensive movements, but he passed on and we applied ourselves to our work, cleaning wheat.

When the evening came on I looked for him, but to no purpose; he was accustomed to stop as he passed and repassed, and I felt satisfied that he would stop on his return and give us some information respecting the rent of his sugar camp. The evening proved wet, as some light drizzling rain fell, and the night came on and no word of him. Next morning very early Mrs. Sherrard came to my house in a great deal of trouble. She stopped at the bars and wiped off her tears, and then came in and told me he had not come home. About two o'clock, to our astonishment James Chard came riding the horse to the other side of the river. He informed me that Mr. Sherrard had been at his father's the evening before and had got forty-two pounds of sugar and had returned home before sun-down, and that the horse had come to his father's about twelve o'clock, that day, March the 27th, 1824. I immediately set out in search of him and called to my assistance Mr. Asa B. Gavitt and John Custard; but as we had no craft we could only look along the shores from the place we supposed he attempted to cross the river, down to Mr. David Moore's mill, a distance of better than two miles. This being on the evening of the 27th, we gave notice to the neighbors of the accident which had _ befallen our friend, and thus closed this day. On the 28th a large concourse of people turned out with water crafts to search the river, but to no purpose. On this day a variety of opinions were expressed and afloat among the people concerning his disappearance, and we gave up the pursuit for the present day, but agreed to make further search on the 29th. Accordingly on the 29th, the Rev. Jacob Bowles, Mr. Jacob Nyce, Mr. James Justice and myself took our horses and rode across the river and went to Wm. Chard's in order to hunt the woods, but made no discoveries, and conciuded to give up search until the water in the river would fall or get some lower and more clear, and turn our attention'to take care of the property. Accordingly on the 30th the Rev. Mr. Jacob Bowles, Jacob Nyce, James Justice and myself, met at the house of our de parted friend for the purpose of removing the property, Mrs. Sherrard having remained at my house from the morning of the 27th, as before mentioned, and was determined not to go home - and it is here worthy of remark, that the same day the horses and cows all forsook the place and came to my place, as if all was not right. We took an inventory of the property, and Mr. Jacob Nyce, with his team, and my son with my team, moved the property to my house. And we again and again made repeated searches for the body, but to no effect. On the 10th of April his hat was found about three miles down the river below the ford where he crossed over going to Chard's and on the lith his saddle was found below Mr. Moore's 'mill dam, the saddle was found in the rapids opposite Moore's mill, the saddle was water soaked and very heavy. The hat that was found the day before the saddle was found was not water soaked nor did had been thoroughly searched from the ford where he was supposed to have ventured in down to Lower Sandusky town as before mentioned on the 27th, 28th and 29th of March. Shortly after the saddle was found there was a high freshet in the river which made us conclude that there were no hopes of finding him, as we calculated that the rapidity of the current would carry him into the lake.