Tiffin City

Tiffin City

Tiffin is situate on Sections IS, 19, 20, 29 and 30, Town 2 north. Range 15 east, Clinton Township and Section 24, Hopewell Township, in latitude north 41 ° 7', and longitude west from Washington 0° 8'. The Sandusky River flows through the city in a general northeastern course, coirrsing almost due east ftom Washington Street bridge to the railroad l)ridges, and dividing the city at this point into the North and South sides. Washington Street, inmning north and south, divides the city into the East and West sides. Rock Creek flows northwest in a tortuous course through the northeastern parts of the city, and enters the river east of Washington Street bridge. The white population

The distinctive features of the city are its magnificent location, looking over the Sandusky, its natural ton-aces, variety of landscape and wildwood drives, all retained, by some magic power, amid the ruin of old time forests, and change in everji;hing.

Here, at the beginning of the second decade of this century, the troops of 1812 encamped and revelled in the natural beauty of the place, and here a few years later the first white settler built his home and dedicated the locality to civilization for all time. A few years more and the j)ioneer of progress came, crossed the river, and, adopting the name of the first governor of Ohio for a tovTO, bestowed it upon a tract of wildwood where Tiffin now stands. Another year, and there stood the twin settlements, lovely and romantic, (juiet and unpretentious. There the pioneer settlers or travelers passed their hajipy leisure hoiirs, listening to the mm-murs of the rippling waters of the creek, the roar of the river, or watched the mist as it curtained the groves and cabins. Ah! then it claimed but plain imagination to pictiu-e the happiness of the wairiors and beauties of the ancient tribes, when they looked upon their villages, and found plenty in the woods and in the rivers. A little thought, too, encii-cled the place with a romance, all its own, when the white man brought forth in fancy what his predecessors had lost, and what he had won. Then, for a time, admiration gave place to awe, and over the scene spread a gloom, liorn of conscience and natural superstition, which prompted the question: Oh. God! how long shall we enjoy the home of the red men ? In after j'ears. amid the din and toil of progress, the thought was forgotten, and the mind once more returned to revel in the beauty and magnificence of the place, to enjoy what the Caucasian had built up on the ruin of the Indian.

It was not until the land was opened up for entry, or purchased, that immigration became active, or the counti-y began to fill up. Then the necessity of established villages became obvious. Notwithstanding the advantages of locality and accessibility, the east bank of the river was not thought of as the site of a city for almost four years after the first settlers came in, and for two years after the first village was platt(>d on the west bank of the Sandusky at this point. Josiah Hedges first realized the importance of the spot, and decided to establish himself east of what even then was considered the frontier - the Sandusky River. Others came, and all decided to carve for themselves a home in the beautifnl wilderness, and fashion out a city among the trees, that should one day be regarded as the goal to which enterprising men would direct their footsteps, where scholars would find a home, and religion 1 0,000 followers.

Those pioneers of Fort Ball and Tiffin built well indeed. Almost all their day-dreams have been realized, and a city has sprung up out of the ancient groves, extending from plateau to plateau on each side of the old, ever running, boisterous river. Here we find the inventive, enterjjrising. fearless Yankee, the Pennsylvanian, a man of iron nerves; the children of Vermont and New Hampshire, delving low for some new rock ; the Marylander. a son of that land, "the only place in the wide, wide world where religious toleration found a home;" the shrewd Irishman, whose faults almost counter-balance his vii-tues; the ruddy, fair-haired German, always singing of his ' ' faderland, ' ' yet working onward steadily to attain a competence and hold it: the Englishman, ever English and transatlantic; the " caunie " Scot, jealously watchful of his interests; the chivalrous Pole, the polite Frenchman, the money making Jew, and even the Chinaman, all find a home here.

north of the river, in 1817, were Erastus Bowe and Paul D. Butler, both of whom came to Fort Ball that year from Delaware Township. Delaware Co., Ohio, where the former, a Vermonter, settled in 1809, and the latt(>r. fi-om Massachusetts, in 1808. The following facts relating to the settlement of Fort B;»ll are taken fi'om a bill filed, in 1824. in the com-t of chancer}' l)y Lawyers I'ettibone ami Parish in the interest of Thomas Butler i-s. Josiah Hedges and Jesse Sjjeucer. September '2U. 1S17. the treaty of the foot of the Rapids was made with the Wyandots and other tribes. Among its provisions was one reserving to Robert Armstrong 040 acres fronting on the river north and south of Camp Ball 100 poles and 1(54 poles respectivdy. September ;iO of that year Armstrong agreed to sell Paul D. Butler one-half of his section on condition that the latter woidd lay a iKirt off in town lots, build a saw-mill the following summer, and a year later build a small gi-ist-mill. Armstrong was to receive half the profits of Butler' s enterprise. In November. 1818, this agi-eement was amended in the presence of Erastus Bowe and Ii-a Carpenter. August 30. 1820, Armstrong deeded to Butler 320 acres in consideration of imjirovements and of $1 in cash. September 8, 1820. Ai-mstrong deeded to him the river fi'ont for some distance above and below the present Soldiers' Moruiment, Joseph Tiernan and Leonard H. Cowles witnessing the document, and Solomon Smith, a justice, acknowledging the same. August 24, 1821, Armstrong and Butler entered into an agreement for the di^^sion of profits arising from sales of lots in the town of Oakley, the northern part to belong to Armstrong and the southern to Butler, and the division to be governed by the plan of the town as laid out by Joseph Vance. May 29, 1822. Butler conveyed to Ai-mstrong almost all his interests in Fort Ball or Oakley in the presence of Solomon Smith. Joseph S. Hughes and Leonard H. Cowles: but on tliis day also Armstrong deeded back a large part of Oakley to Butler, in the presence of Horton'Howard and the three witnesses just named, in consideration of a payment of 11.000. October 24, 1822, Paul D. Butler and his wife, Sally, conveyed to Thomas Butler a large part of this estate. In December. 1822' Paul D. Butler died. From 1818 to the period of his death he, with Armstrong, was in possession of the reservation: he cleared 100 acres at his own expense, had the town of Oakley surveyed and platted, and Iniilt mQls and houses. Jesse Spencer was a nephew of Robert Amistrong. and resided with his uncle for some time; he was Ai-mstrong's agent, and with his uncle willingly aided Butler in his efforts to have the Presidential sanction for the conveyance of part of the reservation to Butler until the deed of conveyance was actually before the President, when Spencer went to "Washington and remonstrated against its approval. This was followed by the deed from Ai-mstrong to Spencer, dated October 9, 1823, and Armstrong, ignorant as he was, visited Washington and urged its approval. At this time also the patent of July, 1820. was found to be erroneous, having been based on the treaty of St. Miiry's instead of that made at thc^ foot of the Rapids. Subsequently. Ai-mstrong, his wife and Spencer came to Fort Ball for the jiurpose of d(>aling fairly with Thomas Butler; but on the advice of Spencer the original owner broke off all negotiations. In 182."), however. Spencer and Annstrong sold to Josiah Hedges a short time before the death of Annstrong in that year. The bill was dismissed, and the bona fide intentions and acts of Paul D. Butler and his son set at naught by this coiu-t on a legal technicality, notwithstanding the apparent fact that Butler made the first improvement, and was faithful to his contract with Armstrong.

Fort Ball, as platted originally, comprised Adams, Miami and Clay Streets, running east and west, and Madison, Sandusky, and Monroe Streets running north and south on lands patented to Robert Armstrong, October 13, 1823, by President James Monroe, west of the Sandusky River. October 23, 1823, Armstrong transferred to Jesse Spencer (with the approval of the President), for S3,00{), 404 acres of the Armstrong Reservation - an act sustained by the law in the case, but one which merited, for Armstrong and Spencer, the retribution which waited on them. The first plat or siuvey in the county was undoubtedly made by Paul D. Butler, for himself and Armstrong, in 1817 or 1818, so that Spencer, or Vance, or Hedges, cannot claim the honors of the fii-st town survey in the county. This was followed, in 181U, by the sui-vey of West Oakley or Vance" s Town by Joseph Vance, then Tiffin was surveyed by Gen. James Hedges, for his brother Josiah, and Oakley replatted imder the name of Fort Ball.

The first postoffice in Seneca County was established at Oakley or Vance' e Town, in February, 1820, with David Risdon. postmaster. The mail was carried at that time between Columbus and Lower Sandusky, through Oakley.

The McCulloch or McCullok section was another grant, the history of which is given in Chapter II. Among the heirs of William McCulloch were: Noah Z. , Tabitha. Elliott, Samviel. Sidney. and Zane McCulloch, Joseph L. Tracey and Zilla Tracy. In August, 1824, Josiah Hedges filed a petition for partition of their lands at Fort Ball, and in September of that year, the coui-t granted the petition and appointed James Gordon, Franklin Baker and Thomas Boyd, to make such partition. These men laid out the tract in seven parts. Noah McCulloch and wife sold Lots Nos. 2 and 3, to Levi Davis of Frederick County, Md. : Zane McCulloch sold Lot 5, to Andrew Luzenbeel; Lot No. 7, was sold by Sidney McCulloch to Josiah Hedges and RoUin Moller. In 1832 Samuel and Elliott McCulloch were infants, and their lots still intact. The marking of the lots, by Gordon, Baker and Boyd, was carried out so indifi'erently from the field book, that Hedges' made an effort, in

1832, to have the marks changed; but thecom-tdid not comply with his demand at that time, nor until 1837 were measures taken to make the marks correspond with the field book.

New Fort Ball extending fi-om the river to the alley in rear of Madison Sti'eet, included all the in-lots in the northern addition to Tiflin. and all on what was known as Fort Ball was surveyed by James Durbin, in November, 1837, on the east part of the tract of land resei-ved to Robert Ai-mstrong, for Josiah Hedges.

Original Survey of Tiffin, and Additions. - Town of Tiffin, fractional Section 19, Town 2 north. Range 15 east, containing 118 lots 00x180 feet each, streets sixty-six feet wide and alleys sixteen and a half feet wide, with public grounds equal to three lots at the corner of Market and Washington Streets, extending to Rose Alley (later Virgin Alley), now Court Alley or Coiu-t Street, was platted November 28. 1821, for Josiah Hedges by his brother. Gen. James Hedges. The northern addition was made May 27, 1831, and the southern addition May 27, 1831, by Josiah Hedges. At this time the Catholic Chm-ch lot was on East Market Street, adjoining the old cemetery. Norris cV Gist" s addition, lots one to twelve, fronting on Jefferson Street, was recorded June 15, 1832, by Eli Norris and George W. Gist. Keller & Gist's was made Januaiy 29, 1834, for Levi Keller and George W. Gist, on out-lota No. 2 and No. 5, known as Lots 3 to 12 Jefferson Street, in southern addition.

1833. Sneath & Graff's out- lot No. 3 and part of out-lot No. 4, known as Lots 1 to 10 on Jefferson Street, in southern addition, was made January 29, 1834. Jennings', a fi'actional part of out- lot No. 3, and a fraction south of that lot extondiug to the Mansfield road, was siu'voyod by D. llisdon, November 18, 1834, for Milton Jennings. George W. Gist's plat of lots on the east half of southeast quarter of Section 'JO, Township 2 north, Itange 15 east, Nos. 1 to 10, was made in 1835.

Reuben Williams' addition, iu-lots Nos. 1 to I'l and fractional in-lots 13to 18, on Monroe Street, was platted in April, 1835. Samuel A\'aggoner's southwest additon on Monroe, south of Charlotte Street, was recorded in January, 183(). Sheldon's was surveyed September 11, 1838, by James Durbin for H. O. Sheldon. Jacob Ronk's addition to New Fort Ball was surveyed bj' G. H. Heming in November. 1849. Josiah Hedges' second addition was sm-veyed June 4, 1851, by G. H. Heming, extending south of Sanduslcy River and east oi Rock Run to the college grounds. A jiart of this addition, situate in the Second Ward, comprised twenty-one in-lots No. ()20 to f)40, with the extension of ceiiain streets. Hedges" addition of out-lots 1 to G, Second Ward, was siu'veyed April 2, 184'J, by G. H. Heming. Davis" addition including parts of Lots 2 and 3 of McCulloeh's section in Townshij) 2, Range 15 east, was svu'veyed in May, 1854, by Hiram McClelland. Springdale was siu-veyed liy G. H. Heming in May, 1S54. for William H. Gibson. This well-located addition is on the west half of the southeast quarter and north part of southwest quarter of fractional Sestion 30, Township 2, Range 15. Hedges' quam' lots, embracing five and one-half acres of the east part of Lot No. 7, McCulloeh's section, were surveyed by Hiram McClelland, May 0, 1854, for Josiah Hedges. Denzler's was platted in October, 1855, by N. R. Kuntz, between Portland and Seipio Streets.

Josiah Hedges' second southern addition to the First Ward was survyc-d in June, 1855. This addition was located south of the Catholic Chvu'ch, east and west of Washington Street. Allireclit's was surveyed by Lewis E. Holtz, deputy-surveyor, in March, ]85('). The town of New Oakley, south of Tiffin, in Sections 2U, 30, 31, and 32, was surveyed in June, 185(5, by G. H. Heming, for D. Cunningham, guardian of John Zimmerman. George E. Seney's addition, north of Portland Street, was sm-veyed by Lewis E. Holtz, November 28, 1850. The western addition was surveyed by G. H. Heming, for H. M. Avery, T. R. Butler, J. R. Cecil and Josiah Hedges, July 13, 1857.

The boundaries of Sheldon's were agreed to April 7, 1858, by the projirietors. R. and F. M. Ciiim, Patrick H. and ISIary M. Ryan, John and Eliza Walker and John Rougher. Jacob Heilman's subdivision of south part of Lot 4. together with thirty-two and three-foiu'th links wide south of said lot, was surveyed January 14, 1858. Hedges' Lots Nos. 1 and 2, in B. D., were subdivided in July, 1862, for Josiah Hedges. Noble's addition was sxu-veyed in March, 1803, by G. H. Heming, for Harrison and Minerva Noble. This is situate in the northeast part of the Armstrong Reservation.

M. P. Skinner's lands, known as in-lots 443, 444, 445, 446 and 447. fronting on High Street, were added to the town March 5, 1804. Graham & Emich's subdivision of Levi Davis' addition, in McCulloeh's township, angle of l^lnmli Road and Davis Street, Tiffin, was platted in March, 18r)4. Franklin's subdivision to Oakley was surveyed June 14, 1804, for Caroline M. Franklin and Freeman E. Franklin. Franklin's addition to Oakley was surveyed by Hiram McClelland, January 16, 18(')0, for Caroline M. and Freeman E. Franklin. Frost's addition was surveyed February 15. 1870, by Denis Maloy, for Josiah B. and Meshach Frost. Noble's second addition to the Second Ward was surveyed by Heming. in November, 1800, for Harrison and Minerva Noble.

1867. Kebecca A. Walker's, on part of Blocks Q. R and S (Hedges' lands), was surveyed August 15. 1867, by Heming. Her addition to the Second Ward in Block Y (Hedges' lands), was surveyed September 7. 1867. Gross' addition, between Cos and Mslmore Streets, in Block O (Hedges" lunds), was surveyed by Heming in August. 1867, for John Gr. and Eliza H. Gross. Tomb's addition, on the east part of Lots 5, 6 and 7. McCulloch Reservation, was surveyed in August, 1867. A second addition fi-om Sandusky east to river and south from Dallas to Douglass Street, was made on P. H. Ryan's sm-vey in April, 1871. Schonhart's, fi'onting on the Mansfield road, was surveyed in March, 1867. Hunter's was sm-veyed in April. 1867, for William and Clarinda Hunter. Toll's subdivision, extending from Franklin Street to the Sandusky River, was siu-veyed May 18, 1868, for W. and Sarah A. Toll. John Heilman's, on Main and Walker Streets, was sui'veyed October 30, 1868. D. J. GoodseU's was surveyed in March, 1868. G. F. Hertzer" s subdivision, between Schonhart's and Heilman's additions, was siu'veyed March 15, 1871. Francois C. Noirot's, out-lot northwest of east half of northwest quarter of Section 28. was surveyed by D. Maloy in January, 1869. Jacob F. Bunn's subdivision of the west part of out-lot No. 2 B. S. , on the Greenfield road, was surveyed in September, 1870, by Dennis Maloy. G. D. Loomis made an addition to the city in April. 1870. Clarinda Hunter's allotment, east of Sandusky Street and south of the old corporation line, was sui'veyed by P. H. Ryan in February, 1871. The addition of the Levi Davis estate to Tiffin was made by W. P. Noble, administrator, in May, 1871. Stoner's, east of Fremont to Hemy and south of Douglass to Davis was surveyed by P. H. Ryan in 1871. Lucinda Allen's, north of Ella Street, east of the river, was siu'veyed in March. 1872. Mechanicsburg, extending fi'om Front Street to Washington, Sycamore and Union Streets, was surveyed by P. H. Ryan in November, 1872, for R. W. Shawhan. A. G. Sneath and Meshach Frost. C. K. Gilmore's subdivision of out-lot No. 10, Block X (Josiah Hedges' lands), was surveyed by J. L. Fisher in July, 1872. John T. and Eliza Bacher's subdivision of Lot 1, Block Z (Josiah Hedges' lands), was siu'veyed by E. C. Cook in September, 1873. J. T. Huss' , extending from the river to Henry Street, between Tomb and Douglass Streets, was surveyed in 1873. Souder's subdivision of out-lots 9, 10, 11, in Davis' addition to Tiffin, was surveyed by J. L. Fisher in April. 1873. J. F. Bunn's second addition was surveyed by P. H. Ryan in May. 1873. This is bounded by Douglass. Bunn. Davis and Henry Streets. Gray's was surveyed in April. 1873, by E. C. Cook, Jr., for R. Gray, P. J. Wilson and E. W. "Stephenson. Lewis McCollnm & Suyders' snbdi^^sion. opposite the County Fail- gi'ouuds, was surveyed in April. 1873, by John L. Fisher. Luther A. Hall's addition was made in December, 1873.

The annexation of a large tract west and north of the old corporation line of Tiffin was effected by order of the county commissionej's, made March 0, 1877, in response to a petition from the residents. B. F. Myers', May, 1880; A. Bihm's, May. 1880; George \Y. Fiege's, June, 1880; Florence Cronise's, 1880; William Negele's, June. 1880; tracts between Scipio Street and Block 30, school lot in First Ward, Eock Creek Mill property, Fleming tannery lot, April, 1880; tract on River Street, Lot 247, east half of the northeast fractional quarter of Section 19, lots on Market at mill race, in May, 1880; Christian Slueller's and Mrs. Hunter's, in July.. 1880; Fair grounds and adjacent property in May, 1880.

In April. May and June, 1880, a large area, scattered throughout the city, was platted for the purposes of taxation. The petition to annex several parcels of land west and north of Tiffin to the city, was granted bv the commissioners February 27, 1882.

In July, 1883. J. W. Sheely's subdivision of Lot 10. K. & G. addition, was sui'veyed; in June of that year, Myers, Stalter and Bunn's addition was laid out, and in October, Sarah V. Armstrong's addition. In February. 1884, Quinn's replat of Riordon's subdivision was made, and H. Brohrs sxibdivision of the Da^-is addition was made in Juno of that year. The work of extension is still can'ied on, with greater prospects in the distance.

Incidents of First SettJemeul. - The tirst tavern in the county was opened in 1817, by the first settler, Erastus Bowe, immediately below Fort Ball, at the north end of Washington Street bridge. In 1810 his was the neare.st house to the AVeleh Brothers' settlement at the ^Mohawk Village, in Eden, and to the white settlements at old Fort Seneca, made in the fall of that year; if we except Spicer's cabin and other homes of the white captives, who. in the general history are classed with, and treated as Indians. In 1818 the members of Erastus Bowo's family and Hannah Jackson ai-rivcd, also Paul D. Butler's family. Almon Rollins, who was convicted of the robbery of Spicer, and served some years in the penetentiary, was an employe of Butler, ^^'illiam Rollins came in 1818. Abner Pike came in ISl'J. Eli Downing also lived here, prior to his settlement near the Baker Mill; the constable Papineau, Henry Creesy, Levi Creesy, the blacksmith John Searles and family, and a few transients, on whom Butler conferred the name of ' ' lazy duffers, ' ' resided within Fort Ball, even in 1820. and Josiah Hedges visited the post that year. Then came David Risdon. the old surveyor, to Fort Ball: Simon B. Howard, from Delaware County: John Mimm. Ajmstrong Drennon, Charles \\etz or Wertz, fi'om Richland County; Henry M'elch, a brother of Hugh Welch, from Eden To^\Tiship. Sen(>ca County: James Spink, from Wooster: Gen. James Hedges, fi'om Manstield; Josiah Hedges, Charles Kelly. Hem-y ^Miller, David Fowler and others, a few of whom made only temporary settlements. When the commissioners selected the "town in the bush" on the east side of the river, as the seat of justice; there were only six cabins, in one of which the whole Drennon family died, almost together. The tir.st tree was cut on the site of the town in March, 1821. James Spink, of Woosler. opened a store at Tiffin in March, 1822, the same which was phuidered the following winter. Herford, Miner and Spink located the seat of justice at Tiffin, March 25, 1822, when there were only six cabins there. Dr. Eli Dresbach and Dr. R. G. J. Carey, who settled at Fort Ball in 1823, were among the first resident physicians of the coimty. but not the first who practiced here. Rudolphus Dickenson, who located at Fort Ball in 1824, was the tirst attorney. Abel Rawson came in February. 1 820, although John J. Spink, of Wooster, Ohio, was here in 1821. The first jail was completed March 4. 1826. In April, 1828, the United States land office of the Delaware District was located at Tiffin. Jacob Plane was ajipointed first postmaster at Tiffin in the spring of 1829. The first newspaper, the Seneca Patriot, was issued fi'om the press by E. & J. H. Brown, August 4, 1832. The press used was brought to Pennsylvania in tht last decade of the last centuiy, and is said to have been the first west of the Alleghenies.

Preparatory to leaving for the West, the Senecas assembled at Fort Ball in the summer of 1830, and camped there for twenty days while settling their chattels and debts. The fii-st brick yards were established in 1830-31 . St. Mary' a brick chui'ch building was begun in 1831. John Goodin's hotel, a brick house which stood on the site of the National Hall block, was begun late that fall, or (>arly in the spring of 1832. Dr. Kuhn's residence and Abel Eawson's diminutive law office were built. There were in fact only three brick buUdings completed in the city up to the close of 1833, and perhaps ten times that number of frame buildings, most of them veiy small, and a large number of log-houses.

The fii-st bridge constructed in Seneca County was that over the Sandusky, at the foot of Washington Street, in 1833-34, built by Reuben "Williams for Josiah Hedges. In l834 a second bridge was built lower down, and also one across Rock Creek, which were all caiTied away during the high water of that year. The Hedges' toll bridge was erected in 1834. The fiist railroad, the Mad River & Lake Erie, was sm-veyed in 1832 by Stansbm-y, Morris and Van Antwerp: work begun September 7, 1835, was finished as far as Republic, in 1839. and as far as Tiffin in 1841. It was completed in 1847-48 {vide