Weston Township (part 13 of 15)

( liicf. TIr'V dro})pc'(l tlK'ir inuskcls, aiul approached the ^^tore on a mm, and remained a few minutes. An hour after their departure, ahout 100 British soldiers, and as many Pottawatomies and \\'yandots. came up. Tlieir first inquiry was for guides, ^lanor. fivaii ])rudential motives was seized with su(hleii and severe himeness ; l»ut it wouhl not (h). The oilieer in eonnnand pressed him into ser- Aiee as a guide, and hnne as he seemed, lie was eompelled to eonihiet this eom- ]iany,to xhv head of the rapids. Here his lameness so inei'easi'd. that his ])eTsecutors dismissed liim. and he si't out on Ids return home. At the foot of Pres(pie isle Hill, he met Colonel Klliott, the officer in command of the detachment, and the remainder of the troops and Indians composing it. Elliott examined him closely, and on learning that he had heen employed as a guide, pei'mitted him to go on his way,

The al)()\e dilfers d'oni other accounts as to the time the settlers left the Kapids. Jn this. Mr. Hosmer quotes Manor incoi-reetly. no douht. Hull had news of the declaration of war Julv 2nd. ih' surrendered his army August 16th. From Mr. Hosmer's statement, we wouhl \:: led to helieve that the settlers fled on hearing wai- had heen declared. Mrs. C'reen ami Clark hoth say the flight was :;fter the surrendt'r of H\dl. Their version is douhtless the correct one. In the history of Erie county, incidental mention is nuuh' of ^lajor Spatford heing at tlie mouth of Huron river, with his family, in a Ijoat, about September 1st. The reasonable inference is that he had but recently sailed from the Maumee, that is, ill the latter part of August, after the surrender. The i)robabilities are that in the inqn'mling danger, after Hulks surrendei', the settlers foresaw that they were no longer safe for even a single day: that in the confusion and anxiety of the liour each acted as his hopes or fears impelled him.

Bowling Green

PPOBABLY there has been no more accurate and succinct account of the eai'ly history of Bowling Green, than the Icl lowing, jjcnned by the late C. W. Evers, wliose studious efforts in gathering every i]u-ident connected with the pioneer his- of Wood county, rendered him a ]-elial)le authority in all that pertains to t hat eai'lv jx'riod :

The tii'st time white men came to disturl) the forest solitudes where Bowling (ireen now stands, was in June, 1812, when Hulks army passed here, marching 'Voni Dayton to Detroit.

'Idiat column of troops, preceded by guidt's, scouts and axnien. followed in tui'u hy tlu' ca\alry hatlalion, with its gaudv ])ennons, escorting the commanding geneial with his gaily uniformed >taff retinue, then the infantry, field hands, artillci-y and trains formed a pageant which even to-day would attract all Bowling (ireen to the east side of town, aboui where the T. it 0. C. railvav track liis. That is about on the line the troops held, until lU'ar Kidge >ireet. when they tui'ned a little to the west, coming out on the Maumee nearly opposite Walerville. That was the first \.ai:-on trail thi-oui^-h the interior of Wood county^ and the only one for the two succeeding decades. The land was then owned by the Indians. After the war, in 1817, at a treaty at the foot of the Maumee Eapids, the United States bought the land, at a price slightly less than four cents an acre, and in 1819 sent surveyors liere, which was the second appearance of white men on official business. In 1821 the final surveys were completed and the plats made, 'when the lands were ready for market.

Unfortunately the Black Swamp country, after the war of 1813, had a worse reputation, if possible, than ever; the soldiers and others who had been here, told horrible stories about it. Few buyers of land came - none to the interior of the county. Those who stopped invariably located on or near the river; so that, aside from roving parties of Indian hunters and occasional white furtraders, or the weekly trips of the old Bellefontaine mail carrier, the interior of the county was practically unknown and shunned by settlers for more than a decade after its survey. Prior to the year 1828, Collister Haskins, at Portage, was the only settler between Findlay and the Maumee settlement.

Some few land entries were made in Plain and Center in 1831, but the pioneer entry in the present corporation of Bowling Green, was made October 29, 1832, by Elisha Martindale; the tract, 40 acres in the northwest part of town, lying on both sides of Haskins road or street, is known as the Clinton Fay place. Martindale later bought 120 acres more; he built his cabin where the present Fay house stands, near the great willow tree just west of the road, the following spring, 1833. Careful inquiry has failed to discover evidence of any cabin here prior to that date; Lee Moore, Henry

Walker, Jacob Stoutfer and others came and built in the summer and fall of '33. Alfred Thurstin began his cabin in November, 1833, as did Joseph flollington sr., but so far as known the Martindale cabin was the first, and stood on the first land entry in what is now Bowling Green.

(Without going into all the particulars of the land entries given at that early day and noted by Mr. Evers, we will simply give the names of a few of those who entered land. Among them v/ere Joseph Hollington, Benjamin Eeed, J. M. and Samuel Lamb, Stephen Ward, Thomas Tracy, Henry Walker, Andrew Eace, Jonathan Fay, Eobert Barr, Alfred I'hurstin, Lee Moore, David Hickson and others.)

These few notes from the land entry books, though not including all entries embraced in the present corporation of Bowling Green, neither the names of all purchasers, are yet sufficient to afford the reader some idea of the pioneer real estate men of the town and when they first came. Some, perhaps only one or two^ of all those named bought merely for speculation. Most came in quest of homes. Some tried life here, got tired of it and left. Of those faithful ones who remained to buffet with adversity and fight the battle thr.t was eventually to make a town here, of which they never even dreamed perhaps, most, alas, have passed from this stage of action; their toils and trials have ceased. They did their part bravely and well; their work of subduing the wilderness, begun more than half a century ago, and its results, are before us to-day. Their descendants and successors surely have just cause to remember them with respect and pride. If the story of their humble start in the race and their faithful stewardship to the end, shall inspire us with the ambition and will to do our part as well, then

Sckap-Book

A glance at the okl land entry books shows the rapid iutlux of settlers from 1833 to 1836 or 1837. That was an era of speculation. Everyone had a mania to buy land, but the money panic and business crash of 1837 brought it to a sudden end. That was a paralytic stroke from which the western country did not entirely recover until the California gold discovery, more than a decade later. Wood county was especially prostrateel. There was nothing here that the people could ^11, not even their homes; but there was most everything in the way of necessities even, to buy. There was in those gloomy years, little to inspire hope; much to thwart and discourage effort.

By the middle of the year 1834 the ridges and higher spots within a radius cf three miles of this place were mostly patented from the government, and in n.'any instances the owner had built and occupied his cabin on his new purchase. This brought the population largely to the west and north, where the most ridges lay. The mail can-ier between Perrysburg and Bellefontaine passed on the old army trail once each week, at first every two weeks, and this group of settlers petitioned for a postoffice in their midst: they were distrustful, however, that Collister Haskins, of Portage, might not approve of the move and went about it a little cautiously. The story of this enterprise incidentally reveals

The civil history of a town is but the biography of its founders and their successors, in which every incident, sometimes the most trivial, has an interest to the dwellers tlierein. Not only the name

Since Bowling Green has become the thriving seat of justice of one of the most prosperous counties in Ohio, inquiry it- often made how it happened that it \^-as so named. For the first time, in print, the story is here told, with the incidents that led to the naming, as told to the writer by two of the pioneers who liad a part in it at the time, and several others personally known to all the circumstances. Bowling Green was christened after, or for the capital town of Warren county, Kentucky, by Joseph Crordon, a veteran mail carrier of the pioneer days here. Of one who performed so important a part for us in our infantile state, we naturally ask. Who was he? In his paper, the Findlay Courier, January 1847, William Mungen wrote editorially of Gordon as follows:

"Joseph Gordon was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, on the 29th day of January, 1784. In the year 1801, when but 17 years old, he commenced carrying the mail, on horseback, from Ifussellville, Kentucky, via Bowling Green, to Glasgow, a distance of 85 miles, once in two weeks, for which he received $12 per month. In 1802 he took a contract to carry the mail from Shelby ville, Kentucky, to Nashville, Tennessee. In consequence of the route being changed, lie carried the mail only two months. From that time till October, 1804, he carried it from Shelbyville to Kussellville, Ky. In October, 1804, he commenced carrying the mail on liorse-back from AVheeling, Virginia, to George Beymer's in Oiiio, a distance of 50 miles, with a led horse and a heavy mail on cneh. In 1805-6, he carried the mail from Wheeling, through St. Clairsville, Zanesville, and New Lancaster, to Chillicothe. In February, 1823, he commenced on the route between Bellefontaine and Perrvsbin-g', a (listaiiee of 81 miles, tlirough a wilderness, there Ix^ing but one family residing in Hardin county, and hut one postoitiee on tlie rout*-', and that (Eindlay) at tliis [)lae:'. Mr. (iordon was the only contractor on this route from February 7, lH2o, to December 31, 1839. Since 1839, he has carried the mail SL'mi-weekly from Bellefontaine to this place, 55 miles."

Few indeed liavc constitntions suffici^'iitly stroiig to ( inhii'e snch labor for such a length of time. It is to such men a.- Gordon - to oiii' hardy pioneers, who \\ere r;'ady to t'licounter all kinds of toil ajid ])ri\ati()n. that Ohio owes her present slat ' of |)rosperity and advancement. For such men we c^annot but cherish sent'lnents of respect.

Jacob Stouifer's . cabin here was the central ])oint of the new postoffice movement. Heni-y Walker, son-in-law of Stoufi'ei- was to be th? i)ostmaster. The A\alkers and Stouffers occn])ied the same cai)in : it stood on the high ridg,' just east of Main street. ikiI far north of -\lerry avenue.

Uordon on one of his northward trips had stopped at Stou Iter's as was his usual custom, in passing; the petition for the new office was ready, except that the movei's, two or three of whom were present, had not yet agreed upon a name. 1 he old mail carrier wlio stood on the cabin stei)s listening to the discussion, said to Stoutfer, half jestingly, "if you v.ill give nu' a tund)ler of cider EH give you just the name."

^ Stoutfer who had brought out a keg of cider from Columbiana county, filled a glass and handcMJ it to Gordon : the latter briefiy'<'X])laining how a])])ropriate the name he would suggest was to the landsca])e about them, said with a swc^p of his aim, "Here's to the new postoffice of liowling (ireen," swallowed the cider and was in the act of mounting his horse when those present detained him a moment while they could write a name in the ])etiti(Mi. which, sure enough, was the one (Joi'don had suggested.

Till' papei's were soon folded and on th(ir way to Perryshurg for some additional endorseni'.nts, after which thev vere sent to Washington. The office was established March 13, 1834. In 1835, \\'hen Walker sold his place, he and the Stouifers moved over to the west side of Main street, where the office was kept for a time, since which it has had many different locations and masters.

Afterwards in 1855, when the village \\as incorporated, there seemed no good reason why it should not take the same name as the jiostoffice, under which name it had been going in fact since in the early fifties. That is the way Bowling Green came to have its name.

Aside fi'oni school and church work Bowling Green had but little history prior to the time she was inc(n-])orated, that does not ]n-operly come within the purview of the histories of Plain -and Center io\vnslii])s. K'obert ]\Iackey's store enterprise at the .\a])oleon road in the south part of town, intended as the nucleus of the village of Mt. Ararat, never, mider its various proprietors, met expectations. John Hannon in the north end of the strc't, with his tavern and blacksmith sho]) did not attract village neighl)ors about him. When, in 1847, Dr. E. I). IN'ck sent L. C. Locke out here to start a mercantile enterprise, most of the settlers were sure it would be a failure ; the ])i'oi)rietors did not feel sanguine for th" stock was opened on a very small scale in a little room in one corner of a tavern called then White Hall, on the west side of Main just north of the intersection of Lil^erty street, where a hotel calh'd the American House has

Locke soon i'elt encouraged to call on his })artner for larger (juarter^ : then was Mt. Ararat's chance for resurrection; Locke tried to huy out Emerson, Eaton & Co., who were sort of successors to Mackey, though in a newer, hetter building and on the east side of ^lain street. 'J he owners declined to sell and the star of ]\lt. Ararat sank to rise no more. Locke hought an acre of Alfred Thurstin, including that part of the east side of ^iain street from the First Xational Bank south, and taking in the opera liouse, and there huilt a store and residenee under ont> roof: his traide was pros- ])erons. and not h)ng after he was appointed postmaster antl a little later built and operated an asherv, the first manufacturing enterprise begun in the village, if we exce])t Caleb Lord's cabinet shop. Locke had l)y his enterprise practically determined where the center of the village would l)e. Anyone who came in after that, and wanted to go into business, located as near Locke's as he could get.

opens a new chaj)ter - a new era in the history of Bowling (ireen. This circumstance is of greater import to the town than the first casual thought would suggest. Xot in the sense that we expect the town to be a center of vast population or a great commercial or manufacturing center. Its development in these respects rests largely with those who now rule its destiny^their enteri)rise, and)ition and far-sightedness.

The railroad from nortli to sonth. a distance of 30 miles through a rich and largely unoccupied portion of the county, will not only develop a vastly increased trade and make hetter market facilities for the town, hut settle forever its status as the husincss center - capital, of one of the iai'gest and most ])ros]i)erous agricultui'al countii's in Ohio. As sanguine as many of our ])eople felt on this point, it was not settled beyond cavil until this road caiui>. Tliis settles it and the town now stands on solid footing in this respect. It is the ca])ital of a grand and ])opulons county. It is tlic official l\isiness center and is natui'ally the trading' center.

The Bell School House

THE Bell school house was built in 1841, says Joseph R. Tracy, on Section 2(i, Plain township, by John Whitehead, John E. Jenkins, carpenters, and Joseph IL Tracy and other residents assisting. The money was contributed by the leading citizens of the township, who desired to have a house fiu' a private school, as well as for religious purposes. The bell, from which the house took its name, was fonnerly used on the Mission C'liapel on the Maumee river. It was presented to tlii' l)uilders of the school house and placed in a cupola erected for the purpose. A subscription school was carried on for a number of years, after which the house passed into the possession of the common school trustees.

The Pioxeer

mile to the west. The Methodist class that used to meet there was merged into the church at Bowling Green. The same is true of the Baptist and Congregational adherents. Each became the members of larger churches. Thus the particular necessity of this school buildiJig ceased.

The bell has been the subject of much theorizing as to what became of it. As far as can be learned, it being the property of Isaac Van Tassel, he took possession of it and removed it. Mr. J. R. Judson says it was removed in 1845 on the plea that the belfry was not safe. He says he does not know who had charge of it the next 10 or 12 years, but he is pretty certain that it was placed in the Minton school house in the late 50's. Newton Stearns says it is on the Minton school house and has not been changed. He says he bought the bell for $2 and sold it for $3 to Nate Minton. T. W. Miuton, writing under date of February 1. 1909, says, "In 1870, a new school house was built on his father's farm in Plain township, five miles west of Bowling Green - that his father learned where the old mission bell was and went and bought it for something like $3.00 from a party west of Bowling Green, and if I remember correctly he presented it to the district by placing it on top of the school building and it is there today if it has not been taken down.''

Mr. C. W. Evers once doubted whether the old Mission bell and that on the Minton school house was the same. But after more thorough investigation and the stati'nients of those upon whom he could rely he was less skeptical and admitted till' probability that they were the same. Mr. Evers attended school in the old Bell school house in 1846-7, and had many tender associations in all that pertained to it. In writing of the bell he says : "Its silvery peals swelled up from that little forest-hidden chapel over forest and glade, and bore the glad tidings to the scattered settlers, far and near, that some one would preach, some one would sing, and some one would pray that day at the 'Bell'. That bell was the pioneer evangelist of this kind in Wood county, or for that matter in jSTorthwestem Ohio. It came Anth the \'anguard of Civilization."

Last Of Big Game

IN the Sentinel of November 27, 1884, Mr. Evers gives substantially the story, as told by Wm. Mears and J. G. Balston, of the killing of the last bear ever slain in Wood county:

It was late in the fall of 1858; there was a nice tracking snow on the ground. Wash. G. Avery, who then lived on his farm north of town, was out hunting; had wounded a deer and was following in its track when, about three o'clock in the afternoon he came across a big brown bear poking along in the woods. Mr. Avery thought no more about his deer, but immediately turned his attention to the "bigger game." His gun was a small one, and not just the thing to tackle a bear with, but Wash did not stop to think of that, but pulled up and blazed away. The ball struck the bear in the thigh, inflicting a flesh wound of no consequence, and bruin set off in an easterly direction. Wash went over to Joe Ealston's on Sugar Ridge, and got Joe and

Geo. Walker, who were there visiting, and the three set out in pursuit. They fol- Icwed the trail as far as the McCutehenville road over in Wi'bster, and then, it being late in the night and all hands being tired, they went to the Ten Mile house and stayed until morning. At daylight they were again on the trail, the crowd re-enforced by the addition of Jesse Williams, a harness maker from Pcrrysburg, and a friend of his. They followed the trail to the Ottawa county line, where they found that the bear had taken the back track, crossing the Mc- Ciitchenville road within a mile or so of they had started in the niorning. As they crossed the road, they found that some one else, with a dog had taken the

Jesse Williams said it was old Jake Hedinger, an old hunter who lived in the vicinity; said he knew his track. Away they all started on the dead run, whooping and halloing to Hedinger to stop and wait for them, but he did not stop. They finally heard the dogs and taking a short cut came up with Hedinger. They found where the bear had attempted to climb two different cottonvv'ood trees, Ijut had been pulled down by Hedinger's big dog, and had been obliged to continue his flight by the near approach of the nu^n. He fiiuilly came out and crossed the i)lank ro;id at tlie intersection of Center and Middleton township lines. When the men came out on the plank road Williams and his friend followed the trail after the dogs, and Ralston went down the plank road to watch AAhat was then called the Eudolph road.

Wm. Avery, AVm. Mears, and Benj. Johnson had been hunting that day in east of the John Hood place, north of the bend. Mr. Mears had killed a turkey gobbler that weighed r>r, lbs., and they were returning homeward. Mr. Johnson had left them and gone home, and the others met Jot^ just as he turned off from the plank road, and an explanation ensued, M'hen Mears and Wm. Avery agreed to join the bear hunt. They agreed that the bear which had gone away in west of the road would attempt to get back to the Devil's Hole, and that they had better station themselves along what was known as the Rudolph ditch. Ralston, Mears and Wm. Avery accordingly went over on the ditch. Joe Ralston took up liis station on the ditch-bank, while Wm. Avery stood about 15 rods east of Joe, and Mears about the same distance east 0'' Avery. As it began to get dusk they lieard the dogs coming, yelping at every jump. Pretty soon bruin came in sight of Joe, lumbering along to within a few 3^ards of him, with back bowed up, mouth open and tongue hanging out, looking tired and savage. Joe pulled up his gun - and it snapped. Tried it again, but it was no good-. By this time the bear had passed on to Mr. Avery, who, owing to the gathering darkness could not see to shoot very good. He fired, however, striking the bear in the back, hut not inflicting a serious wound. Now came Mr. Mears' turn. He waited until the bear was within a few fet't of him, and had just cleared a 14-foot ditch at a bound, when he put a half-onnce l)all through his heart. Bruin fell, apparently dead, and the dogs coming u]) at that instant, sailed in, and then immediately sailed out again, for, with his last strength, the bear strack one of them a terrible blow with his paw, knocking him about 20 feet away, whereupon the two dogs set off through the woods, howling as if "the old Nick" was after them.

When they found that the Ijear was dead, jMears, Avery and Ralston set up a shout of triumph which soon brought Wash., Williams and Hedinger to the scene. After a consultation it was decided to take the bear up to Thomas' tavern and there divitle up. They accordingly dragged the carcass through the snow to the place of destination.

Turkey Foot Rock

T 11 111 large boulder called "Turkey Fool Kock"" which lays on the north bank of the Mauniee denotes the point ou the river where Gen. Wayne gained a decisive \ictory over the combined Indian tribes of the Xorthwest, on August 20, 1794. The Indians were principally directed and commanded by Bhie Jacket and Little Turtle, and the tribes engaged included the vShawanese, Miamis, Wyandotts, Pottawattomies, Delawares, Chippewas, Ottawas and a few Senecas and other remnants of tribes. The Wyamlotts, a once powerful tribe lost all their chiefs, nine in number, at that battle, and tradition says that one of the bravest of their clan, called '"I'urkey Foot,'' was slain by Wayne's infuriated followers near this rock and tluit after Wayne, whom the Indians called the "Whirlwind'" was gone, the fvw scattering members of the Wyandott nation re])aired to the s])ot where their beloved chief had fallen and carved the rejjreseiitation of a huge turkey's foot on the rough boulder with their hatciiets. This roughly chiseled turkey's foot is still to be seen, although the rock has been sadly defaced by sacrilegious and disrespectful hands.

The armies of Harmer and St. Clair had been liutcliered and destroyed, and the savages, encouraged by the British agents, were exultant and blood thirstv.

Kut <u) awnging Xeuu'sis was after them at last. The highest tribute paid to Wayne's generalsbi]». was by Little Turtle in a council speech the' Jiight previous to the l)attle, which he was not in favor of. Said he, "the Americans are now led by a chief who never sleeps. The night and the da\' are alike to him. During all the time he has bi'cn marching on our villages we lia\c been unable to surprise him. lliink well of it."" But the i-ounsel of Blue lacket who was more Ijloody and precipitate i)re\ailed. I'he Indians were overpowered, out generaled. driven into the river and almost annihilated, and the glad tidings wer>' berabl'd across tlu' Alleghanies in shouts of triumph. I'hat boulder is a mute reminder oi' the battle of Fallen Timber.

I notice in your daily of June 15 that Dr. Dwight Canfield in his review of the battle of Fallen Timber has fallen into the usual mistake of people who wilte about Turkey Foot rock. There is such a ixK-k as we all know, but that there was a "noted Indian chief" named Turkey Foot, as lie stated and as many others have done, 1 deny. I know I am going in the face of a long standing legend - breaking an idol as it were; but it is best, that we get our history of the long ago correct before it is too late.

haps some time in 1830 or possibly earlier when the Indians were still here, by T. M. Coffinberry, called the Forest Eangers, foot note, page - (I have not the book before me, though several of them are owned in Toledo) they will get the facts, regarding Turkey Foot rock. Mr. Coffinberry was a lawyer, lived at Perry sburg, was well educated and mingled, out of curiosity perhaps, much with the Indians, and knew their habits, customs and history quite well.

According to his statement, I give the substance rather than his words, the Indian killed, at or near the big boulder, August 20, 1794, was a sub-chief of the turkey clan of the Wyandott tribe, whose totem or coat of arms or monogram was the imprint of a turkey's foot. Each tribe is divided into more or less clans; the beaver, the muskrat, the eagle, the dog, the bear, or any favorite object may be adopted as the emblem of a clan. A turkey in Wyandott is Massas.

This warrior, killed that day was evidently popular and beloved of his clan for they not only carved the emblem of the clan, a turkey's footprint on the big granite boulder, but always, when passing that way, some of his kin or clan would stop and leave some little tribute of their affection, oftener plug tobacco than anything else.

Thus it was the stone took the name Turkey Foot rock. There was no noted chief of that name.' Xo treaty record with the Indians bears such a name, ^o such name is mentioned in the many fights before Wayne's battle. If he had been a noted warrior, some where his name would appear. It is just a fiction of some of the white men of the later years and witb some has grown into an honest belief as is the case with many other fictions we cling to as truths.

There is a turkey foot rock. It is a land mark denoting the high tide spot of Wayne's battle. Near it a brave of the turkey clan was killed. He was popular and his clansmen cut the clan emblem, the print of a turkey's foot, on the stone and very naturally it has gone by the name Turkey Foot rock. Its chief importance, however, is that it marks the place of one of tbo great battles of the border war period.

The old rock should be cared for and preserved and above all when we take our school history pupils to these historic places we should give them the history straight - unmixed with any fiction or carelessly drawn conclusions formed without due investigation.

Unbroken Forests

AN old pioneer of Perry township, in writing to the Sentinel, says that prior to the year 1830, the southern part of Wood county as far as known was without a living white settler. Its forests of oak, walnut, beech and poplar were primeval in beauty, and teemed with bears, wolves, deer and other animals, while countless multitudes of wild geese and ducks quacked in the tangled undergrowth along the various branches of the Portage.

About the year 1830 solitaiy hunters would come in occasionally and chase a bear or herd of deer, but for the most part it remained an unbroken wilderness, and although speculators and those contemplating actual settlement had entered lands, they were laughed at for their credulity if the}' asserted it would ever be a habitable region. The "Munchausen'' stories of the Black Swamp represented it as being occupied by a species of genii closely allied to mother Eve's joersuader. Black snakes were said to attain constrictor proportions, while the dread rattler was sup])()se(l to hiss forked lightning from every stump and crevice. Gradually, however, these stories became '"old,'' and some adventurous spirits began to talk seriously of making a "clearing."

The cholera which made its first appearance in the Fnited States in 1831, spread north with gi-eat rapidity and dire effects. At the old town of Gallipolis on the Ohio, its ad\'ent was felt and sent many northward, who preferred any hardship to a tussle with tlic^ dread malady.

In the election of '34: the number of voters had increased to twenty-eight, and during the fall aud winter the settlement at tlu' ^reOonuick entry was sufficiently large to warrant James McCormick in sur^'eying a piece of his land and laying it out in lots. He secured the services of Davis, and lots wore laid on the Mc- Cutchenville road, aud the road to Fremont and the streets named Main and Sandusky. Since that time several additions have been made and new streets laid out. McCormick named the town Mill Orove, to wliich has been suffixed West to distinguish it from Mill Grove in jMorgan county. The sale of lots was slow and ))uihling slower.

One of the greatest pests to the raising of any kind of stock were wolves, the forests seemed literally alive with them, and in the winter they were ravenous, attacking every li\'ing animal from a chicken to even the settler himself. Gradually, however, they disappeared, drew deeper into the forest, and it has been many years since the wolf lost his identity in the county. Settlers used different modes to protect their stock from them, the steel trap and chain being veiy effective. jMany daring exploits are related of the old hunters then young men, chuck full of grit. One is worth relating.

George McCormick at tliat time a mere boy, went out one morning to see liis tra]), and found a very large wolf fast luit nidiurt. Now as there were some new settlers just come in, George determined they should have a close view of a live wolf. After considerable planning he succeeded in tying the wolf's mouth and feet. He then very coollv strapped liim on his back and walked home, a distance of OATr a mile.

The Hollingtons

AMOXG the list (.f early settlers of Plain townslii}), may be mentioned Picliard Hollington, who came out to tile ^laumee conntiT in the year 1834. hy tlie lake, and almost directly from Enudand. ilc cntei'cd 4(10 acres of land, endtraeing what is now a fine farm south of Bowling Green. j\Ir. Hollington selected a spot al)out one-fourth of a mile west of the Findlay road as his future abiding place, and in course of time had a fine orchard of apple trees |)lan1e(l from the old Station orchard on the Maumee.

After contracting with a man named McKnight. for the ))uilding of a log house, and hnying two yoke of oxen (the first e\'er owned in the township) he re-

He had a wife and. five children, fonr sous and one danghter. l\ichard, tlie eldest son. then 13 years of age, became a resident of Williams county, this State. Mary became the wife of Hon. (>cta\ius Waters, of Fulton county, .lost'ph was a resident of Bowling (ii'een. William, the youngest of the family, became a resident oF Missouri.

Ambrose, next to the youngest, will be remendiered Ijy many ol' the ])resent day throughout this section of Ohio, as Kev. Ambrose Hollington, who was classed among the most eloquent of ])ulpit orators. His son. Dr. H. I). Hollington, of St. Paul's M. E. church. Toledo, is destined to l)ecome as famed as his father.

Mr. Hollington had in the old country been a tradesman, while his wife, who was a wi'll educated woman, had bt'i'u accustomed to all the comfoi-ts and convenieut-es of lib'. But lirf piano had been Irft across the ocean, and lln' only music she would be likely to hear finmany long months would Ije a medley of uncouth sounds of frogs, mosquitoes, ^ild beasts ;ind birds. Hollington knew nothing of woodcraft, did not know how to rise an ax. in fact with his wife, he was entering upon an undertaking remU'red doidily trying because' of their int'xperience.

After a toilsome journey tbi'ough >wanip> and forests, they ilnally arrived at tlie cabin of -Joseph Mitchell, who bad settled a short time ])revious near the south boundary of the township, and about two miles north of (*ass' Corners, in TjilnTty townshi]). The ]\[itchells had barely got their cabin coverech A ])lace for a door and small window had been cut out. l)ut lumber for a door oi' glass for windows wvw practically out of tlie ([Uestion then, nor bad the cabin even a puncheon tioor, but such as they had the early settlers shared freely with each other, or with the stranger who came among them.

It was hei'e in mid-winter, al'ler the last weary day of their long journey was done, that the Hollingtons l)egan fully to take in the situation. They had reached the goal of their ambition, free America, where every mait is a law unto himself, no kingly power, no lU'cks galled with the yoke of oppivssion. no t'Xcisemen, a land of plenty and unmixed happiness. But alas, how different the pictun^ of fancy and the homely reality.

Mrs. Hollington, of ail the souls gathered there, was the most disheartened and most keeidy realized their disconsobii'.' situation. ()\t'iconK' at hist by her feelings, she sank down on one of the floor sleepers and burst out crying. But her grief was not the grief of despair. It was a transition in her life pilgrimage. This evanescent storm of tears s^'cms to ba\;' washed awav all the weakt'r elemenls of lu'r wonumly nature, and instead of the d.'pendent. timid woman, she becanu' llie strong arm, the jiillar <d' strength in that household: when liei' busband gi'cw despondent, she spoke words of enc(niragement to him. With each new and tiwing vicissitude, !i r (onrag' aios'. No trial seemed too gi-eat foi' liei- foi-tilude. She seemed suddenly to lia\c been imbued with that strength of cbai'acter and tenacity of i)urpose wliicli can surmount e\cry dilticulty. and wbieli in all ages of the woi'ld hamade men lieroes.

Tlu' family remained at Mitchell's about six weeks, ami theii- own house still being incompleted, they moved with what \\'\v articles tluw had. to the cabin of Lee Moore, just in tlie south edge of the present town of Txiwlinu- (irei'u. - ('. IT. A'.

Indian Associates

IX the Seutiuel of Xovember 29, 1883, Mr. Evers says that James Hutchinson, sr., and family, and sons Andrew and James and families, who came from Summit county, Ohio, in April, 1834, were the first settlers within the borders of what is now known as Milton township. The family of Mr. Hutchinson, besides his wife and two married sons, consisted of three daughters. Andrew and wife had twelve children. In James Hutchinson, jr"s, family were only himself and wife.

These families found Milton to be an unbroken forest, the home of the red man and the abiding place of the deer, wolf and bear. Not a tree had been cut in the township, unless by hunters, and ever3"thing was in a state of nature. They came with five yoke of oxen and one span of horses, making their journey from Summit county in ten days; they took what is now the Maumee and Western Reserve road to Perrysburg, then almost bottomless with mud, thirty miles in length and supplied with a tavern to every mile, and one to spare. At times on their journey the wagons would get stuck, compelling them to put all five yoke of oxen to one wagon to pull it out. From Perrysburg they traveled most of the way over what was known as "HulFs Trace" to Lee Moore's place, in the south part of Bowling Green. From there Mr. Moore piloted them by the way of the sand ridge to their future home, and for many a mile they were obliged to cut their way through the woods, step by step.

to work to build a cabin, which they completed in forty-eight hours ready for occupancy, and in which they slept on the second night spent on the premises. This cabin, the first in the township, stood on the farm entered by Mr. Hutchinson, sr.

After getting a good start on this farm each of the sons entered a piece of land and built a cabin for himself. The only associates of these families until the next settlers moved in, were the Indians, who of course, were very numerous. The Indians had a camp for years on the place owned later by Morris Brown and by H. || C. Strow, and after being disturbed there, camped for a long time on the east side of the Van Tassel farm.

The settlers* children and Indian pappooses would play together day after day just as neighbors' children do now. The Indians learned the sports of the whites and vice versa. The Indians lived mostly on hominy and wild game, such as \enison, coon, wood-chuck, 'possum, musk-rat, etc. Andrew Hutchinson states that he had often when visiting their camps, seen large copper kettles (which they obtained from the government) containing perhaps eight or ten fat coon each, mixed with hominy and water, swung over a fire and boiling like a young volcano. The coon would be skinned and quartered, then thrown in the kettle head, feet, claws and all. Mr. Hutchinson relates that his brother James went back to Summit county and married a rather fashionable young lady who came out to the Wood county wilderness to share the trials of the pioneer life with her husband. About the first Sunday she was there they went to visit their neighbors - red neighbors, and of course were invited to stay to dinner. The young Summit county bride took a look into one of the kettles and got a full sniff of the steaming coon pot-pie

Sc'Kaf-Book

Mr. Andrew Hutchiusou, who, with his father and brother were, as before stated, the tirst settlers of the township, is yet living (1883) at Milton Center, and though 74 ye'irs 'i^ld, told us a few days since that he had cleared 12 acres of land the past year. Mr. Hutchinson when young was one of the best hunters in northwestern Ohio. He supplied most of his pioneer neighbors with tlieir meat, such as venison, turkeys and other wild game, and they in turn would work on his farm to pay him for hunting; "Change works" it was called. He was schooled in the art of hunting by the Indians, and hunted with them day after day. In giving him instructions about hunting they would say : '^' White man hunt deer slow, go still. AMien see deer watch him close. Wlien deer look up, white man stop, stand straight; when get close take good aim, fire, and down come deer." He evidently followed their instructions well, as he said he had killed

Some time later Rev. Joseph Badger and family, moved in from near the old '"Missionary Station" and lived on the farm now owned by M. B. Todd. Father Badger was a soldier in the Eevolutionary war, chaplain in a regiment of Harrison's army in the war of 1812 and he was also present at the siege of Fort Meigs, near which place his ashes now repose (the Perry sburg cemetery). He was a man of deep piety, greatly respected by all, kind and generous, was never known to refuse a favor, and would render assistance to an Indian or even a dog. The esteem in which he was held can be aptly illustrated by the following fact. He was on principle opposed to hunting on the Sabbath, as was the custom of many of the hardy, careless pioneers. But they knew Mr. Badger's opposition to the practice and if they chanced to pass near his house on a Sabbath hunt they would always as a matter of respect to his feelings, leave the road and go around his house in the woods and thus escape his observation.

Tinge Of Romance

HORACE CADY was an eastern man and at one time quite wealthy. He lost heavily in a large speculation and as is always the case his position and the prestige of his family among the wealthy social circles of the east diminished with his fortune. He chanced to come west with a friend and while in this county became favorably impressed with it as a refuge for his family from the outside world and settled here in 1832 or '33. Leaving his family he started for South America with the hope of regaining his lost fortune.

"While on his way to Valparaiso, he came across a dashing and spirited young Frenchman of high parentage and wealth who was also on a tour of speculation in Lima, Peru. He became much attached to the young man and after they had been in South America some time, Cadv not makinof anv advancement in liis project and the 3'onng Frenchman losing heavily in his operations, they concluded to return to the I'nited States and Cady invited his friend to accompany him to his home in this county, which he did.

The young Frenchman, with his high ideas and aristocratic notions was not favorably impressed with the country but what was lacking in this was made up by the presence at Cady's home of a fine looking and accomplished daughter to whom he soon become greatly attached and in a short time married and settled for life in Liberty. The young Frenchman was James Bloom and the daughter, Harriet Cad}-, became ^Irs. Harriet Bloom.

Though this story may not l)e correct iji every particular, it in main explains how ]\[r. Bloom came to reside in Liberty. He was evidently never cut oul: for a farmer and the style of life he was compelled to live, in the early days here, failed to bring prosperity. He died al)0ut 1870 at an old age, and his remains now lie in the Liberty township cemetery.

To tell how these first settlers toiled to make comfortable homes of their ^"^farms in the wilderness" of the privations and hardships they endured, of their great distance from family supplies, etc., Avould be simply a re])etition of what has been said of other localities. Two things, however, worihv of mention that used to

Ask any old settler of Liberty to-day about the mosquitoes and he will tell you the swamps along the Portage river in those days bred the best specimens of mosquitoes the world ever saw. They were of the Jumbo type, blessed with long lives, powerful endurance and a l)erseverance equaled only by the settlers themselves. And as the latter sat around their cabin homes on warm, pleasant evenings, their only mode of protection from the ravages of these little perselutors would bo to build a "smudge" and envelop themselves in the smoke arising from the same, like a ham in a smoke house. As a breeder of malarial complaints the Portage had an established reputation. As soon as the summer and fall months rolled past they would bring with them malarial fevers of the most dreaded type and ague in all the stages and forms known. Wliole families would he stricken doM'n at one time and many of them died from the dread complaint. Dr. Eli Manville, father of the late Dr. A. J. Manville, was the first doctor to ])ractice in this community and the way lie fed. quinine to his patients was a caution, but he was a blessing to the comuuinity, saved many lives and is gratefully remembered by his few surviving patients of 70 years ago. - C. W. E.

Miami Of The Lake

records recently, several copies of a Perrysburg newspaper came into view, called "Miami of the Lake." These copies were dated in March and April of 1837 - about 72 years ago. J. H. Mc- Bride was the editor and publisher.

The first page of these numbers is largely made up of literary matter, both jirose and poetry. One article by Judge Story is entitled, "What is to Become of This Cnuntrv?" He refers to the na- tions of the old world - to Greece, Eonie, Italy, Venice, Genoa - one time republics, that have jjassed away. He closes in an impassioned appeal in the following langnage :

"I call npon you, fathers, by the shades of your ancestors, by the dear ashes which repose in this precious soil, by all you hope to be, resist every project of disunion, resist every attempt to fetter your conscience, or smother our public schools, or extinguish your system of public instruction/'

"Life can never be too short, which brings nothing but disgrace and oppression. Death never comes too soon, if necessary, in defense of tlu' lih-rties of our country."

In the number of April 5, 1837. an important discovery is announced - "the greatest since the days of Franklin." James P. Espy, Esq., has ascertained that the weather is regulated by fixed, unalterable laws - easily understood, so that the captain of a vessel may t' 11 wliether there is a storm raging anywhere within 500 miles of him, and how he may direct his course so as to avoid it.

The proceedings of the Ohio legislators in ])oth the senate and house of representatives are given at considerable length, occupying nearly a page. The paper is a four page folio, with six columns to a page.

At the head of the editorial columns delinquent subscribers are stirred up - money is needed, "badly needed." The panic of 1S37 was then spreading over the country, and "the money market at New York was hourly becoming more alarming."

Hon. John Hollister was the representative of' this district, and the district embraced nine northern counties, in which was included some of the most important works of internal improvement in the state. In speaking of Hollister, the editor says: "There has been a straight forward and honorable course adopted and pursued by the representative from this district, in all matters of legislation, which has received the approbation of political enemies as well as political friends."

Jn another editorial the condition of the Western Reserve Road is scored in the severest language. Says the editor, "It is only those who have become stalled in the mud, in endeavoring to Avork their way through this Ohio Golgotha, that can draw a true picture of this stigma upon the character of the state." Again he says: "Teams are not unfre- (juently five days in passing through this section of the road of thirtv-one miles in extent!"

Petitions from many points were presented to the Ohio Legislature for the construction of the Wabash and Erie canal on the southeast side of the Mauniee I'ivei- from Defiance to the lake, which location was never realized.

The Pioneer

were steamboats General Jackson and Oliver Newberry from Detroit, with passengers; steamboat Cincinnati from Cleveland, with passengers; also schooner Delphos from Cleveland with pork, flour and merchandise.

During the same time the departures were steamboats General Jackson and Cincinnati for Detroit, with passengers; steamboat Oliver Newberry, for Cleveland and Erie, with passengers, and the schooner Caroline, for Cleveland.

Among the merchants advertising their goods, Woodruff & Spafford, Bussell & Brigham, Beach & Bennett, J. Hollister & Co., Doan & Earl, Oren Clark and Spink & Smith.

Forwarding and Commission merchants of Maumee and Perrysburg, comprise the following firms: John Hollister & Co., and Doan & Earl, of Perrysburg; J. J. Bingham, Forsyth & Hazard, Cook and Kirtland and J. A. Scott, of Maumee. These firms publish their prices at length for storage, wharfage and commissions.

D. Wilkison, Master, advertises that the steamer Commodore Perry will leave Buffalo every Monday evening for Detroit and Perrysburg. Will leave Detroit every Thursday morning and Perrysburg every Thursday afternoon for Buffalo.

of the Board of Public Works advertises that '^sealed proposals will be received at the town of Maumee in Lucas county, Ohio, on the 15th day of May, 1837, for the construction of so much of the line of the Wabash and Erie Canal, as lies between the head of the Eapids of the Maumee River and the eastern termination of said Canal near the town of Manhattan, at the head of the Maumee Bay."

Henry Reed, jr., Horace Sessions,] Henry Bennett, H. C. Stowel & J. D. Brown, J. C. Spink & A. C. Coffinbury, Isaac Stetson and Mason Brayman, the latter located in Buffalo.

There are many points of interest embraced in this relic of two generations ago, and not desiring to prove tedious with further detail, the foregoing is probably sufficient to indicate the activities of the first settlers and business men at Perrysburg and along the Maumee river. - F. J. 0.

Some geologists are of the opinion that Lake Erie, at one time, extended westward as far as the source of the Maumee, citing as evidence the existence of various "moraines" yet plainly visible in that vicinity.

The first school house in the east part of Middleton township was a small log building built by joint contributions of the settlers on Section 24, in 1844, and Mrs. Amelius Robertson, who was then Margery Frazier, just from Glasgow, Scotland, was the first teacher. It was also for some years used as the first church for that community, until a so-|j ciety was organized at Haskins.

The Town Of Benton

THE town of Benton, one of the "hasbeens/' was located a short distance west of Tontogany, and David Hedges was its proprietor. It was laid ont during the best days of Thomas Benton, "Old Bullion" as he was called. Hedges was a Jackson Democrat, and a great admirer of old "Tom," and named the town in his memory.

The building used as Hedges' store was moved away and was afterward used for a barn by Henry Nearing, on the Hedges farm, owned by Morehouse heirs. Mrs. Gen. Commager, of Toledo, was a daughter of Hedges. The stone house on the place was built by him in 1834 or '35. Mr. John Whitehead, now of Tontogany, who had just come on from New Jersey, helped to do the carpenter work. The saw mill at this point did not stand very long.

The Hedges place has a strong claim for priority of settlement in Washington township, though our chronicler has in the recent sketch of the townshi}), given the preference to the Chris Gundy farm located on by Michael Syphcr in the spring of 1830.

In 1819 Samuel Ewing, father of Anthony Ewing, and of the late W. H. Ewing (Uncle Hank, near Hull's Prairie) settled on this place, then called Wolf

Ewing lived here until 1833, when one day while at Eichardson's tavern at Eushte-boo, the same place where Porter shot Kicliardson, Ewing and a man named Ereneli got into an altercation and French struck Ewing in such a manner as to dislocate his neck, killing him instantly. French was imprisoned on charge of murder in the little log jail at Maumee and escaped one night and never was heard of after. - Sentinel, 1883.

Battle Of Grand Rapids

GEN. LIDA of the United States troops gave the following account of a fierce battle with the Indians in the war of 1812, on the site of the present village of Grand Eapids. It was not until 45 years afterwards that he related this account of that battle. He said: our Indian wars occurred just where your little village of Gilead now stands. A company of U. S. troops, of which I was one,, was ordered from Defiance to Fort Meigs. We passed down the nortli bank of the river. About noon on a certain day, we came opposite the island that is in the river there. Our commander chose this as a safe place to rest and eat dinner. About two hours were consumed in this way, and then we made preparations to continue our journey. Equipped as we were with the trappings of soldiers and the necessaries for an extended march our freedom of locomotion was not a little encumbered. We pro- eeeded to cross {lie Hapids to the south bank, but only a Utile over half the distance had been accomplished, when, without a moment's warning, from the top of the bank and beautiful grove over the bottom from the river to the bluff Ix'hind, belched forth a volley of musketry wounding several of our men, but killing none outright. The foes, of course, were Indians, who appeared to be a host in number. They had been lying in close concealment, but after the first discharge could be seen, and 1 remember, to me at least, every tree in the bottom seemed to conceal an Indian. We i^romptly took refuge under cover of the bank before they could load and fire again. The river bank here Mas bluffy and perhaps 15 feet in height. We found immediate })rotection hei'e from the enemy's fire, and began making our way gradually down the river to a ra^ine about SO rods distant, carrying our wounded with us.

"This ravine was a dense thicket of l)]ushwood and larger trees, while, from the high ground to the liver was free from brush; the trees wer.' principally maple and made a beautiful looking^ grove, which for six hours were compelled to turn into a bloody battle field. Before night the dead and dying had been strewn from one end of the bottom to the other. As soon as we had succeeded in establishing ourselves in the shelter of the ravine, we began to be aggressi^-e in our operations, forcing our way up the bottom, keeping ourselves in the protection of every friendly covert afforded by thicket, tree and hollow, and compelled the savage foe to retire from i)lace to ]dace ; driving them steadily up the bottom until we reached ^ point about a hundred or more rods from our place of starting, where two or three mound like knobs with ravines and thickets furnished capital rallying points for the Indians. Taking advantage of this they, with r'doubJLMl t'xertiou. forced us back over all the i,n-ound we had gained. In like manner we must have passed back and forth over the battle ground live or six times during the afternoon. Each time we fell back we were careful to carry our dead and wounded with us - as far as possible - to our rallying point below.

"On that hotly contested ground many met in hand to liajid encounter, at short intervals tliroughout the entire afternoon. Amid the sharp crack of rifles came the battle shout of the whites, the warhoop of the savage, and the death yell ! J^o one can realize the horrible and bloodcurdling sensation produced by the death yell of an Indian, except, one who has seen and heard for himself. The groans oi wounded and dying, and that green bottom land grove, all this, comes up before me to-day. as vividly as the}^ were produced in that l^ittle on the lonely banks of the .ALaumee over forty-five years ago, and I say again it was a battle well worthy of the name. I had l)een in a dozen l)attles and skirmishes before that, and several after, but none \\ere as acti\e and tierce, in contest; so tenacious and stubborn in holding every advantage, considering the number of combatants engaged and length of time fought incessantly. The soldiers numbered about one hundred and twenty-five and of the Indians, no doubt, they were double that many. The closing act in this forest tragedy occurred, as dusk was coming on, by our force driving the Indians to the bluffs before mentioned. We then retired to our ravine to watch the night through. The Indians did not follow us, and during night for some reason, withdrew from the vicinity entirely, leaving us to bury our dead and go on our way unmolested."

In the coui'se of narrating this bloody eJicounter, Gen. Lida became quite absorbed with the memories of the past. Evidently this incident of all others in his life impressed him the most. He had been a soldier \inder Wayne and seen nnich of liulian warfare.

Mercer Settlement

CALEB MERCEK was the second of the Mercer family to come to Wood count}', and arrived here at the age of 19, in March 1834. He started out as ai mere boy from his home in Columbiana county, to seek his fortune in the wilderness of western Ohio. All he brought with him was his "knapsack" and gun, and money enougb to enter a small piece of land. He was nine days on his journey of 300 miles, and spent his first night in Wood county at the house of Ashael I'owers, the first settler at the "^'forks'" in Freedom township, and from there went to his brother, Greorge Mercer, in Liberty, who had at this time been here about a year. It is needless to say it required pluck for a mere boy to start out alone, on foot, to make a long journey into an unknown and almost uninhabited wilderness, through mud and water, and leave behind friends and relatives, to seek a home in the forest familiar only to the red man and the ol:)jects of his prey.

Young Mercer immediately on his arrival located land in Section 14, of Libert}', and set out in a day or two, again on foot, for Bucyrus, a distance of 60 miles, to enter the land at the land office. He left the house of Collister Haskins about 10 o'clock one cloudy March day, intending to reach Fostoria, then called Eome, that night. After he had proceeded on his journey about five miles, by the way of an Indian trail leading in a southeasterly direction, he heard a queer noise in the woods off to one side of the trail, and being curious as to its cause, he proceeded to investigate and

That were fighting a terrible battle. He said he had never seen such a sigh I in his life, and it is probable that two strange flocks had come together, and the matter of chief gobbler was being decided.

After dispersing the battle of turkeys he turned to find the trail he had left, Imt much to his dismay he was unable to find it. He wandered about for some time and soon became confused and lost. After a time he struck a creek, the meandering of which he aimlessly followed until about dark, when the welcome sound of a cow bell struck his ear. Following the sound he soon came upon a cow, and near by perceived the bhie smoke curling up from a cabin, whii-h lie thinks must have stood near the Hancock county line. Upon going to the little luit he found a man and woman just preparing to abandon their home in the wilderness the next morning. fiercer asked for something to eat and lodgment for the night, and was informed they hadn't ''a h\te in the house to eat," but that he might remain over night, whieh he did. The next morning he got his l)earings, and struck for Eome which he reached that afternoon, when he got something to eat, the first nourishment he had had since his departnre from Haskins' about thirty hours before. From Eome he proceeded to Bucyrus, entered his land and returned to his brother's again on foot. It might be stated here, that Mr. ]\Iercer traveled the road l)etween Columbiana county and Wood county, a distance of 300 miles, on foot five times, and between Bucyrus and here, 00 miles, on foot six times.

The same spring, "34, he cleared five acres of land on his new farm and built a cabin. The five acres he planted to corn and a small patch of potatoes. The com crop was devoured by the squirrels

The Pioxeer

The following fall he went back to Columbiana county for his father (Wm. Mercer) and mother, who returned with him, accompanied by his sister Lucretia, and brothers Abram and Charles. They all took up their abode in the cabin he had built the previous spring. They drove througli with them a herd of 40 cattle, probably the largest number ever brought to the county up to that time. They, however, had much difficulty in keeping the cattle througli that winter, a number of which strayed away and never were found. Thus began the Mercer settlement in Liberty. - C. W. E.

MANY of the residents of this portion of Ohio well remember the intense excitement twenty-five years ago in the eighties upon the discovery of oil in Wood county. Pen cannot describe the wild, feverish unrest and anxiety that prevailed among all citizens. Investors and speculators were attracted to the county by hundreds. It was the day of the gusher. While oil was struck in different counties in Northwestern Ohio, Wood county, in the heart of the Black Swamp proved to be the "King Bee" - the greatest oil producing county in the history of crude oil probably on the continent at that time. No county equaled it then even in Pennsylvania. Oil was found in no less than sixteen townships, indicating that hundreds of feet beneath us was a vast lake of oil.

In those days Bloom, Henry, Liberty, Portage and Jackson townships were regarded as gusher territory, while remarkable producers were also found in Plain, Middleton, Montgomery, Freedom and Perry townships. Prices for land, went skyward. Farms that previously could have been purchased for $10 to $25 and $50 an acre, could not be touched for less than hundreds of dollars per acre. One incident may suffice to show this. One farmer who had a tract of 50 acres, who would have gladly disposed of his farm at $50 an acre, declared he would not sell under $30,000 and he didn't care for that. This is not an isolated instance, but there were many of the same kind. Such was the excitement at that time that it was difficult to secure land at any jirice. Values went to a high level throughout the county, although in the passage of years, there has been a decline from the high standard of that period, yet they are maintained today at a high level, when compared with prices before the oil period, and that high level is normal and will so continue. More than half of the oil producers in the Wood county field came from Pennsylvania, experts in the business. They not only came themselves, but brought their household goods, their families, and all the property they had; they have settled in the towns; they have become permanent residents and tax payers; they are helping build up the towns and are increasing the duplicates with refineri'^s, their pipe lines and all of their property, which would not be there a moment if it were not for the oil development. They have added to the wealth of the state - it is difficult to say how much, but an ex-auditor of Wood claims that in this county alone these producers increase the value on the tax duplicate of more

There were in those early days many gushers. One developed at Hammansburg in December of 1886 will suffice as a sample of those spouters. William Carothers, an experienced driller, had the contract for sinking the well and the work was in charge of C. Ash, They drilled 430 feet through lime stone and MO feet through slate. At^ this point they struck the Trenton rock, and said Mr. Ash, "we drilled in this awhile and had about given up getting anything. We were losing hope every minute and Monday afternoon, the 6th, at r> o'clock, we were just 30 feet in the Trenton when we heard a noise in the well which began to fill. We stopped the drill and were hardly out of the way when the oil spouted u]! over the derrick and 85 feet in the air. We quickly put the fire out under the boiler and withdrew from the field. The flow was so continuous that we were not able to get our tools out until Thursday.

A representative of the Sentinel visited the gusher when it had been flowing for four days at intervals averaging about 18 minutes, and he says it seemed surely that if there was one there were 4,000 barrels of oil running on the ground. A wagon path in the woods was nearly a foot deep in oil, which run each way for many rods from the well. A half acre of land was covered with it, and a man walking a log made a misstep onto the ground and went over his boot top. The derrick and surrounding trees were dripping with the crude material and the men at work were covered with it.

This was the first well of any importance drilled in the county, and in 1887 four gushers were completed, yielding 1,200, 4,800, 1,500 and 800 barrels respectively. Two gushers in 1888 gave .3,000 and 1,250 barrels. Eight gushers in 1889 vielded 27,100 barrels. In 1890 one gusher gave 6U0 barrels. Nearly a score of wells drilled in 1891 yielded 7,300 barrels. In 1892 twenty gushers yielded 36,600 barrels. In 1893 there were recorded 22 gushers yielding 16,000 barrels. In 1894 four gushers yielded 3,300 barrels. Several gushers were recorded in 1895 yielding 4,000 barrels. Other gushers were recorded in the years 1896, 1897 and 1898, yielding an average of 500 barrels each. In 1901 a 1,200 barrel producer was drilled in Liberty township. These figures are taken from the oil reports as given in the newspapers at that time. Hundreds of other gushers too numerous to mention were completed throughout Wood county, making it one of the wealthiest counties in the state.

Since then the oil industry has continued to be a paying one. Here is what an old oil expert says with regard to the future of Wood county: "With the richest land, with inexhaustible soil, with a county agriculturally standing at the head, and add to it the natural gas advantages which is bound to bring manufacturing, and oil with the attendant business outgrowing therefrom - I say, with all these things taken into consideration, I know of no spot in America with a brighter future. Eeal estate in any event is bound to boom and good results follow from what has already taken place."

The earliest tradition has it that at one time there was a continuous water route from the Lakes to the Mississippi, navigable for canoes with the exception of a "portage" about nine miles across at the head of the Mauraee, and that this "portage" was owned or controlled by an Indian woman who exacted tribute for all goods tlial were transferred across it.

The Pioxeee Early School Days

ANY there are who may yet re- sj member something of the educational facilities sixty or seventy years ago. Then they knew nothing of the grades in schools. The settlers were few in number, their wants were few and these were bountifully supplied. The benches were crude, seats had no backs, and yet there was little or no complaint, as they knew of nothing better in the way of conveniences. Pu^jils were compelled to trudge through brush and mud and cold from one to three miles or more.

The average wage paid to the teacher then was $10 a month of 26 days, and three months was about the limit of the contract. Included probably in the contract was that of- "boarding "round," as was the custom in those days.

One of the customs of that time was to bar the scliool master out of the house, and keep him out until he yielded to the demands of the scholars to treat them to apples, candies, raisins, or such hixuries as could then be had.

Gov. Foster in speaking of those early days, himself a teacher in that early day, says that James Pillars, who after- \\ards graced the bench for ten years, as the Common Pleas Judge of this judicial district, when a young num contracted to teach a school for ten dollars per month, of twenty-six days; one-half to be paid in cash, and the other half in provisions.

In those days the great feature of our schools was the attention given to spelling. It is seriously doubted whether the schools of the present day can produce so much excellence in spelling as did those of that day. One-fourth of the time, probal»ly, was ilcvoa'd to spelling exercises, and in addition, at least oneniglit of eacli week was devoted to what was known as spelling matelies. These were attench'd by the b;'s1 s[)ellers from the neighboring schools. Tlie highest ambition of tlic pupil was to be the best sjicller in school.

In an address on those early days, I he late Gov. Foster says that he is perfectly safe in saying that he attended spelling school three nights out of a week, during the three months of school for several years - visiting alternately three different school houses. He believed that his sister, Emily, was the best speller of all, and she w^as under twelve years of age. The larger scholars used 1(1 carry her on their backs as they went to the different schools on foot, the only way of going to thesL' meetings. The (lovernor relates this incident in his boyhood school days. "1 remember of going one nigiit, to the Kiser school house, through the woods the most of the way, and alone, to attend a spelling match. 1 broke through the ice, and was wet up to my knees when I reached the place; yet I do not think I ever felt better rel)aid for a day's work than I did over my success on that occasion, for I spelled down the entire school.'^

Those good old days are only reminiscences now in the dim and distant past, old days*" may be said deliberately and seriously without exaggeration, for it is very doubtful if any of the pupils of the present day experience more delight and genuine pleasure in any equal number of days at the present time.

At the meeting of the C'ommissioners, May 5, 1820, Attorney McCurdy presented an order of Court for $20, his compensation as prosecuting attorney of Wood county, for the May term of 1820.

Henry Dubbs

HENRY DUBBS was the first settler in the west part of Liberty township. He came from Ashland county and entered the land upon which he biiilt his home. He had one son Lewis, now deceased, and two daughters, i\.nn, who married Ebenezer Donaldson of Grand

Mr. Dubbs and his son Lewis, were tanners by trade and soon after their arrival, built a tannery on their lands, probably the first in the county, and did a large and successful business.

Lewis Dubbs was Justice of the Peace in Liberty for 37 years. He was prominent in advancing the best interests of the early settlement and a leader in public improvements; educated, kind and generous, and his name is remembered with respect by those who know him. - -

Mail Route

AS this uurtliwestern part of Ohio began to be opened up a mail route was established on March 12, 1829, between Perrysburg and Bellefontaine, and the first post office in the interior of Wood county was located where Portage now is, with Collister Haskins for postmaster. Soon after this Haskins built a log store on the south bank of the Portage river and stocked it with goods best adapted to his customers, a majority of

Thus it will be seen that Haskins was uot only the first resident of Liberty township, but also established the first store in Portage and might be called the founder of the only village in Liberty township. This store was probably the third regular trading point started in Wood county, others being at Perrysburg ;ind Grand Eapids.

The first mail carrier on the route above mentioned was James Gordon who carried the mail on horseback, made one trip a week each way and usually an'ivcd at Haskins at noon where he took his dinner. - C. W. E.

Indian Skeleton

IN the spring of 1879, a skeleton was exhumed five miles west of Bowling Green, by brick yard men, who were engaged in excavating sand for their yard on the top of a somewhat noted sand

In the Sentinel Mr. Evers says this skeleton is supposed to be the remains of an Indian, or some other human of giant stature. He had been buried with his head to the west. Between his legs sat a two gallon brass kettle in a good state of preservation excepting the bottom, which is partially gone. Inside this kettle set a small iron kettle which is nearly consumed by rust, except the bail.

Near the side of the skeleton lay a rusteaten tomahawk, scalping knife and a flint steel for lighting fire, also a stone smoke pipe. The bones, of which but few if any are missing, even to the toe and finger bones, are in an excellent state of preservation and indicate by their size that they were once the mechanism of a powerful man. The skull on which still clings some frizzy substance like hair, is one which phrenologists would say indicated the Indian to have been no common fellow in his tribe. It is a well-shaped, large skull for an Indian, though the prominent cheek bones and low forehead are distinctly recognizable. The fellow had, in his day, an excellent set of teeth - small, sound and evenly set, though well worn and only two missiug out of the two and thirty."^ One arm had, in his lifetime, been broken and the bone had knit together very clumsily, deforming the aim by a great bulge and crook. In the back of his skull is a small hole, but whether this hole had anything to do with Jiis taking off, is an uncertainty.

Mr. Avery says from the best information he can get from the old settlers, the grave has been there not less than 45 years, that is, no burial has taken place there since the neighborhood was settled. He also thinks that the grave was not less than four feet deep originally, something not usual in Indian burials.

Shut-nok, on which this grave was found, is, or was before its surface was disturbed by the plow, the highest sand mound in Wood county. How it came to bear this name, none of the old settlers seem to know, though the belief has been current and has been handed down from generation to generation tliat it bore the name of a chief of one of the fragmentary tribes inhabiting the Maumee country after Anthony Wayne broke their power in 1794. There are others who have been led to believe this spot M^as the burial place of a chief whose name it bore. But why a chief or any other influential man in his tribe should be buried in this then lonely place when the burial ground was only a few miles away on the j\Iaumee, we cannot understand.

There is another story that comes to us more directly from an early chronicler, who was once connected with the Indian mission at the Station Island. He states that the Indians avoided the place under the superstitious belief that the Great Spirit had set its seal of displeasure - a curse upon the place for some sin committed by his children, the secret of which was hidden beneath the grassy suri'ace of the mound.

In this connection a story is circulated that the chief Tondoganie had a daughter either his own or an adopted daughter - a beautiful girl who was loved by a young Indian of the Shawanee tribe, and of noble birth, but whose tribe had dwindled down to only a fragment, so that he had lost his greatness in the eyes of the chief Tondoganie, who looked upon him with disfavor. The young Indian's love was reciprocated by the girl, and was a secret between them. Her lover's home was at Sandusky plains along with the great chief Black Hoof or Tarhe, but he often made visits to the Maumee ostensibly to fish, but for no other purpose than to see the dark eyed maiden. This secret love was detected by the quick perceptions of the chief, and with flashing eye and angry voice, he pointed the young man to the plains and told him to GO and never return. Both the lovers knew the penalty of disobeying.

The girl secretly stole away and followed her lover in the direction of his home until they reached a high mound, the highest perhaps in the county, on the north side of what is now known as the Keeler Prairie, when she bade him farewell, and watched his receding form until he passed from her sight forever. The heart broken girl returned to her father's wigwam, but fell into a despondent state of mind and could not be roused. She would be missed at times for days and nights together, and some of Tondoganie's runners reported to him that she was wont to stand on the high mound looking to the south chanting a mournful song. Finally she was missed and came back no more and a superstition prevailed that in the darkness of night the figure of an Indian girl with her blanket about her shoulders, could be seen on the mound and that strange sounds as of some one singing a funeral dirge could be heard echoing in the grove below. The mound has ever since gone

The same authority for the above account, stated that Tondoganie's anger was such because of the love of the girl against his wish, that he called upon some of the young men of his band to rid him of the cause. These young men stealthily dogged the movements of the girl until they discovered the place where she met her lover, whom they waylaid, murdered and buried in the mound, and on the final disappearance of the girl the chief forbid his tribe from visiting the place which only brought him memories of remorse and sorrow.

Such is one of the stories handed down from mouth to ear and which may have lost many details of what was a tragic romance, or it may, as is often the case, have gained much by repetition.

A Fierce Battle

IT may not be generally known that the site of the present town of Perrysburg was once the scene of a tierce battle between the Indians and Americans, but such is the fact. The news of the cowardly surrender of Gen. Hull at Detroit in August, 1813, spread like the wind throughout Ohio, and struck the frontier settlers with dismay. It aroused the people from their lethargy, and showed the government the necessity of greater activity and skill in the conduct of the war. In the fall of 1812, General Tupper, of Gallia county, raised 1,000 men, mainly from the counties of Gallia,

Lawrence, Jackson, and marched to the foot of the rapids of the Maumee river. From TJrbana they followed Hull's trail. As they approached the river the Indians appeared on the opposite bank. Tupper endeavored to cross the river in the night, but owing to the rapid current and the inexperience of his men, he failed and went into camp on the ground where Perrysburg now stands. The enemy soon after collected a superior force, and attacked him in his camp but after a short, sharp engagement, they were defeated with considerable loss and returned to Detroit. The Americans fell back on Fort McArthur.

The Imoneer The Dread Cholera

IiSi October, 1835, says a correspoudent of the Sentinel in 1877, 0. Diver entered 8U acres one-lialf mile south of Mill Grove, this being undoubtedly the last entry near Mill Grove.

About this time the cholera made its appearance at Eon)e (now Fostoria) and Kisdon in Seneca county, but few died. However, its advent sent terror to the hearts of the settlers in Perry, who with or without - for they were often without - (juinine, could battle the "shakes'^ from July to late in September, and without a physician would successfully cope with the malarial fevers that followed.

Cholera, however, the very word itself made the boldest quake. Dr. John Kinnaman a graduate of Philadelphia College was the first practicing physician. He was a young man highly educated and a lover of his profession. His coming was hailed with delight by the settlers. He located about two miles south of Mill Grove. A very large walnut stiimp served him for a laboratory, drug repository and general reception room. He laid out a town at this point and named it Royalton, but it died in its infancy shortly aft^r the demise of its founder.

Dr. Kinnaman's patients were scattered over the entire southern part of the county, and his inde fatigability in riding was wonderful and denoted a man of iron nerve. Many times in riding he would cut down a tree, hitch his horse to oiu' of its branches and let him browse until his patient was out of danger, often from eight to ten hours.

The following is an instance of this iiKuTs ni'rve and ability in his profession. Swane a settler of Perry was hurt by tlie falling of a tree. In a few days it was found necessary to amputate the leg. Dr. Kinnaman was sent for and arrived. Without any assistance and with no surgical implements but a razor and old saw, the Doctor amputated the limb neatly and speedily, and the man got well.

Passed Away

THE first settlers of Washington township, found here the remnants of a once powerful tribe of Indians. Their old men and warriors liad listened to the counsels and obeyed the commands of their great Chief Tondoganie. Tlieir wigwams were in the belt of timl)er which skirted the river; and the l)road prairie which has become so fertih' uii(l<'r skillful cultivation, afforded ihcni huntino: grounds and space for the young warrior to practice himself in imaginary battles to improve his skill in an art which fortunately, he has never since had an opportunity to practice.

The river and creek furnished them with hsli, and on the flowery banks they passed a happy, indolent life. They were the remnants of a race which according to the laws of nature, had had its time on earth, and in obedience to that inexorable law, they were fast yielding to those who were to succeed them and hero they lived to meet and see the mighty race of men who were to take their places. For ages they have lived

The}' were a race governed by instinct; they made no advance in agriculture, commerce or the arts. Tlie son made his canoe and armed himself with the bow and arrow as his father had done, as mechanically and with as little imjDrovement as the young robin builds its nest in imitation of the parent bird. Their time had come; their race was doomed; and here on the banks of this beautiful stream, where the dark eyed Indian maiden had taught the young chief to love her, a fairer maiden was to take her place and by the graces of a purer virtue, teach a noble heart to love her.

A Summer Of Gloom

OLDER citizens will undoubtedly remember the fatal summer of 18o !-. It was indeed a summer of sorrow and gloom. This was not only true of Xorthern Ohio, but of Northern Indiana as well. 'Not a village between Buffalo and Chicago that did not furnish its quota of suffering and death from the malarial poison that impregnated the very atmosphere, spreading intermittent and typhoid fevers, as well as that dreaded scourge, cholera. These afflictions became epidemic, and in some localities there were not enough persons well to take care of the sick.

Take Goshen, Indiana, population 1,500 then. For two months there was a funeral daily, sometimes two or three. Xot a family escaped affliction. Two cabinet shops were busy night and day making coffins, and physicians had mighty little rest from their strenuous labors.

Probably no town suffered like Perrysburg. The scourge started, it seems from a ball that was held on the night of the -ith of July, when the first case of cholera made its appearance, and from that time until the 19th of August following there were 117 deaths - at least that is the number buried in Fort Meigs cemetery, and there may have been many more. x\mong that number are included Albert D. Wright, editor of the Northwestern Democrat, Dr. James Robertson, Dr. Frederick, Jarvis Spafford, John J. Spink, and many others. The deaths were startling in their suddenness and sadness. The epidemic was one of great virulence. So great were the ravages of this terrible visitation at that place, that it put a check upon business of every kind, no paper was issued and no other business transacted for seven weeks or longer, excepting that of caring for the sick and the burial of the dead. Included among those who passed away were some of the most active business men of the place. Dr. E. D. Peck and Dr. James Robertson were on duty night and da}^, the latter falling a victim to the scourge in the very midst of his strenuous labors. Two-thirds of the residents fled from the town, leaving a comparative few to fight the dread epidemic. Among those noble men and women, aside from the physicians may l)e mentioned Joshua Chappel, Seth Bruce, N. H. Callard, Mrs. A. E. Frederick and Mrs. Amelia Perrin, who were volunteer nurses during the terrible calamity. There may have been a few others, but we have not their names. All these have passed away, but they nol)ly performed their duty during their life's span. Pernshiirg was indeed "a deserted village.'" Grand Kapids fared but little better, with a score or more of cases and a number of deaths, the disease beginning like Perrysburg at a 4th of July ball. A^ever perhaps in the history of the cholera were its ravages so fatal as in Perrysburg, and never did the few who remained meet death with more resolution or endure suffering with greater fortitude.

Seth Bruce made coffins in the hall of the log court house and no victim was buried without a colSn being furnished. Only one person of all that number

(lied alone, a young man who had a room jji a tenement house. He breathed his last before the return of his attendant, who bad gone for medicine. The women were patient and heroic in their care for the sick, and there were brave, noble men who remained and stood beside them in the terrible conflict.

The physical condition of the inhabitants, reduced by fever and ague, and their systems poisoned by well water rather than by miasmatic exhalations, left them an easy prey to the ravages of I his sweeping epidemic.

THEEE is no question of the fact that much of the superiority of the agricultural products of Wood county has been due to the stimulating influences exerted by the Agricultural Society. It has lifted the science of agriculture to a higher plane. It has brought forth observation, comparison, thought and efforts on the part of the farmer as well as those interested in mechanics and arts. Each one learns something of value from a competitor, while it is apparent that there has been much of benefit from the results of combined effort.

Middleton township, at an early period in the history of the county, contained a number of intelligent and enterprising citizens. In these respects, it surpassed any other township in the county, and it was natural that the movement for the organization of a County Agricultural Society should originate there. On the 26th day of April, 1851, a meeting of the farmers and mechanics of the township was held, at which David Creps presided and H. H. Pain acted as Sec^ retary. The object of the movement was stated to be the promotion of the interests of farmers and mechanics, and it was decided to call a mass meeting of the i^eople of the county at Bowling Green, on the second ]\Ionday of June, 1851.

In addition to the President and Secretary, the following citizens of Middkton township signed the call for the mass meeting, viz; David Whitney, Henry Sarvis, Henry Hood, James Mc- Ginness, Francis E. Meagle}^, Patrick Mclsaac, Robert Clark, W^m. Ewing, John Hood and Martin Byers. The call was subsequently signed by the following persons: E. Huntington, John Bates, John Brownsberger, David Ladd, J. Spafford, James Hood, Asher Cook, James Hall, Jolni Groves, Joseph A. Creps, Gabriel Yount, Henry Crook, L. F. Robertson, Amelius Robertson, James W. Frazer, and John Taylor.

iii Bowling Green, when Emelius Wood was chosen chairman and Asher Cook Secretary. J. K, Tracy, Henry Hood, Patrick Mclsaac, James Bhiom and Geo. Powers, were appointed a committee to draft a constitution for the Wood County Agricultural Society. David Whitney, John Bates, N. D. Blinn and S. W. St. John were appointed a committee, to nominate officers for the following year. Thomas Jolly, L. C. Lock, and Henry Groves, were appointed a committee to "procure suitable persons to address the meeting and explain the objects of the contemplated organization." In the afternoon, in response to the request of the last named committee, the meeting was addi-essed by Messrs. Elliott, Cook and Bloom. The committee for that purpose reported a constitution, made up of 13 articles, which was adopted and signed by 56 persons, who became members of the society.

Then a series of by-laws were adopted. The following persons were appointed a committee in each township to collect statistical information to be reported to the Secretary of the Society:

This was an important work, but there is no evidence that any of the committees were ever heard from in an official capacity. The following officers were chosen for the ensuing year: President,

Aside from the fact that a meeting was held on the 36th of July, 1851, to arrange for holding the first Fair, and also the fact that the Fair for 1852 is designated as the "second Fair," there is no recorded evidence that a Fair was held in 1851, nor is there any record of the place where it was held, tho\igh probably the first County Fair was held at Bowling Green.

The foregoing facts respecting the organization of the Society are quite complete, except the almost total omission of reference to the first Fair, in which the people of to-day would feel a lively interest. Subsequent Fairs were ignored by the Society's secretaries with equal care, and the points of real interest are thus largely omitted. The second Fair was lield at Perrysburg, the third was held at Bowling Green, the fourth and fifth at Portageville, and the sixth and seventh at Bowling Green. At the seventh annual meeting of the Society, the board elected for the ensuing year was authorized to "procure suitable grounds for the xA.nnual Fair and permanently locate the same."

At a meeting held in July, 1858, a vote was taken upon the permanent location of the Fair, when Bowling Green received five votes and Portageville two votes. The next Fair was held at Bowling Green, but the permanent location of the Fair was not satisfactory to rival villages. Portageville inaugurated an independent Fair, and in 1860 the County Society held their Fair at Perrysburg.

Subsequently, perhaps in 1865 or 1866, the Society purchased grounds at Tontogany and permanently located the Fair at that point. This result grew out of the countv seat contest and is understood to have been brought about bj' Perrysburg in the hope that it might result to the disadvantage of Bowling Green. The latter village naturally felt resentful and organized an Independent Society, but it proved a losing operation and was soon abandoned.

Space will not permit further record of the Society's history here, but it may not be improper to mention the fact that the fairs of Wood county have compared favorably with any exhibitions of a similar character in the state. With the richest of soil in the hands of intelligent and enterprising farmers, the products of Wood county have excited the pride of citizens of the county and commanded the admiration of strangers. At state fairs, Wood county has carried oif her full share of i^remiums, and seldom fails in a competition with other localities where she has a fair chance.