History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions

Front matter

CORNELL

UNIVERSITY

LIBRARY

Dedication

To the dear, departed ones, whose busy hands changed the giant forests into fertile fields ; whose love of home established the hearthstones, the tender ties of which yet bind together the heartstrings of the native born; whose patriotism gave the best of their lives and substance for the defense of their country; whose graves make sacred the soil their feet so often trod.

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Preface

All life and achievement is evolution; present wisdom comes from past experience, and present commercial prosperity has come only from past exertion and sufTering. The deeds and motives of the men who have gone before have been instrumental in shaping the destinies of later communities and state. The development of a new country was at once a task and a privilege. It required great courage, sacrifice and privation. Compare the present conditions of the people of Putnam county, Ohio, with what they \\ere one hundred years-ago. From a trackless wilderness and virgin land, it has come to be a center of prosperity and civilization, with millions of wealth, systems of railways, grand educational institutions, splendid industries and immense agricultural and mineral productions. Can any thmking person be insensible to the fascination of the study which discloses the aspirations and efforts of the early pioneers who so strongly laid the foundation upon which has been reared the magnificent prosperity of later days ? To perpetuate the story of these people and to trace and record the social, political and industrial progress of the community from its first inception is the function of the local historian. A sincere purpose to preserve facts and personal memoirs that are deserving of perpetuation, and which unite the present to the past, is the motive for the present publication. A specially valuable and interesting department is that one devoted to the sketches of representative citizens of this county whose records deserve preservation because of their worth, effort and accomplishment. The publishers desire to extend their thanks to the gentlemen who have so faithfully labored to this end. Thanks are also due to the citizens of Putnam coi-inty for the uniform kindness with which they have regarded this undertaking, and for their many services rendered in the gaining of necessary information.

In placing the "History of Putnam County, Ohio," before the citizens, the publishers can conscientiously claim that they have carried out the plan as outlined in the prospectus. Every biographical sketch in the work has been submitted to the party interested, for correction, and therefore any error of fact, if there be any, is solely due to the person for whom the sketch was prepared. Confident that our effort to please will fully meet the approbation of the public, we are,

Respectfully,

THE PUBLISHERS.

Chapter I— Related State History 33

First White Men in Northwest Territory— English and French Claims- Three Successive Sovereign Flags Over'Present Ohio Territory— Passing of the Indians— Battle of Fallen Timbers— Northwest Territory— Ohio, the First Northwest State— Early Settlements— Activities of the Traders- French and Indian War — Pontiac's Conspiracy — Northwest Territory and Quebec Act — Revolutionary Period — George Rogers Clark and His Campaign—First Surveys and Early Settlers— Ordinance of 1787 — First Stage of Government Under the Ordinance— Second Stage— Organization of the Northwest Territory — Representative Stage of Government — First Territorial Legislation — Division of 1800 — Census of 1800 — Symmes Purchase and Other Early Settlements — County Organization — Indian Wars — Formation of a New State — Date of Ohio's Admission to the Union — Capitals of Northwest Territory and of Ohio — Constitutional History of Ohio — Military Record— Land Grants — Military Lands — Refugee Tract — Road Lands — Canal Grants — Zane Sections — Ministerial Lands — School Sections — Ohio Politics — Boundary Lines — Organization of Counties and Early Events.

Chapter Ii— Topography And Geology 81

Surface Features of the Land — Soil Formation — Moraines — Streams of the County — Mineral Resources of the County— Tests for Oil and Gas.

Chapter Iii— Indians In Putnam County 85

Indian Mounds — Their Contents — Theories as to Their Origin — Artifacts and Relics — First Ownership of the Land and Occupancy by the Indians — The Ottawa Reservation — Deportation of the Indians — Pe-ton-i-quet — The Tauwas Indian Village — Treatment by the Government — Ancient Burial Places in Putnam County — Ft. Jennings — A Bit of Squaw Justice — A Tough Citizen — The "Light House" — Indian Sugar Camps.

Chapter Iv— Early Settlers Of Putnam County 98

First White Family — Settlers During the Years 1825-34 — The German-Swiss Settlement — Hardships of the Pioneers — Pioneer Honeymoons — The Mennonites.

Chapter V— County Organization 103

Indian Cessions Comprising Putnam County Territory— Legislative Act Creating the County— Destruction of Early County Records— Organization of the County— Location of County Seat— First Court House and Jail—

CONTENTS.

Changes in County Area— Township Organization— County Officials— Clerks of Court— Auditors— Recorders— Treasurers— Sheriffs— Coroners— Surveyors —Prosecuting Attorneys— Probate Judges— County Commissioners— Representatives in Congress— Representatives in State Legislature— State Senators—County Infirmary— Tax Commissioners.

Chapter Vi-township Settlement And Organization 115

Blanchard Township— Gilboa—McCulloughville — Livingston — Greensburg Township— Jackson. Township— Jennings Township— Ft. Jennings— Rushmore— Liberty Township— West Leipsic— Monroe Township— Hartsburg— Wisterman— Monterey Township— Ottoville— Ottawa Township— Ottawa— Glandorf — Brickner — Palmer Township— Miller City— Kieferville— North Creek— Hector— Perry Township— Franconia—Dupont— Cascade— Cloverdale —Pleasant Township— Columbus Grove— Riley Township— Pandora— Webster—Sugar Creek Township— Vaughnsville— Rimer— Jones City— Union Township — Kalida — Van Buren Township — Leipsic— Beknore-Pitzer- Ward.

Chapter Xi-secret Societies, Fraternities And Clubs 212

Free and Accepted Masons, and Its Auxiliary Organizations— Independent Order of Odd Fellows— Knights of the Maccabees— National Union- Knights of Columbus— Catholic Knights of Ohio— The Research Club- Kappa Phi Delta— Putnam Club— Catholic Ladies of Columbia— The Centennial Club— The Study Club— Federation of Clubs— Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

Chapter Xii— The Medical Profession 224

Efficiency of the Early Physicians— Their Difficulties and Hardships— List of the Doctors Who Have and Are Now Practicing in Putnam County.

CONTENTS.

Chapter Xiii— Courts And Lawyers 226

First Term of Court in Putnam County— First Appointees— Tavern Licenses —First Grand Jury— First Case in County Court— Attorneys of the County —Associates Judges— Common Pleas Judges— Circuit Court Judges.

Chapter Xiv— Public Schools Of Putnam County 231

A Marked Change in the System of Education in Putnam County— The Old and Present Systems— Directory of Present Supervision Districts— Columbus Grove Schools— Vaughnsville High School— Crawfis College— Leipsic High School— Pandora High School— Ottawa High School— County Spelling Contest.

Chapter Xv— Military Record Of Putnam County 246

Civil-war Enlistments from the Various Townships— Putnam County Officers in the Civil War— Gen. Americus V. Rice— Thrifty Soldiers— Soldier Relief— A Civil-war Election— Voters of 1847— Militia Days— Ohio National Guard— Grand Army of the Republic— Soldiers' Monument— Soldiers of the Revolution and of the War of 1812.