THIS
township occupies the northeast corner of
Defiance County. Tiffin Township is on the
west and Richland on the South. Henry
County bounds it on the north and east. It
was organized while belonging to Henry County,
Apr. 6, 1836, and was named after Judge
Bishop Adams, who was the first settler in
the township, Section 18. Among the
earliest settlers were Eli Markel, Jacob
Schock, John Hornish, Jacob Tittle, Tollman
Voorhees, A. Bottenberg, Joseph Frantz, Jacob
Sartzel, Darius Jones, John Scott and
John Hively.
Adams is a full township and contains thirty-six
sections. The great prairie is in Section
16. The county ditch has nearly drained
it. It was formerly a great marsh or pond,
created by beavers cutting timber and damming it
by embankments. In draining it, a number
of relics were found, such as elk horns, many
skeletons, etc. It is now owned by
William Allen, and contains about two
sections of land. The Ridge or Adams road
seemed to have been an ancient lake shore and
ran from the Maumee at Independence, to Detroit,
Mich. It makes a high and sandy road and
was much traveled by the ancient red men from
near Detroit.
The township, since it has been drained, produces good
crops and is productive in wheat, corn and
grasses.
There are two Lutheran Churches, one on Section 13, and
one on Section 10, and one German Baptist or
Dunkard, on Section 31. It is a frame, has
no bell; one Catholic Church on Section 28.
The Lutheran Church cost $2,000; the Dunkard
Church cost $1,500; the Catholic Church cost
about $2,500. The United Brethren Church
has no bell; it is a frame, and cost about
$1,200. There are nine school buildings.
The people of Adams have always taken a lively
interest in education. One saw mill in the
township is owned by Mr. Diehl, on
Section 20, steam power, and cost $2,500.
It was built in 1877. There is one
portable saw mill owned by Peter
Celing & Co., worth $2,000.. It
sometimes propels a threshing machine. The
present Justice is John Knape, who is now
filling his third term, and Munson Whitney,
who is now filling his second term.
VOTERS IN 1845
In the October election of 1845, the following
were the voters:
Jacob Layman, George Briggs, Walter Williams,
Daniel Bruner, John Hornish, Charles Tubbs,
Daius Jones, John Hively, James K. Potter, John
Hornish, Jr., Michael Shock, John Swanck, John
W. Goodenough, John Esterbrook, John Shock,
Joseph Stone, Ephraim Markell; Jacob Noffsinger,
Philemon Dodd, John Hively, Jaco Swartzel,
Samuel Stone, John Scott, Jonathan Davison, John
Whitney, A. T. Parker, Aaron Deal; George
Briggs, A. T. Parker and Aaron Deal,
Judges; Darius Jones and Charles
Tubbs, Clerks.
PERSONAL
REMINISCENCES:
AARON DIEHL
EPHRAIM MARKEL
JOHN SHRIMPLIN
JOHN HORNISH
JACOB SWARTZ
CHARLES TUBBS
HENRY LEHMAN
T. J. TITTLE
EMANUEL HULL
JOHN WISDA
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