THIS part of the county was named from Salem, a
small town in Massachusetts, and received its title from Job
Mattson, the first Justice of the Peace to serve under its organization,
which took place in 1845.
The township is located in the fertile region of the
county, having Crane Township for its eastern boundary, Mifflin for its
southern, Richland for its western and Crawford for its northern.
Through its center, the beautiful and storied Tymochtee traverses its
entire length from north to south in a zigzag course, paralleled almost
by its principal tributary, the Little Tymochtee, on the east, while
Lick Run, Baughman Run and streams of lesser importance drain its
western fields. Its farms are small, for the most part, but the
owners are prosperous, and the work of improvement is rapidly going on.
FIRST
SETTLERS. Ezra Stewart
is said to be the earliest settler in this township, having located on
the southwest quarter of Section 5, in Oct., 1831. He was a
married man with three children, a native of Connecticut. Henry
Stewart located in Section 6, in 1834; pitched his tent under a
large sugar tree, and proceeded to build his cabin, which occupied
twelve days in its construction. He had entered one hundred acres
of land, and his chattels comprised of one yoke of oxen, four cows, a
barrel of flour and a few articles of furniture. At that time the
nearest settlements were those of Judge Brown, west of Carey,
Judge Carey on Tymochtee Creek and Huston's west of Forest, Hardin
County. Other early settlers of the township were Elisha Burson,
Warwick Miller, Jacob Baughman, Milton Ear, Duane Bland, Abner Suber,
William Davidson, George Davidson, Henry Honk, Henry Davis, A. J. Failor,
George Michaels, T. P. Taylor, Ezekiel Bogart, Daniel White, and
George Cordery.
In the early settlement of the township, as well as
that of others in the county, the Indians were often a source of great
annoyance. In the fall of 1887, an old Seneca Indian of the
original tribe appeared at the cabin of Arnold Inman, and the
parents being absent, he demanded of the children something to eat.
On being informed that there was nothing about the house to supply his
wants, he was very wroth and drew from his scabbard at his side a long,
wicked-looking butcher's knife, which he brandished furiously about him,
threatening in the most savage manner to take the lives of the whole
group of terrified children unless he was provided with what he desired.
To add to the terror of the scene, he drew from beneath his blanket the
dried skin of an infant babe in which he carried his tobacco and began
filling his pipe, telling his amazed listeners at the time that he
obtained the babe's skin at the battle of Buffalo in 1813. He
stated that there his squaw was shot while attempting to swim the river,
and was drowned as a result. He had sat down to smoke, but having
finished his broken speech he arose, went to a shelf in the cabin, and
took from beneath a tin pan a good sized Johnny-cake. He then
resumed his seat by the fire, and while thus seated his observing eye
discovered a pile of ashes in one corner of the fire-place. True
to his native instincts, he began to make investigations by probing the
ashes with the ever present fire poker of those days, and soon
resurrected the smoking potatoes which the children were preparing for
their evening meal. He proceeded to deposit these with the
Johnny-cake in his blanket, when seeing themselves in a fair way to lose
their supper, the eldest of the children, Arwin, prepared to
resist the intruder. He went out of the cabin and unloosed
the old watch dog, took possession of the old red-skin's gun which he
had left standing outside the door, and ordered him to return his
trophies and depart. Again the old savage brandished his tomahawk
and knife in the air, and threatened death to the brave youth, who stood
his ground firmly, and compelled the old Seneca to move away, the boy
pitching the gun over the brush fence after him as he made his
departure.
From the year 1837, Salem Township increased rapidly in
the number of its settlers, who had come to make this then unsubdued
forest land their home, till at the organization of the county in 1845.
The owners of real and personal estate in the township
were as follows: OWNERS OF
REAL ESTATE:
| Anderson, John |
Section 6 |
40 acres |
| Brown, Jacob |
Section 18 |
120 acres |
| Baker, George G. |
Section 29 |
101 acres |
| Bowton, Timothy |
Section 13 |
133 acres |
| Baughman, Jacob |
Sections 8 & 17 |
152 acres |
| Baughman, Ebenezer |
Section 7 |
80 acres |
| Baughman, David |
Section 18 |
80 acres |
| Baughman, Daniel |
Section 19 |
167 acres |
| Buckley, Daniel |
Section 6 |
40 acres |
| Crandall, John |
Section 6 |
40 acres |
| Chaffee, Sydney L. |
Section 24 |
117 acres |
| Ely, Charles |
Section 31 |
323 acres |
| Erlick, Charles E. |
Section 18 |
40 acres |
| Fisher, James |
Section 19 |
80 acres |
| Figley, William |
Section 20 |
147 acres |
| Gardner, Isaac |
Section 8 |
48 acres |
| Hurd, Jarvis O., heirs |
Section 30 |
80 acres |
| Houch, Paul |
Section 5 |
28 acres |
| Haume, Nicholas |
Section 7 |
44 acres |
| Hattle, Jacob |
Section 30 |
40 acres |
| Ingraham, Edward |
Section 21 |
40 acres |
| Inman, Arnold B. |
Section 17 |
96 acres |
| Kurtz, Michael |
Section 5 |
20 acres |
| Laravill, Jabez B. |
Section 30 |
123 acres |
| Leslie, Alexander |
Section 18 |
40 acres |
| Layton, Christian |
Section 7, 8 & 30 |
339 acres |
| Machan, Stephan C. |
Section 19 |
83 acres |
| Myers, Samuel |
Section 18 |
83 acres |
| Morrow, David |
Section 6 |
80 acres |
| Mann, John B. |
Sections 29 & 30 |
140 acres |
| Morris, Isaac |
Section 18 |
84 acres |
| Miller, Warick |
Section 6 |
132 acres |
| Merritt, Tygart S. |
Section 31 |
40 acres |
| Nicholas, John |
Section 19 |
80 acres |
| O'Neil, Patrick |
Section 30 |
123 |
| Orr, Smith |
Section 7 |
40 acres |
| Putnam, Jacob |
Section 5 |
106 acres |
| Potter, Horace |
Section 18 |
80 acres |
| Perkins, Thomas S. |
Sections 31 & 32 |
261 acres |
| Preston, John |
Section 6 |
80 acres |
| Perkins, Thomas S. |
Sections 31 & 32 |
261 acres |
| Preston, John |
Section 6 |
80 acres |
| Stoll, George F. |
Section 30 |
40 acres |
| Saffle, John |
Section 30 |
40 acres |
| Stewart, Henry |
Section __ |
20 acres |
| Sturgess, Thaddens |
Section 32 |
101 acres |
| Stewart Ezra |
Section 5 |
49 acres |
| State of Ohio |
Section 16, 18, 20 |
97 acres |
| Suber, Abner |
Section 7 |
216 acres |
| Trager, Abraham |
Section 6 |
10 acres |
| Taylor, John |
Section 6 |
94 |
| Starkweather, Elisha L. |
Section 19 |
83 acres |
| Whitacre, Moses |
Section 18 |
86 acres |
| Yambert, John H. |
Sections 7 & 18 |
251 acres |
OWNERS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY.
Elijah Burson, Jacob
Baughman, David Baughman, Robert Bruce, George Belote, Andrew Cordray,
Isaac Davis, Henry Davis, Edward Erlick, Isaac Edgington, James
Gibson, Willialm GIbson, Isaac Gardner, Elias Hill, James P. Hastings,
Paul Houck, Edward Ingram, Arnold B. Inman, John Justice, William
Johnson, Alexander Lesie, John B. Mann, John Mann, Job Mattison, Job
Mattison, Jr., Warick Miller, George Michael, John Preston, Alvin P.
Russell, Paul Suber, Ezra Stewart, Daniel White, Jesse Wilson and George
Wright.
FIRST LICKS.
In October, 1831, the
first abode of the progressive white man lifted its humble head in the
territory now comprised in this township, and from about the door of
this primitive cabin rang out the first glade peals of laughter from the
children of civilization. This unpretentious edifice was erected
on the southwest quarter of Section 5, by Ezra Stewart. It
was constructed of round logs 12x16 feet in size, a marvel of simplicity
and inelegance, but yet a home. In 1834, the smoke ascended from
the cabin chimney of Henry Stewart and John Mann. In
1835 John Nichols and A. B. Inman had pitched their tents
preparatory to the struggle for existence that was sure to follow the
morning dawn of pioneer life.
Roads in this township, were things unknown till 1837,
except the trails worn by the feet of the Indians. Over the
prairie land teamsters might drive in any direction they chose, the
only obstacles being, perhaps, an occasional marsh, in whose grassy
confines crouched the rosy cranberry, so agonizingly delicious. In
the year above mentioned, the first regular road was constructed,
beginning at the northeast quarter of Section 19, and extending north on
the section line. Others followed as necessity required, many of
the individual land owners cutting their own way through the timbered
regions. Indeed the greater part of the original thoroughfares of
the township were made in this way, or by the united labors of settlers
mutually interested. Bridges across the larger streams were
difficult to construct, and fording was necessitated, this, during the
rainy seasons, often being a dangerous, if not an impossible feat.
At the organization of the county, the sectional lines of travel were,
of course, regularly and generally established. In 1852, the
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad was constructed, passing at a
southern angle through the southern tier of sections, and in 1876 the
Columbus, Hocking Valley & Toledo line was put in operation, running
diagonally across the northeast quarter of the township, passing through
Sections 2, 11, 13 and 24 respectively, also cutting the southwest
corner of Section 12, near the County Infirmary.
The early settlers of Salem usually went to Bucyrus,
Fort Ball, now Tiffin, or Sandusky City for their supplies, especially
to obtain flour and the heavier lines of sumptuary goods. The
latter town was the principal milling point for many years. "Home
manufactures" were found to be a necessity and as early as 1836, John
Mann, while engaged in hay-making, found a bowlder, from which he
constructed a run of buhrs, and set up a mill in one end of his cabin,
the mill being run by hand, Mrs. Mann often performing the labor
of turning the stone. Mr. Mann afterward built a
horse-power mill, using first two horses, but subsequently increasing
the number to eight, making the capacity of the mill about seventy-five
bushes per day.* He was engaged in the milling business near
twenty years, doing work for the settlers of a large scope of country,
extending his patronage into the adjoining counties. He also
constructed a saw mill, run by water-power, and dug a ditch one and
one-half miles in length to obtain water necessary to its operation, the
supply being drawn from Potato Creek Swamp. Many of the original
frame buildings of upper Sandusky were constructed from lumber cut at
this mill, to which Mr. Mann added a stream lathe about 1854.
As a mechanic he could do almost any kind of work required by the times.
He was the miller, the blacksmith, the carpenter, the gunsmith and the
shoemaker for the whole neighborhood. He died in 1857, from
injuries received by falling, between the cars in attempting to board a
train at Upper Sandusky. The only mill now in operation in the
township is a saw mill on Section 28, owned and operated by George
Barkley.
Even in the rude environment peculiar to frontier
life and pioneer days we find persons of both sexes who were not proof
against the influence of the "tender sentiment." In June, 1845,
George Right and Catharine Michaels were united in the
holy bonds, by J. Mattson, Justice of the Peace, at the residence
of George Michaels. This, we believe, is the first wedding
recorded from Salem Township, though in the forty years that have since
intervened many are the vows that have been plighted in this locality,
in the hope of finding the royal road to happiness. In May, 1835,
Ezra Stewart first saw the light of this world. He was a
son of Henry and Charlotte Stewart, and is said to be the first
white child born in the township. Mary Jones, who died October 7,
1839, was the first who here closed her earthly career. She was
laid to rest in the Inman Graveyard, on the southwest quarter of
Section 7. The first election of the township
was held at the Nichols Schoolhouse, April 7, 1845, and the result of
this and the succeeding elections up to 1883 are shown in the
following:**
| Trustees: |
|
| 1845 |
James P. Hastings, Robert Bruce, William Gibson |
| 1846 |
Robert Bruce, James P. Hastings, Isaac Gardner |
| 1847 |
Elias Hill, Lewis S. Hixen, Isaac Gardner |
| 1848 |
Ezekiel Bogard, Timothy Moody, Alvin J. Russell |
| 1849 |
Ezekiel Bogard, Alvin J. Russell, Timothy Moody |
| 1850 |
Thomas Wolverton, James P. Hastings, Milton
Morral |
| 1851 |
James P. Hastings, Thoams Wolverton, Milton
Morral |
| 1852 |
James Headington, Timothy Moody, George Roads |
| 1853 |
Timothy Moody, James Headington, George Roads |
| 1854 |
Timothy Moody, James Headington, George Roads |
| 1855 |
A. J. Failor, Milton Morral, Hiram Caldwell |
| 1856 |
Milton Morral, Hiram Caldwell, John L. Ogg |
| 1857 |
John L. Ogg, John Caldwell, Henry Gottfreid |
| 1858 |
Henry Gottfreid, John Caldwell, James
Headington |
| 1859 |
George Michaels, Milton Morral, Ebenezer
Baughman |
| 1860 |
Ebenezer Baughman, Henry Gottfreid, Jacob Smith |
| 1861 |
George H. Davidson, Samuel Kauble, Henry
Gottfreid |
| 1862 |
Samuel Kauble, Frederick Nagel, George H.
Davidson |
| 1863 |
Ezekiel Bogard, Jacob Moser, Frederick Nagel |
| 1864 |
Ezekiel Bogard, Jacob Moser, Henry Gottfreid |
| 1865 |
John Long, Frederick Nagel, Sheridan Cox |
| 1866 |
John Lang, Frederick Nagel, Sheridan Cox |
| 1867 |
George H. Davidson, Benjamin F. Draper, Henry
G. Murphy |
| 1868 |
John Long, Joseph Brown, Henry G. Murphy |
| 1869 |
Henry Gottfreid, Joseph Brown, John Long |
| 1870 |
Henry G. Murphy, Henry Gottfreid, Leonard
Weaver |
| 1871 |
Leonard Weaver, Henry G. Murphy, Benjamin H.
Draper |
| 1872 |
Henry Gottfreid, Benjamin H. Draper, Daniel W.
Nichols |
| 1873 |
Henry Gottfreid, Daniel W. Nichols, Henry
Eberle |
| 1874 |
Leonard Weaver, Henry Eberle, George Michaels |
| 1875 |
Leonard Weaver, Peter Pfeifer, Fred Altvater |
| 1876 |
Peter Pfeifer, Fred Altvater, William Davidson |
| 1877 |
Henry G. Murphy, John Binau, Joseph Reisterer |
| 1878 |
Henry G. Murphy, John Binau, Joseph Reisterer |
| 1879 |
William Nagel, Nicholas Hoerr, Sebastian Brooks |
| 1880 |
William Nagel, Sebastian Brooks, Nicholas Hoerr |
| 1881 |
Fred Altvater, John Binau, John Long |
| 1882 |
John Binau, Fred Altvater, John L. Ogg |
| 1883 |
John L. Ogg, John Binau, Henry Eberle |
| Clerks: |
|
| 1845 |
Alvin J. Russel; |
| 1846 |
Paul F. Suber |
| 1847-54 |
Clark Glenn |
| 1855 |
William Marlow |
| 1856 |
Moses O. Kear |
| 1857-58 |
Jacob O. Kear |
| 1859 |
Moses O. Kear |
| 1860-61 |
Hughey D. Michaels |
| 1862 |
Moses O. Kear |
| 1863 |
H. D. Michaels |
| 1864-65 |
John Caldwell |
| 1866-67 |
William Nagel |
| 1868-69 |
Peter Trachsel, Jr. |
| 1870-72 |
William Nagel |
| 1873-74 |
Hughey D. Michaels |
| 1875-77 |
George A. Draper |
| 1878-79 |
George W. Bogard |
| 1880 |
Samuel W. Ewing |
| 1881 |
George W. Bogard† |
| 1882-83 |
Emil Schlup (resigned) |
| |
George W. Bogard, appointed |
| Treasurers: |
|
| 1845-48 |
Jesse Wilson |
| 1849-55 |
Exekiel Bogard |
| 1856 |
Milton Kear |
| 1857-58 |
William Marlow |
| 1859-60 |
Jacob Gottier |
| 1861-63 |
William Hopkins |
| 1864-65 |
Jacob Gottier |
| 1866 |
Ezekiel Bogard & Edward McLauaghlin |
| 1867-69 |
Edward McLaughlin |
| 1870-72 |
Peter Trachsel, Jr. |
| 1873 |
Leonard Weaver |
| 1874-75 |
Daniel W. Nichols |
| 1876-77 |
William Nagel |
| 1878079 |
D. W. Nichols |
| 1880-81 |
Peter Trachsel, Jr. |
| -1882-83 |
William Nagel |
| Justices of the Peace: |
| 1845 |
James P. Hastings††
Job Mattson, Jr. |
| 1847 |
James P. Hastings,, Job Mattson |
| 1850 |
Christopher Baker, Job Mattson |
| 1862 |
Thomas Wolverton |
| 1853 |
William Marlow |
| 1855 |
David C. Murry |
| 1856 |
William Marlow |
| 1858 |
David C. Murry |
| 1859 |
Edward McLaughlin |
| 1861 |
Edward Ewing |
| 1862 |
Edward McLaughlin |
| 1864 |
Moses O. Kear |
| 1865 |
Jacob Moser |
| 1867 |
Moses O. Kear |
| 1868 |
Jacob Moser |
| 1870 |
Peter Trachsel, Jr. |
| 1872 |
Hughey D. Michaels |
| 1873 |
Peter Trachsel, Jr. |
| 1875 |
Hughey D. Michaels |
| 1876 |
Peter Trachsel, Jr. |
| 1878 |
D. W. Nichols |
| 1879 |
Peter Trachsel, Jr. |
| 1881 |
Daniel W. Nichols |
| 1883 |
Peter Trachsel |
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.
No schoolhouses were erected in this
township prior to 1838. In that year the first edifice of the kind
was founded on the northeast corner of Section 19. Here the work
of intellectual improvement began, and from this point it has radiated
to the "uttermost parts" of the township, which is now supplied with
nine of these temples of knowledge. They are situated on sections
as follows: District No. 1, Section 12; No. 2, Section 3; No. 3,
Section 5; No. 4, Section 17; No. 5, Section 15; No. 6, Section 23; No.
7, Section 36; No. 8, Section 33; No. 9, Section 32. The primitive
log house at length gave way to the neat and comfortable frame
structure, and many of these are succeeded by substantial and commodious
brick buildings, all well furnished with comfortable seats and the other
necessary means of instruction. Among the pioneers of the art of
teaching we find the name of Israel Hulse, who wielded the rod in
1842; James Ward, in 1844, and Jacob Strickler in 1845.
The strong devotional sentiment of the settlers of
Salem Township first found expression in the erection of a church by the
"Bible Christians" on the northwest quarter of Section 17, in the year
1849. Three others are now established in the township - the St.
Peter's Catholic Church, the Methodist Episcopal, the Church of God, and
the German Evangelical Protestant Church. The latter society held
its first meetings at the residence of Nicholas Baumgartner,
under the administration of Rev. Heckeleiber, in the spring
of 1848. The society was organized at the same residence in 1850,
Rev. Dollmatsch officiating. The original members
were Nicholas Baumgartner and family, Mr.
Pfieffer and family, Peter Binau and family, George Binau and family,
Philip Karg and family, George Stephan and family, Andrew Gottfried and
family, Henry Ulrick and family, Jacob Ulrick and family, John Ulrick
and family, Charles Steiner and family, John Horn and family, Mr.
Klindinst and family. George Mall and family, Stephen Shlup and
Henry Epley. The first officers were Peter Binau and
Andrew Gottfried, who served as Elders, and Philip Karg and
George Stephan, who served as Deacons.
In 1850, the society purchased three-fourths of an acre
as a site and cemetery in Section 15, and, in 1855, by volunteer work
principally, a log church, 24x32 feet, was erected at a cost of $200.
The present substantial brick church building which occupies the site of
the old log structure was erected in 1872. It is 32x46 feet in
dimensions, comfortably furnished, and cost $2,500. In 1874, a
fine bell weighing 550½ pounds was added at
a cost of $300. In 1882, the cemetery was drained by tile, costing
$200, and, in 1883, the church was supplied with a splendid organ, which
was purchased for $100. The pastors in the order of which they
served are as follows: Revs. Heckeleiber, a missionary,
Dollmatsch, August Winder, John Betcler, Christian Wolf, A Hotdorf, A.
Allert, George Schladermund, Valentine Klein, Charles Werule, A.
Kanetcke, A. Duhill and John G. Ruh. The membership now
comprises about thirty-five and their families, are making in the
aggregate near 200. The present officers of the society are
George Binau and John Bery, Elders; John Binau and
John M. Ulrick, Deacons; Konrad Bery, Clerk; John
Landenshlager, Treasurer; Jacob Pfieffer , Julius Cahn and
Michael Shwabel, Trustees. The church sustains a Sunday school
during the summer seasons, having an average attendance of fifty.
LOVELL.
The town of Lovell, situated in Section 2, on the C., H. V. & T.
Railroad, was laid out by Lovell B. Harris, from whom it was named two
years after that road was constructed. The post office was
established at the same time. The village has one store, one
church, one blacksmith shop, a shoe shop and a flouring mill. The
latter was built in 1877 by Daniel and William A. Walborn, at a
cost of $6,500. The building is a two story frame structure, 26x40
feet. The mill was put in operation by the Walborn firm,
which has since conducted it. It has two runs of buhrs, with a
capacity of four workmen.
The Methodist Episcopal Church at Lovell was erected in
1877. The building is 30x40 feet in size and cost about $2,000
The society was formerly a part of the church at Crawford Post Office.
---------------------------
* The mill was located on Section 29.
** At the first election of the township, Alvin J. Russell was
elected Clerk and Assessor; John Mann and John Preston
were elected Constables; Andrew Cordrey, A. B. Inman and
B=Robert Bruce Supervisors. The Judges of Election were
Elias Hill, Ezra Stewart and Robert Bruce; Clerk, A. J.
Russell and A. P. Gardner. Politics - Whigs and
Democrats.
† Appointment in place of Samuel W.
Ewing, resigned.
†† The first case at law tried in Salem Township was that of John
Rummel vs. William Johnson, the hearing taking place before James
P. Hastings, April 12, 1843. <
BIOGRAPHIES OF
SALEM TOWNSHIP > |
