A GUIDE TO THE LOCAL HISTORY of FREMONT, OHIO PRIOR TO 1860 A GUIDE LOCAL HISTORY OF FREMONT, OHIO PRIOR TO i860 LUCY ELLIOT KELLER COLUMBUS. OHIO: Press of Fre^l J Heer 1905. Gift Author (Person) 4 Ja '06 A GUIDE TO THE LOCAL HISTORY OF FREMONT, OHIO. A. Geology and Topography. What are the native rocks of Fremont? Limestone. How and when were they formed? Their stratification proves that they were formed under water, and their fossils indicate that the water was salt — a sea. Geolo- gists make the date of this formation approximately twenty mil- lion years ago. Where can these rocks be seen to best advantage? In the outcrop at Moore's Mills, Ballville. There the water lime rocks are separated by a layer of shale from the Niagara limestone below. What made the cut through the rocks at Ballville ? The Sandusky river, just as it is to-day cutting through the softer clay at the Blue Banks. Has the Sandusky river always occupied its present channel? No. Flowing as it does over so level a region, it is called a meandering stream, that is, one which is continually changing its bed. Such a stream is characterized by many sharp curves. Thus it is forty-two miles from Fremont to Sandusky by water, and only twenty-two miles by rail. Locate some of the old river beds. You must go to see. First examine the sudden turn the river makes at the Blue Banks. Proceed south along this bluff and note the old bed beyond Sharp's Island, only partially used at present, and a second which is dry except at high water. All three are full during spring freshets. Long, long ago, the San- dusky river passed through the ravine that lies between the Cath- olic cemetery and Ballville. At that time the river crossed its present channel at a sharp angle and flowed along the northern side of Reynold's Wood Hill. What covered this country during the Ice Age? A vast sheet of ice. Since the ice in Ohio melted sooner than that in the eastern out- lets of the Great Lakes, how did the water escape? Southward, through the Wabash, Maumee and Sandusky riv- ers. What marked the shrinking of this vast lake? The receding water deposited four distinct sand beaches, nearly parallel with the southern shore of Lake Erie. These sand beaches became our Ridge Roads. What became of the hulk of the sediment deposited in this vast prehistoric lake? It formed a mass of sand and clay, of varying thickness, which deposit is the subsoil of the level country about Fremont. Where can a good cut through this deposit be found? At the Blue Banks. Here on its east hank the river is cutting so rapidly that an almost vertical bluff of hard yellow clay is maintained. What deposits of the glacier can be found? Underneath the yellow clay at the Blue Banks, is a dense layer of blue clay, or "hard-pan," which was deposited by the glacier. It may be studied best at low water, and where a mass of yellow clay has recently been removed some glaciated or scratched rocks may be found in the blue clay below. What is the surface soil about Fremont? Deposits of vegetable matter. In the famous Black Swam]), extending from Fremont to Toledo, this vegetable deposit was of extraordinary depth and richness. 'What are the rocks so numerous at Stony Prairie? 'Granite boulders of many kinds, brought here on die hack of the ancient glacier thousands of years a Whence did these boulders come? From Canada. They are wholly unlike our native limestones, and correspond accurately with rocks along Lakes Huron and Superior and those of the Laurentian Range. For this period consult The fee Age, by Prof. G. F. Wright; and the Geological Surveys of ( >hio. What is the elevation of Fremont? The bench mark at the Court House is sixty-two feet above Lake Erie, and six hundred and thirty-seven feel above sea level. Note some of the physical changes in Fremont within the past years. Many changes are due to the grading for streets. The old fustice house on State street, and the old Brainard house on Croghan street, now many feel below the streets, were formerly level with the roadways. The site of the* Taylor house, cor- ner \rrh and Birchard Avenue, was a high knoll. From C. R. McCulloch's property on Birchard avenue, southward, extended a larj yerflow emptying into the Market street (Birch- ard Ave. i ditch, and flowing east to the river. A deep ravine ran from the river southwest ward to the Central school yard. Be- fore building his house, Dr. James Wilson hauled large trees to help fill that part of the ravine extending through his place. The two deep ravines crossing State street have been almost entirely filled. B. Aboriginal Occupancy. What was the old name of Fremont? Lower Sandusky. Why was it so called ? The whole region, river and valley, was called Sandusky, by the Indians. Lower Sandusky was to distinguish the village at the lower rapids of the river from that at the upper rapids. What is the derivation of the word? Three Wyandot terms are at our service: Sah-un-dus-kee, clear water; Sandoostee, at the cold water; and Sah-undustee, 'water within writer pools. The last is applicable to the extensive marshes intersected by open water. Who were the earliest known inhabitants of Fremont? The Around Builders, traces of whose occupancy lingered till long after the coming of the white settler, along the east bank of the river, notably on Croghansville hill and the Blue Banks. Who succeeded the Mound Builders? A Neutral Nation, who built here two cities of refuge for all comers, located by tradition at the Blue Banks and on Evergreen Hill. Who succeeded the Neutral Nation? The Wyandots, escaping from their rapacious kindred, the Iro- quois; and with them came many Ottawas from Upper Canada. These tribes settled in the Sandusky and Maumee Valleys and were firmly established here before the coming of the whites. (At this point the student should look up the physical condi- tion of the country before the days o\ settlement; the magnificent forests, the extensive and peculiar Black Swamp; the marvellous quantity of fish in the river; the wild turkeys and g^eese and ons which darkened the air in flight; the deer, wolves, foxes. beaver, otter, muskrats, etc. Also the Wyandots, their character, tribal organization, number; their devotion to the Sandusky Val- ley. See Everett's History of Sandusky County; Howe's His- torical Collections of Ohio. Wyandot County.) Who were the first white men to visit this place? French traders and the Jesuit Fathers. When did this place first appear on the map? On Hutchin's map of 1764, the Indian village twenty miles up the river appears as Junqueindundeh. An appendix to this map not* s a route leading through this place to Fort Pitt (Pittsburg) ; Heckewelder's map of 1706 shows a trail through Sandusky (Fre- mont.) This was the greal trail made first by the buffaloes, and used doubtless by the Mound Builders next, then by the later orders of Indians in going through the Sandusky country from the ( ireal I .akes to the < lulf. Who gave the firsl detailed description of this place? ( !ol. Janus Smith, in 1757, a prisoner adopted into the Wyandot tribe. ( Read his diary, ) Who next mentions the village? Bradstreet, in 1704, co-operating with Bouquet to subdue the western Indians, passed ;i month about Sandusky Bay and came "up the river as far as navigable to Indian canoes." (Consult Bouquet's Expedition against the Ohio tndians.) Col. Tsrael Putnam commanded the Connecticut regiment of Colonel Brad- street's force of 12.000 men. Who next mentions the place? Samuel Brady, the scout, sent out by Washington in 1780. He lay all night on Brady's Island below the village, and watched the Indians racing horses along the west bank. (See Miss Keeler's Sandusky River.) Where was the old Gauntlel track? The west hank of the river, extending north and south of the present State street was used by the Tndians for Gauntlet track, race course, council meetings, etc. Tt was the Indian "Common." so to speak. Who were the first traders here? The French, with headquarters at Detroit, selling powder, flint. firearms, blankets and trinkets, in exchange for the valuable furs. What other visitors came here prior to the nineteenth century? In T778 Daniel Boone was led captive through the village: as was his friend Simon Kenton. Zeisberger and Heckewelder. were prisoners here in T782. and Heckewelder described seeing the gauntlet run here. These two men were the leaders of the Mora vians. whose three cities on the Muskingum suffered such fright- ful destruction in 1781. The remnants of the Moravians were marched to this place as prisoners, whence they embarked on boats for Detroit. Preceding and following the Revolutionary War. more Indian captives were brought to Lower Sandusky than to any other place in Ohio. Tradition has it that two thousand captives from the Ohio river were brought here. This was the center of Wyandot military operations. The British "Rangers," sent from Detroit, to aid their Indian allies against William Crawford's armed force, came by boat with their arms and cannon to Lower Sandusky, where their horses met them for the march to Upper Sandusky. (See Crawford's Cam- paign : Miss Keeler's Sandusky River.) Mow is Washington's name connected with Lower Sanduskv] ) A letter to him from General Irvine, of Fort Pitt suggests a second campaign against the Sandusky Indian villages • "'These Indians are all settled in a line from Lower Sandusky to the heads ot the Miami, not over seventy-five miles. If these could all be beat at once, it would nearly put an end to the Indian war in that quarter. To -what does Irvine refer? The Indian war, terminating in 1794, when Anthony Wayne brought the tribes into subjection. What noted Indians frequented Lower Sandusky? Tarhe, the Crane, the principal war chief, lived here and led hence his warriors to fight Wayne. Half King, the great chief who lived at Upper Sandusky, often came here. Red Tacket stopped on his way from Buffalo to make the funeral monody over I arhe at Upper Sandusky. Pontiac, the "colossal chief who struggled with destiny," and whose conspiracy exploded in 176^ was frequently here inciting the warriors; the eloquent- and mas- terly Mohawk chief, Brant, here formed the confederacy which enabled the Western tribes to defeat two American armies Here came, also, the chief heads of the Seneca nation, Coonstick Hard Hickory and Seneca John; Logan, the great Mingo; and fecum- seh, who organized the Indian rebellion of 181 1 and consummated the British alliance of 18 12. (See article on Tarhe. the Crane, in Ohio Arch, and Hist Pub- lications April, 1905. Also manuscript agreement between Tarhe bearing his mark, and Morris A. Newman, postmaster of Lower Sandusky, making the latter the Indians' agent to sell timber and stones from their lands adjoining Lower Sandusky. This MS hangs on the walls of Birchard Library in Fremont ) When was the first Indian mission started at Lower Sandusky, and by whom ? : ' ■ ^ l8 S 5 ' h J the Rev - J° se P h Ba dger. He had been a soldier in the Revolutionary War, fighting at Bunker Hill, and had made the earlier campaign into Canada. During the war of 1812 he served as Chaplain in General Perkins' Brigade, and rendered valuable service in the hospitals, as well as frequently designat- ing the best route for the troops through the wilderness which he knew so well Chiefly to his influence is due the neutrality of the Wvandots during the War of 1812. Except for the Whit- aker and Williams families, Badger was probably the first white school teacher' 6 ' ^ ™ Certainly the first Poacher and C. Settlement of Fremont. _ What was the present town of Fremont, at the close of Pon- tiac s war in 1764? An Indian village, on Croghansville hill, named Junquein- dundeh. Who were the first traders to make headquarters at Lower San- dusk) ': Arundel and Robbins, Englishmen, prior to [782. What was the first white family in Ohio? That founded by James Whitaker and Elizabeth Fulks, his wife, natives of Pennsylvania, who were raptured respectively in 1775 and 177S from their homes at Fish Creek and Cross Roads. At the time of their capture James Whitaker was eighteen years of age, and Elizabeth Fulks eleven. They were both adopted by the Wyandot Indians, and belonged to Tarhe's hand, located at Lower Sandusky. They were married at Detroit about [785, and had eight children. Whitaker was buried on what was afterward known as the Whitaker Reserve, three miles belov\ Fremont. The tombstone erected over his grave contains the following inscription : "In memory of James Whiteacre, who died Dec. 17. [804, in the 48th year of his age." Mrs. Whitaker lived for many years after her husband's death, and was noted for her kindness to the early missionaries and to the many white prisoners at Lower Sandusky. Many of their descendants are located in Sandusky County. What other reservation was given by the Indians to a white settler in this vicinity ? The Williams reservation, two miles below town, on the east side of the river. Williams was a trader, ver\ popular with the Indians, his wife an Indian captive. 1 low did other white settlers gain title to their lands? By purchase from the Government. By the treaty of Fort Mcintosh, [785, the United States reserved the two mile square trad at Lower Sandusky, for a trading post. Ten years later, at the treat)- of Greenville, 1705. following Wayne's victory, the Wyandots .and associated tribes ceded this tract forever to the United States. In [817 the Government surveyed and sold this tract. The same year, the Government purchased all of north- western ' >hio except a few reservations of which the Senecas held 40,000 acres. In 1831, the Senecas sold their reservation for three and eighth-tenths cents per acre and moved to the far west. Tims all the land about Fremont was legally acquired from its aboriginal holders. Outline the history of the first French settlers at Lower San- dusky. They had emigrated from France after the French Revolution, and settled in Michigan and Ohio. Tn 1812 the Government re- moved these wards of the nation to Lower Sandusky for better protection from the turbulent Indians. The winter of 1812-13 they passed in the barracks of Fort Stephenson, but on August first they were removed to Upper Sandusky. On the way they heard Proctor's cannon beginning the battle of Fort Stephenson. (See Everett, pp. 569-570.) Where was the old French burying ground? ( )n Arch street, between Ewing street and Birchard avenue. When did the first negroes come to Lower Sandusky? About 1780, when the Indians brought a group of negroes captured on the Ohio river, and placed them on the little penin- sula on the east side of the river, two miles below Lower San- dusky. It has ever since been known as Negro Point, or more commonly "Nigger Bend." When did Fremont first come under the American flag ? Theoretically in 1776, but actually in 1795, in which year the British evacuated Ft. Miami, following Wayne's victory over the Indians at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. The British had withheld the lake region on the pretext that certain obliga- tions on the American side had not been fulfilled. The county of Wayne was established, embracing Michigan and all northwestern Ohio. How man\- white families lived here in 1815? Twenty. How many houses were appraised in 1816? Eight. When was the township of Sandusky organized? August, 181 5. Where was the first town platted in this locality ? Croghansville, on the hill east of the river. It was surveyed by a government engineer, Wormley, in 1816, and lots reserved for schools and a government navy yard. When was the west side platted? In 181 7 by the Kentucky Company, who bought of the gov- ernment the land between the Western Reserve and Maumee Road and the present L. S. & M. S. Railway tracks ; surveyed and platted it, and named it Sandusky. Who composed the Kentucky Company? Fifteen citizens, including Israel Harrington, Thos, L. Haw- kins, Morris A. Newman and David Gallagher. (For full list see Everett, pp. 399-400.) When was the name officially changed to Lower Sandusky ? At the incorporation of the village in 1829, when Croghans- ville was included within the limits of Lower Sandusky. Of what county is Fremont the county seat, when was it organ- ized, and what territory did it comprise? Sandusky County, organized February 12, 1820, comprised in 10 addition to its presenl territoryj all of Ottawa county, and parts of Seneca, Lucas ami Erie counties, Its population was less than t.ooo souls. Sketch the history of the seat of political government of Lower Sandusky, before the formation of Sandusky county. This place was within the boundaries of Huron county, with first Milan, then Norwalk as count) seat. It was to Norwalk that the proprietors went to file their plat of this village. Earlier, this place was within the limits of Delaware county, with Delaware as the county seat; Franklin county, with Franklinton as county seat: and Hamilton count) with Cincinnati as count) seat. Still earlier Lower Sandusky was a tiny part of Wayne county, which included Michigan, Indiana, the site of Chicago and northwestern Ohio, with the seat of justice at Detroit. Still earlier, as part of the Northwest Territory, headquarters were at Marietta, on the ( >hio river. Before the organization of the Northwest Ter- ritory, our >eat of Government was wherever the migratory Con- gress happened to be either at Princeton or Annapolis. Still earlier, we were claimed b) lour States: Massachusetts. Connec- ticut, Xew York and Virginia, with respective headquarters at Boston, Hartford, New York City and Jamestown. Virginia's claim to our land resulted in lur organizing in 1:778, the Illinois County, with seat ^\ justice in Kentucky. Earlier yet, before the Declaration of Independence, the English government had established the province >^i Quebec, extending from Hudson Bay to the Ohio river, and a criminal in Fremont would have had to go to Quebec for legal trial. Before the Quebec Act, the king of England reserved "under his sovereign protection for the ib. of the Indian, all lands of America beyond the sources of the rivers falling into the sea."" and the county seat was the palm o\ King George. Prior to that date we were claimed by the French, who pretty nearly made good their claim by exploration and fortifica- tion, and our seat of government crossed the channel to Paris itself. Nor should it be forgotten that Spain's claim extended indefinitely north from the Mexican and Gulf acquisitions, and. according to her dictum, Fremont's county seat was at the court in Madrid! In 1830. how did Lower Sandusky rank among Ohio villages? \s die leading village of northwestern Ohio, both in popula- tion and amount of trade. When was the first village election, and how many votes were polled ? October 10, [815; with 28 votes. The second ? October, t8i6, with 33 votes. II How many votes were cast in [831? ( )ne hundred and forty-six. Who was the first postmaster ? Morris A. Newman, appointed in [813. Who was the first justice of the peace? Israel I [arrington, 1S1 5. Who was the firsl village treasurer? David Gallagher, [815. Mr. Gallagher had acted as assistant commissary of Fort Stephenson after the war. Who was the first judge of Common Pleas Court ? George Tod. the father of David Tod, one of the "War Gov- ernors" of Ohio, opened court in a small log house on Croghans- ville hill, May 8, [820. Mis judicial district covered almost a third of the State of Ohio. He was a Yale graduate; had been State Senator, and supreme judge from 1806 until he resigned to enter the army in 1S12. (See First Court House, E.) Who was tin- second Common Pleas Judge? Ebenezer Lane, elected justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio in 1830. After the village was incorporated in 1829, who was the first mayor ? John Bell. Who were the first doctors? Dr. Hastings. [816; and Dr. Daniel Brainard, 1819. What was the fust newspaper printed in Lower Sandusky? The Lower Sandusky ( .a/.ette, July, 1820,. The sheet measured 17x21 inches. Thomas Smith was editor, publisher, type-setter and press-man. The paper lived about [8 months. When and what was the first play given in Lower Sandusky? In 1819 the young men of the village played Goldsmith's "She Stoops to Conquer." Thomas L. Hawkins painted the scenery, wrote the prologue, and performed the important parts. The play was given in the upper story of the historic old tavern, on the site of the present Wheeling and Lake Erie station. (For the Prologue, set' Everett's I list, of Sandusky County., p. 406.) Why was the name of the village changed to Fremont? Because of the confusion attending the repetition of the name Sandusky, there being Upper and Lower, Big and Little San- dusky and Sandusky City along the river. The name was changed in 1849. Who presented the matter before the local courts? Rutherford B. Hayes, at that time a law partner of Ralph P, Buckland, at Lower Sandusky. Why was the. name Fremont selected? The name generally preferred was Croghan, pronounced [2 Crawn ; but there were man) ways of spelling it. so the name Fremont was chosen in honor of the famous explorer and the discoverer of I 'ike' • I 'eak. D. The Revolutionary and Pre-Revolutionary Forts of This Locality. \\ li.ii was the first British fort in « Ihio? Fort Sandusky, erected by British traders from Virginia and Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Sandusky Bay and River (the Marblehead peninsula), in 1745. but later '"usurped by the French." It was reoccupied b) the British after the sur- render of Canada 1>\ the French, in November, \j(y.>. Major Robert Roger, with two hundred rangers, arrived from Mon trial, to take possession of the French forts on Lake Erie. Pontiac's conspiracy burst early in May, [763. "Nine British forts yielded instantly. Detroit and Fort Pitt alone escaped cap- ture, and the savages drank, scooped up in the hollow of joined hands, the blood of many a Briton. Sandusky was the first of the forts to fall. May 15.*' Ensign Paully was seized, car- ried to Detroit, and married to a squaw, who had lost her hus- band. The remainder of the garrison was massacred, and the fort burned. (See Pontiac's Conspiracy.) Ensign Paully finally escaped to the fort at Detroit, and reported the disaster. Fori Sandusky was never rebuilt. Col. John Bradstreet's expedition, in 1 705, arrived at Fort Sandusky, and after relieving Detroit returned to Sandusky, when' he remained several months. When was the fort at the Lower Falls of the Sandusky River first mentioned ? Tin- firsl mention of the fort at Lower Sandusky, and the first mention of the place by that name, is in a letter from Brig.- Gen. Win. Irvine to Major Isaac Craig, during the Revolutionan War, as follows: "Fort Pitt, Nov. ri, [783. Sir: 1 have received intelligence through various channels that the British have established a post at Lower Sandusky." ( Note the distinction between the pre-Revolutionary Fort San- dusky, on the peninsula near the mouth of the Sandusky River, and the Revolutionary post at Lower Sandusky, twenty miles inland, to which General Irvine refers. This post was also doubt- less known as Fort Sandusky, the original Fort Sandusky having been destroyed twenty years earlier. The second Fori Sandusky, 1. e., the post at Lower Sandusky, was rebuilt during the War of 1X1 j. and has ever since been known as Fort Stephenson. The gold medal awarded by Congress to Croghan, in [8^4, for the Defense of Fori Stephenson in [813, hears on the reverse, besides the motto and date, the word "Sandusky." ) 13 What further reference was made to Lower Sandusky during the Revolutionary War? In 1780 General Washington sent Captain Brady to learn of the intentions of the Indians in the Sandusky country, with refer- ence to renewing the war as allies of the British. Brady spent several days on Brady Island, in Sandusky River, watching the Indians on the banks, and became satisfied from their actions that they were not contemplating a fresh campaign, and so reported to Washington. (See page 6.) Subsequently, Brady was sent out again from Fort Pitt on a similar errand, but was captured by the Indians and carried to Sandusky to run the gaunt- let and be burned at the stake. He escaped, however, was hotly pursued by the Indians, and made his famous leap over the Cuyahoga River. E. War of 1812. What was the attitude of the Wyandots of Lower Sandusky in the War of 181 2? Neutrality. What chief led the surrounding Indians to side with the British? Tecumseh. Why were fortifications rebuilt at Lower Sandusky, July, 1812? To protect the government stores at this point. Where was this fortification, and by what name is the place known ? On the hill west of the river; since May 1813 known as Fort Stephenson, in honor of the colonel then in command. Who garrisoned the Fort? Troops came and went. July 3, 1813, Kentucky mounted rifle- men under Col. Richard M. Johnson, afterward known as "the man who killed Tecumseh," and the future Vice President, marched from Fort Meigs to Lower Sandusky. Independence Day was celebrated by garrison and guests, and first mention is made of the historic cannon, "Old Betsy," which fired Fourth of July salutes. Who is the hero of Fort Stephenson, and when did he take command of the Fort? Major George Croghan, a Kentucky youth of twenty-one years, arrived with part of his regiment to garrison the fort, prior to July [6, [813. Who was in command of the Northwestern Army? William Henry Harrison, with general headquarters at Fort Seneca, nine miles up the river from Lower Sandusky. When was the battle of Fort Stephenson fought, and with what force and commanders ? 14 August i and 2, [813. Croghan's gallant force of 160 men and one cannon, "Old Betsy," held the Fort two days and finally vanquished 800 British Regulars, veteran troops of Wellington's Peninsula campaign, commanded by General Henry Proctor and about two thousand Indian allies under Tecumseh. Croghan lost but one man ; the British lost Lieutenant-Colonel Short, Lieu- tenant ( iordon, and several score of regulars, besides many In- dians. (This section presupposes a general knowledge of the War of 1812, the chain of forts along the Sandusky and Maumee rivers, the commanders and armies on both sides, and such decisive bat- tles as Perry's Victory and the Battle of the Thames. For detailed accounts of the Battle of Fort Stephenson and of Croghan's life, see Mc ^fee's History of the Late War; Everett, Howe; articles in the < >hio Arch, and Mist. Pubs., Vol. X, p. 49, by Miss J. M. 1 taynes, and Vol. XH, p. 375. by Chas. R. Williams.) What was the effect of the battle of Fort Stephenson? Tt was the first serious check to the land forces of Great Brit- ain. The disparity in numbers of the opposing sides, the youth of the hero and the decisive triumph created great enthusiasm throughout the country. This battle was the turning point of the war. Outline the history of "Old Betsy." It was probably an old French cannon captured from the French in the French and Indian wars of 1756-1763. Our first knowledge of it is at the Fourth of July celebration of 1813 (see above. 1 After the war in which' the gun did such valiant service, it was removed to Pittsburg arsenal. Later Congress ordered its return to Lower Sandusky. Owing to the duplication of village names, the cannon was sent to Sandusky City, so named in [818, which at the time of the battle was called Ogontz's Place, and later Portland. The authorities wished to keep it, and for better con- cealment buried it. Mayor B. J. Bartlett, of Lower Sandusky, traced the gun and sent men and a wagon to bring it home. "< >ld Betsy" now stands in the center of Fort Stephenson, on the scene of her great triumph. Where were the British soldiers, killed at the battle of Fort Stephenson, buried ? A pit for the enlisted men was dug west of the Fort, extending over into the school yard. Lt. Col. SJiort and Lieut. Gordon, of the 41st Regiment, were buried side by side, near the present High School building, corner Park and Garrison streets. (Students of the Battle of Fore Stephenson should examine two fac-siniile gold medals in Birchard Library, presented by Congress, one to < leneral I [arrison in commemoration of the Bat- tle ol the Thames, the other to Major Croghan in commemoration i5 of the battle of Fort Stephenson. The Library also has photo- graphs of the sword presented by Congress to Ensign Joseph Duncan who bore a conspicuous part in the defense. There is also a portrait of William Gaines, last survivor of the bat- tle, with a special military order signed by President Hayes, Sec- retary of War Ramsey, and General Sherman, awarding him an honorable pension. Also original letters from Croghan to Har- rison a few days before the battle ; fine oil portraits of Harrison and of Croghan ; a large drawing of the Fort blockhouses ; also pieces of the Fort pickets showing bullets in them.) F. Old Buildings. Describe the home of the Lower Sandusky pioneer. The one-story log cabin was built of round logs, the cracks filled with mud liberally mixed with leaves. The floors were of puncheons, as were the ponderous doors, hung on wooden hinges. The chimney was built of poles imbedded in mud mortar, on a foundation of stones placed outside the cabin, and a large open- ing cut through. A window was made by cutting out a piece of one or two logs and pasting greased paper over the opening. Furniture was equally simple. A bedstead made of two poles was built into the corner, with bark tied on for mattress. Benches were made of wide puncheons, with long pins driven in for "legs. Baking was done in a Dutch oven — a shallow kettle placed over the coals, with coals heaped over the cover. Babies were rocked in maple sugar troughs, made of large logs. At house raisings there was plenty to eat but little to eat with. All comers brought their own knives and spoons. Where was the first frame building in Lower Sandusky? Near the corner of Front and Croghan streets, on the site of Dorr's and Hamilton's store rooms. It was built by Israel Har- rington and used as a tavern. It was erected in 1815. Col. R. M. Johnson and other Kentucky soldiers stopped here on their way home from the Battle of the Thames, October 5, 1813. It was kept for a time by Gen. Otho Hinton, the stage line proprietor. What was the second frame building in the village? The store of Olmsted Brothers, erected in 1817 near the pres- ent Price Lumber Company office. It was two stories high, with 60 feet front on the river. Dormer windows jutted out above, with pulleys and tackle for raising goods. After the store was built quite a pile of lumber was left which Judge Olmsted gave away from time to time to make coffins. Where was the first brick building in town? i6 The old Beauregard residence, between the present Wheeling statii m and the bridge. In [820 how many houses were there in the village? Some ten or twelve of brick or frame, and about thirty log cabins. Who occupied the buildings on the Fort? After the war, the blockhouses were used as stopping places for pioneers till cabine could be buildt. Three families, the Morri- sons, Pattersons and Bakers occupied the three room cabin built near the northeasl corner of the square for officers during the war. The blockhouses were sold and removed in [818. About [832 Jaques Hulburd, who had purchased the Fort, erected a low frame dwelling which stood until 1877. when the place passed into the hands of the Library trustees. When was the first school house erected? In [816, on the site of the present Central School House. It was built of logs, with puncheon floors and benches, and oiled paper windows. A deep ravine ran east of it. and south were the graves of the British officers and soldiers. \\ hat were its successors? The first house was replaced in 1817 by a more substantial log house. In 1834 this was burned down because a cholera patient had been ill and died there the previous August. A rough Stone house took its place and stood until 1853. when the old brick building on the site of the present High School building was erected. The old stone school hou.se was used for church pur- poses and for public meetings as well as for schools. What and when' was the first church in Fremont? The M. E. Church, first services of which were held in the old log school house. In 1834, after this building was burned, the congregation built on the southwest corner of Arch and Garrison streets, land therefor being donated by David Gallagher. It was a two-stor) frame building, not large, and was occupied in 1835,. This was the inly church in the place and was used till the brick building, corner of Birchard and I 'ark Vvenues was completed in 1850. The parsonage was wast of tin- church on Garrison street, \fter tin- brick church was finished the old property was sold and the 'present residence of (has. Fouke, on High street, purchased for a parsonage. Where were early Presbyterian services held? ( In the east side of the river, where the Herbrand works now stand, in a house built by the Prior brothers, and by them con- tributed fi >r church purpi >ses. Where was held the first Common Pleas Court of Sandusky I o 1 1 ii t y ? Crogfhansville had been selected by the ( >hio General Assembly 17 as the temporary seat of justice. There, May 8, 1820, in a small log house on the northwest corner of Ohio avenue and Pine street, court opened with George Tod as president judge; Israel Harrington, David Harold and Alexander Morrison as associate judges. Where was the second seat of justice? The log school house, near the corner of Park avenue and Croghan streets. Thither on May 23, 1822, court adjourned from the log house on Croghansville" hill. For ten years thereafter both Common Pleas and Supreme courts were held here. The chairman of the Committee on Permanent Location, which secured the court house for the west side of the river, was Charles R. Sherman, who with Judge Jacob Burnet opened the first term of the Supreme Court of Sandusky County July 30, 1823. Judge Sherman was the father of Gen. Wm. T. Sherman and Senator John Sherman. Judge Burnet had been United States Senator, as the successor of William Henry Harrison. At the August, 1845, term ot tllis court, Stanley Matthews, later appointed to the U. S. Supreme Bench by President Hayes, was admitted to the bar. (See articles by Basil Meek on Courts and Bar of Sandusky County. ) Where was the first Court House of Sandusky County? On the present site of the M. E. Church, corner Birchard and Park avenues. It was "in the woods," and was moved, in 1831 or 1832, by twenty-five yoke of oxen to a more convenient site, north' of Croghan" street. This court house, after ten years in building, was used but eleven years. Since 1845, when the pres- ent court house on Park avenue was completed, the earlier struct- ure has been the parsonage of St. John's Lutheran church. Where was the first local jail? On the river bank between Croghan and State streets. It was built of logs, a story and a half high. Name and locate some of the early taverns of Fremont. The earliest taverns were primitive structures of logs, in which the landlady roasted fat coons, wild 'turkeys and half saddles of deer before the -lowing fire of the common room, in the presence of the hungry guests. Rates were twenty-five cents a day, dinner for a man and his horse being six and a quarter cents. Harrington's tavern has already been mentioned. ( See First Frame Building above. ) A building, erected in 1818 north of State street, was moved in 1 83 1 to the northeast corner of Front and Croghan streets, by Thomas Ogle, and converted into a tavern kept by Isaac Knapp. In [839 the front parlor was fitted up as a storeroom by I. 1'. llavnes. In 1854, O. L. Xims wished to build a brick block on that corner, and gave the old building to Thos. L. Haw- i8 kins, who moved it to Water streel south of Garrison, where it stood till [900 as part of J. P. Moore's carriage shop. In [820 William Andrews built a tavern on a little wharf at the fool "i" Garrison street. In its third story was the first Masonic Lodge in this town. This building, and" one built by Nicholas Whitenger about the same'time, were the only two listed in 1820- as worth one thousand dollars. Whitenger's house was the orig- inal part of the famous corner tavern, known as the < >hio Man- sion House, later as Kessler's, where the Wheeling station now stands. As early as [822, Thos. L. Hawkins converted the upper story into a theatre. In the early '40s. hoard and lodging at this tavern were $2.50 per week. \ i'< w doors north of the Mansion House, on the river hank, stood the Northern Exchange, built about 1836, a good, three- story building. Here for a time was the office of the Ohio Rail- way. Mere were held many of the town meetings. The second story was devoted to the < >hio Institute kept by Dio Lewis. In 1X40, when P. Fusselman was proprietor, he rigged up a steel bar in a frame outside the door. This was struck at meal time,. and became practically the village clock. The Western Mouse, built in [830, on the site of the old Buck- land block, was in its day the leading hotel of Northwestern Ohio. It was a frame building with a great two-story piazza with large pillars. Its old barn long remained, being demolished for the building of the Christy Knife Works. Macklin's, the present American Mouse on West State street, was built in 1837. The present Hotel Fremont, long the Croghan House, was erected as a store by an Englishman named Weiler, who lived in the big brick house on Croghansville hill. < )n the east side of the river, .Morris A. Newman kept a tavern in very early times. ( hi the site of the late Tell House was I larp- ster's tavern, famous as Democratic headquarters. The ( ioose Mouse, with a wild goose sign, was the big frame building still standing on the north side of hast State street, ('apt. Samuel Thompson kept a famous hostlery on the present Thompson propert) where was held the notable Democratic meeting dur- ing the campaign of 1X40. (See Miss Keeler's "Sandusky River.") Rutherford Ik Mayes lived at Thompson's from 1845- [849. Name and locate some of the old residences of Fremont. The old Dickinson house, corner Arch and State streets, now the site of the Opera Mouse, was built by Morris A. Newman on the hill east of the river, and about [828 it was moved by yokes of oxen. It got stuck 011 the bridge, then an open one, 19 and a hole had to be cut through the house to allow teams and passengers to cross. In 1828. Capt. Morris Tyler set up a frame for a barn on the southwest corner of Front and State streets. In the fall he fin- ished the frame for a dwelling in which he and his family lived many years. When the Buckland block was built, this house was moved to North Center street and is now the residence of D. S. Blue, probably the oldest building in town. The residence of Christopher Smith on North Justice street was built by J. S. Olmstead, our first merchant, on the present site of Buchman's store. It was moved when the old Opera House block was erected. In 181 5 Jeremiah Everett, one of the earliest settlers, built a log house at the northeast corner of Arch and Ewing streets. One of the first frame houses on south Arch street was built in 1839 by Andrew Morehouse, where the Wm. B. Sheldon resi- dence now stands. It was moved north on the same street, and is now occupied by J. Youngman. The original part of Dr. Robert Rice's residence was built by Elder Skinner, minister of the Baptist congregation whose church • stood about where the Jackson Underwear factory is now. The site was long occupied by the residence of Theo. Clapp. In 1837 three brick residences were begun, those of Dr. D. Brainard. now owned bv the Croghan Bank ; the Rawson house on State street; and the Macklin house (American House) oppo- site Dr Brainard's house, finished in 1840, was opened with a housewarming, one of the societv events of the early days. The whole town was invited, and a great collation served. This house was the finest in the place, four stories high, with beautiful walnut finishings, colonial stairways and mantels. The house at the northeast corner of Hayes and Park avenues, formerly stood near the center of that square. It was built by Azariah Eddv who sold it with his whole surrounding farm to John R Pease. Mr. Pease lived there until he built the house standing with manv outbuildings, on the Pease estate — the square southwest of Park and Hayes avenues. The main part of the Pease house has been moved to face Clover street. In 1853 one of the finest residences in northern Ohio was built bv R P Buckland the well-known house on Birchard and Park avenues' He sent to Georgia for pine to finish the house, using magnificent black walnut for the barns. Plumbing, hot water pipes and furnaces were introduced into town for the first time. The same year Mr. Buckland erected the Buckland Block, on Front street, between Croghan and Garrison streets; and a few years later the one on the southwest corner of Front and State streets. 20 The house at Spiegel Grove was begun 1>\ Sardis Birchard in [859 for the permanent home of his nephew, Rutherford B. Hayes, who, owing to his service in the army, in Congress and as < lovernor of ( >hio, did not occupy it until [873. Mr. Birchard lived there until that time. General Hayes made man) additions and alterations and the fine old house has been the scene of man) notable gatherings and has sheltered many distinguished guests. Where were the earl) stores of the village? Uong the river front, on Front street and Slate street. ( For a description of the early business houses see Everett, pp. 421 5. I Where were public meetings held in tlie early days? In the school house, Hawkins' theatre, the offices of the West- ern House, Mansion 1 louse and Northern Exchange, and the M E. Chapel. Then came Social Hall, now Masonic, at the open- ing of which R. P. Buckland presided as floor manager; Birch- ard Hall, built in [856, to seat one thousand persons, and "soon to he lighted with gas." Mammoth Mall, in the old ( >pera 1 louse block was the largest public hall prior to the opening of the new ( >pera I [ouse. What was the first banking house in Fremont? A small one-stor) brick building where the Colonial Bank now stands, where on New Year's Day, 1S51, Sardis Birchard and Lucius Otis opened a private bank. Twelve years later it became the First National Bank of Fremont, standing fifth on the list of National Banks of the United States. What buildings were along the west hank of the river before [850, most of which gave way to the Wheeling tracks? Near the bend of the river below town were a dozen ware- houses; south of that the ship yard. The big two-story frame Ik use of ( olone! 1 lunt stood on the river hank opposite the present office of the Price Lumber Company; south of that the Northern Exchange, Lysander Ball's blacksmith shop, his house, die ( )hio Mansion House (Kessler House), and the Beaugrand residence. South of the bridge were the Anderson Hotel, near the present June's foundry; the old flour mill built by Hawkins and Boswell in 1818; the residence of Thos. L. Hawkins: Bidwell's flour mill; the flax seed oil mill at the foot of Birchard avenue, later used as a carding mill; the Gallagher Woolen Mill where Mr. Ford's house now stands on Bidwell avenue, and the old pin factory where the wooden pins for the ( )hio Railway were manufactured. G. History of Transportation and Routes of Travel. What was the principal route of travel through Fremont? The Sandusky river. The Indians as well as the Jesuit mission- aries and French traders came from Canada by wav of the St. 21 Lawrence river and Lakes Ontario and Erie, ascended the San- dusky river by canoe to the portage (in Crawford county) and carrying' their boats and canoes a short distance to the headwaters of the Scioto floated down to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. ( For the story of the Sandusky River, its fish, floods, famous boats and the important history of its valley, see "The Sandusk) River," by Miss Keeler, Ohio Archaeological and Historical Pub- lications, April, 1904.) How did the British forces come hither to the llattle of Fort Stephenson ? By Lake Erie and the Sandusky river. Mistaking Mud creek for the main channel of the river, the British were delayed a full dav, thus allowing Croghan at Fort Stephenson invaluable hours for preparation. What part did the river play in the early development of the village ? The ease of transportation by boat made Lower Sandusky the center of trade for one hundred miles about. It was a port of entry, with a customs collector, and was the head of navigation for large boats. In the early '40s, four and five hundred loads of wheat were often in our streets at one time, awaiting ship- ment. A row of warehouses opposite Brady's Island were re- quired to receive the grain. What were the principal exports? Fish, furs, wheat, black walnut crotches, oak staves, potash, butter and eggs. What were the principal imports? Salt, groceries and merchandise. What was the first steamer to come up the river, and when? The Walk-in-the-Water, 1818. ( A picture of this interesting boat hangs on the walls of Birch- ard Library, and is reproduced in our frontispiece.) . Describe the boat Pegasus. The Pegasus, or horse boat, was built in 1819, by Thos. L. Hawkins, for the Sandusky river traffic. It consisted of two large canoes, side by side, separated by a platform large enough to carry a superstructure of machinery, a large amount of freight, and several passengers. The machinery was operated by four horses which moving treadmill fashion, worked paddles at each side of the boat. What was the Dog Ferry ? The inventive genius of the Pegasus constructed a ferry boat antedating the first village bridge. This ferry boat was propelled by paddle wheels driven by dog power, after the style of a dog churn. ( live the nanus and dates of some early river boats built at I .< >u er Sandusky. The Nautilus, a 20-ton sloop, 1816; the schooners Cincinnati and Ohio, [828. In 1830 Sardis Birchard owned tbe Cincinnati and paid ten cents a bushel for corn with which to load it. When did river commerce fall off, and why? Prior to the Civil War, before the swifter transportation of the railways. When was the first bridge constructed across the river at Fre- m< nit. and by whom ? In [828, by James Birdseye. What were the principal land trails? Hutchin's map of [764 shows a trail from Fort Pitt (Pitts- burg) to Lower Sandusky. "This was the great trail made by the buffaloes first and used by the Mound Builders next, then by later races of Indians in going to and returning from the San- dusky country and lakes." A second trail led around the western end of Lake Lrie to Detroit; a third followed the western hanks of the river to Upper Sandusky. During the War of 1812 this last named trail became the military road for supplying General Harrison's forces. It has been preserved, with Harrison's name, as the main road through Spiegel Grove, the residence of Presi- dent 1 [ayes. Sketch the history of State street. The only wagon road through Lower Sandusky was cut through the dense forests of the Black Swamp. In 1808 the Indians ceded to the United States a strip of land for a road from the Western Reserve (Bellevue) to the rapids of the Maumee river (Perrys- burg. ) In 181 1, Congress provided for a survey of the projected highway; and in i8_'_\ turned the building of the road over to the State of ( >hio. Te road was known as the Western Reserve and Maumee Turnpike. In 1838 the Ohio legislature voted to im- prove and macadamize it. Western Reserve Turnpike. In 1838, the Ohio legislature voted to improve and macadamize it. Before macadamizing, what was the condition of this road? It was an almost continuous mudhole. Over some of the worsl places logs were laid forming a "corduroy." (For amusing tales of rights to mudholes ; the taverns along the wa\ and details of building the turnpike, see Everett, p. 145, et. seq., and pp. 441 and 654; also Miss Keelers "The Sandusky River.") W'h.it called attention to the awful condition of the old road, and h( iw ? The Ohio and Michigan War, called also the Toledo War, in 1835. was over the boundary line between the State of Ohio and 23 Michigan Territory. The Governor of Ohio, his staff, commis- sioners and surveyors, with 600 troops and influential men, met at Lower Sandusky and traveled toward the disputed territory by way of the Western Reserve and Maumee Turnpike. After wallowing through thirty-one miles of mud and water, and realiz- ing that this was the only route between the east and west, the officers of the State hastened to lend their aid to the permanent improvement of the road. What was the result of this boundary dispute? The disputed strip of land along the northern boundary of Ohio, including the town of Toledo, was awarded to Ohio ; and Michigan was compensated by the gift of what is now her north- ern peninsula, a tract of inestimable value" in copper and timber. It is worthy of note that the innumerable military titles of early residents of Ohio were by-products of this Toledo War. What was the first carriage in Lower Sandusky? After the Battle of the Thames, in Canada, October 5, 1813, the spoils of the victory were brought by General Harrison to Fort Stephenson, among them being General Proctor's carriage. Thos. L. Hawkins, who was in charge of the government prop- erty at the Fort, used to hitch oxen to the coach and take drives in "it. Tt was probably very old even then, as Hawkins' jack- knife uncovered at least twelve coats of paint upon its sides. General Proctor had brought it over from England. What stage routes passed through Lower Sandusky? In the spring of 181 3. Calvin Pease ran the express mail twice a week from Pittsburg to the headquarters of the Northwestern army. At times this route led through Lower Sandusky, and some passengers were doubtless accommodated. The main chan- nel of passenger travel, however, was the Sandusky river. Be- fore 1830 the Conestoga wagons of pioneers, boat shaped, with curved bottom, began working their way alone: the turnpike. In the '30s, stages were running through Lower Sandusky with con- siderable regularity, in spite of the awful roads. The Lower Sandusky Whig, of June, 1839, says that Otho Hinton, proprietor of the stao-e line between Lower Sandusky and Detroit, had put on a supply of new two-horse coaches. Artemus Beebe, propri- etor of the connecting line east of Cleveland then ran coaches only as far west as Bellevue, and stage wagons from that place to Lower Sandusky, "on account of the unevenness of the roads and night travel." ' That sort of transportation would seem slow enough now, but it was generally satisfactory then, "even when the passengers paid six cents a mile for the privilege of walking and carrying a rail with which to help pry the stage out of mud holes." General Hinton astonished his acquaintances by turning out robber of the mails transported on his own coaches. 2 4 In the '40s. the stages easl and west, as well as a line south to Columbus were operated 1>\ Neil, Moore & Co. Their coaches were greal comfortable affairs, with a railed-in top for light lug- gage, and a big leather bool behind capable of holding five or six trunks. The stages made from four to fifteen miles an hour according to the weather and condition of the road. There were four horses, with relays at every station. At Lower Sandusky, the stage office was at the historic corner tavern where the Wheel- ing station now stands. The drivers were imposing, sententious, intelligent men, very skillful with their twelve-foot lashes, "able. to pick a fly o\'( the leader's ear without touching him." They sounde.d huge horns .as they approached the village. Each driver carried a wallet containing a way hill, on which was inscribed the name and destination of each passenger, with amount of lug- gage; as well as all manner of local news. Thus reports of fires, accidents, deaths, elections, passed from place to place. In this way word came to Lower Sandusky of the death of President Harrison who had so Ion- served as military head of this region. (Consult "Stage Coach Days," by Mrs. Earle, for the general subject. ) What, and where were the 1 'lank Roads? A Plank Road, like a turnpike, was well graded and ditched. The road bed was made like a wooden sidewalk, 2 inch oak planks, 8 feet long, laid on stringers 'irmly embedded in the earth. Be ginning in [850, over fifty miles of Plank Roads were laid out oi Fremont, extending to Tiffin, Fostoria and Green Spring. Citizens of Fremont s.pen1 over $40,000 in building such roads. Did the Plank Roads facilitate transportati Greatly. < >n the old road, forty bushels <^ wheat constituted an average load for a span oi horses. On the plank roads the same team could readily haul 110 bushels. What was the first railway projected through Lower Sandusky? The ( ihio Railway, with a projected route alon \ the shore of Lake Erie from the Pennsylvania line to the Maumee river. The tracks were to cross the Sandusky river at Lower Sandusky, about forty rods north of the present State street bridge. Sketch the history and construction of this road on stilts. Construction was begun in 1838. The track was laid on a foun- dation of piles driven by a pile driver, the tops cut off to grade by a buzz saw. The pile driver, sawing machine, traction engine and a peripatetic boarding house for the workmen were trundled along ovrr the track as fast as it was laid. The first pile within the- limits of Lower Sandusky was driven June [9, [839, at a spot near the present L. S. & M . S. R. R. station. It was wit nessed be a large assemblage. A superb trestle crossed the river from hill to hill, but the < >hio Railway bubble burst before tracks 25 • were laid in this vicinity, and the people had their worthless Ohio Railway money in their pockets. ( For description of this unique railway, its financing, construc- tion, etc., see Everett, King, etc.) When was the first railway operated through Fremont ? The present Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, then called the Toledo, Norwalk and Cleveland Railway, sent its first passenger train through Fremont February 7, 1853. What was the second railway through Fremont? An organization called the Fremont and Indiana Railway, now the Lake Erie and Western, was incorporated by citizens of Fre- mont, with Dr. L. O. Rawson as president. The first train left Fremont, running as far as Fostoria, February 1, 1859. What was the third railway to enter Fremont? The Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway, now a part of the Wa- bash system, ran its first passenger train August 4, 1882. f ( A study of the importance of steam transportation, what it meant to a new country, and details of financing, construction and operating of roads in this locality, should here be made. Consult Everett, pp. 164-172.) H. Miscellaneous. How was Fremont represented in the War with Mexico ? Company C of the 4th Ohio Vol. Inf. was recruited here, by C.iiit. Samuel Thompson. The company traveled by wagon to Perrysburg, thence to Cincinnati by the Miami Canal, thence down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. It visited Vera Cruz, Santa Fe, and was in action at the Natural Bridge of Mex- ico and Pueblo. Company C was mustered out at the close of the war. Captains A. C. Bradley and J. A. Jones also recruited a number of men from this county. Over two hundred Sandusky county pioneers volunteered for the Mexican War. Note some of the incidents in the Harrison Campaign, and why did Lower Sandusky take especial interest in it? General Harrison, as commander of the Western Army through the War of 1812 had traversed this region again and again, and this county, hitherto invariably Democratic, cast a majority of two votes for him as President. At the convention in Columbus, February 21, 1840, "The Whigs of Northwestern Ohio got in about one o'clock in a procession half a mile long, with a fac- simile of Fort Meigs at their head. This was built at Perrysburg under the supervision of Mr. Spink and Elder Badger — the lat- ter gentleman, now eighty years old, was Chaplain in Harrison's army. He, together with Thos. L. Hawkins, who acted as Com- missarv during the war, rode upon the Fort. 26 "The rain fell in torrents, but gaily we tramped the mud through, To show the white stock gentry how we stick to Old Tippecanoe." (For further incidents of Fremont in the Harrison campaign, see "The Sandusky River." ) t live some instances of social life in Fremont in early times? The Freeman, January 19, 1852, describes the 8th of January (Jackson's Day) ball at Social Hall, now Masonic Hall, in the old Buckland Block : "The largest party that ever assembled in Fremont on an occa- ion of this kind was at Social Hall on Thursday evening last. FCessler prepared a supper that must have satisfied the most fas- tidious. A bear was served up in the best possible style; venison, turkeys, chickens and other game in great profusion; and the other accompaniments of a feast." What was the first crop sown and harvested in this locality? Indian corn, little patches of which were common all along the river lowlands. It sold in early times for ten cents a bushel. What sugar was used? Maple sugar, home made. Not less than one hundred tons of maple sugar wese made here in the spring of 1839. Who was the first man to pay cash for crops? R. H. Heywood, of the Castalia mills. In 1825 the Erie canal was completed and he sent out a circular that he wanted 5,000 bushels of wheat and would pay cash for it. People hurried to him from forty miles around, fearing his money would give out before they arrived. He was the first man in this section to start money. Hitherto "store pay" reigned. What price was paid for butter and eggs in early times? Six cents a pound, and six cents a dozen, was the average price. When did the Asiatic Cholera visit Fremont? The first and worst scourge was in 1834. It was brought by one of a boat load of German emigrants from Buffalo. The emigrants' camp by the landing place was a place of indescribable suffering. Persons merely passing the spot caught the infection and died by the roadsides. The living could scarcely bury the dead. Many of the citizens fled the town. The scourge lasted a month. There were a few deaths from the cholera in 1839, 1854, and in 1866. What Parks has Fremont? Birchard Park, the handsome native grove in the west end of town was given by Sardis Birchard, as was also the little Dia- mond Park southeast of it. Fort Stephenson Park belongs jointly to the city and the trus- tees of Birchard Library, who purchased it from its former owners. The Park east of the Court House was set apart for that pur- pose in 1840 by Piatt Brush, Sr., and his three sons. The whole square surrounding the court house and jail belong to the county. Give the origin and significance of some of the names of local streets. Front street in early times fronted the river. State street is the old Western Reserve and Maumee road, ma- cadamized by the State of Ohio. Birchard avenue, formerly Market street, was named for the generous donor of two city parks and the public library. Croghan street commemorates the hero of Fort Stephenson, and Garrison street, its gallant garrison. Hayes avenue honors the President, Fremont's most distin- guished citizen, whose residence opens from it. This street long bore the name of John, after John R. Pease, one of the largest property owners of the village' and who opened a large part of the street. Bidwell avenue, long Water Street, was named for one of the early residents who owned the village water power, and had a flour mill, a saw mill and a flaxseed oil mill along the river, north and south of Birchard avenue. ( )lder residents will recall Es- quire Bidwell as he delivered his own flour, driving an ox team with a twelve-foot whip, and usually barefooted. Justice street was opened by Mr. James Justice. Ohio and Sandusky and other avenues on Croghansville hill were laid out and named by the government surveyor in 1816. There are no other streets in the city to compare with them in width and beauty of location. Two streets on the east side, near the river, were named for William C. Elliot, of Brattleboro, Vermont, who surveyed the street while on a visit here ; and Judge Howland, one of the in- corporators of the village. Dickinson street, along the west corporation line of the city, was opened from the Maumee pike, northerly, and was named for the first two U. S. Congressmen from this locality, the Hon. Rudolphus Dickinson and his son, Edward Dickinson. Bibliography. History of Sandusky County, by Homer Everett. Historical Collections of Ohio, by Henry Howe. 28 History of the Late War (1812), by McAfee. Ohio, by James W. Taylor. Ohio, by Rufus King. Col. Smith's Captivity with the Indians. Crawford's Campaign Against the Sandusky Indians, by C. Butterfield. Bouquet's Expedition .Against the Ohio Indians, by C. But- terfield. Life Among the Indians, by James Finley. The Indian Nations, by Heckewelder. The Ice Age in America, by G. Frederick Wright. Proceedings of the Sandusky County Pioneer Association. Fremont Journal, 1840-1905. Unveiling of the Soldiers' Monument at Fort Stephenson. Ohio Archaeological and Historical Publications. Western Reserve Historical Tracts. Courts and Bar of Pioneer Days in Sandusky County, by Basil Meek; Fremont Daily News, September 9, 1904. Seats of Justice and Court House of Sandusky County, by Basil Meek; Fremont Daily News, August 16, 1905. The Sandusky River, by Lucy Elliot Keeler. Thanks are herewith tendered to Col. Webb C. Hayes for valu- able MMS., maps and early Americana from the Library of Presi- dent Hayes, for proof-reading, and invaluable suggestions ; to Prof. Seth Hayes for notes on the Geology of Sandusky County ; and to the compilers of the "Guide to the Local History of Brook- line, Mass.," for the outline of the arrangements of these queries and notes. •( tl.D BETSY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 750 251 5 i