Henry County Genealogical Society Newsletter
Volume 5, Number 4, July-August 1991
MEETINGS
July 15, 1991, Monday, 6:30 pm
This month’s program has been changed to a cemetery work night. We will meet at Hoy Cemetery at the corner of St. Rt. 109 and Co. Rd. O-3. Please bring paper for recording, black pen, clip board, insect repellent, etc.
August 19, 1991, Monday, 7:00 pm
Valerie Petersen will present a program on her Civil War ancestor Andrew Altman. This program was rescheduled from July.
If you are considering a trip to Deshler to research at the Edwin Wood Library the summer hours are: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 12:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m., Wednesday 12:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Don’t forget to mark your calendar for November 18th. This is the date of our annual potluck dinner and First Families of Henry County night.
There were no queries to include in this month’s newsletter. This is a great way to exchange information. Why not send yours for the Sep/Oct newsletter? Send all queries to Newsletter Editor .
NEARBY LIBRARIES
When searching for ancestors, it is always wise to research at courthouses and libraries in surrounding counties. As is the case today, early settlers often moved in hopes of better opportunities. If an ancestor lived in one county but was closer to a town across a county line, he might have conducted most of his business outside the resident’ county. And in the earliest days of settlement, county lines were often redrawn.
The following is a list of libraries adjacent to Henry County. Perhaps inquiries to one of these libraries will help you in your search.
| Defiance Public Library 320 Fort Street Defiance, OH 43512McComb Public Library 113 South Todd Street McComb, OH 45858North Baltimore Public Library 230 N. Main Street North Baltimore, OH 45872 Swanton Public Library Weston Public Library Also of interest: Center for Archival Collections |
Toledo-Lucas Co. Public Library 325 N. Michigan Toledo, OH 43624Findlay-Hancock Co. Public Library 206 Broadway Findlay, OH 45840McLaughlin Memorial Library 301½ Stryker Street Archbold, OH 43502 Putnam Co. District Library Wauseon Public Library Wood Co. District Public Library Hayes Presidential Center |
HISTORY OF RIDGEVILLE TOWNSHIP, 1888
(abstracted from History of Henry and Fulton Counties, Ohio, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich)
This township is in the northwestern corner of the county, and the only one remaining of range five, being township number six, the balance of this range having been detached and given to Defiance at the time of the organization of that county.
The area of the township is the same as that of Freedom, the two northern tiers of sections having been taken to form Fulton county.
Of the civil organization of the township little is known, the records having been destroyed in the fire of 1847. However, it is known that it was [inhabited] prior to 1840.
The topography of the township varies slightly from the balance of the county, inasmuch that through the township, from north to south, runs the Belmore Ridge, and from this fact the township derives its name. The Ridge is first noticeable at or near Lake Ridge, Mich., and then runs in a semi-circular shape, continues through the northwestern part of Henry county, touching Defiance county, then back into Henry county through the southwestern part of the county, and finally emerging into the Black Swamp. The Ridge is well defined, being from three to ten feet higher than the adjoining country. At many places along the upper part of it are found huge boulders, which, according to the theory of Dr. Newberry, were deposited there by icebergs, at a very remote period, when this locality was the bed of a lake.
The township is devoid of natural waterways, with the exception of a couple of small creeks, or rather apologies for creeks. The bed of the Coldwater and Mansfield Railroad cuts the farms diagonally in the northeastern part.
The principal thoroughfares are the Bryan and Napoleon pikes, and what is called the Ridge road. The latter runs nearly north and traverses the Belmore Ridge. The first one is merely a continuation of the second one, which runs from Napoleon to the hamlet of Ridgeville. This is one of the main roads of the county, and is now one of the best, owning to the fact that it is being graveled. It was laid out by one Barton Palmer, at an uncertain but early date. Previous to this time all travel between Napoleon and localities north west, was done by way of Gilson’s Creek (which is about a mile west of Napoleon). The creek bed was followed up to where the creek branches, in section nine, town five, north, in Napoleon township, then along a bridle path which is now the pike.
From the duplicate of 1847 the following names are found: George and John Tubbs, Joseph Bear, J. Fenton, George Harmon, Adam Rowe, Lorenzo Higby and Barton Palmer. These were the oldest settlers in Ridgeville township. A few of them were here before Defiance county was organized, and when the county was organized, land that originally laid in Henry county was given to it, and thus a few of them live at present in Defiance county, although they never changed their residence. They have, however, sons who are now classed among the best and most thrifty farmers in Ridgeville township.
Near the southeastern corner of the township is situated the hamlet of Ridgeville Corners. The place was originally laid out by Barton Palmer, at a very early but uncertain date. He was also the projector of the several roads that lead into the hamlet. Mail is received daily by the somewhat antiquated “overland mail.” There are two churches, a Methodist and a Congregationalist. The latter was the first church established in the township, and was in the year 1846. Previous to this time services were held semi-occasionally, and at uncertain places. In addition to the post office at the Corners, Uncle Sam has provided another office named Tubbsville, on the Pettisville road about half way between the Corners and the latter place. A daily mail is received and the master, William B. Tubbs, keeps the office at his residence.
The population of the township is mixed. It is distinguished as the home of a large denomination of Mennonists, followers of Simon Menno, their founder in Germany. Besides the Mennonists, there is a large population of Germans, a few English and the majority of those residing at and in the immediate vicinity of the Corners, have come from the Western Reserve.
The township has strong surface indications of natural gas, sufficient certainly, to justify more extensive investigation than has yet been had. In the summer of 1881 Herman A. Meyerholtz commenced boring a well for water on his farm near the Corners, when reaching the depth of about one hundred feet, a vein of gas was struck powerful enough to expel the drilling tools from the well, and greatly frightened the ignorant and superstitious people employed in the work; and upon light being applied to the combustible, a flame of twenty feet shot in to the air. Haste was too slow to enable them to get away in time to escape the perils of what they supposed to result from a trespass upon the domain of the prince of darkness. The terror of the simple and superstitious residing in the neighborhood was so great as to compel Mr. Meyerholtz to fill up the well, which he did with considerable difficulty. Several wells have since been bored with similar results.
This township has some regard for her educational interest. Its graded school is maintained at Ridgeville Corners, and the balance of the territory is divided in six districts, in each of which a first-class common school is conducted, and where are taught arithmetic, English grammar, penmanship, geography and American history.
The material condition of the township may be ascertained by the duplicate of 1887. Then we find that there were nineteen thousand nine hundred and eighty eight acres of land listed for taxation, valued in 1880 at $31,840, but which has greatly increased in value. The chattel property is assessed at $65,140, and the total tax paid is $6,441.96. The census of 1860 showed a population of four hundred and sixty-four, and 1880 had increased to eleven hundred and nineteen. A proportionate increase has been made since.
Ridgeville is excellently ditched and drained its farms well improved and under high cultivation; its residences and farm buildings well befitting every agricultural country, and it will ever rank as one of the most prosperous and thrifty townships in Henry county.
“Historical Sketch of the Plan Adopted by Government for Subdivision of Public Land” by E. W. H. Ellis
(from Historical Atlas of the World, 1875, H. H. Hardesty & Co., Pub., Chicago)
One of the earliest acts of the Fathers of the Republic, assembled in Confederate Congress, was the formation of what is appropriately termed the “Land System of the United States,” providing for the survey of the vast territories of land embraced within their borders, and their sale, or other disposition, to the people who were to possess and enjoy them. On the 7th of May 1784, was introduced “An Ordinance for ascertaining the mode of locating and disposing of lands in the Western Territories,” which, however, did not become a law till the year following May 7, 1785. The ordinance made provision for surveying and disposing of the public domain, as well as for donations in the cause of education and for military purposes.
The rectangular system of survey, adopted by this ordinance, now extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans, and from the northern to the southern boundaries of the Union, except in the six New England States, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Texas, the United States not being the owner of lands in any of these political divisions. For nearly a century this system has commended itself to the people, not only for its accuracy in designating the location and lines of various tracts of land embraced by it, but for its general convenience.
Under this system, initial or starting points are designated, where certain Base Lines, so termed, running East and West on a parallel of latitude, are crossed by other lines, called Meridian Lines, running North and South of said Base Lines. These Base Lines and Meridian Lines are extended at pleasure, or as far as may be deemed necessary or convenient. There are at present permanently established twenty principal Base Lines, and twenty-five principal Meridians, governing the surveys in the several States and Territories. In California there are three different initial points, necessitated by abrupt mountain ranges running through the State.
These Base Lines and Meridian lines being duly established, the territory is divided into Townships of six miles square, containing 23,040 acres, and these are numbered in the following manner:
Commencing at the initial, or crossing point, the first Township North and East is designated as Township one, North of Range one, East. The next Township North would be styled Township two, North of Range one, east, and so on. So there would be Townships North and Ranges West; Townships South and Ranges East or West, as the case might be. The following diagram will explain this system more definitely:
The principal Meridian and Base Line having been first measured and marked, and the corner boundaries thereon established, the process of surveying and marking the exterior line of Townships north and south of the Base, and east and west of the Meridian, will be readily comprehended.
The Townships of six miles square having been duly surveyed, their corners and boundaries established, are now ready to be subdivided into 36 sections, of one square mile each, containing 640 acres. Commencing at the northeast corner of the Township with section numbered One, thence numbering to the northwest corner, and thence proceeding to the east and west lines of the Township alternately, until the southwest corner is reached, the 36 sections are located and numbered in manner of easy comprehension, as will be seen by the following:
The subdivision or survey of the Township commences with the southeast corner section, or section 36, thence proceeding to section one in the northeast corner of the Township; thence returning to section 35, and proceeding north to section 2, and so till the Township is completed, all fractions, arising from the convergence of Meridian lines, or other causes, being thrown upon the tiers of section on the north and west sides of the Township.
The Governmental surveys do not usually subdivide section; but this is done by County surveyors, under the law of their respective States. Sales are made by the Government, as the purchaser may desire, of sections, quarter sections, half-quarter section, or quarter-quarter section, the latter subdivision to contain 40 acres.
Naturalization Records, Henry County
The following table is a naturalization application list. The names are of people who applied for citizenship, but for whom no final record of naturalization is available. The list is signed by Theo. Daman, Probate Judge.
| Name | First or Second | Common Pleas | Probate |
| Ahlers, Henry | First Papers | 1869 | |
| Bury, Henry | “ | 1857 | |
| Beneca, Henry | “ | 1857 | |
| Bentz, Marcella | Second Papers | ||
| Barnard, Conrad | First Papers | ||
| Cook, John | “ | 1857 | |
| Cartright, Edward | “ | 1860 | |
| Diemer, John | “ | 1860 | |
| Deam, Peter | Second Papers | 1860 | |
| Delany, John | First Papers | 1869 | |
| Eberly, Mathias | “ | 1856 | |
| Etsman, Henry | “ | 1860 | |
| Elling, Frederick | “ | 1860 | |
| Fisher, Frederick | “ | 1856 | |
| Guyer, Henry | “ | 1855 | |
| Gould, Henry | “ | 1860 | |
| Gerke, Harmon | “ | 1860 | |
| Howe, Frederick | “ | 1860 | |
| Imbrock, Christopher | “ | 1860 | |
| Imbrock, Frederick | “ | 1860 | |
| Kepler, Theodore | “ | 1857 | |
| Kregel, Lewis | “ | 1860 | |
| Kopp, Valentine | “ | 1868 | |
| Karrer, John Peter | “ | 1868 | |
| Lufkin, James | “ | 1859 | |
| Lytle, Edward | “ | 1860 | |
| Lange, Henry | “ | 1860 | |
| Mucroo, Christian | “ | 1859 | |
| Marlow, Christian | “ | 1859 | |
| Mahnke, Henry | “ | 1860 | |
| Miller, Ambrose | “ | 1860 | |
| Norden, F. Herman | “ | 1860 | |
| Olfcke, Henry F. | “ | 1860 | |
| Otte, Henry | “ | 1860 | |
| Rihart, Peter | “ | 1855 | |
| Ricker, George | “ | 1857 | |
| Ricker, Peter | “ | 1857 | |
| Rohrs, Christopher | “ | 1860 | |
| Rohrs, Henry | “ | 1860 | |
| Rohrs, John | “ | 1860 | |
| Rogge, Jurgen Henry | “ | 1869 | |
| Smith, George Peter | “ | 1857 | |
| Sonnenberg, Henry | “ | 1868 | |
| Schilling, Gottlieb | “ | 1868 | |
| Sleight, John | “ | 1856 | |
| Shriver, Theodore | Second Papers | 1868 | |
| Tietje, Henry | First Papers | 1861 | |
| Westerman, Lawrence | “ | 1856 | |
| Walde, George | “ | 1857 | |
| Wiehl, Lawrence | “ | 1859 | |
| Weamer, August | “ | 1860 | |
| Wolff, Henry W. | “ | 1860 |
