March-April 1991

Henry County Genealogical Society Newsletter 
Volume 5, Number 2, March-April 1991

MEETINGS

March 18, 1991, Monday, 7:00 pm

Linda Panning, Bartlow Township Historical Society, will present a program on the settlement and settlement patterns of Deshler and Bartlow Township. This will be the first in a series of programs about the areas and settlement of Henry County.

February 18, 1991, Monday, 7:00 pm

Join us at the Defiance Public Library for a tour of the genealogy collection. Librarian Pat Little will explain the collection and help with questions about Defiance research.

With spring fast approaching now is the time to plan those trips to cemeteries, ancestral homes, county courthouses and libraries. What better way to spend good weather outdoors enjoying the sun and warm breezes?
If you’ve never been to Henry County before we have 4 libraries and 57 cemeteries to explore. If you are a resident of HC how about scouting out some new corner of Henry County.

Help support our newsletter by sending queries and surnames to the editor.

QUERIES

STRAYER, FOOR, DAUBER, KEELER, ROSS, CHRISTIE
Seek contacts to Abraham Lincoln Strayer b. 22 Aug 1861 Washington Twp., Henry Co., m. Emma Mae Foor b. 15 Nov 1883, Malinta. Emma dau. of Alvin Sylvanius and Margaret Eliz. (Dauber) Foor. Alvin and Maggie’s children: Emma; Grover Cleveland b. 1885 m. Addie M; Amanda b. 1887 m. Floyd Keeler; Effie Dollie b. 1890 m. Fred Barnes; Daisy Spray b. 1892 m. Floyd Ross; Hazel 1900-1901; Joy Marie b. 1903 m. Irving Christie; Frederick Alvin 1905-1935 m. but wife unknown.
–Shelly Hallard-Beckham, Rossford, OH 43460

DAUBER, WEIDLER, GEIST, AUSTERMILLER, FOOR, DIETRICH
Seek contacts to the Dauber’s and related families who lived in Monroe Twp, Henry Co. Children of Henry and Mary Eliza (Weidler) Dauber: Mary b. 1845 m. Henry Geist; Henry b. 1848 m. Elizabeth; Caroline b. 1852 m. Frederick Austermiller; David b. 1855; Mary Jane b. 1856; Martin b. 1858; Emma b. 1860 m. Alvin Foor; Margaret b. 1861m. Alvin Foor (his second marriage); Amanda b. 1864 m. George Dietrich; Susannah.
–Shelly Hallard-Beckham, Rossford, OH 43460

DID YOU KNOW?

–The deadline for First Families of Henry County for 1991 is April 30, 1991.

–The Ohio Genealogical Society convention will be held April 26 & 27 at the Hilton Hotel in Toledo, OH. Topics on Friday will include: LDS Library and Branches, Hooray! We’re Going to America, Working with a Professional Genealogist, English Research, Adoption Research, Transportation on the Great Lakes, Using Deeds and Land Records, Beginning Computer Tools, Ohio Genealogy Data on Compact Disk and Twenty-First Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Topics on Saturday will include: American Indian Research, Organizing Genealogy Materials, Canals, Hayes Presidential Library, War of 1812 Ancestors, Irish Research, Burton Historical Collection, German Sister Cities, Fort Wayne Genealogy Department, Civil War in Ohio, Genetics for Genealogist, Routes To and Through Ohio and Ohio Public Records. For info contact OGS.

–The Center for Archival Collections at BGSU will be holding a conference on April 4 at the Holiday Inn French Quarter, Perrysburg, OH. The topics will include: Andrews’ Raiders, The 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Petroleum V. Nasby, and the 103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. For information contact: CAC, Jerome Library, BGSU, Bowling Green, OH 43403 by march 29.

Steve Charter, of Bowling Green, Ohio, spoke at the February meeting of HCGS. Reference librarian for the Center for Archival Collections at Bowling Green State University, Steve spent two years at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. As a librarian working at the U.S./Canada reference desk, he helped approximately 2,100 patrons daily.
The Family History Library was established in 1894 for the Latter Day Saints Church. Within its archives the library has 1.5 million rolls of Microfilm and 200,000 books on open shelves. Since 1938 the library has microfilmed government records from around the world and currently films 7,000 miles per year.

For those researching inside the U.S. the library has passport records from 1795-1919, border crossing records for Canada/U.S., Federal Court naturalization records 1906-1941, National Soldiers Homes records 1866-1937, pension payment records for soldiers, World War I draft registration cards and Social Security Indexes.

If your interest is in Europe the library has government and church records for most countries.
If you are unable to travel to Salt Lake City check your local phone directory for the LDS church in your area. Many local stakes have a research library with microfilm, microfiche, readers and computers. Through this library it is possible to order microfilm for lending and photocopies of books available from the Family History Library.

HENRY COUNTY TOWNSHIPS

Editor’s Note–Over the last few years we have been running articles on the history of Henry County abstracted from History of Henry and Fulton Counties, Ohio, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich. The articles, written in a flowery and self-praising style long since abandoned, are reprinted here for their abundance of early county names and historical gleanings however far flung. This issue’s Napoleon Township is even more pedantic than usual. On careful reading the editor noticed missing portions of text. Presumably these were left out accidentally by the original editor. Please read the following article for its preponderance of idle descriptions and moral reminders.

HISTORY OF NAPOLEON TOWNSHIP, 1888
(abstracted from History of Henry and Fulton Counties, Ohio, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich)

This township was organized in the spring of 1835, soon after the full organization of Henry county. The population in 1880 was 1,472 not including the town of Napoleon; this has increased considerably. The township contains thirty-six square miles, without deducting the space covered by the Maumee River. The larger portion of this area is in an advanced state of cultivation. It lies near the middle of the famous Black Swamp, which was formerly such a terror to emigrants, and which caused it to be passed by by early settlers, who were seeking homes, in what was in the beginning of the century, the “far west.” Its surface is remarkably even, except in the immediate vicinity of its water courses, where the surface drift has been washed away, during and since the glacial epoch. The soil, like that of the Black Swamp generally, is remarkable for it great fertility. It is underlaid by what is known as the Erie clay, which was deposited during the long ages when the township formed a portion of the bed of Lake Erie. This clay on account of its great tenacity, furnishes the best possible foundation for a fertile soil. In itself it furnishes a large amount of plant food, and after being exposed to the disintegrating effects of frost and heat, becomes a very productive soil. The great growth of vegetation, previous to its discovery and settlement by the white man, gave it a rich coat of soil, which the retentiveness of the clay preserved for future use.

The beautiful Maumee River furnishes the great center of drainage to the township, as well as to the greater portion of the county. The general trend of the surface is towards the Maumee River, and Lake Erie, i.e., on the northern side of the river the slope is toward the southeast, while that of the southern side of the river is at right angles, or towards the northeast.
The rate of descent is between four and six feet to the mile, which gives sufficient fall, when skillfully distributed, to secure the benefits of thorough underdraining, which in the Black Swamp is the one great necessity in securing the conditions of successful agriculture. There are five small streams with their branches, that empty into the river from the northern side, while there are none of importance in that small portion of the township lying south of the river.
Much time, labor and money have been expended in bringing the township out of its original condition of a dense swampy forest, to its present advanced state of productiveness. Much, however, remains to be done.

It took no small amount of courage to attack the swamps and forests of this locality half a century ago. More hardships were endured, and more lives lost in the work of clearing up and preparing the conditions which now exist in the form of beautiful productive farms, which are to be seen throughout the township, than were endured to subdue the hostile and treacherous Indians which once occupied the country.

We have here no early history of Indian or other wars, through which the earlier settlers of this region had to pass. The battle of the Fallen Timbers at Presque Isle, on the Maumee River, three miles above Maumee, so broke the power of the Indians, that no further trouble was had with them. As that memorable battle occurred in the latter part of the eighteenth century, when there was probably not a single white resident (unless it may have been the renegade Simon Girty), in the whole county, we have therefore no blood-curdling stories of hair-breadth escapes from the Indians, or of ambuscades or battles. All has been peaceful since the organization of the county. Our modest story will therefore lack interest to those who require something of a blood-curdling nature. The early settlers here had enough to contend with in the shape of inhospitable nature, and were very well satisfied with the fact, that the lives of their wives and little ones, as well as their own scalps were in no danger from the savage Indians.

We see around us now many of the aged pioneers both male and female, who took part in this great contest with savage nature, whose tottering frames show very clearly that they have endured great privations, such as but few of their children would undertake. Fortunately for the children, they have nothing to do but enjoy the fruits of their parents indomitable pluck and perseverance.

These old pioneers are rapidly passing away, and soon will be only known by the works they have done. Yet, before passing away they have had the great satisfaction of knowing that they have left a heritage for their children, where they may enjoy all the comforts of life without enduring the trials, privations and inconveniences they were compelled to endure.

It is to be hoped that the children will continue to develop the resources of the land their parents have done so much to make ready for their occupation. In the very nature of things the future resources of this township will mainly depend upon agriculture. There seems, at present, to be little else upon which the people of Napoleon township can depend except that which may be gained from the cultivation of the soil. This is not cause for discouragement. We have the city of Toledo, with its phenomenal growth, which may fairly entitle it to the appellation of the “Future’ Great”; also the embryo cities of Findlay, Bowling Green and Lima, with their great flow of oil and gas, which cannot help making them great manufacturing centers. All of these are our near neighbors, and they will need everything we can produce, and will therefore furnish a market at our very doors, and at remunerative prices. The early settlers of the township are rapidly passing over to the majority beyond the river, therefore it is well to place on record their early trials and privations, and their heroic struggles with poverty and disease; in their efforts to subdue unbroken wilderness; in the process of developing its resources to the present condition. This furnishes a reason for the existence of this volume. It is intended to be a memorial of inestimable value to the descendants of these worthy pioneers, as well as to all who may hereafter partake of the benefits of their indomitable industry and perseverance.
We had almost neglected to speak of our beautiful Maumee River, the pride of northwestern Ohio. The dam built by the State to feed the Miami and Erie canals, backs the water more than twenty-five miles, extending nearly to the western line of the county, thus giving us a beautiful and placid stream which is a marvel of beauty. It furnishes navigation for pleasure boats of all kinds; and excursions up and down the river are of almost daily occurrence through the summer season, and in winter gives our young people the best of skating, which they are not slow to utilize. Accomplished skaters are very numerous among those who live along its beautiful banks.

The following is a list of the chattel taxpayers of Napoleon township in 1837, viz: Amos Andrews, Samuel Bowers, Catharine Delong, Jesse Essex, John Glass, Henry Leonard, George Bowers, Alexander Craig, Frederick Lord, James McGill, Jonathan Kneely, Lorenzo Patrick, Adolphus Patrick, John Patrick, John Powell, Edwin Scribner, George Stout, Hazael Strong, Reuben Straight, Israel Wait, and J.P. Whipple,–twenty-five names in all. We believe all of them are dead with the exception of Frederick Lord, who, at last account, was living at Paw Paw, Michigan. Among our best citizens many of these names are found, showing that they are well represented.
The value of the real estate in the township at that time was $18,792; 25 horses valued at $1,000; 88 head of cattle valued at $700 dollars; money and merchandise to the amount of $425, making a total valuation of $20,941, on which was assessed a tax of $286.97.8. In the present year, 1887, just fifty years, the same items are as follows: (Not listed in text – Editor)
Religion is also not neglected. Besides the numerous church edifices, filled with attentive congregations, in the county seat, there are two Lutheran and one United Brethren churches outside of the town of Napoleon, where neighbors can attend worship nearer home.

1890 Census of U.S. Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War
(continued from the last newsletter)

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (CONT.)

Chart of Gibson, Nancy Brigham, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90274

1. Brigham, Nancy Claire, b. (private), Toledo, Lucas Co., OH, living Rancho Palos Verdes, Los Angeles Co., CA; m. (private), Toledo, Lucas Co., OH, Robert Arthur Gibson.
2. Brigham, Joel Harvey, b. 8 Jul 1906, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH, d. 28 Jul 1948, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH, m. 20 Sep 1927, Garner, Hancock Co., IA.
3. Woodward, Zula Nellie, b. 26 Mar 1907, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH, d. 8 May 1986, Anaheim, Orange Co., CA.
4. Brigham, Ralph Walter, b. 11 Jul 1874, Clinton Twp., Fulton Co., OH, d. 19 Jan 1928; m. 2) 16 Jun 1902, Detroit, Wayne Co., MI.
5. Pearson, Fannie A., b. 8 Apr 1875, Detroit, Wayne Co., MI, d. 20 Dec 1922, Wauseon, OH.
6. Woodward, John Jason, b. 29 Nov 1878, Liberty Twp., Henry Co., OH, d. 4 Jul 1936, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH; m. 7 Jun 1899, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH.
7. Pultz, Lena Stella, b. 19 Aug 1877, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH, d. 28 Jul 1945, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH.
8. Brigham, Walter Scott, b. 6 Aug 1843, Lodi, Harrisville Twp., Medina Co., OH, d. 1 Jan 1906, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH; m. 2) 13 Dec 1866, Norwalk, Huron Co., OH.
9. Buchanan, Ellen Elizabeth, b. 22 Feb 1844, Norwalk, Huron Co., OH, d. 15 Oct 1919, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH.
10. Pearson, Thomas, b. circa 1838, England, d. 7 Apr 1880, Detroit, Wayne Co., MI; m. 1 Dec 1861, Detroit, Wayne Co., MI.
11. Stoddard, Anna, b. 7 Apr 1840, Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., MI, d. 21 Feb 1929, Detroit, Wayne Ct, MI.
12. Woodward, Charles C., b. 26 Aug 1852, Liberty Twp., Henry Co, OH, d. 5 Apr 1929, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH; m. 7 Jul 1878, Wauseon, OH.
13. Yaney, Mary Catherine, b. 17 Jun 1857, Mercer Co., OH, d. 22 Dec 1921, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH.
14. Pultz, William, b. 5 Mar 1840, Germany, d. 8 Oct 1920, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH, m. 7 May 1872, Wauseon, OH.
15. Biery, Elizabeth, b. 6 Jul 1847, OH, d. 8 Aug 1919, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH.
16. Brigham, Joel Jr., b. 10 Jan 1818, Dunkirk, Chaut. Co., NY, d. 16 Jan 1908, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH; m. 29 Nov 1838, Medina Co., OH.
17. Lyon, Betsey, b. 20 Feb 1820, Goshen, Hampshire Co., MA, d. 25 Nov 1892, Wauseon, Fulton Co., OH.
18. Buchanan, Harvey, b. 1813, Prattsburg, Steuben Co., NY, d. 16 Nov 1890, prob. Norwalk, Huron Co., OH, m. 22 Apr 1838, Norwalk, Huron Co., OH.
19. Chamberlin, Philinda, b. 25 Jul 1819, Rochester, VT, d. circa 1864, Norwalk, Huron Co., OH.
20. Pearson, —-, b. England.
21. —-
22. Stoddard, John Slote, b. 5 Jul 1812, Mayfield, Fulton Co. (formerly Montgomery), NY, d. 23 Jan 1894, Lenox, Wayne Co., MI; m. circa 1835, prob. NY.
23. Hull, Laura, b. 8 Mar 1814, NY, d. 26 Feb 1895, Lenox, Wayne Co., MI.