Henry County Genealogical Society Newsletter
Volume 3, Number 6, November-December 1989
MEETINGS
November 20, 1989, Monday, 7:00 pm
Join us for a potluck supper at the Edwin Wood Library, Deshler, OH. Bring a covered dish and table service. Beverages will be provided. The evening program will be a slide program on historic Deshler presented by Lucille Van Scoyoc.
December 1989
No meeting. Happy Holidays!
FOR SALE
Order you copy of our latest publication, Bartlow Township and Richfield Township Cemetery Inscriptions. Cost is $8.00 and $2.00 postage.
FROM THE PRESIDENT
It’s been fun working with the HCGS over the past three years. We started in Sept. ’86 with just a few people interested and have grown to over 70 members. I appreciate the time and labor put into our Society by members and especially by officers. I am not running for office again but expect to stay involved. See you at the meetings.
QUERIES
STONER, WILKINS, FUNK, BLISS, CONN, BEARD, PIERCE, WILLFORD, SNYDER, BOYD, TINSTMAN, RAGAN, ROSS
Looking for descendants of Geo W. Stoner b 16 JUL 1828 Maryland, d MAY 1894 McClure, OH, m 16 NOV 1852 in Seneca Co. OH to Louisa Wilkins b 31 JAN 1830. Children: Sidney, Aylva m Jacob Funk, Alvanda m GEO Bliss, Ida m Milton Conn, Mary Jane m Geo Beard, Wm Henry m Bonnie Pierce, Dorthea m James Willford, Rozella m Frank Snyder, Sarah m Isaac Boyd, Elizabeth m Morris Tinstman. Need info on Parents of Geo Stoner–Henry and Sarah (Ragan) Stoner–and Louisa Wilkins–William and Phebe (Ross) Wilkins.
–Patricia Stoner, Galion, OH 44833
QUERY FOLLOW-UP
Mrs. Harvey (Janis) Pahnke, Chicago, IL 60630
researching HACKETT
Sent pictures from Young’s Cemetery in Liberty Twp. and other related material and follow up letter with copies of 1870 Henry Co. census of HACKETT families.
Federico Evers, Mexico 02530, D. F.
researching EVERS
Looking for any relatives of Rev. Ernest PAUL, Rev. Wilhelm Frederich Henrich BRAKHAGE and Rev. Henry EVERS. Sent records from Peace Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, obit. of Rev. Paul and Mrs. Johanna (EVERS) Paul from Deshler Flag. Made inquiry at Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Joyce Smothers, Toledo, OH 43611
researching FREASE
Received a thank you for material sent earlier. Sent a follow up letter and records from 1860 Henry Co. census records of FREASE family.
Patricia Cole, Torrington, WY 82240
researching FRANKFORTER, HARTZ (HART)
Sent a follow up letter and records from 1870 Henry Co. census of FRANKFORTER family
Barbara Elliott, Shaftsbury, VT 05262
researching PARRY
Sent letter and records from 1860 Henry Co. census of Parry family
Mrs. Anne Hardy, Ft. Worth, TX 76411
reserching HARDY, DURBIN
Sent letter and records from 1850, 1860, 1870 Henry Co. census of HARDY and DURBIN families.
James Lonsinger, Walhanding, OH 43843
researching POTES
Sent Richfield Twp. cemetery info and other info on David POTES
From time to time we will run this feature in the hopes that you will have more information to help fellow researchers.
HISTORY OF BARTLOW TOWNSHIP, 1888
This, original number three in range five, is the youngest in the sisterhood of townships, and is situated in the southeast corner of the county where Henry, Wood, Hancock and Putnam join. It was not organized until 1854, at which time there were not enough electors living on the territory to fill the township offices, and it became necessary at the first election, which was held on a pile of. railroad ties, for one person to assume the duties of several official positions. There was not much electioneering, politicians were not in demand, and no charges of bribery or corruption were made.
The township was named in honor of Cornelius Bartlow, who located on section thirty-six, where he still lives, in 1851, and was the first settler in the township, it at that time being a part of Richfield.
From the duplicate of 1855, the first upon which Bartlow appears as an independent organization, we learn that there were at that time by four resident taxpayers, namely: Cornelius Bartlow, Jesse Bensley, James F. Russell, Jonathan W. Vanscoyoc, who, with the Dayton & Michigan Railroad, paid taxes on personal property valued at $1,331. There were 22,429 1/4 acres of land valued at $28,874 listed for taxation, and the total tax paid was $488.12.
A contrast may well be drawn here. The duplicate of 1887 show 21,633 acres of land valued at $152,930, the number of acres having been reduced by railroad right-of-ways and town plats. The chattel property is assessed at $123,450, and tax paid aggregates $8.,207.98. The population in 1860 was only 32; in 1870 it had reached 126; in 1880 it amounted to 1816, and must at present be at least 2500. There are seven schoolhouses, in addition to the graded one at Deshler.
Many causes contributed to retard the improvement and development of this township:
(1) It was the only part of the county that formed a part of the actual “Black Swamp,” and it was indeed a swamp — low, flat, wet, no outlet of any kind for the water which covered the whole surface, and timber and underbrush, and all kinds of wild vegetable growth, made it a place where indeed “beasts with man divided empire claimed,” and to the first settler may well be applied the words of Moore:
“His path was rugged and sore,
Through tangled juniper, beds of reeds,
Through many a fen, where the serpent feeds,
And man never trod before.”
(2) Nine-tenths of the land was owned by non-residents of the county. The late John G. Deshler, of Columbus, himself owned about one-fourth of the township; these lands were held for speculation, and were not for sale.
(3) There were no roads nor access to market.
(4) There were plenty of more desirable and eligibly located lands to be had at a cheap price.
The construction of the Dayton and Michigan Railroad, which enters the township on the east near the half section line of section twelve, running southwesterly and leaving near the middle of section thirty-four on the south, was the first break made in the wilderness. The construction of this road necessitated drainage, but it was very superficial. A large reservoir was constructed at the place where Deshler now stands, and the surface water drained into it through Brush Creek, and became a main watering place for the railroad. The real improvement of Bartlow began with the construction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railway in 1869. A frame building was erected and a supply store for the contractors and employees opened at the reservoir, and the D. AND M. then made that place a regular station, giving it the name of Alma. The B. and O. enters the township near the middle of section twenty-four and runs in a northwestern direction, leaving at the northwest corner of section eighteen. The Deshler and McComb Railroad runs through sections thirty-six and twenty-five, terminating at Deshler in section twenty-three.
The West Branch of Beaver Creek, Hammer Creek, Beaver Creek, Brush Creek, all cleaned out, widened and deepened, and surface and underground, together with the railroad ditches, affords good and sufficient drainage; and fair roads are now constructed to almost every part of the township.
DID YOU KNOW?
“Glad Bags” are great for storing and preserving your genealogical papers. Made of mylar, these kitchen bags are archivally safe and cheaper to buy than bags from a genealogical supplier.
1-800-251-8140 is the number to call for the location of the Methodist Archives.
The Law Library located in the county courthouse is a great source of genealogy information. Indexes of court cases my contain just the name you are hunting.
The Office of the Grand Secretary, Box 4147, Springfield, IL 62708 may have information about your ancestor if he was a Mason. If the ancestor had a Masonic degree send his name and the name of his lodge if know along with a SASE to the address above.
If you can’t find the town you are seeking perhaps it had its name changed. Perhaps the town no longer exists. For information on locating a town write to: United States Board of Geographic Names, 523 National Center, Reston, VA 22092.
The Edwin Wood Memorial Library, 208 N. East Ave., Deshler, Ohio is open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.. The library is the repository for all Henry County Genealogical Society materials.
In the January-February issue we will be printing a surname list and members list. If HCGS members would like names they are researching to appear please send the names to HCGS, 208 N. East Ave., Deshler, OH 43534.
FIRST FAMILIES OF HENRY COUNTY
Connie Petersen and Kathy Schweibert report that the number of request for First Families of Henry County has been above expectations. To date there have been requests for over 40 applications. Of those 40 six have been returned for the committee to review. They note however that each applicant should carefully review applications and instructions before mailing them to save time on the part of the applicant and the committee.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
(The following from the Nominating Committee is included for historical purposes.)
According to Article XI of the Henry County Genealogical Society by-laws, all members of HCGS are entitled to vote for the officers of the Society.
Below is the official ballot for the election of officers for 1990 (not included here).
If you have a joint membership, there will be two ballots included with your newsletter. You may bring the ballot to the November meeting, or mail it to:
Henry County Genealogical Society 208 North East Ave. Deshler, OH 43516
Your ballot MUST BE RECEIVED BY NOV. 20, 1989 to be counted. Please put the word BALLOT in the lower left hand corner of your envelope.
Please vote for only ONE person per office or write in a candidate of your choice.
The ballots will be opened and counted at the election of officers during the November 20, 1989 meeting.
PRESIDENT: Connie Petersen
VICE PRESIDENT: Jim Jones, Evelyn Donnely
SECRETARY: Kathy Schweibert
TREASURER: Lucille Van Scoyoc
NEWS REPORTER: Clara Ellen Courtney
