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 Historical Collections of Ohio

By Henry Howe

Vol. I.

©1888

 

AUGLAIZE COUNTY

 

Page 293

AUGLAIZE COUNTY was formed in 1848 from portions of Allen, Logan, Darke, Shelby, Mercer and Van Wert counties. It is at the southern termination of the Black Swamp district, and occupies the great dividing ridge between the head waters of Lake Erie and Ohio river. Only the northwestern part possesses the peculiar characteristics of the “Black Swamp;” by ditching the greater part has been brought tinder cultivation. The Mercer county reservoir, a great artificial lake of 17,500 acres and an average of ten feet in depth, is partly in this county; it abounds with fish, ducks and geese. The population is largely of German origin. It contains 400 square miles. In 1885 the acres cultivated were 131,205; in pasture, 14,997; woodland, 60,842; lying waste, 1,346; produced in wheat, 594,538 bushels; in corn, 1,330,471; barley, 18,795; tobacco, 7,600 pounds. School census in 1886, 9,566; teachers, 140. It has 39 miles of railroad.

 

 

Population in 1850 was 11,341; in 1860, 17,187; in 1880, 25,444, of whom 21,040 were Ohio-born.

 

In this county three specimens of the mastodon have been discovered as stated in historical sketch in the County Atlas—first in 1870 in Clay township; second, in 1874 also in Clay; third, in 1878 in Washington. The mastodon differed from the elephant in being somewhat larger and thicker though in general not unlike it. Cuvier called it mastodon from the form of its teeth; the name is from two Greek words signifying “nipple teeth.” The bones of the mastodon have been discovered over a large part of the United States and Canada; the bones of a hundred have been discovered at Big Bone Lick, Ky., and probably as many in different parts of this State.

 

The parts of skeleton No. 1 show it to have been an animal about fourteen feet high, eighteen feet long and with tusks probably twenty-seven feet. It was found while excavating a ditch through Muchinippi swamp eight feet from the surface, which for the first third was peat and the rest marly clay. The bones were discovered in a posture natural to an animal sinking in the mire. It is supposed it lost its life within 500 or 1,000 years after the deposition of the drift in which the marsh deposits rest. The remains of No. 2 were found in the same swamp. Only a few relics of No. 3 have been discovered. The ground being boggy there it is supposed that all the remainder of the skeleton awaits only search for its recovery, and in good preservation.

 

 

Page 294

the succeeding year, made at St. Mary’s, 12,800 acres adjoining the east line of the Wapakoneta reserve were added.

 

From the year 1796 till the formation of the State constitution, Judge BURNET, of Cincinnati, attended court regularly at Marietta and Detroit, the last of which was then the seat of justice for Wayne county.

 

The jaunts between these remote places, through a wilderness, were attended with exposure, fatigue and hazard, and were usually performed on horseback, in parties of two or three or more. On one of these occasions, while halting at Wapakoneta, he witnessed a game of ball among the people, of which he has given this interesting narrative:

 

BLUE JACKET, the war-chief, who commanded the Shawnees in the battle of 1794, at Maumee, resided in the village, but was absent. We were, however, received with kindness by the old village chief, BUCKINGELAS.

 

When we went to his lodge he was giving audience to a deputation of chiefs from some western tribes. We took seats at his request till the conference was finished, and the strings of wampum were disposed of. He gave us no intimation of the subject-matter of the conference, and of course we could not, with propriety, ask for it.

 

Indians playing Football.—In a little time he called in some of his young men, and requested them to get up a game of football for our amusement. A purse of trinkets was soon made up, and the whole village, male and female, were on the lawn. At these games the men played against the women, and it was a rule that the former were not to touch the ball with their hands on penalty of forfeiting the purse; while the latter had the privilege of picking it up, running with, and throwing it as far as they could. When a squaw had the ball the men were allowed to catch and shake her, and even throw her on the ground, if necessary to extricate the ball from her hand, but they were not allowed to touch or move it, except by their feet. All the opposite extremes of the lawn, which was a beautiful plain, thickly set with blue grass stakes were erected, about six feet apart—the contending parties arrayed themselves in front of these stakes; the men on the one side, and the women on the other. The party which succeeded in driving the ball through the stakes, at the goal of their opponents, were proclaimed victors, and received the purse. All thing being the old chief went to the centre of the lawn and threw up the ball, making an exclamation, in the Shawnee language, which we did not understand. He immediately retired, and the contest began. The parties seemed to be fairly matched as to numbers, having about a hundred on a side.

 

The game lasted more than an hour with great animation, but was finally decided in favor of the ladies, by the power of an herculean squaw, who got the ball and in spite of the men who seized her to shake it from her uplifted hand, held it firmly, dragging them along, till she was sufficiently near the goal to throw it through the stakes. The young squaws were the most active of their party, and, of course, most frequently caught the ball. When they did so it was amusing to see the strife between them and the young Indians, who immediately seized them, and always succeeded in rescuing the ball, though sometimes they could not effect their object till their female competitors were thrown on the grass. When the contending parties had retired from the field of strife it was pleasant to see the feelings of exultation depicted in the faces of the victors whose joy was manifestly enhanced by the fact, that their victory was won in the presence of white men, whom they supposed to be highly distinguished, and of great power in their nation. This was a natural conclusion for them to draw, as they knew we were journeying to Detroit for the purpose of holding the general court; which, they supposed, controlled and governed the nation. We spent the night very pleasantly among them, and in the morning resumed our journey.

 

 

Page 295

 

AUGENBAUGH. Up to this time from early in the century the Friends had a mission here among the Indians.

 

WAPAKONETA, the county-seat; seventy-five miles northwest of Columbus, is on the C. H. & D. R. R. It is situated within the oil and gas belt, both of which have been struck in considerable quantities. The surrounding country is, a rich agricultural district, and there is much manufacturing done in wooden articles. More churns, it is claimed, are made here than in any other place in the country. County officers in 1888: Probate Judge, John McLAIN; Clerk of Court, James A. NICHOLS; Sheriff, Wm. SCHULENBERG; Prosecuting Attorney, Cyrenius A. LAYTON; Auditor, Wm. F. TORRANCE; Treasurer, Colby C. PEPPLE; Recorder, John J. CONNAUGHTON; Surveyor, John B. WALSH; Coroner, F. C. Hunter; Commissioners, Henry KOOP, George VAN OSS John REICHELDERER.

 

Newspapers: Auglaize Republican, Republican, W. J. McMURRAY, editor; Auglaize County Democrat, Democrat, Fred. B. KAMPF, editor. Churches: 1 English Lutheran, 1 Evangelist German Protestant, 1 Methodist, 1 Presbyterian, l Catholic, 1 German Lutheran. Banks: First National, L. N. BLUME, president; C. F. HERBST, cashier; People’s National, F. FRITCH, president, F. J. McFARLAND, cashier.

 

Will E. Potter, Photo, Wapakoneta, 1887.

CENTRAL VIEW IN WAPAKONETA.

 

 

Manufactures and Employees—Stenger & Frank, flour, etc.; Wapakoneta Bending Co., spokes and rims, 50 hands; J. Gately, lumber; Theodore Dickman, builders’ wood-work; Rupp & Winemiller, limber; Wapakoneta Churn & Handle Co., churns and handles, 47; M. Brown & Co., washing machines, etc., 29; Swink Bros. & Co., furniture, etc., 17; C. Fisher, flour, etc., 7; Wapakoneta Spoke & Wheel Co., wheels and spokes, 50.--State Report 1887.

 

Population in 1880 2,765. School census in 1886, 1,291; J. T. CARSON, superintendent.

 

TRAVELLING NOTES.

 

A pleasant, name for a place is desirable. Every inhabitant unconsciously derives from it a benefit; it is a happy association. This is proved by the reverse. What interest could we take in a people who lived in “Hard Scrabble” or “swineville?” Wapakoneta enjoys the distinction of having, with possibly a single exception—”Pataskala”—the most original and musical name in the State. The word has the flavor of antiquity; this enhances the charm, carries the mind back to the red man and the wilderness.