By Pamela Pattison Lash
I found this recently and retyped the text, cleaning up as best I could some spelling mistakes.
Bryan Democrat, 5 January 1871
Willlams County Reminiscences
Last week while hunting up matter for the Business
Directory, published elsewhere in this paper, we encountered a number of
"old settlers " from whom we learned the following particulars of the
early settlement of this county. The first actual settler in what is now known
as Williams County was James Guthrie, who "squatted" near Bean Creek,
in 1827. He put up a cabin and cleared a small patch of land, but gave little
attention to agricultural pursuits, spending most of his time trapping along
Bean and Beaver creeks, or hunting in the adjacent forests.
In 1830, Hollingshead and Lindenberger "squatted"
on Bean creek, near Guthrie's claim, and cleared up the land. Daniel Colgan
afterwards "entered the tract" settled on by Hollingshead, bought his
claim, and occupied the farm until his death, which occurred some four years
ago.
During the summer of fall of 1833, Joseph Bates and John
Young moved their families to the northeastern part of the county, and were
followed by Eli Oliver, Turner Thompson, Jabez Jones and John Miller, each of
whom entered lands, and moved on to them.
About October 1st, 1833, Judge John Perkins and his two sons
Isaac and Garrett, his son-in-law, John Plummer, and John Moss, George Lantz,
Henry Jones and a man named Hood came with their families from Brunersburg to
live near where the village of Pulaski now stands. The settlement was named
Lafayette, but for some reason was subsequently changed to Pulaski. We are
informed that the site for the new settlement was chosen by Isaac Perkins and
John Plummer, who trapped along the banks of Bean and Beaver creeks as early as
1820.
Judge John Perkins, who seems to have been the leading
spirit among the pioneers, was one of the earliest settlers of the Maumee
Valley, having removed from Ross County, to Prairie du Masque, on the Maumee River,
in 1816 or 1817, and from Brunersburg in 1819. He built the first gristmill at
Brunersburg, and was one of the three first Associate Judges appointed for
Williams County, a position he held for many years. He built the first grist
and saw mills in what is now Williams County.
About the 20th of Nov. 1833, Wm. Wyatt moved from Delaware County
and settled near the Perkins’s; on lands he had previously "entered".
Mr. Wyatt informs us that on the night when the "stars fell" (13th of
Nov.) he was encamped between two Powell's creeks, and that he reached his destination
on the 20th.
In 1839 the number of old settlers in this vicinity had
materially increased. Dr. Thomas Kent, who had moved to Lafayette a year or two
before, favors us with the following list of voters at the election in 1839:
John Perkins, Garrett Perkins, Isaac Perkins, Ezra Wilson, Reuben H. Gilson,
George B. Jones. Isaac Swagger, William Killpatrick, Jas. McKinley, Henry
Johnson, James Alexander, Garrett T. Hill, David Pickett, Alonzo Rawson, Rob't.
Thompson, George Everett, Thomas Kent, Benjamin Kent, Henry Cassatt, John
Beaver, George Lantz, Daniel Wyatt, Davison.
About that time an effort made to change the location of the
county seat from Fort Defiance to a more central point in the county. Several locatives
aspired to the honor, among them the villages of Pulaski and Center; also the
Perkins' far, on Beaver creek, Bowman' s farm two miles south-west of Bryan,
and the " Walnut-tree site", one and a-half miles west. The present
site of Bryan was a howling wilderness, but its owner, Hon. John A. Bryan, then
the Auditor of State, coveted the honors and was mainly instrumental in
securing a change. In the year 1839-40 the Legislature enacted a law to change
the county seat and appointed Hon. John McCutchen, of Crawford, Burns of
Coshocton, and Culbertson of Perry, Commissioners to select a site. In the
spring of 1840 the Commissioners arrived, and after a passing glance at the
several sites, unanimously decided in favor of Bryan's tract. It is quietly
intimated that the location was agreed upon before the Commissioners left
Columbus, but it was necessary to personally visit the localities before
announcing their determination. But probably the strongest inducement for its location
on the site finally selected was the fact that Mr. Bryan had offered a donation
of several thousand dollars towards the erection of the county buildings.
At that time the plat was covered with a dense forest, not a
stick had been cut for any purpose, and the "lay of the land" was
considered low and somewhat marshy. The nearest dwelling in a northerly
dwelling on a clearing owned by a man named Ingle. John Davis now owns and
occupies the farm. East, Garret Perkins' was the nearest opening, just where
the State road crosses Beaver creek, now occupied by Mr. Clodfelter.
South, seven miles away, was Crago's tavern, a small round
log house, where the proprietor entertained men and beast in real
old-fashioned, backwoods style. West, nearly two miles, Wm. Sheridan, sen.,
worked on a small farm and carried on blacksmithing in its various branches.
Mr. Sheridan still lives on the farm cleared up by him over thirty years
ago. During the summer of '40, and
after the location of the county seat, the streets and lots were run off by
Miller Arrowsmith, Esq., county surveyor, and the embryo city named Bryan and
after its distinguished projector and proprietor. As soon as the survey was
completed, Volney Crocker, (then living on land owned by Hon. E. Foster,
south-east of town) struck up a bass-wood log shanty on the lot since for many
years occupied by Reasoners' tavern, which he lodged in while engaged in
clearing off the Court House square. The shanty could hardly be dignified with
the title of cabin, for it was neither "chinked nor daubed", and was
only occupied for a short time. Before the completion of Mr. Crocker's
contract, Daniel Wyatt came on from Beaver creek, cleared a lot and built a
round log cabin, about where the residence of Samuel White now is. The cabin
was "chinked and Daubed", had a puncheon floor and a real chimney,
made of sticks and run up on the outside of one end of the cabin. It was
unquestionably the first dwelling house erected in Bryan, and was occupied by
Mr. Wyatt and family a long time. Mr. Jacob Over, who had visited the site
before the town commenced, returned a few days after the completion of the
cabin and boarded with Mr. Wyatt during the following winter. Mr. Over still
resides in Bryan and is a hale, hearty man.
Before the raising if Mr. Wyatt's cabin, Uncle John Kaufman
commenced an improvement on the corner of Main and Bryan streets, where Dr.
Graser's residence now stands, and soon had up a comfortable cabin into which
he and his family removed during the fall of '40. Uncle John made the brick for
the present Court House, in 1842-43, and assisted in its construction. He still
resides in Bryan and finds much pleasure in recounting incidents in the early
history of the country.
The third dwelling was erected by a man named Hamilton, on
the lot owned by J. J. Snyder on Lynn Street. During the fall and winter
several other cabins were raised and occupied, and the county seat began to
assume shape. Up to the spring of 1841 the citizens had been using surface water,
which they obtained from holes or reservoirs dug, in the ground. Mr. Wyatt
having received liberal encouragement dug a well on his lot, just in the rear
of his cabin. Fountains of flowing wells were unthought-of of and he was
proceeding in the usual manner to dig a curb well. Having reached the hardpan
late in the evening he determined to rest from his labors. Returning to work in
the morning he found that the water had burst the hardpan, filled the well and
was running out at the top. This was the first well in Bryan and it was dug
several months after the town site was laid out. Hamilton dug a well on his lot
a short time afterwards. The first fountain bored was on the lot where Carter's
drug store now stands, by Dr. Thomas Kent, in 1842, with tools made expressly
for the purpose by Wm. Sheridan, sen. It was the first fountain, so-called, in
town.
During the fall and winter of 1840-41, a log Court House was
raised on the lot now occupied by I. R. Whitmore, on north Main Street, and in
the spring of 1841 the county records were removed from Defiance. The county
offices were in a log building in the south side of the square. The county
officers did not come with the records, but entrusted the business in the hands
of the deputies. The officers and deputies were - Ed Phelps, clerk, Levi Colby,
deputy; W. A. Brown, auditor, S. R. Brown, deputy, E. Loyd, treasurer, J. L.
Martin, deputy; C. L. Noble, recorder; W. A. Stevens, deputy; Daggett, sheriff,
John Drake, deputy; Mr. Stevens, transacted nearly all the county business
during the first year or two, except during court week and tax-paying time.
The first term of Williams County Court of Common Pleas was
begun and held in the log Court House, April 19, 1841. Present, Hons. Emory D.
Potter, President Judge, Jonas Colby and Wm. D. Haymaker, Associates, The Grand
Jurors were; Horace Hilton, John Bowdle, James Partee, Jacob Kries, Zachariah
Hurt, Wm. Travis, Francis Loughhead, Daniel Wyatt, Geo. W. Durbin, Jacob
Dillman, Isaiah Ackley, Amos Stoddard, Seth Stinson, Fred Meizer, and Jacob G.
Weldin. Jacob Dillman was appointed foreman, our fellow townsman George W.
Myers, was one of the Petit Jurors at the same term. It is safe to say that
with such men "to the fore" justice between man and man was fairly
and impartially administered. The first political convention of which we have
any account was of the Democratic persuasion, and held at the house of Col. J.
B. Kimmel, at Williams Center in the fall prior to the two dollars a day and
hard cider year of 1840. Col. K. presided, and tradition says the proceedings
were marked with the utmost harmony and good feeling. The harmony and good feeling
however did not prevail to any great extent a few years later. The first tavern
opened in Bryan was on the east side of the square in 1841, by Thomas
Shorthill. Mr. S. was appointed Postmaster the same year, but his brother,
James Shorthill, transacted the business of the office. The first store was
started, also on the east side, by our fellow-townsman Wm. Yates, Esq. He
continued in business at the old stand until the winter of '55-6, when his
building was burned. The business amounted to about $2,500 the first year. Twenty-nine
years later $2,000 will hardly cover the transactions of one year.
In 1841, E. H. Leland opened a law office He was soon after
followed by George Higgins. In 1842 Leland and Higgins were candidates before
the Democratic county convention for the nomination for Prosecuting Attorney. Leland
was successful, and elected, of course, the county being reliably Democratic. Higgins
soon afterwards moved to a more congenial clime.
A. J. Tressler, Esq., now cashier of the First National Bank
of Bryan, was the first schoolteacher. He taught the young idea how to shoot,
in 1842, in a log schoolhouse near where Brown's tailor shop now stands, south
side of the square. The following notice might have appeared in the Bryan
papers of 1842, had there been any papers printed here at that date:
Married - In Bryan, Ohio - 1842, by J. B. Kimmel, Esq., Mr.
A. J. Tressler and Miss Olivia Kent, both of this place.
It was the first marriage consummated in the village of
Bryan.
The new Court House, begun in 1842, was completed in 1845,
and was at that time the best structure for the purpose in Northwestern Ohio.
The first newspaper started here was the The Northwestern,
by Blacker (Blaker). It was Democratic in politics and issued weekly from a
small frame building on north Main Street. It was sickly from its birth and
lived about a year.
