History of Hancock County, Ohio

After surmounting many unlocked for obstacles and overcoming un expected difficulties, we are enabled to present to our patrons the History of Hancock County, which has been in course of preparation for more than a year past. A desire has long existed for a work that would faithfully present a correct, concise and clear record of events, beginning with the Mound-Builders and Indian tribes that once inhabited Ohio, thence tracing the history of this portion of the State down to the present period. That such an undertaking is attended with no little difficulty none will deny, and to procure the material for the compilation of the work, every avenue of reliable information has been diligently and carefully explored. The data have been culled, item by item, from books, pamphlets, periodicals, newspaper files and manuscripts, from State, county and private records, charters, manuals, letters and diaries, as well as from the testimony of living witnesses to many of the events related.

The general history of the county, including its townships and villages, was compiled by Mr. R.C. Brown, of Chicago, Ill. whose many years of experience in the field of historical research have competently fitted him for the work. His effort was more to give a plain and correct statement of facts than to indulge in polished sentences or to attempt a literary tone, for which, it is needless to add, there is little opportunity in a book of this kind. During his labors in Hancock County, Mr. Brown received generous assistance from scores of citizens whose names it is impossible to mention here, but to whom we return our sincere thanks for the interest which they manifested in the progress of the history. We, however, desire to specially acknowledge the valuable services rendered our historian by Messrs. Squire Carlin, Job Chamberlin and Henry Byal, Dr. Charles Oesterlen, Hon. James M. Coffinberry, of Cleveland, Hon. M.C. Whiteley, Henry Brown, Esq., and Willis H. Whiteley, Esq., all of whom freely assisted him to the full ex-extent of their ability.

 

Table of Contents

PART I.
HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

PART II.
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

PART III.
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.

CHAPTER I. — Archaeology Indians 187-201
CHAPTER II. — Pioneers 201-220
CHAPTER III. — Occupation and Settlement 221-235
CHAPTER IV. — Topography 235-247
CHAPTER V. — Organic 248-262
CHAPTER VI. — Judiciary 265-286
CHAPTER VII. — Educational 287-299
CHAPTER VIII. — Internal Improvements 300-318
CHAPTER IX. — Military 319-346
CHAPTER X. — Allen Township 347-355
CHAPTER XI. — Amanda Township 355-367
CHAPTER XII. — Big Lick Township 368-377
CHAPTER XIII. — Blanchard Township 377-389
CHAPTER XIV. — Cass Township 389-396
CHAPTER XV. — Delaware Township 397-406
CHAPTER XVI. — Eagle Township 407-416
CHAPTER XVII. — Jackson Township 417-422
CHAPTER XVIII. - LiBEKTY Township 422-438
CHAPTER XIX. — Madison Township 439-449
CHAPTER XX. — Marion Township 449-459
CHAPTER XXI. - Orange Township 459-468
CHAPTER XXII. — Pleasant Township 468-478
CHAPTER XXIII. — Portage Township 478-485
CHAPTER XXIV. — Union Township 485-497
CHAPTER XXV. — Van Buren Township 498-501
CHAPTER XXVI. — Washington Township 502-511

FINDLAY TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE.
CHAPTER XXVII. — Findlay Township 512-529
CHAPTER XXVIII. — Village op Findlay 530-559
CHAPTER XXIX. — Village of Findlay (Continued) 559-576
CHAPTER XXX. — Village of Findlay (Continued) 576-595
CHAPTER XXXI. - Village of Findlay (Continued) 596-612
CHAPTER XXXII. — Village of Findlay (Continued) 612-631
CHAPTER XXXIII. — Village of Findlay (Concluded) 631-647

PART IV.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
PORTRAITS
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Read the Book - Free

Download the Book ( 67.1 MB PDF ) - Free

In 1616, four years before the pilgrims "moored their bark on the wild New England shore," Le Caron, a French Franciscan, had penetrated through the Iroquois and Wyandots (Hurons) to the streams which run into Lake Huron; and in 1634, two Jesuit missionaries founded the first mission among the lake tribes. It was just one hundred years from the discovery of the Mississippi by DeSoto (1541) until the Canadian envoys met the savage nations of the Northwest at the Falls of St. Mary, below the outlet of Lake Superior. This visit, led to no permanent result; yet it was not until 1659 that any of the adventurous fur traders attempted to spend a Winter in the frozen wilds about the great lakes, nor was it until 1660 that a station was established upon their borders by Mesnard, who perished in the woods a few months after. In 1665, Claude Allouez built the earliest lasting habitation of the white man among the Indians of the Northwest. In 1668, Claude Dablon and James Marquette founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie at the Falls of St. Mary, and two years afterward, Nicholas Perrot, as agent for M. Talon, Governor General of Canada, explored Lake Illinois (Michigan) as far south as the present City of Chicago, and invited the Indian nations to meet him at a gland council at Sault Ste. Marie the following Spring, where they were taken under the protection of the king, and formal possession was taken of the Northwest. This same year Marquette established a mission at Point St. Ignatius, where was founded the old town of Michillimackinac.