Happy New Year! 1883

The Defiance Democrat had an anonymous reporter known as "The Wanderer" for awhile.  The Wanderer traveled the county and came back with all the news for his social column.  
On December 28, 1882, this column, celebrating his New Year's wanderings, appeared:

"FROM THE WANDERER.

 Happy New Year to all.

Three weddings this week.

We are glad to see Wm. Andrews up and around.  'Bill' is doing a good business at Evansport.

W. J. Rath has moved on the farm of Mrs. H. L. Bock, Tiffin township and will try farming in the spring.

J. C. Hall of Brunersburg has moved on the farm of O. B. Partee of Tiffin township, and has opened up a grocery store and is doing a good business. 

While John Peterson and wife were crossing the Rohn bridge in Tiffin township with horse and sleigh a few days since, the horse by some means tumbled against the banister of the bridge and fell down about 20 feet and smashed the sleigh and hurt Mr. Peterson and wife, but not dangerously.  It was a narrow escape.

John W. Miller of Tiffin township who has been attending Heidelberg College at Tiffin, Ohio, for the last three years is at home on two weeks vacation.

One Tiffin township wedding this week, that of G. A. Rath and Ida M. Partee, December 21st, by Rev. B. W. Slagle.  At 7 p.m. the party returned from Defiance to the residence of the bride's parents.  A concourse of friends assembled, and an old fashioned supper, such as is given on such occasions, was spread on the table, and all present partook of the bountiful repast and pronounced it splendid.  After supper, all had a general good time.  As the 'wee, wee' hours put in their appearance, the joyful crowd began to disperse. 

The following were the presents given:  One clock by J. H. Hockman, B. Hanna and S. Ingle; pair table cloths by Wallace and William Partee; pair of line towels, Laura Spangler; chair tidy, Mr. and Mrs. Potterf; cake stand, Mrs. Wm. Rath; cake stand, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. McCauley; vase, Mrs. J. O. Wissler; vase, Mr. and Mrs. D. Kellermire; bread dish, Belle Hanna; salt set, Samuel Potterf; china pitcher, Mary Partee; silver butter knife, Mr. and Mrs. O. B. Partee; fruit dish, Mrs. Cramer; lamp, J. E. Wheeler and H. F. Toberen; pitcher, Sarah Toberen; pitcher, Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Craine; pair towels, Katie Rath; fruit dish, Dell Rath; photo case, J. H. Rath; china cup and saucer, John Gares; duster, W. P. Rath and F. D. Hockman; fruit dish, Fredonia Ackerman.

On Christmas, the relatives and friends of the newly married couple assembled at Wm. Rath's, where an excellent Christmas dinner was given.  Quite a number of valuable presents were given the couple at this time.  We wish the happy couple long life and prosperity.

I called on Squire Ufer of Washington township a few days ago.  He is one of our staunch Democrats and good farmers.  He has the finest collection of pictures that I have seen for some time.  He has his farm in fine condition and is still improving it by underdraining; he now has in use two miles of tile and intends to put in more.  Since returning, I regret to learn that Squire Ufer's wife and child are quite sick.

I found Christ Schwartzbeck stripping tobacco.  He has a good farm and is making money and is always jolly.

I passed through Chickasaw which you hear so much about.  They have a fine school house and the school is flourishing.  There is a fine country around Chickasaw.



John Goller, Jr. has a good farm, and works at the carpenter trade occasionally.  John knows how to make money.

Farmer Center has an excellent hotel and a good feed stable.

Foot & Norway will have a nice room when completed.  They have a large stock of goods on hand and are doing a fine business.  

Lewis Knight has a saw-mill at Farmer Center and is doing a good business by the looks of the logs in the yard.

Judging by the way that stock was coming to Farmer Center the day I was there, I believe that the market is better than at Defiance.

We found a great many thrifty and enterprising citizens in Farmer township.

Milford township has some very good farms, and the best lot of sheep of any township in the county.

Balser Kimple settled in Milford when it was quite new.  He has cleared up a large farm, and by industry and economy, has plenty of this world's goods.  He has four boys and they all take the DEMOCRAT.

Jacob Kurtz is a jolly German, who knows how to entertain the boys.

Lud. Neidhardt has a nice farm, and a fine place to stop at.  Mr. Neidhardt is badly afflicted with the dropsy. I hope the next time I call, he will be better.

They have some big ditches in Milford, that were engineered by Tom Wright.  Our Surveyor has lots of friends in Milford township.  

Edgerton is a nice town, with handsome business men and they are very generous and sociable.

Squire Ufer is the agent for Williams county for the Westbote a German paper.  The Westbote should feel proud in having an agent like the Squire.

Blakesley, a station on the Canada Southern Railroad, is a thriving place.  A. A. Aldrich, of Defiance, is getting out ship timber here, and having it delivered at the railroad...

WANDERER."