First Settlement in Farmer Township

 "FIRST SETTLEMENT IN FARMER TOWNSHIP

Mr. Editor: -To redeem my promise, I send you some facts in relation to the first settlement of this township, which are mostly from recollection.

My first visit to this township was in the fall of 1834.  At this time, Nathan Farmer and John Heckman lived on Section 1, and Keelin Leonard had raised a cabin on Section 2, on lands afterwards owned and occupied by Collin Tharp.  A hunter had lived on the east side of Section 9 and __ Findlay had lived in a hut on Lost Creek, in Section 32, while hunting.  But few entries of land had been made in the township.

The next year a number of emigrants bought and moved on their land, of whom were Oney Rice, sen., Dr. Oney Rice jr., John Rice, Jacob Conkey, Widow Hopkins, W. G. Pierce, Randall Lord and Lyman Langdon.  These were from St. Lawrence county, New York; Levinus Bronson and Wm. Powell, who were from near Cleveland Ohio; Isaac and William Wartenbe, David Comstock, James Crane, Nathan Smith and Wm. Mann, who were from Muskingum county, Ohio; Thos. Dew from Hocking county; Elijah Lord and Darius Allen, whose home in the east are not now recollected. I think that Isaac, Elisha and Collin Tharp came this year from Allen county, Ohio.

About this time, the township was organized and named Lost Creek.  At the first election there was not an officer in the township authorized to administer an oath.  The people met and selected the election board, and one of their number swore a Clerk who in turn qualified the other members of the board.

Many of the citizens had not gained a residence, but they extended by common consent the elective franchise to all the male population over twenty-one years, and from their number elected their officers. Dr. Rice was afterwards elected a Justice of the Peace, and continued to fill this office for many years, administering justice in the mildest form.

A good story is told of his administration in these early times.  The first settlers were not rich; their lands were to be cleared, fenced, and cultivated before they could realize returns from their labors.  The Defiance merchants sold goods and groceries on credit, adding heavy profits.  The settlers made debts from necessity which is most cases became due before their farms were yielding a profit to meet their payments for goods.  The result was that the merchants sent their accounts to the Justice for collection, and one amongst them was upon himself.  He notified the parties, who confessed judgement and entered bail for stay of execution, not forgetting to give bail on docket for the amount claimed from the justice.

The first marriage might have been noticed in a seven by nine newspaper published then at Perrysburg.  'Married, September 10, 1834, by Jesse Haller, Esq., of Defiance township, Keelin Leonard to Elizabeth Ice, all of Lost Creek Township.'

The first death in the township was that of the hunter in Section 9.  The coffin was made by Obadiah Webb, who lived on the east bank of Bean Creek, opposite to the farm now owned by Lyman Langdon.  The coffin was lashed to a pole and carried by Abraham Webb and Wm. Kibble, on their shoulders, to the hunter's camp, a distance of nearly thirteen miles on a direct line, and their route was through the woods without a path to guide them. They crossed Bean Creek at dusk, and with a pocket compass to guide them and a hickory bark torch to light their way, they set out with their burden on their lonely route and reached the hut at 3 o'clock in the morning.  He was buried on the north-west quarter of Section 10.

                  Obadiah Webb, died 26 April 1849, buried in Noble and Tiffin Cemetery

Exceptions were made to the name of the township and it was changed to that of Farmer.  This was changed at the instance of the citizens because they thought it more appropriate, and it was also designed to perpetuate the name of the first settler.

Of the voters of the first election, Elisha Tharp, Esq. is the only one now living in the township.  Some of them have removed to other localities.

Tombstone of Elisha Tharp, Williams Center Cemetery, Williams County, Ohio

Our place of voting was near center of Section _?, where a log cabin had been built for this purpose and was also used for a school house.  Some years ago a grave yard was located at this place, and many of the pioneers have been gathered one by one to this place of burial, where their names are recorded on neat marble monuments.

You will hear from me again when I have more leisure. Farmer."

Defiance Democrat, September 9, 1871, p. 3

The Allen Hotel in Farmer, Ohio

The Allen Hotel was built around 1850 in the midst of Farmer Center, Ohio, at the corner of Routes 2 and 249, and was there just short of one hundred years.  
The earliest owner was William Gilchrist. It had several owners and was once known as the Farmer Hotel; it may have had other names, as well.  
The 1870 census of Farmer named Ethan Whedon as a hotel keeper in Farmer, and in 1880, it was William M. Lord and his wife, Louise.  Whether these two were involved with the same building is unknown.

Ephraim Clay Allen bought the hotel around 1880, according to Serendipity, a publication by the Country Cousins Homemakers Club.  Before that time, Ephraim lived with his parents, Darius and Harriet (Rice) Allen in Farmer Township.  They were natives of Lawrence, New York, the home of many early Farmer settlers.  By 1870, his father had passed away, and he lived with his mother, as the farmer on the home farm.

Ephraim, sometimes called "E.C.," married Margretta Lucinda Bradley on January 1, 1872 in Defiance County when he was 25. 

According to one county history, Ephraim rented the hotel to others until his family moved there in 1896.  "The hotel did a big business and drew people from miles around.  Margretta served delicious meals."


Ephraim C. Allen owned a large amount of land in Farmer Township, some he owned alone and other plots were divided with sons, Oney and Darius.  The 1890 plat book revealed that the Allen men owned over 550 acres in Sections 16, 21 and 28 collectively.

Ephraim, 52 years old, in the 1900 census, referred to himself as a farmer, and all his children - 7 at the time - were named as farm laborers.  Margretta reported that she had twelve children all together, but only seven were living.  Perry Burns and John Cannan, physician, lived with them.  Perhaps Ephraim left the hotel for Margretta to handle, while he continued to farm as his age and health allowed.

In 1910, Ephraim said he was a landlord and only one child was at home, Emma.  Emory Martin, a house painter, was in residence, along with Hazel Moats, 17, a domestic servant for a private family which would turn out to be the Allens. 

Ephraim died on April 19, 1912.  The Defiance Democrat briefly stated in its April 27th paper: "E. A. died Friday at his  home in Farmer after a long illness."
He was buried first in Farmer Cemetery, but was moved to the Fountain Grove Mausoleum in Bryan after Margretta died.

 After Ephraim's death in 1912, Margretta ran the hotel, serving family style dinners with her renowned home cooking.  Twenty-four people could fit at her dining table. Serendipity reported that there were 13 beds upstairs in the hotel for visitors, while the family lived on the first floor.  Adjacent to the hotel was a livery stable, and a windmill and public water trough available through a side entrance. Part of the windmill and stable may be seen in the above photo, date unknown.

 The ladies from the larger photo above were identified as:
Dot Headley, Mrs. Velma? Headley, Kit Allen, Margaret Allen, and Hazel Moats

 In the 1920 census, Margaret, 67, a widow, lived with her son, Oney, who farmed; her son-in-law, Wallace Buda who was a janitor at the school; Mona, her 16 year old granddaughter, and a teacher/boarder, Mr. Lever.
It was a notable day when Margaret Allen was alone in the hotel.  The Defiance Crescent News of October 30, 1924, reported in community news for Farmer:
"Mrs. Margaret Allen ate her dinner alone in the hotel Saturday, the only time since moving off the farm more than 25 years ago."  

But, in truth, Margaret had a passel of children and grandchildren to keep her company.  On June 28, 1934, the Crescent News again mentioned Margaret as it was time to celebrate her birthday.
"Mrs. Margaret Allen was surprised recently by a gathering of her children and grandchildren in her home upon her return from an afternoon at her sister, Mrs. Bird Ames, in Butler, Indiana.  Mrs. Mona Cook sent in a cake and three freezers of ice cream.  Cake and another cake were consumed in the evening.  Those present included Mrs. Dace Allen, Mr and Mrs. E. C. Allen and children, Mr and Mrs. Bert Nichols and children, Mr and Mrs. Homer Oliver, Mrs. Bird Motes, Velma Headley, Peter Kline of Adrian. Michigan, Oney Allen.  Saturday was Mrs. Allen's birthday."  Margaret would have been about 80 years old at that time.

 Margaret/ Margaretta died on October 22, 1936, and she and Ephraim rest in the mausoleum at Fountain Grove Cemetery in Bryan.






 

The Allen Hotel was partially demolished and the remaining part moved in 1958.  What a landmark it was for Farmer Center! The Allens mentioned in this article were the sons of Ephraim and Margaret.

W. P. A. Cemetery Survey - Farmer Cemetery, Farmer Township

The Works Progress Administration was formed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in reaction to the Great Depression as a means of employing Americans and stimulating the economy.  Established in 1935, one of the projects of the W.P.A. was to conduct Historical Records Surveys, one of which included finding information on cemeteries and the graves of veterans.  The W.P.A. was disbanded in 1943, but the historical information provided on these surveys continue to be of interest and are, thankfully, preserved.

In this series, some of the general surveys of Defiance County cemeteries will be shared, transcribed as written with a few punctuation and/or spelling changes for readability.  The surveys were probably done around 1936.
For more up to date information on the cemeteries, check out this chart on our website:
 http://defiancecountygenealogy.org/cemeteries.html

Farmer Cemetery

1. Name of cemetery:
The Farmer Cemetery, Farmer Center, Ohio

2. Location, how reached:
This beautiful cemetery is located one half mile west and one quarter mile north of the village of Farmer Center, Ohio, reached by going west on route #2 from the village limits and turning north at the first half mile cross road.  Follow this road one quarter mile and the cemetery is on the left or west side of the road.  It cannot be missed as it faces and abuts the road.

3. General description, size, appearance, denomination, fencing, etc.:
This cemetery is the fourth largest in the county, and one of the finest and best kept up, and as the Hicksville Cemetery has some of the most costly markers in any graveyard.  It is heavily wooded with pine, cedar, maple and oak, and quite a few walnut trees.  Its shrubbery and hedges are very beautiful and well trimmed and it has (been) well kept, diverse stone and two gateways, it is fenced both with an evergreen hedge and an ornamental iron fence.

It is laid out in large lots, which are larger than any other cemetery we have made as yet, and a lot of these private lots are terraced up as mounds with concrete walls around them and steps leading up to the ground above.  The Wilder- Nicely plot is the finest of these.

This graveyard contains fifteen acres, is undenominational and is municipal being owned by the village of Farmer Center and Farmer Township.  Lots are sold to individuals; it is said to be the most costly burial ground in the county.

Photo from www.findagrave.com

5.  Name and date of first burial recorded:
There is a monument in this graveyard, a small white slab, which says erected to the memory of Eff. J. Reigle in 1818, however, he was not buried at this spot then, as this district in 1818 was never heard of or passed through by white men.  His body was interred here later, possibly about 1840; in the years 1839 and 1840, this place was used as a burying ground by the early settlers.

Fidelia Bronson was buried here in 1839.  However, the graveyard was not opened officially until during the Civil War.  At that time, there were around twenty five graves scattered on this farm.  All were moved to this one spot in 1863, and a Farmer Township graveyard started, at first with five acres.  It has been used extensively ever since.

6. Names of important persons buried there, for what noted:
Naturally, a cemetery of this size and age, there are many old, early pioneer settlers buried here.  There is Mike Nicely, 1813 - 1883; Alec Roan, 1825 - 1903; John Erlsten, 1839 - 1929; Gil Thompson, 1809 - 1906; Moses Gardner, 1811 - 1881; A. P. McConkey, 1838 - 1906.
All the above mentioned men were founders of the families of the same name who reside in the district today.    

Then there is the grave of John Norway, 1836 - 1911, one of the co-founders of Farmer Center, Ohio, who was mentioned in my History of Farmer Center, Ohio.

Darias Allen, 1807 - 1869, one of the richest men in the township, who left a fortune to his heirs.

The earliest birth record is that of Jacob Knight, 1787 - 1855, who was an old War of 1812 soldier.

Philip Noble, 1816 - 1887, first sheriff of Defiance County in 1845 and for whom Noble Township was named.

The Hon. A. G. Biglow, noted historian, scholar and man of letters, born in 1806, died 1875, one time representative to Congress, noted college professor, etc.

Photo from www.findagrave.com

7. Markers of unusual appearance:
The finest markers are those on the Wilder - Nicely lot, built up and marble, modern Roman style marker, with an urn of the same material on each side, and five headstones of the same material in front.  
 

Wonderful photo from www.findagrave.com showing the Wilder-Nicely plot

  The lots of the Fickle families, three in number are fixed up almost as nice.
Then the high pedestal type stone of the Hon. A. G. Biglow is worthy of note and the highest in the cemetery.

There is also a huge granite marker of gray erected to the memory of Walter Tomlinson, 1843 - 1935, which is the most modern and of the Roman type.  It is almost square stone five feet high, thick and wide.  

  
There are, by far, more fine and handsome markers in this cemetery for its size than in any other graveyard of its size. This graveyard ranks with Riverside at Defiance, Ohio and Forest Home at Hicksville, Ohio, in beauty, well-kept grouns, fine markers and noted personages, and costly upkeep.

8. Unusual epitaphs:
The usual run of readings are on the stones in this graveyard.  The main oddity is the marker erected to the memory of Eff. J. Reigel, who died, and the stone of Hon. A. G. Biglow, which gives a brief history of his life.

9. Is cemetery used for new burials?
This cemetery is one of the most used graveyards in Defiance County today.    

The Brindle School, Farmer Township

From the Bryan Press - August 6, 1925

 "The Story of the Old Brindle School.

The third reunion Saturday, Aug. 1st of the pupils and teachers of the old Brindle school west of Farmer, which was first used as a school building in 1852, and until a building for school purposes was built in the little town to the east, called Farmer Center, all the children for many miles around learned the 'A,B, C's' and the 'Three R's' in this same little frame building, which supplanted the log structure, which stood in the field where the township cemetery now lies, and which was the very first house dedicated to the training of the young idea in these parts.

The first Brindle house, so called because of the nondescript color of the paint used upon it, was burned during the Christmas vacation about the time the first school was started in Farmer, but was at once rebuilt, as it made too far for many of the youngsters to walk to come into town.  It held forth there until just  50 years ago when the last of the term was taught by Mrs. Eva Johnson, nee Stone, then only 16 years of age, teaching her first term.

About half a hundred are still alive, who at one time attended this building as pupil or teacher, scattered from coast to coast, one teacher, George Ensign, living in San Francisco, and Will Richardson, a prominent lawyer in New York City, on the corner of whose father's farm, the school was located.

The oldest known pupil living is Mrs. Laura V. Maugel, aged 84, and the youngest, Darius Allen, who is now living in the school building remodeled into a dwelling house and removed on to his farm about 1/2 mile east of the former location.  It is rather unusual to be living in the first place you went to school.

There were 18 old pupils and one teacher, P. P. Culler, present at the gathering, Saturday, August 1, as follows:
Mrs. Laura Maugel, Mrs. Anna Allen, O. L. Wilder, Oscar Blair, H. O. Hopkins, John and Ella Fritz, A. O. Hastings, and E. E. Martin, living in this vicinity, Mrs. Sarah Weldler of Waterloo, Ind., Mrs. Nettie Swayne (Nettie Gilchrist) of Ft. Wayne, John Wilder of Elkhart, Ind., F. L. Stone of Toledo, Mrs. Bercaw of Edgerton, Mrs. Deane of Melbern, Sam Reynolds of Toledo, and G. F. Martin of Bryan.  Much of the success of these yearly gatherings is due to the work of the president, E. E. Martin and his good wife."

Note:  The first log school was built about 1840 and burned in 1852.