SANDUSKY COUNTY OHIO - HISTORY: Sandusky County, Part 1 *************************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. *************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by LeaAnn leaann1@bellsouth.net January 20, 1999 *************************************************************************** From The "Historical Collections of Ohio (Fremont, Sandusky County) By, Henry Howe, LL.D. Copyright 1888 Published 1904 Fremont, county seat of Sandusky, about ninety-five miles north of Columbus, and eighty-three miles southwest of Cleveland, on the Sandusky river, at the head of navigation. It's railroads are the L.S. & M.S.; L.E. & W. and W.& L.E. County officers 1888: Auditor, A.V. Bauman; Clerk, John W. Worst; Commissioners, James E. Wickert, Joseph Geschwindt, George F. Wilt; Coroner, Edward Schwartz; Infirmary Directors, Isaac Strohl, Nehemiah Engler, Andrew Kline; Probate Judge, E.F. Dickenson; Prosecuting Attorney, F.R. Fronizer; Recorder, H.J. Kramb; Sheriff, R.W. Sandwisch; Surveyor, George W. Lesher; Treasurer, William E. Lang. City Officers 1888: Heman B. Smith, Mayor; A.V. Bauman, clerk; Henry Hunsinger, Marshall; Lester Wilson, Solicitor; William E. Lang, Treasurer; Joseph Rawson, Civil Engineer; M.A. Fitzmaurice, street commissioner; C.F. Reiff, Chief Fire Dept. Newspapers: News, Independent, H.E. Woods, editor and publisher; Courier, German Deomcrat, Joseph Zimmermann, editor and publisher; Journal, Republican, Isaac McKeeler & Son, editors and publishers; Scientific Weekly, literary, J.C. Wheeler, editor and publisher; Journal of Dietetics, Medical, Caldwell and Gessner, editors. Churches: 1 Presbyterian, 2 Catholic, 1 African Methodist Episcopal, 1 Lutheran, 1 methodist Episcopal, 1 Evangelical. Banks: Farmers', O.A. Roberts, President, D.A. Ranck, cashier; Fremont Savings, James W. Wilson, president, A.E. Rice, cashier. Manufactures and Employees-- C.W. Tschumy, furniture, 7; Blue & Halter, sulky cultivators, 10; Lehr Brothers, agricultural implements, 32; Edgerton & Sheldon, sash, doors and blinds, 18; The Clous Shear Co., shears and scissors, 94; The Herbrand Co., gear irons, 12; D. June & Co., engines, etc., 56; Koons Brothers, flour, etc., 4; Van Epps & Cox, flour, etc.., 9; Mclean R.R. Spike Co., railroad spikes, 75; Thomson-Houston Carbon Co., carbon, 79; Fremont Drop Forge Co., carriage hardware, 20; Fremont Canning Co., canned corn, etc., 85; Fremont Electric Light and Power Co., electric light, 4; A.H. Jackson, bustles and hose, 190. ---State Report 1888 Population, 1880, 8,456. School census, 1888, 1,957; W.W. Ross, school superintendent. Capital invested in industrial establishments, $715,800. Value of annual product, $718,300 ---Ohio Labor Statistics 1887. Census 1890, 7,140. Heckewelder, the missionary, in his "History of the Indian Nations," describes a scene he witnessed at the Indian Village at this place, near the close of the American Revolution, which is regarded as the best description extant of the ordeal of "Running the Gauntlet." He precedes his special description with these remarks: Much depends on the courage and presence of mind of the prisoner. On entering the village, he is shown a painted post at the distance of from twenty to forty yards, and told to run to it and catch hold of it as quickly as he can. On each side of him stand men, women and children, with axes, sticks and other offensive weapons, ready to strike him as he runs, in the same manner as is done in the European Armies when soldiers, as it is called, run the gauntlet. If he should be so unlucky as to fall in the way, he will probably be immediately dispatched by some person longing to avenge the death of some relation or friend slain in battle; but the moment he reaches the goal, he is safe and protected from further insult until his fate is determined. In the month of april, 1782, when I was myself a prisoner at Lower Sandusky, waiting for an opportunity to proceed with a trader to Detroit, I witnessed a scene of this description which fully exemplified what I have above stated. Three American prisoners were brought in by fourteen warriors from the garrison of Fort McIntosh. As soon as they had crossed the Sandusky River, to which the village lay adjacent, they were told by the captain of the party to run as hard as they could to a painted post which was shown to them. The youngest of the three, without a moments hesitation, immediately started for it, and reached it fortunately without recieving a single blow; the second hesitated for a moment, but recollecting himself, he also ran as fast as he could, and likewise reached the post unhurt. The third, frightened at seeing so many men, women and children with weapons in their hands, ready to strike him, kept begging the captain to spare him, saying he was a mason, and he would build him a fine large stone house, or do any work for him that he would please. "Run for your life," cried the chief to him, "and don't talk now of building houses!" But the poor fellow still insisted, begging and praying to the captain, who at last finding his exhortations vain, and fearing the consequences, turned his back upon him, and would not hear him any longer. Our mason now began to run, but recieved many a hard blow, one of which nearly brought him to the ground, which, if he had fallen, would have decided his fate. He, however, reached the goal, not without being sadly bruised, and he was, besides, bitterly reproached and scoffed at all round as a vile coward, while the others were hailed as brave men, and recieved tokens of universal approbation. -- LeaAnn-