This township, though the last in the county to receive settlers, ranks today among the first in point of agricultural product, number of inhabitants and general wealth.

Iler is in the southeastern corner of Jackson township, and is a station on the "Nickel Plate" railroad. It was founded in 1885. Amsden, on the southeast quarter of section 14, a station on the Lake Erie & Western railroad, dates back to the construction of that road.

Trumbo was the name given to a postoffice in the southern part of the township.

CHAPTER XXII.

TOWNSHIP ANNALS

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP-KANSAS VILLAGE AND OTHER TOWNSLOUDON AND PLEASANT TOWNSHIPS REED TOWNSHIP-T. M. KELLEY'S RECOLLECTIONS-LODI, OMER AND REEDTOWN-SCIPIO TOWNSHIP-SENECA TOWNSHIP-THE JACOB STRAIB SKETCH-MCCUTCHENVILLE AND BERWICK-THOMPSON TOWNSHIP-VILLAGES, PAST AND PRESENT VENICE TOWNSHIP-FORD'S HISTORICAL ADDRESS— ATTICA VILLAGE INCORPORATED-CARROTHERS AND CAROLINE.

The township histories are continued in this chapter, their alphabetical arrangement being still adhered to. It will therefore be understood that the division is arbitrary, rather than logical or historic, and is made chiefly because the chapter sub-heads would occupy too much space if the histories were all published in one chapter.

Liberty township was legally constituted on the 5th day of June, 1832.

The first election took place April 1, 1833, when the following persons were elected as township officers: Trustees, John Rosenberger, Evan W. Brook, Jacob Kaine; clerk, John Craun; constables, Eben Conway and Nicholas Rumbaugh; supervisors, Adam Fleck, Isaac Hartsock, James Hudson, Levi Crissey and Joseph S. Conway.

It had previously been surveyed and was known as township number 3 in range 14. This township was surveyed into sections. and quarter sections by J. T. Worthington in 1820. Among its early settlers may be mentioned John Baughman, Jacob Myers, Jonathan Abbott, George Puffenbarger, John Michels, Jacob Null and Jacob Fleck.

In the northeastern part of this township was a tract of land three miles in length, and three-fourths of a mile in width, remarkably stony. At the time of the survey the lime stone rock literally covered the ground in some places. At other places it was not so thickly covered and fairly good crops were raised. The

lime stone by being exposed to the weather, became white, giving the land a singular appearance. This tract was more remarkable, as the county in general is very free from anything of the kind.

The balance of the township is quite level, with a rich soil and very productive. The west branch of Wolf creek passes in a northeasterly direction through this township, upon which several saw mills were built at an early date in the settlement, with water runs sufficient to drive these mills at least six months in the year.

Frederick Rosenberger built the first saw mill in the township in 1829, and in 1831 added the first grist mill in Liberty. The same year he assisted in building the first school house, which was located on the line between sections 7 and 8.

John Baughman was one of the early settlers in Liberty township, and was elected township trustee in 1866.

The Toledo division of the Pennsylvania lines of railroad runs north by west through the township, passing through Bettsville, the "Nickel Plate" railroad runs across the township, and the Lake Erie & Western cuts across the northwestern corner, passing through Kansas.

Kansas village is in the northwestern part of Liberty township, and is a station on the Lake Erie & Western railroad. The village was platted in 1855, and is located in one of the finest farming districts in the county. Its growth has been steady and it is now one of the most business-like places in that part of the state for a town of its size. It is an important point for numerous lumber industries.

Cromers is a small station on the Pennsylvania line of railroad, five miles northwest of Tiffin. A postoffice was established

there in 1875.

Maple Grove was formerly called Linden, and a postoffice was established there in 1874. It is a station at the crossing of the Toledo division of the Pennsylvania lines and the "Nickel Plate" railroad.

Carlin was surveyed by W. B. Gaw February 7, 1859, for James Justin. The location was on west half of north half of southwest quarter of section 5, township 3 north, range 14.

Angus Postoffice was established in 1883 by J. W. Angus, who established the "Nickle Plate" Station. Jacob Flack was the

first resident where this settlement now is.
the station is named, settled here in 1862.

Angus, after whom

In 1832 there was a village platted on section 9 in Liberty ship and was named Middleburg, but it saw its balmy days in 1837-38 and has now lapsed into the past.

Loudon township was surveyed in 1820, but for some years after settlers were slow to seek homes in the Wolf creek wilderness,

although the sale of lands began in 1821. Loudon is one of the western tier of townships of Seneca county. Although it was surveyed in 1820, it was not organized as a township until 1832, on the 5th day of March.

The first township election for Loudon was held April 1, 1832, when Abner Wade was elected justice; Benjamin Stevens, Peter F. King and John Ricketts, trustees; John Tennis, clerk; Samuel Carbaugh, constable; Benjamin Hartley, supervisor; Abner Wade and Nathan Shippey, overseers of the poor; Benjamin Stevens, treasurer; Nathan Shippy, John Kase and John Shellars, fence viewers.

In 1833 the trustees and clerk were re-elected, and Peter Eversole was chosen treasurer. The township was districted for school.

purposes this year.

In March, 1834, the township was set off into road districts. Charles W. Foster was elected clerk and justice of the peace, while the treasurer and trustees were re-elected. School trustees were elected for the first time this year.

Among the first settlers were Abner Wade, John Tennis, Benjamin Stevens, Peter T. King, John Rickets, Samuel Carbaugh, Benjamin Hartley, Nathan Shippy, John Reese, John Shiller, Samuel Bear, Jacob Rumple, Martin Adams, Philip Hennessy, Robert Rainey, Jacob Fruth, George Heming, Peter Ebersole, Henry Sheller, David Young, Conrad Rumple, Jacob Kaiser, John Good, John Reinbolt, Jacob Dillon, Thos. Dillon, the Peter families, Jacob Mergenthaler and the Fishers.

When the pioneers first came to the township, Indians inhabited the country and made daily calls at the cabins of their new white neighbors. The bear and wolf were also frequent visitors, and following them came the ague-the most unwelcome, troublesome and injurious visitor of pioneer days.

A very small area of the township presents a broken surface; but rolling lands are common. In general it is a slightly undulating plain, possessing a soil well adapted to the growth of cereals. and esculent roots. Wolf creek and its tributaries appear to beg for supply sources throughout the township. These streams are found rambling around everywhere within its bound, if we except the immediate neighborhood of the Fostoria divide. All the heads of the west fork of this meandering creek may be said to find a home here in sections 7, 18 and 29, forming a stream at the northeast corner of section 17, and flowing thence northeast, entering Jackson township, in section 35. Harrison creek heads in two creeks on sections 33 and 34, which flow north to section 14, where they form one stream. This flows north by east, leaving the township just east of the west line of section 1. One of the principal tributaries of the main stream of Wolf creek rises near the

south line of the township in its southeast quarter, flows through sections 35, 36, 25 and 24, and enters Hopewell in section 19 of that township.

Pleasant township was organized on the 6th day of June, 1831, and while the Seneca Indians were yet roaming over it.

The Sandusky river courses through the western part of the township in great meanderings of nearly twelve miles along its shores. East of Fort Seneca it takes a due east course more than one mile; then taking a horse shoe bend to the southeast, turns north, running more than one mile along the section line between sections 15 and 16. In section 9 it turns due west three-quarters of a mile, and northwest, leaving the large, rich bottom lands of Samuel Ludwig on the right bank. These bottom lands in Pleasant have made, and forever will make this township justly celebrated. The uplands are rich in soil, but the bottoms are inexhaustible in fertility.

Up to 1854 there was not a bridge across the Sandusky river within this township. In 1848 the want of a safe means of communication between the two parts into which the river divides the township became very apparent; for, on April 3, 1848, two men, Figgins and Stackhouse, were drowned while chossing the river in a boat, while their companions, Shannon and Watson, had a very close call, barely saving themselves. Six years after the bridge on section 9 was constructed and called "Clark's Bridge,' owing to the fact that Calvin Clark, then commissioner, cast his whole influence with his northern neighbors, against a majority who desired the location to be at or near Pool's Mill.

In 1870 the Watson bridge was constructed across the river on section 21, and was used up to June, 1875, when a heavy storm carried it off and sent it floating down the river.

In 1876 the bridge at Pool's Mill, so long desired, was constructed, and as this was done in opposition to the friends of the Watson bridge, petition after petition was presented to the commissioners asking for the erection of a bridge on the old Watson bridge abutments.

The first settlers in what now constitutes Pleasant township were William Spicer, to whom the Spicer section in Pleasant township was granted by the treaty of Miami of Lake Erie (patented January 18, 1822), and he may be termed the first white settler here. For forty years previous to 1819 he resided among the Indians of the Sandusky, and grew in wealth among them. Benjamin and West Barney came to the county in 1818 and settled here in 1819.

On the 14th of January, 1836, Erastus Bowe and Vincent Bell caused to be surveyed on the corners of sections 19 and 20, in this township, a town to which they gave the name of Fort Seneca. It