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Paulding County
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LIBRARY C L A S S VISIT - 1 9 5 0 s
"YOUR
Visions of HOMETOWN
Pauiding County
BANK"
2001 Edition
Features
12
Trading Places A ghost legend lives on as the 175year-old Curtis Trading Post Is being restored.
15
17
19
23
Eastside
Restaurant
(formally Riverside)
Homecooked
food
Daily Specials
Open 6 a.m. - 8 p.m.
410 En.sl River U.S. 24
Antwerp, Ohio
Brookside
Drive Thru
602 East Perry
Paulding
399-2220
Street
The
Oakwood
Deposit Bank
Company
OAKWOOD
594-3333
GROVER HILL
587-3500
1905
2001
Drive-Up
Lobby
Mon.-Wed. 8 : 3 0
Mon.-Wed. 9-3
Thurs.-Sat. 8:30-12
T h u r s . & S a t . 9-12
Friday 8:30-6
F r i d a y 9-5
?\ Index
^Visions
?(dVerisers
Page*
15
18
5
7
1
19
4
10
1
10
10
16
21
12
15
1
23
14
3
Front Inside Cover
Back Inside Cover
12
13
19
7
11
Back Cover
10
2
January 2001
in
au ding (^ountu
two weeks of travel they only crossed one railroad. The rails
of that were made by nailing long pieces of common strap iron
to pieces of wood. That road is now known as the Big Four.
When they arrived at their destination they discovered that
two other families had already located in the same vicinity.
They were the Hannenkratts and the Weipperts.
The Ankneys purchased what is known as canal land. They
paid $1 per acre. There was plenty of school land, just as
good, to be sold at 40 cents per acre, but it was back from the
canal a considerable distance making it difficult to get timber
to market.
Those of us of today who move from one community to
another and find fault if the former occupants of the premises
failed to remove every speck of dirt would hardly be capable
of wrestling with the problems that confronted this family in
their new home. Here they were with a family of small childSee EARLY DAYS, Page 4
Paulding
Chamber
of
Commerce
Pauiding Chamber of Commerce Board ot Directors: Seated from left to
right: Jim Durre, Treasurer; Rhonda Stabler, Vice-President; Konnie Gerber,
President; Mark Ferris, Secretary; Standing left to right: Mike Farmer, Anna
Brewster, Bruce Mohley, Kim Sutton, Executive Director; Jane Gray, Tony
Stureman, Greg Johnson and Larry Thornhiil.
Supporting
the
Community
January 2001
# Early days
(Continued from Page 3)
ren and no house. They spent the first night with one of the
two families already there. The next day they selected a site on
their own land and began the erection of a "bungalow" of their
own. Within a day it was so far advanced they were able to
move in, although a number of the conveniences were still
lacking and it was some time before it was entirely completed.
It wasn't much of a house, but many families were living in a
less commodious place and it was far better than remaining
longer in the wagons.
It was nice and dry when they moved onto the land. A little
later the heavy rains set in and it was then they realized a poor
place had been selected for the home, as they had water on all
sides and underneath.
Some how they managed to survive that first winter, and
early the next year they erected a more substantial abode, on a
higher and more favorable spot some sixty rods awayfromthe
first modest affair.
The magnet that drew the Ankneys, and a little later, numerous other families, was the canal, which was just beginning to operate and open up a way to market for the timber.
The reservoir was not yet completed, but it was no difficult
task to get water from the woods to feed the canal.
At first the only timber they were able to get ready for the
market was the hand split staves. There were times when the
water was so deep in the woods it was impossible to use
horses. At such time the staves had to be carried on men's
shoulders to the bank of the canal.
The snakes were numerous and large. Some of them reaching the proportions of fence rails. They were mostly black
Payne
MaraMart
202 N. Main St.
Payne, Ohio
263-2684
Store Hours:
Men.-Sat. 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sun. 7a.m.-10 p.m.
Paulding
MaraMart
399-3247
Store Hours:
Mon.-Sun. 6 a.m.-11 p.m.
January 2001
POLY-^AIN
CORRUGATED POLYETHYLENE DRAINAGE TUBING
(lj>BMUCHMMM
TILE
CO.
1-800-837-3160, iiiniiniif.taugnmaaiile.eom
Paulding's library has been branching out for more than a century
sioners Blakesley of Oakwood and S.O. Jackson of Cecil and J.L. McClure. The same
year a levy for necessary tax monies was
made by the same commissioners to provide
funds to maintain the new library structure.
Common Pleas Judge John S. Snook appointed tbe followmg as trustees of tbe facility: William J. Wheeler, Mrs. Williams H.
Shaffer, Mr. G.C. Dittenhaver, Mr. H.K. Harris of Antwerp, Mrs. George Rice of Brougbton, and Mr. Cyrus May of Oakwood as trustees of tbe library.
The new library was opened on March 3,
1916. As tbe structure was first used there
were 5,000 books on its shelves. After tbe
dedication of tbe building, it was found tbat
tbe structure bad been built on quicksand.
Tbe east back part and end began to settle
and separate from tbe remainder of tbe building. Concrete buttresses were placed on the
east wall to bold tbe building together. Evidence of tbe settling is still visible in tbe
basement.
Tbe name of tbe library was changed to include tbe name Carnegie. It is still used today
Tbe Pauldmg County Carnegie Library.
After tbe initial shock of tbe quicksand discovery and repair of tbe early damage, no
renovation or major repair was undertaken
until 1960 when tbe trustees, under tbe
guidance of Leslie Basil, president of tbe
Sauder ^brigfiylet
Village
\Ts t i m e t o g e t
your business o n t h e w e b i
888-438-8436
or give us a call at
For many years, the Paulding County Carnegie Library had an Easter egg tree for decoration and also as a centerpiece of an annual spring
program. This photo was taken about 1956, in the north reading room. The woman at left was Helen Simon.
January 2001
THE LEGACY
This photo of Dr. George Phiiiips and his wife, Myrtie, was taken at
his retirement in May 1956.
January 2001
=5^
He was married to Myrtle Arm Reynolds of Ridge Township, Van Wert County on October 31, 1909. They bad no
children. George made up for this lack by bis life-long association with children tbrougb tbe teaching profession.
George continued to learn and earn degrees tbrougb tbe
years, getting a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1924 from Westem
State Teachers College at Kalamazoo, a Masters in Education
from tbe University of Cincinnati in 1927, and bis Ph.D. in
1930. He received an honorary doctorate degree in 1968 from
tbe University of Cincinnati.
At tbe time of receiving tbe honorary degree, Phillips was
'Offered a choice by his ex-siave father of a
horse-and-buggy or a high schooi education,
[George] Phiiiips unhesltatingiy opted for education, the only one of ten children in the family to
do so.'
U. of Cincinnati president Walter C. Langsam
F0L7Z REALTY
106 N. Williams St.
Paulding, Ohio 45879
S6uHe7Cta*mmac4e^
Associate Realtor
419-399-3030
419-399-2347
Residence; 419-263-2523
MAURIEPAULDING
MMNOUCHK
COUNTY COMMISSIONER
OFFICE: 419A99-3030
121 N. MAIN ST. - BOX 316
PAULDING, OH 45879
OFFICE; 4194399-8215
COURTHOUSE
PAULDING, OH 45879
Tennessee.
During his lifetime be helped to organize and administer
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Health programs, served as chairman of tbe registrant division of tbe Hamilton County Draft
Board in Cmcinnati during World War II, and assisted in establishing tbe federal govemment's Veterans Administration
building in Cinciimati.
Phillips served in tbe reconstraction of tbe school building
program m bis city, as a member of tbe Athletic Board of Controls, and as a professor of education in tbe Agricultural and
Industrial State University in Nashville, Tenn. He also served
on tbe Rent Control Board during tbe Second World War.
University of Cincinnati president Walter C. Langsam said
of bim, "Offered a choice hy bis ex-slave father of a borseand-buggy or a high school education, Phillips unhesitatingly
opted for education, tbe only one of ten children m tbe family
to do so. With tbe passmg of years, bis interest in learning and
imparting of knowledge continued to grow as, durmg and after
tbe completion of bis own formal education, be taught in public schools in bis native Paulding County, in Michigan, in Tennessee, and in Cincinnati.
"One of tbe most eminent contributions of bis remarkable
career," continues tbe writings of Langsam, "came during his
principalsbip of tbe Harriet Beecber Stowe School. There be
pioneered in developing a realistic curriculum for culturally
deprived boys and girls a program tbat successfully encouraged bis pupils to earn while leammg and to persevere in their
studies instead of leaving school prematurely. He also has
contributed significantly to an understanding of tbe ethnological and cultural backgrounds of bis race tbrougb tbe lifelong
Dails ^4C
Hariviaii
Nine
Dr. George A. Phillips was a benefactor of the John Paulding Historical Society. The study at his home has been recreated at the society's
museum in Paulding. He died at the age of 94 and Is buried in Paulding County.
TDS TELECOM
88 East Rice Street
Continental, Ohio 45831
419-596-3331
800-789-5595
Visions of Paulding County ~ 11
TRADING PLACES
''^^g
ICome
for
^ ran ,
Y o u
p a r
O o n ' t
f o r a
H a v e
( j o o d
E > o t t l e o f
C i g a r s
W i n e
t o
Tr
|
C i g a r
&
W i n e
Imported E>eer
S n a d c
ravel
& f a r t y
I t em s
4 1 9 - 2 5 8 - 1 6 1 1
of the former interior design could he seen at one time. All but
two of the fireplaces were covered.
Bricks for the thick exterior walls were made m Fort Wayne
and shipped to tbe Cecil area. These were laid in an interesting
pattern. Window sills are thick and woodwork of tbe interior is
maple, pine and oak. Square-top handmade nails are in evidence throughout tbe structure where,remodeling has taken
place.
To tbe west of tbe bouse can be seen a small grove of trees.
Here a little creek flows toward tbe river and it is said tbat
Johnny Appleseed once planted some of bis famous Ifuit trees
in this area. None remain today, of course. A stagecoach route
passed from tbe river road down tbe west side of tbe bouse
and across tbe front yard, tfom there going to tbe east side and
back to tbe river road. Passengers alighted and walked into tbe
post over tbe stone threshold.
At one time, a porch with massive pillars must have fronted
tbe post; evidence remains of foundations for such pillars. Tbe
owners at one time poured concrete walks and a new front approach.
Denise Schwab is tbe current owner of tbe Curtis bouse, a
woman who loves tbe place and is attempting to restore it as it
once was. She lives in a portion of it. There was a wooden addition on tbe back and this has been torn down. Partitions put
in by former owners who intended to make apartments for rent
have been taken out.
Tbe bouse sat vacant for about 13 years. Denise also
bought, besides tbe first three acres with tbe bouse, an additional amount of land and now owns 30 acres. She raises
horses and recently made many bales of bay. She has plans to
County Departments
Free Services:
Rental Services:
State Departments
-Soil Survey
Federal Departments
-Conservation Plans
-Wetland Determinations
Educational Services
USDA
Educational Presentations
available to schools, youth
groups and community
Natural Resources
Conservation Service
fi
The General Horatio N. Curtis house and trading post was built along the Maumee River in 1825, making it the oldest dwelling still standing
in Paulding County. It was part of Cranesville, the first collective white settlement in the county.
PC WORKSHOP
PC WORKSHOP
INCORPOR.y.TED
INCORPORATED
RECYCLING CENTER
Up to 25 pounds = $ .30
25 pounds to 100 pounds - $ .35
Over 100 pounds = $ .40
January 2001
PAULDING COUNTY
FAIR
Nothing But
Nature
Organic Merb & Plower Parm
and
Handcrafted Wood Caskets
at
Angles Hair
Port
445 L OrchardTT.
Payne, Ohio 45880
Phone 419-265-2625
P r e s e r v i n g
P a u l d i n g
C o u n t y ^ s
H e r i t a g e
since 1977.
Fairground
Drive
^Paulding, Ohio
Open Every
Thesday
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Attempted robbery
Bridges were necessary where roads intersected the canals. Some bridges were high enough to allow canal boats to pass underneath, in
other places, "bump bridges," like the one depicted in the above sketch, were designed to swing out otthe way when it was bumped by a
passing boat. When the boat cleared the bridge, it returned to position for horse and foot traffic. Such a bridge was located at Mandale.
January 2001
17
Private collection
first was settled by a fist fight. During these fights, no weapons were permitted and few canalers were every seriously
hurt. Some of tbe best fighters were honest, respected family
men.
There were two canal-related murders in Paulding County.
One occurred along tbe Wabash Canal in Emerald Township
when a lock tender shot a man approaching bis bouse. Tbe
lock tender claimed it was self-defense. But, since tbe murdered man was shot outside tbe lock tender's picket fence, tbe
court refused tbe plea.
Tbe other murder occurred near at Dead Man's Lock in tbe
1880s. It seems one canawler split tbe bead of another witb an
axe over an affair witb a woman.
Some "bad guy" captains hired thieves and fighting
"toughs" to intimidate other canawlers. Besides picking fights,
they often neglected to pay their food and feed bills. To outwit
their creditors, they frequently renamed their boats, passing
through town one day as the "Ohio" and tbe next day as tbe
"California."
Canawlers were an interesting lot. Few of tbe owners of
boats made large profits. Most of tbe freighters were owned by
more than one person. Many of the owners started as boatmen
on the canal, working until they bad enough money to buy
boats of their own.
Next to fighting, singing held a large place in their lives.
They memorialized in song their loves, boats and mules witb
equal fervor. Canawlers were tbe gypsies of tbe waterway.
January 2001
Dague
DAGUE
k
2
m
IS 11 /.I
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i 1
6 \ \
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i9 \
STREET
MAIN
/7
/8
/.9 1(1
3i! SI so
LYNN
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21 92
28 27
STREET
28 j 2')
t
Bowl em
Over!
Pin-A-Rama Bowling
(s 0 Stt;liig "dfotboofcl
Carol's Catering
&yuch
Weddings ~ Anniversaries ~
Parlies
January 2001
mWM
Call 419-258-2015
# Early days
could stand it. The right of way was a hundred feet wide. It
was contrary to the wording of the lease to move any of tbe
trees or stumps onto tbe adjoining land. Most of tbe timber
was used for tbe grade, making sort of a corduroy affair. This
came in bandy for tbe tune being as the water was so deep m
places it was practically impossible to get a start until after the
big timbers had been used for a foundation.
There was much rejoicing when the road was fmally completed and the first train passed over. By this time there were a
dozen or more families in Emerald township. They were all on
hand to hid Godspeed to that first train. It did not look much
like the trains we have now days hut it served the country
well. The engine was a small affair, and looked as though a
strong man could lift it off tbe track. It seemed like its largest
part was a tub-like affair on top of tbe stack, but tbey could
make fairly good time witb a train of ten or fifteen cars.
In tbe later years tbe logs tbat went into tbe making of tbe
grade bad to be removed at considerable expense as tbey were
proving a menace. Tbey would catcb on fue and bum for days
and days, finally leaving a bad place m tbe track.
This photo ot the Latty railroad depot was taken around 1913. The depot stood at the northeast comer of the intersection of two railroad
lines. Note the large bay window on the corner of the building, which allowed depot workers to view all tour tracks.
January 2001
J Dague
(Continued from Page 19)
by borse-drawn coach.
Tbe old sawmill is no longer running. It is overgrown witb
trees, and from tbe road, you can see where one of tbe buildings has collapsed. To tbe east of tbe old sawmill is tbe Pleasant View Cemetery. These three acres of ground were deeded
to tbe township on Aug. 5, 1891, by Elizabeth and Phillip
Mines. Also located on tbe same general tract of land was tbe
Blue Creek German Baptist (Dunkard) Cburcb. It is believed
tbat tbe cemetery was established prior to tbe erection of tbe
cburcb. It was known as Westview Cemetery until about 1916.
As I walked tbrougb this cemetery, there were many old
stones and tbey are so well preserved. You could read tbe
names and abnost get a family history from tbe tombstones.
So, what do we call these towns tbat simply disappeared?
Are tbey remembered? Some people knew about Dague
tbrougb what tbey beard from their elders, but quite a few
didn't know tbat Dague, Paulding County, Ohio, ever existed.
I am quite sure though tbat many seniors know about Dague,
and perhaps another "ghost town."
Mrs. Stoller did tell me tbat what used to be tbe hotel in
Dague was moved to Haviland. I believe tbat part of it was
converted into a bouse.
If you are ever out some nice day, turn by tbe old sawmill
on U.S. 127, go west and visit tbe Pleasant View Cemetery,
then go back east and see where a real ghost town exists.
I would like to acknowledge tbe help I received from Mrs.
Floyd Rboad, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Stoller, tbe Bucbman family,
and tbe Paulding County Carnegie Library.
Note: The articles contained in this issue have been previously published in the Paulding County Progress or one of
its predecessors. For this project, the original articles were
kept as originally written, except to correct any grammatical,
typographical or factual errors.
Dague was located south ol Paulding and Latty along a railroad line.
January
2001
Dave Fillery was a mail carrier for Route 2, Antwerp. His wife, Lizzie (Barker) Fillery is standing on the porch. The Barker family still has this
mail wagon. The photo was taken around 1918; the building in the background appears to be the Antwerp Town Hall.
This undated photo is marked "K.P. Band Melrose at Oakwood." There is no date. "KP." is the Knights of Pythias Melrose Lodge 503, a
fraternal organization tor men of any religion.
22 - Visions of Paulding County
January 2C01
Barn
Sighting
The quickly vanishing
'little red barns'
are an important part
of our American heritage
From the Progress of Aug. 13, 1997:
By BRENDA VARNER RAU Feature Writer
r
IVING OFF THE LAND WAS SO MUCH A
I
PART of the early farmer's survival that his ingenu[ , ity on how to build a bam was a necessity. His main
interest laid in providing a slielter for his livestock
and storage for his crops so the bam was often a cmde structure.
In tbe day when "love thy neighbor as thyself was a way of
life, good old-fashioned ham raisings became popular. Tbe
men folk put a lot of bard work into building the stmcture that
was to he tbe livelibood of their neighboring farm family.
Bams were raised by tbe sweat of their brows and bard calloused bands. But, tbey were handsomely rewarded for their
labor of love hy the women folk who cooked up a storm to laden the dinner table with the goodness of their made-fromscratch home cooking.
Later on, changes in the methods of agriculture brought
about new building techniques and ham designs. One could
order blueprints through advertisements that appeared in the
Ohio Farmer and other magazines and newspapers of tbe
tunes.
Gradually, some talented carpenters began to specialize in
bam building. In tbe late 1800s, carpenters by tbe names of
Mobr & Goodwm teamed up in tbe Grover Hill area. One bam
Mobr & Goodwm built in 1892 near Roselms still stands like a
patriotic soldier after braving tbe elements of nature for over a
centtuy.
According to tbe farm's abstract, tbe bam, bouse and other
outbuildings were originally built for tbe Billie Smith family.
In 1900, tbe farm land and its buildings were sold to Silas Sanderson and were passed down ftom father to son for three generations. Tbe farm has remamed in tbe Furl Sanderson family
for over 60 years.
Tbe ham was huilt ftom oak and other hardwoods native to
the thickly-populated woods helongmg to the farm. Tbe trees
were cut down hy using a cross-cut saw and the hand-hewn
January 2001
Main Office:
200 West Main Street
Bryan, Ohio
Phone Mon.-Fri.
1(800) 331-7396
1(419) 636-1117
Nights, weekends, holidays & emergency
numbers:
1(800) 331-7396 or 1(419) 636-3642
Visions of Paulding County -
23
A n n o u n c i n g . . .
2002
OF
ON THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
UNIQUE
KEEPSAKE.
A D V E R T I S E YOUR B U S I N E S S
THE
2002
ISSUE.
OR
PLAN
ORGANIZATION
CALL 4 1 9 - 3 9 9 - 4 0 1 5.
BE A
NOW
TO
IN
beams were cut using a broad axe and held in place hy roimd
wooden pegs. The hack of the bam has its original siding and
is faded in its glory to a silvery gray. Tbe front has been resided and its once bright exterior is now a faded red.
It was said tbat Grandpa Furl "couldn't bit tbe broad side of
a ham," hut to his misfortune, he had three sons who could.
Along with their hasehall-playmg huddles, they often used the
ham as a hack stop.
The ham once boasted two sets of double doors. In the early
days, teams of horses could be driven tbrougb front or back,
and in later years, tbey became a convenient passageway for
tbe "antique" farm macbinery. Now only tbe wind travels
tbrougb, whistling a lonely tune tbrougb tbe rafters.
At eacb of tbe four comers lays a huge flat stone harvested
from tbe fields to serve as tbe bam's foundation. A bay fork
sways from its peak like a pendulum on a grandfather's clock
counting not tbe minutes nor tbe hours, but decades of tbe
passing of time.
A few years ago at Thanksgiving time, tbe Sanderson family, which spans five living generations, held a reunion m tbe
old bam. Some of tbe younger generation braved climbmg tbe
ladder leading to tbe mow and swung on ropes from tbe rafters. Tbe older ones reminisced about all tbe chores and fun
times tbat bad once went on within its walls.
Tbe old bam, once tbe livelibood of tbe farm family, not
only sheltered tbe livestock and stored tbe crops, but was
Grandpa's workshop. Grandma's milking parlor, and a haven
for those seeking a place of serenity.
Now tbe old bam spends its days in solitude holding only
memories of tbe good old days. If tbe ham could talk, it would
have some wonderful stories to share that would span over a
century of time.
January 2001
The Paulding
County Progress
Your Guide to Paulding County
s u b s N i p H o n . I Phone/
Village Apothecar
cl907 North Williams Street, Paulding
yome
things
never
change
It's never
old-fashioned to care
about your patients
and offer the best
service possible.
Good Health to you!
in 2001
Your healthcare team: tront row from left Tedda Wesley, pharmacy
technician; Lee Kniceley, pharmacy technician; Linda Hankinson,
LPN, diabetes specialist; back row Owner Mark Marenberg, R.Ph.;
Troy Vogel, pharmacy technician; Steve Mantel, R.Ph., District Mgr.;
and Beth White, R.Ph.
~ Our Service makes the difference and onr people show we care ~