Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1858-07-30
gosfni, Hedges, the Founder OF rim

JOsfnh kHcuTcf, tne kOuHuer Oh Attflu
The Seneca Adrert;ser gives an interest
ing sketch Of the o'iiro Of Josiah Hedges
whose death wo noticed few days since
Mr.. Hedges was a natiyc Of Berkley coun
y, Virginia, and in 1901. one year before
Ohio became State, he settled in Belinou
county, of which he afterwards became
Sheriff, and for many years clerk of tho
Court. He subsequently, entered the mer-
cantilo business at ST. Clairsville, thence
moving to Mansfield, and thence to Tiffin.
OF the settlement Of the latter place, wo
find the following account in tho Adverfi-
ser: f4,r .-.a,
Being then of speculative mind, and
being convinced that Northwestern Ohio
vas ono Of the garden spot, Of tho world,
and that il would settle up with remntka-
bic rapidity, Mr.. Hedges made a journey to
. shis region. 0 He Immediately determined
upon entering the land upon which this
city is mostly built. Atthat time, foot
paths wero worn all around it, by persons
who had looked at the land. Mr.. Hodges
then proceeded to tho Land office, and in g.
20, at tho land Sales at Delaware, Ohio, he
bought tho land which was nn unbroken
forest,--a vast solitude--a tangled wild
woods;--a spot where oaks stalwart hicko-
ries, and lowering sycamores, occupied the
places where nor the spires of elegant
churches and fino public buildings roar
their heads-whero now stand five private
residences and splendid buildings, dedicated
to business, whero thousands act part,
seeking livelihood in q hundred different
ways. Such were tho changes that Mr..
Hedges witnessed in our now prosperous
city. .t,,,--
Mr.. Hedges, a, wo have before said, pur-
chased the land in 1920. In 1922, tho
first stick Of wood was cut upon, tho town
plot of that portion Of Tiffin, which is now
known as ,the;firstlward. In the samo year
he erected tho first frame house upon, tho
town plot, which Is the building known as
tho sold Masonic Hail." at that timc used
for a store, and, subsequently for a Court
House and Church. He also, in the same
year, erected a Touring mill on tho Sandus-
Ky river, now known as f"Hunter's Mill"
and . saw mill on Rocky Creek, which
drow to Tiffin large numbers Of pioneers
from every section to gcttheir 'grists' and
"boards." By prudent and systematic
course in disposing of his town lots, Mr.. II.
had the pleasure Of seeing his town gradu-
ally increase in population. For a number
of years, there was much rivalry between it
and Fort Bali (now the second ward) as to
which should DO the county seat, By the
persevering efforts Of Mr. H., and by pur-
chasing much of the property on tho Fort
Ball side, he succeeded in securing the loca-
tion on tho East SIDE This was in 1928.
He then won't to work determined to effect
the removal Of the United Ststos Land Of
fee thon located at Delaware to this city
In this he was successful, and from that
time onward, ,Tihin has progressed rapidly
in wealth and population. In 1881 Mr.
Hedges was chosen to represent this county,
or tho district Of which tiisf county was a
portion, in tho Ohio Legislature. He served
one session, but preferred paying moro at
tention to his own private affairs, and there
fore withdrew from political lifo.