The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-07-13


that the oldest could not tsll how long these
French had lived upon the river. Several
told him they hand lived thore before the
war ot she Revelation.
A Priest came from Detroit once o year
an1 travelled through to Vincennos. He
was the law.maker for the people. Ii par.
tics desired 10 marry when the Priest was
not in the vicinity, they travelled 10 Detroit
Ill that was ineonvenient, they went be.
fore some respectable man, with THAR
friends, who read chapter Of the Bible.
instructed them in their duties and gave
thom good advice generally, and upon prom
ising to be legally married when tho Priest
came on his regular tour, they we're permit.
ted to live together as husband and wife.
The hrss marriage soiemniLed in the Maui
moo Valley under the laws Of the State,
took place February 20, 1917, the bride be.
ing Miss Mary Jones and the groom Aurora
Spaford, son of Amos Spaffprd, Postmaster,
Charles Gum, Justice OF the Peace, oiIicia
ting. The wedding took place in Perrys.
burg. The parties had boen botrothed for
some months, but could not DO united be.
cause there was no one in the county author.
lied TO solemnize marriages being Protest.
ante, they objected to being isarried by a
Catholic Priest, and the plan of the French
settlers was even more Objectionable. The
arrival of SIR. Gunns commission removed
all impediments, and two days thereafter
the ritcs we're solemniEed. Mr.. Spaffo;d
died some years ago at Perrysburg--Mrs.
SPanord is still living, aud was present yos
terday at the celebration.
The first white child born in the valley,
was Almira Hull, daughter of Captain Da.
vid Hull, at Perrysburg, in Novemhor, 1917.
She was married to DR., Colby, of Defiance,
aud is still living at that place.
Mr. Way gave q circumstantial account
OF the war between Ohio and Michigan. for
the possession of " the promising child now
called Tcledo," which we reproduce entire.
Az in all other troubles, there was wo.
man in it i"
DR.. Consnt settled at Maumee City in 1916. He
was intimately acquainted with General Cass
then Governor OF tho Territory of Michigan, A
little while after arriving at Maumec, he received
from Governor Cass a commission to act as Just.
ice OF the Peace in the County of Erie, in the Ter.
ritUry Of Michigan.
The commission came to him unexpectedly and
he received It as joke, without desiring or ex-
pecting 10 use It.
In the year 1919, Seneca Allen was an aetna
Justice Of the Peace in Waynestleld Township
under the laws Ohio, residing on the Perrysburr
side oil the river. Wayneshed Township at thai
time, was the only organized township in the Mau
NEE Valley. His Jurisdiction extended over a
territory quite as large as the present Congrs a.
ional District. lie learned that DIR. Conant had 4
commission from the Governor of Michigan to acl
as Justice Of the Peace In part of his iurisdic-
tiOn. He went tc the Doctor aud warned him NOT
to act under hls commission, as Maumes was in
the State Of Ohio, and the authority Of MichigAn
could not be recognized there. The Doctor. how
ever, had done no business AZ Justice, aud did NOT
expect To-. ~ .ar 41uo ra. rrttu1 ~
Allen had matters all his own way without any
interference. About three years after this, in De.
cember, 1919, Allen had an appointment 10 marry
n couple on the Maumee sido OF the river. The
river was high ard full Of running ice, aud II was
very unsafe to attempt to cross. Dir. COnant lived
near the bank of the river on the Maumee side
and Allen lived near the bank on the Perrysburp
side, and nearly opposite. Wh6n he ascertained
he could not get across the river to marry the
couple at the appointed time, he called to DIR. Co
nant across the river, told him Of his engae
and requested him TO go and marry the couple
The Doctor replied, giving as an excuse for no
going, that he, Allen, had objected to his authority
IN act Allen replied that this was case of ne
cessity, and that necessity knew no laws the par
ties were young and ardent and could not he pu
of; that his commission from the Governor o.
Michigan would do well enough for th4s occasion.
Tue Doctor married the couple, aud received
from the bridegroom common jack-k for his
fee. .,r-l.,,- .. . .'--f rtr
Some time after that, the Doctor and Allen met
Allen proposed compromise. He proposed for
himself to exercise exclusive Jurisdiction over the
territory the Perrysburg, or south, side Of the
river; and that the two should have Jurisdiction
in common on the Maumee, or north, side of the
river. The proposition was assented To-. No diff
Guilty occurred until 1885, when the dispute broke
out afresh, on more extended and warlike scale.
In the midst Of the preparations for the deadly
strife, Uncie Sam stepped in and commanded the
peace.
0hio's claim Of paternity to the child was estab.
hshed. The offspring is worthy its mother. We
survived the campaign, and are now permitted the
pleasure to enjoy reunion upon the very ground
then occupied as the headquarters of the enemy.
In 1884, Toledo contained enough men
for game of base ball. and it's business
was carried on in a small warehouse, about
as large as q village grocery, but whether
there was store or tavern, Mr.. Way does
not remember. Perrysburg, at that time,
boasted of four good stores and three tav-
erns, two of which are yet in existence,
and Maumoe City had two storos aud one
tavern.
We have given only meagre and i'm.
perfect synopsis OF Mr.. Ways address
which was listened to with much interest
A copy OF the address is TO be preserved in
the archives of the Society, and will prob.
oIsl