The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-05-02

INTERESTS.
That the above caption Is cOmpre-
hensive enough, none will deny, and
yet It outlines the purpose and design
of this extended article. Our first de-
sire is to give some data relative to
the past-enough to allow the reader
to realize that life really "greatens in
these later years, and that Tifiin, In
the race for prominence and substan-
tial prosperity mas not Jagged and been
left behind by its fieet-fOoted and en-
terprising neighbOrs. We are not
writing fiction, and shall not draw on
our imagination for facts. The only
difficulty we apprehend is in keeping
our sketch within reasonable limits as
to length. With this brief introduce
ton, like the prologue to play, the
bell rings, the curtain rises, and enter
the drdmatis persona:
About the middle of July, 1913, a
detachment Of men under the COM
mand of Lieutenant-COlonel James
V. Ball, built a stOckade near the old
Army road upon the bank Of the San
dusky river, opposite the present town
Of Tifin, and In honor Of its COM
mandant, Il was called Fort Ball.
On the 18th of November, 1917,
Erastus Bowe, the first settler in Sem
eca county, arrived at Camp Ball
where a log house had been erected
for him within the limits of the old
camp. Soon after his arrival he built
a house just below Camp Ball, and
here he opened the first tavern in the
county. To be sure, tie patronage
extended to his modest little hostelrie
was limited, hardly comparing with
that of the Shawhan or Commercial
ofto-day. Guests didn't appear at ta-
BILE in well-fitting bIOad-clOth and i'm
maculate linen, nor stretch their legs
under tables heaped with delicaeies,
still the "Bowe House" I'VE presume
that was its name) served its purpose
well. Whether its landlord secured a
competency or not history Dies not
inform us.
Oakley was the name of the first
town surveyed in SeEeea county, JO-
seph Vance standing godfather to the
infant, Abner Pike being the first set
tier. Soon after, David Risdon put in
an appearance, and, on the 1st of
April, 1919, he was appointed Post
master. The joke was a good one.
Oakley didn't attain metropolitan
greatness, and in 1924 the town of
Fort Ball was surveyed upon the same
plat by David Risdon, receiving its
name from the camp before mentioned.
About this time DIR. Eli Driesbach and
Rodolphus Dickinson settled in Fort
Ball, being, respectively, the first ply
sician and first attorney in the coun-
ty. Since then, the members of these
professions have become as sands on
the sea shore i'm multitude.
On the 25th Of November, 1887, New
Fort Ball was surveyed and plated. by
James DurbIn, County Surveyor. It
was situated upon the eastern portion
of what was known as the Armstrong
Reservation and was made to include
all of the northern addition TO Tiffln
and all of what was before known as
Fort Ball.
In 1921, Josiah Hedges entered at
the Delaware land Office most Of the
land upon which Tifin now stands.
1t was surveyed by Gen. Jas. Hedges,
brother of the proprietor, and the first
Improvement Of any kind upon the
town-plat was made in March, 1922.
Soon after, Messrs. Wetz, DremOn,
John MIN and Henry Weleh were
each presented with town lotion the
condition that they should erect cab
ins and bring on their families, which
was accordingly done. Here was the
nucleus of a city.
James Sphinx, OF Wooster, came tC
the place at about the same time,
bringing with him q small stock OF
goods, but the next winter he left, his
store having been burglarized, and he
didn't like that way Of doing business,
you know. Simeon B. Howard, from
the eastern part of the State, came to
the place during the same month; 50
that on the 95th of March, 1922, "a
little over 50 years ago, the day that
the County Seat was located here
there were six cabins in the town.
In the same year 1s22), Mr.. Hedge.
erected a saw-miII on Rocky creek
about quarter of mile east of the
town and q grist-mill upon Sandusky
river a half mile to the north. He al
so erected the first frame house upon
the town-plat. 1t was used as a store
until the next year, and then, for
series Of years was occupied for tho
holding of the County Courts which
were continued in it until 1928.
Quoting from local historian: Tit
prospects of Tiffin the first few year
following its birth were not very fiat
tering, nor its appearance very pre-
) possessing. The unhealthiness of tht
toWn-its situation on the side of the
river then without a BRIDGE opposite
to Fort Ball through which the mair
travelled road from Columbus TO Low
er Sandusky then extended, and tn
: vigorous efforts made from time t
time to remove the seat of justier
from Tifin to Fort Ball--an con
spired to dishearten. These fear
proved groundless; however, and, &C
eording to the census of Is40, the tow
: had a population of rs. In 1913,
contained two Lutheran, two Catholic
one Episcopal, one Methodist Episec
= pal. one Reformed Methodist, and on
German Reformed Church. Also
four hotels, one foundry, eight grocer
: les, nine tailor shops, three silver
J, smiths, five saddIers, four cabine