Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-04-12
THE NORTHWEST
THE CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF OHIO.
BY W. FARRAND FELCH
copyrighted. AHrights reserucd.l

copyrighted. AHrights reserucd.1
THE FOUNDING OF "THE FUTURE
GREAT.n
Relative to the very early occupation
of this part of the Maumee valley by
the French, full reference has been
made in part first of the present work,
Soon after the evacuation of Ft. Miami
which followed the victory of General
Wayne, many French and Americans
settled at the foot of the rapids. In
October, 1907, there were few families
at Maumee City. Near the mouth OF
the river, opposite Manhattan, a
French settlement had been established
near the village of the Ottawa Indians,
about 1906 or 1908. The Ottawa viii
lage had been in existence since the
Pontiac Conspiracy, and the chief of
the Ottawa nation was descendant of
Pontiac. There were about 5000 of the
Ottawas at this time. The last hun
dred of these 5000 to go west in 1887
were nothing but drunkards and
vagrants-mades so by contact with the
whites. The full history of Toledo is
given at great length in Knapp's His
tory of the Maumee Valley-a very
valuable work.
"Maumeen was laid out in 1917, by
Major VIM. Oliver and Others. 1t is
eight miles south of Toledo, at the head
of navigation on the Maumee, and on
the Wabash and Erie canal opposite
Perrysburgh orFt. Meigs. A spirit of
rivalry existed between these towns
and Toledo. Toledo was originally two
distinct settlements-the upper "Port
Lawrence" the lower "Vistula." In
1888 these two were united under the
name Toledo. The future great city of
Toledo covers the site of stOckade
fort, called Fort Industry, erected about
the year 1900. A treaty was held in
this fort with the Indians, July 4th,
1905, by which the Indian title to "the
Fire Lands" was eXtinguished. The
Insignificant settlements of Port Law
renee and Vistula were formed much
later. Toledo was incorporated as a
city in 1886. 1t was the center of oper-
ations in "the Ohio and Michigan
war;" so called, which we have already
mentioned.
In Mr.. Knapp's work, Mr.. Richard
Mott gives
SOME INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES OF
TOLEDO
When he came there in 1885. III ar
rived there after three days ride by
stage from Columbus. The Black
Swamp was frozen hard, and we had
an easy ride through that then dread
region. Willard V. Way, then as now
a resident of Perrysburg, was the only
other passenger in the stage, our three
days association making us pretty we'll
acquainted" He stopped at
the 'Toledo House."
Adjoining the Toledo House was
the store of w. J. Daniels & Co. VI
Over the store, reached by outside
stairs, was a large room occupied by
Emery ID. Potter, since Judge, as q
lawyers Office. This Office was much
resorted to by the Judges friends, who
wished to write or transact business,
all of whom were heartily welcomed
by him-pens, ink and paper and q
a seat at his long table thrown in. 1t
was, in fact, the most attractive loaf
ing place in the town. Occasionally,
in the evenings, debating society met
there. y Joshua r. Giddings and
Benjamin F. Wade came in the spring,
and took part in some real estate pur-
chases. Wade did not stay long, but
Giddings remained long time and
took an active part con dnOre in the
debating society. n ~ Ralph p.
Buckland, (now Gen. Buckland, Of
Fremont came soon afterwards on the
same errand, and remained until in the
summer. James M. Comstock came
about the latter part of March, 1885,
His brother, Stephen B. Comstock, had
been here since 1882, and was a very
old settler by that time. Stephen was
in fact one of the pioneers. n He
was also postmaster. The latter posi-
tion he resigned In 1887, being Whig,
to make way for Judge Potter
Stephen died in 1858.
"Until the spring of 1887 there were
no sidewalks anywhere in the place;
not even one of q single plank. u
The Erie and Kalamazoo railroad was
in course of construction, from Toledo
to Adrian, under o charter from the
Territorial Legislature of Michigan. ~
"At Columbus, ! had left Stephen B.
Comstock aud Andrew Palmer, who
were successfully lobbying for charter
for roilroad from Toledo to San
dusky. . y
"In the struggle between the rival
towns, Toledo and Maumee, 1t became
necessary for Toledo and Manhattan,
three miles below, to make common
cause. " u y Some of the present
citizens of Toledo had originally cast
their fortunes at Maumee--amongt them
Gen. John q. Hunt, Jessup w. Scott,
Samuel r. Young, Morrison r. Waite,
and others. It Is easy to understand
how powerful were the influences
which men ofsuch ability and energy
could bring to bear in favor of their
own location"
Amone the noted pioneers of this
period, mentioned by Mr.. Knapp, were
Willard j. Daniels, F. Prentice, Gen.
John Elliott Hunt, DR.. III. Conant,