MOUNT ERIE TOWNSHIP---INTRODUCTION---BOUNDARIES---EARLY SETTLERS AND INCIDENTS---ALEXANDER RAMSEY---TOPOGRAPHY---CHIEF PRODUCTIONS---MILLS---THE VILLAGE OF MOUNT ERIE---WHEN AND BY WHOM LAID OUT---ITS PRESENT BUSINESS REPRESENTATIONS---LODGES---CHURCHES---SCHOOLS, ETC., ETC.
The historian to whom is ascribed the pleasant yet ofttimes perplexing task of gathering together the tangled threads from which a comprehensive recital of the historical happenings incident to the time of the country's early struggle for occupation and development can be given, has to usually contend, among other obstacles, with that of a considerable lack of details and of preciseness in names, dates and early records, and these constitute the very elements of despair in his endeavor to reach a satisfactory conclusion of his labors. The pioneer generations have nearly all passed away, and with them has unfortunately gone a share of the interesting and valuable history concerning days long gone by. Such history is certainly as interesting and instructive as it is varied and strange. To sit by our firesides at the present day and be enabled by means of the improved facilities in writing and printing to read the romantic story of the stanch and adventurous pioneer to study his character and habits, and to learn of his manner and means of gaining a subsistence in the hitherto unexplored domain of wild men and beasts, is indeed a source of extreme satisfaction and profit. There are happily a few old settlers yet left us, whose infancy was spent amid the romantic scenes of early times, and whose memories still retain the innumerable descriptive stories told them in days of old at the old fireside by their fathers and grandfathers, and we snatch these as we would a child from the burning building, lest they are all consigned to oblivion, and the future know little of the interesting past.
Mt. Erie Township, to the history of which this chapter is devoted, revels in historical occurrences of the greatest importance. The territory embraced within its limits comprises some of the richest farming lands in the county of Wayne, and it is no surprise that it was among the first to be settled up. The one and one-half Congressional townships, Township 1 north and the south part of Township 2 north , Range 9 east, of the third Principal Meridian, of which Mt. Erie is now composed, were formerly and previous to the township organization included in Long Prairie Precinct, which latter was also called by some for a few years Mt. Erie Precinct.
The present boundaries of the township are: On the north, by Richland and Clay Counties; on the east, by Edwards County; south, by Massillon Township; and west, by Elm River and Zif Townships, which situates it in the northeast corner of Wayne County.
Alexander Ramsey came into the township on a prospecting tour in the latter part of the year, 1818, and on Christmas night arrived at the foot of the hill on which the village of Mt. Erie now stands. No wonder that he paused here. A large and beautiful spring, whose crystal waters glistened and sparkled in the sunlight, sent forth a spontaneous invitation to him to stop and freely partake of its refreshing draughts. It was situated at the foot of the hill and in the midst of a grove of the finest and most luxuriant growth of white oak timber that his eyes had ever beheld. This, with the beautiful prairie which stretched for miles before his anxious gaze, so gently undulating and dressed in the garments of nature, undisturbed, with a broad river winding its rippling and solemn way through the picturesque scene to the north, caused him to make a halt, which he did, and here, upon the same spot, he died in 1856, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. He named the grove spoken of, and it was known by his name for upward of forty years. Mr. Ramsey was born in South Carolina, and when only sixteen years of age entered the service in the Revolutionary war, and served during the last two years of that memorable struggle for liberty and independence. Coming with Mr. Ramsey into the township were his son James, Alexander Nisbet, William Farmer, William McCormick and possibly Andrew Bratton. The balance of Mr. Ramsey's family, consisting of his wife, two sons and two daughters, followed him shortly afterward, as did also the families of the others mentioned, with the exception of McCormick, who was a single man. The old settlers were usually ardent hunters; especially was old Mr. Ramsey fond of the hunt and chase, and many a bear and deer have succumbed to his unerring aim. The last bear killed in Mt. Erie Township was shot by Alexander Nisbet. A man by the name of Thrasher came into the township from Kentucky in 1819 or 1820, and died a few years afterward, being the first grown person that died in the township. William Whitford and family, and families by the name of Davis and Stinson, came a year later, as did also William Fitch, who afterward moved into Elm River Township, and Anthony Street, both latter of whom came from Tennessee. John Rice located here about 1827, and died in the township. About the same year, David Ray and family came from Tennessee, and after residing in Mt. Erie about fifteen years moved into Brush Creek Township, where he died. About 1825, William Farley and family came from Kentucky, and he died here at an old age. His son, Andrew J. Farley, still resides in the township, and a daughter, Jane, is also living, the wife of John Fitch, a farmer in Elm River Township. Joseph, Hugh and James Walker, three brothers, came from Indiana here in 1832, and the following year Charles and James Vanderveer, Larkin and Gillison Price and Jesse Williams, coming from the same State, located here also. Settlements were less rapid up to about 1850, in which and several subsequent years there arrived many families from Ohio.
Mt. Erie Township, as before stated, lies in a rich farming section of county. It is diversified between woodland and prairie, and the soil is usually light or grayish and very rich. The principal timber of the township, composed chiefly of the various varieties of oak and hickory, is found along the course of the Little Wabash River, which enters the township in Section 19, Town 2 north, Range 9 east, and leaves it in Section 12, Town l north, Range 9 east. Miller Creek, a small stream, rises in the south part of the township, and flowing northeast empties into the Little Wabash. As pure water as is found anywhere in the county is found in Mt. Erie at an average depth of twenty feet, though there are a few wells that have a depth of sixty feet.
The chief productions of the township are the usual varieties of grain and the seed of the red-top grass, the latter being one of the chief productions of this and the surrounding country. The farmers of this section give considerable attention to stock, including principally the finer and hardier breeds of cattle and hogs.
Among the first things to claim the attention of the old settlers was some kind of a mill by which their corn could be converted into meal, and this was one of supreme importance. The old stump mill had been superseded by the horse mill, and the first machine of this description brought into Mount Erie Township was run by old Alex Ramsey for about fifteen years. It was located where Mount Erie Village now stands, and its successor was one put up in the east part of the township by James Bradshaw, about 1840, and this was operated for ten years. The first steam mill was erected in the village of Mount Erie in the year 1866, by William Schwarberg; a grist mill was added, and a carding machine subsequently attached. It was sold to Price & Nisbet, who ran it for five years, when it was sold to Price, Baldridge & Co., who shortly afterward built a new mill, now know as the "Gem Mills,"and operated by Miller, Mc Collum & Co.
A substantial bridge, having a total length of 140 feet, and resting upon wooden piers, was built by the county in 1880 across the Little Wabash River, in the north part of the township. It was built at a cost of $1,300, and is of infinite advantage to the residents of the township on both sides of the river.
The Village of Mount Erie.---This is a most beautiful little town, situated on a considerable rise of ground in the south part of Section 17, of Town 1 north, Range 9 east. Its corporate limits include, 240 acres of land. Seen from a distance, it presents an extremely romantic and picturesque scene, reminding one of some ancient citadel, reared upon the crest of a lofty hill. The original plat consisted of ten acres of ground sold by Alexander Ramsey to Nathaniel Travers and Jonathan Copley, with conditions in the deed that the latter two would lay out a town, which they did in the year 1853, the plat being surveyed by William Whitacre, then county Surveyor. The town was to be named Ramsey, but Mr. Ramsey himself preferred "Mount Airie," and this latter name was given it. The first building erected in town was a little frame hut, put up by William Copley, and used by him as a dwelling and store. A post office was created at this point in 1856, and Andrew Crews was appointed the first Postmaster. He was succeeded in the order names: By A. . Nisbet, Edward Willey, L. Mayo, V. R. Price, and J. T. Price, the present incumbent. Mount Erie Lodge, No. 331, A., F. & A. M., was organized in 1858, with the following charter members: E. Boor, George L. Camp, C. McElvy, J.T. Price, J.M. McCormick, Edward Willey and J. C. Williams. The first officers were: E. Boor, G. L. Camp, S. W.; J. M. Mc Cormick, J. W.; J. T. Price, Sec.; C. McElvy, S. D.; J. C. Williams, J. D.; and E. Willey, Treas. The present (1883) officers are: A. N. Nisbet, W. M. ; M. H. Sheldon, S. W.; L. Wright, J. W.; J. W. Vanderveer, Sec; J. T. Price, Treas.; D. Holmes, S. D.; and F. M Yohe, J. D. The Lodge is in a prosperous condition, owning their own property, which includes a neat and commodious hall, and has a membership of about forty. The principal business representations in the village are as follows; General stores, by J. T. Price & Co., A. F. Nisbet & Son, Vanderveer & Bradshaw, and Camp & Quinby. Hardware, Carson & Vanderveer. Milliners, Mrs. Holt and Mis. Helen Blackford. A fine saddle and harness shop, two blacksmiths, one wagon-maker’s and one cabinet-maker’s shop. The resident doctors are Mundy, Blackford and Sheldon. Mount Erie supports an excellent graded school, employing three teachers. The building is a large frame structure, erected in 1866, and is divided into three grades, under the management of Principal Stats, with able assistants Lillie Holmes and Ella Kronmiller. Mount Erie has two church buildings, both frame structures, one built by the Presbyterians in 1856, with William Finley as first pastor, and the other by the Methodists, two years later, and this latter church is still in a flourishing condition. Rev. John Reader is the present pastor. The outlook for the little village of Mount Erie is bright. Her people are an enterprising one, and she possesses an admirable location, which, with the ample railroad facilities soon promised, bespeak for her a progressive prosperity for all time.
The early church and school history of Mount Erie Township is substantially the same as elsewhere, and receives adequate attention in other chapters of this work. Jacob E. Reed came through this country on his circuit at a very early day, and Alexander Blakley was the first pastor of the Methodist Church. Revs. Spilman and Bennett, both Presbyterians, paid annual visits to this section, and dispensed the Gospel to its scattered residents. The only church building outside of Mount Erie Village lies a few miles southeast of the latter, and is known as the McKendree Chapel. It was built by the people generally, but has been used principally by the Methodists.
The first school taught in the township was by a man by the name of Camp, and the little log schoolhouse was situated but a short distance southeast of Mount Erie. Russell Curry, succeeded Camp, and taught in the same building. The following items regarding the schools of Mount Erie Township are compiled from the official report of the county Superintendent, and are for the years ending June 30, 1883:
Number of frame schoolhouses, 7; number of pupils enrolled 591; number of teachers employed, 14. Average pay of same, males, $35; females $25. Estimated value of school property, $4,000.
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