May 16

Chattanooga School Photo, circa 1913

Below is a wonderful photo of the Chattanooga, Ohio, School, circa 1913, compliments of Doug Roebuck. Best of all, most of the children in the photo are identified.

Chattanooga School School No. 3 was located in Section 8 of Liberty Township, Mercer County, on the southeast corner of State Route 49 and Schaadt Road. It was built before 1876.

During the local oil boom in the late 1800s, a second school house was built next to the first schoolhouse to house the additional pupils. There were four grades in each building. The north building was a little smaller and there was a pump between the two buildings. 

Going by the birth dates of the younger children in the photo, who were probably in the first grade, the photo was likely taken about 1913-14. First graders were about 6 years old and the eighth graders in the back would have been about 14 years old.  

Chatt School, c1913

Front row: Ray Smith, Floyd Bader, Dorsey Gries, Gerald Baber, Victor Baker, Orval Gibbons, Leo Slusser, ____, Glen Schott, Harold Hoffmann, ___ Baber, Vic Andrews, Floyd Bauer.

Row 2: Hugo Kuhn, Carol Andrews, Walter Becher, Herb Huhn, Maynard Slusser, Clar Kuhn, Harold Bauer, Roscoe Kuhn, Clarence Fickert, Basil Felver, Odas Becker, Luther Heffner.

Row 3: Mildred Leininger, Wilbur Kuhn, Rosan Hoffman, ___ ___, Dewey Kuhn, Vernon Heffner, Walter Martin, Murl Smith, Leslie Becher, Vernon Gibbons, Gary Kessler, Lloyd Kuhn, Tony Slusser.

Row 4: Mabel Fickert, Martha Smith, Louelle Martin, Erna Leininger, Marie Reisen, Bertha Becker, Brace Hoffman, Lucille Bollenbacher Branstetter, Evelyn Duff, Bertha Kuhn. 

Row 5: Goldie Koch Stetler, Inez Leininger Zeringer, Matilda Becher, Bertha Morehead, Lenore Reisen, Vivian Gibbons Carr, Clista Baker Fahncke, Lucille Hoffman, Elnora Weiman, Lucille Becher, Louise Becher, Edith Kuhn, Leah Schott, Martha Becher.

Row 6: Teacher Grace Lane, Mabel Fickert, Freda Becher, Elaora Reisen, Barbara Reisen, Leah Leininger, Marguerite Heffner, Lucy Slusser, Vera Michael, Maria Becher, Clara Hoffman, Edith Fickert.

Back Row: Rosan Becher, Dewey Gibbons, Roman “Pate” Heffner, Teacher Howard Michael.

What a large number of students!

Perhaps some of these students were your relatives or maybe you knew some of them. I remember some of them.

I was told that this old building was one of those Chattanooga Schools.

Former Chattanooga School

The Chattanooga School closed in 1939 and the students were bussed to Willshire.

May 09

Where Were the Wolves In Mercer County?

Wolves were a serious problem for pioneer settlers in this part of the country before 1850, a threat to livestock and people. As a result, Ohio declared a “War of Extermination” against wolves in 1818 and created Bounty Laws to eradicate the wolves.

Ohio’s planned wolf extermination worked. Although sources today indicate that the wolves were fully extinguished from Ohio by 1842, Mercer County, Ohio, paid bounties for wolf scalps through 1847.

Wolf Orders, Mercer County, Ohio, 1844-1847

Mercer County’s wolf bounties were recorded in a small handwritten book entitled Wolf Orders (years 1844-1847). Last week I listed the Mercer County men who turned in wolf scalps for a bounty during those years, at $4.25 for the first scalp. Hunters were paid less than that for each additional scalp brought in at the same time.

Where in Mercer County were those wolves living in the mid-1840s? The hunters were likely slaying wolves on their own property, so I reasoned that knowing where the hunters lived would be a good indication of where the wolves lived.

I found that most of the individuals listed in the Wolf Scalp book (1844-1847) were enumerated in the 1850 census, living in Mercer or Auglaize County. Auglaize County was formed from Mercer County in 1848, so a couple wolf-hunters lived in what is now Auglaize County, in Salem and Wayne Townships, townships that were still part of Mercer County at the time the wolf scalp bounties were recorded.

A couple individuals were enumerated in the 1843 Quadrennial Enumeration of Adult White Males in Mercer County. At least two men died before the 1850 census and there are a couple men I could not locate in the records and could not determine where they lived.

In my findings below, I include the ages of the men, as shown in the 1850 census, where they were living, and where I found the information. I included birth/death years for those who died before 1850.

This is where the wolves were probably found and killed in Mercer County between 1844-1847:

Black Creek Township
Daniel W. Harper, 34, (1843 Quad); I don’t know where he was in 1850, but he eventually moved to Iowa
Joseph Harper, (1792-1848), (1843 Quad), died before 1850 census; bur. Duck Creek Cemetery
James C. Heath, 41, (1850 Census)
Thomas Shue/Shoe, 37, (1850 Census)

Butler Township
William Freeman, (1843 Quad) [not sure this is the correct person]

Center Township
Levi A Kizer, 39, (1850 Census)
John Keizer/Kizer, 48, (1850 Census); occupation was “hunter” in the 1850 census
William Bice, 61, (1850 Census)

Dublin Township
John Dysert, 39, (1850 Census)
William Johnson/Johnston, 42, (1850 Census) [I believe this is the correct person]  
Jacob Eicher, 35, (1850 Census)
Elihu Compton, 37, (1850 Census)
Amos Hines, 41, (1850 Census)
Samuel Shaffer, 39, (1850 Census)
William Buck, 21, (1850 Census)

Franklin Township
Robert Muter, 28, (1850 Census)
William Balenger, (1803-1848), (1843 Quad), died before 1850 census; bur. Botkins Cem, Montezuma

Hopewell Township
Alfred Lincoln, age 72, (1850 Census)
Abraham Newland, 50, (1850 Census)

Jefferson Township
Amasa Knowlton, 34 (1843 Quad), [moved to St. Joseph Co. IN by 1850]
Uriah Mead, 29, (1850 Census)

Liberty Township
Jacob Davis, [cannot locate him in 1850 census; one Jacob Davis (1824-1899) is buried in Liberty Chapel Cemetery, but I am not sure this is the correct person]

Salem Township [now in Auglaize County]
Thomas Hussey, 49, (1850 Census)

Union Township
John Anderson, 41, (1850 Census)
Robert Adams, 30 (1840: Union Twp; 1850: Salem Twp, Auglaize County)

Washington Township
George Byerly, 26, (1850 Census)

Wayne Township [now in Auglaize County]
William Cox, 52, (1850 Census)

There are three men I could not locate in the 1840 or 1850 census in this area or in the 1843 Quadrennial Enumeration of Adult White Males in Mercer County:

William Stephenson: a William M. Stephenson (1828-1897) is buried in North Grove Cemetery, Celina, but I do not know where he lived; one William M. Stephenson was enumerated in Hopewell Township in 1880
John Culver: he turned in wolf scalps early 1840s, per the Sutton’s 1882 History, but I do not know where he lived
Ira Bacon; I found nothing about him

It appears that most of Mercer County’s wolves were coming out of Northern Mercer County, most from Dublin Township, with Black Creek in second place.

May 06

Tombstone Tuesday, Francis M. Plants

Francis Plants, Duck Creek Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio (2025 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Francis M. Plants, located in row 6 of the Old Section of Duck Creek Cemetery, Black Creek Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Francis M.
Son of
T. & M. Plants
Died
March 2, 1864
Aged
7 ys, 3ms, 2ds

Francis Marion Plants was born in Mercer County, Ohio, 29 Nov 1856, the third child born to Tobias (1820-1888) and Maria (Neville) (1819-1903) Plants.

In 1850 Francis’ parents moved from the Wayne County, Ohio, area to Liberty Township, Mercer County. His father Tobias purchased 80 acres of farmland from Albert Cortelyou on 12 September 1850 [1], the southeast corner of State Route 49 and Strable Road. That property would eventually become the north end of Chattanooga.

Tobias Plants was one of the first businessmen in Chattanooga, running a general store as early as about 1854. [2] Tobias even gave his occupation as grocer in the 1870 census.

Francis Plants, enumerated as Marion F. Plants, age 5, was enumerated with his parents and his brother William in the 1860 census in Liberty Township: Tobias Plants, 41; Maria, 42; William, 7; and Marion F, 5. The family had a Skeels Post Office. [3]

Francis Plants died 2 March 1864. He was buried in Duck Creek Cemetery, near his sister Ann M. who had died in 1851. [4]

Ann M. & Francis M. Plants, tombstones of siblings, Duck Creek Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio (2025 photo by Karen)

Tobias and Maria Plants’ son William (1852-1890) was the only one of their three children who lived to adulthood.

Tobias and Maria Plants lived in Liberty Township for thirty years and were enumerated there in the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. Tobias sold his 80 acres in Chatt to Jacob Deitsch on 8 October 1870, [5] and Tobias, Maria, and William moved eastward, to Crestline, Ohio, where Tobias worked as a druggist. The three of them remained in Crestline the rest of their lives and all three are buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Crestline.

Tobias Plants died 12 July 1888, age 68 years, [6] and his widow, Maria (Neville) Plants, died 3 March 1903, age 84 years. [7] Their son William Plants died 5 December 1890, age 38 years. [8]

[1] Albert Cortelyou to Tobias Plants, Mercer County, Ohio, Deeds Vol. P:48, 12 Sep 1850; Mercer County courthouse.

[2] Mrs. Maria Plants obituary, Crestline Advocate, Crestline, Ohio, 12 Mar 1903, Newspapers.com

[3] 1860 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, p.359, dwelling 1007, family 1012, Tobias Plants; Ancestry.com.

[4] Ann E. Plants, Find a Grave memorial no. 26808905, Duck Creek Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio; Find a Grave.com.

[5] Tobias Plants to Jacob Deitsch, Mercer County, Ohio, Deeds Vol. 16:441, 8 Oct 1870; Mercer County courthouse.

[6] Tobias Plants, Find a Grave memorial no. 100998955; Greenlawn Cemetery, Crestline, Richland County, Ohio; Find a Grave.com.

[7] Maria Plants, Find a Grave memorial no. 100998934; Greenlawn Cemetery, Crestline, Richland County, Ohio; Find a Grave.com.

[8] William A. Plants, Find a Grave memorial no. 100998965; Greenlawn Cemetery, Crestline, Richland County, Ohio; Find a Grave.com.

May 02

Wolf Orders, 1844-1847, Mercer County, Ohio

Wolves were a serious problem for pioneer settlers and farmers in this part of the country before about 1850. Because they were a threat to livestock and people, Ohio declared a “War of Extermination” against wolves in 1818 and Bounty Laws were enacted to eradicate wolves. Wolf pelts sold for $15 each at first, but by the 1830s the bounty was $4.25 per pelt.

Ohio’s planned wolf extermination worked and, although sources today indicate that the wolves were fully extinguished from Ohio by 1842, wolves were still a threat here in Mercer County until about 1848. A wolf was killed in Van Wert County as late as 1870.

Last week I listed Mercer County men who turned in wolf scalps between 1840-1841, as recorded in Sutton’s 1882 History of Mercer and Van Wert Counties. [1]

Wolf Orders, Mercer County, Ohio, 1844-1847

But Mercer County continued to pay bounties for wolf scalps through 1847, as recorded in a small, official handwritten book dating back to 1844, entitled Wolf Orders. Yes, some Mercer County residents were turning in wolf scalps as late as 1847.

Wolf Orders, Mercer County, Ohio, 1844-1847

Each page in the book details a Wolf Order, using a standard official oath for each person who brought in a wolf scalp, each order hand-written. The standard wolf order oath:

Personally came ______, who being duly sworn says that the wolf scalp now produced by him is the scalp of a wolf taken and killed by him within the county of Mercer within twenty days last past; and he believes the same to have been over six months of age, and that he has not spared the life of any she wolf within his power to kill, so as to increase the breed. Sworn to and subscribed before me ____ [date], F. Linzee, Clerk. ________  [signature of person providing wolf scalp]

Wolf Orders, Mercer County, Ohio, 1844-1847, No. 5, William Johnson, 1844

Wolf scalps were received by Mercer Clerk F. Linzee and each entry also included a receipt of payment. A wolf scalp brought $4.25 for the first one, but hunters were paid less than that for each additional scalp brought in at the same time. I am not sure why that was done.

There are a total of 51 Wolf Orders written in the Mercer Wolf Order book, although the numbering is off in a couple places.

Below is my abstract of the 1844 Wolf Orders book, a list of the names of those who brought in wolf scalps, the date, and the bounty paid. Most individuals provided just one scalp, at $4.25. There are no page numbers, but each person’s wolf order had a number, although the numbering is off in a couple places.

Wolf Orders, Mercer County, Ohio, 1844-1847, No. 1, Alfred Lincoln, 1844

The orders, as they are listed in the book:

No. 1, Alfred Lincoln, 24 January 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 2, Levi A Kizer, 5 February 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 3, John Keizer, 10 February 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 4, John Dysert, 29 February 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 5, William Johnson, 4 March 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 6, Thomas Shue, 15 Mar 1844; 6 scalps/$12.75
No. 7, William Freeman, 15 Mar 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 8, William Johnson, 20 Mar 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 9, Jacob Eicher, 21 Mar 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 10, William Johnson, 22 Mar 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 11, Abraham Newland, 10 April 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 12, Elihu Compton, 17 Apr 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 13, Levi Kizer, 18 April 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 14, John Culver, 11 May 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 15, John Culver, 23 May 1844, 5 scalps/$12.50
No. 16, John Dysert, 25 May 1844, 2 scalps/$8.50
No. 17, Robert Muter, 31 October 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 18, Daniel W. Harper, 2 Nov 1844, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 19, William Harris, 8 February 1845, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 20, Joseph Harper, 8 Mar 1845, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 21, James C. Heath, 19 Mar 1845, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 22, James C. Heath, 19 Mar 1845, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 23, William Bice [no date], 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 24, James C. Heath, 9 Apr 1845, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 25, Thomas Hussey, 5 May 1845, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 26, Thomas Hussey, 5 May 1845, 5 scalps/$12.50
No. 27 & 28, John Culver, 9 May 1845, 6 scalps/$15
No. 29, Amasa Knowlton, 17 May 1845, 3 scalps/$7.50
No. 30, William Cox, 11 June 1845, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 31, George Byerly, 12 September 1845, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 32, Amos Hines, 25 October 1845, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 33, William Stephenson, 30 Oct 1845, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 34, Samuel Shaffer, 21 January 1846, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 35, John Anderson, 31 January 1846, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 35, William Balenger, 15 April 1846, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 36, Ira Bacon, 17 April 1846, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 37, John Culver, 28 May 1846, 2 scalps/$7.50
No. 38, Jacob Davis, 1 June 1846, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 39, William Freeman, 3 June 1846, 6 scalps/$15.00
No. 37, William Ballinger, 25 May 1846, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 40, William Freeman, 20 July 1846, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 41, Uriah Mead, 30 July 1846, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 42, Amos Hines, 31 September 1846, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 43, William Harris, 19 April 1847, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 44, John Culver, 10 May 1847, 7 scalps/$7.50
No. 45, George Byerly, 12 May 1847, 9 scalps/$22.50
No. 46, William Freeman, 6 June 1847, 6 scalps/$15.00
No. 47, Robert Adams, 16 June 1847, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 48, William Buck, 26 June 1847, 1 scalp/$4.25
No. 49, John Anderson, 26 Aug 1847, 1 scalp/$4.25

According to these records, between 1844-1847 in Mercer County, at least 96 wolf scalps were turned in, which means that wolves weren’t really eliminated from Ohio by 1842.

Maybe wolves were coming in from Indiana, Mercer County’s neighbor to the west. Indiana was behind Ohio in eradicating wolves and wolves were not removed from Indiana until the late 1800s. Crossing the State Line probably meant very little to the wolves.

The bounty laws were effective in eliminating wolves in Ohio, but soon after the wolves were eliminated, coyotes took their place since they had no natural predator. 

Years ago, having a wolf skin was considered one of the best ways to show off and was also a way to keep good and warm.

Perhaps your Mercer County Ancestor was a wolf hunter. Or perhaps he just eliminated them from his farm.

Where were these wolves hiding out and slain in Mercer County?

More about that next week.

[1] The 1882 History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio, Sutton, p.133 & 331.

Apr 24

Early Wolf Bounties in Mercer & Van Wert Counties

Wolves have been in the news recently, more specifically, the extinct Dire Wolf. Last year, ancient Dire wolf DNA was used to create three genetically modified wolves that resemble dire wolves. If doing that was a good thing or a bad thing remains to be seen. There was a time, here in Ohio, when people were trying to completely rid the state of wolves.

Ohio was once home to many wild animals that are not in our state today, including wolves. In the early 1800s, there were buffalo, elk, bear, panthers, beaver, badgers, otters, wildcats, cougars, porcupines, and wolves. Most of those wild animals died out or left Ohio in the early 1800s. The last buffalo was in Ohio about 1803. But wolves remained in the area longer and were a problem until at least the late 1840s.

As settlers moved into the Ohio area in the early 1800s, wolves became a problem to modernized farming, mainly as a big risk to farm animals.

My Schumm ancestors settled in Van Wert County in 1838 and their early writings mention the danger of wolves. …The first log hut on the Schumm homestead was one story high and had no door, one of the first to be erected in Willshire Township. A fire was kept in the large fireplace all night to keep the wolves away…

Because of their threat to livestock and people, Ohio declared a “War of Extermination” against wolves and bears in 1818 and Bounty Laws were enacted to eradicate wolves. A high bounty was placed on wolf skins. In the beginning, wolf pelts sold for $15 each, about $300 each in today’s currency. By the 1830s, the bounty was much less, a little over $4/pelt.

The planned wolf extermination worked. Most sources today indicate that wolves were fully extinguished from Ohio by 1842, due to these bounty laws and the resulting high number of wolves killed for the reward. These sources state that the last wolf was killed in Ohio in 1842, that by 1842 they were all gone.

That may have been the case in eastern Ohio, but not around here. Much of our area here in western Ohio was still wilderness at that time and there were still wolves here well after 1842. 

Mercer and Van Wert Counties also gave bounties for wolf scalps and one of the last recorded wolf scalps was taken in Van Wert County in 1870.  

In Van Wert County, “…because the early pioneers had to contend with the annoyances and losses caused by large numbers of wolves that infested the wilds of this and the adjoining counties, the commissioners of Van Wert offered a bounty for the scalp of each wolf killed within the county. The killing had to be proved before the clerk of courts and the official records were written in the “Wolf Book,” showing the date and amounts paid…” [1] Wolf scalps brought $4.25/per scalp in this part of the state at that time.

Each person who brought in one or more wolf scalps was required to subscribe to an oath, which was then entered into the official record. Both Van Wert and Mercer Counties used this oath, hand-written by the clerk, for each person who brought in a scalp:

Personally came ___, who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that the wolf scalp now produced by him is the scalp of a wolf taken and killed by him within the county of Mercer within twenty days last past; and he verily believes the wolf to have been over six months of age, and that he has not spared the life of any she wolf within his power to kill, so as to increase the breed.

Sutton’s 1882 History gives wolf scalp bounty information for both Van Wert and Mercer Counties. The history gives less information for Van Wert County, just giving the total amount paid for scalps per year, beginning in 1837/$17. The largest amount for scalps was paid in 1839/$124. Only one scalp was turned in in 1860/$4.25. The last recorded year was 1870/$15. There was a total of $1273.37 in bounties for years 1837-1870. [1]  

Van Wert County likely had a Wolf Book that contained more detailed information, like Mercer County did. Mercer County’s 1840-41 Wolf Book named the individuals who turned in the scalps, the date, and the amount paid, which was recorded in Sutton’s 1882 History.

Mercer County, Ohio, Wolf Scalp orders granted for 1840-41:

H.M. Smith, 27 December 1839, $8.50
D. Harner, 10 January 1840, $4.25
A. Worthington, 6 February 1840, $4.25
J.H. Hennybaker, 26 February 1840, $4.25
Thomas Davis, 2 March 1840, $4.25
James Schoonover, 5 March 1840, $4.25
M. Hamar, 9 March, 1840, $4.25
W. Boyer, 10 March 1840, $4.25
Samuel Johns, 6 April 1840, $8.50
D. Freeman, 17 April, 1840, $4.25
Jos. Harmer, 24 April 1840, $4.25
George Hines, 24 December, 1840, $4.25
A.L. Freeman, 25 December 1840, $4.25
Wm. Brecker, 31 December 1840, $8.50
A. Worthington, 25 April 1840, $4.25
Geo. Picktner, 5 May 1840, $4.25
Thos. Dennison, 7 May 1840, $4.25
Thos. Davis, 12 May 1840, $8.50
D. Freeman Jr, 14 May 1840, $4.25
David Lucas, 28 May 1840, $10.00
Jacob Frysinger, 15 June 1840, $4.25
Thos. M. Harris, 10 August 1840, $5.00
H. Gillespie, 23 September 1840, $4.25
Azariah Trout, 8 October 1840, $4.50
Benj. Rupert, 14 November 1840, $4.25
Wm. Harris, 10 January 1841, $4.25
Benj Cox, 1 February 1841, $4.25
Samuel Wheeler, 5 February 1841, $4.25
Thomas Sheve, 6 February 1841, $4.25
David Freeman, 8 February 1841, $4.25
D. Freeman Jr, 26 February 1841, $4.25
James C. Heath, 15 April 1841, $4.25
Geo. Freshower, 19 May 1841, $4.25
John Culver, 25 May 1841, $15.00 (6 wolves)
D. Lucas, 31 May 1841, $14.25
Amos Dixon, 2 June 1841, $12.50
George Harris, 4 June 1841, $25.00
T. Miller, 8 June 1841, $5.00
John Vangundy, 5 July 1841, $4.25
R. Garmar, 18 July, 1841, $4.25
Totaling $253.50 [2]

Perhaps one of your ancestors turned in a wolf scalp.

Wolves were still in this area well beyond 1842. Next week I will list those in Mercer County who turned in wolf scalps in the mid-1840s.

[1] The 1882 History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio, Sutton, p.133.

[2] The 1882 History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio, Sutton, p.331.