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.
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