Our Township History
The township
form of government is the oldest form of government in the United
States. Our Pilgrim Fathers brought the Township form of government
to America in 1620, and it spread west as far as the Rocky Mountains.
Today, almost half of our 50 states have the township form of local
government. |
As the Ohio Territory became populated, it was only natural for the Township form to become the basic unit of government. In 1804, the elected officials of a Township consisted of three Trustees, a Clerk, Overseers of the poor, Supervisors of highways, and a Justice of the Peace. That basic structure exists today. |
The
present Township of Swanton bore the name of Wing Township from
1836 until
1851. The name was that of the first white settler in the area,
Chandler L. Wing, who built a log house on the West bank of Swan
Creek, on
the East half of the SE quarter of Sec.8 . The first election under
the new name of "Swanton Township" was held on April
7th of 1851. |
Other "firsts" for our township were:
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First
frame house -
the dwelling and store of Luther Dodge, on the East bank of
Swan Creek and on the NE quarter Sec 5, near the junction of
the NE and NW branches of that stream. Built in 1837
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First
frame barn - put up for a Mr.
Pray of Waterville in 1840 by Lewis Gale. It was on the SE corner
of the NW quarter of the SE quarter of Sec 29.
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First
road opened - that which is
now known as the State Road, running from Maumee to the town
of Swanton and on to the State line. It was located in Dec.
1835, with a Mr. P.B. Scott being one of those appointed for
that purpose.
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First
bridge - was across Swan Creek
on the State Road, and was built during the Winter of 1836-37.
It was located 25 rods E of the W line of Sec 8, and built by
Samuel Barrett.
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| First attempt at fruit growing - a small orchard was set out by P.B. Scott in the Spring of 1835. |
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First
blacksmith shop - was that
of James Williams. A third shop was built on the W.D. Herrick
place near Scott's Corners (Send of the E half of NE quarter
of Sec 7)
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First
wagon shop -
that of Chester Scott, and located on the P.B. Scott farm (Scott's
Corners). |
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First
sawmill - built by William
Taylor around 1858 on the NE corner of the SE quarter of the
SE quarter of Sec 6.
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First
and only Town plat - laid out
in 1836 by James Jackson and James H. Forsyth of Maumee. The
plat was located at the SW corner of the NW quarter of Sec 8,
and embraced what was commonly known as Scott's Corners. Nothing
beyond the platting ever came of the enterprise.
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First
public house or tavern -
kept by Huntington Larabee, as early as 1834. At the time
of the
first settlement of Swanton Township, the travel through it
was comparatively heavy - consisting mainly of "movers",
as the emigrants from the East to the West were called. The
housing of these and the care of their teams constituted the
chief business of the large number of small taverns found
along the line of such travel.
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Originally, Swanton
was the most central point in Lucas County, and as such was the usual
place for holding political conventions and other county assemblages.
That all changed after Fulton County was formed from the western section
of Lucas. |
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For
several years after settlement, game was abundant in Swanton Township.
Deer were numerous, with some wolves and cougars and an occasional
bear. Elk horns were found in large number, showing the former presence
of that animal. A few moose horns were also found here and there. |
In the summer
of 1837, and for several years thereafter, Chief Ottokee of the Ottawa
Indians and a part of his tribe lived on the N half of the SE quarter
of Sec 5. He owned the place and occupied a house there, which was
built by a Mr. Halford in 1835. The Indians hunted and sometimes sold
a side of venison for 25 cents, often trading for vegetables. Most
of the trading was done by the squaws, and the majority of the Ottawas
were honest. Chief Ottokee was a fine looking Indian, and when the
balance of his tribe were removed West, he refused to go. He died
here in Swanton Township, having become drunk and then freezing to
death one winter. |
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