Sandusky County.

Watered by Scioto river and its branches and Paint creek, whose bottoms produce abundant crops of corn. The chief productions are corn, wheat, and oats. Fine cattle, sheep, and swine, are raised in the county. The early settlers came principally from Kentucky. towns and their population, in 1840, were:—

Its

1,235

Jefferson

871

411

Liberty. . 1,256

589 Paint

1,380

Springfield.

. 2,632

Capital.-CHILICOTHE. It is handsomely situated on the west bank of Scioto river, in Scioto township. Its plan has been thought to resemble that of Philadelphia. The Scioto washes its northern limit, and Paint creek its southern, here three fourths of a mile apart. The principal streets follow the course of the river, and these are crossed by others at right angles, extending from the river to the creek. The two main streets, which cross each other at right angles at the centre of the township, are ninety feet wide. Water street, which fronts the river, is eighty-two and a half feet wide; the other streets are sixty-six feet wide. Founded in 1796. It had, in 1840, a courthouse and jail, two markethouses, a United States land-office, twenty-three stores, an elegant banking-house, four churches-one presbyterian, one associate reformed, one episcopal, and one methodist-two academies, eighty-five students. Population, three thousand nine hundred and seventy-seven. In the midst of the village was an ancient mound, now removed to give place for buildings. The Ohio canal passes through it. On the west side of the village is a hill, rising abruptly to the height of three hundred feet, from which there is a beautiful and extensive view of the place, and of the surrounding country. Population in 1817, about 6,300.

SANDUSKY COUNTY.

SANDUSKY is situated toward the northwest part of the state, and contains three hundred and twenty square miles. It was formed from old Indian territory, in 1820. The origin of the name is disputed. Sa-undus-tee, pronounced San-doos-tee, is a Wyandot expression, signifying at the cold water, and this, probably, is the derivative of the name. Some trace its origin to a trader named Sowdowsky. The surface is generally level and the soil fertile. The western portion is covered by the Black swamp. Watered by the Sandusky river and its branches. Portage river crosses its northwest corner. The chief productions are wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, and pork. The French had a trading station in this region long before the revolution, but its first permanent

Capital.-LOWER SANDUSKY. It is situated on the west bank of Sandusky river, which is navigable to this place for small steamboats. In 1840 it contained a courthouse, two churches, ten stores, two warehouses, one gristmill, and one sawmill. Population, eleven hundred and seventeen. Fort Stephenson was situated here, where Colonel Crogan made a gallant defence, in the war of 1812, against the British and Indians. The remains of it are still seen.

SCIOTO COUNTY.

SCIOTO is situated upon the Ohio river, in the south part of the state, and contains six hundred square miles. It was formed in 1803, and its named is derived from its river, which the Wyandots called Sci-on-to. The surface is uneven, and in some parts very hilly. Generally very fertile, particularly the river bottoms. It is watered by the Scioto and Little Scioto rivers and their branches, and washed, on its southern boundary, by the Ohio. The river bottoms are well adapted to corn, and in every part, the smaller grains are raised. Wheat, corn, and oats, are the chief agricultural products. Iron, coal, and freestone, are found in abundance, and the manufacture of the former, is carried on quite extensively in the eastern part of the county. First settled by people from Kentucky. Its towns and their population, in 1840,

Capital.-PORTSMOUTH. It is situated on the east bank of Scioto river, at its entrance into Ohio river, and at the termination of the Ohio canal. It had in 1840 a courthouse, markethouse, jail, three or four churches, a bank, a steam sawmill, and gristmill, one flouring-mill, one rolling and slitting mill, one nail factory, one iron foundry, one cardingmachine, a printing-office, twenty-five or thirty stores, seven commission warehouses, numerous mechanic shops, two hundred dwellings, and about one thousand five hundred inhabitants. As a place of business, its situation is commanding. Iron ore, mineral coal, and fine building stone, are found abundantly in the vicinity.

90

Seneca and Shelby Counties.

SENECA COUNTY.

SENECA is situated in the north part of the state, and contains five hundred and forty square miles. It was formed from old Indian terriIts name is derived from the tribe tory, in 1820, and organized in 1824. of Indians who had a reservation within its limits. Its surface is level, and soil very fertile. Watered by the Sandusky river and its tributaries. The streams are generally deep and sluggish. Its chief agricultural products are wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, hay, and pork. Settled principally by emigrants from Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and portions of Ohio. Its towns and their population, in 1840, were :

Adams
Big Spring
Bloom
Clinton

Hopewell

1,250

913

Reed

925

Jackson.

Scipio

1,084

Seneca

London.

763

Thompson

Pleasant

. 1,222

Venice

Capital. TIFFIN. It is situated on the Sandusky river, and contain

ed, in 1840, a courthouse, jail, several stores, a printing-office, issuing a weekly newspaper, and about six hundred inhabitants.

SHELBY COUNTY

SHELBY is situated toward the west part of the state, and contains four hundred and eighteen square miles. It was formed from Miami, in 1819, and so named in honor of Governor Shelby, of Kentucky. The surface is various, the southern moiety undulating and somewhat hilly. The northern part is a high flat table land, and forms a part of Loramie's summit,* nearly four hundred feet above Lake Erie. The soil is fertile, and is adapted to all kinds of agricultural productions. The principal crops are wheat, corn, oats, and hay. Watered by Miami river and its branches. Settled chiefly, at first, by Kentuckians. Its towns and their population, in 1840, were:—

Capital.-SIDNEY. The village is situated on the west branch of Great Miami river. It contained in 1840, a courthouse, forty-four feet square, a jail, eleven stores, eighty dwellings, and seven hundred and thirteen inhabitants.

* So called from a Canadian Frenchman, who established trading stations in that region. He was a bitter enemy of the Americans, and often excited the Indians to deeds of horror. The mouth of a creek bearing his name was the first point of English settlement in Ohio.

Stark and Summit Counties.

STARK COUNTY.

STARK is situated toward the northeast part of the state, and contains six hundred and fifty square miles. It was organized in 1809, and named in honor of General John Stark, of New Hampshire, a distinguished officer of the revolution. The surface is level or slightly undulating, and the soil fertile. Watered by Tuscarawas river and its branches. It is one of the richest agricultural counties in the state. Wheat is its great staple; and corn, oats, barley, potatoes, hay, and flax and clover seed, are produced in great abundance. Flocks and herds everywhere abound. Iron and mineral coal are found in many places. Settled principally by Pennsylvania Germans, and emigrants from their "fader-land" and France. Its towns and their population, in 1840,

Capital.-CANTON. This village is pleasantly situated on the forks of the Nimishillen creek, which unite one and a half miles below the village, and it is surrounded by a fertile country. Settled in 1806; it had in 1840 a courthouse, a jail, three brick offices, four churches, mostly of brickone presbyterian, one methodist, one German Lutheran, and one Roman catholic-eighteen or twenty stores, one academy, a markethouse, a bank, a library company, a mechanics' society, two printing-offices, and nearly three hundred dwellings. It had one thousand two hundred and eighty-four scholars in schools. Population, three thousand two hundred and ninety-nine.

SUMMIT COUNTY.

SUMMIT is situated toward the northeast part of the state, and contains four hundred and twenty-two square miles. It was formed from Portage, Medina, and Stark, in 1840. It was originally called the portage summit, hence its name. The surface is moderately uneven; the soil very fertile, and productive of fine fruit, and the various agricultural staples, wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, and hay. Butter and cheese are extensively manufactured. Immense beds of bituminous coal have been opened, and also extensive strata of fine potter's clay. Both are becoming articles of extensive commerce. It is watered by Cuyahoga and Little Cuyahoga rivers, and the head waters of the Tuscarawas.

Trumbull County.

The first settlement in the county was at Hudson, in 1800, by New
England people. Its towns and their population, in 1840, were:-

Capital. AKRON. It is situated at the junction of the Ohio and Erie and the Ohio and Pennsylvania canals, thirty-eight miles south of Cleveland, one hundred and sixteen west of Pittsburg, one hundred and twenty-three northeast of Columbus, three hundred and twenty-one from Washington. By a succession of locks at Akron, the Ohio and Erie canal rises suddenly to the Portage summit, and presents many picturesque views. The Little Cuyahoga river, and the waste water of the canal afford extensive water-power; and so great is the descent, that it is used several times over. By means of another canal, the water of the Great Cuyahoga river is brought along a ridge of high land in the north part of Akron, by which a greater water-power is produced. Akron is a place of great activity in business, and has an extensive trade. It contained, in 1840, a courthouse and jail of stone, five churches, one baptist, one episcopal, one presbyterian, one methodist, and one universalist. It had four commission houses, capital $4,500; thirty retail stores, capital $64,850; four furnaces, four fulling-mills, one grist-mill, one oil-mill, two printing-offices, and three weekly newspapers. Capital in manufactures, $153,750. The village of Akron had one academy, nine students, six schools, two hundred and sixty-nine scholars. Population, one thousand six hundred and sixty-five; in 1847, about 3,100.

TRUMBULL COUNTY.

TRUMBULL is situated toward the northeast part of the state, and contains eight hundred and seventy-five square miles. It was formed in 1800, and contained within its original limits the whole of the Connecticut Western Reserve. It has been dismembered to form a part of Mahoning. The surface is undulating; and the soil, loamy or sandy, is very fertile, and adapted to grazing. Watered by the Mahoning river, and the Musketoe, Shenango, Meander, and Mill creeks, and the head branches of Grand river. The chief agricultural productions are wheat, corn, oats, hay, and potatoes. Wool, butter, and cheese, are produced in abundance. It was first settled by Connecticut people. Its towns and their population, in 1840, were:—