dent of the place, William W. Culver, formerly from the state of New York.

The Seneca County Academy, a spacious brick edifice, is located a little east of this town, in the center of a beautiful plain, containing about four acres of ground, partially surrounded by a pleasant grove. The building has accommodations sufficient for three hundred pupils, and presents an imposing appearance. The act incorporating this academy was passed by the General Assembly of Ohio, March 4th, 1836. [See Appendix.]

The members of the corporation met and organized, Febru ary 8th, 1844. The capital stock of the institution amounts to three thousand dollars, and is divided into three hundred shares of ten dollars each, the principal part of which was taken in Scipio township.

The stock-holders, at their first meeting, elected nine trustees-William C. Cole, Evan Dorsey, and John McConaghy, for three years; Timothy P. Roberts, Charles Lamkin, and James H. Benham, for two years; and Zephaniah Hathaway, William Toll, and David D. Ogden, for one year. At the expiration of one year, Josiah Roop, Alfred Johnson, and Zephaniah Hathaway were elected for three years, to fill the vacancies which had then occurred. February 2d, 1846, Sylvester H. Lamkin, Robert R. McKee, and Joshua Maynard, were elected for the ensuing three years.

The president and secretary are elected annually, by the trustees. The treasurer is elected by the stockholders, for the term of three years.

The board elected Timothy P. Roberts, first president, but having sold his share in the stock, his office became vacant; whereupon, Josiah Roop was elected to fill the vacancy. Joshua Maynard, M. D., has since been twice elected president, and still continues in that office. William C. Cole, became first

secretary, serving until the first Monday of February, 1847, when he was succeeded by Josiah Roop, the present incumbent. Edson T. Stickney, was the first treasurer, and has since continued in office.

The academy commenced operations November 10th, 1845, S. W. Shepard, principal; Miss Sarah Jane Thayer, preceptress, and Mrs. Elizabeth A. Baxter, teacher of music. Mr. Shepard studied his preparatory course in the state of Vermont, and graduated with the degree of A. B. at the Ohio University. Three years after, the degree of A. M. was conferred upon him by the same institution. He is still principal of the academy.

On the 1st of July last, a Miss Curtis was employed as preceptress, and teacher of music and drawing, which station she still occupies.

A primary department was established in this institution, in the winter of 1847, under the charge of Miss Amelia E. Root, as teacher. Miss A. Pearce is at present conducting the same. The whole number of pupils that have attended this institution since its commencement, up to the present time, is four hundred and thirty-two.

CHAPTER IX.

Thompson Township-Sink-holes-Cave-Lewisville-Reed Township -Lodi-Venice Township-Caroline-Attica.

On the 25th of April, 1820, the commissioners of Sandusky county set off a township in this county, to which they gave the name of Thompson. It extended, also, into the former county; and its boundaries, as defined by the commissioners at that time, were as follow: "Beginning at the north-east corner of the Seneca reservation; running thence north, to the present trailed road from Croghansville to Strong's settlement; thence east, until it shall intersect the Fire-lands; thence south, with said line to the base-line; thence west, along said line, until a line due north will strike the place of beginning." This tract comprehended, besides a portion of Sandusky county, nearly half of this county east of the Sandusky river.— Thompson includes at this time the original surveyed township, No. 3, in the 17th range, and the fractional township, No. 3, in the 18th Range.

The first township election was held on the 6th day of May, 1820, at the house of Joseph Parmenter. The first settlers in this township were William and Nathan Whitney, Joseph Parmenter, Horace Purdy, David Underhill, James Whitmore, James Underhill, Eli Whitney, Jasper Underhill, Benjamin Clark, Solomon Dimmick, Benjamin Murray, A. H. Twiss, and others several of whom are still residents.

There were several squatters upon the land of the United States within the limits of Thompson; but owing to the scarcity of water at that time, most of them left the county.

The population of this township, in 1830, amounted to 362. In 1840, it had augmented to 1404. It is now steadily and rapidly increasing in population and wealth, ranking as one of the first townships in the county. The soil is remarkably fertile, and the face of the country beautifully undulating. The appearance of many of the farms-their farm-houses and extensive barns, indicate the intelligence, activity, and wealth of its farmers-among whom are John Bunn, Samuel Steward, Jacob Bunn, Jacob Karn, John Reyer, Daniel Close, M. Good, Jacob Decker, John Heter, Peter Dewalt, William Heter, Solomon Dimmick, A. H. Twiss, and many others.

Thompson is settled principally by people from the state of Pennsylvania, and immigrants from Germany. Of the latter, there is a large settlement in the south-eastern section of the township, which is rapidly increasing. They are Roman Catholics, and have established a Nunnery, which contains, according to the best information we could obtain, twenty-four brothers and fifty-nine Sisters of Charity.

• The greater part of Thompson rests upon a bed of limestone rock, which is from two to twelve feet below the surface. This bed is usually loose, and the seams in the rock form the numerous "sink-holes," which are seen in all parts of the township. Of these, two are worthy of notice. Into one, a stream called "Sink creek" precipitates itself, and entirely disappears. Many years ago, a saw-mill was erected, just above the sink, upon this stream, and is still in operation, with sufficient water to drive it over three months of the year. To the west of this, is another sink, where a small stream also disappears, upon which a saw-mill has likewise been erected. During the occurrence of the greatest floods, these sinks are too

small to receive the waters from above, in consequence of which an overflow is caused, inundating considerable of the country beyond.

But by far the greatest object of interest in this township, is the "Thompson Cave." The entrance to this remarkable place is about ten rods from the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad; near the south end of the east half, of the northwest quarter, of section one; which is almost in the extreme north-east corner of the county. It is situated upon the land owned by Mason Kinney, one and a half miles from Bellevue, and three-fourths of a mile from Lewisville, in this township.

The discovery of the cave is generally attributed to George and Henry Hassan. It was probably first explored by Lyman and Asa Strong. As early as the year 1815, it was known to the settlers upon the Fire Lands, and was then much frequented by hunters, for the purpose of killing rattle-snakes, which were found here in great numbers. From this circumstance, it was called the "Rattle-snake's Den." But these poisonous reptiles have long since disappeared.

The mouth of this cave is a space of about six feet in length, and three in width. Upon examining the land in the immediate vicinity, it appears that about five acres, from some unknown cause, have sunk several feet. Some have conjectured, that the lime-stone rocks once rested upon a bed of soap-stone, which was washed away in time, leaving a cavity, into which the whole mass above was precipitated, causing a wide seam in the rocks, which constitutes the cave. That there has been a great convulsion of the earth in this vicinity, is almost certain; for, as you descend into the cave, it is discovered that on one side, the strata of the rocks are nearly horizontal; while on the other side, they are inclining at an angle of about forty degrees.

Upon entering the passage, a natural path leads gradually downwards in a north-easterly direction. At the depth of