The following are excerpts from the book
"HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY OHIO, With Portraits And Biographies Of Prominent Citizens
And Pioneers" - by Homer Everett, Esq., Wilbur G. Zeigler, and "a writer in the employ of the publishers."
Published by H. Z. Williams & Bro., Cleveland, Ohio; 1882. Reproduced in 1972 by Unigraphic, Inc.;
Evansville, Indiana.
Found on pgs. 208 - 217, in a discussion of the history of the Sandusky County Fair which was held
almost every year, beginning in 1852, and the Sandusky County Agricultural Society which
created and sponsored the event:
~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER XX.
SANDUSKY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
It has been often said, and will bear repeating to each generation of men, as
they succeed each other, that he who makes two blades of grass grow where
only one grew before, is a benefactor to mankind. The enlightened mind
readily consents to the truth of this assertion. But it is equally true that
he who invents the method of extracting from the earth six heads of wheat
where five grew before, or of obtaining four pounds of meat from the same
space of earth which before produced only three, or from the area raises ten
pounds of wool, or cotton, or sugar where before only eight pounds were
produced, is equally a benefactor to the human race. The same may be said of
all those whose observations and reasonings result in the improvement of our
fruits and vegetables, and our domestic animals. Agriculture and horticulture
of late years have made rapid advances toward the front rank of the sciences,
but they still fail to stand where their real importance demands them to be
placed, in the social and scientific scale. Among the noblest works of the
earnest, thinking men of Sandusky county, is that to improve agriculture and
bring the pursuit of it into a proper position in the opinions of high-minded
and scientific men, by the organization of the society named at the head this
chapter.
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
In the summer of 1852 Dr. LaQuinio Rawson, who had become the owner of
valuable farming lands within the city limits, began to turn his attention to
the cultivation of the soil. He at once began to call the attention of
neighbors and friends to the advantages which would be derived to the farmers
of the county, and the people generally, by the formation of an agricultural
society. His reasonings and persistent urgency of the movement, soon brought
others to his support, and resulted in a meeting at the court-house in
Fremont, on the 31st day of August, 1852, at which the society was organized.
At this meeting Hon. John Bell was chosen chairman, and Daniel Capper
secretary pro tem. Sardis Birchard and Jonas Smith were made a committee for
the appointment of a board of directors for the ensuing year. This
committee, after consultation, reported as directors for the ensuing year the
following names: La Quinio Rawson, president of said board; Samuel Hafford,
vice president; Stephen Buckland, treasurer; Daniel Capper, secretary; and
James Vallette, Isaac Glick, Samuel Skinner, Alvin Coles, and D. Adams,
managers, which appointments and report, on motion, were adopted and approved
by the meeting. The meeting then adopted a constitution.....
The names of the members of this society when this constitution was adopted,
are recorded in this work as upon a roll of honor, to be hereafter remembered
with gratitude by the future patrons of husbandry in the county. They are:
Matthew M. Coe, Samuel Hafford, James Parks, Edward Leppelman, Daniel Capper,
John Bell, F. I. Norton, James Vallette, Isaac Glick, Samuel Skinner, Jonas
Smith, J. F. R. Sebring, L. E. Boren, Jacob Lesher, David Garvin, Jacob
Bowlus, Peter Burgoon, LaQ. Rawson, J. S. Olmsted, Alvin Coles, F. S. White,
S. Birchard, C. D. Hall, George R. Haynes, L. B. Otis, E. F. Dickinson, C.
Edgarton, S. Buckland, J. P. Haynes, James Mitchell, J. L. Greene, William
Kepler, Horace E. Clark, F. Vandercook, R. P. Buckland, G. M. Tillotson, B.
J. Bartlett, A. J. Dickinson, C. O. Tillotson, George Engler, J. R. Pease, D.
Adams, J. S. Fouke, J. B. G. Downs, John S. Tyler, Homer Everett, John Moore,
Samuel Thompson, Jesse Dorcas, Aaron Loveland, John Lefever, Daniel Tindall,
Henry Nichols, J. C. Wales, J. Justice, Philip King, Paul Tew, Samuel
Fennimore, C. J. Orton, Dean & Ballard, James Moore, William A. Hill, W. M.
Stark, Isaac Knapp, Daniel G. Shutts, Joseph R. Clark, Christian Doncyson, H.
Shiveley, James H. Hafford, Jacob Kridler, Thomas L. Hawkins, W. B.
Stevenson, John Orwig, Seneca Hitt, J. F. Smith, N. P. Birdseye, Adam Jordan,
Norton Russell, F. Lake, George Cogswell, A. B. Taylor, John Younkman, W. C.
Shutts, Hiram Haff, Miles W. Plain, Jesse Emerson, Martin Bruner, Sidney
Forgerson, Lyman Miller, C. King, Orlin Sylva, John Whitmore, Isaac Mowrer,
Henry Bowman, Hiram Miller, A. J. Henper, Edwin Doud, S. H. Tibbals, F. M.
Clayton.
FIRST MEETING OF THE DIRECTORS
The board of directors of the Sandusky County Agricultural Society, chosen as
we have mentioned above, met at the office of the secretary on the 4th day of
September, 1852 ; present, LaQuinio Rawson, Samuel Hafford, Stephen Buckland,
Daniel Capper, James Vallette, Samuel Skinner.
The board, after due consultation and deliberation, resolved that the first
fair of said society should be held at Fremont, on the 13th day of October,
1852 ; and they also then and there resolved to invite all the members of the
society to exhibit at said fair horses, cattle, sheep, swine, poultry, field
crops, fruit, dairy products, and manufactured articles, and at the same time
fixed the premiums on the various articles to be exhibited.
Although it might be interesting in the future to publish a detailed
statement of the premiums offered at this first county fair, we omit the
details, because we intend giving the premiums actually awarded, what for,
and the amounts, which will give the reader will desire, and will avoid, at
the same time, a repitition of matter in this connection.
AWARD OF PREMIUMS
At the first annual fair of the Sandusky County Agricultural Society, held in
1852, premiums were awarded as follows:
Class A, Cattle. --- Best yoke of working oxen over four years old, to Isaac
Glick, of Ballville, $5. Best bull over four years old, William Hill, of
Scott township, $3; second best bull, Otho Lease, of Jackson township, $1.
Best bull over three years old, D. Seaman, Ballville township, $3; second
best over three years old, Lyman Miller, Green Creek township. Best bull over
one year old, James Vallette, of Ballville township; second best bull, John
Lefever, Green Creek township, $1. Best milch cow, John Moore, of Ballville
township, $3; second best milch cow, James Vallette, Ballville township, $2.
Best fat ox, John Moore, Ballville township, $3. Best two year old heifer,
George Cogswell, Sandusky township, $2; second best two year old heifer,
Samuel Fennimore, of Ballville township, $1. Best yearling heifer, William
Kessler, of Sandusky township, $2; second best yearling heafer, D. Seaman,
Ballville township, $1.
Class B, Horses. --- Best stallion, S. H. Tiballs, York township, $3; second
best stallion, John Colvin, York township, $2. Best brood mare and colt, P.
Burgoon, Sandusky township, $3; second best brood mare and colt, John
Whitmore, Townsend township, $2. Best pair matched horses, J. C. Wales, York
township, $3; second best pair matched horses, H. Haff, Townsend township,
$2. Best gelding over four years old, J. Hale, Sandusky township, $3; second
best gelding over four years old, B. J. Bartlett, Sandusky. Best work horse
over four years old, E. Doud, York, $1. Best carriage horse, William Tew,
Townsend township, $2. Best three year old colt, C. G. Green, Ballville
township, $3; second best three year old colt, N. Bowlus, Sandusky township,
$2. Best two year old colt, W. Shutts, York township, $2; second best two
year old colt, Hiram Haff, Townsend township, $1. Best yearling colt, John
Whitmore, Townsend township, $2; second best yearling colt, John Whitmore,
$1. Best three year old stallion, J. Gibbs, Riley township, $3; second best
three year old stallion, William Shrader, $2. Best jack, Joseph R. Clark,
Riley township, $2.
Class C, Sheep. --- Best buck, Hiram Haff, Townsend township, $2; second best
buck, S. Hafford, Ballville township, $1. Best pen of five ewes, D. Capper,
Sandusky township, $2; second best pen of five ewes, S. Fennimore, Ballville
township, $1.
Class D, Hogs. --- Best boar over one year old, James Vallette, Ballville
township, $2. Best breeding sow, John Moore, Ballville township, $2; second
best breeding sow, James Vallette, $1. Best fat hog, S. Thompson, Sandusky
township, $2. Best pen of pigs, William Kepler, Sandusky township, $2.
Class E, Fowls. --- Best lot five domestic fowls, P. Brush, Ballville
township, $2; second, James F. Hults, $1.
Class F, Dairy and Kitchen. --- Best roll five pounds butter, Mrs. Treat,
Ballville township, $2; second do. Mrs. S. Buckland, Sandusky township, $1.
Best lot cheese, Mrs. P. Tew, Townsend township, $2. Best bread, Mrs. P.
Brush, Ballville township, $2; second do. Mrs. S. Buckland, Sandusky
township, $1.
Class G, Fruit. --- Best variety table fruit, Lyman Miller, Green Creek
township, $2; second do. A. Loveland, Sandusky township, $1. Best lot winter
fruit, H. Bowlus, Sandusky township, $1; second do. William King, Ballville,
$1. Best lot grapes, Mrs. L. B. Otis, Sandusky township, $1. Best quinces,
Mrs. Russell, Green Creek township, $1; second do. Mrs. S. Treat, Ballville
township, $1; third do. Mrs. R. P. Buckland, Sandusky township, $1.
Class H. --- Best acres of corn, H. Haff, Townsend township, $5; second do.
William Hyatt, Ballville township, $2. Best variety garden corn, Mrs.
Dickinson, Sandusky township, $1. Best potatoes, George Brim, Woodville
township, $1. Best turnips, George Hyatt, Ballville township, $1. Best
squashes, Miles W. Plain, Green Creek township, $1. Best beets, Mrs.
Vallette, Ballville township, $1. Best honey, Mrs. S. A. Loveland, Sandusky
township, $1.
Class I. --- Best farm wagon, J. C. Wade, York township, $3; second do. M.
Halderman, Rice township, $2. Best straw cutter, William Orr, Sandusky
township, $1. Best dressed calf skin, Dickinson & Co., Sandusky township, $1.
Best side harness leather, same, $2; second do. M. Justice, $1. Best buggy,
William Raymond, Sandusky township, $3. Best barrel flour, James Moore,
Ballville township, $2. Best bacon, M. W. Plain, Green Creek township, $2.
Best two-horse buggy harness, James Kridler, Sandusky township, $2. Best farm
harness, M. W. Plain, Green Creek, diploma. Best lot fruit trees, J. A.
Watrous, Green Creek, diploma. Best tin roof, Canfield & Co., diploma. Best
sofa, J. W. Stevenson, Sandusky, $3; second do, same, $2. Best card table,
same, $2. Best panel door, F. Luke, Sandusky, $2. Best domestic carpet, M. W.
Plain, Green Creek, $2; second do, S. E. Edgerton, Sandusky, $1.
Class K. --- Best woolen stockings, Mrs. Tew, Townsend [sic], $2; second do.
Mrs. Tyler, Sandusky, $1. Best comforter, Mrs. Norton, Sandusky, $1. Best
made quilt, Mrs. Hyatt, Ballville, $2; second do, Mrs. Zimmerman, Sandusky,
$1. Embroidery, A. M. Olmsted, Sandusky, $2; do, Miss E. Knapp, $2; do. Miss
A. Kepler, $1; do. Mrs. Thorndyke, $1; do. Miss E. Ball, $1. Needlework,
Mrs. Thorndyke, $2; do. Mrs. Parker, 2; do. Mrs. Boren, $1; do. Mrs. J. Nyce,
$2; do. Miss Taylor, $1; do. Momeny, $2. Best coverlet, Mrs. Younkman, $2;
do. second do. Mrs. Treat. Embroidery, Miss Justice, $1; do. Miss S. E. Ball,
$1. Drawing, Miss A. Norton, $1; do. Miss A. Norton, $1; do. Miss O.
Dickinson, $1; do. Miss S. Dickinson, $1. Best variety house plants, Mrs. J.
W. Wilson; do. Miss Olmsted. Best collection wax work flowers, Mrs. Orton,
$1. Best basket of flowers, Mrs. C. King, $1. Needlework, Mrs. Wells, $1; do.
Miss Montgomery, $1; do. Miss Raymond.
RECEIPTS.
> From voluntary subscriptions and donations,
and from fees ......................................................................................... $236.54
> From the county treasury under the law to encourage
the formation of agricultural societies ...................................................... 200.00
>For lumber sold after the fair .................................................................... 58.88
Total Receipts ........................................................................................ $495.42
DISBURSEMENTS.
For lumber .............................................................................................. $105.00
For laborers ................................................................................................ 88.00
For printing ................................................................................................. 23.00
For brass band ........................................................................................... 15.00
Premiums awarded .................................................................................. 205.00
Total expenses ....................................................................................... $436.00
Balance in the treasury on settlement ...................................................... $59.42
This detailed statement of premiums awarded, to whom and what for, and the statement of the receipts
and disbursements of the first agricultural fair in the county, may not now be of much interest to the
reader. But the time is coming when, like the incidents of early pioneer life, to the present age, all the
particulars of the first fair will be deeply interesting to those who would watch the progress of the society
in all its phases, and more especially to that portion of the people of the county who would measure the
progress of the county in the most important of all the industries pursued by man.
WHERE THE FIRST FAIR WAS HELD
The society had acquired no land on which to hold the fair of 1852. However,
it procured the right to sufficient room to begin. If the reader will take
the map of Fremont, find State street, and follow it to the east end of the
bridge over the Sandusky River, and find lots number four hundred and
sixty-four and four hundred and sixty-five, fronting that street on the south
side of it, and notice numbers four hundred and thirty and four hundred and
thirty-one in the rear of them, they will find the ground where the first
agricultural fair was held, beginning on the 13th day of October, 1852......
<< SNIP>> [skipping over several years, here]
WHO FITTED UP FLORAL HALL IN 1861.
As a matter of history, already interesting in the county, and to become more
and more interesting as time rolls on, we give the names of the committee
designated by the board of the society, to fit up floral hall for the fair of
1861. We record them here for two reasons. First, because it gives some idea
of the interest the people took in these annual exhibitions. Secondly,
because it preserves for future mention the names of a number of the men and
women then prominent in our social circles, for their taste and devotion to
the cause of improvement in all directions. The committee named by the board
for fitting up floral hall, for the annual fair of 1861, were as follows:
J. W. Failing, O.W. Vallette, Henry Buckland, Willard Norton, L. Morehouse,
E. Simpkins, Mrs. G. Grant, Mrs. L. Q. Rawson, Mrs. G. Canfield, Mrs. Nat
Haynes, Mrs. John Magee, Miss Eliza Simpkins, Miss Beckey Simkins, Miss
Isabella Nyce, Miss M. Justice, Miss Martha Raymond, Miss Ellen Hafford, Miss
Jennie McLellan, Miss S. Botefur, Miss E. A. Morehouse, Miss Mary Canfield,
Miss Amelia Norton, Miss Sarah Jane Grant, Miss H. Thompson, Miss Myra
Kepler, Miss L. Kepler, Miss Emma Downs, Miss A. Sharp, Miss Sarah Wilson,
Miss Mary Durand, Miss Eva Bartlett, and Miss Bell Maxwell.
To the resident of Fremont in the year 1861, who was familiar with the social
organization at that time, the names on this committee will awake
reminiscences of intense interest. The list of young, and beautiful, and
cultured ladies, embraces what was, at that time, the cream of our collected
beauty of person, and culture of intellect, and, no doubt, those who resided
in Fremont in the fall of 1861, and witnessed how these earnest, and
beautiful, and good women labored to make the fair of the society for 1861
interesting and profitable, will trace the history of each gentleman and lady
of this committee through the checkered scenes of their after life with
intense interest.....
<< SNIP>>
DURING THE WAR
> From the formation of the society in 1852, to the year 1862, although the
civil war broke out in 1861, the annual fairs had been held without a single
failure in any year. True it is that in the year 1861 the war cloud hung
heavy over all the land, but so remote were the people of Sandusky county
from the contending armies and the battlefield, that our business was not
seriously interrupted until the summer of 1862. Then the cloud, thicker and
darker than before, spread over the whole sky and enveloped us in darkness,
gloom, and fear.
After the premium list was published and the days for the fair selected, we find the following entry on the
journal of the society, in the handwriting of the secretary, Vallette:
Fremont, August, 1862"
"Owing to the unsettled state of the county on account of
the war, and the fact that the draft in our county came on
the days appointed for our fair, it was decided by the
officers of the society to postpone the fair for this year.
O. W. VALLETTE, Secretary
Hence, the society held no fair in the year 1862.
[skipping ahead to 1866]
In May, 1866, the board met and ordered that Theodore Clapp superintend the building of a new fence
around the fair grounds, and put the grounds in good condition.
On the 28th of September the board met and made the following entry on their journal:
"Fremont, September 28, 1866.
Owing to the late floods, and the damage done on the
fair grounds, it has been decided to postpone the fair for
this year.
O. W. VALLETTE, Secretary"
Therefore no fair was held in the year 1866, on account of a flood. Thus we see the society was
prevented from holding its fairs twice in the first fourteen years of its existence, first in 1862, by the war,
and, second, in 1866, by a flood which overflowed and damaged its grounds.
On the 14th of February, 1867, the members of the society met at the office of Theodore Clapp, and
elected the following officers to serve the ensuing year: Platt Brush, president; Charles H. Bell, vicepresident; E. Walters, Charles Powers, George W. Beck, and J. V. Beery, managers.
On the 7th of March following, the board met, and elected J. V. Beery secretary, and J. P. Elderkin
treasurer.
Let it be remarked that about this time some enterprising gentlemen who were fond of cultivating speedy
horse-flesh, had organized the Fremont Driving Park Association, and had rented some out-lots on the
hill, on the east side of the river, on which a fine track was formed, on which the speed of trotting and
running horses could be tested and compared. Let no one think or suspect that anything like vulgar
horse-racing was connected with this Driving Park Association. The out lots rented by this association
were very finely situated for a fair ground. Hence, at the meeting of the board in March, 1867, on motion
of Mr. Rathbun, Platt Brush and Charles H. Bell were appointed a committee to confer and make
arrangements with a committee of the Driving Park Association, to hold the county fair upon their ground.
On the 23rd day of May, 1867, the board met; present, P. Brush, George Beck, D. Betts, B. Inman, E.
Walters, and John V. Beery. The committee, C. H. Bell and P. Brush, reported that they had rented the
driving park for nine years, at a yearly rent of seventy-five dollars, for the purpose of holding the fairs of
the society. After the adoption of this report, the president appointed Charles H. Bell and Saxton S.
Rathbun, a committee to attend to the removal of floral hall from the old fair ground to the driving park. At
this same meeting the premium list was arranged, and the next fair of the society appointed to be held on
the 2d, 3d, and 4th days of October, 1867, the days of the week being Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
The fair was held, accordingly, on the grounds of the Driving Park Association, the premiums awarded
and paid, and the fair was now established on the east side of the river, on the hill and above the reach of
floods. But the facilities for procuring a supply of water were lacking, and there was no shade. Still the fair
was well attended, and was reasonably successful.....