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CHAPTER XXXIII
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES
Closely identified wit h the agricultural prosperity and groAvth of the
county, are the different farmers' societies that have had -a wonderful
influence in uplifting and elevating the masses by bringing people of all
classes together and infusing a spirit of mutual dependence and interest
in each other. Prominent among these is the Erie County Agricultural
Society.
Its history properly antedates the formation of Erie County it having
been first known as the Huron County Agricultural Society, organized
in June, 1833. The records of the Erie County Agricultural Society
from 1833 to 1878 contain many facts of the early history of the society
and are exceedingly interesting. At the time mentioned Huron County
embraced the present limits of Erie. The following is copied from the
minutes of the first meeting: "In pursuance of an act of the Legislature
of the State of Ohio, passed February 25, 1833, to authorize and encourage
the establishment of agricultural societies in the several counties
of the State, public notice is hereby given that a public meeting will be
held at the court house in Norwalk on the last Friday of June, 1833,
for the purpose of organizing an agricultural society to be called the
Huron County Agricultural Society." Accordingly the meeting Avas
held as above and one of the first, if not the first agricultural society in
the state Avas organized by the election of.the following officers: Amos
AVoodward, president; Timothy Baker, vice president; Lemuel Morse,
Levi Barnum, Lester Cone, John Millen, John Fulton, Aaron Corbitt,
Arunah Eaton, Wm. P. Mason, Daniel Beach, and Charles B. Simmons,
directors. Eben Boalt, treasurer; John V. Vredenburg, corresponding
secretary; Joseph M. Root, recording secretary.
The first annual fair was not held until October 18, 1838, at Norwalk.
We append the program: '.'The Throne of Grace was first addressed by
the Rev. Mr. lliggins; Agricultural address, by F. B. Sturgis, Esq.;
awarding premiums." From the reports of the latter we cannot refrain
from taking a few items. Best acre of corn, George Powers, 63 bushels
shelled. Best one-half acre of potatoes, John D. Allen, 100 bushels.
One-half acre beets. J. V. Vredenburg, 125 bushels. Samuel Preston is
reported to have raised from seven square rods of ground, at the rate
of 685 bushels of potatoes per acre. We find first premium on "improved
cooking stoA'c'' given to William Gallup, the only utensils of any
kind on exhibition. The amount in premiums offered at this fair was
$70. At a meeting of the Agricultural Board, December 14, 1838, a
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