PDF (20 MB) - Virtual Library of the Public Library of Cincinnati

HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY 37
been found to exist, it is easily drained into the streams with which the
county is well supplied, and thus empties into the lake.
Erie County is bounded on the north by Lake Erie. But from this
statement must be excepted Kelley's Island, which now forms one of the
county's tOAvnships, and which is situate some sixteen miles from Sandusky
City, according to the usual route of boat travel. It lies nearly
due uorth from the city. The county is othenvise bounded, east by
Lorain County; south by Huron County, the bounding townships thereof
being Lyme, Ridgefield, NorAvalk, ToAvnsend and Wakeman, and on the
west by Sandusky County.
As originally created, the county contained eleven tOAvnships, but
tAvo years later Danbury Avas set off to the formation of OttaAva County,
as was Kelley's Island, but the latter was erected into a toAvnship while
attached to Ottawa, and Avas at a still later day reannexed to Erie agreeably
to the prayer of the petition of its inhabitants; therefore this
island IIOAV forms a part of Erie County, although situate some sixteen
miles distant therefrom.
Outside of the City of Sandusky there is no manufacturing except.
the cement industry at Castalia, the Hoover plant at Avery, and the
flour mills at Venice. The remaining townships are devoted to the
ordinary agricultural products, except the large grape industries in
Margaretta ToAvnship and on Kelley's Island.
TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS
Groton .
1S40
1,028
1,055
854
1,488
1,104
18S0
2,042
1,330
1,038
1,910
888
2,302
Milan
Portland .
Vermillion
1840 1880
1,531 2,239
730 1,231
839 1,878
1.434 15,838
1,334 1,944
The population in 1840 was 12,457; 1860, 24,474; 1880, ,32,640, of
whom 20,899 Avere Ohio-born; 1,651 NCAV York; 534 Pennsylvania; 4,882
Germany; 1,196 Ireland; 702 England and Wales, and 287 British
America.
The name of this county Avas originally applied to the Erie tribe of
Indians.
By tlic census of 1910 the total population of the county Avas 38,327.
Berlin ToAvnship had 1,933, Florence 1,105, Groton 740, Huron 2,387,
Kcllcy's Tsland 1.017, Margaretta 2.662. Milan 1.847, Oxford 961, Perkins
3.934. Portland 19.989, Vermillion 2,152.
The first custom house Avas located at Danbury on the peninsula.
Later the custom house Avas located in the building IIOAV occupied by
Walther & Klenk at No. 516 Water Street. Then the custom house was
removed to a small stone building then standing across the street from
the last location. Then it took up its quarters in the present postoffice
building.