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

CHAPTER V
VERMILLION TOWNSHIP
This township is named after the Vermillion River, which together
Avith La Chapelle and Sugar Creek constitute the three streams passing
through the township. The soil varies including gravel, clay, sand and
marl. There are some ancient mounds and fortifications and other
traces of early Indian occupation. TAVO of these are in the south part of
the township on the farm owned by John Summers, near the Vermillion
River. William Haddy came in 1808, William Austin, George and John
Sherrarts, Enoch Smith and Horatir Perry in 1809, James Cuddebach,
Almon Ruggles. Benjamin Brooks, Solomon Parsons, BarloAV Sturgis,
and Deacon John Beardsley in 1810.
Almon Ruggles, who Avas the surA'eyor of the firelands, settled on the
lake shore betAveen the Vermillion and Huron rivers. For many years
he acted as hind agent for the Firelands Society. When Huron County
AVIIS organized he Avas chosen the lirst recorder in 1809. He Avas appointed
associate judge of Huron County in 1815, became state senator in 1816,
ami Avas re-el.'eled in ISIS. In 1S24 he AVIIS made representative.
From the circumstance that in the earliest record extant the earmarks
which the earliest settlers in Florence and Vermillion tOAvnships
had caused to be recorded, are draAvn off in the liandAvriting of IlarloAV
Case, stepson of Almon Ruggles: and then I'OIIOAV others, for Vermillion,
in Ruggles' OAVII hand, as toAvnship clerk, it is probable Judge Ruggles
had been township clerk of the tAvo when together, and that the earliest
records had been made on loose papers, and ,that when the record book
was obtained he did not transcribe the doings of the township board,
but only the ear-marks, which were deemed too important to be lost.
Stephen Meeker, Jeremiah Van Benschoter, Peter Cuddebach, John
Beardsley, James Prentiss, William Austin, Almon Ruggles. Rufus
Judson and Francis Keyes, are amongst the names most frequently mentioned
in the earliest records as holding the most important offices.
The first record of a township meeting is in the handwriting of Judge
Ruggles, and Avas held at his residence on the 6th day of April, 1818,
Avhen Almon Ruggles Avas elected clerk; Peter Cuddebach and Jas.
Prentiss, judges of election; Francis Keyes. John Beardsley and Rufus
Judson. trustees: Jeremiah Van Benschoter and Horatio Perry,^overseers
of the poor: Peter Cuddebach and Francis Keyes, fence vieAvers;
Peter Cuddebach, lister and appraiser, and Stephen Meeker, appraiser;
Peter Cuddebach, treasurer: George Sherrarts, Francis Keyes, Wm. Van
Benschoter and James Prentiss, supervisors.
61