Auglaize County, Ohio

History of Auglaize County

The County Seat

At the organization of the county a strife arose between St. Marys and Wapakoneta for the location of the seat of justice. The former, as the oldest town located in the more populous portion of the county, urged these facts as grounds for priority. The latter urged geograhical advantages, being more centrally located, and thus entitled to priority. The claims of both were well founded, and with this status the question was submitted to the people. There was little doubt of the ascendancy of St. Marys, as the populous settlement in the south was favorable to her interests, while Wapakoneta was largely dependent on the more sparsely populated section of the east.

When the question was thus submitted to the voters of the county, German township, holding the balance of power between the rival factions, was generally conceded to have favored St. Marys, but, by some manipulation of the returns, they were never handed in with those of the other townships, and Wapakoneta, in absence of those returns, had a decided majority, and thus secured the prize. It is impossible to determine what the results would have been had this self-disfranchised township expressed its real sentiment; but it is evident that it lay in its power to dictate between the rival towns. This rivalry, naturally enough, developed into enmity, and this, in its turn, has retarded the growth of both towns. Perhaps the most prominent illustration of the evil results produced, was in the cas of the P., F. W. & C. R. R., which was driven from the county by the jealousy of these towns. To-day many realize the need of this road, and are watching closely the prospects of securing the N. Y., Pa. & Ohio road over about the same old proposed route. Let them bury the past, improve the present, and build a future.

From "History of Auglaize County, Ohio, with the Indian History of Wapakoneta, and the First Settlement of the County", Robert Sutton, Publishers, Wapakoneta, 1880