Brief History of Moulton Twp.

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Moulton Township is the geographical center of the county, and was organized in 1834 as part of Allen County. When Auglaize County was formed in 1848, nine sections were taken off the north part for Noble Township, leaving 27 square miles within Moulton. There had been some improvement made by the Indians along the Auglaize River, the east half of the township being part of the Shawnee Reservation.

The first white settlements date from 1832 and 1833. The settlers were approximately half American, while the other half was equally divided among German and Irish. These early settlers experienced the usual privations of pioneer life, because of the difficulty of obtaining supplies. After a time, provisions became plentiful, but dry goods and groceries were largely beyond reach on account of high prices. Homespun was the common wearing apparel, and a blushing girl in her teens would make butter at five cents per pound and gather eggs at three cents per dozen to buy a calico dress at 25 cents per yard; and then this dress of calico was more highly prized than would be a fine silk by our fashionable bells of today. Farmers would go to Piqua or Sidney to mill or to market a few bushels of wheat, and bring back family supplies.

The soil is largely a strong clay with considerable burr oak flats of rich black loam, and some fine alluvial loam along the creeks and river. It is productive and generally in a good state of cultivation, being rapidly irrigated and otherwise improved. The surface is gently rolling, without any waste lands, which render its drainage less difficult than other townships of the county. The principal varieties of timber are white and burr oak, birch, sugar, hickory, elm, ash and walnut. The Auglaize River flows through the township, entering near the southeast, and flowing to the northwest. Pusheta Creek empties into the Auglaize in the southeast corner and the Six Mile Creek flows through the west side of the township. In 1880 the Morse Iron Bridge over the Auglaize was a very fine structure on the River Road and reflected credit upon William Craft & Co., commissioners, who superintended its erection. Considerable interest was taken in grading and general improvement of the roads, but by 1880 no pikes had been constructed. The St. Marys and Wapakoneta Plank Road crosses the south side of the township. The northwest part of the township is crossed by the Lake Erie and Western Railroad.

School districts in the township number eight, all furnished with good buildings and in a prosperous condition. There were five churches in 1880: The Catholic church near Glynwood, Methodist and German Lutheran at Moulton; Christian at Oak Grove; and United Brethren on the Auglaize. Moulton is the only true village in the township located on the St. Marys and Wapakoneta Plan Road and has a good local trade. In 1880 it held a drygoods and grocery store, post office, wagon and blacksmith shop, one hotel one school, one sawmill, a cooper and shoe shop and two churches. Glynwood was a station on the Lake Erie and Western Railroad and contained a post office, store, church, shoe and blacksmith shops, saw-mill, factory and offered a good shipping point for the new railroad.


Early Settlers of Moulton Twp.

The following list is of the first settlers in Moulton Township. Other lists will soon be online listing first settlers for each township. For the time being, we will limit the inclusion of settlers up until about the year 1850. Once we have finished this task, we may extend the time-span. If your ancestor doesn't appear here, check the county and other township lists. If you have information about the settlement of your ancestor, please submit it for inclusion on these lists. Your submission must include reference to a source document (i.e. deed, Bible record, legal document).

Key to Source Abbreviations:

Settler

Origin

Settled

Year
Settled

Source /
Researcher

Notes

Baily, Christopher
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Bonson, Jos.
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Bothe, John C.
Moulton 1837/40 ATL80, p. 38
Christy, Cornelius
Moulton 1837/40 ATL80, p. 38
Cogan, John Silgo Co., Ireland Moulton 1851 ATL80, p. 38 Imm. 1847
Cogan, Patrick Silgo Co., Ireland Moulton 1850 ATL80, p. 38 Imm. 1847
Cogan, Thomas Silgo Co., Ireland Moulton 1850 ATL80, p. 38 Imm. 1847
Cook, James L. Delaware Co., OH Moulton 1850 ATL80, p. 38
Crowder, William, Col.
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Cutler, Daniel
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Daniels, Abner
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Freyman, John C.
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Glynn, John Galway Co., Ireland, Col., Oh Moulton 1857 ATL80, p. 38 b. 15 Aug 1820, Imm. 28 Aug 1851, laid out town of Glynwood
Haskill, Jos.
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Jones, Thomas
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Julian, George
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Julian, William
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38 Son, George Julian
McConnell, Henry
Moulton 1837/40 ATL80, p. 38
McFarland, John Pennsylvania Moulton 1840 ATL80, p. 38 b. 1814, md. Nancy Lawhead, 2 ch: W. E. McFarland d. 1879; md. 2nd Rosanna Walker, 4 ch: John L., S. Walker, Frank J., Mary. Rosanna d. Aug 1854. Md. 3rd Susan Ward, 2 ch: Mollie and Celia. Md. 4th Catharine Whetstone. J.P. 31 yrs.
McGuff, Richard Galway Co., Ireland Moulton 1862 ATL80, p. 38 Imm 1847
Musser, John, Sr. Elizabethtown, PA, Fairfield Co., OH Moulton 1852 ATL80, p. 38 b. 15 Oct 1799, md. Rachel McCollum in 1826, 10 ch.
Nagle, Benjamin
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Schoonover, Thomas Tioga Co., NY St. Marys Twp. 1836 ATL80, p. 38 b. 1827
Waite, John
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38
Walker, Samuel
Moulton 1837/40 ATL80, p. 38
Williams, Thos.
Moulton 1832/33 ATL80, p. 38


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