Vigilance Committee (Defiance Daily Republican 12 Jan 1897)

    The people of Highland Township (Defiance County) are going to take heroic measures to get rid of the thieves who have been committing countless depredation in that locality for weeks past and have, call for a meeting to organize a vigilance committee.

    For weeks past thieves have been carrying away chickens and turkeys by the wagon load and have robbed clothing lines in every directions. So boldly has this work been carried on that it is not even safe to leave a rag of any kind hanging over night. 

    The farmers have been goaded to to desperation by their losses and they are going to break up the gang of robbers that have been plaguing them, no matter what cost them.

    Some fun can be looked for in that direction, because the people are thoroughly aroused and mean business.

The Vigilntes (Defiance Democrat 30 June 1892)

    The people of South Richland township were on the alert for the scalp of any suspicious character that may be lurking in that vicinity with no visible means of support and a dirty shirt. Monday evening it became noised about that a battered and seedy looking specimen of humanity had sought refuge from the elements in an old log house on John Ort's farm a short distance east of Defiance.

    A courier bestrode a horse and rode from house to house, sounding the alarm and urging the capture of the desperado dead or alive at any cost.

    At a late hour the abandoned house was surrounded by about twenty men, all farmers of that section, and they had blood in their eyes.

    James Brockelsby and George Bumpus acted as captains of the party and marched their men up to within half a mile of the house where the desperate man was supposed to be ambushed and there halted. The party who had so recklessly taken the law into their own hands were armed to the teeth. Their weapons consisted of muskets, scythes, harrow teeth, axes, pump handles, sled stakes, garden rakes and churn dashes.

    After completely surrounding the house the party moved up a few feet and closed in to within 500 feet of the house and began to discharge their muskets, calling upon the turk to surrender.

    After the fusillade had been continued for about an hour the inmate of the old house awoke and came out to see what had disturbed his slumbers. He proved to be an old inoffensive tramp about 80 years old, who hadn't eaten any thing but a cold potato for days and was as harmless as a muley cow. The laugh was on the party who returned home covered with mud and chagrin. 

Defiance Had A Haunted Lock (Defiance Daily Crescent 17 Dec. 1910)

Schooley Locks No. 33, 3 Miles west of Defiance, Ohio 

    A haunted lock on the Miami and Erie canal at Defiance, was source of apprehension to superstitious boatmen. Tragedy was credited to the place. Frequent necessity for negotiating this lock faced the crew of the "A. Millett," well known trading boat owned by Messrs  H.G. and Benjamin Heller, by whom Mr. Hauss, during two years of his early youth was employed. Pressing business sometime required passing some locks after nightfall. Members of the crew drew "cuts" to determine who should go in advance of the boat to make the lock ready. Notwithstanding the urgency of this temporary duties as cook during the illness of the regular culinary artist, young Hauss was one night suddenly ordered to run ahead of the boat to place Defiance lock, known as "Schooley's Lock No. 33" in readiness. He penetrated the night till lost to his companions vision, then trusted to luck he declared the lock was open, without having actually seen the grates. Fortune favored him. The tow line broke and there was other trouble after the craft entered the uncanny place. 

     Thirty deer in numerous number sufficient to enthuse the most blood thirsty hunters, often times seen drinking from the canal in its course through northern counties, especially in Paulding. Crew of "A. Millet" occasionally tested their prowess as nimrods.

    Barrels of vinegar and other heavy goods furnished strenuous labor for Millett crew while taking on in Cincinnati. Mr. Hauss recalls sundry involuntary plunges baths, due to accident, while assisting in stowing miscellancous  merchandise.

The Story Of The "Ark" (Defiance Democrat 6-11-1909)

St. Joseph river bridge Milford Township (Defiance County)

    "The Ark" the floating saloon, which was launched on the St. Joe river in Milford township (Defiance County), and which has brought about a Beal law local option election in that township to be held June 18th, has caused the Bryan Press to go back to the days of the Noah's Ark and tell the story of the modern Ark on the St. Joe, in the style of tales as they were written in the days of long ago. The Bryan paper tells the story of the Milford township Ark as follows:
    'This is the story of the disastrous cruise of the ark on the raging St. Joe river
    As everybody knows Williams county was voted dry last fall and ever since has been well cared for by a large number of watchful guardians of the law who can smell a whiskey breath a block away or less. Since the days when the great drouth (drought) came over the the land, it has been exceedingly puzzling to those who formerly dispensed liquid happiness to the thirsty and inasmuch as our neighboring county, Defiance, has not yet joined the ranks of those who thirst no more, the great thought occurred to Jacob Lahrman and William Cape, two caterers to human joy in St. Joseph township, that the river at Edgerton afforded a very facile highway to the land of promise and that a good ship might be built there and sailed down to the land across the county line, where away from the vexatious laws of villages and surrounded by the greening landscape they might purvey their merchandise to a responsive public and avoid all compilations with stringent laws of the land.
    "So a couple weeks ago, work began on the ark. Its progress was watched with much the same curiosity that characterized the onlookers long ago when Noah began a similar work in expectancy of the big rain.
    "Finally everything was done and a week ago last Sunday, the launching took place. Now, see the modern ark floating proudly on the bosom of the placid stream. How stately the craft breasts the gentle tide and dips in graceful salutations to the spring breezes.
    "After due ceremonies the mighty craft began its voyage down the stream piloted by its careful builders and carrying its burden of joy to the Ararat, where anchor is to be cast and invitations to be flung to the air for all who wish to enter.
    "Just across the county line, just in the edge of wet Defiance, the craft is brought to anchor. The licenses are place in position, fresh kegs are put into service, come the waiting people and the cheerful tune of the cash register begins to disturb the somnolence of the countryside. 
    "Alas for human plans. Success never attended great enterprise but at the expense of long sustained endeavor. For two days the proud ark steadily rides the waves and attracts great traffic. The Clarksville bridge forms a secure roof, to protect the muslin stretched over the bar, but suddenly rains descend and with the rising stream rises the ark until its well designed roof becomes a menace and "Cast off", is the order, while the stately affair floats away from danger.
    "No sooner however, is this menace avoided than a more serious one threatening the great enterprise. Adjacent land owners Jonathan L. Creager and Henry Dohner one on the north and one on the south close and acting under the advice of the learned layers closely beset the ark with injunction. These the court allows, according to the law of the land. Other enemies appear before the grand jury in session last week and ominous clouds darken the sky of hope. It looks bad for the ark. Surely its days are numbered. Down came the gilded licenses, invitations for the grand gathering Saturday night are hurriedly cancelled expected are warned and darkness and quiet settle over the ark.
     Meantime petitions for a local option election in Milford township, the place selected for the cruise are circulated. The requisite numbers of signers are secured in a half a day and the machinery of the state is set in motion against the undertaking.
    Thus on easy seas, storms ahead,shoals behind, enemies lurking on every side, the great ark lies becalmed, the mighty plan accomplished,the ambitions of the builders frustrated. 
    And this is the story of the ark,as it has occurred in this county in the past few days.
    

A Plucky Woman (Defiance Democrat 7-4-1878)

    As Henry Fergerson, son of Sheriff Fergerson, of Paulding county, was entering the Paulding jail to feed the prisoners, they made a rush to get away. One of them succeeded in getting by him and thought to make his escape while Henry was securing the others, but on his way to the outer door he was met by Mrs Fergerson, who caught and held to him until they reached the ground where quite a struggle ensued, in which Mrs Fergerson threw him to the ground, falling upon him and holding him until her son arrived and secured him.

A Raid By Police (Defiance Democrat 7-13-1899)

    The police raided the home of ill shape conducted by Mahaia Griffith in north Defiance.
    Of late there have been complains from residents of the vicinity of Mahaia's place that there was too much noise there Sunday afternoon and evening. So the minions of the law went after the fairy occupants.

    The officers found, besides Mahaia, the keeper of the place, three of the female sex who are residents of the place and two of the male sex who were there on a visit. 

    They placed the entire outfit under arrest and ordered them to appear before the mayor.

    At the appointed time the fairies were on hand and plead guilty to the charge of keeping a disorderly house and was fined $25.00 and costs. 
    The three women inmates plead guilty of being inmates and were fined $5.00 and costs each.
    Only one of the inmates had money with which to pay her fine and costs while the others and the keeper claimed to be broke. They were given until 4 o'clock this afternoon to "dig up" the price or be committed to jail. 
    One of the visiting gents arrested appeared later and was fined $5.00 and costs. The other is yet to show up.
    It is said that there are other places in the same neighborhood that are likely to share the same fate soon unless they mend their ways.   (Mahala Griffith 336 Danforth, Defiance, Ohio 1899)

Defiance County's Last Civil War Veteran (Defiance Crescent News 22 March 1945)

    Tap will sound for the last time over a Defiance county Civil War veteran when the body of Joseph T. Bushong 97, is laid to rest in Forrest Home Cemetery at Hicksville , Ohio.

    Mr Bushong died at 7:15 pm Thursday in Community Hospital, where he was brought Wednesday evening after suffering a fractured skull in a fall down a cellar way at the Knight Convalescent home in Edgerton, where he had lived two years.

    Funeral will be Sunday at 2 pm, Perkins and Reeb funeral home, with Rev. Wallace E. Jones pastor of Church of Christ, officiating.

     Mr. Bushong was born Aug. 27, 1847. In Logan county, and was less then a year old when his parents moved to Putnam county, near Columbus Grove. After his discharge from the Army he went back to Columbus Grove. There he married Jane Pepper. They moved to Carryall township southeast of Hicksville in 1872. They lived there until 1901,when they came to Hicksville. Mrs. Bushong died here Aug 3, 1903.

    That fall Mr. Bushong went to Kansas, where he lived nine years.

    Returning to Hicksville in 1912, Mr. Bushong married Harriett McElderry of Columbus Grove on Feb. 23, 1914. They lived in Columbus Grove until she died May 12, 1937. Then Mr. Bushong came back to Hicksville to make his home with his children.
    He leave three daughters, Mrs. George S. Pool and Mrs. Cora Erter, Hicksville, and Mrs. Mettic Waltenberger, Milford township; five grandchildren, six great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren.
    Mr. Bushong was commander; of Hicksville G.A.R. post for many years, a member of the Masonic lodge and the Church of Christ. 
    The day before his 15th birthday, he enlisted in the Union Army in Lima and became a member of Co. G, 81st Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
    He served three years lacking 35 days: saw action in 13 battles and scores of skirmishes. Engagement included Town Creek Ala., Resecca, Lays Ferry, Rome Crossroads, Dallas, Nickojack, and Lovejoy Station, Ga. and Bentonville North Car. He was in the siege of Atlanta, the battle of Jonesboro and the heavy fighting at Kenesaw Mountain, and was in Sherman march to the sea.
    He was mustered out at Louisville July 13, 1865, was a corporal and received his discharge at Camp Denison, July 21, 1865