Shelby County History

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Dinsmore Township  Location & Features | First Families | Other firsts | Churches (for a larger view of the map, click here)     Dinsmore Township was organized independently on December 3, 1832.  It is bounded on the north by Auglaize county, on the east by Jackson Township, on the south by Franklin Township, and on the west by VanBuren Township.
    Dinsmore is crossed north and south within two miles of the west line by the Dayton & Michigan Railroad.  The surface of the township is level throughout with the soil being of excellent quality.
    Note: Many early settlers to this township soon returned to their former homes or sought out new lands beyond this section due to the prevalence of Milk Sickness in the area.  Because of this, Dinsmore township had a slow growth for several years.
     
 

First Families of Dinsmore Twp. 
(this list is by no means complete - others were settled in the area that I do not have listed)

1831/1832	It is claimed that George Turner was the first actual settler in Dinsmore twp.  It is also claimed that later in the same year, Joseph green and John Munch settled.  Other sources say tha William Blakeley came here from Franklin county in 1831 and during the same year, Silas D. Allen came from Pickaway county.
1832	*John Munch came from Greene county with his wife and eight children.   *George Turner also came from Greene County, but left ten months later on account of the prevelance of milk sickness.  George returned in 1837.   *Richard Dill came from Hamilton county with his wife and eleven kids.   *Joseph Green came from Warren county with his wife and five kids.  * Samuel Blakeley came from Franklin county to Franklin twp in 1830, but moved here two years later.  *Richard Botkin came from Hamilton county.
1833	*Alfred Staley came from Montgomery county  *Erasmus B. Toland with his wife and two children came from Miami county  *Philip Good came from Greene county (originally from PA)  *Hector Lemon came from Chester County, PA  *Jospeh Park came from NJ  *Philip Hagelberger of France
1834	*David Taylor came from Greene county with wife and eight children  *Peter Boling came from Montgomery county  *Philip Brideweiser came from Franklin county  *William Ellis came from VA  *Joseph Bruner came from Clark county  *Jacob Wiford with wife and five children came from VA  *Frederick Oxburger of Germany  *Samuel & William Elliott
1835	*Thomas Iiams came from Warren county  *Cornelius Elliott came from Licking county
1836	*Daniel Toland came from Montgomery county  *John Fahr with wife and four children came from Perry county  *Wm H. Abbott
1838	Didrich Schulte of Germany

  top     Other Firsts  

• 1st school house was built in 1836 and was a log building.
• 2nd log school house was built in 1840.
• 1st teacher was William d. Johnson.  Other early teachers were William Wilson and E. T. Meade.
• 3rd log school house, called the Beck School-House, was built in 1844.
• In 1870, the colored district was abolished and the colored children were permitted to attend white schools
• 1st blackboard was introduced in 1846
• In 1849, Silas D. Allen and George Duff erected a steam sawmill, known as the Old Sash Mill
• In 1874, Linton's Steam Sawmill was built by L. Davis and J.C. Linton.
• During the winter in 1881/2, Gray & Ailes's Steam Sawmill was built by Messrs.
• In 1876, Botkins Tile Yards was established by Hemmert & Stelzer

top   Churches    

St. Laurentius  (or St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church)	Organized in 1856 by Father Henry J. Muckerheide in the school house of Sub-district No. 1.  In the Autumn of 1858, a brick church was built and dedicated by Father Muckerheide.  In 1878, the society built a two story brick school house in which they held school during 3-6 months out of the year.
Evangelical Lutheran St. James Church of Franklin & Dinsmore twps	In 1833, a log house was built for Pastor rev. John Henry Ferdinand Joesting, which, for a while, served as a parsonage, school, and church.  In 1854, a brick church was built near the site of the old log building.  In 1871, a church was built in Anna because most of the members had relocated there.
Anna M.E. Church	Formerly known as Mt. Gilead M.E. Church. Organized in 1833 at the house of Richard C. Dill by revs D.D. Davidson and James Smith.  Regular meetings were held at the houses of Richard C Dill and Jospeh Park.  In 1840, meetings were held at the house of Mary J. Young.  In 1841, a log church was built.  In 1858, a new frame church was dedicated by Rev. P.G. Goode.
Roman Catholic Church of the "Immaculate Conception"	Services were held at member's homes and old school houses.  Most parishoners were of German heritage.  In 1867, a church was built for their use.
Botkins M.E. Church	Organized in 1833/4 at the house of Richard Botkin by Rev. Daniel D. Davidson, assisted by Rev. James Smith.  Meetings were held at the house of Richard Botkin for several years until the meetings were moved to a log cabin house that already stood in Botkins. In 1841, a hewed log church was built.  In the 1860's a frame church building was built.  In 1881 a brick church was built.

top   Information was gathered from the following sources: "History of Shelby County, Ohio" by R. Sutton & Co. 1883   Back to Shelby County OHGenWeb   ©1999 by Tina Hursh