Historical Families Project 2003


OUR HISTORICAL FAMILIES
                                                           The Historical Families Project
The Holland Springfield Spencer Historical Society agreed to begin honoring the families and properties that have played an important role in the development of the Village and Township. Each year families and properties will be selected and a plaque will be placed on the house designating the honor. The following houses have been selected to date.
 
 On June 30, 1836, Springfield Township was created by the Lucas County Commissioners and included portions of Monclova and Adams Townships that were formed later. In an election held on October 8, 1836, John Burchfield, James Egnew and Thomas Wood were made Trustees; Peter Holloway became the Clerk; John Wiltse was elected as Treasurer; John Burchfield and John Spencer were elected as Justices of the Peace; and William Ford became Constable.

This area of the Oak Opening Region was not considered habitable by the natives who used it only for hunting, food gathering and traveling through. Settlers, mostly from New England, came here in the late 1820s when the U.S.
opened what used to be the Indian Territory for settling.

Dennis Sage is credited with being the first settler, having come to the area in 1829. He served five terms as Township Treasurer and died in 1887 at the age of ninety-three. His sister, Chloe Lees came shortly after, in 1830 with her sons Edmund and Simeon P. Before 1834, the Abbotts, Barlows, Barnes, Beals, Berrys, Burchfields, Cummings, Deans, DeMotts, Divines, Falks, Flynns, Fords, Frosts, Gnagys, Holloways, Kimballs, Kitchells, Nobles, Purdons, Rews, Silvers, Strayers, Trumbulls and Walters settled in the area.

In 1863, Robert Clark began building the north part of Holland and named it Hardy. Franklin Hall did the same for the southern portion in 1864. In 1867 the village became known as Holland.

It was not decided to incorporate the village until December 18, 1923. There were 96 votes for and 41 against. The first Mayor was Mabel Hovey, who was also one of the two women mayors elected in Ohio at that time. “Miss Hovey was a lifelong resident and had taught school twenty-seven years. She was very active in the Methodist Church; being Sunday School Superintendent and Church Treasurer for many years. She was also active in the social and intellectual life of Holland. After a long illness, she died in September, 1948.”


                                                                     
                                                                      The Holloway Home
The Holloway Family were early settlers in Springfield Township and contributed much to its formation. They immigrated to the Boston area from England in 1666, and then continued their migration via New York arriving in Maumee in 1833. In 1834, Peter Holloway purchased property and he, his wife and eight children settled
in Springfield Township.

Peter and his sons served in numerous elected offices within the Township; Peter being elected in 1836 as its first clerk, and both sons, Herbert and Charles, later served as Trustees as well as Clerk. Peter was also elected Justice of the Peace in 1852. Charles B. represented Lucas County in the Ohio Legislature, serving in a very effective manner.

The Holloway home is located near the Ohio Expressway. It stands on a wooded lot, well secluded from the more developed areas of the Township. It is a beautiful example of Victorian architecture, having been built in 1862, and is painstakingly maintained by the present owners, Anthony and Pauline Wallace.



 
                                                          Temperance Inn / Shaner Home
Presently owned by Lee and Barb Irons, it was originally part of the Thomas Wood property and for many years was a stagecoach inn. The older portion of the house was probably built in the 1850s. Part of this structure can still be seen inside the present house that was built in 1872 by the Shaner family. It is believed to have served as a part of the Underground Railroad in the 1850s.


 
                                                             Burchfield Family Homestead
The Burchfield Farm has been owned and operated by that family since 1834, when John Burchfield migrated from Tuscarawas County, Ohio to Springfield Township. The original 40-acre tract of land was acquired by government patents and the original deed with Andrew Jackson’s signature is still in the possession of the family.

John and his wife, Mary, and their children lived in single room, log cabin on Garden Road overlooking Cairl Creek. Upon their arrival, John became involved in community affairs, being elected as one of the first Trustees, serving as the chairman in 1836. He was also elected to other offices including Township Treasurer, Justice of the Peace, Judge, and Supervisor of Highways.

Following his death in 1846 at the age of 44 years, he was buried with his two daughters in a small family cemetery located on original homestead overlooking Cairl Creek. Mary, the wife of John, is buried in Stark County, Ohio, where she resided with her oldest daughter and family after the death of John.

The Burchfield Cemetery has been maintained by the Burchfield family. It is notable that the plot is covered with wild roses believed to be more than 150 years old.

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