Perrysburg Pulse Magazine Perrysburg Pulse October | Page 28

PERRYSBURG’S
PAST: LAYERS was later renamed The Ohio Whig and continued printing under that name
until it merged with The Maumee River Times (published in both Maumee and
Perrysburg).
errysburg’s past is layered all around us. While out running
errands, you might happen across an old hitching post or a stone
road marker. Both have stories to tell. Victorian-era storefronts
are still standing downtown, as are mansions along the river
built by local captains of industry who helped shape our city,
state, and nation. Construction in the Fort Meigs and Hood Park areas in
recent years unearthed human remains from prehistoric Native Americans
who lived here an estimated 1,400 years ago. Metal detectors still turn up
relics from a time when soldiers battled along the river. The Scotts sold their Bridgeport mansion and returned to Ohio and a more
modest lifestyle. They lived in Maumee from 1837 to 1844, during which time
Scott wrote for publications across the country. At the end of 1843, he became
editor of the Toledo Blade and soon after moved to Toledo. He dedicated a
great deal of time and effort to promoting Toledo as the next major US city.
His continued and expanded landholdings there undoubtedly fueled his fervor,
at least in part. Near the end of his life, Scott donated 150 acres in the city of
Toledo to what would become the University of Toledo. Scott High School and
Scott Park were both named after him.
Generations of Perrysburg families have passed down stories of residents
from diverse backgrounds pulling together (often at significant personal risk)
to help with the Underground Railroad. Old maps disclose changes to the
area over the years. We see where the original village cemetery was—now a
residential area—for example, or an electric railway line running the length of
Front Street and beyond. Newspaper articles from the 19th century document
happenings big and small, including grievances between neighbors and
arguments about politics that read like contemporary social media posts (albeit
with a more formal vocabulary). The next time you drive by the little house at 347 East Second Street, I
hope you take a moment to imagine Jesup Wakeman Scott sitting out front
scribbling notes for his next article in Perrysburg’s first publication. Just one of
the layers of history surrounding us.
In the early 1830s, upon his arrival in Ohio, Scott purchased a tract of 70
acres at $15 an acre in what would later become the central part of Toledo. The
value of Scott’s land holdings ballooned from $1,050 in 1833 to $400,000
just three years later. The Scotts took their newfound wealth and returned to
Connecticut, purchasing a mansion in Bridgeport. However, their time of
lavish living was cut short by the great financial crash of 1837.
P
With Angela Shapiro
If you are as fascinated by Perrysburg’s past as I am, I invite you to join me
here as we look into the lives of those who came before us. Their challenges,
triumphs, and heartbreak. The human part of history. For this inaugural issue
of Perrysburg Pulse, let’s look back to December 11, 1833, when Perrysburg’s
first-ever news publication, The Miami of the Lake, went to print.
In 1833 Perrysburg had 250 residents. They were serviced by two stores, two
taverns, two doctors, two lawyers, a courthouse, jail, and schoolhouse. Ships
were being built along the river near the end of Mulberry Street. There were
approximately 60 homes in the area.
Against this backdrop, two men came to town with the shared dream of
giving this area its first newspaper. The first was Henry Darling, who later
served as Perrysburg’s third mayor. Of note, Mayor Darling was instrumental
in draining the swamp waters from Perrysburg. As interesting as Henry
Darling is, it is the second owner and editor of The Miami of the Lake who we
will focus on today.
Jesup Wakeman Scott was born in Connecticut in 1799, married Susan
Wakeman Scott in 1822, and moved with her and their children to Ohio in
1830. At this point, you might be wondering if the names of Mr. and Mrs.
Scott were cited inaccurately above, given their similarities. They were not.
According to genealogical sources, the Scotts were cousins. Susan’s father
was named Jesup Wakeman (sounds familiar, right?). His sister was Jesup
Wakeman Scott’s mother. So, Jesup Wakeman Scott and Susan Wakeman
Scott were cousins, and Jesup Wakeman was Jesup’s Wakeman Scott’s uncle,
father-in-law, and namesake. Isn’t history fun?
Within a few years of their arrival in Ohio, the Scott family moved to
Perrysburg. They lived in a “cottage” that is still standing at 347 East Second
Street, although they might have had another home in the area before moving
there.
Publishing was Jesup Scott’s passion, but he was also an attorney, educator,
and real estate investor. He served as a Wood County prosecuting attorney in
1834, soon after selling his interest in The Miami of the Lake. That publication
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Angela Shapiro is a self-proclaimed history nerd. She
lives in Perrysburg with her husband and five-year-old
daughter and works as an attorney in Detroit. Somewhat
ironically, given her love of all things historical, her
practice is focused on the use of cutting-edge legal
technology to handle high volumes of electronically
stored information.