Early History, page 2
The
judiciary of the county
was organized in
Willshire, Ohio, on 3 October 1837 and moved to the Town of Van Wert in
1839.
History records two versions of how the records were transferred.
Family tradition offers a third version, and has Sheriff Thomas Kear
carrying the court records by horseback
in saddlebags, or in a neckerchief. It is probable that all
three
versions are correct; each county official probably carried his own
records.
Van
Wert County covers 40
square miles and is
located in northwestern Ohio near the State of Indiana border. To the
north is Paulding County, to
the east is Allen County, and to the south are Auglaize and Mercer
Counties.
Except for about twelve lots, the town lots were still covered with timber in 1839. Only one frame house existed; all other dwellings were log cabins. None of the streets had been opened for travel until a few men agreed to give one hour a day every other day to felling trees to open Main Street. They then opened Washington Street [see note]. Main Street eventually became U.S. route 30 (Lincoln Highway) east and west, and Washington Street became U.S. 127 north and south.
History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio, (Wapakoneta, 0.: (R. Sutton & Co., 1882), "Biographies of Van Wert", p. 166.
The
photo at the right is a
view looking at
north Washington Street from the intersection
of
Washington and Main Streets. The sign in the lower right
corner lists the name of Wiley Kear, Realtor.
Photo courtesy of the Van Wert Historical Society.
Information on this site related to the Kear family is from The John Cears Kear Family compiled, written and edited by Donald L. Kear, copyright © 1984. Copyright © 2000 - 2010 by Donald L. Kear. All rights reserved. Portions of the pages on this site may be reproduced for nonprofit use only. Credit shall be given to the source.