Historical overview of Allen County...
Allen County was formed
April 1, 1820, from
Indian Territory, and named in
honor of a Col. Allen, of the war of 1812; it was
temporarily attached to Mercer county for judicial purposes.
The southern part has many Germans. A large part of the
original settlers were of Pennsylvania origin. The western
half of the county is flat, and presents the common features
of the Black Swamp. The eastern part is gently rolling, and in
the southeastern part are gravelly ridges and knolls. The
"Dividing Ridge" is occupied by handsome,
well-drained farms, which is in marked contrast with much of
the surrounding county, which is still in the primeval forest
condition. Its area is 440 square miles.
population in 1830 was 578; 1850, 12,116; 1860, 19,185; 1880,
31,314, of whom 25,625 were Ohio born, 3 were Chinese, and 4
The initial point in the occupancy of the county by the whites
was the building of a fort on the west bank of the Auglaize in
September, 1812, by Col. Poague, of Gen. Harrison's army,
which he named in honor of his wife Fort Amanda. A ship-yard
was founded there the next year, and a number of scows built
by the soldiers for navigation on the Lower Miami, as well as
for the navigation of the Auglaize, which last may be termed
one of the historical streams of Ohio, as it was early visited
by the French, and in its neighborhood were the villages of
the most noted Indian chiefs; it was also on the route of
Harmer's, Wayne's, and Harrison's armies.
The fort was a quadrangle, with pickets eleven feet high, and
a block-house at each of the four corners. The storehouse was
in the centre. A national cemetery was established here, where
are seventy-five mounds, the graves of soldiers of the war of
Among the first white men who lived at this point was a
Frenchman, Francis Deuchoquette. He was interpreter to the
Indians. It was said he was present at the burning of
Crawford, and interfered to save the unfortunate man. He was
greatly esteemed by the early settlers for his kindly
disposition. In 1817 came Andrew Russell, Peter Diltz, and
William Van Ausdall; and in 1820 numerous others.