History of Willard, (Huron County) Ohio United States of America

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It is said of the town of Willard (population 4,514) that it has unsurpassed railroad facilities for a town of its size, with more than a score of passenger and express trains daily. It is on the New York and Chicago Division of the B and O, and the Sandusky, Newark Division, and here are the Baltimore and Ohio shops with their extensive yards.

It is mostly in New Haven Township, only 558 of its population being in Richmond Township. The establishment of three divisions of the B and O RR here caused the town to be founded. The first building in 1874 was occupied by Sam L Bowlby's grocery and hotel. On January 1 of that year the B and O opened for traffic, the portion of the Chicago extension, being then known as the Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Chicago, as far as Deshler. In December, 1874, the road was completed to Chicago and soon temporary shops were erected. In the following year a brick depot and hotel was erected. Until comparatively recent years the town was called Chicago Junction and under that name it was incorporated in the fall of 1882 with Samuel Snyder as the first mayor; N B Parker, clerk; W B Keefer, treasurer; A R Nichols, Otis Sykes, F J Gunther, George H Miller, Elias Mason and William Carpenter, members of council. The telephone system was established in 1898, water works in March, 1899; electric lights in December 1900, in which year there was some street paving; natural gas in 1903 and the Norwalk, Shelby and Mansfield Electric line was built through here in 1905, but was abandoned years ago.

The town was named Willard some years ago in honor of Daniel Willard, president of the B and O RR. The city owns its water and lighting plants, has splendid churches, schools and bank. In February, 1931, a religious survey of Willard was made by the Presbyterian, United Brethren and Methodist churches. T C Smith is president of the Willard Civic Club and Earl G Youngs, secretary.

W B Keefer, who became the town's first postmaster in 1875, has been in the banking business in Willard for more than forty-two years. He was the first treasurer of the town, holding that position for twenty years. When a school building was erected in 1883, he was treasurer of the board and it was through his duties in that office that Willard's first bank was established, opening for business Aug 20, 1888. Mr Keefer was the sole owner of this bank until 1906 when it was incorporated as the Commercial Banking Company and he has been re-elected president of it every year since then.

In 1876 a disastrous fire destroyed a large part of the town, but it recovered from the set-back and in recent decades has been growing in importance, especially since 1915. A few miles to the south of Willard lies the great marsh tract where immense crops of celery and onions are grown, the region around Celeryville being especially noted.

FROM: History of North Central Ohio, by William Duff. Historical Publishing Co, Topeka-Indianapolis, 1931.

History of Willard, (Huron County) Ohio

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