To honor the Tiffin’s early history, people who were descended from the pioneers who settled in Tiffin or Clinton Township by 1831 applied to the Tiffin Bicentennial Committee on First Settlers. Over 70 people have submitted applications and been approved for their families, which brought the total up to about 100 people identified. The Committee sold turquoise commemorative t-shirts which have been worn throughout the year at various events. This free program is part of the Tiffin Bicentennial celebration and has been sponsored by the Seneca County Genealogical Society who provided seed money and donated free t-shirts to the first 25 applicants.
Original pioneer wagon will ride again!
A Pennsylvania (Conestoga) Wagon on loan from the Scipio Republic Area Historical Society will be featured in the Heritage Festival Parade, followed by many of Descendants of Tiffin’s First Settlers. It may be difficult to see as it goes by, but this battered old wagon was one of the many our pioneers used to come west in the 1820’s and 1830’s and beyond. This wagon originally used by Charles and Molly Smith Albright when they migrated from Lancaster, PA. in the winter of 1835 to Adams Township, Seneca County, Ohio with their infant son John, born that year.
John had a son Upton Albright who lived in Scipio Township. Upton Albright’s farm was sold to Wayne Powell, who was the father of Mrs. Edith Hemminger of Republic. The wagon was found after that purchase half buried in a sheep pen and Mr. Powell cleaned and restored it for use in the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial celebration and parade in Tiffin. It was afterwards donated to the Historical Society.
The wagon and its canvas is too fragile to be driven on its own, but will be hauled by Larry Cook with Gene Cook’s truck and trailer. Descendants will also ride on the trailer and walk behind it for the parade. After the parade it will be on display at the entrance of the Heritage Village until 5pm Saturday, September 17, 2022.
The Bicentennial will also feature a tent on the Courthouse Lawn celebrating the First Settlers of Tiffin before and after the parade, 9 am-3 pm. It will be a casual “Meet and Greet” where people interested in the early settlers can stop in and chat with some of the Descendants, view some pictures and memorabilia, and see if their ancestors were part of Tiffin’s early history. There will be a looping slideshow of some of the pioneers and their descendants. Enjoy a weekend full of Tiffin and Seneca County history and check out some amazing historical pieces and people that built our beloved community!
