Hardin County History
The forest dwelling Wyandot and Shawnee Indians were the principle inhabitants of the Northwest Ohio Territory until French fur traders and Jesuit missionaries arrived in the early 1600's.
More than 150 years later the English gained control of the region after winning the French and Indian Wars. The British continued to exert their influence until the United States assumed control of the territory at the conclusion of the War of 1812.
It was during this war that historic Fort McArthur was constructed along the banks of the Scioto River about three miles west of what is now the City of Kenton by the General Hull to winter his soldiers. Several of his men are buried on this site.
Hardin County was created from the Northwest Territory by an act of the Ohio Legislature on April 1, 1820 and named in honor of Colonel H. Hardin, who had been killed in 1792 during the Indian Wars. The Kenton and Hardin County area is enriched in Indian Legend. Roundhead, named after a Wyandot chief, is the oldest settlement in the county.
In 1833, 40 acres of land north of the Scioto was donated to the county for the county seat. During the meeting at Fort McArthur the county commissioners agreed to name the community in honor of Simon Kenton, the famous frontiersman and Indian fighter. Kenton was settled in 1835 and was duly incorporated as a village with a population of 200 in 1845, by which time it had assumed the role of agricultural trade center for the highly fertile county. Hardin county remains one of the finest agricultural counties in Ohio.
Alger, McGuffey and Foraker's growth were directly linked to the natural resources of the marshland which covered 25,000 acres. The Scioto Marsh, located about 10 miles west of Kenton, now consists of approximately 11,000 acres of muck soil. Once known as the onion capital of the world, it is now farmed for small vegetables and corn.
Railroads transformed Ada, Blanchard, Forest, Grant, Hepburn, Mt.Victory and Ridgeway into prosperous settlements. These villages were benefited by the hardwood forests. Sawmills were an important part of their economy. Ada became the seat of education for the area and home to Ohio Northern University founded in 1871 by Henry S. Lehr.
Incorporated villages in the county are Ada (5,582), Alger (888), Dunkirk (952), Forest (1,488), Kenton (8,336), McGuffey (522), Mt. Victory (600), Patterson (146), and Ridgeway (354). Hardin County's population is 32,032.
How Towns Got Their Names
Ada: Originally laid out in 1853 as Johnstown, but there was another Johnstown in Ohio and the name was changed to Ada in 1855 when application was made for a post office. The postmaster’s daughter was named Ada.
Alger: First Called Jagger in honor of Elias Jagger who laid out the village in 1882. The name was changed to Alger in honor of Ohio born Russell A. Alger, Governor of Michigan.
Dola: Platted in 1852 as North Washington on the Ft. Wayne Railroad. In 1907 the name was changed to Dola because there were many other towns in Ohio using Washington in one form or another.
Dunkirk: Was probably named for the city in New York State.
Forest: Said to have been selected as a name because of the large stand of timber on the site.
Grant: Was so-called because the post office was opened there during U.S. Grant’s term as President
Kenton: The Ohio General Assembly passed a resolution to name and locate a seat of Justice for Hardin County in 1833. The commissioners and Jude William McCloud were unable to come to an agreement upon a name. They asked McCloud’s wife to suggest a name – she suggested Kenton in honor of Simon Kenton.
McGuffey: Known as Scioto Station when platted in 1890. When John McGuffey granted the railroad right-of-way through his land, and added a cash gift of $500, the name was promptly changed to McGuffey.
Mt. Victory: Ezra Dille and Samuel McCulloch disputed the title to the land. Dille succeeded in outbidding McCulloch when it was sold by the court at the county seat in Kenton; so it was considered a “victory”.
Ridgeway: Laid out by Samuel McCulloch in 1852. It was named for an Englishman who lived in Liverpool but who owned some 2000 acres of land thereabouts.
Roundhead: Home of Wyandot Chief Round Head (Stiahta). County’s first permanent settlement (1832).