Fig. 1 David Campbell, founder of Sandusky's first newspaper, the Clarion, which eventually became the Register, Fig. 2 Chief Justice Lane of Ohio, Fig. 3 Ulysses T. Curran, Superintendent of Sandusky Schools and Probate Judge, Fig. 4 William Linsdley, member of the 33rd United States Congress
One of the more common questions people have about Sandusky and its history relates to the origin of street names. An earlier blog entry here discussed how the streets on the original Sandusky plat (downtown) got their names. Here, I will talk about the presumed sources of a few more street names in the area. I say “presumed” because I have not viewed any official records that would verify the source of the street names, but am simply making some assumptions based on our history and people of the past. The streets mentioned here have been named after prominent local residents, and are just a small sample of the streets named in this way.
Since you are reading this courtesy of the Sandusky Register, let’s start with a street name with some connection to the newspaper. Campbell Street begins near the center of Sandusky, at Columbus Avenue, and continues a long way into Perkins Township and through NASA land, then coming back out and ending at Mason Road. Its namesake, David Campbell, was founder of the Sandusky Clarion, the first newspaper in Sandusky and predecessor to the Register. He was one of the earliest settlers in Sandusky, migrating from New York as a young man. He founded the Clarion in 1822, when he was about 26 years old, and sold it in 1851. The new owners gave it the name we recognize now.
You know of the streets named after national political and military leaders, but we also have several streets named for local political, military, and civic leaders. Some of these streets are on the east side of town. Farwell Street and Wildman Street, both running between First and Fifth Streets, were named after Sandusky’s founders and pioneers. Zalman Wildman was an original owner of much of the land within the Sandusky plat of 1818. (Isaac Mills owned the remainder; his namesake street is on the west side of town.) Although he apparently never tookup permanent residence in Ohio (remaining in Connecticut), Wildman continued to own propertyin Sandusky, perhaps up to his death in 1835. Moors Farwell, who happened to be Wildman’s business representative in Sandusky, was elected the first mayor of the newly-incorporated city in 1824.
Several judges and members of the bar have had their names given to streets. There have been at least two Erie County judges named Lane, with Ebenezer Lane considered among the most prominent judges in local history, having served on the Ohio Supreme Court, as an Associate Justice beginning in 1830, and as Chief Justice from 1835 to 1845. Lane Street is south of Jaycee Park, between Columbus Avenue and Milan Road. Not far from Lane Street is Parish Street. F.D. Parish served in many civic positions in Sandusky, but was best known as a prominent attorney who became a strong anti-slavery advocate. Ulysses Curran became a Probate Judge in 1900, serving two terms; before his legal career, he was Superintendent of Schools in Sandusky. Curran Street is a small street that intersects with Meigs Street a few blocks south of the city building.
William Lindsley served in the Ohio Militia in the 1840s, reaching the rank of Brigadier General; he served a term in the United States Congress, 1853-55. Lindsley Street is between Hayes Avenue and Campbell Street, south of Tyler Street.
And these names are not all within Sandusky city limits; several streets in Perkins Township have been named for renowned locals. Beatty Avenue intersects Dewitt Avenue, near the Ohio Veterans Home. John Beatty immigrated to the New World from Ireland in the eighteenth century and eventually moved to the Firelands, settling in Perkins Township in 1815. Later, he moved to Sandusky, serving as mayor from 1833 to 1836. Hinde Avenue most likely got its name from James J. Hinde, another Irish immigrant who was a pioneer in Perkins. (His relations