Valley City, Ohio

In 1807 Seba Bronson, Jr., a Revolutionary War Veteran, came from Columbia Township to the north, and "squatted" on the land. He planted corn, built a dwelling, and met the Pottawatomie Indians who came to the area to hunt.

The Indians had found a salt spring, which provided a useful way of preserving meat. They sold the location of the salt springs to Seba and a man named Capt. Jared Pritchard for 5 silver dollars. The word spread about the salt spring, and the town began to build. Part of that salt spring runs its course through my family's old farm.

From what I learned about the Indians, they were like the early settlers in a lot of ways. The warring Iroquois and Chippewas were always running them out of their homes. They were described as the most civilized, peaceful, and courteous of all the Indians in the area at the time. But they were untrusting of settlers (the settlers reminded them of the Iroquois with regard to land stealing), so they sided with the French and British during the early war years of our country.

Below are educational links about the Potawatomi Indians.

Below are a few links to some of my favorite places to provide a little more information about the town and its people.